The Paddler ezine issue 25 Late Summer 2015 Salty Cover

PADDLER The International digital magazine for recreational paddlers

ezine

25 FAVOURITE rivers

25 World-class WW paddlers

FRANCISCO Discovering JAMES BAY Troy Glover Exploring San

Michael Lutus

Issue 25 August 2015

Contents

Zane Schweitzer at the new Surf Snowdonia Wavegarden Photo: Peter Chamberlain / DTL photography http://www.dtlphotography.com Editor

Peter Tranter peter@thepaddlerezine.com Tel: (01480) 465081 Mob: 07411 005824 www.thepaddlerezine.com

Advertising sales

Anne Egan Tel: (01480) 465081 advertising@thepaddlerezine.com

Covers

Kayak: Biluti River, Russia by Tomass Marnics SUP: Corran Addison on the St Lawrence River

by Christine Pinsonneault Salty: San Francisco Bay by Michael Lutus

Additional contributor credits: Aidan Egan Tranter, Tez Plavenieks, Eric Jackson, Richard M. Harpham, Phil Carr, Scott Edwards, Jessica Druijko, Mathias Fossum, Scott Borthwick, Sara-Jane Daub, Brett Barton, Dave Wortley, Tyler Fox, Tony Demarco, Eric Parker, Blair Trotman, Graeme Murray, Tom Zach, Mirco Garoscio, Ian Buckley, Chris Emerick, Pure Land Expeditions, Valentin Grollemund, Lee Timmons, Sally Astles, Ron Fischer, Kenny Mutton, Quebec Connexion, Red Bull Media House, Two Blades Adventures, Leslie Alsheimer, Nich Troutman, Ride Kayaks, Steve Seinet-Martin, Christine Pinsonneault, Pauloski Odriozola, Peter Chamberlain / DTL photography,

Not all contributors are professional writers and photographers, so don’t be put off writing because you have no experience! The Paddler ezine is all about paddler to paddler dialogue: a paddler’s magazine written by paddlers.

Next issue is October 2015 with a deadline of submissions on September 20th. Technical Information: Contributions preferably as a Microsoft Word file with 1200-2000 words, emailed to submissions@thepaddler.ezine.com.

Images should be hi-resolution and emailed with the Word file or if preferred, a Dropbox folder will be created for you. The Paddler ezine encourages contributions of any nature but reserves the right to edit to the space available.

Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishing parent company, 2b Graphic Design Limited. The publishing of an advertisement in the Paddler ezine does not necessarily mean that the parent company, 2b Graphic Design Limited, endorse the company, item or service advertised. All material in the Paddler ezine is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without prior permission from the editor is forbidden.

Issue 25 August 2015

004 The Paddler’s Planet

By Christian Wagley.

006 The fonics of freestyle

By Steffan Meyric Hughes.

012 Coaching

Fundamentals of movement by Dave Rossetter.

018 Testing, testing

Kit reviewed and tested by our contributors.

034 An interview with‌ Seth Ashworth.

046 Favourite WW rivers and why 25 world-class WW paddlers give their answers.

074 Uganda

The fate of the White Nile by Jessie Stone.

086 England

A Norfolk micro-adventure by Steve Childs.

094 Wales

Kayak surfing at Surf Snowdonia by Tim Thomas.

102 United States

Exploring San Francisco Bay by Michael Lutus.

114 Canada

A photographic essay of James Bay by Troy Glover.

128 Coaching

Perfecting turns on the move by Paul Bull.

132 England

Crossing the backbone of England.

142 Coaching

Offside switch stance by Corran Addison.

150 Spain

The Basque training base of Zane Schweitzer.

156 Wales

Interview with Zane Schweitzer at Surf Snowdonia.

160 Spain

The SMS 24-hour SUP race by Luis Garcia.

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Photo: Joan Vienot

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By Christian Wagley

For more information on how you can participate wherever you may be on the Planet visit www.supradioshow.com Stay tuned for my weekly podcast of The Paddler’s Planet with my guest host Christian Wagley on www.supradioshow.com,

“Where we are Standing Up for the Planet!”

To know and respect the season The midsummer heat is constant on the northern Gulf of Mexico coast. By late July there is little change in daily highs and lows and no cool fronts to tame the relentless humidity. Wildlife and people who respect the season, adjust their routines to fit.

As paddlers we spend a great deal of time outdoors, on and off the water. Even when not paddling we are often immersed in the world around us—hiking the woods and meadows, tending a garden, cycling through a neighbourhood. We observe and respect the changes we see and feel.

Here in northwest Florida, the days get shorter and the sun weakens as it moves toward southern latitudes. But the Gulf waters continue to warm as the resistance offered by the water’s mass and physical propensity to hold its temperature are ultimately overcome by the persistence of the daily pulse of solar energy.

garden perks-up as the dissolved ions and nutrients in rainwater feed the plants better than anything I can distribute from the tap.

In the grove of fruit trees that line my yard I have harvested the last of the pears, which is always a sign of the mid-summer season. And the hawk pair that watched over my yard since late winter has raised a young hawk to fledge and all have departed for northerly climes.

On the water, my paddling trips are pushed to early morning and late evening. Fish and birds do the same, laying low during the day and instead foraging at cooler times.

Following a morning of paddling or gardening I often retreat into the complete shelter of the deep front porch on the north side of my home, totally insulated from the sun overhead.

Beginning mid-day the breeze flows across and makes it a beautiful sanctuary that feels far cooler than one would think.

The massive amount of heat from the sun is embodied in the Gulf as a huge store of potential energy. That energy manifests as late afternoon brings rising water vapour and clouds building high in the sky, the rumble of thunder in the distance, and then rain overhead that soaksup the heat the sun has baked into streets and buildings. The wind howls and the rain falls sideways for a time, until the thunderstorm settles-in and soaks the neighbourhood.

I kick back in relaxation with a book or pen and paper and a view of the garden before me. A huge glass of iced sun tea sweats on the table next to me as I down glass after glass, quickly dashing out from under my shady perch only long enough to grab a sprig of mint. My movements are slower and conserving of energy as part of a seasonal slowdown that most of us need to balance our sometimes harried lives and to fully honour the extremes of the season.

In the garden a diminished diversity of plants weathers the heat. Gone are the more sensitive tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash. In their place are okra, basil, Egyptian spinach and a couple of others tolerant of the blistering days and sticky nights. Even though they are heat-tolerant they still enjoy relief and following a cooling rain the

One could choose to suffer, complaining about the heat and humidity and the need to change our daily routine. But in knowing and respecting the summer season, we more easily embrace its subtleties, and remind ourselves that any place in any season can be enjoyable – it’s our choice to make.

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STEFFAN MEYRIC HUGHES

The fonics of

freestyle

There can’t be a sport on earth that has changed as much, or as quickly, as kayaking.

As recently as the early 90s, there was really no such thing as ‘freestyle’. OK, so there was ‘rodeo’, performed by bearded men in nasty boats, some of them brilliant paddlers given the limitations of the day. A wonderful bonus on the (must-have) Dudh Kosi DVD shows American paddlers Rob Lesser and John Wasser throwing prototype ‘endos’ on a standing wave on the Snake River, then rolling up fast to retain; and repeat.

These were the days (mid-80s) when merely performing an Eskimo roll on flat water was a trick in its own right, and frequently used as a victory salute after a hard section of water.

Without the web, names were necessarily localised. Getting stuck in a stopper and trying to juggle had no name. In fact the only standardised names for anything that I remember were the shudder rudder, the ender (or ‘endo’) and the pirouette. We spoke also of intendos (intentional endos) and unintendos (accidental ones). This was the era of the Game Boy after all.

Corran Addison

Just 15 years later, everything had radically changed with the advent of short boats, YouTube and horrendously complicated moves named after masturbating monkeys, crashing jetliners and Greek mathematicians. Paddlers had lifted moves from other balance sports like surfing and skateboarding and suddenly the whole thing had become dynamic, aerial and (debatably), quite cool. These days, some of the names for moves are just off the scale in their originality and weirdness.

The names of freestyle (or ‘playboating’) moves can be divided quite easily into three genres: literal, derivative and original. I have listed them here under these categories. Kayaking is not a sport that records its history well, and I couldn’t track down every current move, let alone the many, like the rail-grab-based ‘limerick’, that have fallen into disuse. All those on the ICF scoresheet are here – and a few others if they have interesting names. I’d like to thank those who helped with my research, namely Corran Addison, Eric Jackson, Billy Harris, Ken Whiting and Brendan Marks. If you want to know what the moves are, or how to do them… ask someone else. I can’t even loop – yet!

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Photo: Eric Jackson competing at the GoPro Mountain Games Steffan has been paddling on and off since 1988, when he first stepped into a Perception Mirage.

He is a keen historian of the sport and author of Circle Line: around London in a Small Boat (2012). These days, he paddles a dark blue Jackson AllStar (2010). He is a full-time yachting journalist in his day job.

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Sam Ward Photo: Antony Edmonds

Alan Ward Photo: Antony Edmonds

Brandon Hepburn Photo: Antony Edmonds

Mat Dumoulin Photo: Antony Edmonds

LITERAL

Cartwheel:

The granddaddy of all freestyle moves, this was actually invented by a slalom paddler in 1979. It was Norbert Sattler who first threw the move at the 1979 slalom worlds in Jonquiere, Quebec, Canada. The first splitwheel was thrown by Eric Jackson 14 years later.

Flip turn:

Clean:

Corran Addison came up with the ‘clean’ prefix to describe a move done off one paddle stroke (with the strokeless move later getting the ‘super clean’ prefix)

DERIVATIVE Grind:

Part of the development that became the helix, it traces its origin back to Corran Addison and Steve Fisher (who named it).

From skateboarding, where a rider plants his deck sideways and forces the slide the ramp.

Adapted to kayaking by Corran Addison in the late 1990s.

Loop:

Shuvit:

If the cartwheel was the first real ‘move’, then this one is the most iconic. It was, as far as I can tell, invented by top US paddler Clay Wright, who also named the variants (air loop, back loop etc).

From skateboarding, adapted to kayaking by Corran Addison (late 1990s). The skateboarding term was originally called a Ty hop, after its inventor Ty Page.

Claire O’Hara Photo: Pete Astles

Kickflip:

From skateboarding (the inimitable and amazing Rodney Mullen no less), and adapted to kayaking

by Corran Addison sometime in the late 1990s.

ORIGINAL Airscrew:

Corran Addison, “The air screw was originally called the Airchimedes Screw (named after the Archimedes screw that pumped water circa 500BC) but no one knew what I was talking about so it evolved to just airscrew.”

Pan-Am:

Corran Addison, “Because of the Lockerbie crash back in the 1980s – the first Pan Ams I was doing I described as ‘take off, and then go into a spiralling dive to crash’. I pulled the first one off in competition in early spring 1999 at the Chambly Rodeo in Quebec.”

Helix:

The helix was invented and named by Steve Fisher after some years of development on the Zambezi River. The name presumably derives from the definition of the word (‘spiral’).

Matrix:

Tyler Curtis, c1999, origin of name unknown, but it’s probably named after the movie, which came out in 1999.

Tricky Whu:

Invented on the Ottawa at the right-hand side of Horseshoe Hole in the summer of 1999 or 2000 by Brendan Marks. A blind splitwheel into the recently-invented matrix (above). “It’s a weird name by design as it was a parody of the other freestyle names at the time.There was a band named Tricky Woo, and I remember paddling with Tyler laughing that it would be funny if announcers had to shout out moves like ‘tricky whu’ over the PA. I was planning to win the local rodeo that year with the move, but the week before the event I taught EJ how to do it and I ended up placing behind him in second.

He beat me using the tricky whu!”

Morphius:

Corran Addison, c2000. “Morphius came from the matrix move as a sort of nose variant.”

Side Kick:

Eric Jackson, “This is where you start an airscrew, bring the boat over your body, then bring it back down the way it came… super fun but not on the score sheet.”

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NB: most of this article is based on primary research, therefore I apologise in advance for any errors, and would welcome any additional information.

Please email steffanmh@gmail. com.

James Bebbington Photo: Antony Edmonds

Nich Troutman Photo: Antony Edmonds

Gav Barker Photo: Antony Edmonds

Quim Fontané Masó Photo: Antony Edmonds

Porpoise:

Eric Jackson move, “Front surf a wave then porpoise the bow under the water, lean back and let the water go over your boat and body, then lift your bow back up without coming off the wave – non-scoring move.”

Blunt:

Corran Addison, “The Blunt came from the concept that we would ‘slice’ into a cartwheel… the blunts (first ones) were about 45 degrees (not vertical) and the nose appeared to bounce off the water’s surface like the nose was blunt, rather than sharp and slicy… from there the variations just came on their own.”

Felix:

Named by Eric Jackson. Presumably it’s a portmanteau of ‘failed helix’.

Stone cold cutter:

Invented by Eric Jackson, named by Jay Kincaid.

Not a scoring move and name origin unknown.

Space Godzilla:

The move was invented by Corran Addison, who says, “Before the 1999 worlds loops were hit and miss with the longer boats and pointy ends. In the lead-up to the ’98 worlds I was training to do loops consistently, but with low success and figured out that if you put a quarter twist on the loop with a cross-bow stroke (so the tail sliced in rather than slapped in) then I went from 10 per success rate to 99 per cent.

“In the ‘98 pre-words, I went for the loop (which I was calling a modified loop) and stuck it - first time as far as I know that a loop was stuck intentionally in modern freestyle competition. At the 2000 pre-worlds in Spain, I started to work on traditional loops

upstream of the hole during practice (in the Riot Disco) and I was able to do them consistently. In fact again I was the only one doing them, and my success rate was so good that I had ‘South African Air’ written on the boat in big letters.

“However, being the only one who could do them, the rest of the field voted not to recognize a Loop AND a Modified loop as two different moves. People didn’t want to lose to moves they couldn't do – so the modified loop was shot down. Javid Grubbs renamed it the Space Godzilla (not sure where he got the name) in an attempt to have the two moves recognized in the 2001 worlds as being separate moves.

“In this he was successful, but then they refused to recognize and left and a right space godzilla as two separate moves (left and right cartwheels are recognised).The usual shit.”

Fonics Monkey:

Invented by Billy Harris in 2000 and named by his students.The move’s a good’un, invented by Billy Harris after experimenting with cross-bow cartwheels with some of his paddling students. But the name is the best ever given to a freestyle move.

“Not really my choosing, but I made a promise that if I learned to do it they would get to name it,” Billy relates. “The students were watching South Park at the time…” The episode in question (S3, E12) is the one in which Eric’s mother gives him a tiny monkey in a box who beats out spellings with a drum. Eric takes it to the school spelling bee in order to cheat, but when the teacher puts him on the spot to spell ‘chair’ (“why do they give me the hard one?”), the monkey is no help at all.

He’s hidden away behind the stage curtain with a hard one of his own entertaining himself in a manner that is fun and costs nothing.

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The episode (Monkey Fonics) also gives us, once and for all, the correct spelling of the move. So all arguments about the name and spelling of this move are forever over; no more phoenixes please.

McNasty (AKA ‘pistol flip’ or ‘back pan-am’):

Eric Jackson. Remember last month’s column on antonyms like sick? Here’s an antonym crossed with a Big Mac, “I love Mcdonald's and tend to put a ‘Mc’ in front of a lot of words to ‘Americanize’ what I am saying. I thought the move was ‘Nasty’ in a positive sense and wanted to give it a little extra special sauce with the name, too!” Stout!

AST 4D CAM FO LOGY NO TECH

Lunar Orbit:

Eric Jackson, Zambezi River, 2003, “It was during a bright daytime noon overhead. I literally saw the moon over my bow on my first try of this move and I described the move as ‘squirt your bow up to the vertical and then do a full rotation around the moon before bringing it back down through the water vertically.’”

Macho Move:

named by Eric Jackson for obvious reason!

Super blunt:

Patrick Camblin’s bread-and-butter (c2010/11) is sometimes cited as the first combo move in freestyle, but Corran Addison’s super blunt (clean blunt to super-clean spin) predates it by at least a decade. The naming is obvious.

70N G R U B GREEN UOYANCY AID B

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By Dave Rossetter – Head of Paddlespo

Fundamentals of mov The last set of previous articles has all been round different concept areas from planning sessions through to how to improve as a paddler.These have focused on the process of coaching. In this article I am looking at a set of over riding principles that go by the collective of Fundamentals.

Within paddlesport the two sets of fundamentals in use are: Fundamentals of Movement l Balance l Co-ordination l Agility Fundamentals of Paddlesport l Acive posture l Connectivity l Power transfer l Feel

orts at Glenmore Lodge

vement and paddlesport Movement principles The three areas are critical in all movement and especially so in paddlesport. They underpin our paddling in all craft and environments.

Without having these in place and our ability to perform becomes compromised.

Balance

Being able manage your balance while paddling will undoubtedly aid you in your development.

With the multiple environments that we paddle in along with the changes in the water we need to be able to stay upright through a range of movements. By being able to change how we sit / kneel / stand then we can have our centre of gravity over the base. By use of the paddle or more importantly using the stability that we get from moving and by adding in positive connection points we maintain our balance throughout the manoeuvre.

Co-ordination

Agility

When moving from one place to another we need to be agile. The stop, start and change of direction for the body is critical for paddlers to move into different positions. This could be going from a bow rudder into a forward paddle stroke, from stern rudder into draw or simply working from one side of the boat to the other. Unlike say a footballer who is free in their movements we as paddlers have an enclosed space to work within but still need to be free to connect different parts in different strokes. The ability to stop moving to hold position and then move again is critical for us to be agile. Being in balance, being able to coordinate what needs to move and then doing it. The speed at which we can move from position and the smoothness that we do this will aid us in staying in balance and give us time to execute critical manoeuvres.

Maintaining balance and agility

Paddlesport is a whole body sport. We are continually using multiple parts to help achieve / maintain our balance. We also have to coordinate upper and lower body movements.

This could be driving through the legs while the core is engaged and the arms are free to move. Consider the movements required to roll and having both arms on both side of the body. By giving different focus to the paddler we can aid them in the movements by looking at a chain of events along with where our centre of base is to allow us to maintain the balance.

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Quality skill development: The skills we learn in paddlesport are all about being able to move the boat to a desired destination, preferably in a controlled, efficient, and economic fashion, in order to achieve this we need to:

Have an active posture, allowing the body to move freely, with the muscles sensitive to movement and free to act quickly. Whilst being able to effectively transfer our weight, changing the centre of gravity and remaining in balance.

Be connected to our boat allowing us to react to the movements of the boat, paddles and water around you.

This allows us to feel and anticipate the movement of the boat through the water and efficiently transfer power from the body to create movement of the boat. The paddler can perform strokes that generate power, turning and stability; control the speed, angle, edge and trim of their boat; and move efficiently and economically.

Resulting in the controlled and efficient movement of the boat to achieve a desired outcome.

Using the Draw stroke we can look to see these fundamentals being applied -

Draw

Moving the boat towards the paddle side.

Stroke used in canoes and kayaks.

Pry

Moving the boat away from the paddle side.

Stroke predominantly used in canoes.

In the picture above, we see the paddler applying the upright body with the middle pelvis position. We can observe this due to the freedom to get both hands over the side they are paddling on / the upright head and the body rotation achieved.

This also allows the paddler to reach out comfortable giving the full range of movement.

We need to ensure that we have good coordination here, as the legs need to have a degree of pressure on them so that they hold the boat at the required angle and don’t allow it spin back towards the paddle.

To have an efficient and effective draw stroke we need to look at our posture in the boat first.

We need to have our pelvis in the middle position. With the pelvis in this position it allows our surrounding muscles to be relaxed. A relaxed muscle is able to contract quicker, is more sensitive and mobile than a muscle under tension.

In the picture (left) we can see the paddler able to rotate their upper body over to the side that they would place the paddle on.This is possible due the upright upper body with the pelvis in the middle position.This posture puts us in a position where we can remain in balance and be free to be agile in our movements.

Knees up under the knee braces under the cockpit / feet touching footrest and side of boat.

Our next fundamental is our connections within the boat.

We use the points of the body that are in contact with the boat; and a basic level of tension through our main upper body (our core) to connect the boat to the body. This is essential to achieving control over the boats movement both in direction (laterally) and remaining upright.

Connections within the boat are: l l l l

Where and how we sit/kneel/stand Where the knees are and the points they touch Where the feet touch The use of hip pads/backrest

Above: Knees pressing against the side of boat/use of kneeling thwart.

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We need to use these with a degree of tension as we plant the paddle we are aiming to pull ourselves up to the paddle. This brings us onto our next fundamental: ~ power transfer.

The strength of the stroke (stroke efficiency) is determined by remaining stable. This means that the water is left in the water and we remain upright and in control.

Task 1

Draw stroke only using arm power and try and move the water.

Task 2

Draw stroke using your core muscles and think about leaving the water stable and calm.

What differences do you note?

Once we are this stage it is time that we start developing our feel. We need to learn to work with the water and not against it. To do this we need to develop a feel for how the boat / paddle interact with the water. The paddler who can do this looks like they are working together with the water and not fighting it.

Exercises that can help us improve our feel would be:

Practicing draw strokes with your eyes closed.

Do your reference points (points where you position your hands/arms/pressure on contact points) change

Play time

Take your draw on the move and link it into a turning stroke such as the bow rudder.

How does your posture/connections/ power transfer and feel change?

What do you need to maintain your balance?

What is the chain of events that help you co-ordinate the movements?

What allows you to get free (agility) to move to the new position?

Dave Rossetter Dave is Head of Paddlesports at Glenmore Lodge – Scotland’s National Outdoor Training Centre. He has been involved in the development of the new awards and provides expert advice throughout the industry on all things to do with coaching, safety, leadership and personal paddling. He is passionate about all things paddling and specialises in white water kayak and open canoe where he will most often be found.

http://www.glenmorelodge.org.uk

IInspiring www.glenmorelodge.org.uk

located l in the heart of Cairngorms National Park.

Learn, L develop or qualify in an adventure sport of your y choice. Our goal is to inspire adventure by teaching t beginners, coaching intermediate/advanced and a delivering training and assessment courses for leaders l and instructors.

White water | Open canoeing | Sea kayaking | Surf kayaking | First aid and rescue & Qualifications

Photo: Ed Smith

Adventure

We are Scotland’s National Outdoor Training Centre

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Testing, Ace of Spades

www.spadekayaks.com

By Phil Carr www.unsponsored.co.uk

Spade kayaks is a new kayak company formed in Germany by whitewater legends Hans Mayer, Oli Grau, Matze Brutzman, Jens Klatt and Jan Haluszka.

The Ace of Spades is a blown moulded displacement hull kayak. It has the features that you would expect to see in any whitewater boat – adjustable outfitting, full plate footrest, multiple grab handles, drain bung etc… but many have been executed in a creative/different way.

The Ace is designed as a river runner/creeker and is available in just the one size.

Outfitting: Footrest

The footrest is a full plate with a contoured plastic foot plate on a metal frame that is bolted to the hull left and right. The width of the footrest can be adjusted by loosening two bolts on each side of the foot plate. The footrest runs within a

skeletal plastic pillar where you would normally find a lump of high density foam.

The pillar is bolted to the hull at the top and seat rail/hull at the bottom using stainless steel Allen bolts. There is a fixing that is welded into the boat. Tightening this bolt too tight can pull and move the bottom of the boat. This makes for a super stiff setup.

Cockpit

You will see in the images the cockpit incorporates a grey plastic ring. This creates a stiff setup and allows the outfitting to be bolted to the boat. Although there is a join and a whole load of fixings, all will be protected from water ingress by the spray skirt. However, I must say it isn't the prettiest of systems but it does its job well.

Cockpit – hip pads

On first look the hip pads don't appear to be anything special but on closer inspection and use – they are very good.

Each pad is held in place by a combination of QR buckles and Velcro. The buckles are riveted to the seat via a short length of strap. Therefore when released from the hip pad the straps and buckle stay in position. There is no risk of the strap falling behind the seat post as happens with systems from other manufacturers.

The hip pad is perfectly shaped with more padding at the rear, this is a simple idea that works well. If the padding were consistent across the width of the pad there is always a risk of placing too much pressure on your leg at the front edge, which can result in numbness.Take this padding away but keep it where it's needed at the rear. Superb!

Plenty of shims in the outfitting kit are provided and fix between the seat and the main pad.

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testin The backrest is super comfy, it provides plenty of support, sitting at the right height and little to go wrong.

. If you want y o tion u rp sta r st

Cockpit – backrest

ThePaddle r ez ine te

Just behind the backrest there is a high density blue foam pillar and gear clip in point. The clip in point is one long single loop and there is plenty of room for storing clipped in gear without having to deflate air bags.

ter of in

Grab handles

dle rs - e mail us: r eviews@t hepad dler ezin e

m .co

Underneath the cleat is the thigh brace that also incorporates some additional foam blocks/padding that is fixed to the side of the hull using a strip of Velcro. There is some adjustment to the thigh braces via two bolts. As yet I am still tweaking this setup to hit the sweet spot and although comfortable, the system is quite different from those that I have been used to.

est pad to

The Ace of Spades has no ratchets for backrest adjustments, but relies on a rope and cleat system. One of the best hardware manufacturers out there has provided the cleats, which do run the opposite way to those on Jackson kayaks.The rope in this instance is pulled towards you to adjust and then locked into place – it’s simple and it works. I can’t get the backrest cranked up as tight as with a ratchet system but nonetheless the system does work. Some will hate, some will love.

e will b nd it ed a view t re uc od

in association with

Grab handles come in two flavours – grey handles at the bow, stern and mid bow and tape based handles to the rear of the cockpit. Both are quite unconventional in a world of anodized metal broach bars but they feel robust and are well secured to the hull. Information from the guys at Spade suggest that both types of grab handles are more than up to the job.

The Ace of Spades comes with an outfitting pack that included shims for the hip pads and a whole pile of spare parts. What I find very interesting is that all of the key fixings that keep the boat together are pretty easy to get hold of from car part stores or chandlers. I have used the same fittings used on the seat pad to fix mud-flaps to my car. There is nothing special that would require an order from a kayak dealer, which I suspect is a very deliberate move.

Setup

I used the Ace of Spades with the seat in the factory position and only needed to tweak the thigh braces and hip pad shims and move the footrest into the correct position.The rear of

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balance of rocker, you don’t feel as though you are having to force the boat through the water yet at the same time it still feels planted and doesn’t drift easily off line.

The boat rides quite dry with water being displaced very quickly. Two sharp edges run along the majority of the boats length, this aids with stability and allows for a pretty good level of agility, as it is still possible to drive the boat into corners/eddies, but not to the same extent as some of the other boats out there such as the Pyranha Burn.

the boat was filled with two 30-litre Palm Infinity air bags and the front (forward of the footrest) was filled with two 15-litre versions.

Specs: Length: Width: Volume: Weight: Colour: RRP:

265 cm 67.5 cm 320 litres 22.9 kg burnt orange €1390

On the water:

I have been using the Ace of Spades for some time now in a wide variety of conditions ranging from high volume flood levels to tight and steep creeks in both England and Scotland. I’ve even been out in the Atlantic surf in it.

The boat has taken quite a few big knocks in relatively short space of time so I have no hesitation in saying that the Ace of Spades is pretty tough and the blow-moulded plastic technique has created a boat that is as tough as my Prijon T Canyon was some 20 plus years ago.

That boat could not be killed off, in fact we still have one at Unsponsored HQ that must be close to 30 years old and still going strong.

The displacement hull on the Ace of Spades feels super stable with no nasty surprises. The boat felt balanced and composed from the start.

Even when held in a hard lean, the stability level still felt good. The Ace of Spades also has a good

I found the speed that could be achieved on the flat and whitewater to be more than enough and puts the Ace of Spades firmly into the short list of fast and controllable river running kayaks currently in production.

I would imagine that the one size fits all approach will have quite different characteristics for those paddlers at the very extremes of the 65-100kg weight range. However, as someone sitting very close to the suggested upper weight range I don’t have any concerns in using the boat in both low and high water levels. As ever it is always best to demo if you can.

If you are in the market for a tough and stiff kayak with a range of well-executed features and were thinking about a Burn, Raptor or Mamba, then the Ace of Spades is worth a look. Granted – Spade Kayaks as a company is quite new and this is their first production boat but blow moulded plastic technology is well proven and the guys behind the product have a good pedigree within the sport. I love it and as a result the Ace of Spades will be my main river boat for certainly the rest of this year.

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ThePADDLER 22

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Reed Chillcheater Aquatherm Short Sleeve Dry Cag https://www.chillcheater.com

By Scott Edwards

Photos: Joseph Westrich

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making them feel less bulky as Almost all of us want to well as being easier to get in paddle all year long; in and out of. It presents the some places that’s very best of both worlds, possible in others it is protection from colder downright dangerous. water, whether it is in As long as there is cooler climates or open water, one can whether you are suffering dress for the cold from cabin fever as the winter water temperatures by recedes and you want to get donning a good dry suit and out onto the water before wearing suitable wicking layers anyone else! underneath. As many layers as

you’d like to keep you warm, www.nswatersports.com The cag has a fully integrated

01642 520234 that’s pretty simple. During the inner tunnel to ensure a good seal warm summer months, where between you and your spray deck, bodies of water warm to almost which is also adjustable.The outer bath tub temperatures, you’re going to shell features two tightening buckles to allow you be more worried about sunburn, than you to adjust it for your comfort and fit.That is a very are hypothermia. important part of how Reed products are put together.They have truly thought of the paddler’s There are though, those places where the air gets comfort, while not sacrificing the importance of warm, but the water never does. My personal dry kit. I’ve worn both latex seals and Reed’s seals experience of this is in Maine, located in the very and I must tell you I am a huge fan of the more northeast corner of the United States. A place so comfortable Reed seal. Despite not being as beautiful that you cannot help but want to spend constricting they keep water out exceedingly well. I every minute in your kayak exploring the rocky also like the fact that the cag is wind proof as well, coastlines, playing with the seals and dolphins. which keeps those early/late season bone chilling However, whilst summer air temperatures in winds out, allowing you to be both warm and dry.

Maine can range between 26-29 degrees Celsius (80-85f) and above, the water temperature As one would expect with anything from Reed, averages are much lower at around 14.6 degrees the craftsmanship is top notch all the way around.

Celsius (58.3f).

All the external seams are both stitched and taped making this cag extremely watertight and strong.

Unpleasant situation The AquaTherm fabric is also very durable – it is While that does give one ample time to affect one of the things I envy about my paddling friends rescue before hypothermia sets in, it’s still pretty on the other side of the pond. Reed Chillcheater cold. Add to that the North Atlantic’s strong products can only be attained via overseas currents plus the ‘rock bound coast of Maine’ and shipping. However, in my experience it has always it adds up to an unpleasant situation.Your rescue been well worth it. skills must be practiced in colder temperatures so that you are prepared and your kit must reflect the ‘Boil in Bag’ large drop in temperature from air to water.That is My real concern was getting into my boat and where my friends at Reed Chillcheater come into paddling. We have all experienced the ‘Boil in Bag’ play and have provided the ‘shoulder season feeling of dressing for the water while being in far solution,' the Chillcheater short sleeve dry cag. warmer air. I have to say I was pleased with how the top performed in regard to breathability and First and foremost what I like about this product is not overheating me.The ability to unzip the neck how truly comfortable it is. By using single, super when taking a break was priceless, allowing even stretch, water-repellant neck and cuff seals, they more air circulation. have eliminated the feeling of having ones circulation cut off, while maintaining a watertight This summer I had the opportunity to try the seal.You also have the option of having an short sleeved cag out in the waters off the coast adjustable neck opening as well. Reed’s of Maine. Beautifully pleasant days but still AquaTherm fabrics are also not as stiff as others, downright chilly water! I donned my cag and dry

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pants and waded into the water, determined to see how it all worked together and how the cag felt on me in the water with my PFD over it. I was thrilled by how comfortable it was, I was able to swim easily, the cuffs on my arms did not pinch, nor did they leak.The fit around my waist was perfect, allowing maximum freedom of movement, while still keeping my core dry. So, in the water I give this cag an excellent 10 out of 10. Good flexible material, dry, with a comfortable inside.

Conclusion

I see myself using the Reed short sleeved dry cag quite a bit. I love to paddle all year long but have always felt over dressed and/or uncomfortable early in the spring or into the fall.This is a great top for making sure you’re outfitted properly and comfortable regardless of the air/water temperature difference. Once again, Reed Chillcheater has provided us with a must-have for many paddlers.

To advertise email: ads@thepaddlerezine.com or call +44 (0)1480 465081

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ThePADDLER 24

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Sealline Kodiak deck bag www.cascadedesigns.com

By Richard M Harpham

The Kodiak Deck Bag is super light and has a useful clear window allowing you to find all the items you need whilst out paddling. It is tough and has welded seams.

The bungee cords and D rings made it handy to attach map cases and other items such as torches or cameras to the outer case.

Sealline Kodiak deck bag Weight: Durability: Features: Value for money:

5 4 4 5

Sealline Seal Pak Weight: Durability: Features: Value for money:

4 5 4 5

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www.nswatersports.com

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01642 520234 www.nswatersports.com 01642 PADDLESPORT STORE! 01642520234 520234

Sealline Seal Pak

The Seal Pack is a handy waterproof container for valuables including cameras, keys or money. It is perfect to wear with the belt or shoulder strap or simply clip it to your kayak, canoe or SUP. The Pak feels solid and perfect to protect your valuables whilst out on the water.

Features: l Watertight Protection: Roll-down closure provides excellent Generally we found them a tough and protection from the elements. lightweight option that fits easily to most boats. l Convenient Access: The D ring and fitting system was robust but www.nswatersports.com

External zip pocket.

might be tricky in Winter with cold01642 fingers. 520234 l Versatile: Removable waist strap plus options for Features: shoulder strap, securing to boats, bikes, etc. l Shock Cord to attach other items l PVC-Free: l D rings and clip system for attachment Eco-friendlier fabrics reduce environmental l Waterproof rating 2 impact and add durability. l Large window l Bright Yellow for visibility Specification: Weight: 7.3oz / 207grms Specification: Width: 8cm Weight: 14oz / 399 g Length: 20cm Width: 30cm Height: 20cm Height: 10cm Volume: 4 litres Volume: 10 litres Material: 200 D polyurethane

Splash Maps

http://www.splash-maps.com

By Richard M Harpham

Splash Maps are a fantastic bit of British innovation allowing you to select and print maps of your choice onto fabric that is hard wearing and waterproof .They weigh next to nothing and can even be worn or stuffed in a pocket. Unlike conventional maps they are perfect whatever the weather and of course don’t run out of battery like a GPS.They also make an alternative gift for a loved one.

Splash Maps is a brilliant success story and was funded by people via the crowd funding network Kickstarter which also of course provided the perfect testing and focus group for feedback and product development.

We have tested them on canoe trips and love the fact they can be pulled from a pocket or bag and laid on a seat with ease, not complicated folding or searching GPS functions.

Features: l Waterproof and durable l Can be worn or stuffed in a pocket l Option to buy over 50 existing maps l Maps of 14 national parks and seven trails l Select a Map option to design your own l Prices from ÂŁ28.99 for 72cm x 72cm

THE

PERFECT STORM A high performance tourer. Smooth and forgiving for beginners, with performance that experts will relish, the Stratos is stable and predictable in calm or stormy water. Fast and efficient on flat water, playful in currents and waves. Available in two sizes, 14.5S and 14.5L to suit you. The Stratos changes the rules.

STRATOS 14.5L

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ThePADDLER 26

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PeakUKTourlite Zip PFD www.peakuk.com

By Peter Tranter

Don’t know about you but I always prefer a zip entry PFD and the Peak UK Tourlite Zip has a centre access zip making it really easy to get on and off, which means we are off to a good start.

I’ve been using it at SUP events where its excellent for use on a sit-on-top, with it’s huge twin zipped front pockets ideal for easy access to my phone for contact with those on terra firma whilst taking photos of the competitors.

I will sometimes use the phone for either video or photo and therefore it’s handy to have lash tabs inside the pockets to thread the Aquapac tie through, just in case I drop it in the drink!

As a back up to a zip failure, the vest has buckles top and bottom, with the top buckle also containing an in-built rescue whistle. The usual adjustment is provided for the shoulder straps but more unusually is that the hip strap is adjusted internally which leaves less strapping flapping around.

Brightly coloured in vibrant orange with plenty of reflective piping will ensure you will always be spotted.

Tech specs: l l l l l l l l

ISO Approved.

Olympic Gold medal cut with zip opening front and clean lined styling.

Tough ripstop Cordura/nylon shell.

Neoprene sides with snag free concealed side adjustment.

Figure hugging shoulder adjusters.

60-80N of environmentally friendly Gaia soft foam.

Two cavernous front pockets with gear clips and sewn drainage holes.

Reflective front stripes and whistle.

Sizes: S/M. L/XL. XXL

Conclusion

Top drawer design, material and construction once again from PeakUK, which gives familiarity and confidence in the product. Cost is £89.00 with free UK Delivery. EU is charged at £10 and the Rest of the World £20.

FatYak Kayaks, PDA Group, Slade Way, Roughmoor ghmoor Industrial Estate, Williton, Somerset TA4 4TB T Tel. 01984 632026 www.fatyak-kayaks.co.uk

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Explore Milos Island, Greece 6 Day-trips with 8 nights B&B for â‚Ź560 pp.

Genuine hospitality, quality equipment, an amazing place to paddle. BCU qualified coaches. We are open all year, everyone is welcome.

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Canadian Wilderness www.paddlersinn.ca To advertise email: ads@thepaddlerezine.com or call +44 (0)1480 465081

ThePADDLER 27

ThePADDLER 28

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Werner Carve S paddle www.wernerpaddles.com Review by Anne Egan

I eagerly awaited this paddle as it had been sized especially for my height (5’1”) and it was only the second female specific paddle I have used. In Steve West’s book (The SUP Bible) I read how absolutely vital it is to spend, right from the start, and buy a really high quality paddle. I totally agree!

The words Werner, paddle and quality are all synonymous. So no surprises then that this paddle was so pleasing to use. The moulded grip sat very comfortably in my hand, the reduced diameter shaft made it easy to hold and transfer the paddle hand to hand.

The blade shape of the Carve S was very different from other carbon paddles I’ve seen so far but sweeping it through the water I felt the propulsion it gave me was just what I needed.

The manufacturer describes it as a longer rectangular, slender blade with a gentle catch that is easier on the body. I certainly felt this was the case. It is beautifully light, and the differences between a cheaper composite paddle are huge.

Its lightweight feel is for me the winner. You get less strain placed on arms and shoulders so

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movements become fluid and fatigue is less.

After a short time paddling feels automatic and so natural, as if the Curve S was an actual extension of my body and not like a separate entity – the way it should be.

Conclusion

For smaller boned individuals and/or women we can’t fault the Werner Carve S paddle. A joy to use with less strain on the body the Carve S will see you spending more time on the water, maximising your efficiency when out for a float, while reducing the risk of SUP related injury.

Having only really used all round paddles it was nice to get my hands on something female specific – therefore hats off to Werner for going down this route. Also available with M and F size blades.

Prices: Carve 1pc S-M-F * 199.99 Carve 2pc ADJ S-M-F 239.99 Carve 3pc ADJ S-M-F 249.99 No extra charge for Small FIT shaft.

More info: www.wernerpaddles.com

ThePADDLER 30

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NRS Crux Drysuit

www.nrs.com

By Phil Carr of www.unsponsored.co.uk The Crux drysuit, by Idaho based NRS, is a front entry dry suit meaning that using the zip is far easier to do by yourself compared to a zip positioned on the rear of a suit. However, this has complicated the way in which the skirt tunnel has been formed, more on this later.

The new Crux relies on plastic TiZips for both the entry and relief zipper, which is a change from the previous versions that used brass zips. www.nswatersports.com

In

my book I see this as an upgrade01642 as having 520234 used TiZips on various different suits I know that the technology works really well and is far more comfortable and flexible for the end user.

Latex neck and wrist gaskets

The Crux utilizes latex neck and wrist gaskets with neoprene over gaskets to help protect the latex neck and polyurethane cover gaskets to protect the latex at the wrists. The over gaskets on the wrist are

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adjustable via a small Velcro tab. The feet of the Crux are created using the same fabric as the rest of the suit. The feet are well shaped and are taped well and in the large size has plenty of room for my size 10 (UK) feet.

A minimum number of seams have been used in the area, which shows a great deal of care and attention has been given to the design and construction. Over cuffs are also provided and are Velcro adjustable and are long enough to provide a good seal with river boots such as the Five Ten Water Tennie.

Entry zip

As mentioned previously the entry zip runs at a diagonal across the chest from shoulder right to waist left.The zip is protected by a large flap that has a few Velcro fastenings along its length.The position of the zip does mean that at the lower end it sits underneath the outer spray skirt length. It is therefore theoretically possible for water to make its way into the area occupied by the spray skirt tunnel via the Velcro flap. As I use the excellent fitting Immersion Research Klingon empire skirt I haven’t found any discernable water ingress.

The cut of the Crux has also been well thought out with just enough fabric to maximize freedom of movement without creating a huge mass of excess material that simply gets in the way. I do find using the front entry zip on this suit

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to need a special technique to get on an off, particularly when getting my arms out of the sleeves. However once mastered it is dead simple to get the Crux both on and off by myself without any dramas.

200%

Having swam in the suit on a couple of occasions now I have been impressed at how well it has performed. I tend to wear hiking socks when wearing drysuits and have found afterwards that my socks have become only slightly damp.

This is no better or worse than some of the more expensive drysuits I have tried over the years.

The Crux is available in a wide range of sizes that should mean most would be able to find a suit that will fit them well.

I went for a large suit that fits pretty well, a slightly longer leg over cuff would make the Crux absolutely perfect for my build and height but this is a minor point that didn’t detract from the performance of the Crux.

Conclusion

The suit has been well used on the water and through some pretty tough ground whilst portaging. The elbow, knee and butt areas are re-enforced and have taken the beating in their stride. Overall it is holding up really well with only one loose set of stitching on the waist over seal being an issue. Less than five minutes with a needle and thread sorted that although it would never have caused performance issues.

Having worn it for paddling over the last six months I can say that the overall fit and performance far exceeds the suits extremely reasonable RRP of around £700 (The Crux can be found online for £400!).

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ThePADDLER 32

Kayak Paddler 034 An interview with‌ Seth Ashworth.

046 Favourite WW rivers and why 25 world-class WW paddlers give their answers.

074 Uganda

The fate of the White Nile by Jessie Stone.

086 England

A Norfolk micro-adventure by Steve Childs.

094 Wales

Kayak surfing at Surf Snowdonia by Tim Thomas.

ThePADDLER 34

Part-time Bartender…

Part-time Grass cutter…

Part-timeTraveller…

Part-time Raft guide…

Part-time Kayak school instructor…

Full-time world-class

Gladiator Wave, Ottawa River, Canada. Photo: Jessica Druijko

kayaker

An interview with‌

Seth Ashworth

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here and what was your first paddle and your first descent?

The first paddle I ever used? I think it was a Schlegal Duralin, with green and red blades. My scouts had some wicked ‘retro’ gear but at the time I thought all kayaks were like that. I had so much to discover! The first place I paddled was Wraysbury Lake, which is just outside of the Greater London area. The first river I paddled on was the Thames, although I have never been down the whole river, it’s pretty long.

What got you hooked on white water kayaking?

I remember on my 16th birthday my parents got me a kayak movie, ‘New Reign’ by Young Guns Productions. I must have watched that DVD like 10 times in the first day. I was enthralled and remember thinking, “I wanna try that”. From there I started paddling in a freestyle boat at my local weirs and was lucky enough to score job at my local kayak shop, Whitewater: The Canoe Centre. Two experienced kayakers there Mike and Pete Scutt really took me under their wing and taught me a lot about whitewater and how to paddle better. They got me out paddling almost every evening, slalom, freestyle, squirt boat, longer flatwater paddles. All the time helping me to improve.

Before we start – just let our readers know a little about you, your family, background, etc.

25 years young, originally from south-west London, Great Britain. Starting paddling on a small lake near my house with my scout group aged eleven(ish) and was instantly hooked. I wanted to share this new found passion with other people my age and spent my first few years in a boat (a sweet Perception Dancer, red with a yellow stripe) coaching and running intro sessions for other scout, guide and school groups in my area. I started paddling slalom and freestyle at my local weirs around age 17. Moved ‘up north’ to Buxton, Derbyshire to do a Degree in Outdoor Activities Management in 2009. This gave me a bit more opportunity to travel and run rivers in North Wales,Yorkshire and Scotland, and to attend more slalom races and freestyle competitions.

Since graduating that program I have been pursuing a full-time kayaking lifestyle, travelling paddling and working by or on the river in a range of jobs from raft guide and kayak school instructor to bartender and grass cutter and everything in between, all over the world. I certainly feel very lucky to be in the position I am in.

Seth Ashworth

Early doors but what is the biggest accomplishment in your career to date?

No doubt in my mind, biggest accomplishment is being part of the team to explore some new runs in the state of Michoacan, Mexico.We pinned up a number of new runs in one of Mexico’s most dangerous states, met some amazingly friendly local people and paddled some world class whitewater. Unfortunately immediately after we left, the area took a radical shift toward even greater instability. In the weeks following our trip there were shootouts in the streets just a few towns away form where we were based between police and drug cartels. I guess we had a lucky window to explore and I am sure there is still a lot more to do in that area.The short video series from that trip is still on line at http://www.redbull.com/us/en/adventure/video-series/1331636378195/first-descent-michoacan

What would be your ultimate achievement?

I would love to plan and execute a first descent trip of my own, the Michoacan trip was the brainchild of two of my good friends, Joel Kowalski and Rafa Ortiz.Without their homework and research on google earth etc that trip would not have been as successful as it was. My ultimate achievement would definitely be to see a project like that through from start to finish.Where exactly I am not sure yet, I have a couple of ideas in mind but nothing firm, yet.

Truchas Waterfall, Mexico. Photo: Mathias Fossum

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Cascada Tomata, Mexico. Photo: Scott Borthwick

Seth Ashworth

Have you ever been scared and if not – what would it take?

I have been scared a lot, if you aren't scared you either aren’t human or probably suicidal.

Being scared is our bodies way of keeping our actions in check. That fear is always sitting in the back of my mind at the top of a big drop or a scary rapid, but I think it is healthy.

Any advice for those starting out in extreme kayaking?

When preparing for an expedition to a far away place in challenging conditions – what are the qualities you look for in a fellow team mate kayaker?I

There are two pieces of advice given to me, that I live my whitewater life by, 1. You don’t have to run everything.

2. We are all in-between swims.

Don’t rush into situations you aren’t ready for, try and paddle with people who are more experienced than you and try to learn as much as you can every time you are out on the river.

Don’t compare yourself to others, progress at your own pace. Also take a first aid course and some kind of SRT/WW safety training course.

Knowing how to rescue others and be a responsible team member is critical. Swimming is ok and a natural road block within our progression, but it can get dangerous quickly, everyone should know how to swim in whitewater, what hazards to look out for and know how to rescue others and be rescued safely. ‘Extreme kayaking’ is a team sport, never forget that you are a part of a team.

Wow good question, a lot of the trips I have been on I have travelled alone and just figured it out with whoever is around. For more serious (or better planned) expeditions, I guess people who I am a bit familiar with helps, every team needs a mixture of different skills as well as solid kayakers. People who are good with cars and fixing them, people who speak the local language and or have some local knowledge already, some people to document the trip in video, photos and words. Somebody who can cook a tasty one pot meal with minimal supplies and minimal cleaning up is a must for every trip. Someone who can motivate in the toughest of situations and keep everybody laughing is handy too.

Bottom line is it has to be people you want to spend a long period of time with and who want to spend a good chunk of time with you and don’t mind being pushed to their limits and yours.

Apart from extreme kayaking, are there any other areas of paddling you would like to explore?

In the last year or so I have been putting a lot of time into my freestyle paddling, especially big waves. We don’t have much opportunity to surf these in the UK, and only few options in Europe so it has been a great but tough learning curve. I am also pretty keen to get involved with more extreme races in the coming years.

What are your plans for the next 12 months?

First descents group shot, Mexico Photo: Rafa Ortiz

I actually just became a permanent resident of Canada a few weeks ago which is really exciting and will hopefully allow me to start basing myself out of here a little more in the future. I paddled a lot this spring on the Ottawa and some rivers in Quebec, which are really astounding and now I will be spending the next little while working at Ottawa Kayak School teaching kayaking pretty full-time up until Sept/Oct (I love this area, the rivers are amazing and there is a paddling community to match out here, if you haven't been yet, what are you waiting for?). From there who knows, I might be heading up on an exploratory trip in Canada, then maybe Ecuador and Mexico just before Christmas. After Christmas is anyone’s guess but that is still a long way away!

ThePADDLER 39

Seth Ashworth Siete Tazes, Rio Claro, Chile. Photo: Sara-Jane Daub If you could capture just one moment in your kayaking exploits - which would it be and why?

Hard choice between two moments. Either the feeling of successfully tackling a big waterfall, from the nerves right before to the amazing view as you roll off the lip, execute your plan, either throw your paddle or tuck it up to the side, land, celebrate and feel awesome. Or the satisfaction of getting off of a great river with a good group of friends, high fives and shuttle rides. Those moments are hard to beat.

Besides kayaking, what other sports do you pursue?

I had a bad experience trying to learn to ski at the start of 2014 that did quite a lot of damage to my knee and needed a couple of surgeries to repair the ligaments. It ended up costing me a lot of time where I couldn't work or paddle, which really really really sucked. Since then I have started thinking a little more carefully about my participation in other sports. I still get out and throw a frisbee around or for a little bike ride, but on the whole I prefer being on the water in one way or another.

White Water | Sea Kayaking | Touring | Freestyle Open canoes | Sit on Tops | recreational | Fishing

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ThePaddler 42

Can you talk about your training?

Greatest inspiration? Who/what keeps you motivated?

My philosophy on training is that the best way to be better at kayaking is to kayak more. But in the last three or four years thanks to a local gym that I use when I am in the UK, I have felt the benefit of being stronger and faster. So adding high intensity interval training into my routine when possible is a big help. Having enough energy to last a whole day on the river also comes from what you eat. I have been working toward cutting out processed carbohydrates and refined sugars and eating more vegetables, fruits, meats. When I stick to that I feel great but it is not always easy to stay on that program with a limited budget and other constraints.

If you could head anywhere in the world to paddle, where would it be and what appeals about this location?

I still really want to get to California and Norway – those are the two places high on my hit list. Everything there looks so much fun.

Amazing rivers, scenery, wildlife and people.

Sadly global warming seems to be taking its toll on Cali snow packs, so who knows when I will get to crush my first Cali mission.

https://vimeo.com/131031629

What river would be on your bucket list?

Lower Rauma, north fork of the American, Cherry Creek, Fantasy Falls, Little White Salmon, Green Truss, Cispus, but come back to me in five minutes and I can probably put together a much longer list. I have a lot of places I still want to get to.

If you had to choose one last thing you wanted to achieve within WW paddling before giving it up what would that be and why?

I am probably never giving it up.

Bijagali Falls, Uganda. Photo: Pete Scutt Cascada Tomata, Mexico. Photo: Brett Barton

Seth ashworth

You are also becoming quite a whizz with the camera - what inspired this?

I started taking photos at Freestyle competitions because there is a lot of time waiting around. But my enthusiasm really started to grow once I started to travel more. I have been so lucky to see some unbelievable places with some amazing people and I started trying to share these moments with other people. Over time I have started to get a better handle on how to tell these stories with photos.

What rig are you using and why?

I am currently on a Canon 7d, with a 50mm f/1.4 and a 70-200mm f/4 IS L. It isn't the newest camera on the market anymore but it is more than enough for me. A solid body that can keep up with being taken in and out of my boat in awkward spots and horrible conditions. It is a real work horse camera. I keep it in a Watershed Ocoee dry bag with a padded liner and extra foam cut up from a yoga mat. I have actually held this setup in my hand (sealed in the dry bag) and jumped 30ft into the water for portages and it still works great. My first camera was actually a canon 350d, then I moved up to a 550d, then onto the 7d I have now. It was a pretty logical trajectory, as I was already used to the Canon setup and had some lenses already. Lenses are the key to Image quality though.The first two cameras I had still took great pictures.

Where do you see your photography heading? Do you have any particular aspirations for your work?

I am not really sure to be honest, my photography ‘career’ is still in its infancy. I have spent a lot of time shooting kayaking, travel and lifestyle but I am always growing and looking to expand my skill set. Maybe one day it will be a ‘real job’ compared to the life I live now, we will see. Now I have a new website (www.sethashworth.co.uk) which is a better way to display my work I think that is probably a step in the right direction.There are a lots of projects I have penciled in my book to do so watch this space.

Great Britain Freestyle Kayak Team Trials, Nottingham 2011. Photo: Dave Wortley

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Quickies…

If you could paddle with anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be?

Sadly in the last couple of years a few of my friends have passed away whilst kayaking, Jason Raper (GBR), Juanito de Ugarte (PER) and Louise Jull (NZL). I would love to have another opportunity to paddle with them again, I try and think about them every time I am on the water, pursuing our shared passion on their behalf, just like all of their friends.

Favourite iPod track?

Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi (Steve Aoki remix).

Cats or dogs?

Dogs.

Facebook or Twitter?

I have a page on both (Twitter @seth_ashworth) but I prefer and post more on Facebook (faebook.com/seth.ashworth), Instagram (@seth_ashworth) is way better though, I just love seeing cool photos.

Tea or coffee?

Tea in the UK, coffee everywhere else.

an ideal night out for you is?

I actually did it last night, midnight moonlight paddle on the main channel of the Ottawa with close friends then hang out with a beer afterwards.

What one luxury item would you take with you on a desert island?

Toothbrush and toothpaste (that counts as one right?) because going to the dentist sucks so you gotta keep those teeth clean.

Favourite paddling spot?

Playboats: Ottawa River. Creek boats: Tlapacoyan, Mexico.

If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?

Probably a sweet outdoor BBQ setup, chicken, sausages, plenty of grilled vegetables, home made salads maybe some olives and sundried tomatoes to start and fresh fruit for dessert.

any broken bones?

No but I pretty much totalled my knee a year ago, complete ACL tear and Grade 3 MCL sprain and lateral meniscal tear.

If you could be a superhero for one day, what superpower would you choose and why?

Never being tired or needing to sleep. I could get so much stuff done.

Favourite sport’s team?

Honestly I am not a big follower of sports, but I guess Ottawa Senators (ice hockey), although I only follow the NHL during the Stanley Cup play offs, I’m not a real fan.

Who are your kayaking buddies?

Too many to name in a quick fire round, but I like paddling with all of them!

What’s the most boring question you are often asked?

Do you want to go kayaking today?

(Seriously, I always want to go, why aren’t you asking where do you want to go kayaking today?)

Fill in the blanks: I am ______ I am Hungry?

any final shout outs?

Shout out my sponsors; Kokatat Watersports wear for keeping me warm and dry on the river, Jackson Kayak for my boats, Vertical Element Paddles, probably the lightest, strongest paddles out there, every set made to measure in the UK. Whitewater: the Canoe Centre for giving me a start in my kayaking life and Gym Fresh, Shepperton for always helping me with my off-river training needs whenever I am in the UK. And of course shout out my family especially my parents who are some of the most supportive parents a person could ask for.

Many thanks Seth for all of your help – we really appreciate it.

Seth ashworth

Rivière Bras-Louis, Quebec, Canada. Photo: Tyler Fox

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Soča river, Slovenia

“I have never dared to name my favourite river. It would feel disrespectful to all the other unique and amazing rivers and creeks that I have had privilege to safely descend.

andraž Krpič

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“But it is a river that played the biggest part in me becoming who I am today. It has become a myth in my head from the early age of 10, when I first kayaked it.

“It enchanted me with its beauty, clean emerald coloured water surrounded by astonishing mountains and its stories of dangerous, mysterious white water.

“I had always felt drawn to it and even these days I feel its call. It could be just the result of many years of daydreaming about it as a child but I still feel a special sense of amazement and happiness, when I kayak the Soca River.

“Soca is what kept me going after I quit slalom and it is a river that thought me skills, respect, humbled me and in the end played a big part in my personal development.”

Photos by Tony Demarco

aniol Serrasolses

Stikine river, BC, Canada

“One of the hardest big water runs in one of the deepest canyons of America. As remote as it gets and unparalleled wilderness everywhere – bears, mountain goats, eagles…”

Photos by Eric Parker

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Kokatahi river, NZ

Paddler Barny Young Photographer: Blair Trotman

a group of paddlers are mesmerized by the beauty of one of the Kokatahi's spectacular gorges Photographer: Barny Young

BarnyYoung

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“Why: 1. “My home run – only an hours drive from where I live on the west coast of New Zealand.

2. “Heli access – while I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish the Kokatahi was roadside, there is a certain buzz about jumping in the helicopter alongside a group of your best friends and committing to a day of some of the most spectacular whitewater on this planet!

3. “Crystal clear turquoise water.

4. “Continuous grade 4-5 boulder gardens – the Kokatahi is one of the most continuous runs I’ve ever been lucky to paddle with only the short intermittent pool breaking up the classic boof and smear style moves that characterize this 15km run.

5. “Spectacular gorges – steep sided sheer walled gorges that might add a commitment factor but the buzz of floating through these majestic gorges far outweighs the fear of floating in…

6. “Drinkable water – there’s nothing better than being able to drink the pristine water that your paddling on and know it’s better than what you’ll get from your tap!”

Ben Brown

Kaituna river, NZ

“The Kaituna is by no means the hardest river in the world but its proximity to my home, all year accessibility and the fun vibe off the water make it my favourite. I have paddled the Kaituna countless times and still get excited every time I turn up for more.The pool drop nature of the river and the natural beauty surrounding it make it a favourite to locals and travelling paddlers alike. It is fun at any water level, on any day of the year and I can't wait to get back for more laps!�

Photograph: Graeme Murray

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Ben Marr

Nachvak river, labrador, Canada

“It is impossible to nail down a favourite river for me, there are too many factors and every river is beautiful. The Stikine is high on the list, rugged and beautiful, hard big whitewater. I am writing this from a lodge under an hour from the put-in waiting for water levels to come down. I love paddling in northern Quebec so much as well with huge volume and large surf waves.

“However, right now, to answer the question, I will put forward my favourite river trip to date – the Nachvak River in Labrador. Besides the adventure involved in accessing and descending the river over 16 days, it is firstly hiking into the Nachvak through northern Quebec, descending the river, then hiking out to another drainage where we paddled to the sea. It was special to me to work so hard in Canada to descend a river I had looked at for years, so that is my favourite river trip and it is a pretty beautiful place as well.”

“The White Nile is by far one of my favourite rivers.

Perfect waves, warm water and some big rapids. Every time I have been there I have told myself, “This is my last trip here,” and every time I have been wrong and returned the following winter. Sadly this kayaker’s paradise may not last much longer, for more information on the current situation and what you can do to help please visit: https://saveadventuretourisminuganda.wordpress.com/” Photograph by Tom Zach

Bren Orton

White Nile, Uganda

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Lachine Rapids, St Lawrence River, Canada

Corran Addison

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“By far my favourite is the Lachines on the St Lawrence River in Montreal Canada. It's big volume, fantastic surfing waves, great ‘lines’ to run... it's really awesome.”

Photograph by Mirco Garoscio

Oyacachi River, Ecuador

“Whether Ecuador is experiencing ultra-low river levels or flooding, the Oyacachi delivers.

It’s channelized enough to still provide fun Class IV boogie and boofs galore at the lowest of flows, and the river bed is wide enough to accommodate all but the most massive of floods. At super high water, the Oyacachi is incredibly scary, but incredibly good to go offering up some of the best and most challenging big water paddling I’ve done.

“In addition to the normal run you’ve got the Upper Oyacachi which is one of the most over-looked and under paddled classic steep sections of Ecuador. What Class V paddler wouldn’t love two days of steep creeking with an average gradient of 300-400 feet per mile?

Plus, the back drop is stunning rainforest scenery, tropical birds and smooth granite boulders.

“I love this river so much that I’ve convinced Don to start guiding kayaking trips in Ecuador again—this way I’ll get to run the Oyacachi at least once a week!”

Darcy Gaechter

“I’ve paddled hundreds of rivers all over the world and choosing one favourite was really tough. In the end I chose the Oyacachi River in Ecuador. It’s not the hardest or even prettiest river I’ve kayaked, but in terms of quality whitewater, consistency in runnability and the smile factor at the take-out, the Oyacachi is hard to beat.

Check out our new guiding business – Global River Explorations at www.globalriverexplorations.com

Photograph by Ian Buckley

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Fairy Glen,Wales, United Kingdom

Darren Clarkson-King

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Photograph by Pure Land Expeditions

“I really love loads of rivers for many reasons. The Fairy Glen wins for me – obviously Nepal and India also have special places in my heart.

At the moment I love the Mo and Pho Chuu combination trip in Bhutan – classics. Clean lines, clear water and an amazing culture, it’s really awesome.”

Photograph: EJ freewheeling into the big hole at number 5

by Chris Emerick

Zambezi River, Zambia

Eric Jackson

“The Zambezi is an amazing combo of quality river running, play boating plus an epic cultural and wildlife experience as well. Big rapids, a variety of water levels and lines you can take, hot weather and every day is a full river running experience. It is a bucket list river, and perhaps the most important one on the planet.�

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Cauterets River, France

“I originally thought there were no interesting rivers in the Pyrenees, none high enough to catch the snow and none big enough to receive substantial rain.

“However, since then I’ve been living in front of the Pyrenees for 15 years with a full life suffice to explore those wonderful mountains. North or south side are so different and flying from west to east is like crossing a continent.

So many different landscapes and geology that mother nature has shaped perfectly for paddlers!

Eric Deguil

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My favourite rapid ‘la dalle’, the starting rapid on the classic section of Cauterets. Photo by Valentin Grollemund

“I came to Pau for study and training for slalom and I’ve stayed here addicted to the Cauterets River. Few paddlers know this steep, continuous and technical river, 15 kilometres of pure fun from April through to August. Class IV,V and more if you want to try.”

The ‘90 degree’ rapid by Gerd Serrasolses is probably is one of the hardest and dangerous moves.

“Naming your favourite river is not the easiest assignment.

Well, when do you call a river, ‘My favourite river?’ There are so many aspects: whitewater, landscape, culture, team or weather, just to name a few. Or is it just a combination of many aspects?

“For me, my favourite river is the Thule Bheri River in western Nepal. Not just because of the white water itself. It is because of the whole adventure you experience there.You have to take a small plane to a gravel-airstrip in the middle of nowhere in the Himalayan Mountains.

Look for some Sherpas and walk another one and a half days upstream through Dunai all the way to Tarakot. From there, you start your trip on a small and steep river with fully packed boats to follow the waters for the upcoming five days until the river gets bigger and bigger and you will reach the first road access at a muddy ‘road’ in the middle of nowhere in a Himalayan valley. An insane adventure with whitewater up to Class V trough a deep valley with impressive granite canyons.

Flo Fischer

TheThule Bheri, Nepal

“It is not only the experience of the river that brings these insane memories but also my buddies, Joerg Hackinger and Jakub Sedivy, who contributed a huge piece in making this my favourite river.”

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Little White Salmon, United States “The Ldub is my favourite river to paddle all day, everyday! Its water is the purest, tastiest and has the most beautiful colour you can imagine.

Surrounded by the most amazing old growth forest huge trees standing on the banks of the river covered in moss and dense vegetation, it’s an amazing place by itself that just gets better with all the rapids.

Gerd Serrasolses

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“In the winter and spring when the river is high, the rapids are stacked one after the other, there’s no flat water and few places to stop, the river moves fast and you flow with it. All the rapids are different and technical, there are multiple lines and things to do and learn, it’s the best playground there is, from boulder gardens to bed rock to drops and the perfect waterfall, it just has it all.

“An Ldub lap at high water with your bros is my favourite thing to do, it makes me so happy. I love this place, I love this river and I love the people around it.”

Photographs: Lee Timmons LW race 2015

“A favourite river is hard to call but I'm going to say the Brandenburger Ache in Austria. I remember paddling it way back in the day when I was pretty young and it was the first really tight gorge I'd ever dropped into (the top section).

Pete Astles kayaking on the Brandenberger Ache in Tirol, Austria. Photograph: Sally Astles

“Since then I’ve visited a few times and always kept an eye on it when I’ve been in the area but it's proven to be pretty elusive, which I think makes it seem even better in my head! The walkways along the side of the gorge are beautiful too and scouting is a pretty different experience to most rivers!”

Joe Morley

Brandenburger Ache, Austria

Steve Brooks running a drop on the Brandenberger Ache in Tirol, Austria. Photograph: Sally Astles

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“My favourite river in the world would have to be Toaroha Canyon.

The Kokatahi, North Fork Payette and Stikine are all close contenders but there is something about T Canyon that is special to me.

Jordy Searle

Photograph: Jordy Searle Photograph: Ari Walker

Toaroha Canyon, NZ

“The beautiful but gruelling hike-in is a satisfying entrance fee, the river and its waters are pristine and the whitewater is word class. A free hut and hot-pools are the put-in and it's only a 25-minute drive to fish and chips by the ocean from the take-out. It is definitely the gem of the West Coast (NZ).”

Mariann Saether

Raundalselvi River, Norway

“It is never easy to pick a favourite river but in later years I have decided that the Raundalselvi River in Voss is my favourite – for a few reasons.

“First of all, this is where I spend most of my time. The river is more than 35kms long – untouched – and it is all quality, runnable whitewater. It has nine different sections on it and the section that’s run perhaps the most, is the Trainstation section (class IV/V), which ends at my door step.

“This river includes famous features like the waterfall Nosebreaker and the Marine Canyon – but also world class surf waves at certain levels, crystal clear pristine water and green lush surroundings. It does not matter what the water level – there is always something good to paddle on with the Raundalselvi. I like to call it the little brother of Futaleufú, Chile – another one of my absolute favourites and another where I also own a property.

“You can normally paddle on the Raundalselvi 8-9 months out of the year, which is outstanding for Norway where most rivers freeze entirely over the winter!”

First drop of Marine Canyon. Mariann in the Waka Tuna. Photograph Ron Fischer

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Zambezi River, Zambia

Mat Dumoulin

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“The Zambezi River is on the top of my list. I like this big and powerful playground.The waves shape up perfectly and tall for hitting big surfs and big lines, and the surrounding is amazing in the gorge.

“Also Livingstone is a very welcoming town that gives very unique experiences to the easy going kayakers visiting, including some of the best parties on the planet.”

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Kaituna River, NZ

Mike Dawson

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“Tucked away in a quiet lakeside village called Okere Falls, is the home to my favourite river – the Kaituna. It’s a carefree part of the world with warm water flowing continuously day after day during the endless New Zealand summers.

“It is my home river – the place I learnt my craft and like a magnet it draws me back year after year. For me, the Kaituna River is the perfect stomping ground for pushing the skill set with so many kick-ass kayakers hanging out there.

“Lap after lap on the slalom course, having fun times fooling around in the forgiving rapids or just sipping a beer on sunset with buddies; this place has it all – and it never gets old. A tight narrow gorge littered with native trees and culture. To top it off there’s countless whitewater gems within a few hours drive.”

Photographs Kenny Mutton

“My top three would be, the Zambezi, Rio Alseseca, and taking home top honours would be the Ottawa River. It might come as no surprise to some that the Ottawa River would be my favourite being that I grew up there and learned to kayak on the river, though all bias aside this river is epic.

“When it comes to playboating, there might not be a single river in the world that could rival the Ottawa River. It is home to many top freestyle features and something to surf at any level with features such as, Garburator, Buseater, Gladiator, Corner Wave, Right and Left Side Horse Shoe, Baby Face, Push Button, Upper No Name Wave, 7-up hole,Triple Nipple Wave, Odyssey, Phil's Hole, S-bend, Waikiki Wave to name a few off the top of my head.

NickTroutman

Ottawa River, Canada

“The river is also huge and epicly long, with new waves and features being found further up and down stream like Secret Spot, Ruins Wave, and Bryson Bowl.The river’s unique with the fact that there are two channels, essentially two totally separate rivers that share the same put-in and take-out. It is great in all seasons (except winter), where spring brings high water and some of the biggest waves in the world.

Summer is filled with warm, deep water and great features along the whole river, autumn no line ups as you watch the leaves change colour.To conclude, after travelling all over the globe I am always excited to come home to the Ottawa no matter what level or time of year. “ .

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Grand Canyon of the Stikine, BC, Canada

Nouria Abou-Newman

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“It is hard to pick up a favourite river because it’s not just about the river itself but also the people you were with and the experience you had on it. My home river in La Plagne is one of my favourites, I know it is nothing exceptional but I truly love it. I have many favourite rivers but if I have to name one particular one I would go for the Grand Canyon of the Stikine.

“I love big water and there is no such place as the Stikine for that. But what makes it my favourite isn’t the scary/fun whitewater. It is the magic of the canyon and the way you feel as you enter it.

“I’m privileged to get to see such a beautiful untouched place. Insignificant in face of the huge cliffs and rapids and yet so free while being trapped in between massive walls. I remember being scared and stressed, but also calm and peaceful, excited and stoked, alive…HAPPY.”

Photographs Quebec Connexion.

“I would definitely say the Rio Santo Domingo, Chiapas, Mexico.”

Rafa Ortiz

Rio Santo Domingo, Chiapas, Mexico

© Red Bull Media House

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Apurimac River, Peru “It is difficult to put a finger on one river that you like above all others as every river offers something different.

However, over this past year I have spent a lot of time paddling on the Apurimac River in Peru.

“Apurimac in Quechua roughly translates to ‘speaker of the gods’ and when in the depths of this stunning canyon you can see where the ancient Incas were coming from with this name, it remains a special and sacred place.The whitewater is spectacular in all three sections I've run but more than that it is an incredible place just to be.The two commercial sections offer some of the best multi-day rafting in the world and kayakers aren’t left bored either with numerous grade 4/5 rapids and excellent river-play.

Sandra Hyslop

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“The Abysmo Canyon offers the challenge of more serious whitewater still in an amazing setting with the opportunity to hike up to the Choquequirao ruins, roughly the size of Macchu Picchu but far less visited. If sitting on a beautiful sandy beach watching condors circle overhead after a great day of whitewater paddling sounds good to you… you should check out the Apurimac!”

“Of all the questions I get asked, ‘What is my favourite river?’ It has to be the hardest one to answer!

“I have kayaked some amazing rivers and whitewater around the world: the Sun Koshi in Nepal during monsoon. In India the Tsarap Chu and Zanskar Gorge, Ladakh, Beas Gorge and Chandra in Himachal Pradesh. Zambezi and the White Nile in Africa. The Cotahuasi Canyon and mighty Rio Apurimac in Peru.

Of course my home rivers of Austria and the Giarsun Gorge section of the River Inn, Switzerland, which is the section of river we compare to when we paddle any new river around the globe.

“However, what tops them all is the Colca Canyon in Peru. A canyon twice as deep as the Grand Canyon it is set in some of the most spectacular terrain on the planet, stunning whitewater, remote and committing, just expedition pure!”

Steve Brooks

Colca Canyon, Peru

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Fairy Glen, Wales, United Kingdom

“Whilst a little clichéd for a UK boater, my favourite section of whitewater has to be the Fairy Glen, mainly because I’ve got so many great memories of it.

“I first paddled it over ten years ago with a group of guys that I didn’t know, none of whom had run it before. We were all a bit apprehensive since ‘The Glen’ had quite a reputation, but we didn’t encounter any problems and discovered a classic section of technical whitewater. Since then I’ve paddled it in huge groups; I’ve run it solo; I’ve blasted down with local boaters in sub-8 minute descents; equally I’ve taken a good few hours to get down it when the levels were far higher than I’d done it before and I had no idea what the features were like.

“I even took my dad (aged 60+) for a lap a couple of years ago, as it’s one of those classic rivers that he wanted to do before he got ‘too old’! What makes the section even sweeter is that it is (just) near enough to home for an after work summer run when levels permit.

Tim Burne

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“Sadly the Fairy Glen is under threat from a Hydro scheme which will severely reduce the number of days that the river is paddleable.

This is a huge loss as often it is the only section of whitewater at it's grade in the entire country that is running. For more information see http://savetheconwy.com/”

“It is hard to spot only one favourite river. I have a few in my mind which are different from each other and in my personal opinion are great for kayaking.

“Firstly, the Biluti River (Sayan Mountains/Russia) – amazingly beautiful river with lots of whitewater and just mind blowing surrounding nature. I like this river because it is remote, there are no people, no roads and it is still too far from civilization. Relatively easy whitewater with clean lines, but you always have the opportunity to step it up and run something bigger and harder.

There are still couple of rapids which we’ve ran only a few times. So it is also quite challenging to run it from top to bottom without portages.

“Secondly, the Bashkaus River (Altai Mountains/Russia) – legendary river with a committing lower gorge. I love this place because of its spiritual power.

Deep canyon with vertical walls, very challenging whitewater and feeling of being isolated from the rest of the world. Always happy to go back there.

“If I will have to choose one, then probably Biluti, however, there are many rivers I would love to put on the same scale.”

Tomass Marnics

Biluti river, Russia

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The final size of Uganda’s Isimba Dam, that has yet to be determined, will have enormous variances in impact on life in and around the Nile.

By Jessie Stone

SIZ

E does matter When it comes to dams and rivers, we live in paradoxical times. In North America, with the rise of the river restoration movement, many established dams have been, or are slated to be, removed in order to protect and restore fish habitats and to bring river ecosystems back into balance. In the developing world, however, the opposite is happening.

Despite huge potential for other sources of energy, such as solar power, and economic proof that large hydroelectric dams actually represent more cost than benefit to the countries that build them, large hydropower dams continue to be built and at a surprising rate. Â In Uganda, the Nile will soon be dammed in five places. One dam, the Bujagali Dam, is completed, and has already had a large negative impact on the affected stretch of river and the communities reliant on it.Two more similar dams are currently under construction. While there is no way to stop the construction of these dams, it is possible to mitigate their effects restricting their size. For example, the Isimba Dam, which is currently under construction, has three possible dam height options. As of this writing, a final decision has not been made as to the final size of the Isimba Dam, and the World Bank has a major role in what happens with this dam.

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The differences in the Isimba dam height would cause a negligible change in the power generated, but would have enormous variances in impact on life in and around the Nile. In the absence of a strong river preservation movement in Uganda, it is important for all champions of the Nile to understand the effects of damming and to realize the big difference adjustments to dam size can make. It is also crucial that everyone with a stake in the Nile’s fate speaks up for the river and its local inhabitants before it’s too late.

Whitewater enthusiasts from around the globe know the Nile as a destination whitewater playground, and many are familiar with its source being Lake Victoria. In fact, Jinja, Uganda’s second largest town is found at the source of the Nile and is the second busiest commercial centre in the country, after Kampala, the nation’s capital.

From Jinja, the Nile heads north through Uganda and, in addition to its world famous whitewater, is the main source of water for Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt. The first 50 kilometres downstream from the source are home to well-known rapids and surf waves, such as Itanda Falls, Nile Special, and Club Wave.

Until relatively recently, the whitewater was free flowing.The Owen Falls Dam, built at the source of the Nile in the 1950s, did not obstruct any of the rapids that are familiar to paddlers today, although old photos from before the dam’s construction show large rapids above where the dam was constructed. Only four years ago, the first in a series of dams to generate hydroelectric power was completed at Silverback Rapid.

Unfortunately, this dam’s construction flooded the whitewater upstream including the famous Bujagali Falls, a gorgeous series of rapids and home to Bujagali, the spirit god of the area. For Ugandans and international visitors alike, this was a big loss. It also caused a significant economic downturn for the area and the local communities.

Paddlers and EJ enjoying the Hairy Lemon

Fact: The Nile flows through nine countries: Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo,Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.

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Fact:

In 1970 the Aswan Dam was built to generate hydroelectric power and to control the flow of water for irrigation. It has had a significant impact on agricultural practices and has led to flooding and loss of sediment deposits (relied upon by the Ancient Egyptians to make the fields fertile during the summer floods).

Prior to the Bujagali Dam, Ugandans from around the country, as well as international travellers, would come to visit Bujagali Falls and their environs. Because of this influx of tourism, many local entrepreneurs founded thriving businesses in the area.The best known, of course, are rafting and kayaking; however, all kinds of clever ideas for employment emerged, such as having the local ‘Bujagali Swimmers’ swim the Falls holding only a jerry can for flotation for the entertainment of paying onlookers.

In addition, photographers specializing in souvenir portraits at the Falls, art stands, chapatti stands and restaurants, boda boda taxis, campgrounds, curio shops, and guided tours of

the village all sprang up around this amazing natural wonder and for the people coming to the area to experience.

Because of this, thousands of Ugandans were able to earn a long-term living wage thereby supporting themselves and their families. In addition, the large and diverse numbers of people attracted to Bujagali Falls brought another side benefit: nonprofit work for the benefit of the communities. Many of the area’s improvements in healthcare, education, and even gardening have come from tourists who originally visited the area for recreational reasons, but then decided to stay and help the local residents.

Jessie on the Bujagali Falls Photo: Leslie Alsheimer http://www.lesliealsheimer.com Sunrise on the Hairy Lemon

Flooded within three years Walking through Kyabirwa and Bujagali, the two villages that surround Bujagali Falls, it is easy to see how the income from the former tourist businesses directly benefitted locals. During the pre-Bujagali Dam years, for example, many mud dung huts were replaced by brick and concrete homes, a rare occurrence in rural Uganda.

However, once the dam was completed and a lake replaced the Falls, many local businesses disappeared. Crime in the area increased, as many people who once had a source of income found themselves unemployed. Without the Falls, many who need to support families still do not have a viable way to do it now.

Currently, with the ongoing construction of a new dam further downstream at Isimba Falls, just below another well-known surf wave, Malalu, the majority of remaining paddleable whitewater on this section of the Nile may be flooded within three years. What happened with the Bujagali Dam is a scary foreshadowing of what’s to come to the entire area once Isimba Falls is dammed.

Whereas the rafting and kayaking businesses could be shifted downstream to other unaffected whitewater after the Bujagali Dam’s completion, the new Isimba Dam could flood most of the remaining whitewater. This will end all possibility for rafting and kayaking, effectively destroying the tourist industry and its dependent local businesses in the entire area.

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Fact: Numerous animals live in and around the river they include Nile crocodiles, Nile monitors, frogs, mongooses, turtles, tortoises, hippopotamus, wildebeest, baboons, and over three hundred species of birds.

The Chinese International Water and Electric Company has been black-listed by the

World Bank for bad business practices

,

In Uganda,

62% of young people are unemployed, and one of the highest birth rates in Africa exists. The people that will be directly affected by the flooding of the new Isimba Dam currently have extremely high percentages of malnutrition and malaria in their communities. Studies of displaced people have shown that those displaced never recover their original standard of living or well being after being relocated. These factors suggest that the Isimba Dam, if its effect in any way mirrors that of the Bujagali Dam, will exacerbate the unemployment problem and decrease the health and well being of people in this part of Uganda. Is this really ‘progress’ in the name of development?

Only the smallest

Although dam construction is underway at Isimba Falls, none of the powers that be have commented on the size of the dam. Three possible heights have been proposed for the Isimba Dam. All would be small megawatt dams relative to the bigger dams being planned for Karuma Falls and compared to the existing Bujagali dam. To be clear: there is a very small difference in megawatt generation from the smallest to the largest of three proposed Isimba dams. However, only the smallest of the three would make it possible to preserve the whitewater and the existing businesses and life around the river as it is now.

Interestingly enough, the World Bank and the government of Uganda had signed a protective offset agreement when the Bujagali dam was completed in 2011. This offset agreement, known as the Kalagala offset was designed to protect Itanda Falls, Kalagala and Hypoxia rapids as well as 25 kilometres downstream from these rapids. If the large or medium sized options for the Isimba dam are completed, the offset agreement would be nullified. Only the small

dam size would preserve the Kalagala offset and the Nile very close to its current state.

In the last two months, teams of local activists have spent time and energy informing the communities that will be most effected by Isimba Dam of what’s in store for them with the dam’s completion and what the difference in dam heights mean. Most Ugandans who live in theses area are not aware of the offset agreement so they don’t understand that a major violation could take place.

Bad business practices

Another interesting fact is that the Ugandan government has hired the Chinese International Water and Electric Company to build the dam.The Chinese International Water and Electric Company has been black-listed by the World Bank for bad business practices (www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/WBasks-development-partners-to-blacklistChinese-company/-/688334/2470560//or8ds9z/-/index.html). All of this sounds ominous for the Nile.

Apart from the effect on the local economy, the large or medium sized dams will have a significant impact on the ecology and culture of the region.

The rampant overfishing, which characterizes Lake Victoria and the flat sections of the Nile, will inevitably increase, as it has around the former Bujagali Falls. Furthermore, with the completion of the large Isimba Dam, other rapids further upstream, such as Itanda Falls, Kalagala Falls and Hypoxia will all be changed forever.

These rapids, which are about 40 kilometres downstream from the Source of the Nile, are the largest and most spectacular on this section of the river. Itanda in particular has an enormous cultural significance for the local people, and is home to another powerful river spirit. Itanda Falls represents a consistent tourist draw for schools, universities, and curious locals as well as international visitors.

Since most Ugandans can’t afford to visit the other well-known tourist attractions such as Murchison Falls, or the Gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest, it is the Ugandan natural wonder most visited by local Ugandans. In fact, these days, Itanda is more visited than ever since Bujagali Falls is gone.

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All of this being the case, it is extremely disturbing to note that very little information about the dam and its future impact has been provided by the Ugandan government, the World Bank, or by the Chinese International Water and Electric Company. Most locals are not properly informed about what the short and long-term effects of the dam will be.

Most do not understand that if they live near the river they will be displaced, or that no more whitewater means no more visitors, and hence no more business for locals.Those who work for Nile River Explorers, and who have seen the negative changes brought about by the Bujagali Dam, are trying to spread the word and to help inform people so they can make their wishes known.

Several months ago, a group of locals who will be negatively affected by a large or medium sized dam presented their case to the Ugandan Parliament.The Speaker of Parliament, who is from the area that will be hardest hit, said that there should and would be a further investigation into the long-term impact of the dam.This sounds encouraging, but whether it actually happens, and if it will have any result is unknown at this point.

One thing is clear, however: the large or medium sized dams will not improve people’s lives. In fact, the opposite is true, especially if the Bujagali Dam is any predictor of the future.

A natural wonder of the world will be under water for the foreseeable future.This would be a great loss to all of us. In the end, the ‘progress’ touted by those in favour of the construction will likely take local people backwards and deeper into poverty and harder lives. If they don’t have jobs and can’t feed themselves and their families, things are going to be worse, not better. Ironically, if Bujagali is any predictor, the electrical power, the whole point of the dam, is unlikely to reach those who need it.

Instead, the power will be sold off to neighbouring countries to generate money for a few people at the top of the food chain in Uganda.

Even more frustrating is the fact that economic studies have been done to show that large hydroelectric dams rarely provide economic benefit to the countries that build them. Rather they end up costing those countries quite a lot of money and often create unforeseen negative consequences. (www.theguardian.com/

Fact: The Nile’s two major tributaries, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, meet at Khartoum, Sudan.).

sustainable-business/hydroelectric-damsemerging-economies-oxford-research) Why this information seems to have evaded The World Bank, policy makers, and heads of state is a mystery.

What does this mean for kayakers and whitewater enthusiasts?

At the moment, it is possible to paddle a great whitewater section of the river from Overtime rapid down through Nile Special. If someone wanted to, he or she could paddle all the way to Isimba Falls, which is another 15 kilometres below Nile Special.This section includes Overtime, Bubugo, Retrospect, Itanda or Kalagala,Vengeance, Hair of the Dog, Kulu Shaker, Nile Special, and Malalu as well as a number of unnamed fun riffles in between these rapids.

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https://vimeo.com/129855829

The river and its surroundings are stunning and still quite wild, as well as being awesome whitewater. As discussed above, upon the completion of either the large or medium-sized dams at Isimba Falls, the whitewater from Itanda Falls and Kalagala down to the dam site would become a lake and this wild river corridor would be lost forever. In addition, the famous Hairy Lemon Island just downstream from Nile Special would be under water as well. However, if the smallest dam is built, this river corridor, the Kalagala offset area, could be preserved.

While this situation sounds dire and it is not a happy one, there is still a chance for people who oppose the large and medium size dams for any reason to make your voices heard. Contact the World Bank and register your protest about violating the Kalagala Offset agreement. In addition, sign the petition against the large and medium sized dams at http://saveadventure tourisminuganda.wordpress.com/2014/06/ 23/the-situation-regarding-the-isimbahydro-power-project-is-now-critical/.

Regardless, whether you see it as inevitable progress or as wanton destruction, Uganda’s Nile region will not be what it has always been for too much longer. So, if you have dreamed of experiencing this wild place, there is no time like the present.

Footnote Recent hydropower development in Uganda includes the 250-MW Bujagali and 600-MW Karuma projects. Additionally, Uganda continues construction of the 188MW Isimba project and recruited firms to develop the 16MW Kikagati and 39-MW Nsongezi projects.

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BY

Steve Childs

We live in a world with everincreasing demands on our time, constant bombardment of information from every angle, and the expectation that response to messages / phone-calls / emails / tweets should be instantaneous, regardless of time or day sent.

So the new year’s resolution in the Tootega and Silverbirch office was to do something about it…

Start/finish

https://goo.gl/maps/keun4

Nothing huge and involved, that would defeat the point. But rather taking little opportunities to tie in paddling trips with delivery runs and meetings, and perhaps one ‘night out’ a month where we would down tools at 5pm and head off to explore one of the endless paddling options right on our own doorstep, the only caveat being we had to be back at work by 9am the next morning!

Once we started thinking about trips we could do that were ‘within range’ for an evening adventure we were staggered.

There are literally hundreds of interesting paddles on our doorstep here in Norfolk – almost all of which we had overlooked until now, and several of which looked like really interesting and varied trips.

One that really stood out for us was a circumnavigation of Scolt Head Island on the North Norfolk Coast.

Norfolk

The ironic truth is running a kayak company is no exception – there is always a reason to work late, always a reason to spend another evening working on a new design rather than paddling what you already have, and courtesy of a wonderful network of dealers around the world – always someone you need to call, regardless of the time of day or night.

l

microadventure

It is easy to get trapped, trapped in an endless cycle of work without time to ‘decompress’ trapped in a rut of being so attached to your smart phone, tablet, or computer that you never truly spend quality time with friends and loved ones, and trapped into the mindset that you don’t have time to do anything about it.

Campsite l

In itself a stunning paddle through a mixture of remote salt marshes, little creeks, and open sea, but one that could be made better by tying it in with some seasonal foraging – surely the ideal modern world ‘antidote’?

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Our planning was minimal, again another point of our overnight ‘microadventure’ was to keep things simple and uncomplicated – we consulted the tide times, checked for any dangers or restrictions in the area, and checked when the Samphire and mackerel seasons would begin – 20 minutes of planning had us a date when everything would align.

As luck would have it the day came around very quickly and was matched with perfect weather.

We finished work, loaded up our gear, and made the hour or so drive out to the coast.

We arrived at Brancaster Staithe just before 6.30pm, it was about three hours before high tide and the creeks and inlets had just started to flood. We got our gear together, loaded our boats, and got ready to set off.

Useful info…

Start point: Brancaster Staithe Grid reference: TF 79199 44331.

End point: Brancaster Staithe Grid reference: TF 79199 44331.

Distance: 18-20km dependant on route through the marshes.

Best tide time to leave: 2.5-three hours before high water at Brancaster.

Tide times can be found here: www.deepdalefarm.co.uk/tides/

Now I don’t know about you, but paddling has a magical effect on me. The second I push off from the bank all the thoughts and worries whizzing around in my head just seem to vanish. All that matters is the paddling itself and the world around me. This trip was no different – the abundance of wildlife, classic Norfolk sailing boats, and endless rolling sand dunes instantly felt a world apart from everyday life and with all the distractions it didn’t seem to take much effort to paddle the few kilometres from the staithe to the sandbank marking the western end of the island and our pathway out into the open sea.

We were paddling around the island in a clockwise direction. By setting off at mid tide this allowed us to get out into open water about two hours before high tide which gave us a few hours of helpful tidal flow along the outside of the island and plenty of time to cross the shallow bar at the eastern end of the island before the salt marshes started to drain again.

The second we crossed the sandbank and got into open sea we dropped several strings of mackerel feathers with the aim of catching dinner. The helpful tidal flow meant we could have a leisurely paddle along the outside of the island and it seemed an ideal time to fish.

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The scenery was incredible – not a soul in sight, and from the outside the island looked more like a desert island than a small offshoot of the Norfolk coast. We would have stopped and had an explore, but Scolt head island is internationally renowned for its population of Sandwich Terns (amongst others) and it was smack bang in the middle of breeding season so we chose to treat the entire island as a no go zone!

I’m not sure what distracted us most – the fishing, the impressive displays put on by the Terns, or the incredible scenery, but it didn’t seem to take long to get to the eastern end of the island and our inlet back into the salt marshes and the inner side of the island.

Sadly we hadn’t caught any fish yet, perhaps it was just a little late in the day when we started to fish, perhaps we were just rubbish at it, either way it didn’t matter too much as we had bought some with us so we decided to pack down our gear and paddle in to find somewhere to camp.

Useful info…

Scolt Head Island: A national nature reserve and an internationally important breeding site for Terns.

During the breeding season several parts of the island are subject to landing restrictions and it is important these are respected.You can find out more information here: www.nnch.co.uk/Scoltheadisland.pdf Samphire: Samphire is a sea vegetable that grows abundantly in marshy shallows and on salty mudflats. It has a crisp texture and tastes of the sea. It is delicious lightly boiled and served with butter. Often referred to as ‘poor man’s asparagus’ it has become increasingly popular in trendy bistros and restaurants over the past few years. Samphire season is late May to late August. Read about some cooking tips for Samphire from David Truzzi-Franconi in PaddlerUK magazine.

Once on dry land James and Aran started to unpack our kayaks and get our campsite set up whilst I went in search of some Samphire. Turns out that unlike the Mackerel, this isn’t very hard to find! It was everywhere around us, and a few quick handfuls gave us as much as we would be able to eat.

Whilst James got the BBQ nice and hot and the fire going Aran and I stripped the fresh green samphire shoots from the woody stems and popped them into some water to lightly blanch before adding some butter.

We also got some local new potatoes on to boil and made a few vegetable kebabs to go on the BBQ with the Mackerel. All in all not a bad meal for a ‘school night’ and definitely not a bad meal to rummage up on a deserted beach.

We ate dinner as the sun set over the marshes.

With a drink in hand, a roaring fire, and some impressive aerobatic displays by the Terns over head it was hard not to feel smug and was only made better by the fact we were completely out of sight of the real world and with the added benefit of absolutely no phone reception to distract us, we talked well into the night!

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Soon enough we rejoined the main channel of Norton creek, and were back insight of Brancaster Staithe – our start/endpoint.

All that was left to do was paddle across the open stretch of water outside of the staithe that forms at higher tide heights and up the last few hundred metres of creek back to the car park. At this point mother nature treated us to a pretty impressive lightning show, which definitely sped up our paddling, but thankfully never got too close!

The morning greeted us with bright sunshine, but with some ominous clouds on the horizon and some rumbles of thunder in the distance we decided to get a move on and get on the water.

We left our campsite about 30 minutes before we had intended, which meant an extra few hundred metres of walking across the flats, but was more than worth it to get ahead of those storm clouds!

Once on the water we headed up the main channel that runs up the inside of the island called Norton Creek. About 400 metres or so from the end of the island the creek splits into two channels. It is worth having a little look at a map before getting to this point as the obvious right hand channel is NOT the correct route, Norton creek actually continues along the left channel, the right takes you a fair way into the island before abruptly stopping, but this is not obvious from the water.

A kilometre further on again we took another left hand channel this is actually a detour from Norton creek called Trowland creek. It does add a little distance to the trip, but takes you right out into one of the remotest parts of the marsh, and was well worth the effort.

We didn’t hang around in Brancaster for long as we needed to get back to work, but whilst driving back it began to sink in how much we had achieved in an evening, how much we had experienced, and how easy it had been to do.

We will never overlook our backyard again, and when those stresses and strains of modern life get a bit much – we know exactly how to ease them – go boating!

Useful info…

Hazards/restrictions: As already mentioned, please make yourself aware of the national nature reserve restrictions.There can be significant tidal flow at both ends of the island and in the creeks at certain tide heights – please make yourself familiar with the local conditions before setting off. At higher tide heights the flooded marshes are very popular for sailing and windsurfing – keep an eye out for other water users.

Sea conditions can change quickly, please check the sea state and weather before leaving – if unsure, please contact the local coastguard!

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SNOWD

By Tim Thomas, Ride Kayaks, www.ride-kayaks.co.uk

ONIAN KAYAK SURF The moment that we had been eagerly anticipating had finally arrived.

Team Ride were heading to North Wales to be some of the first surf kayakers to experience the only artificial wave in the UK. An early start was the order of the day, with team members heading up from Cornwall and South Wales. After many hours of travelling we arrived at the tiny village of Dolgarrog, home to Surf Snowdonia.The site was previously used to house an aluminium works but had remained derelict since its closure in 2007. Surf Snowdonia adds to the vast and impressive outdoor activities portfolio that the Snowdonia region has to offer.

On arrival at the site, it was evident that work was still being completed to finish the site, including landscaping and tarmacking. However, this did not detract from the natural luscious green surroundings of the Conwy Valley.

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Eager to get into the water, we quickly checked in to our onsite pod, changed and headed for the lagoon for our four hour slot.

The time had finally come, we were sat in the lagoon, which was completely flat at this point, wondering where the wave was going to appear from, and if we would be given any indication of when the wave would start.There was no siren or any other alert. We saw the top of the plough slowly move backwards away from us, then all of a sudden, at an increased pace, it changed its direction and started moving forwards towards us.

This jacked up a wave right in front of us which we paddled for and took off on.The emergence of the wave from nowhere was such an impressive sight.

Left high and dry

Now heading towards the outside of the lagoon which is fenced, I was keen to get off the wave so threw myself into a roll to pull off but found myself in ten to twelve inches of water. Minus some skin from my knuckles, I was still on the wave making a beeline for the fence, with fins dragging over the mesh bottom of the sides of the lagoon. I ended up hitting the fence, and was left high and dry with the water disappearing back down into the lagoon. Looking over to the other side of the lagoon, I saw that Jack was high and dry on the other side. Chris, however, was grinning from ear to ear on the advanced peak.

With only one surfer per peak we continued to take turns on the advanced and intermediate peaks. After several sets of fins being worn out

The emergence of the wave from nowhere was such an

impressive sight

the beginner bay. At this point we decided that we would be unhappy for our demo boats to be used on the intermediate wave, as the boats were being were taking a battering.

Inexperienced surfer

We also considered that the more inexperienced surfer would be potentially using the intermediate wave and could cause themselves some serious pain and damage in the boats due to the dangers of the shallow water and possible lack of control.

Surfing the advanced peak was a whole different experience. Whilst it wasn’t the two-metre barrelling wave that we expected, it was a fast fun wave. Due to the nature of the wave, pulling you to the side of the lagoon, you constantly try and stay in position and in front of the white water. Anything but the fastest of boats would struggle to get out of the white water and back into the green.

Like many static and consistent features, the wave has its sweet spots and the more you surf it, the sweeter the spot becomes.The usual bottom turns, cut backs and top turns are all achievable on the waves. It gives you the ideal platform to analyse your own and others’ surfing techniques and styles, and the opportunity to practice and improve the same moves in the same spot on the same wave until you get it dialled. Whilst the Wavegarden is not a substitute for an ocean wave, it is nevertheless, a fantastic and consistent facility that can only improve your surfing.

Like many static and consistent features, the wave has its sweet spots and the more you surf it, the sweeter the spot becomes.

Chris was on the main peak near the pontoon, Jack was in the middle of the lagoon where he thought the intermediate wave would appear and I was the other side of the lagoon looking for the other intermediate wave, with the guys from Wavegarden on the main peak. It became apparent quite quickly that I was too far over, cruising around the white water, looking for intermediate wave. Unfortunately, the wave was very similar to that created by a river bore, where the white water pushes you out towards the sides. I quickly realised that this was not the place to be in a surf kayak.

by the mesh at the sides of the lagoon, we soon realised that you could surf the intermediate peak as long as you stayed out of the white water. However, the wave didn’t take shape until three quarters of the way down the lagoon, where it got fast and hollow and rolled over into

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Following four hours of surfing (around 30 waves each), we found a friendly local pub in a neighbouring village where we had food and a few beers, and then made our way back to the site, and our pod. The pods are located to the north side of the lagoon, the opposite side of where the reception, restaurants and other buildings are situated.

The pods

The pod was warm, comfortable and clean.

External to each pod is a dedicated parking space and decking area including bench seat.

Each pod can house up to four people, with two raised single beds either side of the door and a floor level double bed at the rear of the pod which is separated by a curtain in the doorway.

Your own bedding is required. Each pod had a number of electric points, lighting and underfloor heating, which should keep you warm in the coldest of Welsh winters. Pods and shower blocks are accessed with a slim line, electronic, waterproof wristband.

There are two shower blocks, one specifically for the pod guests on the north side, with the other at the main building for all other users and guests.

After a great night’s sleep in the pod, breakfast was served at the south side of the lagoon in the main building. The restaurant area overlooks the lagoon where the wave runs from east to west.

A tasty full cooked breakfast set us up for the day. Unfortunately, this was the only meal we had at the site, as it had not fully opened at this point, with the official opening date still three days away. I can’t wait for our next trip up now that the site is fully open to get the full experience of onsite restaurant, bar open until 11pm and chilling out drinking a beer with other surfers sat around the lagoon.

This is a fantastic facility for board surfers and kayak surfers alike. I would highly recommend the facility, not only for the surfing experience but for its uniqueness and overall setting. The staff are enthusiastic, welcoming and have a positive attitude towards all surfers, whether on a board or in a kayak.

Some have questioned Surf Snowdonia’s position on only allowing surf specific craft on the advanced wave. Whilst this wasn’t our decision, I can’t say I disagree with it.

The reasons include:

Safety: You need to be able to pull off the wave just before the beginner bay and if you’re in a big volume slow boat this would be difficult.

Value for money: Would you want to pay up to £40 to hit one move per wave on the green, with the rest of the ride trying to get back out of the white water? Being a former freestyle paddler, I can think of better places to paddle a freestyle boat in the area, at a fraction of the cost.

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Salty Paddler 102 United States

Exploring San Francisco Bay by Michael Lutus.

114 Canada

A photographic essay of James Bay by Troy Glover.

www.kokatat.com l www.systemxeurope.com ThePADDLER 101

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450 square miles of

the paddling heaven that is‌

SAN FRAN

CISCO BAY By

Michael Lutus

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Did you know: San Francisco was originally named Yerba Buena Back in 1835.Yerba Buena is Spanish for “Good Herb”, a fragrant mint plant that grew along the shoreline of the bay. In 1847 the name was changed to San Francisco after Saint Francis.

What is it about the San Francisco Bay that lures so many? As far back as 10,000 years ago, it was the Ohlone and Miwok Indians that enjoyed this rich and bountiful landscape. Sir Francis Drake sailed through in 1579 charting the coast and commented about the fog! The Spanish arrived in 1775, bringing the catholic church and building a fort at what is now known as the ‘Presidio’ later, tens of thousands came around the ‘Horn’ on clipper ships eager to stake their claim during the wild Gold Rush of 1849.

Whether it was the turn of the century brothels of Sausalito, the ‘flower power’ hippie generation of the 70s, or the current high tech of Google, Apple, Oracle, HP and many other in Silicon Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area has had a rich and diverse past. For those of us who enjoy sea kayaking, it’s probably the best little spot on earth!

y One thing that stands out when viewing the bay is its size. At roughly 450 square miles, it is a vast network of tidal inlets, small bays and large areas of marsh and wetlands. The wetlands attract large numbers of birds, which are a delight to many who enjoy photography and the kayak is that perfect vehicle to get you in close. The Great Blue Heron, White Egret, Cormorant, Western Grebe, surf scoters, Loons, all sorts of different types of ducks and many, many others thrive here, some year round, others migrate in only for the winter.

One of my best memories is being just inside Point Bonita on a beautiful, bright, sunny day, eating lunch in the boat and realizing I was completely surrounded, right smack dab in the middle of a group of hundreds of Western Grebe, as they actively dove for fish, paddled along and/or cleaned themselves and socialized! I just relaxed and floated along with them while eating a sandwich, that’s worth the price of the admission I’d say!

Many a trip, I have turned around to look at something, only to be shocked to see a

large face with dark eyes looking at me from six-feet back!

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Harbour seals

on the other hand are docile, curious and very quiet, they will actually pop up behind your kayak and watch you! Many a trip, I have turned around to look at something, only to be shocked to see a large face with dark eyes looking at me from six-feet back! There are days when during the change in tide, I’ll be in the middle of a ‘field’ of harbour seals all looking for fish and at times, I can count as many as 12-14 heads popped up out of the water all around me as they watch me pass.

From time to time, a pod of dolphin will come in the golden gate bridge feeding. They usually stay somewhat close to the bridge entrance, not venturing too far into the bay. It’s always a treat to see them, when they surface, they loudly expel air with force, then inhale deeply before diving back underwater! At times you can watch as they ‘zigzag’ or ‘crisscross’ and then circle, in their planned attempt to herd a school of fish together. It’s always a treat!

Last but not least and usually seen on every trip out, is the small, black, harbour porpoise. They are shy and elusive, about 5-6 feet long, but don’t mind getting in quite close to the kayaks (we’re quiet). Most often they are alone or in a pair, but I’ve seen groups as large as 10-14 feeding just outside the bridge in the main shipping channel. It makes a trip such a rich experience when one can see all these animals on one outing!

The bay has a total of 18 islands scattered throughout the entire region, most are just rock outcroppings large and small, but the three main islands that attract kayakers are, Angel Island, Alcatraz and Yerba Buena Island. Angel Island is my favourite. It offers many beautiful protected coves to land on, where you can have a lunch break or snooze. For the more adventurous, you can hike up the trails onto the island and explore its military history through many old army buildings and fortifications. It even served as the ‘Ellis Island’ of the West for quite some time. If you hike up to the summit of the island, the view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco is second to none!

Ayala Cove is also a great stop as it offers an easy beach to haul out on, shady picnic benches, bathrooms and even a café to get some hot food. The cove has ferry boats coming and going constantly, so one must be vigilant about staying at a safe distance when transiting in or out.

Many local sailboats and small yachts tie up to mooring balls in the cove during the summer months and along with the tourists from the ferries, it can get quite festive on the weekends.

It’s just a great place to spend a couple hours relaxing and exploring.

The thre Ang

Did you know:Alcatraz was the only federal prison to offer hot-water showers—supposedly to prevent prisoners from acclimating to the cold temperatures of the San Francisco Bay if they tried to escape.

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ee main islands that attract kayakers are, gel Island,Alcatraz andYerba Buena Island.

Alcatraz

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is of course the most popular island on the bay for the tourists and the most well known from movies and TV, but for the kayaker, it’s unfortunately off limits. That certainly doesn’t stop us from paddling around it on almost every trip out and enjoying its unique skyline and views.

Yerba Buena is another large natural island with an artificial island connected to it called ‘Treasure Island,’ which was built up from an underwater rock shoal with landfill for the 1939 International Exposition and World Fair. Yerba Buena has a great beach on the east side to stop for a lunch break and stretch and plenty of shady areas to take a nap under the Eucalyptus trees.

Ask any experienced kayaker on the San Francisco Bay about surfing and they will smile and give you two enthusiastic thumbs up! With approximately 400 billion gallons of water moving rapidly through

Did you know: Much of San Francisco is built on top of old Gold Rush ships

the SF entrance with each tide cycle and up to four tide cycles per day, tidal races and standing waves abound!

Some local favourites are Yellowbluff and Point Blunt among many others. The wind speed/direction and wave height can even produce a tide race in an area that does not normally produce one! You’ll also find large whirlpools where currents are colliding, reverse eddy lines that stretch a half mile or more and in the summer months, winds often blow over 25-30 knots on a daily basis, which add to the excitement and wave height!

Another surfing opportunity is with the giant wakes of the ships and tugboats that enter and exit! Huge container ships exit the bay at speeds up to 14 knots, producing a very big and deep set of waves.

Many times, I have caught a set of these and surfed them all the way across the bay, cutting my trip time

Sea caves abound and many guides are available to lead singles or groups into these huge coastal caves, some of which dead-end, while others have an exit to paddle out of! That’s the exciting aspect of the San Francisco Bay, it offers the paddler so many different options to enjoy in a typical paddling day!

half! ‘Rock gardening’ is another big draw on the bay.

Outside the gate, on the north side is a long stretch of rugged coastline made up of cliffs that are hundreds of feet high, with numerous rocky coves tucked into the shoreline, offering a challenging playground for the brave hearted!

With approximately 400 billion gallons of water moving rapidly through the SF entrance with each tide cycle and up to four tide cycles per day, tidal races and standing waves abound!

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Did you know: John C. Fremont named the San Francisco Bay’s entrance ‘Chrysopylae’ (Golden Gate) because it resemb Istanbul’s Golden Horn.The Golden Gate Bridge, with 23 miles of ladders and 300,000 each tower, was the world’s longest span when it opened in 1937. Seventeen ironworke painters constantly fight rust and renew the international orange paint on its 1.7-mile sp

bled rivets in ers and 38 pan.

Right in the middle of all this excitement is San Francisco itself, with its many famous restaurants, tourist attractions and nightlife. Crissy Field and Horseshoe Cove are the most popular. Crissy Field is the most popular kayak launch point on the San Francisco side of the bay, being just inside the Golden Gate Bridge, its perfect for getting out towards the bridge quickly and getting some great pictures, while Horseshoe Cove is perfect if one wants to launch from the Sausalito side and it remains a calm, safe, protected launch even on the nastiest of days!

All along the SF waterfront you’ll find a rich seafaring history, from the maritime museum at Hyde Street Pier, to the classic fishing boats of fisherman’s wharf.

Aquatic Park is a great place to pull up for lunch, with its long sandy beach and beautiful view, it’s a local favourite! It sits

just south of Fort Mason and is always buzzing with activity. Also ever present isis the remnants of a long and vast military buildup in the region, with history going back over 150 years. The Presidio, Fort Mason, Fort Baker, etc. The army and navy had a very large footprint here on the bay for well over 100 years, but now, they are all but forgotten, with only the buildings, fortifications, piers and naval air stations left standing idle.

Sausalito and Tiburon with its surrounding bays and tidal inlets are another hidden gem. One could spend an entire day exploring Sausalito alone with its waterfront restaurants and endless marinas. Many classic turn of the century sail and powerboats reside in those marinas, all kept in Bristol fashion. If you get past Sausalito into Richardson Bay towards sunset, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful saltwater marshlands with many birds to watch and when the sun sets, you may have an epic sunset to photograph and marvel at!

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Tiburon is a great destination from Sausalito being just around the ‘corner.’ One would think they just landed along the coast in Italy looking up at the shore side hills covered in brightly painted villas.

Most travel over by kayak to eat at the many fine restaurants and to enjoy the view back out onto the bay with San Francisco and Angel Island in the background, all laid out before you!

All in all, the San Francisco Bay has a little of everything for everybody. Rich history, great eats, poking along the waterfront at ones leisure, going out on a windy day during a strong ebb and challenging oneself to a fierce tide race, venturing into some sea caves outside the gate for a thrill, or just taking a nice relaxing sunset paddle in a calm back bay while shooting photos of the many bird species.

It’s all here, including some of the most fantastic night paddles. You have not lived, until you’ve been out in the middle of the bay on a calm quiet night, looking out thru the Golden Gate into the black vastness of the Pacific with the orange lights of the bridge above, then glancing towards SF and looking at all the lights along the skyline and waterfront and at the same time, hearing a porpoise surface nearby in the dark to exhale and inhale. It’s truly magic and nothing else compares. Come and give it a try, you’ll be glad you did!

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James Bay is one of the worlds largest estuaries of the Arctic Ocean and the fourth largest bay in the world – a smaller bay on the larger Hudson Bay which serves as the second largest bay in the world next to the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. If size is to serve as any indicator, the diversity of James Bay is extreme – both historically and in the modern.

Historically, it served as the gateway to inland Canada where fur trade with the Cree originated. Canada’s infamous Hudson Bay Company chose James Bay for its headquarters in Rupert House (presently the Cree Nation of Waskaganish), for its value as a centre in the fur trade. Thousands of years earlier, the Inuit migrated into the region during the most recent glaciation event. A small population of Inuit still live in the Cree Nation of Chisasibi.

Today, the marine ecosystem acts as a critical lifeline for over sixty species of fish including arctic char, whitefish, sea-run speckled trout, and arctic cod; ringed seals, bearded seals, beluga whales, and the southernmost population of polar bears in the world inhabiting the Solomon Temple Islands, as well

as both the South and North Twin Islands. The coastal marshes which dominate the James Bay coastline act as a major migration pathway for many species of geese and ducks, many of which are either threatened or endangered.

Not only is James Bay of both historical and ecological significance, it is a paddlers paradise.

In the spring months, as the sea ice begins to soften and break apart, new routes through the myriad of islands emerge. In June, seas are mainly calm, skies sunny, and the sun warm against a frigid Arctic Ocean beneath your hull.

Rocky shorelines make for interesting coves, channels, and backdrops. There is a moderate tide in James Bay resulting in some interesting current as one paddles through these channels.

Some of the most memorable experiences paddling these waters have been the long summer days, beginning with a steaming cup of coffee watching seals swim in the channels between islands; heading out in the morning on a perfectly calm stretch of blue water disappearing into the horizon; and finishing the day next to a warm fire on the shoreline listening to loons call in the distance and watching as the northern lights begin to fill the sky.

James Bay: a paddler’s paradise like no other

A photographic essay by Troy Glover

No.1

Mornings on James Bay are often foggy, adding a mystical element to the scene.The tree line comes in and out of view. Islands appear and then disappear. It is easy to become disoriented and believe your in one place when suddenly a land mass emerges from the fog reminding you that in the days of GPS technology, it is still frighteningly easy to get lost.

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No.2

When the fog clears, a vast Arctic landscape emerges and the reality of the wilderness which surrounds becomes clear. Fields of green moss and grasses fill the foreground while blue water and sky dominate.This is James Bay.

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No.3

Lunch stops are always on random islands, many without names on a map. Of course, the Cree who have been inhabiting these islands for thousands of years know them much better. Cree and Inuit place names are often indicative of land usage, marking hunting blinds, food caches, and burial grounds.

No.4

Don't be turned off by the image of rocky inhospitable shorelines. James Bay is also marked by empty white sand beaches and quiet coves.These make for perfect landing sites. Seals are frequently spotted hunting in the current and occasionally the odd beluga surfaces.

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No.5

One of the more intriguing aspects of James Bay’s many natural features, are the rock formations. Sheets of exposed granite tells a tale of rich geologic history.

Patterns of swirling colour are what has given the area the name “The Painted Hills” or ‘Paint Hills” as it is sometimes still referred on maps.

No.6

These are not small islands. One can hike for many hours reaching large cliffs, caves, and salt water marshes.There are numerous rocky outcrops making for terrific viewpoints where distance becomes distorted.

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No.9

No.7

Thousands of years of changing seas have brought in layer upon layer of driftwood. In a nearly treeless landscape, seeing cedar and pine logs wider in diameter than one can reach is a fascinating tale of the power of the ocean and how interconnected it all is.

A day spent paddling on James Bay is not complete without a seaside campfire.An Inuit elder once showed me one of the best ways of cooking over a fire. He finds a large flat rock and builds three low walls in the sand upon which he places the rock.The fire below heats the rock up to a perfect grilling temperature.

No.8

These lines of driftwood are dotted by nests of migratory birds.The Cree often harvest the eggs in the spring which are plentiful. Sitting on a hillside with binoculars offers some truly world-class birding opportunities.

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No.10

The days are long in James Bay. The sun might dip below the horizon at around 10:30 p.m. but the light remains for a few more hours before the landscape is dark. Loons and owls echo in the distance filling the cold night air with a hair-raising orchestra.

AboutTroy Glover: Paddler and photographer Troy Glover has spent the better part of the past five years living and working in the most remote areas of our planet. From the high Arctic to the outer steppe in Mongolia, his camera has captured an extraordinary wealth of stories. Concerned primarily with environmental conservation, he is a firm believer in the power of the image to inspire real change on a large scale. In the spring, he is often found paddling remote northern waterways by sea kayak surrounded by wilderness while recording his time spent there using his camera.

Learn more about Troy and his work online at www.troyglover.ca.

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Canoe Paddler 128 Coaching

Perfecting turns on the move by Paul Bull.

132 England

Crossing the backbone of England.

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By Paul Bull –UKCC Level 3 Coach at Paul Foundation Open Canoe Skills

In the last article I described some methods for turning a canoe whilst remaining in a static position.This time I’d like to concentrate on how to complete turns whilst the boat is on the move and hopefully give you some insights that will make it easier for you to achieve a range of different outcomes.

Firstly, lets dispel the myth that it’s all about the paddle. In the context of open canoeing, it’s all about TRIM, TRIM and more TRIM! Sure the paddle will make a difference but the overriding factor is the set up of trim — let me explain further…

Perfecting turns 1

2

3

4 5

Bull Coaching The Initiation:

In order to complete a turn on the move we need momentum. I like to use the Goon Stroke (or Power Pry) to generate this forward momentum or accelerating the boat from a static position. Once we have achieved a good level of forward momentum, after maybe four or five good strokes, we then need to initiate the turn. l If turning to my onside (i.e. towards the paddle side), I initiate the turn using another Power Pry, making sure it’s a really strong pry stroke at the end to kick the back of the canoe around and start the turn. l If turning to the offside (i.e. away from the paddle side) I initiate the turn using a stroke that’s somewhere between a power stroke and a sweep stroke, pushing the bow of the canoe away from the paddle.

on the move

Trimming for different shaped turns:

Trimming the boat differently changes the shape of the boat in the water. When we trim towards the back of the boat we deepen the skeg of the stern in the water and the boat wants to go straighter. If we trim forwards, we release that skeg and the bow bites into the water and the boat pivots around more quickly.

Once we have initiated our turn we can then micro-trim the boat to achieve different outcomes, or shapes of turns. If we want to achieve a wide turn, we can trim ourselves towards the stern of the boat, accentuating the skeg effect. If we want a tighter turn we can trim ourselves towards the bow.

Tightening a turn by applying the paddle blade:

6

Once we have initiated and trimmed according to the type of turn we desire to achieve, we can then tighten up a turn using a bow rudder for example.

Note though, that a bow rudder will not make a wide turn into a tight turn, it will only make a wide (or tight turn) tighter.

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ThePaddler 130 It’s all in the planning:

To put this into context, when we are journeying down a river and come to a set of rapids, it’s worth bearing in mind where our eddies are, how wide the eddies are and therefore what sort of turn I might need to complete to achieve my eddy turn. If I see a big, wide eddy then I can set my trim before I leave my current eddy, ready for the wide gliding turn I need at the bottom of the rapid. If on the other hand the eddy is quite narrow, I’ll need to set up my trim forward to achieve a tight turn. 20kgs of well trained Border Collie who will move forwards and back on command would be a great addition to anyone’s paddling kit. Alternatively consider one big kit bag to put all your kit for the day into which you can move around the boat to change your trim!

Paul Bull I'm an enthusiastic full time UKCC Level 3 Coach who’s passionate about helping people to develop and enjoy kayaking and canoeing whether that be more advanced skills on the more technical or bigger volume rivers of the UK and Europe or grass roots sessions nearer to home. I deliver a range of BCU and Personal Skills courses in both Canoe and Kayak around the country and from my recently opened centre at Tittesworth Water, Staffordshire. More information about me and the courses I offer can be found at www.paulbull.co.uk or via Facebook via Facebook at www.facebook.com/PaulBullCoaching

Playing with edge: Why not go and explore how the degrees of edge (or heel) impact your turns…? Happy paddling and I hope to see you on the water soon!

© Kelvin Horner, 2015 Argentiere, France

BUILT WITH PASSION

COVERT 9.3, ARGENTIERE, FR ANCE

MODERN TOURING AND WHITEWATER CANOES PROUDLY DESIGNED AND MADE IN THE UK.

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From the River Mersey and the Irish Sea to the River Humber and the North Sea via the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the Aire and Calder Navigation to the Humber Port of Goole.

Crossing England’s backbone by canoe

BY DAVID TRUZZI-FRANCONI

The Leeds and Liverpool canal is 127 miles long and was built to transport chiefly coal and cotton over the Pennines to the mill towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire in wood and steel barges. It is also supremely good at carrying carbon/kevlar canoes full of camping gear, dried food and Kindles!

We left on a sunny bank holiday afternoon to the sound of Cunard's liners - as the three Queens (Mary, Elizabeth and Vic

View on Google maps at: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.4703606,-1.4753088,10z

Paddlers: Steve Seinet-Martin and David Truzzi-Franconi

Wigan Pier

ctoria) greeted each other in Liverpool’s dock basin and marginally ahead of a volley of sticks, cans and stones thrown by grinning children refused a lift in the canoe!

Trying to access the water there should be easy but the Eldonian village built around the Stanley Dock Basin and its tobacco and tea warehouses make it difficult, something I am sure suits the residents just fine. You paddle in a pleasant corridor of clear water passing the facades of old works and warehouses and the backs of businesses sealed off by razor wire and trident tipped railings!

After snaking through Litherland and Bootle before skirting Aintree Racecourse and the famous canal turn, the landscape starts to become more rural as you head to Melling.

Hoping to camp we enquired after a quiet spot, “Not round ‘ere mate, they are scallywags round ‘ere,” we eventually settled for a spot by a swing bridge at Lydiate adjacent to a pub - dinner sorted (The sachet of dried wolf fish casserole was safe for another night!).

We tucked ourselves out of the way of the many cyclists and discovered we were close to the Maghull home of Frank Hornby, inventor of Meccano and producer of the model railways he has a pub named after him here. The canal hereabouts marks the boundary between Merseyside and Lancashire and was a flat lockfree plain of some 27 miles before the climb into Yorkshire.

We had not even seen a boat as of that moment and passed along the valley that the canal shares with the River Douglas. We started to gain experience in judging the height of the many swing bridges that span the canal and usually just slid under by adopting the foetal position - head beneath the gunwales and using a hand to grope for something to pull the boat through!

As we approached Wigan, we lost the towpath near Wigan ‘pier’ and search for an out and ended up sliding the loaded boat over my tent in order to reduce the damage to the hull and prepared to portage the 21 locks to the top.

Many of the gates across the towpath were locked - a real nuisance as we kept having to remove the loaded canoe from its trolley, slide it over the top and reattach it on the other side.

Pie and chips in the rain! near Rishton

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Old wive’s tale or fact?

The tunnel at Foulridge was opened in 1796. A tale that has passed into local folklore tells of the cow that fell into the water and swam the whole length of Foulridge Tunnel before being pulled out at the other end and revived with brandy.

We were helped by the least likely candidate - a lad with a smile containing few teeth holding a can of beer (with further supplies in a plastic bag) who helped us over several obstacles before wishing us well and waving us goodbye. It was a hot evening as we sprawled in the lounge of the Kirklees Hall Inn at the top of the flight, slaking our thirst whilst being warmly greeted simultaneously in both the most offensive and the most friendly way involving both topographical and gynaecological terms by a local electrician!

Having overeaten we found a nice triangle of sward between the top lock and a disused arm of the canal and spent a peaceful night there.

There were washing facilities and a toilet in the old stable block built for the boat horses, but you will need to buy a key before setting out - a very worthwhile investment.

Most of the canal is elevated now and you paddle out of Wigan looking over the town as you pass along a cool wooded corridor and arrived at Johnson's Hill top lock at midday, later passing over the rooftops of Blackburn. It had started to rain as we paddled farther and farther looking for food and shelter, eventually we ended up huddled under a stone bridge eating homemade cheese and onion pies and chips watching the rain bounce of the cobbles. We could have been in a scene from a film shot in black and white in the 60s!

A curious local attracted by the canoe phoned a farmer friend and secured a corner of a field for

us near Clayton le Moors, so we battled on into the rain and wind eventually covering 28 miles that day. We were soaked despite having spent a small fortune on so called technical clothing and quickly heated up some water for hot chocolate and drank Adnams eau de vie made from their excellent Broadside beer, which gave a sustaining inner glow!

We slept without eating and rose early, tied our clothes and kit to a five bar gate to try and dry it but it started to rain again! So we stowed the wet kit and moved on into a strong wind.

Spirits lifted by an elevated paddle over the rooftops of Burnley, a scene unchanged for many years, apart from the satellite dishes scattered amongst the slate roofs. Old mills and warehouses lined the towpath there as we entered Weavers Triangle and passed the old toll house and headed for our first tunnel at Gannow.

We checked the restrictions and were able to see the other end as it was 559 yards long, so donned our head torches and went for a subterranean paddle being amazed at how disorienting it can be! We lunched at the top of Barrowford Lock in the Pendle Hills, then went on to the summit level of the canal which passed through a very wet Foulridge Tunnel – one of the highest on the system where the water freezes during the winter. It was built using the cut and cover technique and is 1,640 yards long and therefore not available to canoes!

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However, trying

to get a canoe off the canal was made extremely difficult by having to unload it in order to haul it up and out over a flight of steep steps, barriers, walls and locked gates! This needs to be addressed if the Canal and River Trust hope to attract more leisure users. When we reached the road, it was not immediately apparent where the path was. There was an overgrown old railway track, a cycle path and finally a portage path over the top that winded along the lanes and past the Burswain Yacht Club on the feeder reservoir for the canal at the top - presumably the source of the leaks through the tunnel roof.

We stopped to check directions as we did not want to portage on a busy road for any longer than necessary and entered the village finding ourselves in a very pleasant canal side cafe. An interesting paddle then ensued where the canal followed the contours of the land, which meant on one stretch we paddled into a stiff headwind and on another surfed along barely able to keep the canoe on an even keel! It was also another of those days where you carry on and on trying to find a campsite - even considering those without a pub nearby!

We ended up paddling 28.7 miles that day and hauled the canoe off the towpath at Gargrave, attached it to the trolley and trundled into the local village parking at the Swan, only to be told the chef was ill! However, we were welcome to leave the boat and eat down the road. We returned replete and drank another couple of pints for forms sake and pitched by the lock for the night in our still wet tents and kit!

King coal

The canal’s most important cargo was coal closely followed by merchandise. Thanks to the combination of local heavy industry and the decision to build the canal with broad locks, the Leeds & Liverpool was able to compete successfully with the railways throughout the 19th Century. It even remained open for much of the 20th Century, with the last cargo of coal being carried along the Leigh Branch to Wigan Power Station in 1972.

We Moored in Skipton outside the wonderful Boat House Cafe and were soon warm. After a full English breakfast and on our second pot of tea, we watched the rain run down the window and chatted to the owner, an ex-military man much taken with our exploits to date and inspired to do the same.

We left with some cakes baked that morning by his mother!

It was here we experienced one of the worst of our many swan attacks – being attacked five times by the same swan (defending nine young). For over half a mile he did his best to fly into the boat being repelled repeatedly by a paddle planted squarely in his chest!

The weather now alternated between sunshine and hail as fronts swept in from the moors. Tat the end of the day we descended the Bingley five rise locks after having drank some superb coffee at the nearby cafe. The nearby factory chimney was black, which betrayed the true past of the town when everything must have been coated in soot and the canals choked with craft.

Our technique for slipping under swing bridges failed twice that afternoon and resulted in short and difficult portages.

After 24 miles, we stopped at Field Lock, a pleasant rural site on the borders of Leeds (we did not want to camp too near the city centre) and immediately spread our kit out to dry on the balance beams and the grass in the last of the sun – it looked like an explosion at a boot sale!

We had met a few characters on the trip including one who went off and get us some beers but sadly never reappeared and one Tom Tucker who according to himself was an unrecognised genius and fluent in many languages.

He told us we could find him on Facebook and Youtube – but we are still looking Tom! There were many single men killing time and holding cans of beer early in the morning but were all pleasant with a poignant tale to tell. We paddled high up in the Aire Valley through woods carpeted with bluebells, where Cuckoos called in the distance. Later we passed through the elegant Saltaire, a model village built by Sir Titus Salt, a 19th century mill owner and philanthropist, now a world heritage site.

Our avian nemesis

We entered Leeds at midday and ended in a modern precinct dodging shoppers. We were at Lock 1 River Lock at the junction with the Aire and Calder Navigation, on which we proceeded for the next 34 miles to the Humber Port of Goole. We looked down at the water far below us, the canoe was lowered where one of us dropped down into the boat and stowed the incoming kit.

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On the outskirts of Leeds

It rained all night and was still raining when we stowed our gear and donned our wet clothes, which has to be one of the most dispiriting things you can do on a camping trip.

We were now on the highest point of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and crossed into Yorkshire where the low fells of Nidderdale, a national park, were dotted with sheep as we paddled into the driving rain.

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We paddled 161 miles in six days and traversed the country thanks to the ingenuity of the engineers and the physical labour of the armies of navvies, who shaped the industrial revolution in this country back in the 1770s.

It took 50 years to complete owing to wars in America and France and was the longest and most successful in the country!

Committed, we paddled under Victoria Bridge and then struggled to exit at the first lock. The locks are enormous and the whole navigation was built for ships of 200 feet and over, so a canoe is seriously out of scale! We were then diverted off the towpath which got us past another lock! It took 15 to 20 minutes to portage each lock by as we unloaded and hauled the canoe up and out, portaged and then lowered it in and restowed our kit but at least we managed to pass around them!

Twenty miles on and we arrived at the grassy and huge Castleford Lock. Each of the locks contain a control tower and traffic lights to regulate the shipping, a remnant from its not too distant past. A regular traffic of ‘tom puddings’, which consisted of a train of square containers each containing 20 tons of coal, lashed together and attached to a tug that pushed or pulled the train usually of 19 compartments.The ‘Tom Pudding’ was bound for transhipment at Goole or offloaded at Ferry bridge power station.Tankers also plied the navigation and the shipping supported a whole community.

We are packed and ready to go at 08.00. Again it was raining and we forlornly hoped for a cafe to magically appear along the empty tree clad banks. We exited at the huge 460-foot Bulholme Lock chamber, where a peek along the road revealed a butty bar!

In minutes the canoe is abandoned and we are ensconced and bombarded with questions tea or coffee? White or brown bread? Fried or

scrambled? Red or brown sauce? All for half the price we would pay down in the south of England!

The canal sits high above the plains making it very prone to the wind, which tear across, the clusters of steaming cooling towers and Kellingley Colliery. We forged our way along the navigation as the wind pushed us along, particularly where it funnelled through the motorway bridges. By late afternoon we passed by ex working boats, moored three deep along the canal, which was sadly now awaiting their fate probably ending up as houseboats!

After a very unstable paddle in choppy conditions, we arrived by Ocean Lock at Goole in the late afternoon, luckily there were no ships moving.

Being a dock we were fenced in and couldn’t get out and so had no option but to return against the wind. We stopped at the Northstar Marina and called at the bar to ask if we could leave the canoe whilst we looked for a room.

We were immediately welcomed, shown the showers (I wonder why!), where we left the canoe, pitched our tents and as (Chrissy and Paul) were not cooking that night, to order take away food for which they supplied us with hot plates and cutlery. There was even a washing line to dry our kit!

With a pint of beer pint in our hands, life suddenly looking a lot better and a feeling of satisfaction was permeated through us driving out the cold and wet!

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SUP Paddler 142 Coaching

Offside switch stance by Corran Addison.

150 Spain

The Basque training base of Zane Schweitzer.

156 Wales

Interview with Zane Schweitzer at Surf Snowdonia.

160 Spain

The SMS 24-hour SUP race by Luis Garcia.

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Offside No matter how good you think you are, everyone is more off balance on their offside than their onside.This applies to both your paddling side and your feet.

switc

I’m not going to go into the merits of standing in a ‘kung Fu’ stance here – that was covered in a previous article that you should refer back to. So for arguments sake, you just need to assume I’m right and you want to be standing Kung Fu and not ‘side by side’ parallel.

You know I’m right, just go with it.

Words: Corran Addison. Photos: Chr istine

Pinsonneau

ch stance

lt

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Now on a personal note, I should point out that I almost never switch side paddling and every time I do, I immediately regret it. There are two reasons for this. One involves history. Way back when, before you and I were even able to paddle, there was this Olympic discipline called C1. Back then (this is the early 1970s), C1 paddlers switched sides depending on the angle of ferry, which side they were eddying out on and so forth. C2 paddlers would coordinate this by calling ‘hut’. Then along came two forward thinking paddlers: Jon Lugbill and Davey Hearn. These two realized that switching made no sense. It was more efficient to always have the same top hand and bottom hand and to paddle cross bow when necessary.

There were several reasons for this, but one of them was ‘dead time’. When you’re switching hands, you’re not paddling and if you’re racing that’s a time loss! If you’re just trying to stay on your board, that ‘dead time’ is a period where you have no control, and no possibility of control.

At that moment you cannot take an emergency stroke, brace or anything. In a sport where balance is critical, having that crucial paddle blade to complete the ‘balance tripod’ of your two feet and a powered up blade is a large part of success. Invariably, you fall more while switching, or immediately after. So I don’t do it. Develop a good C stroke and it’s completely unnecessary.

But this creates an interesting problem when entering offside eddies. I’ll circle back to this.

‘Power’ vs ‘control’

While standing in your Kung Fu stance, you have a subtle ‘power’ vs ‘control’ foot difference. The back foot ultimately is the load bearing foot. 60-70% of your weight is on this, depending on what you’re up to, sometimes even as much as 90%.Your front foot is your control… this is the foot that allows you to subtly control lean angle. Often this front foot is on the ball of the foot rather than flat, and this provides a very sensitive, fine-tuned lean angle adjustment control (which also equates to subtle balance adjustment).

When leaning the board, the high foot is also the one that gives you the most lean angle control, while your back foot is how you power that inside edge down creating that lean.

By now you’re starting to get the picture. You want your front foot to be the high foot while edging – at least when it’s somewhere critical like blasting into a powerful eddy, or out into a very fast current. But since we’re not standing parallel but Kung Fu, this means that you can only ever apply this to eddies and ferries on one side.

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Enter the switch stance.

I have found, that while it takes too long to switch the paddle from one side to the other in a hand exchange (rather than a cross bow), you can switch your feet in a split second. In fact, in the photo sequence you see here, we tried several times to capture the moment when I’m mid exchange and we couldn’t – it’s too fast. It’s Michael Jackson on a paddleboard as you move those feet faster than Elvis can follow.

However, timing for this is critical.

Too early and you’re off balance immediately after the switch while still in the downward moving current. Too late and it’s too late to be of any help. The rule of thumb is that you make the switch the instant the nose of the board contacts the eddy (or current) you’re entering on your offside so that this awkward feeling switch stance happens at the moment of maximum converging power and turning of the board.

Circling back to the paddle, I also make the switch an instant before I cross the paddle over into a cross-bow power pull into the eddy (or power stroke out into the oncoming current). I land my feet, and once planted, immediately reach the paddle across the bow (the timing is so close that from the side it appears that they happen together, but they in fact do not). Once again, my ‘tri-pod’ is there for both balance, and power to pull me into the eddy.

Now, there is an argument against this.

What if you’re boofing a drop and landing in the eddy at the base, offside? Surely if you’re boofing (and using one of my boards that has the Stomp Hook to keep you connected) you can’t make this switch the instant the nose contacts the eddy. In reality you’re still airborne and the idea is to stay connected, not be leaping about on the deck.

The truth is I don’t have an answer for you. But I suspect it’s choosing the lesser of the two evils. Which will be worse – not using the stop hook and staying connected, or having your back foot as the control foot as you enter the eddy? My gut reaction (based on some trial and error) is that it’s better to stay connected. Try to use that same connection to keep your balance as you enter the eddy without having to switch. But the truth is it might simply be personal preference, or someone will come along and find a better way.

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For 99% of your ‘off side’ eddy turns however, the switch stance is the way to go. The exception however, is if you’re doing a pivot turn on the tail of the board like a slalom kayak, where I’ve found that because you’re standing more surfer stance than Kung Fu in order to get the nose up, it becomes unnecessary to switch because of your body geometry relative to the trajectory of the board. Just watch Barry Keenon and Eric Giddens to see this done beautifully.

And that, my friend, is how you nail offside eddy turns without a paddle switch.

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ZAN

By Zane Schweitzer. Photos: Pauloski Odriozola (www.kantaurikoolatua.com)

E’S

Basking in the beautiful

BASQUE

region of Spain

There are so many outstanding, beautiful, fun, magical and amazing places out there in this world. I am beyond grateful and blessed to have the opportunity to explore these places and experience the cultures, traditions, styles and foods of each place.Thanks to my family and friend’s support, stand up paddling, windsurfing and surfing, I’ve had the opportunity to go to these places.

What I do to show god my appreciation is simple; be grateful, grasp the moment, appreciate the cultures, make friends, take full advantage of the experiences and leave a positive footprint behind that represents my family and I, and where we come from. To share my Aloha and impact and inspire others around me is my gift that I can give to anyone everywhere. The strongest way I can share this inspiration, Aloha and lifestyle is to express myself through the ocean and the sports that shaped me throughout my life and to share the joy of these sports that opened so many doors for me.

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I’ve been coming to the Basque Country for three years now, since the first Bilbao World SUP Challenge in 2013. Thanks to of a few friends, particularly Lurta Nikolas who hosted me at Barrika Surf Camp and the B Waters crew who showed me a damn good time in Bilbao, I made that first trip and they introduced me to the surf and paddle community in the area. I’ve had the opportunity to experience what the Basque culture and Basque country is about.

Sometimes it only takes one person to make a place or moment in time unforgettable and special and in the Basque country I’ve run into a handful of these people that remind me that life is on the right track.

Mountainous landscape

With rich culture that has had its bright and dark days, the Basque country and people are strong with their traditions and culture. The mountainous landscape of the stretches all the way to the coastlines, which stretch from France to Spain and not just has many of Europe’s most popular and world famous waves and surf breaks but some of the secret gems and local surf spots.

The food is also something of the mountains and sea, with strong influence in sea foods like fish and squid dishes, but also your traditional meats from the land. These are amongst the reasons why I choose to spend my time in the Basque Country in between competitions in Europe, however the biggest reason is the ability to keep up with my training, and healthy lifestyle in between events.

The waves are consistent and its probably some of best training around the area for the stops on the World Tour. Not only is it an awesome place to surf and SUP surf but also for SUP race training, with awesome coast runs with consistent bumps and swells with flat water and surf race locations nearby as well!

The waves are consistent and its probably some of best

training around the area for the stops o

on the WorldTour

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Lurta Nikolas

I’ve spent most of my time in the Basque country with Lurta Nikolas and his family in the Barrika area, where he runs one of Europe’s most popular surf camps; Barrika Surf Camp.

Barrika is on a mountain ridge close to the coast that goes down sea cliffs to the ocean and beaches below with a great surf spots within walking distance to such as Sopela, where most surf lessons are taught in the area.

Photos: Pauloski Odriozola (www.kantaurikoolatua.com)

Lurta has become a good friend of mine and Barrika Surf Camp is my home base most of my time while in Europe. The weather is really nice most of the time, with sunny skies and warm temperatures, not to mention clean water similar to summer time in California!

I own a surf camp with my family back home in Maui and we have been fortunate enough to team up with Barrika Surf Camp to share our clients and have somewhat of a relationship between the two camps. If you’re interested in checking out either camp, please check out our websites; www.barrikasurfcamp.com and www.mauisportsadventures.com. It’s been really fun hosting groups of Europeans that Barrika Surf Camp send to us at our camp on Maui. We make sure to improve everyone’s skills and knowledge on the water but also well share the spirit of Aloha and what Hawaii and our family is all about!

Aloha and Mahalo, Zane Kekoa Schweitzer

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ThePADDLER 156

SNOWDO We’ve already featured the kayak surfers and now it’s the time of the SUP surfers. Starboard arranged for their team of world-class riders to appear at Surf Snowdonia to promote SUP surf at the venue. Zane Schweitzer, Sean Poynter and current women’s SUP World Series champion Izzy Gomez all turned up and dazzled us with their unique skill set.

View from above

Afterwards we got a chance to sit down and have a natter with the Starboard trio plus Naish rider and current vice president of the ISA, Casper Steinfath. Zane interviewed for us at the Paddler ezine, whilst Sean, Izzy and Casper spoke to our sister magazine, SUP Mag UK. Read Zane views on the world of SUP and his time at Snowdonia on the next few pages, meanwhile a little about Surf Snowdonia.

Surf Snowdonia

Surf Snowdonia is a lozenge-shaped lagoon the size of six football pitches. set in the lush green Conwy Valley of North Wales and just a few miles from Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales.

Sean Poynter

The main attraction is the two-metre-high barrelling wave that starts at the centre of the lagoon, peels perfectly for more than 150 metres and then dissipates softly as it hits the shore, all at the push of a button. It represents a genuinely revolutionary outdoor adventure destination which produces the longest man-made surfable waves on the planet.

It will be a showcase for the first ever publicly accessible Wavegarden® surfing lagoon, and is almost certainly one of the world’s most hotly anticipated outdoor adventure destination for 2015.

Izzy Gomez

Surf Snowdonia has already received global attention, where they hope that it will help to see surfing and SUP recognised as Olympic sports as the consistent and repetitive quality waves means competition would be fair and ‘judgeable’. The International Surf Association and International Olympic Committee are following the project closely.

Zane Schwe Photos: Pe

ONIAN SUP SURF

https://youtu.be/9H4QDYafN6g

eitzer at the Surf Snowdonia Wavegarden eter Chamberlain / DTL photography http://www.dtlphotography.com

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Interview with Zane What’s your experience of the UK prior to this trip – ever been here/paddled in this part of the world before?

I’ve been so many times to London but never left the airport. This was my first real trip to the UK, outside of the airports!

How are you coping with the British summer weather?

The weather was just lovely from the start to finish of our trip; raining sideways with 15-20 degree weather!

Haha. We did have a few windows of sunshine though!

What do you think of the UK’s SUP scene - from what you’ve seen?

SUP scene seems super stoked, all the people I got to meet are really friendly and dedicated to the next good session!

How does it compare with other parts of the world – for instance, your home stomping ground?

I need to do some more exploring around the UK to answer this properly. From what I got to experience, the similarity between Snowdonia and home is the country slow feel to the lifestyle.

Give us your thoughts on Surf Snowdonia and artificial waves – could these be game changers for those looking to surf?

I think for people just getting into riding waves it will be perfect and for intermediate progression but may get a bit boring for an expert.

What are the benefits of a facility like this?

This facility reminds me of a snow ski resort. The wave pool makes it possible for that ski resort style feel for a surf destination!

Would you guys still prefer to ride in the ocean or would you be happy in spots like this?

I would prefer mother nature off course!

Do you think Wavegarden type set ups could help increase rider participation and skill levels within surf sports?

It will allow more opportunity for people to learn in a safe environment as well as allowing amateurs and intermediates to increase their skill sets.

Where’s your favourite global location to ride?

Maui and Tahiti!

What would you say is the single most important factor riders should be concentrating on when surfing if they want to improve?

Concentrate on feeling the board and reading the waves correctly and really focus on utilizing your paddle for added manoeuvrability and control.

Talk to us about stand up paddle surfing comps and events – do you think there are enough going on?

It’s great to see so many events popping up all over the place and I think it’s awesome that so many communities have a program or series for local paddlers to compete in. On the professional side of things, maybe there are too many people stepping on each others toes for top events. The community and the industry need to learn to work together for the sake of the athletes helping all the world’s best to compete together.

Where would you like to see events being held?

In Maui and in the Hawaiian Islands! Maybe some more events closer to home and in solid conditions in both surfing and racing.

What equipment are you currently rocking?

For SUP Im using a 7’1”x24” InZane Pro Model, 12’6”x24” All Star, Bolt M and Enduro XS.

Does your set up affect the riding you’re experiencing at Surf Snowdonia?

For sure. Just like any wave your set up and equipment is going to make a difference on the performance. What’s great about the Wavegarden is that you have a consistent wave that is almost identical one after the other, so you can really get great testing results for different set ups.

Could you see a day when specific products are manufactured for artificial waves?

I see the Hyper Nut being the ideal board for the Wavegarden!

Where do you see SUP surfing in five years – could it be bigger than traditional surf for instance?

There is a lot of potential for SUP surfing in the next five years. I hope to see it getting closer to the standard and level of success as surfing, but honestly think it can get even bigger than that with the help of recreational SUP and SUP racing.

How much flat water paddling do you guys do and how does this help your wave riding?

I do a bit of flat water padding for racing. It’s great training for just you and your equipment, I do love to be challenged with the conditions though. Flat water paddling does not help your SUP surfing but it will keep you in shape and help your strokes and paddling, so that is good.

Who do you think is going to win this year’s Stand Up World Tour?

This year I think I am going to win the Stand Up World Tour! That’s been my dream and goal over the years and this years it’s all coming together!

Zane Schweitzer Any final shout outs?

Shout out to my family and brother, Matty, for all the support!! Also all my sponsors for making it possible for me to live my dreams; Starboard, Honolua Surf Co.,Vitargo, Cobian, Maui Jim, Dakine and FCS. Aloha and Mahalo, Zane Kekoa Schweitzer

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Spanish Marathon SUP Championship

24 HOUR

MARATHON The only 24-hour stand up paddle race worldwide Ramon Blanco and Ane Zulaika claim crowns.

Jurgi Zulaika and Beatriz Piñal win in the shorter six-hour race.

The second event of the Standup Marathon Series’ (SMS) five challenges, the Spain 24 kicked off on the 11th July, at Pedreña (Marina de Cudeyo), on the north coast of Spain. It was the third edition of the SMS SPAIN24, which for the first time ever was to crown the Resistance SUP Spanish Champions, as the event is supported by the Spanish Surfing Federation (FES).

Main photo: Ane Zulaika entering the evening phase Thanks to: Luis Garcia and Pedro Gutierrez

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The race started

Miguel Martorell

at noon with a huge exit from the SD Remo Pedreña, where the favourites were quickly out ahead of the pack paddling at a very high cadence.

The athlete has 24 hours to complete as many laps as possible in a route marked by the organization.

During the first hours Miguel Martorell from Majorca, Antonio de la Rosa from Madrid and the Cantabrians Ramon Blanco and Saul Viadero, were evenly matched throughout without much between them until the end of the day period at 10pm. At night, each athlete chose a different strategy in an attempt to distance themselves from their closest rivals.

De la Rosa, one of the race favourites, had to rest more than usual and unfortunately for him, lost plenty of distance that was to cost him a top three placing. Instead, the fight for the gold, silver and bronze positions was between Martorell, Blanco and Viadero. Around 4am, the race leadership changed in favour of Ramón Blanco, who held onto the lead and went on to win his third consecutive victory in one of the hardest events the SUP calendar has to offer.

Six hour winner Bea Pinal

His winning margin was two kilometres over the combative second placed Miguel Martorell and meant he took the first official title of ‘Spanish Champion of Resistance SUP’. Meanwhile, Saul Viadero did everything demanded of him to take the bronze medal ahead of Antonio de la Rosa, the Frenchman, Patrick Lamerre, and the Spaniard Mario Diez, who all fought to the end in hard conditions on the Sunday morning.

In the Women’s division, Ane Zulaika took the title ahead of Cinthya Coto and Susana Dawilibi.The women had different strategies, while the Cantabrian, Dawilibi, preferred to try to make the maximum turns in idyllic conditions of flat water at night, Basque, Zulaika and Costa Rican, Coto, preferred to fight in hard conditions during the day.

In the ‘short’ distance competition of six hours, there was victory for San Sebastian’s Jurgi Zulaika, a member of the Spanish team in the last ISA World Championship, whilst the Women’s race was won by Cantabrian Beatriz Pinal. It was a big duel between the two athletes that ended with the same number of laps despite competing in different sexes.

All in all a fantastic event contested by wonderful first-class athletes.

https://youtu.be/aCE8KiOFWt4

Men’s 24-hour winner Ramon Blanco

Women’s 24-hour winner Ane Zulaika

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