PADDLER The International magazine for recreational paddlers Issue 55 Late Summer 2020
Coaching on canoeing, kayaking and SUP from… CHRIS BRAIN JAMIE GREENHALGH ELAINE FARQUHARSON ADAM EVANS MIKE ORNSTEIN
ezine
Interview with… NINA & PETER CSONKA Adventure photography By Michael Powers Sardinian sea kayaking ByTaranTyla WW Tatshenshini, Canada By Andy Hall SUP Sydney, Australia ByVikki Weston A silent River Cam By PeterTranter
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Mortality By Darren Clarkson-King
Late summer issue of
CANOE FOCUS
Mike Shoreman interview By SarahThornely
Generation Sea: Plastic Protest Clear access, clear waters New Paddles Up website Testing, testing Building stronger watersport communities IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BRITISH CANOEING
CONTENTS
Cala di Volpe, Sardinia. Photo:Taran Tyla Editor
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Peter Tranter peter@thepaddlerezine.com Tel: (01480) 465081 Mob: 07411 005824 www.thepaddlerezine.com
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Design 2b Graphic Design Limited
Cover: Nina, Petko and Peter Csonka Additional thanks to: David Bain, Dimitri Vandepoele, Darren Farrar, Dale Mears, Chris Stubbs, Rob Slater, Claire Cheong-Leen, Zoltan Erdelyi, Stuart Wagstaff, Karl Midlane, Robert Carroll, Bruce Kemp, Paul Klonowski, Philip Zave Photography and Darius Bashar Photography
Not all contributors are professional writers and photographers, so don’t be put off writing because you have no experience! The Paddler magazine is all about paddler to paddler dialogue: a paddler’s magazine written by paddlers. Next issue is Autumn/Fall 2020, with a deadline of submissions on October 20th 2020. 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 magazine is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without prior permission from the editor is forbidden.
Issue 55
Late Summer 2020
Thanks to:
004 Clear access, clear waters By Ben Seal
010 Testing, testing Garmin Quatix, Shakespeares antenna plus more
022 Mortality By Darren Clarkson-King
024 Power of positive thinking By Adam Evans
028 SUP tips in the wind By Elaine Farquharson
034 Interviews with… Peter and Nina Csonka
044 WW Tatshenshini, Canada By Andy Hall
052 Adventure photography By Michael Powers
060 Finding feedback on the river2 By Jamie Greenhalgh and Chris Brain
067 Canoe Focus British Canoeing’s 24-page magazine
092 Paddling the River Cam By Peter Tranter
tootega.com
110 Sardinian wild camping By Taran Tyla
116 She SUPs Sydney By Vikki Weston
122 Heeling vs carving By Mike Ornstein
128 Mike Shoreman interview By Sarah Thornely (Supjunkie)
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Clear
ACCESS WATERS Clear
Words: Ben Seal, Places to Paddle Manager at British Canoeing As an island nation, surrounded by water and latticed by waterways that crisscross cities, towns and villages all across our country, it is hard to conceive why the right of access to water has remained such a contentious issue for so long. Much of what we see around us has been built because of water; it has powered factories, it is a source of transport, it provides food, travel and recreation. It can also be a place of sanctuary, a habitat for precious flora and fauna and a place for us to observe and enjoy nature in peace. Yet for many people, despite water being on our doorstep wherever we may live, the right of access on that water for enjoyment remains firmly disputed. The contested nature of our waterways is felt most acutely by paddlers and swimmers. Many of us run the gauntlet of being threatened, abused or worse, each time we venture out onto the water. The crux of the argument rests upon a lack of clarity in the law. It is the belief of some that rivers are private and permission required from each landowner to navigate along a waterway. Others contend a right to be on the water has been well established for centuries and has never been taken away by an act of Parliament.
‘STATUTORY RIGHT OF NAVIGATION’ On canals and some larger rivers where there is a ‘Statutory Right of Navigation’, our waterway license allows paddlers to paddle freely, without challenge. However, it is on the largest proportion of waterways in England and Wales, some 96%, where there remains a lack of clarity over rights. Ultimately, this status quo frequently results in friction with other users. Over the last two years, British Canoeing has significantly stepped up its efforts on access and environmental matters. Guided by the ambition to see ‘fair, shared, sustainable open access on water’, the Clear Access, Clear Waters Campaign has made significant strides forward in presenting a case to Government and building a supportive coalition for change.
A CHANGE IN LEGISLATION Launched in November 2018, the Charter set out our core principles. British Canoeing - its staff, its volunteers and whole paddling community would commit itself to seek a change in legislation to enable fair, shared access to all waters. Collectively we would work to protect and enhance our precious environment, and we would strive to encourage more people to participate in our wonderful sport, getting more people more active more often. Importantly and controversially for some, British Canoeing stated that it would not be signing up to any new voluntary agreements based on the need for ‘permission’ to paddle. This was an important step. It sets our course apart from that of current Government policy. But in our Charter and all our subsequent conversations Government Ministers, MP’s, Peers, Civil Servants and partners, we have made it clear why new legislation is the only way to achieve clarity on the matter. Fundamentally, the case for more people to be more active and connected with nature is already made. Not since the end of the Great Wars has our nation needed access to the countryside for recreation and healing. Pre-COVID, our country was already facing an increasing obesity crisis and catastrophic threats to our climate. Now, while we are still in the grip of a global pandemic, we have seen how immensely valuable access to green space has been for millions and millions of people. It is a simple fact that being physically active makes us more resilient to illness. It improves our mental wellbeing, and importantly, for our environment, it brings us closer to nature. It stands to reason that if we cannot access these spaces on or doorstep, then sections of the population will not have access to the great benefits it brings.
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Lincoln Canoe Club river clean
On our journey these last two years, we have lobbied Government hard on issues around access. We have met with Environment Ministers, Sports Ministers, with MP’s of all parties from all corners of England. During the 2019 General Election, we managed to secure commitment to extend the right to roam to water from the Greens, Liberals and Labour. In recent weeks, British Canoeing has been working in coalition with the Ramblers and BMC to affect new Agricultural legislation passing through the Lords, which has the potential to change how our landscape is managed for generations to come.
BEING HEARD We as an organisation have had our voice heard in major consultations, such as the review of National Parks and AONBs, in shaping the new Environmental land Management Scheme, in major EA reviews and many others. Most importantly, we are now seeing our views being heard by those in power. It is hard to express how far we have come in two years. We have raised our profile not only as a strong voice in the outdoor sector but also on environmental issues like Invasive Non-Native Species, and river cleans. In the last 12 months, British Canoeing launched the Clear Access, Clear Waters website, with a petition, enabling people to write or tweet to their MP to show their support for the cause. To date, some 7000 people have signed – however, we know this is a fraction of the 2.1 million people we know paddle each year. In 2018 & 2019, hundreds of paddlers supported the Surfers against Sewage Clean up campaigns, demonstrating what our community can achieve in the fight against plastic pollution when we all come together. River cleans and 'check, clean, dry' are now
starting to become simply part of ‘what we do’ – and for many an extension of what we have always done. Changing legislation is not easy to achieve. Very few Bills make it onto the statute book each year. In the present climate, legislation to affect access on inland waters is unlikely to be amongst the Government’s highest priorities. It takes time and patience. Many people point to the Kinder Trespass in 1932 as the defining moment in the fight for access to our mountains and moors. While it will go down in history as a significant landmark for the movement, it took until the year 2000, 68 years later, for the Countryside and Rights of Way Act to realise the aspirations of those brave individuals. We are sowing seeds onto fertile ground. With the future of how our landscape is managed by farmers currently being shaped, with National Parks and AONBs in the spotlight, with a surge of interest in being outdoors, especially on water, now is our best opportunity to be making our case for clarity on the right of access for all.
20,000 NEW MEMBERS The paddling community has waited a long time for change, and it may still be a while before we finally see fair and shared access on all our waters in England. What is required is decisive and courageous action by the Government to address this longstanding imbalance regarding access on English waterways. A rise of more than 20,000 members this summer goes to show that paddlers are here to stay, and we need to work together to find space for people and nature. In the meantime, the paddling community must come together and continue to make their voice heard. If paddlers want to see change in their lifetime, then now is the best chance we have.
Save our rivers. Photo: David Bain
Community Champion Andy Gee
British Canoeing launches Charter
The Great River Clean
Tom Watson
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U p
S t a n d
P a d d l e
M a g
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OLD HARRY ROCKS Me old mate Harry TUNING IN TO: SUPfm INDIA PEARSON #ShePaddles Q&A SUPM’S 101 foiling guide FIT & HEALTHY Focus on shoulders CORRAN’S intro for kids MAYA PERSSON Q&A natter SUP THERAPY Kent Surf School
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d a p p u d n a t s / / : s p htt Jordan Wylie interview:
TESTED! REVIEWS TO ENHANCE YOUR SUP LIFE
of The Great British Paddle 2020 By Sarah Thornely
ISSN 2397-8597 Aug 2020
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Testing, Garmin Quatix 6x Solar watch https://www.garmin.com Peter Tranter
I’ve had a Garmin Fenix-3 for quite a few years now, and it’s fair to say I absolutely love it, even if you do have to wear a chest strap for heart rate and all the info that results. So, when Garmin sent their sparking new Quatix 6x Solar, I was very eager to set it through its paces.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS Well, it’s one of the most comprehensive fitnesstracking watches money can buy, with boatcontrolling thrown in if you have the money for such extravagance. I don’t have a yacht or motorboat of any kind, but I can reliably inform you
Action mode
this watch can almost take complete control of operations, as Garmin puts it: a co-captain. First off, it looks very classy with its brushed titanium facia and bracelet, delivering a high-end look without being too much in your face and blingy. People will notice it and comment, in a positive way. It comes in the box with the titanium strap attached. However, for me, it’s the bright blue silicone band that I’ll be wearing for any outdoor activity. I find it more comfortable and give better results when out and about as the watch does have to be firmly attached to the wrist for items such as the wrist-mounted heart rate monitor to work best, let’s call it action mode. For going out for a meal, switch to the more expensive looking titanium, let’s call it restaurant mode, and you have the best of both worlds. With
Restaurant mode
g
testin FULLY LOADED
As a smartwatch, it gives many alternate watch faces to choose from and with the help of Garmin’s Connect IQ online store, you have access to many more. I chose the Fusion face, as it matched what I was looking for. I’ll come back to Connect IQ in a little while. You also can make your own from scratch, everything from the colour and style of the face and hands to what information you want to see at a glance. There is a vast array of tools, as well as the ones we’re interested in such as the watersport apps of SUP, kayaking and canoeing, together with running, walking, hiking, biking, swimming and so on. The list of activities seem almost endless, and you can add and delete as required. You pick the items you’re interested in and ignore the rest, in which case you’ll be happy enough.
dd lers - email us: review s@thep addle rez ine
m .co
So the Quatix 6x Solar isn’t a touchscreen, and instead, it’s five buttons – three on the left and two on the right. Now that may sound fiddly, but believe me, after a few days, they become second nature to operate, and they’re much better than touchscreen when things become sweaty and certainly on and in the water.
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So that’s the well-received first impressions out of the box, based on its looks and appearance.
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As I say, for the last three years, I’ve owned a Fenix-3 with the scratch-resistant and extra tough Sapphire glass cover. The Quatix 6x Solar has to reject the benefits of the Sapphire glass due to the battery-preserving power glass, so you’ll to treat it with care or risk picking up scratches. Garmin has opted for the sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel LCD, which lacks punchy colours, but makes up for it by reflecting light at you.
e will b nd it ed a iew rev uct od
The bad news is, and it is the only bad news in this review, is the price of almost £1,000. That makes it one of the most expensive offerings around, so is it worth the extra money and what do you get in exchange?
ou want yo ion. If y u stat rp st r
the quick-release bands on both straps, it couldn’t be simpler and takes seconds.
The Paddle r ez ine te
The wrist-mounted heart rate monitor is as good as anything that I’ve come across in smartwatches, including Apple and Polar.The watch has to be tight with little slippage if it is to be accurate, and that’s where the silicone strap comes in useful; skin contact is more secure. So keen runners, bikers, swimmers and divers (good for depth of 100m) should be more than satisfied.The large 51mm screen makes it easy to absorb plenty of information, quickly and easily. The other built-in apps are just as good. There’s the solar intensity monitor, weather tracking, music controls and room for up to 2,000 tracks (32GB) or sync with Spotify,
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ThePADDLER 12 SPECIFICATIONS: l l l
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Lens material: Power Glass Bezel material: titanium Case material: fibre-reinforced polymer with metal rear cover QuickFit watch band compatible: Strap: titanium and silicone inc. Case size: 51x51x14.9mm Colour display: Yes Display size: 1.4 inches Display resolution: 280 x 280 pixels Display type: sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel Weight: 82g Water resistance: 100 metres Memory/history: 32MB
they lasted only a few hours between charges. However, the Quatix 6x Solar, which expands on the original Quatix 6x by adding a solar charging display that helps extend the battery life. The charging panels located in the watches display and is completely transparent but given enough sunlight, it can extend the battery life by ten days from the average 14 days. This depends upon the amount of sun, the panel collects, and that could be a little on the short side in the winter, but it is a beneficial addition in the summer. Deezer, etc. Pair your Bluetooth headphones, and you do not need to take your phone anywhere, on any activity. I say that with complete confidence as the watch comes with a bewildering array of navigation tools. You can save your location, navigate to destinations and points of interest, create and follow courses, maps, compasses and barometers and I could go on, but take the time to set up and learn, and you'll never be lost again.
GARMIN CONNECT IQ STORE I did say I would come back to the IQ store. It’s here you can download to your watch a dizzying array of Garmin and third-party apps and software that could occupy you for months on end. Seriously though, if you’re focusing on one or two challenges or interests, then this is the place to search. Pairing your mobile phone to your phone opens up a world of entertainment and in-depth analysis of everything you’ve done whilst worn the watch.
SOLAR POWERED? Smartwatches have a limited amount of battery life, especially when running GPS, where as in the day,
The battery life indicator now displays in days to recharge instead of a percentage figure. Battery life differs hugely based on your usage mode, as with all smartwatches. Garmin provided the following quotes, which have been pretty accurate: l Smartwatch mode: up to 14 days l GPS mode: up to 36 hours l GPS and music: up to 10 hours l Max battery GPS mode: 72 hours l Expedition GPS activity: 28 days l Battery-saver watch mode: 48 days
CONCLUSION There can be a tendency for this type of watch to overwhelm the wearer with information. However, if you choose wisely what you wish to see and ignore the rest, then you’re onto a sure-fire winner with the Quatix 6x Solar. The looks, the apps, the build quality, the display, marine qualities and the longevity of the battery, makes for an outstanding piece of fitness tech, that will improve your fitness all round. All I need now is that super cruiser of a yacht, and I’ll be able to put it through its marine paces. So when we sell a million Paddler magazines next month, or when I win the lottery, then we will deal with that. In the meantime, I’m just going to love using this watch. Price: UK: £975.00; US: $1,150 EU: 1,149€
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Shakespeare Galaxy inflatableVHF antenna https://shakespeare-ce.com/marine/ Dimitri Vandepoele NORTHSEAKAYAK
When asked to review an emergency antenna, I didn’t even know that there existed such a piece of safety equipment. As you probably well know by now, we at team NORTHSEAKAYAK are always busy with safety, both on the level of training, testing, and the use of equipment. So, it was an honour to field test this one out! Don’ tell anyone, but I felt like a kid with a new toy. To be completely honest, I’m not a ham radio specialist that knows everything about radio waves and the way they behave once transmitted. I’m going to highlight this particular antenna in the light of use for sea kayakers.
AN INFLATABLE WHAT? This antenna is the first of its kind, hence why we never heard of this before. The Shakespeare Galaxy Inflatable VHF antenna comes in a very convenient package, measuring 24cm by 12 cm, and about 7cm thickness. The weight is about 600 grams. The bag comes in bright orange, which is perfect as we like it with safety equipment. The bag opens in four directions; closings are Velcro. As the bag extends, the antenna is easy to grab and operate. The pack also contains an extra adapter, so that the antenna connects with most VHF-radios. Shakespeare is a well-known brand within the general boater community as the producer of highquality VHF antennas. Most of their products are built for use on ships, sailing yachts, motorboats. With this one, Shakespeare is aiming at sea kayakers, jet skiers, dinghy sailors and other small watercraft. That’s where we come in!
FIELD TESTING! You can find a lot of interesting articles on the internet regarding the behaviour of radio waves
through the air, mostly written by passionate ham radio amateurs. To be short and keep this necessary, ideally, you will need a clear line of sight between two or more antennas to transmit radio waves and to communicate. That means that the curving of the earth will block the radio signal at the horizon. Did you know that for sea kayakers, line of sight is about one-metre above the surface, and 'our' horizon is at about 5kms? If we are sitting in our kayak, we cannot see any further than this unless the object we are looking at is higher than the surface of the sea. That’s the reason why we sometimes see the bridge of taller ships, without being able to see the hull of the vessel. I have conducted the field tests together with my wife, and sea kayaker, Sylvie. Also, and I’m grateful for that, I got help from Sandra, who is a radio operator at Ostend Radio. Ostend Radio is a part of the Belgian Coast Guard; the radio operator sits in the same room as the MRCC radio operator (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) as they work together. We were able to conduct several radio tests with and without the use of the Shakespeare Galaxy VHF antenna, to make a comparison. We have made use of the Standard Horizon HX300 VHF radio, which we have reviewed in an earlier edition of the Paddler magazine (https://paddlerezine.com/standard-horizonhx300e-vhf-radio-review/).
DEPLOYMENT The use of this antenna is easy, even if you are in a real distress situation, you really cannot miss. The antenna comes with an extra adaptor. Make sure that you check if this adaptor needs to switch to screw onto your radio. This will save you some time when deploying the antenna when the need arises. Before deployment, make sure you have you VHF radio at hand and that you unscrewed the standard radio antenna. Make sure not to lose this one, secure it in your PFD or elsewhere. Start to unpack the antenna from the bag. Start to unfold the antenna in front of you. Make sure that there are no obstructions. Pull the little piece of cord firmly; the
2019
WINNER
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the antenna provides a cable no less than six metres in length! So, you don’t have to sit or stand next to the antenna with your radio. It’s handy if you carry a spare CO2 canister, just in case. The antenna can also inflate manually. Only a few mighty blows are enough. The downside is that the antenna is not as rigid as it is when deployed with the CO2 canister, but it will still do the job (with a little support).
MAYDAY-MAYDAY! Now about the effective use of the emergency antenna! During the testing, together with Ostend Radio, we stayed about 7 km away from the closest antenna (Ostend Radio has a few antennas positioned along the Belgian coast). As usual, we were able to get in contact on High power, which is five watts, without the help of the Shakespeare antenna. When we made use of the Shakespeare Galaxy antenna, Ostend Radio received us noticeable clearer. So, let switch to Low, which is only one-watt of output. antenna will self-inflate within seconds due to the CO2 canister (under pressure). The antenna has now become very solid and has a total length of 1,5m. For the record, the size of the standard antenna of my VHF radio is only 15cm. I can hear you thinking, and what now? You’re there now with a 1.5-metre stick in your hands unable to do anything else. Shakespeare has provided the antenna with two Velcro straps which open a lot of options. During the test, we attached the antenna to an upstanding paddle, to our PFD while on the water and to the branch of a small tree when on land. Use your imagination, and you can almost attach this antenna everywhere. Even if you can place your antenna in a high place (like in a tree),
At this point, without the use of the Shakespeare antenna, we could not reach Ostend Radio/MRCC anymore. Even after several attempts, only dead silence. So, we unscrewed the standard antenna and replaced it again with the Shakespeare Galaxy antenna. We came through at Ostend Radio immediately, clear, and powerful. We are glad we could test the antenna, and we will conduct even more tests in the future. However, the box didn’t lie when it stated, “Up to three times better range.”
WHY SHOULD A SEA KAYAKER CARRY THIS? We have given this also some thought. Isn’t it already enough when one carries already a cell phone, a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) and a VHF (with standard antenna)? Well, we like to think out of the box. We are not the average equipment geeks, and we want to travel/paddle light. I think you need to see the use of this piece of equipment from a brighter perspective. If you are paddling in an area where emergency services are very far away, the Shakespeare antenna can come in very useful. Even if you have a PLB at hand, a VHF is still a two-way communication. Everything can fail, so we like to give ourselves options. We never rely on only one piece of safety equipment. If for example, you are paddling as a leader or coach with other groups in remote areas, or even with a basecamp, then the Shakespeare Galaxy can come in very convenient for inter-group comms. In our case, when going very far offshore, this one can be used as well to give through our position and status to the Coast Guard (just for monitoring reasons, as I did with my two North Sea crossings). I hope to have shed some light on this particular piece of safety equipment. It will be part of my safety kit when going on offshore trips or crossing, and we certainly are eager to do some training scenarios with it in our NORTHSEAKAYAK team. Have fun and take care of each other on the water! Average cost around £145.00
www.kentcanoes.co.uk Tel: 01732 886688 Email: info@kentcanoes.co.uk KAYAKS|CANOES|COURSES|TECHNICAL CLOTHING|SAFETY GEAR|ACCESSORIES
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Vivobarefoot ESC Tempest amphibious shoe www.vivobarefoot.com/uk Darren Farrar and Dale Mears @StandUpPaddleUK
these. I was riding my 14 Tourer and felt comfortable at all times with the grip of these shoes.
DM: Once on the board, although having quite a big sole on the boot and a lot of grip it feels as if you are So a couple of weeks ago @StandUpPaddleUK not wearing a shoe, it feels very natural, and there is a did an ‘out the box’ review of the new ESC good connection between you and the board. The Tempest. Darren and Dale have been using first time out I was messing around on a 10’6 board these in various scenarios, but they wanted to and moving around the board doing step backs and see how well they integrated with the use on a generally messing around with friends and everything paddleboard. just felt so grippy and natural. Having since been out a DF: I headed down to Cornwall to test out the shoes few times on my tourer the experience is the same, significant contact with your board and a real sense of on the paddleboard and along the coastline. unity that you don’t get from wearing trainers on a DM: I have managed to get them on the water quite board or a thicker boot. a few times due to it being the summer holidays and being a teacher.
USE IN THE SEA/WATER:
DF: As I said before, impressed. I went swimming in these as I thought I was getting a little bit more traction on my feet, the only downside is when you’re DF: As expected, the very grippy on sand and rocks. I coming out of seawater/sand the inside of the shoe went swimming, and it feels like you get an extra bit allows sand to enter which can be uncomfortable if of traction. It doesn’t feel like the shoe is trying to you’re barefoot. I quick rinse, and they are good to go. float to the surface which is excellent (especially if DM: What is nice is when they get wet, they stay light you’re doing the triathlon) I found the fit to be the and don’t fill up and feel cumbersome. The drainage is same when the shoe was wet or dry, no shrinkage good, and even when taking a little swim, these shoes which is another bonus. Note they come up tight did not get in the way and felt super light. I didn’t have when new. issues with anything entering the boot in any of my paddles but wasn’t in the sea, so just general dust and ON THE PADDLEBOARD: dirt stayed away. DF: I expected super grippy through all motions of the paddle and stroke, and that was confirmed! As I COMFORT LEVEL/FIT : said before the shape and orientation of the sole DF: Surprisingly quite comfortable for a minimal provides a sure footing when pressed against the shoe. I wore them around St. Ives town, walking about deck pad. I also found them to be snug and comfortable while on the board, as we all sometimes six miles, and they were good. No discomfort on the know when you’re standing for long periods the soles board either. of your feet can get quite sore, I didn’t find that with
FIRST IMPRESSIONS WHEN IN THE SHOES WHEN WET:
Red Original Silent Air Remover https://redoriginal.com Darren Farrar @StandUpPaddleUK
I have a bit of a crowd divider – the Red Original Air Removal Silencer. Gimmick or Valuable tool? DM: Fit wise these things as mentioned they come up tight, now let me explain why the tight part comes from putting them on and is due to the lack of stretch in the material sock due to a polymer band which sits across the top of the foot. Once on this does not bother you and helps keep the shoe tight on your foot and in place. A few times, I have questioned what would happen if this band was removed? Well, honestly I think the shoe would be easier to get on but would also be more likely to slip and possibly come loose which you would not want. Once on a short walk around feels very strange due to the shape of the shoe. This is not a discomfort but very different from wearing a regular shoe/boot. After a while, this feels pretty normal, and you get used to it.
OTHER THINGS OF NOTE: DM: I usually wouldn’t mention is safety, as generally feel pretty comfortable on a board but recently doing more river paddling and canals coming out of lockdown these are not always the cleanest environment. The River Trent especially isn’t Evian water and getting in and out on banks you don’t know what you’re treading on! The sole of these would not puncture on a needle or sharp can etc. DM: It’s always hard deciding where I would pitch a shoe like this, who would most likely use it? I feel anyone like me who spends a lot of time on rivers, rocks, canals, at the beach where you could stand on sharp rocks would be ideal. I think these would make an excellent shoe for people touring and offer great comfort when portaging.These would be incredible for those paddling white water and starting to do more moving rivers as offer so much grip moving around the board yet keeping plenty of contact with the board.
ARE THEY WORTH THE MONEY? DF: I haven’t done a considerable amount of research into amphibious shoes. I’ve always worn a wet suit shoe when out paddling. Retailing at £170 on the Vivobarefoot website they are on the expensive side, but given that they are a multi-use piece of footwear I think it does justify the cost.
I’ve always been on the side of, “It’s just air coming out of the board, so what if it’s loud for a couple of seconds,” and I believe many would probably agree. Red Original says,“The Silent Air Remover reduces the sound of a board inflated to 18psi from over 130 decibels at initial valve depression to less than 80 decibels.That is the equivalent of a jet taking off in comparison to background noise in a restaurant.” I deliberately tested the Air Remover in my car park. I live in apartments, where any form of noise is complained about! So really, a good place to test it. I set up my board to 15.5/16psi. A standard running pressure. As you’ll see on the video review (coming up shortly on @StandUpPaddleUK Instagram IGTV) I set up the air remover (AR) on the rear and central valves, then using the ‘traditional’ press down without the AR. Rear Valve – 72db Max with the AR Central Valve – 105db without the AR Rear Valve – 114db without the AR For the rear valve, that’s over 40db difference with the use of the silencer, which may not sound like much but audibly it really is when you’re outside.
IDEAL USES: • • • • •
Morning/night paddles in built-up areas. On busy beaches. When kids are around. When boarding with dogs. Staying at campsites.
The above are all opinions of course, but as a person who has been shouted, for unleashing my board air into the atmosphere by a river dog walker, I do feel it has its place and I’ll be keeping it in my bag. Maybe a bit on the expensive side, but, it is the only tool of its type as it stands. We would welcome any other brands making such tools to compare them.
DO YOU NEED IT? Assess your paddle needs. Definitely valuable if you live in built up areas or paddle in crowded places with kids or dogs. RRP £34.95 As ever you can find me on Instagram @Darrens_Visuals and on @standuppaddleuk
DM: I rate these shoes both on the water and off and will undoubtedly be wearing them a lot.Vivobarefoot have a 100 days program where they ask you to try it for a while to make your decision. I have to say after a few paddles I am converted to these. As Darren mentioned, the price tag is high. Still, the reasons for this are the manufacturing that goes into the shoe. It’s made with new materials such as bloom and recycled polymers, and the parts which are not sustainable are built well and to last such as the Michelin rubber on the sole. Find more reviews over on @StandUpPaddleUK – thanks, Dale and Darren.
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Helly Hansen Odin 3D Air Shell Jacket www.hellyhansen.com By Chris Stubbs Winner of the prestigious Excellent Product Design category in the German Design Award in the of Excellent Product Design, the new Odin 3D Air Shell Jacket was designed to meet the demands of the harsh conditions of the mountains of Norway. The result is a waterproof, windproof and breathable 2.75L shell jacket for high-output activities during light-and-fast peak mountain adventures. Each year Helly Hansen refine, improve and enhance their jackets by enhancing their technology, refining the features, whilst examining the fabrics.
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HELLY TECH® Professional fabric 2.75L fabric construction with 3D backing Extreme ventilation Packable Light weight construction Helmet and backpack compatible design
Price:
UK: £300.00 US: $350.00 EU: €350.00
The jacket features an adjustable hood, waist and cuffs, two hand pockets, two large double-zip vents in the front and large open vent on the back, protected by a mesh panel that continuously dissipates a significant amount of heat. Think about sweatiness, where it builds, and it always occurs first on the back, especially when walking with a backpack. There is a considerable amount of ventilation on the front too. It comes in the form of two chest vents with cleverly hidden pockets, great for keeping hands warm and dry. These front vents are dual zippered and extend from the waist up to the chest. The jacket feels great against the skin. Helly Hansen has shown an excellent eye for detail with the use of the interior printed dot matrix, providing a way for moisture and humidity to move away from the skin
and therefore keeping you dry. This creates a tiny air gap that reduces the on-skin contact of the jacket, and it just feels comfortable without the often crinkly plastic feel of rain jackets. In fact, the Odin 3D feels more like a wind jacket. It also means the 2.75L jacket is as light as a 2.5L jacket, weighing only 276 grams whilst still more durable and protective than most 3L jackets of equal weight. Where the jacket weighs comes into most contact with the skin – the back of the neck, there is a smooth built-in panel for comfort and dryness.The jacket is also very roomy inside, so if there is a need for extra layers, the Odin 3D will accommodate them. For men, the jacket easily packs into its chest pocket and converts into a looped bag for transport via pack or harness. For women, the hand pocket includes an internal zip pocket for housing smartphones and transforms the entire jacket into a sling pack within seconds.
a weight lifted. lighter on the body. and the mind.
www.tootega.com
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MORTALITY
An uncomfortable thing to think about on and off the river… This article is not about strokes, or gear, or a destination or a pro boater. This is a reflection of the things we never say. It is perhaps the most important thing and we hide from it. This is about love, compassion, tenderness and friendship – these are words by those who carry the loss. I was reminded recently that like top end Alpine Climbers – kayaking in challenging places can often be likened to working day and night in a cancer ward – sooner or later someone doesn't make it home and you have to pick up the pieces. You have to deal with the aftermath and the mitigation we all make when we set foot in this arena. Our place of joy, or challenge or of solace has a shadow we seldom speak of.
This they never tell you DARREN CLARKSON-KING I have been in this game a long time, decades of experience and memories. I have paddled some of the hardest rivers on the planet and cut my teeth on classics close to home. I have been a mentor and a pupil. I have advised and been an advisor. I have been on more courses then I can remember and I have run more courses than the number of times I slept inside a house last year. One thing none of these courses or days of experience tell. One thing that is missing from campfire stories and now the go pro generation is what really matters. We all play in the river, we enjoy, we try to thrive. We lift our spirit to the challenges ahead and celebrate internally on each wave we surf. What we never talk about, what now haunts me, is the ghosts. Over my paddling career I have lost darling friends to the river. One is always too many. Now I look back to way too many. They will never smile again sat below that crux move. For them the river took all it wanted from them. More than once I have found myself on the river when passing paddlers have got into trouble, where injuries have been life threatening. I have been witness to the arena when death comes. I have seen life fall away. Now as the years move on, now as the ghosts will not rest, I sit and wonder. When is the right time to acknowledge that our sport, hobby and for many livelihood is shadowed by the frail nature of life itself. The river draws us in. It entices. It pulls. In a moment it drags us emotionally onto places we would never expect. It doesn't care that we had fun a moment ago.
Nature acts on whim, on chance, on circumstances. For many that deal with the trauma of incidents peace comes uneasy, the balance between folly and fragility can be hard to accept. Many that have been the first on scene during incidents, or those that have been possibly more involved often develop side effects. The incidents rattle onward and emotions often never settle. Those who deal and witness the trauma all too often battle emotionally. Cases of broken relationships, of confidence issues, of PTSD, of guilt, of flashbacks and anger are all too common. The list goes on and we need to address it now – we need to talk about this. For now peace can come as we remember the smiles or friendship, of a common love. Om Shanti.
Always with us ROB SLATER Through your journey down the river of life as a paddler, you will meet many amazing people and form bonds of friendship and trust with each of these people. You may only paddle one river with them but you know they are there for you. In the 15 years I have been kayaking, I have forged many a bond with lots of people and the river has tested and even broken some of those bonds by taking close friends away from us. As it is a rarely spoken about subject in passing or the pub or when we start our journey with kayaking, is the what can happen does happen. Losing friends on the river is not something anyone should ever have to experience and due to unfortunate circumstances, the river has claimed the lives of three amazing people I had the opportunity to share part of my journey with.
I knew all of them through university and it changed the way my friends and myself paddled as a group. None of the accidents stemmed from pushing themselves hard or going for the ‘send’, they all were just accidents on local runs. It is nearly three years after the loss of two of these fantastic people in the space of just over a month and not a day passes when they aren’t in my thoughts. All I want to do is explore more rivers with them, tell them the stories from last week’s river trip and heckle them for missing a boof or rolling in flat water after a big section. However, the journey continues with them as a memory like that missed boof or that roll. They shaped our path, helped us grow and pushed us to be who we are today. Nothing or no one can take that away and they will be remembered. For you and I, it is about the next step on our adventure and understanding that there are serious risks in what we do and how we manage that is important. We have to be self-aware and support ourselves and our friends on their journey. The person in the next eddy you meet could save your life, crack a joke or even buy the beers at the pub. So remember just because we weren’t told about it when we started kayaking, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
Enduring friendship CLAIRE CHEONG-LEEN The water flows, sometimes it rages and sometimes the flow is mirror-like glass, serene and silky smooth.
perhaps a thrill and a rush and a challenge, and at other times, simple relief from the day and an overwhelming sense of peace. Right now I am barely a boater at all – there is a fire within me to do a long distance swim and of course swimming and boating aren’t really two things that you should get mixed up. But you see, in my heart I am still a (mediocre) boater… and my best friends are still boaters. We have made memories together, back in the day, a few made even before the internet, waterproof cameras and digital photos, Facebook, mobile phones and Google Earth. These friendships endure, even though we paddle less often together, and are scattered across continents; we played in the same playground together. So now, I am missing one more of those dear friends, his last river run reminds me vividly of other friends lost over the years. And I am heartbroken and even a bit cross – for him, for his family and for his boating buddies who were on the river that day. Those who are left have a new shared experience, but this one is the one we wished never to share. Thank goodness for the treasured memories. For the photos of smiles and triumph, for encouragement and shared achievement, for the rush of sharing the same wave together, and for the memory of the lifeaffirming embraces at the take-out after the trip turned out to be ‘a bit tougher' than planned. Thank goodness too for friends who let you talk about it and for the friends who let you not talk about it too. You guys are really special.
It gives us the greatest joy, our best days ever, adventures and expeditions, laughter and fun,
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ADAM EVANS
The power of
positive making magic happen
Photos: Adam Evans I’m going to take a wild guess and say that you’re reading this magazine because you like paddling. I don’t mean role the trouser leg up type of paddling with water up to knees on Blackpool Beach. I mean the floating on the water type, on some kind of inflatable stand up or sitting down thing, or some kind of kneeling or sitting plastic floating container. Either way you like paddling. I’m also guessing you read this magazine primarily for two reasons, to be inspired and to learn stuff. So here we go, I’m going to try to inspire you to learn new stuff by that I mean new skills and less about knowledge. We have enough knowledge at our fingertips in this world. We instead need new skills, or at least the desire to improve on the mental game approach that we already have. We all have a mental game approach we just might not consciously know what it is.
If you think about it, that 1.3 kg lump of grey, wrinkly, jelly between your ears is entirely responsible for how you engage in your paddle sport.What you think about it, how you think about it, what it means to you and how you feel about it, and quite seriously how well you do it, is all down that little piece of grey jelly between your ears. I like to think about it this way, we spend a lot of time, and energy selecting our equipment, from our technical paddle sticks to our colourful shiny floaty boxes. We also spend a lot of time and effort physically practising with and without equipment, training skills and developing fitness and technique. But and it’s a big but how much time do we devote to training that 1.3 kg lump of grey jelly, that in reality controls the entire show, from our body, how we use it and our equipment, to how well it lets us perform. If you are interested in improving any aspect of your paddling performance, it’s highly likely the fundamental factor in that improvement can be controlled by how that grey jelly is thinking, what it’s thinking and how it feels about that thinking. It doesn’t matter if it’s skill acquisition or anxiety control, or developing power, or increasing stamina, improving confidence and self belief, or indeed accessing a wonderful state of automatic ‘flow’. I guarantee and so do a bunch of clever people with letters after their name, that what’s going on between your ears will have a massive impact on your ability to achieve any of those skills above.
LET’S START BY TALKING ABOUT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL I implore you right now to continue to develop more useful mental skills, you all already have mental skills, but do not confuse a theoretical understanding, also known as knowledge, for a skill. Reading an article on any skill, be it a new paddle stroke for you, or a different body position, or a
mental skill, will increase your knowledge, but not your skill.We all know what develops skill. Practice. If it’s a specialist skill, it’s learnt by devoting time to intentional high-quality practice. So ask yourself this, “When was the last time I devoted resources to developing a mental skill, to actually intentionally practising or simply actively applying a psychological tool I’ve learnt or read about? Until it became a skill?” You know, a skill to engage and use, in just the same way you have a skill to engage your paddle and use it for purposeful results. A while ago I asked myself, where do I start and how do I write an article on mental skills in performance? Probably not like this? Which brings me to my first point. Not. This is both elementary and very important so it’s a great place to start. Don’t think about the things you don’t want.This is a classic common mistake most people make, when you ask them what they want they often tell you what they don’t want. I don’t want to get scared. I don’t want to tire out easily. I don’t want XYZ. I won’t be XYZ. I’ll not be doing XYZ.You get the idea. It’s easy to understand why we have these away from goals or ‘not’ goals, because they certainly helpful for our survival. However, here is a useful way to think about it, wrapped up in a phrase that I really like: “Where attention goes energy flows.” Which means we can often become exhausted trying to not get something we don’t want, therefore often missing what we do want instead.
Keeping this in mind it’s useful to remember advice from international author, performance psychology expert and ex-SAS soldier Andy McNab CBE DCM MM. “The Number One principle for getting what you want is also the Number One principle for avoiding what you don’t want.” So if you’re planning, training or paddling, it is usually better if you aim for what you want in terms of your thinking, feeling and doing. Be it an eddie, or a point on the horizon, a tactical or physical skill or simply how you want to feel as you do things. To help you to develop the habit of training your perception and outlook, a great question to ask yourself, or others you are coaching is, “What would you like to have happen?” This question can be even more useful if we add a little specificity or context to it occasionally, for example.When I think about my up coming performance today, what would I like to have happen? In terms of my emotional focus on this section, what would I like to have happen? As a result of this coaching what would I like to have happen? When I run this rapid what would I like to have happen? The question, “What would I like to have happen,” almost certainly develops toward, rather than away from intentions. However, occasionally an away from intention or a ‘not’ goal might appear, such as: “I don’t want to hit the magnetic, pinning, death rock in the centre of the rapid!” Here’s where we can roll out a magic word to turn this into a positive goal… Instead! “What would you like to have happen instead?”
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NOW WE’RE COOKING ON GAS
https://mental-game.co.uk
This may sound elementary but this really is a very important skill to grasp, for you and others. It trains your mind to search for opportunities and potential in doing, thinking and feeling. A funny way to look at it is, can you imagine ever going shopping with the list of items you don’t want to buy? Tiny little adjustments like this in our perceptional and attentional thinking, can have dramatic effects on our mental focus over time.They develop our ability to solution focus and imagine positively, rather than simply avoid problems as we paddle, or often before we paddle.
LET’S ADD TO THIS GOAL FOCUSED APPROACH Imagine an archer, bow and arrow in hand, pointing generally to a target with a safety net behind. Imagine them saying to themselves, “I must not hit the net, I must not hit the net.” I wonder how that phrase is going to help their accuracy on hitting the target?
Those brief few moments it takes for them to create the description of what they want to have happen, will also unconsciously include some of the first steps, aka tactics and techniques, that are required for that to become reality. Applied in a paddling context, you might be thinking tactically about running a section of a river. “When you run this section of river what would you like to happen?” “I’d like to paddle down the river and hit the eddie.” “What kind of paddle down?” “I’d like to paddle confidently and decisively.” “And confident and decisively, and when you hit the eddie, what kind of hit?” “A hit right at the top of the eddie and carve in feeling balanced.”
So they don’t want to hit the net, what would they like to happen instead? I’m sure they’d prefer it if they hit the target, and the chances of that happening will increase if that’s where they placed their attention and focus. Perhaps they could say something instead like, “I’d like this arrow to hit the target,” and if the arrow hits anywhere on the target that would be considered a successful result. However, it might be interesting to know that psychological research has discovered not only does becoming more precise with an intended goal increase our accuracy, it also reduces our perception of effort. Let me explain a little more. In terms of precision, accuracy and target acquisition, for example taking a precise paddling line, the more pinpoint and nuanced you can make that line and target, providing it’s realistic of course, the more accurate you’ll probably be becoming in reality. I find this phrase really useful remembering that, “Aim big, miss big. Aim small, miss small.” If we think about our archer and their positive reply, “I’d like this arrow hit the target” it might be useful to tease out of them a little more precision and accuracy with a really useful open question “What kind of…?” For example, “So you would like the arrow to hit the target.What kind of… hit the target?” Say this with an intrigue and curiosity.This is a delightfully open question, that allows them to fill the space with a positive concept of what they want to have happen, even more accurately. They may choose to reply with a location on the target, such as, “I’d like the arrow to hit the bullseye,” or just as importantly, they may give you a lots of other information about how they’re going to achieve that, with their technique, the trajectory of the arrow, or anything else helping them to build a positive concept of that arrow hitting the target precisely.
These are incredibly simple tools and yet when practiced they train us to think about what we want, rather than what we don’t want, and they train us to think more accurately and descriptively. They can also incorporate some self generated ideas on techniques and tactics with attentional focus. In short, they start to engage our imagination, that’s where the magic happens…
ADAM EVANS
With a passion for journeys both physical and metaphorical, Adam is a professional mental game performance coach, a British Canoeing Guide Scheme Assessor, Canoe Coach and Advanced Canoe Leader and an ambassador for Hou Canoes. Questions from David Groves Clean Language.
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AWARDS
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55% RECYCLED YARN
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Words: Elaine Farquharson Photos: Zoltan Erdelyi – pro sup athlete and SupJunkie SUP boarding benefits from the art of surf, sail and paddling. We can move around the board and have a lot more adaption to our posture than other forms of paddling. The wind can be our friend and our foe as our bodies act like a huge sail but with the fine tuning and agility of a surfer we can use the board to carve and manoeuvre on the water features to be able to enjoy greater freedoms than other forms of traditional paddling. In this article I would like to look at the water features created from wind and give you some tips to get the most out of your SUP paddling to be able to be safe and enjoy windy days out there on our beautiful open waters.
SUP WIND boarding tips in
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WIND AND WATER
SIMPLE UPWIND TIPS
Wind that moves across a body of water will inevitably cause the water to move in the same direction. Over a great distance this will cause swell, which eventually crashes onto the shores in surf or hits the rocks to cause clapotis. Obviously the stronger it is the more amplitude to the water movement.
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If the wind and swell move in the same direction it’s cleaner, however, the wind is fickle and can change, the swell will not immediately change with the new wind direction. It takes time so we then get surface chop on top of swell. It can become messy, so for simple explanation sake today, I will assume everything is moving in the same direction.
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Chop coming at you will be peaky, however, swell can be very rolling. The swell will move in sets of eight varying the height whilst the chop will come at you in gusts with an average wind consistent through out the paddle. You can see the gusts by looking at the patterns and colour of the water. It will also look like busy water when a gust passes through. Sound is also a clue. Always check the forecast before going out to see what is likely to happen as the day progresses, as weather can come through early but also check the gusts not just the average speed for that day and know what you are capable of.
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Trim the board by standing slightly forward on the board but not too much that the nose buries. This will counterbalance the wind, lifting the nose and causing increased windage. Paddling directly into headwind, you can alternate sides, however, mostly there will be a slight dominance to side. In general paddle shorter, deeper and faster. Open up to longer strokes in calmer air but in general use shorter faster strokes. Body needs to get lower and it’s no disgrace to kneel down or even in an unexpected squall, use prone strokes with the blade positioned under the chest. Weather is a science and it can throw things at you when you least expert it. ‘Choke’ the paddle. If you have an adjustable paddle you can choose to reduce the length but in a fixed blade you may have to hold the paddle lower down the shaft to encourage a lower centre of gravity for paddling. Try to use more trunk rotation to reduce windage from the front of the body.
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Your paddling speed and power should change depending on the wind force through out the trip. Less wind longer strokes more wind holding water, less progression but conserving energy for the more efficient patch of calmer air. You gain ground in the calmer water and hold ground when the gust hits. Swell depends upon the period and height. Large swell can actually be more like cross country skiing. Accelerating down the peak to gain board speed up. However, shorter amplitude and faster periods or peaky water we would want to absorb the impacts like moguls, allowing the legs to move underneath us, shock absorbing the changing height differences. This point is for all you white water folk out there; we want to do a micro boof over the features to keep the board nose up between the peaks. Adjusting the timing for paddle pull to the lip of the crest and a sharp pull to propel froward will help you do so.
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You should be constantly adjusting trim and edge either through body weight transfer or moving your feet. The subtlety is gained through lots of time on the water and feeling the features. Linking strokes through combining bow draw with a power stroke, changing the paddle shaft height to adjust power strokes with a sweep stroke or just adjusting feather of the blade in the water can all help to make micro adjustments to allow you to continue progression into the wind and counterbalance the perturbance of the features.
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Wind chop is beautiful to watch as the ripples move away from you in patches on the water. Suddenly everything goes quieter when your are heading down wind and life just feels easier, but beware! Head down wind first and you can have a shock trying to get back so plan your trip up then down or prepare a shuttle. In strong down wind runs always tell the coast guard and a land based contact your start and finish times with route and any emergency action plan. Please always carry appropriate coms such as a tracker or VHF, and safety kit such as PFD, strong leash, white light and flair.
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Trim the board by Standing slightly further back the bigger the bumps the further back you need to move. Bigger bumps fin forward more touring and flatter waters fin backwards. Paddle cadence can be long and slow enjoy the rest. Adopt a surfer stance when on the bump so you can steer the board easier by controlling your edge. Look ahead to where you want to go as your speed over ground will be a lot quicker than you realise to steer. Stand taller try to use your body like a sail as much as you can. In gentler down wind where balance isn’t an issue use the paddle surface area to catch wind and avoid feathering the blade on recovery. Stand, chill and let your full body height enjoy the ride, down wind great way to take it all in and breath. Always wear a coil leash attached to your back foot calf or waist so you can move around on the board easier.
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ELAINE FARQUHARSON Elaine owns and runs Dorset Sports Physio, based in Weymouth community college sports centre. She offers sports physiotherapy, biomechanics and coaching to the Dorset communities. Elaine’s specialist interest is tri sports and SUP, not only as a competitor but also through her work as a coach and physio. Elaine’s specialist work with the lower quadrant has helped her achieve advanced practice recognition in hip and pelvis and works closely alongside Dorset’s expert hip surgeons and lower limb specialists. Elaine’s facilities offer a large private treatment room, three sports halls, a fully equipped gym, sports pitches, and also racquet courts across the two sites. Elaine also has a hydrotherapy pool and Pilates studio off campus. @dorsetsportsphysio
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Swell bumps roll away from you picking the board up from behind and dropping it down as it passes underneath you. The feeling is a change in board speed, initially as it hits from behind the board moves faster, if you don’t lean into this you can end up running off the back of the board. Once the initial acceleration has happened it then stalls with the bump in front and there’s a slight confusion at the nose. This often feels the most vulnerable time when people paddle and often people avoid this sensation but its your best friend. It feels a little like suctioning, that’s your sweet spot because then you need to pick up your board speed with a few short power strokes to prevent the stall otherwise you fall off the back of the bump and it passes underneath you again. You need to move back the bigger the bump and adopt a surfer stance so you can control the edges of the board, but it is not surfing. It doesn’t help to look behind you. You need to be thinking you need to chase the bump in front to catch it. Using the bumps saves so much energy and to be honest its the best bit, its super fun! You can steer the board on the wave by changing the roll of the board so that it engages the side rails and cuts into the water giving it a cleaner line. If you are less stable then you can trail the blade in a support stroke with the back of the blade facing down to give you more support on the side the wave is pushing you toward this can then be linked quickly into a steering rudder stroke if quick direction change is needed and accompanied with edging gives you a very responsive turn. We can connect bumps using these steering techniques to gain ground and direct ourselves even when the wind is strong but it requires a lot of planning ahead if we want to changer course in gale force down wind conditions, which means early planning and reaction is essential.
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Use your body like a sail. When moving across the wind keeping the body strong will enable you to gain speed like sailing on a broad reach. Once you come within the 45-degree angle into wind you lose this advantage. Paddle on the downwind side but use trim to adjust the angle of the fin and link bow draw strokes to aid steerage. Utilise support strokes on the downwind side by keeping the blade in a low brace position on recovery. Control the edge by slightly adjusting the roll of the board by changing the lateral weight in line with the force of the chop or bump. On bigger and steeper bumps lean onto the face until it passes underneath you. Correct board roll by timing with the changing force of the wave. Adjust forward and backward position in accordance of upwind and downwind dominance. Staggered foot placement and the use of surfer stance can be helpful to control lateral weight shift. Chop, keep the legs loose so you can shock absorb the chop.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY WE CAN'T FIX EVERYTHING, BUT WE CAN: - Make gear that lasts for years The longer it lasts, the less the waste - Plant trees and rewild the Scottish Highlands To offset some of the carbon (and guilt) - Work with instructors and charities to connect more people with the water environment The more people who care, the more who will value it, and want to protect it - Use organic, fearwear and recycled wherever possible From our rashvests made from reclaimed ocean waste, to our dry bags made from waste PVC
To find out why, and how McConks are different, visit www.mcconks.com
When an inflatable paddleboard dies, it cannot be recycled
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An interview with‌
PETER
Interview: PeterTranter Photos: Peter & Nina Csonka Peter and Nina Csonka are amongst the best white water and freestyle kayakers in the world, living for many months in their campervan with their son, Petko and two dogs. We asked them about the challenges of training, balanced with family commitments, especially through these trying times‌
& NINA CSONKA
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BEFORE WE START – JUST LET OUR READERS KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, BACKGROUND, ETC. Nina: Actually, I started kayaking quite late. I was 18, and my only paddling experience before was one year in women’s rafting team. But I was always quite a sportive person. I loved snowboarding and any other extreme sports. My father was very active and taught me to love outdoor and nature. Then I met Peter, and he showed me kayaking. We started to date and train together ...and then we even went to University together :) We studied faculty of physical training and finished a master degree. I continued studying for a few more years and completed my Philosophiae doctor degree (PhD.) as well.
Peter: I started with the sport as a small kid. I was about four-five when I began to go to a skiing club, later I was swimming for a few years, and then I started my karate career. I was quite good and already Slovak junior representation when I decided to quit. I didn't like the atmosphere there, you were all days long locked in dusty dark gyms. I was about 11 when my friend told me about his canoeing club. I quitted karate and the next day I was in a canoe. It was fun – great friends, adventures, all kind of sports and always in outdoor. After we get more skills on the water, we started with rafting and kayaking. And this is how I started.
Peter: It’s hard to say because it came step by step. First, you start with easy rivers, and you totally enjoy it – the beauty around you – nature, rivers, scenery and friends around you.You begin to enjoy small waves and want more. Then you just realize that you sit on some pretty big water and have the same feeling. It’s just unique. Go down with the water, surf waves, avoid big holes, falling down epic waterfalls… Nina: I remember when I saw whitewater kayaking for the first time. My first thoughts were that these people have to be crazy and that I never try it. But then I met Peter, and he showed me his passion for kayaking and everything changed. I suddenly realized that kayaking is the best sport ever. In last 17 years, we made many kayaking trips, visited great countries, experienced so many things, met hundreds of friendly people and have millions of unforgettable memories, this is what it makes best about kayaking. It doesn’t matter if you paddle class II-III or V-VI, just being on the water with kayak makes you happy.
WHICH DO YOU PREFER: TAKING PART IN COMPETITIONS OR BIG WATER EXPEDITIONS AND WHY? Peter: I don’t like competitions. I started to compete because it was the only way how to get sponsors at that time. In my 20+ years career, I experienced so many ups and downs that now it is hard to describe it. Competitions are great when you are on the podium… and it’s a great option to meet friends, get some new impulse for your motivation and even good reasons to visit new countries. Expeditions are something very different. When you have good friends and odds are in your favour, then nothing can beat it. Nina: I am quite a competitive person. I remember the start of my competition career. I really enjoyed that feeling to be part of it. It was fun for me. As I get better and better, it became more stressful of course. But I still like to compete, it just depends on when, where and with who. Expeditions are like holidays for me, not physically but mentally but you found yourself in your own world, wild and free.You don't need to care about your daily problems, you just ‘fight to survive’ and enjoy the moments.
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SO WHAT GOT YOU HOOKED ON WW KAYAKING?
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ThePADDLER 38 PREPARING FOR BIG COMPETITIONS IS A CHALLENGING TASK.TALK US THROUGH YOUR PRE-EVENT ROUTINE AND HOW YOU GET INTO THE ZONE FOR A BIG EVENT. Peter: I had some routines, but it has changed from year to year. Basically, I just need some time just for myself a few minutes before my start. I like to listen to good music, visualize my ride and focus on competition. Nina: I tried a few things, and some were working good; some don't. Now when we have a kid and two dogs, it's much more challenging. I like to prepare everything before, so I don't stress later, and that's all. It's not easy to get in the right zone, sometimes you try too much, and you end up over motivated sometimes you claim down too much. To find the right balance is something I am still learning.
WHAT EFFECT HAS COVID-19 HAD ON YOU IN 2020? Peter: We were lucky enough to make Costa Rica trip in January just before all this mess. Then we were stuck at home for a few months, but at least we could go paddling at our whitewater course and biking close to our home. So, in the end, it wasn't a bad season at all. We didn't compete much this year, but we train and paddle a lot. Nina: As Peter said, we were lucky to be able to paddle almost the whole time. We couldn't travel, but at least we have an excellent artificial course close to our home.
WHAT EFFECT HAS BEING A PARENT HAD ON YOUR CAREERS AND PADDLING IN GENERAL? Nina: When I was thinking about to have a child, I knew I don't want to change my lifestyle. Freestyle is a family-friendly sport. In the beginning, it was a bit hard to manage all the training, household chores, child, etc. but Peter helped me a lot. The only change was that everything took us much longer, and there was no time to be bored. We started to travel with Petko from his sixth week, and actually, it was straightforward. When he was one-year old, we
went to Canada for Worlds. We slept for five weeks in the tent without power, toilet and water, and it was one of the best adventures ever. Peter: I agree with Nina. Of course, you have to make compromises, but we adapted pretty soon and had no problem to continue in our careers. Whitewater kayaking is a bit problematic because you have to switch and can’t paddle together if you don’t have babysitting, but when you have good friends, then it works as well.
Peter: I have experiences with almost every white water discipline, now I train my son canoe slalom. Nina: I think we tried everything, but freestyle and extreme kayaking are what makes us happy.
NINA:ARE YOU COMPLETELY OVER YOUR SPINAL PROBLEMS NOW OR DO THEY PERSIST?
NINA:WE’VE SEEN YOU QUITE A LOT ON A SUP BOARD LATELY,WHAT IS IT ABOUT SUP YOU LIKE?
Actually no. It is pretty serious and remains so, but I learn how to work with it. I am limited and can't train that much as I did before, but I can still go kayaking and do other sports. Unfortunately, it will never be as before, and I have to accept it. Sometimes it's good other times bad, but if I can still do what I love, I am happy.
SUP is an excellent additional sport.You can take it everywhere and have fun on it.You can try paddling whitewater on it which is pretty fun but coursing around the coast is perfect as well. And if there are waves, it makes it ideal balance training as well.
http://www.csonka.sk
APART FROM EXTREME KAYAKING – ARE THERE ANY OTHER AREAS OF PADDLING YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE?
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PETER:YOU’VE BEEN RUNNER UP IN THE FREESTYLE WORLDS THREE TIMES. JUST HOW CLOSE HAVE YOU BEEN TO BECOMING WORLD CHAMP AND IS IT STILL AN AIM OF YOURS? I was at my first Worlds in 2003 in Graz. Since then, I took part every time. I was three times silver medalist, and every time it was very close. I think once it was just six points. I really wanted gold for sure, but freestyle is a challenging sport. Sometimes you even can’t affect some conditions. I am delighted I had these chances to fight in the final for the medals and to be on the podium with great competitors.
HOW DO YOU JUGGLE FAMILY TIME AND COMPETITIONS WITH A CHILD AND TWO DOGS? Nina: It’s fun, and we are very excited when we hid the road. Of course, we have to pack the whole day, and it’s not easy to squeeze everything into our camper, but I love our travels. Actually, the most tricky thing is to travel with a big dog. I adopted her two years ago, and she should stay home when we are abroad but no – she is very social and has to be with us. We were in Spain for the Worlds for a month with a child and two dogs, and it was fine, so no big deal for us. Peter: Yes, the kid is OK. Dogs are little problem :D You can't take them everywhere, but either can't keep them in the car the whole day. But we enjoy their company and use to travel all together. Our son always wants to take them everywhere.
IF YOU COULD CAPTURE JUST ONE ‘FEEL GOOD’ MOMENT IN YOUR KAYAKING EXPEDITIONS/COMPETITIONS – WHICH WOULD IT BE AND WHY? Nina: There are so many great moments, but one very special for me was during my final at European Championships in Cunovo. My son was only 2.5 months old. I had to still carry him around on my chest, breastfeed, change diapers than I jump into my kayak with no time to mentally prepare at all and pull my ride. I finished second, and everyone was cheering for me. I run out of my kayak, breastfeed him again and cheer for Peter from the side. He won it at that time.
http://www.csonka.sk IS THERE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD THAT'S GOT YOU HOOKED? SOMEWHERE YOU WANT TO KEEP GOING BACK TO AGAIN AND AGAIN? Nina: I think there are many places where we would love to come back. One of these is Costa Rica. It is the perfect combination of rivers, ocean and jungle. But the place where we flew most was Uganda. We have been there nine times and have fantastic memories. Peter: Last year we made a kayaking trip to Georgia (Asia), and it was just perfect, one of the best I ever did. This year we had already plane tickets, but this Covid-19 thing has changed our plans, so I hope for some next time.
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Quickies… If you could paddle with anyone in the world dead or alive, who would it be? Peter: I am looking forward to paddle with my son. What’s the one river you haven't paddled that would be on your bucket list? Nina: I would love to go to Grand Canyon, that's still on my bucket list Any fellow paddler you would like to interview and why? Nina: Some other great moms out there, Claire, Emily, Valerie, Mariann etc. Are you a bathroom/shower singer and if so, what do you sing? Nina and Pete: Not at all, we shower very fast and can't sing. What one luxury item would you take with you on a desert island? Nina: Luxury? Why? Peter: Camera and tons of batteries. If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us? Nina: Peter would probably make a grill, and I can host you with some of our traditional meal – Bryndzove halusky. What’s in your fridge right now? Nina: Nothing. Peter: She is right Do you believe in love at first sight? Peter: Sure I do. Nina: That’s how I met Peter.
What’s your favourite animal? Dogs of course Favourite sport’s team? Erm… Do you mean kayaking team? We are not big fans of football, hockey or so… Who are your kayaking buddies? Nina, Peter and Petko:) What’s the most boring question you are often asked? Nina: Are you planning a second child? No, we have two dogs. Any final shout outs to friends, supporters and sponsors? We want to thanks to all our great friends and sponsors without who we wouldn't be able to live our dream life. We were fortunate to meet great people who helped us a lot. Some of them even don't realize how they changed our lives, and we are very thankful for that.
Many thanks Nina and Peter for all of your answers – we really appreciate it.
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Tatshenshini: one of the
WORLD’S…
…
top ten white water trips (pt1) Words: Andy Hall Photos: Andy Hall, Stuart Wagstaff and Karl Midlane Delving into this Google headline was intriguing. It was a raft trip and cost around US$6,000 excluding flight. However, the photos of the river looked terrific and starting in Yukon Territory, Canada, the ‘Tat’ flows through British Columbia to enter Alaska and finish on the coast at Dry Bay after 200km and 11 days of paddling. My previous Canadian canoe expeditions had all taken more time than this and involved travel through trees, gorges or tundra. The photos had shown expansive vistas of many snow-capped mountains. A source to sea style journey through this landscape sounded too good to be true.
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First time around in the 80s on The quest for the Malamute Saloon expedition. Photo shows Dave Manby, Peter Knowles and Stuart Wagstaff amongst others. Stuart is the youth on the right with long hair
Same place 2019 and the not so youthful Stuart steering the raft in the photo below
The Tatshenshini Valley has been designated as a Provincial Park and achieved World Heritage status, protecting it for
generations to come
Initial soundings were encouraging: Initial soundings were encouraging: few bugs, grade 2-4, and a runway at the finish. Access to what is the largest area of protected landscape in the world could be problematic. Permits cost money and are unlikely to come up in the first year of application. A strong team materialised in mid-2018: Karl Midlane, Alli Inkster, Stuart and Cathy Wagstaff. So it was a massive surprise to get permits in spring for August 2019 at the first attempt. Long story short: a turmoil of organisation followed and on 12 August our team gathered in Whitehorse, Canada. With a population of 30,000, Whitehorse is the capital of Yukon Territory: total population only 40,000. It was founded as the finish of a portage on the Yukon River during the Klondike gold stampede in 1897. It’s now a big modern tourism hub and was the ideal place to gather our food and equipment for the trip. Our Wenonah Spirit II kevlar canoe, which we had used on the Thelon had been transported down from Yellowknife – a welcome sight! Stuart and Cathy were going to use a raft hired from Tatshenshini Expediting, one of many outfitting companies in Whitehorse. We managed a good look at its
set up with a huge ‘cooler’ and an aluminium stow box. It also came with a ‘groover’ and firepan, both National Park requirements for the expedition. Sara, the helpful manager at the Bees Knees hostel, came up with enough pepper spray to seriously dent the local bear population! A day of frantic packing and organisation followed, leaving us with the significant problem of having to cut our canoe in half to fit on our returning Yakutat Air flight! At 0630 the next morning, we left to meet up with our canoe and raft four hours ahead at the river access. First, though we had to travel to the Alaska border and leave our details with US customs. Back at the river, we met the Tat Exped truck and eased the raft and canoe onto the shore.
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Below: Andy Hall getting some downtime
THE START I launched our canoe into the grey glacial current climbing into the stern with Karl in the bow. We had decided that Karl would always canoe, and Stuart and Cathy raft; and Alli and I would swap between the craft. The 1980s guide book said canoes were not suitable for the upper gorge which could be grade 4. Karl and I were up for the adventure, though, and we had a tested spraydeck! It was a sunny day, and the boat was performing well as we nursed its weight through the opening waves an hour above the infamous upper canyon. We had been told there would be a sandy washed-out cliff on the right bank that heralded its start, and bang on the hour there was the signpost. We broke out and clambered down the bank, waving to the raft as they were carried past on the wave train. The gradient and volume had increased with giant boulders in the main channel, but we could see no drops, and there were eddies to go for. As soon as we
joined the flow again, we were dinging invisible obstacles but slaloming those we could see. And then the boat shook with a gut-wrenching crack as we boofed a boulder we hadn’t noticed; after a fight to stay upright, we gained quiet water and came alongside the raft. Hands under the hull, there was a crack but no hole – thanks, Wenonah!
BIGGER HORIZON LINE We moved on through technical rapids, gradually understanding the lines in the grey water. However, the sun had gone, and the psychological runes were coming into play! Around the next bend, there was a more prominent horizon line: a river-wide drop with a massive rock at the left bank.This rock was covered in debris, with a dodgy chute below it.The closer we got, the dodgier it looked, and we narrowly made the breakout just above it. I clambered onto the rock and reckoned we could avoid a rock centre-stage in the chute. Karl had other ideas, and fortunately, he prevailed: it was early in the trip, and we were in the middle of nowhere!
The boat shook with a gut-wrenching crack as we boofed a boulder we hadn’t seen;
Above: The Alaskan Brown, a variation of Grizzly bears, are at home on the river
after a fight
to stay upright we gained quiet water and came alongside the raft.
A necky ferry above the looming rapid followed and with a slippery lining down a chicken chute river right, we joined our relieved raft team. After more rapids than we expected, it was a tired team that rounded the last bend at Silver Creek, in lengthening shadows, to see a commercial raft group nestled in the best camping spot.
THE WILDLIFE There are relatively few camp spots on the Tat with a freshwater stream, so we camped anyway. After a layover day with the excitement of spotting a lynx and a bear, we paddled through a smooth water canyon with resident bald eagles and grizzly bear tracks. Very different from black bear tracks which have a curved front footpad and toe alignment, those of the grizzly are larger, and the toes are in a straight line above a squarish pad. If they look fresh, it’s a signal to be aware, they can smell food from a kilometre away, and will attack
humans without provocation if hungry. And we had been told by Tat Exped that the grizzlies looked hungry this year! Sediments Creek saw a two-day stop to access the only path up to the ‘Alpine’ on the Tat. Our view from the top, of hundreds of miles of glaciers, snow-capped peaks and icefields but no people, roads or buildings was memorable. As Cathy said, “We are very lucky people.” The walk up had been higher than Ben Nevis, so we were pleased to be in bed before 22.00.
CONSTANTLY CHANGING BACKGROUND Fast water rushing through braided S-bends was the story the next day, with a continually changing panorama of mountains in the background, some topped with thin snow. Most canoe trips in Canada are in trees, and that is your view for the day. Exceptions are in the tundra or in canyons which give welcome variation. Here we were blessed with the lot, and a
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swift current, which gave us less grinding effort and more changes of scene. Our camp, on an expansive outwash above the Tkope Creek, was so good we could all watch a bear about half a mile away lolloping along looking for food, thankfully heading out from us. Two days later, the sun came up during breakfast to help the porridge take the edge off the cold. It heralded another unforgettable day. Where there were no braids the river was running fast and taking the fastest, deepest channel for the raft was a critical decision which fell to Stuart as he was on the oars with Cathy and me paddling.
GROWING TALLER Grounding the raft was not an option! Karl and Alli, in the canoe till the end of the trip, were faster but aimed to keep within sight. The trees were
growing taller as we neared the ocean, and today felt like a distinct change in the landscape as the Tat Valley fell steeply away towards the more expansive valley after the Alsek junction. Adrenaline was high as we swept the bends into the shadows at the edge of the river and then back out into the sun, all the time hoping not to meet a river wide hole on the next bend! Suddenly as we had dropped into the valley, we were out of the trees and facing the expanse of a vast flat outwash area with mountains on our left with intersecting glaciers reaching down to the trees on the edge. We stopped for lunch on the sand of the outwash, and the sensation of taking my water shoes off and feeling the heat of the sand through my drysuit socks is vivid.
Part two next issue‌
Both Karl and Andy are Freelance Mountain and Canoe coaches.Thanks to Wenonah for assistance with canoes and TJ composites with paddles and Palm, Peak and Kokatat for dry suits and other gear.
LE
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AWARDS
2020
F EAR E Y
PA D D
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55% RECYCLED YARN
L JURY PRIZE SPECIA
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ADVENTURE
P H O T O G R A P H Y
The wide-angle lens on my Olympus Tough waterproof camera enabled me to capture this peaceful scene in a lake in Montana.This is what filmmakers call an ‘establishment shot’.
Words & photos: Michael Powers “What makes for better music, or for better pictures, is simply a better human being, who either naturally evolves a more complete world view from life experience or gains it through understanding.” Galen Rowell I stood once at a podium before a special group of disadvantaged young folks brought together by a Silicon Valley university, who were gathered there to hear me speak about my life as an ‘adventure photographer’. I looked out over a sea of bored-looking faces and thought to myself, “I better come up with something good to capture the interest of these kids.” “A camera is like a magic carpet…” I began and saw with great relief that a few faces in the crowd lit up. “… it can take you anywhere you want to go!” I started my slide show and began explaining how my work as a professional photographer enabled me to travel the world, gathering images for clients and publication. On the screen behind me, images appeared of sea kayaking in Antarctica and Tahiti, trekking in the Andes and face-to-face confrontations with stone age people when I paddled along the coast of Papua New Guinea. I embellish the pictures with a running commentary that I thought these young urban kids would relate to. When the slide show ended, many hands shot up. The first question came from a diminutive Latina girl who asks about the diving knife she saw strapped to the front of my life vest in some of the sea kayaking pictures – and I replied with a stern face, “Why, because of man-eating great white sharks, of course!” and everybody laughed. But the picture the kids loved the most was one of me with a bloody face, taken right after my
helmet was ripped off while bouncing upside down over a reef in my capsized kayak. I told them how after the accident my paddling companions to immediately order me back to the beach, convinced that in my condition I would be sure to attract any sharks that happened to be around.
DAMAGING OR DESTROYING I assured them though, that striving to document my travels with still and video cameras have added greatly to my life. Still, adventure photography did not come with some risks. Especially shooting water sports meant damaging or destroying a lot of expensive camera equipment, especially before the evolvement of small waterproof sport cameras. And even waterproof cameras had to be securely tethered so not to be lost during capsizes, which were bound to occur.The late Steve Sinclair of Force Ten fame, a pioneer of storm surf kayaking on the California coast, warned me once, “Kayaking is not an on the water sport – it’s an in the water sport!” ‘POV’ is a term commonly used by adventure photographers and filmmakers.The “point of view” perspective was made famous in the first Rocky movie when the cameraman moved around the boxing ring filming the fight. It is only obtained when a shooter gets up close and personal with his subjects, seeming to even participate in the action that’s being recorded. With water sports that generally means getting out in the water with your camera, swimming or shooting from another kayak, SUP or boogie board. To capture this image I approached my fellow Tsunami Rangers as they backed up against sheer cliffs among breaking waves on the Oregon coast. Then I dropped my paddle and shot with my Olympus Tough waterproof camera tethered to the front of my life vest, which required split-second timing. The bow of my kayak, temporarily submerged in the wild water, is visible in the foreground.
After I got injured when bouncing over a partially submerged reef after capsizing in my kayak, I handed my waterproof camera to my paddling companion Misha Dynikov – who took the picture.
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COSTA RICA, GIRL ON SUP: Just moments before sunset the light on the coast of Costa Rica grew amazingly warm, saturated and dramatic. I consider this a successful photograph because it adheres to the cardinal rule of good composition – LESS IS MORE. To get this perspective free from any distracting elements, I waded out into the warm tropical Gulfo Dulce up to my shoulders with a waterproof Olympus Tough Camera. GALEN ROWELL, PERU MOUNTAINS: Joining the great adventure photographer Galen Rowell on a photo safari through the Cordillera Blanca in northern Peru in 1995 provided a quantum leap forward in my career as an adventure photographer. I took this picture of him with a Leica X-U waterproof camera after we had climbed all day on an unnamed mountain peak high in the mountains.
KAYAKER, BAJA SUNRISE: Sunrise and sunset are when the low angle of the sun produces the richest, saturated light – so they have long been considered the ‘magic hours’ for taking photographs. Also, years of experience have taught me to eliminate everything from my compositions except what contributes to the image, but the gulls flying by were a bonus here.
ABOVE – KAYAKER WAVE: Split-second timing enabled fellow Tsunami Ranger Steven King to capture this image of Ranger Jim Kakuk punching through an oncoming wave, shooting with an Olympus Tough waterproof camera from his kayak. Photo by Steven King.
My mentor the great Galen Rowell was arguably the most successful adventure photographer of all time. I was fortunate once to be hired by an adventure travel company to go to Peru and document Rowell leading a group of other photographers on a photo safari through the spectacular Cordillera Blanca mountains. It was not so much the camera techniques that Rowell employed that had such a profound effect on my image gathering skills… it was his mental attitude, the phenomenal way he focused his energy when shooting that enabled him to consistently capture exceptional photographs as we trekked through the mountains. Each time we entered an Indian village or came upon an exceptional mountain vista, he appeared to connect emotionally with the situation to create images that had real visceral quality. He called it, “Seeing from the heart.”
BAIDARKA SURFING: Photographing from land with a telephoto lens and a tripod enables you to compose carefully. When shooting action like this it is often good to expose several frames rapidly in succession and choose the best moment later when editing.
SWIMMERS, WHALE SHARK: My daughter Marika took this selfie with her waterproof camera as she led other swimmers on a snorkelling adventure off the Kona Coast of the big island in Hawaii. When the whale shark appeared suddenly behind her she held the camera out in front of her and shot quickly, but was fortunate to capture all the essential elements (and no superfluous information) in her composition, resulting in a remarkable photograph.
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KAYAK DOUBLE NOSE STAND: To capture professional kayak guide Greg Berman giving a paddling novice the thrill of her lifetime, I shot from the beach with an 80mm telephoto lens set to focus automatically. My Canon SLR camera is capable of making repeated exposures in rapid succession, which further enabled me to capture the decisive moment in this fast-moving action shot.
KAYAKER ROCKY COAST: I shot with a waterproof camera tethered to the front of my life vest as we paddled along a rugged stretch of the northern California coast. I continually adjusted my position to best frame photograph fellow Tsunami Ranger Bonny Brill within the spectacular, always changing vista unfolding before us.
Rowell explained that a photograph was merely a static, two-dimensional replication of what we are perceived in the world around us. Motion, sound and the third dimension are immediately lost in the process. So for a photographic image to possess real power and impact, he believed, other qualities had to be present. Most important of all to him was strong composition.
LESS IS MORE Rowell stated repeatedly that the most common shortcoming he found in most snapshot-type pictures was the random inclusion of unnecessary information. A strong, uncluttered composition was essential for a successful photograph, he said. This can only be achieved by carefully excluding all distracting elements from your composition before you press the shutter button – or diligently cropping them out with your digital tools on your computer screen.
KAYAKER’S DOUBLE SURF: To gain a powerful ‘point of view’ vantage point from which to photograph my friends punching through oncoming waves off the northern California coast, I swam out with my non-waterproof SLR camera in a water-tight case and climbed up on a rock that rose above the partially submerged reef they would attempt to paddle. Miraculously, both the camera and the paddlers survived the episode and we got the shot we wanted.
BAIDARKA, SAN JUAN: Shooting from land with a telephoto lens and a tripod enables you to compose more carefully. A telephoto lens also makes background elements, like the sun here, appear larger in perspective.
KAYAKER STORM SURF: Storm surf conditions greeted us when we arrived at La Push on the Olympic Peninsula in northwest Washington in midwinter. I saw that photographing from my kayak would be very difficult, so I remained on the beach with my Canon SLR and a 300mm telephoto and shot fellow Tsunami Ranger Misha Dynnikov venturing out among the monster waves.
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KAYAKERS, BAJA: Crossing the Sea of Cortez from the Baja Peninsula to some outlying islands on a rare windless day, we were treated to remarkable ‘glassy sea’ conditions. I shot with a wide-angle lens to record the magical reflections on the water surface surrounding our kayaks. KAYAKS, SOUTH GEORGIA ISLAND, ANTARCTICA: One day rather than join the other members of our sea kayaking team paddling, I chose to photograph them from a motor-driven Zodiac piloted by our Russian guide. The kayakers were approaching Drydalski Point on the southern end of South Georgia Island in Antarctica that day. A slightly higher angle of view and great mobility of shooting from a powerboat gave me a different perspective.
ABOVE – KAYAKER BREAKING SURF: Shooting from my kayak, I only had a split-second to drop my paddle and shoot before the oncoming wave broke over me and filmmaker Gordon Brown in the other boat. In shooting active water sports, it’s essential to be ready and try to anticipate when decisive moments will occur.
A photographic image is invariably a combination of the energy of the subject and the cameraman. As Galen demonstrated to us in Peru, we could increase the impact of our pictures by bringing our power more fully to the process. Following a master image gatherer through the spectacular Cordillera Blanca, was a pivotal time in my evolution as a photographer. Yet becoming a master image gatherer, like running a class IV rapid in a river or surfing a big wave successfully with your sea kayak, is a life-long learning experience… so good luck!
SHOUT OUTS My favourite waterproof cameras for on and in-the-water shooting are the Leica X-U (us.leica-camera.com) and the Olympus Tough (usa.canon.com). I also find Keen sport sandals (keenfootwear.com) provide exceptional stability for moving around the rugged outdoor terrain surrounding many of the wild places where I paddle. My MSR Hubba tent (msrgear.com) stows easily in a kayak and has proven amazingly bombproof in storms. Another essential piece of equipment on expeditions is my Casio Pathfinder watch, with built-in compass and altitude functions (protek.casio.com). Go to www.tropicalseakayaking.com for a great Costa Rica or Panama sea kayaking adventure. Michael Powers is widely published and recognized internationally for his photography, writing, and participation in cause-related and adventure filmmaking expeditions. His most recent book is WILD IN SPIRIT, www.wildinspirit.com
ABOVE – KAYAKER MAVERICKS SURF ROCKS: Here I positioned my kayak so my subject lined up with the rocks and breaking waves behind him. Then I only had a splitsecond to drop my paddle and shoot before an oncoming reached me and my subject, filmmaker Steve Michelson in the other boat.
KAYAK CAMP MONTANA LAKE: This is what filmmakers call an ‘establishment shot’, taken by my daughter Marika from higher up on a beach where we had camped on a lake in British Columbia.
KAYAKERS, NORWAY, MIDNIGHT SUN: Following other kayakers as they paddled through the Vesteralen Islands off the coast of Norway up north of the Arctic Circle, I moved to line them up with the sky, made dramatic by the midnight sun. The decision to compose a shot either vertically or horizontally is often made quickly at the last moment.
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Finding feedback on the
RIVER
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Words and photos: Jamie Greenhalgh and Chris Brain
There is fun and adventure to be had on every grade of white water. Being adventurers at heart however, paddlers will rarely be satisfied by doing the same style and grade of kayaking forever.The technical challenge of putting our skills to the test on white water that we find engaging will always attract us to push our grade.The rewards of ‘upskilling’ can also be great. Most of the world’s best whitewater destinations require a paddler to be confident on a minimum of grade 3 to ensure a great trip.As much as challenging white water is fun it is also hazardous by nature, and the consequences of being beaten by high grade rapids can be very high. So how do we get good enough to paddle challenging white water successfully? A paddler can develop faster and more effectively if they can tune in to the feedback they’re offered from a range of sources, some of this feedback can come from traditional sources such as a professional coach or someone else observing your paddling. However, some of the feedback may be found internally, from the personal reflections we can make about our own paddling, allowing us to effectively coach ourselves. Of course we can also gain feedback from the environment we paddle in and understand how to respond to the messages it is giving us constantly during our time on the water. We have previously focused on how you as a paddler can coach yourself (Part one: the paddler) and now we will focus on how you can use the feedback from the river to develop your paddling skills.
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THE RIVER Learn to read the water and then keep on learning Aim to see the challenges in the river as opportunities Reading and understanding the river is probably the most essential skill in a white water paddler’s arsenal. As you are introduced to river paddling, priority one should be to build your understanding of the moving water environment. With a basic understanding of moving water, you can successfully navigate your first rapids. Anyone can do this by simply looking at the path of the water from start to finish, distinguishing major features like rocks and stoppers in the flow, and then deciding where to go to find a clear route. By continuing to develop this practice of ‘reading and running’, you can progress quickly through these initial stages.To continue beyond this however, we need to learn to look at the river in a whole new way.The path of least resistance is no good to you any more, and those features you had been avoiding need to become your best friends and training partners. It may be useful to think of the river as a skate park, filled with obstacles such as ramps, half pipes, rails and platforms. A skater could easily steer around these obstacles from end to end staying on the flat ground, but where would be the fun in that! With an open mind and a touch of optimism, the parks’ obstacles become opportunities for the skater to play and to push themselves.That’s what they’re there to do! What’s
more, the more time they spend in the park playing with those obstacles, mucking about and figuring out what's possible, the more opportunities they will begin to see. A new skater might see a ramp and spot of an opportunity to ride up and use gravity to change direction.To a seasoned skater however, that ramp is an invitation to a seemingly endless list of possibilities. Now let’s go back to the river. We don’t have concrete ramps and rails, but the white water in the river is thrown up by countless other obstacles that can become epic opportunities for skillful movement if we let them. If you can think of a rapid in this way the chances to practice, experiment and play multiply by a thousand. A wave isn’t just a problem to be avoided. It could be a chance to launch your boat into the air by paddling up the front face and launching over the back. It could also be an opportunity to switch your direction mid-rapid, surf the front face, and even to use your air-time to perform a kickflip by flipping your boat over and around before landing. In this way, a wave on a rapid is not so different from a ramp in a skate park.The next time you get out of your boat to scout a rapid, try to really look at its features. What makes that stopper? How does it affect the path of the flow around it? Is there any way I can use that to do something fun or different today?
ASK THE RIVER FOR FEEDBACK BY BEING DECISIVE AND SETTING TARGETS When we use the features of rapids as opportunities for play and for skill progression, we also give the river the chance to give us feedback on how we’re doing! With no biases, prejudices or white lies, the feedback you get from the river is the truest you will ever
receive. The trick is to know how to ask for it and to know how to translate the answer when it is given. The first step to asking the river for feedback is to set yourself an aim. How can the river possibly comment on what you’ve done if you weren’t trying to do anything specific? To give yourself maximum chance for quality river coaching, a good tactic is never to leave an eddy without setting yourself a goal, no matter how small it is. An example of your goal could be, “I’ll catch that eddy next,” “I’ll boof over that boulder,” or even as simple as, “I’ll get at least two metres out into the middle before I let the boat go down.” If you can do this, all the time you spend paddling you will be collecting feedback in the form of, “Yes, I got it!,” or “Not this time!” These nuggets of feedback are gold. Not only do they develop your understanding of the river, but also help to build a picture of your own skill level. This means the next time you see a rapid or challenge that has a similar feature or must-make move, you’ve got a backlog of experiences to draw on. You know when to be confident and when to back down. This is how kayakers can build justifiable confidence and can become smart decision makers.
USE THE RIVER’S FEEDBACK TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR TECHNIQUE One of the most important things that the river can do for your progress is to inform you about how effective your technique is. Great paddling skills are formed when the right technique is applied to the challenge. The challenge won’t change to suit your preferred technique, so it's up to you to adapt your technique to suit the challenge! That means that no matter how cool you feel initiating your perfect bow rudder, if the river tells you that it isn’t fit for purpose, you have to be ready to listen. If there’s a move that you can’t seem to get right, try stepping back for a second and working through these questions. “What is the challenge?” “What problem am I having with it?” and “What could I do to solve this problem?” This might sound unbelievably simple, but it's surprising how effective an open-minded thought process can be in helping you find solutions. Here’s a quick example: You’re out working on your river skills and have been trying hard to make a new move across the river to a tight eddy just a short way downstream and across from you. The problem is
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ThePADDLER 64 that there is a very powerful current between you and it, and as soon as you paddle out you can feel your boat getting pushed around hard. It’s hard to know why it isn’t working… You’re applying the same technique as you always have done but this time you feel as though you don’t stand a chance!
CHRIS BRAIN Chris has been paddling and coaching for over 20 years and runs his own business Chris Brain Coaching, delivering coaching, safety and rescue courses and REC First Aid training. Chris would like to thank Pyranha kayaks, Palm Equipment, Red Paddle Co and Go Kayaking Northwest for making fantastic kit and their continued support. www.chrisbrain coaching.com
JAMIE GREENHALGH Jamie is a passionate river guide, kayaking coach and people person. He runs two kayaking businesses: Paddle365, for cutting edge white water skills coaching, and Dee River Kayaking, dedicated to giving the best possible introductions for regular people into the sport. Jamie is lucky enough to be supported by Pyranha Kayaks and NRS Equipment, both of whom make brilliant gear to keep him and his customers looking and feeling cool. www.paddle365.co.uk www.deeriverkayaking.com
What’s really happening here is the river is trying to tell you that you need to make a change. Instead of getting frustrated and declaring that only the really good kayakers can do this one, let's think about the problem and try to solve it. If you're being overpowered by the strength of the current, what can you do to keep your control? Can you put more force in through your paddle, or somehow apply that force differently, or is there a way you can approach that means you’ll feel the flow less forcefully? By keeping an open mind when it comes to technique, you allow yourself to really listen to and use the feedback that the river is giving you. Your feedback from the river won’t always be as simple as, “Yes, you made it,” and “No, try again,” and this is where it gets trickier. We all know when there’s room for improvement, and if you’re not styling a move on white water that you’d consider to be easy, you can’t expect to do so when you’re really put to the test.The good news is that there are plenty of more subtle aspects of your performance you can pay attention to that can give great clues to how to improve.
Paddling a rapid with complete control can look almost effortless, like a bird in flight or a horse at canter. The boater should be completely at one with the environment they're moving through, and their mind fully attuned to what their body can do, and what it will do next. The movement as a whole should look fluid and smooth. With this as an ideal, it becomes possible to drive your training forward by drawing comparisons between your ideal performance and its reality. If you can see an imperfection, then you can work to rectify it by measuring all sorts of factors such as number of strokes, perceived effort, how stable you felt, how fast you completed the challenge, and many more. Struggling with a move in a hard rapid? Try really perfecting a similar one in an easy one.
THERE ARE NEW WAYS TO IMPROVE The river’s feedback is there for you, and if you know how to collect it and use it to direct your training, long-term self-driven progression can be at your fingertips. As a final point, modern kayaking equipment has been developed specifically to give the most user-friendly experience possible, which sometimes dulls your feedback from the river. If you’re struggling to see how you could make your lines smoother, consider down-sizing your boat, or switching your carbon blades for a set of hand paddles. You’ll soon find ways you can improve!
CANOE
FOCUS Generation Sea: Plastic Protest Page 17
Building stronger communities through watersports
Brand new Paddles Up website Page 6
Late Summer 2020
Page 19
WORLD CLASS NUTRITION WORLD CLASS ATHLETES THE FUEL OF BRITISH CANOEING
GET AN EXCLUSIVE 25% DISCOUNT ON VOW PRODUCTS WITH A BRITISH CANOEING MEMBERSHIP OR VISIT YOUR MEMBER BENEFITS PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION
W W W . V O W N U T R I T I O N . C O M
Contents
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WELCOME Welcome note from Chief Executive David Joy
FEATURE 4
NEWS Catch up on the latest news from British Canoeing
The newest member of the Canadian 14 Canoe Museum: Ray Goodwin FEATURE Lucy Siegle: Paddle for Samburu
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5 SURFERS AGAINST SEWAGE Generation Sea: Plastic Protest
Paddles Up training website launched
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Become a British Canoeing Delivery Partner
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Introduction to Safeguarding eLearning
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17
GO PADDLING Building stronger communities through watersports
WELCOME
COACHING & LEADERSHIP
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FEATURE The healing nature of paddlesports
10 GET INVOLVED 20
SHE PADDLES MEMBERSHIP Membership myths busted
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ShePaddles Ambassdaor Del Read 22 on becoming an independent paddler
Canoe Focus Autumn 2020
Yoga moves to improve your paddling by Adam Burgess
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Welcome So much has happened in the last few months that it feels a real challenge to squeeze everything I want to say, into this introduction to Canoe Focus. The only place to start is by saying a huge ‘thank you’ to the thousands of members who continued to support us during lockdown by renewing their membership and being so very positive, even though no paddling was permitted. This stabilised our finances at a time of great uncertainty and gave a huge boost to the staff who have been incredible during the last few months. This really was Stronger Together in action. Thank you.
WELCOME
I also want to offer a really warm welcome to the 20,000 new members who have joined us since May. We hope that you are enjoying your paddling this summer. If you haven’t found it yet, I suggest you take a look around our Go Paddling website for hints and information and please do contact us with your questions and comments. We love to hear from our members and are here for you.
www.britishcanoeing.org.uk
My third key message is to those within our community who are still facing real challenges due to Covid 19. Many clubs, centres and providers have not yet been able to return to business as usual at a time when they would normally be at their busiest. We are continuing to work hard behind the scenes to help translate the further easing of restrictions and are pleased to have secured support from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport for the immediate return of canoe polo. All of our guidance is updated regularly on our website. Whilst this year has been full of challenges, there has also been a huge growth in the number of people paddling. This is being reported all over the country with record numbers of paddlers being seen on rivers, lakes and coastal waters. The trade and retail are experiencing a significant growth in sales of inflatables, sit on tops and SUPs. We know
from our own insight that the growth is in recreational paddling, with huge interest in stand up paddleboarding. Whilst times remain challenging, this growth and interest in paddling is very encouraging for the future. This edition of Canoe Focus is again packed with topical news and information. The feature on page 10 reminds us of the positive mental health benefits that come with paddling and being a part of a club. The She Paddles feature on page 22 builds on this and explores the steps to becoming a confident independent paddler. We are pleased to share news on the work of our Places to Paddle team, who have been very active in ensuring that access to and along waterways is fully considered as part of the new Agriculture Bill. The recent debate on the Bill in the House of Lords, carefully considered amendments aimed to strengthen and better define wording around public access to the countryside and waterways. There is a way to go, but the rising participation and increased media coverage is adding weight to our Clear Access Clear Waters campaign and the rights to share the space and paddle responsibly on all waterways. More information on this can be found on page 4 of this Paddler magazine. Clearer waters is the focus on page 17 as we highlight again the incredible work of Surfers Against Sewage and their Generation Sea campaign planned for September.
Reading through these pages of Canoe Focus I am reminded that even in these most challenging of times there are so many reasons to be positive. Happy paddling! David Joy
CEO British Canoeing
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Receive regular updates plus exclusive discounts for our partner products with a British Canoeing membership.
www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/membership/join-us-online-here www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/news
Sign up for free ICF webinars
https://www.britishcanoeing.org. uk/news/2020/sign-up-to-free-icfwebinars
New Introduction to Paddlesport eLearning British Canoeing Awarding Body is pleased to introduce the new Go Paddling Introduction to Paddlesport eLearning. Ideal for Instructors, Coaches and Leaders introducing new people to the water, the eLearning is designed to support your delivery. From equipment to craft types and safety considerations, the eLearning is designed to be easy to use, interactive and quick to complete. Find out more:
Got a great paddling story you would like to be featured in the next edition of Canoe Focus? Get in touch with us at mediaenquiries@britishcanoeing.org.uk
https://www.britishcanoeing.org. uk/news/2020/schedule-confirmedfor-tokyo-2020-paralympics
British Canoeing extend VOW Nutrition official partnership British Canoeing are pleased to announce the extension of our partnership with VOW Nutrition. The partnership will continue to focus on optimising senior team performance going into the next 12 months and complement the ongoing nutritional support based on British Canoeing’s approach of ‘balanced diet, food first’. Find out more:
https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/ news/2020/british-canoeing-extend-vownutrition-official-partnership
The sport of the summer Since lockdown eased in May it has been fantastic to see so many new and returning faces on the water. Membership has skyrocketed sparking the interest of national media and opening the discussion on access. Click here to find out more: www.britishcanoeingawarding. www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/ org.uk/resource/britishrecordmembers canoeing-coaching-podcast/
Canoe Focus Focus Early Spring 2020 Canoe Autumn 2020
https://www.britishcanoeing.org. uk/news/2020/new-introduction-topaddlesport-elearning-to-support-your-newpaddlers
The revised schedule has now been confirmed for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games next year, confirming the date fans can expect to see the Paracanoe team in action next summer. To find out more click here:
NEWS
Over the past few months, The International Canoe Federation have been hosting a series of exciting, free, online webinars showcasing the latest developments in coaching and athlete preparation. To attend or catch up on the webinars so far click here:
Schedule confirmed for Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
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Brand new Paddles Up Training Website launched! British Canoeing is pleased to provide a brand new Paddles Up Training website, designed to better support learners and providers, and provide more clarity for paddlers. Paddles Up Training will rebrand the Delivery Centre (formally the British Canoeing Delivery Centre) that supports course candidates who reside in England and outside of the United Kingdom. It will continue to provide high quality service and support. There is no impact on our current way of working, providers will still run British Canoeing courses in the same manner but will now be promoted, and advertised through Paddles Up Training.
COACHING
The new website provides access to high quality learning, whilst also supporting and promoting the great work of our providers. So if you’re looking to find your first or next course, or are looking to become a provider, this is the website for you! The website includes some great supportive features including: • Intuitive search and finder functions • Simple and interactive development guidance • Check your update expiry instantly
www.britishcanoeing.org.uk
• Live chat function Explore the Paddles Up Training site now: www.paddlesuptraining.com or read our FAQs document. Please note, these changes only affect the Delivery Centre function that provides British Canoeing qualifications in England and Internationally.
Become a British Canoeing Delivery Partner
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Become a British Canoeing Delivery Partner and let your clients know you offer a gold standard paddlesport experience. Becoming a Delivery Partner gives you the opportunity to join a supportive scheme to help you and your centre or hire provider develop and grow your paddlesports activity. Tailored to your needs, choose from Gold, Silver or Bronze packages of support, which are a great way to get accreditation and promotion for your business. There are three partnerships to choose from:
The partnership is open to businesses who provide paddlesport activity as part of their offering. This includes sole traders, activity centres, hire providers, small and large organisations, based in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, as well as internationally.
The Bronze support partnership includes specific promotion of your business, the opportunity to access self-serve checks and your logo on the Start and Discover certificates.
What are the benefits of becoming a Delivery Partner? Becoming a partner with British Canoeing offers a variety of benefits:
The Gold standard partnership includes a personalised visit, tailored to your needs, as well as exclusive access to events, conferences and announcements.
How can I find out more? To find out more, visit the Go Paddling website and sign up to receive exclusive information about the new delivery partnership.
Canoe Focus Autumn 2020
• Premium listings and promotion: Delivery Partners will be listed on our maps and course listings, giving you maximum exposure to new customers • Exclusive branding for your business and a recognised Delivery Partner plaque: These tools will enable you to brand your high quality sessions and promote your partnership with British Canoeing • Exclusive support and training opportunities: Delivery Partners will get access to delivery and operational support, as well as discounted training opportunities and a virtual conference
The Silver partnership offers technical support and guidance, as well as a Delivery Partner plaque to let your customers know that you offer high-quality paddlesport sessions and learning opportunities.
COACHING
Can I become a Delivery Partner?
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NEW Introduction to
Safeguarding eLearning British Canoeing and the National Associations are committed to helping everyone in paddlesport play their part in safeguarding children and adults at risk from harm and abuse.
To complete the new Introduction to Safeguarding eLearning, visit the British Canoeing Awarding Body website.
This eLearning is available for just £10.
By providing appropriate training and education for coaches, leaders and deployers, we can all take responsibility.
COACHING
It is essential that all coaches, leaders and deployers have at least a basic understanding of what appropriate behaviour looks like, how to identify a safeguarding concern and be confident about how to respond, as well as being clear about how to access support. The new Introduction to Safeguarding eLearning replaces the existing Paddlesafe course. It is a great introduction for anyone who has limited contact with children or adults at risk. If you do have regular contact with these groups, please contact your National Association for courses that provide such specialised training.
Do I need to complete safeguarding training? As part of our ongoing review process, we will be introducing changes to our safeguarding requirements for both coaches and leaders.
From 30th September 2020: • All coaches and leaders will need to engage in appropriate safeguarding training as a prerequisite to assessment www.britishcanoeing.org.uk
• All qualified leaders will need to engage in appropriate safeguarding training to keep their qualifications valid • All coaches and leaders will need to refresh their safeguarding training every three years to keep their qualifications valid and meet the Update Scheme requirements The new Safeguarding Renewal training will be available on the British Canoeing Awarding Body website in the Autumn, to support those needing to renew their safeguarding training. British Canoeing is aware that many coaches and leaders already engage in appropriate and approved safeguarding training and this will continue to be recognised and recorded. If any coaches, leaders or deployers have any questions about the safeguarding changes or are looking for further guidance on the right safeguarding training, please contact your National Association.
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The healing nature of paddlesports After a number of mental health ‘wobbles’ over the years, Mark Beasley sought refuge by returning to the water. 12 months on he says he has become ‘healthier, more sociable and a better person’ for it.
GO PADDLING
I was finding I was doing stuff for everyone else, through work or family and really ignoring the fact that I needed to look after number one. I decided that I needed to try and reclaim some ‘me time’ and do something that I would really enjoy and stick at,” he says. That something for Mark was joining Leicestershire’s PaddlePlus club with his friend, Jamie Ashby.
www.britishcanoeing.org.uk
“I thought about all the things I did as a kid and kayaking was up there. I hadn’t paddled in almost 30 years and even then it was only on flat water. I took it up for the mindfulness and social aspect of the sport, but hoped a side effect would be losing a bit of weight and lowering my high blood pressure.” Not only did Mark find a new community in the club, but has since lost a stone in weight. “I was nervous about joining a club as I thought paddling was a young person’s game but the trust and support which surrounded me since day one has been amazing. It has allowed me to venture into disciplines I was too nervous to do, such as white water.” Having not paddled since being at school,
Mark was also well aware of his need to ease back into being on the water and revise the basics of safety. “As a sea scout many moons ago, it was drummed into us that we shouldn’t go anywhere near weirs and stay well away from locks. There was a safety aspect to joining a club too as I was able to update my very rusty knowledge.” The club’s relaxed and sociable atmosphere left Mark’s anxieties about starting something new at the age of 45, with people he didn’t know, float away. In fact, Mark’s confidence has grown so much that he is now looking to develop his skills even further. Recently he enrolled on an introduction to white water course and also plans to develop his skills in safety and coaching. “I’m interested in water safety and would like to do the British Canoeing Lifeguard training at some point,” he says. “I also have a qualification in psychotherapy and after seeing the incredible difference being on the water and surrounded by nature has had on my mental health, and that of a few friends of mine, I’m really keen to use paddling as a way of getting men, in particular, to open up.”
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“As a club we recognise the importance of socialising; we’re very much a club of people attached to an activity and we work hard to remove barriers for new starters wanting to try paddling for the first time. There is no minimum experience or qualification people need to join. We’re there to help people discover the type of paddling they love most and build people’s
confidence through learning as they go. “Mark notes some of the less obvious, but just as important benefits of getting out on the water such as mental health wellbeing and weight loss, plus the enjoyment of setting new challenges and achievements.” Last year Andy was part of a coach development weekend which saw novice paddlers coached by aspiring coaches, who were themselves being mentored by Coach Educators, something they are hoping to repeat once Covid-19 restrictions ease.
GO PADDLNG
East Midlands Regional Coaching Representative, Andy Oughton has volunteered at Leicester’s PaddlePlus for over 20 years. The club has more than 150 members and runs sessions on white water, freestyle, junior sessions and touring to name a few.
If you’re thinking of joining a club, Mark has a few top tips:
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Try a couple of clubs Clubs offer different things, some are more coaching based, whilst others are more focused on activities.
Don’t invest in a craft at the very beginning The advantage of joining a club is that you can experiment with different disciplines - you might surprise yourself with what sparks your interest.
3 Think safety With more people heading on to the water I’ve seen too many people not wearing the correct safety equipment such as buoyancy aids and helmets.
Canoe Focus Autumn 2020
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Membership There are a lot of misconceptions about the work British Canoeing does and what our membership fees go towards, so we thought it was time we dispel the facts from the ‘fake news’...
Top Three Myths Myth 1: Membership money only supports Olympic programmes MEMBERSHIP
Myth 2: Waterway licences are a tax
Myth 3: If you rejoin after your membership lapses, you’ll be forced to backpay
Myth 1: Membership money only supports Olympic programmes (not true)
Busted…Membership income is ring fenced www.britishcanoeing.org.uk
for projects that support the paddling community including grassroots participation and environmental work, none of this income supports the Olympic and Paralympic programmes. Funding for the Olympic and Paralympic sprint and slalom teams comes through national grants received from UK Sport. Full information about our funded programmes can be found here. Membership income is, however, used to support the elite level national teams in the other non-Olympic disciplines. Each year a competition grant, funded from membership, is issued to support non-Olympic elite paddling and grassroots development within the
disciplines of freestyle, polo, marathon, rafting and wildwater racing, circa £150k each year. We are incredibly proud of all our athletes and their huge success. Did you know as a sport last year we achieved an incredible 90 medals across nine disciplines? Many of these athletes would have been unable to achieve their shot at gold without the structure of the organisation and the support British Canoeing provides grassroots communities. It is at this fundamental stage where your membership makes a difference. As a community, we are incredibly lucky to have very dedicated coaches (both paid and voluntary) working passionately to support paddlers up and down the country.
Myth 2: Waterway licences are a tax (not true)
Busted…Whilst it’s true you need a waterways
licence to access a vast number of inland waterways, this is by no means a tax. The money generated by the waterways licence does not contribute to state revenue levied by the Government, nor does the Government add to the cost of licences as it does with other products and services. Instead the money generated from licences goes to the waterway authorities that manage them, such as the Canal and River Trust, Environmental Agency and Broads Authority,
which contributes towards the protection and maintenance of the waterways. From protecting against bank erosion and removing invasive nonnative species, to installing check, clean, dry points and repairing towpaths for access.
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Our blue corridors simply wouldn’t be the same without the waterways authorities and many of their dedicated volunteers who carry out vital ecological work, enabling us and future generations to enjoy them!
The waterway authorities carry out vital work Membership income helps protect the waterways you enjoy paddling on A British Canoeing On the Water membership is the most cost effective way to get a waterway licence and in doing so contribute to the upkeep of over 4,500km of waterways! Plus when you become a member, you’ll have access to a range of fantastic benefits.
Busted…This is no longer true! Whilst this was
the case for coaches that lapsed over 10 years ago, if you lapse now, your membership will commence from the date you renew and you’ll simply be charged the standard cost for the annual membership you choose. Whether it’s work, family or injury, sometimes life can get in the way, but we love to see people rekindling their passion for paddling. There’s always a new skill to learn or place to explore, regardless of your age or ability. If you’ve taken a break from paddling, for whatever reason, we want to reassure you that you’ll be welcomed back into the paddling community with open arms. Find the best
membership options for you. Please note the route back into leading and delivering coaching activities may require some additional steps to ensure you are up to date with the latest best practices. If your qualifications have lapsed, visit our website to learn more about getting your coaching/leadership status reactivated.
MEMBERSHIP
Myth 3: If you rejoin after having lapsed, you’ll be forced to backpay (not true)
On 30 September our Update Scheme will change, with supportive and individualised CPD options, as well as Leaders requiring safeguarding and CPD. In the meantime for any enquiries about returning to coaching, our coaching advisors would be more than happy to help. Tel: 0300 0119 500
What else does membership income support…
• Clear Access, Clear Waters: A campaign for fair, shared and sustainable access to waterways • Go Paddling a grassroots participation project to help people find information on where and how to go paddling • The development of high quality training and coaching schemes • Event development; from international competitions to local recreational activities • Working with partners to improve environmental awareness and the conservation of waterways • Guidance and support for paddlers, volunteers, clubs and coaches across all disciplines For more information on specific projects and work that we do for paddlers visit our website www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/membership #SupportingPaddlers
Canoe Focus Autumn 2020
Income generated by membership fees is reinvested back into paddlesport in a variety of ways. Including the development of projects and resources that support the whole paddling community and benefit all paddlers, such as;
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The newest member of the Canadian Canoe Museum:
Ray Goodwin For many people in the canoeing fraternity, Ray Goodwin is synonymous with the sport. Known as one of the UK’s best canoe coaches, he has more than forty years of experience in the great outdoors and in 2019 was awarded an MBE for his services to canoeing. If that wasn’t enough, earlier this year, Ray was invited to become a member of the prestigious Canadian Canoe Museum’s National Council something Ray describes as an honour.
RAY GOODWIN
“To be the first non-Canadian involved in this council which is made up of indiginous people and top figures in sport is an incredible acknowledgement and honour,” says Ray.
construction of this new national museum.
“Canoeing fascinates me, it is steeped in history. If you think about it, Canada depended on the canoe to create trade posts and establish borders.” he said.
Situated in Peterborough, Ontario, the Canoe Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of canoes, kayaks and watercraft, with over 600 pieces in its collection. In 2013 Canada’s Senate declared it a cultural asset of national significance.
But it’s not all about the history, Canoeing is also about adventure for Ray; “I love the excitement of going on an adventure, taking time to enjoy solitude in nature. Over time I’ve come to appreciate the movement of paddling those crisp beautiful paddle strokes too.
Over the coming months, the museum will be working on a project to rehouse the museum at a National Historic Site between Toronto and Ottawa. The architecture of the new museum will enable visitors to enjoy an immersive experience, both on land and on the water.
“When people come to me for guidance, my job is to keep the flame of inspiration alive and equip them with the knowledge to go on adventures and explorations at their own level,” he added.
www.britishcanoeing.org.uk
As the redevelopment takes place, Ray, alongside the group of distinguished individuals passionate about the work of the organisation, will provide their support, thoughts and enthusiasm to the
“It’s so important to me that we don’t just say ‘oh I’d really like to do that one day’ but that we actually go out and have that adventure, try that paddle and don’t put things off! You can very quickly look back and realise you haven’t done what you wanted to.”
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So what’s next for Ray? “I really want to go up and paddle the Great Glen Canoe Trail from Fort William to Inverness with my daughter (Maya, aged 10). Although this won’t be a ‘first’ for Ray who has covered the distance a number of times already, once, completing the fourfive day paddle in just 16 hours, he wants his daughter to experience the adventure and stunning scenery.
RAY GOODWIN
And whilst Covid-19 has put a halt to his plans to paddle in Canada this summer, Ray still plans to head back next year to lead two trips around Canada’s wilderness. “I’ve never done the route we have planned, but it will be a fantastic expedition. I’ll be guiding a group of clients along with me so I’ll be able to show them the decision making process and get them to join me to really understand how to think like an adventure paddler.”
youtube.com/c/RayGoodwinCanoe
Canoe Focus Autumn 2020
Head to Ray’s YouTube channel for tips and advice on everything from adventure canoeing to improving your technique.
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Lucy Siegle: Paddle for Samburu If you’d have walked across the bridge at Hampton Court on Saturday 25th July at just gone 3pm, you would have noticed two things: the horizontal rain, due to unseasonal weather and a socially-distanced armada of kayakers spilling out of the lock at Moseley, heading for the finish line under Hampton Court Bridge.
PADDLE FOR SAMBURU
This was the inaugural fundraiser paddle for Samburu Girls Foundation (SGF), in Kenya. The challenge? To paddle 20 miles for 2020, from Windsor to Hampton Court, taking in seven locks and some picturesque parts of the Thames, including the banks of Runnymede. The challenge brought together a mixed ability group of kayakers including high profile names like TV presenters Angellica Bell (whose only previous kayak experience was kayaking in the Arctic for ITV Challenge show, 71 Degrees North) and Matt Allwright; Watchdog presenter, consumer expert and keen kayaker. The team and challenge was put together by Lucy Siegle (also a TV presenter on The One Show, BBC1 and environmental journalist) and her husband, Ben. Both members of British Canoeing they live near the Thames and specifically wanted to build a fundraising challenge to support Samburu Girls Foundation (SGF) in Kenya.
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Both Ben and a number of the other paddlers are long term supporters of (SGF) the rescue centre and school set up by Dr Josephine Kulea in 2012. Josephine is herself a Samburu woman, and has rescued over 1000 girls from FGM (female genital mutilation), forced marriage and other abuse. Her pioneering work has drawn praise and support from leaders such as Barack Obama who said of Josephine, ‘she gives me hope’. In normal times Ben and the team have been working to set up a programme of trauma counselling for SGF but changed track when Covid19 hit Kenya and the girls were returned to their villages on order of the government, and back into danger. July’s paddle raised vital funds to get food parcels and maintain
contact with the girls. ‘People have given so generously to our Just Giving Page,’ says Ben, ‘and their money provides a lifeline for Samburu girls – sometimes literally. It has allowed Josephine’s small team to maintain contact and keep the girls as safe as possible. The fundraising needs to continue, so that the girls are returned to education and safety’. The challenge was supported by British Canoeing and Russell Smith, Area Development Officer for the South East, who met the team at every lock and followed the whole route in the support van. ‘Russ was an incredible support,’ says Lucy Siegle, ‘and next time we hope to get him in a kayak too. We’re so grateful to British Canoeing for all their help setting this up and hope this is the first of many paddle fundraisers to support SGF because now we’re hooked. After a couple of hours of aching arms and drying out from the rain, we all wanted to do it again!’ Lucy and Ben would love to see reciprocal events take place on waterways all over the country, and plan to tick off the miles to match the years. ‘We began with 20 miles for 2020 and next we’ll edge up to 21 for 2021 and so on,’ says Ben Siegle, ‘ so we’ll be looking forward to negotiating 14 locks by 2040!’ Details of the next Paddle for Samburu will take shape over the next few months as lockdown restrictions are eased. To find out more about the appeal or to donate please visit the Just Giving Page. www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ sgf-appeal
If you would like to register your interest for taking part and supporting the next Paddle for Samburu, please contact @lucysiegle on Twitter.
Generation Sea:
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Plastic Protest As UK lockdown measures ease, there has been an outpouring of support for the environment and eco-activism. Numbers of people wanting to take part in clean ups and campaign actions are constantly growing. To harness this momentum Surfers Against Sewage will be championing a plastic-focussed autumn campaign with six activation points titled; Generation Sea: Plastic Protest.
As part of the campaign British Canoeing and the Canoe Foundation are proud to be community partners supporting the Big SAS Beach Clean: Summit to Sea which is mobilising communities across the UK onto beaches; waterways; mountains and urban areas in small groups to organise cleans. Chantelle Grundy, British Canoeing Access and Environment Officer said: “One of the joys of paddling is seeing nature from a different angle and enjoying its calming presence. However, we
also see the hidden plastic and junk in these much loved blue spaces and the damage it causes. “Over the years’ paddlers have pulled tonnes of plastic pollution and junk from our waterways, preventing further harm. Once more, paddlers will be out on their local waterways supporting the campaign in the fight against plastic pollution and highlighting why access on water is so important.”
To sign up for the Big SAS Beach Clean: Summit to Sea visit www.sas.org.uk and find out how you can get your hands on a free paddle clean up kit. Remember to invite your MP along and show them the terrible damage plastic pollution is causing to your local waterway and how you are playing your part to remove it!
SAS
Jack Middleton, Community and Events Manager at Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Generation Sea: Plastic Protest will engage and empower communities from 5 September to 18 October, in a range of actions all aimed at highlighting the irrefutable evidence of the plastic pollution crisis. It will create a wave of noise that cannot be ignored and call on the government to raise the plastic agenda at the highest levels of power, demanding stronger legislation on reduction, production and systems.”
Become a Member
Help protect the
waterways we love... Membership includes: - Waterways licence for over 4,500km of waterways - Public liability insurance for all your paddling - Discounted member rates on craft insurance - Latest paddler news and expert advice - Access to trails, courses and events - Exclusive member discounts and special offers
Join online www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/join Or call us on 0300 0119 500
Building stronger
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communities through watersports The Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre is working in partnership with Making Waves Together, a project aimed at bringing families together to try different watersport activities. Their goal? To create a sporting habit for life using the beautiful waters of Plymouth; Britain’s Ocean City. The project focuses on providing introductory watersports activities for family groups from the PL1 and PL2 postcodes of Plymouth. Funded by the Sport England Families Funding stream, this has enabled families living by the sea to finally realise their aspirations of trying out a new watersport.
Thanks to the support of Making Waves Together, Kandas took swimming lessons and built his confidence in the water. He now has the reassurance he needed to join his daughter kayaking. “Swimming came about because my daughter wanted to go kayaking, be exposed to outdoor water activities and...do something as a family together, to enjoy,” he told the BBC. “At the beginning, I was a little bit apprehensive about the water, but I’ve always, deep inside, wanted to learn how to swim.”
“Seeing how much fun they had on the water and that they can continue to have as a family, is absolutely amazing.” Sam Waites, Activities Manager for the Centre, said: “Since meeting Kandas, who volunteers as Club Secretary for Plymouth Hope, a football club for refugees and asylum seekers, we hope
Steve said: “I’m delighted to be able to donate my kayak to Kandas, Fatima and the wider community at Plymouth Hope. I’m glad that they will be able to enjoy it and explore our beautiful Plymouth Sound with the support of the Making Waves Together project and the team at Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre. I couldn’t think of a better name for the kayak too.” The Mount Batten Centre is a British Canoeing approved paddlesports provider and passionately believes in the value of working with community groups. To find out more about the Mount Batten Activity Centre head to mount-batten-centre.com
Canoe Focus Autumn 2020
The pair have well and truly caught the bug for kayaking and plan to continue developing their experience together. Making Waves Together Project Manager, Tors Froud says: “I’ve seen Kandas go from a complete non-swimmer to a water confident Dad.”
After hearing of Kandas’ story, local charity champion, Steve Whiteway, who stores his kayak at the Watersports and Activities Centre, decided to donate his kayak to the pair so they could continue to enjoy many hours kayaking together. On receiving the generous donation, Kandas, asked Steve if he would be happy for the kayak to be widely accepted on behalf of the Plymouth Hope charity, enabling others to experience the joy of paddling. In doing so the Kayak has been aptly named Spirit of Hope’.
GO PADDLING
Father-daughter duo; Kandas Dougouno and seven-year-old Fatima are beneficiaries of the scheme. When seven-year-old Fatima asked to try her hand at kayaking, her father, Kandas,38, was keen for her to go. Unable to swim, however, Kandas had reservations about joining his daughter paddling.
to engage more members of the Black and Asian Minority ethnic community in positive, lifeenriching paddlesports activities.”
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Yoga for Paddling
Adam Burgess provides his five top tips Paddling white water up to nine times a week and lifting weights alongside that, it is clear that canoe slalom and Tokyo 2020 athlete Adam Burgess has built a body to master the sport. But this amount of training doesn’t come without a toll, that’s why Adam spends almost every day engaging in another passion of his, yoga, rolling out the mat for both preparation and recovery. Adam is now furthering his yoga practice which will see him qualify as a yoga teacher in the near future, and he also spends as much time as he can at his local Triyoga, engaging with the community.
PERFORMANCE
Adam has delved deep into his yoga catalogue to pick out five moves you can try out alongside your paddling to help activate your body and ensure you’re suitably stretched before and after time on the water.
Cat / Cow (Marjariasana / Bitilasana) When: Pre-paddle Why: ‘Wake up’ the spine moving through flexion and extension and begin to link movement with breath (for focus)
How: Starting in a table-top position. Shoulders in line with wrists,
hips in line with knees, and spine neutral. Inhale to lift the head, the shoulders, the chest, and the hips, and you relax your belly towards the floor and draw the shoulder blades together. Without moving there’s a feeling of drawing your hands towards your knees. Next exhale to press into the hands and round the spine, dropping the head, the hips, and drawing the naval in towards the spine. Continue to flow through these two poses following the pace of your own breath.
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Reverse Table-top (Ardha Purvottanasana) When: Pre-paddle Why: Activate glutes and back body, open across shoulders/chest/hips How: Begin sitting with knees bent, soles of the feet on the floor hip
width apart. Place the hands on the floor behind your back, palms face down, fingers either pointing to the sides or towards you. Press into the feet and hands and activate the glutes to lift the hips and hold for three to five breaths before lowering the seat back to the floor.
Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)
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When: Pre-paddle Why: Take your body through some rotation and activate core. How: From a standing position, begin by stepping back with the right
leg, heels roughly in line if that’s comfortable, toes of the back leg 45 degrees to the side and body facing the side. Lift the arms in line with the shoulders, looking over the front hand as it reaches forwards first, tilting from the hips, pressing into the outside edge of the back foot, both legs straight and strong. Lightly rest the front hand on the shin or the back of the hand on the inside of the calf while reaching and gazing up to the top hand opening the body to the side of the room. Stay strong through the obliques to hold the body in the twist and remember to breath. Repeat on both sides.
‘Active’ Dancer Pose ( Natarajasana)
Why: Activate ‘back body’, open across shoulders/chest, focus/ balance (standing on one leg challenges this)
How: Taking the weight into the right leg, press into the floor with the
foot as you activate the upper leg muscles to form a strong base. Bend the left knee and squeeze the heel in towards your left glute. Place the palms together in a prayer position on the back of your neck, fingers pointing down and then reach down towards the heel that is lifting. Open your chest to the sky, keep your chin tucked and think about reaching up and back. The full expression is to hold the foot whilst keeping everything square and facing forwards. Like me, it’s okay to be a long way away. The magic is in the intention which wakes up that whole back body preparing you for stability and connection when you pull on the paddle. You will also stretch out your whole front body which tends to get tight from paddling. (Repeat both sides)
PERFORMANCE
When: Pre-paddle
Front Lying Shoulder Opener
Why: Stretch the shoulders / chest which get tight from paddling, and to relax the spine in a gentle twist.
How: Lying on the front start by placing the hands palms down on the
floor in front of the head, 90 degrees at the shoulders and elbows. Slide the right hand forwards and press into the left hand fingertips as you bend the left knee and drop the left foot over to the right hand side of the body. Stop here if this is already enough of a stretch in the right shoulder. To go deeper, bend the right knee to place the right foot on inside of the left knee. Hold this pose for 1-3 minutes, you should feel a stretch in your shoulder but no sharpness or pins and needles, move out of the stretch if you do.
Canoe Focus Autumn 2020
When: Pre-paddle
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Why being safe is the first step to becoming an ‘independent paddler’ Del Read is a white water kayaker and one of this year’s British Canoeing #ShePaddles Ambassadors. In this article, the first in a series of three she has written about becoming an independent paddler, Del explores how safety plays an essential role in paddling progression. Check out her blog to read about her experiences, learnings and adventures.
SHE PADDLES
A goal I believe many kayakers have is to become an ‘independent boater’. Let me explain what I mean by that phrase. When someone starts off in kayaking, it is often through a club. They are reliant on those more experienced than them to organise and lead trips of which they can then join. It can be hard to move away from this structured system and become someone who goes kayaking when and where they want, with who they want. Whilst many people would like to achieve this independence, they may not feel confident enough in their knowledge and experience to make the transition. As someone who has largely moved towards peer paddling from club boating, I considered the steps I had taken to achieve this. Looking at safety and specifically the journey to becoming safe in a paddling environment. There are many fantastic articles on safety by people with far more expertise than me. Chris Brain’s Safety and Rescue Essentials for example covers everything you ever needed to know about safety from a coach.
Taking a course A kayaker’s safety skill set tends to come from two places: formal training and experience. I would argue that both are equally important and only having one of these things has the potential to hold you back. You can be an experienced kayaker who has learnt about safety through their peers but without any formal training for safety, you risk missing out on knowing something that could be useful for you. Equally you could do all of the safety courses available but without the experience of practicing the skills you learn, you may find yourself lacking confidence when carrying out safety in a real environment. I have completed two courses specifically aimed at safety on white water. The first was a White Water Safety and Rescue (WWSR) course carried out early on in my paddling days. I chose the course as I was beginning to go on kayaking trips where I was peer paddling instead of being led. The most useful thing I found from the course was the discussion about group dynamics and considering this in the environment you’re in.
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I realised safety was less about rescuing people and more about preventing a rescue ever being needed. Whilst I forgot some of the more technical skills over time, this preventative approach to safety is something that stuck with me. I would thoroughly recommend to anyone who kayaks, whatever the grade, to invest in going on a White Water Safety and Rescue.
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My second course was an Advanced White Water Safety & Rescue. When I signed up for this I’d gained a lot of personal experience and so attended with a different outlook. The technical skills we went over during the weekend were now more relevant as I could relate them to my personal experiences. The course added and refreshed ‘tools’ that I had in my ‘safety toolkit’ and provided reassurance about my current skills. In particular I enjoyed the scenarios, which allowed me to reflect on similar situations I had been involved in. Part of being safe is trusting in your own abilities and the decisions that you make.
Gaining experience
It was only as I improved that I began to consider safety in a completely different way. For me safety is an implicit part of kayaking. It should help inform your decision making, from the river you choose to run, the order in which you paddle, the rapids you pick to scout and the lines you decide to take. Safety is about good decision making, with the aim of avoiding rescue situations, but being prepared and having the ability to stay calm if a situation should occur. It should also be about ensuring that everyone is still having fun. You can be safe whilst feeling relaxed on a river. If this isn’t the case, perhaps the water you are paddling is a little advanced for the group’s abilities.
SHE PADDLES
Experience is fundamental for becoming confident in your safety skills. In my early kayaking days, I thought safety meant someone standing at the end of a rapid with a throw line, ready to fish us beginners out. The places I would swim seemed fairly inconsequential – Holme Pierrepont and a few grade 2 rapids on club trips.
If you can make safe decisions for yourself, whilst looking out for other paddlers in your group, you have most likely achieved being able to independently do safety. And that is the first key step to becoming an independent boater.
visit her blog: delkayaks.co.uk
Canoe Focus Autumn 2020
To read Del’s second and third articles on becoming an independent paddler; Picking Your Own Lines and The Importance of Friends, as well as much more,
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CAM T H E
The river of saints, queens and kings Words: Peter Tranter Photos: Peter Tranter and Robert Carroll If you’ve been catching up with the British Canoeing news, you’ll have noticed that BC have managed to secure access for members to the middle piece of the Cam river that runs through central Cambridge from the Mill Pond area through to Bottisham Lock, including perhaps the most widely used part of the Cam, which goes central through some of the most famous colleges on the planet that make up Cambridge University.The agreement is in place until the end of March 2021. Now I must make it clear before any comments, that I have paddled this stretch of the Cam many times and some photos reflect that – in other words, some were taken before the current Covid-19 crisis, the lockdown and social distancing but most of the photos are of a surreal few hours, days after the lifting of paddling restrictions.
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When those paddling restrictions were lifted, the first place I headed for was the Cam. Before Covid-19, any paddle through the backs of the colleges inevitably meant a constant battle of vigilance and awareness in equal measure, as the crowded nature of the river, alongside people who have never punted before, meant that an accident and a swim were waiting to happen.The number of times I have witnessed punts out of control with hapless people shouting, laughing, screaming, drinking, etc, etc are too many to count.You will hit something but if you’re prepared, it means the large wooden punt with ten people aboard, doesn’t necessarily tip you into the water. So that’s what I’ve been used to in my 28 years of living down here. So obviously and without meaning to sound selfish, the contrast during the pandemic was chalk and cheese. My put-in is at the Driftway car park in central Cambridge CB3 9PA and from the car park it’s a 100metre walk to the river, which is right next to Cambridge Canoe Club HQ, so you’ll see plenty more kayaks and canoes, rather than punts at this point. Here you obviously have two choices, go south (right) and you’ll paddle through the beautiful Grantchester Meadows, or paddle north (left) for Cambridge. I prefer central Cambridge first and then head for the tranquility of the meadows afterwards. However, in this instance of the Covid paddle, I decided to do the paddle the opposite way. Reason
being is that it was mid-afternoon and I preferred the lowered sun part of the day in which to take my photos of central Cambridge but more of that later. The number of people both out and about and on the river was pretty low with absolutely no punt activity as they were all securely locked up. However, it didn’t have that feel of a few weeks earlier in which the place was totally isolated of people with a silent, eerie feel to it, which was the point of the lockdown.
INFLATABLE CANOES OR SUPS However, for this day, restrictions were slightly eased and it meant people could once again head for the water. It was interesting to note though just how many were either paddling inflatable canoes or SUPs. There wasn’t much hard plastic on display. Now whether that means there were more beginners and first timers out than normal, I don’t know but there was an obvious lack of PFDs out there. Paddling through Grantchester is a truly uplifting experience for its tranquility, peace and serenity. It’s all very gentle and picturesque with high numbers of geese, swans and ducks.The water is very clear, one of the reasons the river isn’t popular with anglers and you can see plenty of those fish.The river through the meadows is deeper than through the city and because of its clarity and clean nature is very popular with wild swimmers. Here I do a 180 and head back towards the city and with the very, very slow current. The river flows from south to north but because of the lock system through the city, it does slow any natural current.
THE MEADOWS So I paddle back past the canoe club and then under the Fen Causeway, which is the first of many bridges that we paddle beneath. At this point you are still paddling through meadows even though you’ve entered the city itself. If you stop to take in the surroundings, don’t be surprised if a herd of cows makes a beeline for you. The cows seem to inhabit the meadows all the way through summer and are friendly and curious. They will as the photo shows, reach out into your face as you sit in your kayak but as I say, there seems no menace and being a dog owner, I know how huffy cows can get!
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On a normal spring/summer day, this place all having a good time but today is quieter though by no means empty. The river too is much busier at this point with many punts shunting up and down but these punts are usually much more placid than the ones just a mile further up. You get the sense, these are more local people who just want to have a leisurely afternoon than the frantic 60-minute rides through the colleges. Today and let’s call today, ‘Covid day’, there are none to be seen as I paddle on. Left and right are dozens of water birds, many nesting and others guarding. It seems obvious that the lockdown has given nature a breather, it’s also noticeable how many more flying insects there are. However, Covid day suddenly bursts into life. As I pass row upon row of empty punts tied to the towpath, the undeniable sound of partying lies ahead. I have arrived at Mill Pond. It’s here that I portage a very small distance of perhaps 20 metres around the sluice. This is a busy area, even on Covid day! It is usually one of the busiest parts of Cambridge and its from here that you enter under Silver Street, the busiest part of the river. It’s where the River Cam ends for many people, as they call the stretch of river from this point not the Cam but the Granta. It has been said that the river is the ‘Granta’ above the Silver Street Bridge and the ‘Cam’ below it.
INTOXICATING ATMOSPHERE It’s not only a staging point for Scudamores, the largest punt company in Cambridge but a large pond area, as the name signifies, two of Cambridge’s busiest pubs (The Anchor and The Mill), a major hotel and the green area that lies in the middle is very popular with students – masses of them on summer days. The heavy smell of weed is in the air and the combination with alcohol from the two nearby pubs, makes for an intoxicating atmosphere. Even today, Covid day, there is no difference to the number of young people in various small and large groups, all having one big party! There is a difference though. Only The Mill pub is open and doing a roaring takeaway trade, whilst the Anchor is boarded up.The hotel is closed and the 50 or so punts lie silently tied up. Plus at this point there is only me on the water. Anyway, I carry my kayak from the Cam and down into the pond and paddle past the partying nd under the Silver Street Bridge. It’s here that everything turns silent as I’ve entered the canalised part of the Cam or Granta, if you prefer with Queen’s college on my left and the Mathematical Bridge ahead, joining the riverside building,
Silver Street Bridge and the Mill Pond before Covid-19
Mill Pond during Covid-19 with The Anchor pub boarded up
would be buzzing with people and families
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the oldest building on the river with Queen’s. The wooden bridge was built in 1749 of straight timbers and is unusually strong through its construction technique. However, it has been rebuilt twice. There isn’t a soul around now, as the colleges are closed and of course, the tourists are all at home.The next bridge ahead is King’s College Bridge, where just before it, a heron is flying from bank to bank, searching for a fish. Unusually, the heron let’s me approach within 20 feet or so of where’s it landed. In normal times you just wouldn’t get this. Firstly, the heron would be nowhere to be seen due to the masses of punts and secondly, they usually fly off if you get within 50 metres of them. On this occasion though, I can’t help thinking the hero would be better off in the Grantchester Meadows where the water is much clearer. Here, the water is muddy as it gets trapped between the sluice at Mill’s Pond and the lock at Jesus Green.
KING’S CHAPEL Anyway, it’s here that I approach one of the highlights of the paddle and one of the worlds most iconic colleges: King’s College and its imposing chapel, which took over 100 years to build between the rule of King Henry VI though to King Henry VIII.The time is now around 18.00 and the sun is falling and starting to cast long shadows. It’s now that King’s Chapel and its glorious facade is starting to glow in the warm settling sun. Not only that but a wild flower area has been allowed to grow directly in front of the imposing structure. Today I brought along my best zoom lens just to get this shot in front of the chapel from the river. It’s perfect, nobody to get in the way on land or in the
water. I take about a dozen shots from many angles and climb onto the bank for a better look and shot. It’s here that I see my first SUP boarder paddling past to the north, so I get back into the kayak and follow the same route. I paddle beneath Clare Bridge, the oldest surviving bridge on the Cam and onwards with Clare College on my left. In the opposite direction pass two inflatable canoes who give a cheery wave. I now go under Garret Hostel Bridge. Not one of the grandest bridges in Cambridge but certainly the most used as it’s a public bridge and not a privately owned college bridge. It is by far the busiest bridge across the Cam as it passes through what is named ‘The Backs’. Here tourists are usually jam packed taking photos of the punt strewn river or the grand Clare Bridge a couple of hundred metres away.
SERIOUS HAND/FINGER INJURY This is also the busiest part of the river. At the base of the bridge is another punt rental company and it’s right here that punts usually start to run into each other with screams, laughter, champagne pops and shouts of, “Keep your hands inside the boat,” by the knowledgable guides. It is easy to sustain a serious hand/finger injury at this point as the heavily laden punts hit off each other. Today there is only silence, not one person on Cambridge’s busiest bridge! Next up is Trinity College Bridge, yet another Grade I listed structure built just 10 years after Clare Bridge. This current bridge replace the one torn down by Cromwellian soldiers as a defence during the English Civil War. On the right, you paddle alongside the back of Trinity College but unlike many
It’s now that King’s Chapel and its glorious facade is starting to glow in the
warm settling sun
St Johns College
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of the previous colleges, with their expansive land bearing down onto the river, this has none of that, as the building itself is almost on the water. So not so grand but just ahead lies St John’s College and that doesn’t disappoint. It’s imposing gothic style looms over the river bank and as one of the largest colleges, it sprawls out to the west. Today, there is only a line of geese to prevent me from invading their never ending pristine lawns. I resist the temptation and pass under the Kitchen Bridge of the college, said to be of a design by Sir Christopher Wren.
Right: journey’s end is marked by rows of canal boats at Jesus Lock.
THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS The empty lawns on either side of the river are now replaced by the high walls of the college, as everything takes on the feeling of a canyon. It’s here that paddle under perhaps the most famous of all the cam bridges, The Bridge of Sighs. Having been to Venice and walked across their original and having walked across the St John’s version many times, I cannot see any resemblance, with the exception that they are both covered. Whereas in Venice, prisoners would sigh as they crossed the bridge on the way to being executed, the St John’s version is said to be named
after students sighing on their way to their exams. Who knows? It does get busy here though with at least half a dozen inflatable canoes and SUPs all travelling in the opposite direction. I give them a wave but nobody says very much, it’s all in silence, almost like nobody wants to speak in case of being found out - no BC numbers on display yet again.
MAGDALENE BRIDGE I’m now approaching my last outward bridge for the day, the much more modern Magdalene Bridge, rebuilt in 1982 to the same 19th century design and one of the busy road bridges in and out of the city centre.
The Bridge of Sighs
The autumnal colourful rear of St Johns. Again, there is the sound of much partying and laughter as just behind the bridge at another large punt rental place is the quayside, where people sit and line the edge of the river and there are many people!
The long and short of the Cam is this. If you don’t like crowds then stay away, however, if you like to paddle amongst man made history, then the middle Cam is a must. You’ll either love it or hate it.
It’s another 300 metres or so past here that we approach my turn round point, which is Jesus Lock, with an iron bridge over the weir that divides the 'Middle River' from the 'Lower River', where punting gives way to rowing.
The Covid day was a unique day for a paddle on one of the countries most congested rivers, a day where the river was in silence for much of the time with an eerie emptiness, giving unparalleled views of the surrounding colleges and buildings, all built to impress. That day may never come again (hopefully).
It’s here that the river also becomes much more residential with lines of long and canal boats on the sides of the river. However, I’ll leave that story to another day.
FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE: www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/news/2020/britishcanoeing-keeps-paddlers-paddling-on-the-cam
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SARDINIA Wild camping adventure
Words and photos: TaranTyla Sardinia, the second largest of the Mediterranean islands, reaching out up 1,800 metres above sea level, is a rugged, beautiful landscape and surprisingly green given its hot climate. It was this rugged greenness that captivated me during my first visit to the island and it also appealed to a group of paddlers from the Danish Viborg Kayak Club, keen to have a wild camping adventure in a Mediterranean climate. The club were a mix of experienced paddlers and some who were looking to build on their experience and gain more confidence in more challenging conditions.The weather was certainly going to provide them the opportunity!
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BRIEFING
DAY ONE AND WHAT A START!
We started the adventure with a briefing at the hotel. With nine paddlers, Ole, Henrik, Kris, Jon, Mette, Stine, Lene, Berit and Annette, there were a lot of names to remember! I hate being the bearer of bad news but first on the agenda was the wind forecast. It was going to blow! With this in mind, we adjusted the route so that the exposed island circumnavigations we planned to do, coincided on days with a lull in the winds.
With a forecast of force 2-3 winds, I planned an island hopping adventure to get us started.The most southerly of the Maddalena Islands are Soffi, Camere and Mortorio. These gorgeous islands offer themselves seductively to the adventurous paddler.The feeling of exposure at Roccia Mortorio, the furthest point from the mainland and some 5km offshore, has a raw wildness about it, with panoramic views back to the mainland.
Day two (Golfo Aranci)
Day one (Le Camere)
Day one (Cala di Ponente, Isola di Mortorio)
The winds were on the upper end of the forecast with a pleasant swell. The one hour crossing proved a good intro to see how the paddlers were on the water. We paddled and surfed our way 5km offshore to the first island of Soffi and rock-hopped our way to Le Camere for a stop on an idyllic beach.
ISOLA DI MORTORIO The next island, Isola di Mortorio, is made of weathered granite and covered in dense scrub with some exceptional beaches. Come here in mid-season and Spiaggia Mortorio looks like a boat park with mostly locals and Italians on holiday, showing off their expensive floating toys. We bypassed this beach and continued around to the wilder eastern side and headed offshore to Roccia Mortorio, literally two rocks protruding from the sea. Amazingly we saw a Hoopoo there, a quite beautiful bird and unusual to see offshore. There was a steep swell present and made it a fun exercise paddling around and through the rocks. Day one (Le Camere)
Day one (Le Camere)
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The sea was lively as we paddled back to Isola di Mortorio and made our way towards Cala di Ponente for our lunch stop. It’s an extraordinary place and one can run out of superlatives describing the scene, with the rocks looking like sculptures often taking on a likeness to animals. The sea in this bay is sheltered from most wind directions, turquoise in colour with the outlook to the mountains on the mainland holding your eye, either for beauty or the prospect of the paddle back to mainland terra firma. From Cala di Ponente we took the shortest route back to the mainland crossing from Isola di Soffi to Cala di Volpe (Bay of Foxes) and followed the coast from there to Petra Ruja, a favourite camping spot of mine and a great place to spend first night out. Day two brought with it a forecast of force 5 winds for the route along the exposed peninsular of the Golfo Aranci. It was a day of contrasts, passing the marinas and the exclusive property of the super rich to low lying coastline and shallow shoals before reaching the deep sea and high cliffs of Capo Figari, a dramatic headland reaching 342 metres up.
MARCONI SEMAFORO STATION On the summit of Capo Figari is the historic Marconi semaforo station. From the semaphoro station, Marconi received a strong signal from Rocca di Papa near Rome in 1930 and considered it a commercially viable signal. Rounding the headland we passed the rock of Sa Mama Chiatta, a stack said to resemble an old woman, others say a Mamuthone, which is a traditional rural carnival mask found in inland Sardinia. Entering the bay of Olbia we reached Isola di Figarolo, a small island that is home to the Moufloni, a wild sheep that all sheep are said to have descended from. Leaving the island we paddled past the town of the Golfo Aranci with a stop for water and more importantly, ice cream and landed again just outside of the town for our second night’s camp.
DAY THREE AND THE WINDS HAD ARRIVED! We woke to winds of force 5-6 and a metre of swell. To start the day we headed a little offshore for a 2.3KM crossing of the first bay. We caught the wind more than expected and decided to hug the shore for the rest of the day. Not only was this a good decision but it was fun too as the coastline lent itself to rockhopping and we all got some good practice manoeuvring through some tight turns, as well as getting distracted by some nude sunbathers! Before long we were paddling towards the approaches to Olbia and would have to keep an eye out for the ferries. We turned inland (due west) to minimise the length of the crossing as the winds were a steady force
Capo Figari,
a dramatic headland reaching 342 metres up
Day two Sa Mama Chiatta, Capo Figari)
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Day one (Petra Ruja)
5 and the sea was capping. The leading paddlers were having to hold position occasionally as the less experienced paddlers were struggling with maintaining direction in the high winds and falling back. As we approached the lighthouse on Isola Della Bocca, a ferry chugged out of Olbia. We stayed out of its way but as it passed the sea drew away from the shore like a Tsunami before the wake of the ship hit us. It was exciting to say the least as I looked behind me to see all the paddlers leaping through the waves, some smiling, others concentrating, all of us living the moment. The wind was on beam for the short 300 metre crossing of the port entrance and the route took us straight past the island of Isola della Bocca (Mouth Island). The lighthouse was built in 1887 and is 22 metres high. The light itself has a range of 28km. Day three (Leaving the port of Olbia, Isola della Bocca in the distance)
Day two (Golfo Aranci)
Day three (Isola Della Bocca)
Day four (Spiaggia Porto Vitello, Capo Ceraso) From the southern shore we had fun running with the wind and surfing the waves as we headed towards Murta Maria, to camp early on a quiet stretch of beach and avoid paddling around Capo Ceraso in high winds. Day four would see us paddling around the headland of Capo Ceraso. The name derives from the wild strawberry trees that are found there, the Corbezzolo also known as Ceraso di Mare.
GRANITE ROCKS The coast here is a maze of sporadic granite rocks and indented coastline that is a joy to paddle in calm weather and challenging on a rough sea, which is why we stopped early the day before. We were on the water early, just before 0800 and took our time paddling to savour the striking scenery and play amongst the rocks as we made our way east towards the tip of Capo Ceraso. We then made our way to the very secluded Spiaggia Capo Ceraso for lunch. The beach here has spectacular views of the coastline and islands that would occupy us for the next two days. The sun was shining during our lunch stop but less than two hours later we were on another beach sheltering under a tarp from the heavy rain as thunder rumbled in the nearby mountains. We sat out the storm savouring our unintentional second lunch before resuming onwards for Cala Sqadrone o Delle Vacche for the night.
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Day four (Capo Ceraso) Day four (Capo Ceraso)
Day five (Isola di Molara)
Day five (Scoglio i Cerri)
Day five and another 0800 start for what would be a wonderful day paddling around the island of Molara, my absolute favourite place to kayak on my days off from work. Molara is a private island, granite in nature and home wild goats, descended from domestic stock. Much of the coastline in between Capo Ceraso and Coda Cavallo including Molara is part of a protected marine park. Leaving our camp we immediately started kayaking through nature’s wonders, granite rocks sculpted and weathered by the sea into works of art. One such wonder actually looks like a fish jumping out of the sea. From Punta Pedrosu we began heading offshore on the 30-minute crossing to Isola di Molara on a route that took us to Cala Mariolino for a break. It was early in the day but a rest was necessary as the circumnavigation of the island is effectively an open crossing due to lack of easy egress points. The landings available were awkward and best avoided. The good landings were all on the south west of the island.
BIG SWELL Leaving the beach the sea was calm until we stuck out from the south-eastern tip at Punto Scirocco en-route for the rocks of Scoglio I Cerri, 2kms offshore. Out of the shelter of the island we were now feeling the presence of a big swell which made the paddling fun but would make paddling around the offshore rocks interesting. The sea was deserted on the seaward side of the island and we had it to ourselves save for the presence of some Mediterranean Shearwaters. At the rocks no one seemed keen to play with the large
swell present. Only Cris moved in closer for a quick photo before we returned to the island, catching waves as we went. I even got hit by a leaping Fish! From the island we then paddled to the tourist mecca of Spiaggia di Capo Coda Cavallo for an ice cream and then followed the shore northwest to Punta Molara, an extraordinary beach with remarkable views that proved to be the groups favourite camp of the trip. Day six and it was time for the big one, the big island! Tavolara is an impressive lump of rock! Limestone in fact. Said to be the petrified remains of the ship of Feaci. Guilty of bringing Ulysses back to his homeland Poseidon turned his ship to stone. Well, if that’s true then it’s a big ship! Five kilometres long, a kilometre wide and reaching up to 565 metres at its highest point Monte Cannone where the surrounding views really let you know that your in the Mediterranean and somewhere very special. The weather was ideal for this long committing paddle with low swell and light winds, but it was hot! We were off early again, 08.00 and straight onto a 4km crossing to reach the island, giving us 40 minutes to loosen the stiff muscles from five days of paddling. We stopped at Spiaggia Spalmatore di Terra to stretch a little before starting counter clockwise around the island. From the start of the circumnavigation there would be nowhere to land until we return to the peninsular on the southwestern tip as the northeastern end of the island is a restricted Nato base and off limits.
At the rocks no one seemed keen to play with the large swell present
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The route along the south-eastern side of the island really is quite an extraordinary experience with enormous sheer cliffs running the full length of the island and in places dropping 14 metres straight into the sea. Looking at the paddlers close to the cliffs really gives you a sense of scale. From Punta Papa we turn almost directly north past Ulysses Bow, a sea arch left high and dry on the cliffs. From here we gingerly paddle past the NATO base! You are allowed to paddle past but at a distance and I’ve been told off before! The northern side of the island equally as lovely but more gentle with sloping hills and some good rockhopping along the shore. Lene had this to say about Tavolara, “The island is impressive itself with the massive vertical cliffs. But it was also a kind of goal to finally to be able to paddle around Tavolara, because we could see it from almost everywhere we went. It is an incredible beautiful island and fascinating to see the caves along the sides of the island.” From Tavolara we headed to a quiet beach near Cala Finanza for the night in readiness for an early pick up the following morning as we were moving further north for the final days kayaking. Day seven, the final day. We were all up and on the water very early for a vehicle shuttle that would take us to the Costa Smeralda. This would not only give us a new area to play in but also allow us to paddle empty kayaks. With force 4-5 winds and a metre swell forecast the empty boats would be a lot more fun!
MOST EXPENSIVE LOCATION IN EUROPE The Costa Smeralda (emerald coast) is reputed to be the most expensive location in Europe with house prices around €300,000 euros per square metre!
Wealth aside it’s a lovely coastline and is still very wild in places. The morning saw us paddling past a wild undeveloped coast with mostly quiet beaches before the 1.5km crossing of Cala di Volpe. Past Cala di Volpe there are some of Sardinias most popular beaches and expensive properties. It is a beautiful landscape and the paddlers loved peering into the multi million pound homes. At Capo Capaccio the coast turns wild and rocky and we play in the swell paddling amongst the rocks. We then made our way north to the islands of Li Nibani. The Islands name comes from Gallurese, a north eastern Sardinian dialect and means the seagulls. However, to our group of paddlers the islands mean excitement! There’s a good swell running with waves pushing through gaps and clapotis on the exposed eastern side. This is really going to test everyone and I hoped at the time that it wasn’t going to prove too much for some of the paddlers. It was challenging for sure and the feedback I got from the clients afterwards was positive. Ole said, “The place we probably have spoken the most about, might have been Isolo Nibani.This was a final eye opener for the group. It actually showed the hidden capabilities, when we went through the funnel with swells coming from behind and white foam in between.The entire group was thrilled after passing this gap in the rocks.The pictures you took, where we could only see a hat or a tip of a paddle, was great to see afterwards.” From the island it was a short 2.4km back to the mainland and the end of the adventure. I’ll leave the final words to Ole, “The trip in total gave the entire group a memorable experience and friendship just grew amongst us. Everybody was just happy and relaxed, even after seven days on the sea and camping…”
Day six (Ulysses Bow, Isola di Tavolara)
Day six (Punta Molara)
Day seven (Cala Finanza)
Day six (Isola di Tavolara)
Day six (Punta Papa, Isola di Tavolara) Day six (Isola di Tavolara)
Day seven (Mainland near Li Nibani)
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SHESUPS Words and photos: Vikki Weston Founder of She SUPs (www.shesups.com.au) That was one of my many takeaways after spending 30 days paddling 30 different ‘waterways’ around Sydney as part of the She SUPs Sydney Expedition. I moved to Sydney five and a half years ago from London. I uprooted my life for a complete change of lifestyle, and I certainly got it.Within a matter of months of being in the country, I became hooked on paddling. First, it was kayaking, but then came SUP.
Being on the water helped me process the many downsides of being an ex-pat in a foreign country. Working in a toxic corporate environment (because it’s the only one that will give you a visa), loneliness and being away from family. But it also helped me gain so much too. I gained strength, learnt new skills and found my new identity. Being on the water helped me create a stronger connection to country and Australian culture, build friendships and connect with and learn from Mother Nature. The tides, seasons, currents, it was all new to me on this side of the world, and yet I found paddling to be the ideal teacher and was desperate to learn more. In 2019 I had an idea. September marks the start of spring and the start of paddle season for many ‘fair-weather’ paddlers (I’m not one of them, but can relate!) On my personal paddle journey so far, I had discovered so many untouched and hidden waterways around Sydney, that only the seasoned kayakers had ever touched. The idea was that I would paddle 30 waterways of Sydney
in 30 days, 30 different locations in one month, to inspire more women to hit the water, to discover these beautiful locations and gain the incredible benefits of paddling for themselves.
WHY WOMEN?
Well, based on my own experience, I had a hypothesis that there were many unspoken reasons why you don’t see as many female paddlers as males in the media and out on our waterways. And unfortunately, after much research, the statistics showed my hypotheses were correct. While society continues to take steps towards complete gender equality, in many countries and cultures, deeply-rooted discriminatory social norms and stereotypes remain barriers to women pursuing or participating in adventurous activities/outdoor sports. Sydney offers the ideal environment for paddlers of all experience levels and backgrounds; therefore, I had a platform, and I knew I had to do something to change those statistics.
SYDNEY
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Conducting my primary research
I learnt that many women weren’t setting out on paddle adventures as they didn’t know where to go or who to go with. So to solve problem number one, I began to curate the She SUPs Sydney Expedition to highlight the incredible paddling locations on our doorstep, showing how easy it is for anyone (especially a female paddler) to access and enjoy. For problem number two, I founded the She SUPs community, to facilitate a safe and supportive environment where women across the country (and the world), could connect with like-minded women and be empowered through their paddling adventures.
MIDDLE HARBOUR On September 1st, 2019, I paddled my first waterway of 30. Middle Harbour is a place that I’d paddled regularly and is known by many due to the iconic beaches and parks surrounding it; Balmoral, Clontarf and the Spit Bridge that connects Sydney to the Northern Beaches. However, as I’d found time and time again on this journey, paddling this waterway, offered something unique that you can’t get from seeing it on the land. Middle Harbour is often a hive of activity, but on this particular morning, it was relatively calm. As I paddled along, chatting to my friend Emily who’d come along for the ride, she offered me a coffee.Taken aback, I explained that I wanted to paddle a certain distance and didn’t plan on stopping. “No!” she said, “from that guy,” and pointed to a boat ahead of us. We paddled over and met Gary – who we quickly named ‘the coffee boatman’. Gary, the coffee boatman, drives around Sydney’s waterways, bringing barista-style coffees to boats, and now it would seem, paddlers! We attached ourselves to his boat and chatted about the beautiful environment while he crafted two perfect soy flat whites, only in Sydney.
Gary, the coffee boatman
WATERFALLS Waterway number 19, was The Hacking River, which meanders its way into Sydney’s Royal National Park. I launched from Swallow Rock at Grays Point and crossed the waterway to bury myself in amongst the safety of the mangroves. While some waterways of Sydney are untouched and feel a million miles away from the rest of the world, this area is well known by locals with jet skis and fishing boats. I quickly picked my path and darted across to the mangroves, avoiding the rowdy teens and looming jet ski wake. As I navigated deeper amongst the mangroves, the jet ski engines became a faint murmur in the distance, and I could once again enjoy the blissful sound of the bird’s chorus over the gentle splashing of my paddle I didn’t know much about this route before I set off, but it turns out I was chasing a waterfall. I could hear it before I could see it. On arrival, this waterfall wasn’t exactly Niagara Falls in its size, but it was a waterfall only accessible by SUP or kayak, meaning I had the place to myself to climb up the rocks and explore. On day number 25, our hearts raced as we could hear the train approaching. Our iSUPs were still deflating and not yet in their bags. This train was the only one for the next two hours, and it’s no guarantee it would stop. We’d have to be on the platform and waving our arms to flag it down to ensure he’d see us. Yes, this SUP location was relatively remote, and one that I’m sure isn’t tackled by many in the way we did it. But like many things, being so remote meant that it was untouched and utterly magical. We (I was joined that day by Claudia, a new member of the She SUPs Community) had taken the train from Hawkesbury River Station to Wondabyne and paddled Mullet Creek. Wondabyne is a station you have to request as you board, and pray that the train stops when you want to leave (excessive waving and flapping of arms encouraged). This waterway demonstrated the benefits of iSUPs (inflatable paddleboards), as we boarded the train with our Red Paddle Co bags, and inflated the boards on the jetty. As the name suggests, on the creek, our only company was mullets that occasionally flew out of the water to say hello. We enjoyed the peaceful serenity only occasionally interrupted by the click-clacking of the train passing by. We counted the trains as they passed, “That’s the 13:30,” – knowing that if we missed our return train, we’d have a very long paddle home.
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Above: the mansions of Sydney Right: Anzac Bridge
I focused my attention on the massive icon cutting across the horizon in front of me, Sydney’s second most famous bridge, Anzac Bridge
Of course, not all of Sydney’s waterways are tranquil and isolated. Occasionally during the expedition, I needed to paddle two locations in one day to fit all 30 into the 30 days. The inner-city routes led themselves well to this. Paddling from Rozelle Bay Pontoon, I felt the eyes of locals upon me. I gathered this inner-city waterway, more regularly the home of charter boats, ferries and fishing boats arriving or leaving from Sydney Fish Market, was not one frequently visited by SUP boarders. The water was murky, and I refused to let my thoughts drift too far about what may be lurking underneath the surface. I focused my attention on the massive icon cutting across the horizon in front of me, Sydney’s second most famous bridge, Anzac Bridge. While it was unknown to me when I first arrived in the country, Anzac Bridge is an icon of the Sydney skyline and history. As I paddled along, I couldn’t help but transport myself, via my imagination, to New York City, imagining how small I’d feel paddling the East River under the Brooklyn Bridge. Coming back to reality, a tiny paddler next to this architectural giant, I became aware that I was once again catching the attention of many onlookers. As I paddled closer to shore, a couple of girls were more than happy to take a few tourist snaps for me. I shared my mission, and they agreed to follow my journey via social media – hopefully, two more future paddlers set to hit the water. Bayview Park Boat Ramp and the water of the Parramatta River around Concord offered a different type of ‘urban’. Maybe only fascinating to me due to my childhood obsession with Willy Wonka and his giant chocolate factory, but this waterway passes alongside a factory building. One thing I love about paddling is the space and time provided to think, to drift in and out of thoughts that you wouldn’t typically give yourself time or space to think about. Today’s thoughts were factories, production lines, and the thousands of people it takes to make one small product. I still to this day don’t know what that factory makes or does. Still, I’m grateful for it featuring on my journey, encouraging me to acknowledge the value of modern produce and reflect on where our food and products come from.
WORONORA RIVER Woronora River was a waterway that was brand new to me, and I’d never heard of before the expedition, but it’s now become one of my favourites in Sydney. Located in the Sutherland Shire of Sydney, Woronora is home to a scattering of houses, only accessible by boat, and offers a peaceful and protected paddle upstream. On this day, Jane joins me, another new member of the She SUPs community who like many, had only ever paddled at beach locations and popular hire spots. As we tilted our heads back in awe as eagles circled above, and Jane chatted to the ponies grazing down by the water’s edge I was so glad to see her experiencing the benefits of paddling the lesser-known spots in Sydney. On route, we stopped for a snack. No coffee boats or cafes this time, instead Jane pointed out the edible flora along the water. Now I wouldn’t advise this approach to everyone, but Jane had recently done a course on Sydney’s edible plants and bushtucker, so I felt like I was in safe hands.
MANSION SPOTTING I can’t mention the diversity of paddling in Sydney without mentioning the incredible opportunities for mansion spotting and daydreaming of life about what property (or boat) you’d purchase if you won the lottery. Paddling around the eastern suburbs of Sydney, from Rose Bay to Watsons Bay, I passed lawns decorated like art galleries, giant yachts attached to private jetties creating an on-water extension to the mansions before them, and a lifestyle of the rich and famous. These properties had crystal waters glittering in front of them, and an uninterrupted view of Sydney Harbour Bridge but the best thing was – so did I from my paddleboard! Chuck away that lottery ticket, and get yourself a paddleboard! Ponies on Woronora River
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ROYAL NATIONAL PARK Day 29, I’d almost made it and I felt like I was finally going to achieve my mission. I optimistically set out to paddle Cabbage Tree Basin in Sydney’s Royal National Park. It was a beautiful spring afternoon, with the sun low in the sky and being a weekday in the National Park; there was pretty much no one else around. This was a route I had paddled before, so I relaxed into it within seconds, and reflected on the 29 days and waterways that I had just experienced. As I paddled, I got that weird niggling feeling that someone was watching me. I could feel a pair of eyes on my body, and I cautiously checked behind my shoulder. A stag is poised in the water. I pinched
myself, questioning whether this was some hallucination from exhaustion. Still, as I anchored my board in the sand and stopped moving, the stag continued his merry way, tip-toeing across the water and over to the mangroves on the other side. I watched in amazement as, once on the other side of the basin, the regal stag reared up onto his hind legs and stood there with outstanding balance and ate from the juicy branches above him. I watched for what felt like hours, as he moved from branch to branch, filling himself with what Cabbage Tree Basin had to offer. Eventually, he headed off into the bushes, and my stomach began to growl as I realised it was time for me to head home too.
You won't believe a recycled jacket could feel this good
THE LAST DAY Day 30 and I paddled under Sydney Harbour Bridge at sunrise. Not a route for the faint-hearted or inexperienced, but as a kayak guide for a local tourism company, I knew this route like the back of my hand, and was able to pick the perfect time and place before the ferries started their morning commutes. Sydney’s waterways are all so diverse, from harbours to rivers, inner-city islands and outer Sydney National Parks. While I set out on this mission to inspire and encourage others, I was ending the expedition feeling even more inspired myself. I had paddled 30 waterways of Sydney in 30 days, but there was still so much more to explore. Being a paddler in Sydney unlocks a new world that I’m sure many Sydneysiders have never actually experienced. If you’re ever passing through or you live in Sydney, I encourage you to take the path less travelled, jump on that SUP or kayak, and go exploring the diverse paddling environments Sydney has to offer.
VIKKI WESTON INFO It has now been one year since Vikki paddled the She SUPs Sydney Expedition and founded the She SUPs. In the past year, she’s hosted 430 female paddlers on paddles across the state of New South Wales, documented her She SUPs Sydney Expedition Journey into SUP Location Guides for paddlers, and continues her mission to empower women and girls through SUP education. Vikki lowers barriers to entry by designing unique SUP experiences exclusively for women, cultivating a strong supportive network of like-minded women, that inspires each other to hit the water, gaining all of the incredible mental and physical benefits being on the water brings. You can find out more by visiting www.shesups.com.au or following @shesups_ on Instagram.
TEREK Supple, soft and quiet, the three-layer breathable waterproof fabric of this jacket is made from 100% recycled nylon from post-industrial waste (Global Recycled Standard certificate CU818073). Tread lightly in the Terek jacket.
https://goo.gl/maps/Smtscng3PX36bphq6
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HEELING CARVING V S
or you might say,… a pitch for heeling part three Words: Marc Ornstein Photos: Bruce Kemp, Paul Klonowski and Marc Ornstein Note: in the UK, the term ‘heel’ is known as ‘edge’ and ‘pitch’ as ‘trim’. In a previous article (a pitch for heeling), I discussed how heeling the canoe (tipping the canoe to one side or the other) allows it to turn more easily.This article, I'll discuss the direction of the heel, either toward or away from the turn direction and why it makes a difference. FIRST, SOME TERMS NEED CLARIFICATION:
Heeling – refers to tipping the canoe to either side. Heeling toward or into the turn means heeling toward the direction of the turn, much like the way you lean a bicycle into a turn. Heeling away or out of the turn means heeling in the opposite direction of the turn. In other words, if you are turning left and also heel on the left side, you are heeling into the turn. If you are turning left and heeling on the right side, then you are heeling away or out of the turn. I'll try to avoid terms such as 'on side', 'off side', 'paddle side' etc. because such terms can be confusing in this context. For our purposes here the side of the canoe the paddle happens to be on is not particularly important. We’re speaking here of hull dynamics.
Carving – refers specifically to heeling away from or out of the turn. Think of carving as being a more particular form of heeling. Heeling in either direction to some extent frees the stems of the canoe, shortening the effective waterline and allowing the canoe to turn more easily. Heeling away from the direction of the turn (carving) will cause the canoe to turn more sharply and with a bit less resistance in the stern, where most of the steering takes place. All other things being equal, less paddler energy will have been expended, and more of the canoe’s momentum will have been conserved and so available to be applied to whatever travel or manoeuvre comes next.
Why, you may well ask, should heeling away from the turn (carving) be more efficient than heeling into the turn? From a technical standpoint, “[At the bow] the heeled down side intersects the water at a greater angle than the up side, and deflects the leading stem towards the side of less resistance.” (From the Freestyle Instruction Manual Ch. 4 Pg. 6 Copyright 1995 CEW).The stern is, of course, also affected.The angle that the now heeled stern presents to the water is relatively low (compared to when the canoe is heeled into the turn) which allows it to more easily plane, or slide if you will, over the water, as opposed to having to displace it.This saps less of the canoe’s momentum.We refer to this effect as the ‘stern skidding around the bow'. A simplified way of looking at it is to picture the shape of the waterline when the canoe is heeled. As you can see by comparing illustrations 1 and 2, the heeled down side presents a sharper curve to the water than the
heeled up side.You can visualize why the canoe would want to turn more sharply away from the heel. There are various reasons why one might decide to heel one way or the other. The list below is by no means complete but is food for thought. Sometimes there is no correct answer, just one that feels right or best fits the current situation. Shape of waterline when canoe is level
Centreline
Stern
Centreline
Bow
Shape of waterline when canoe is heeled
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Direction of travel
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Two examples of a tandem Post… Author’s note: the pictures in this article where paddlers are not wearing PFDs were taken at exhibitions or competitions. A PFD can sometimes hinder in executing the complex manoeuvres involved in Interpretive FreeStyle, so a special waiver allowing the wearing of a PFD while performing to be optional is in force, and there is a safety boat in the water and at the ready just ‘off stage’ at all times should it be needed. This is the only time FreeStylers may be out on the water without personal flotation.]
REASONS TO HEEL INTO THE TURN: 1. Most paddlers find that it feels more stable. If the paddle is held a bit less than vertical (grip in close but blade out a little away from the hull), it provides a bit of a brace. 2. The paddler can see how much freeboard is left.This is a good thing to know if you want to avoid swamping. 3. It is physically easier for most paddlers to heel into a turn than away from it. Heeling away from a turn takes a bit more hip/knee action and a bit of awkward reaching over the high side. 4. In moving water, if the turn will involve crossing an eddy line, heeling into the turn counters the forces of the opposing currents and reduces the likelihood of being flipped.
A Wedge, for a sharp turn, right now…
REASONS TO HEEL AWAY FROM THE TURN: 1. As described earlier, heeling away (carving) is more efficient/effective. 2. In this position, the paddle provides a high brace, throughout the turn. 3. In shallow water, if the tip of the paddle strikes the river bottom, it will likely kick out, and the paddler will recompose him or herself. Had that same paddler been heeled into the turn (toward the paddle) the paddler’s weight and balance would already be shifted toward the paddle and he/she might well have taken a header, into the drink. Carving can also be used as a method of directional control while travelling. Even with a nearly perfect forward stroke, the canoe will yaw (turn away from the paddle side) slightly, requiring some correction. A J stroke is most commonly used to counter the yaw effect. One alternative is to heel the canoe away from the turn, which causes the hull to carve toward the turn. By controlling the degree of heel, the yaw effect may be reduced or even neutralized, and the canoe kept running straight, with no correction strokes required. If the canoe is heeled further, it is even possible to initiate an onside turn. Some folks refer to this as steering with their knees since knee pressure is the primary means of controlling heel. An interesting exercise/drill that is illustrative of what we are speaking of here is to paddle an ‘Inside Circle’. Like it sounds, the canoe is paddled in a circle toward the inside (paddle side), using nothing but pure forward strokes (no correction strokes). The circle is generally initiated with a single J stroke or simply with an outside heel to start the canoe carving. Once the carve has been undertaken, one can back off a bit on the heel. If the strokes are kept short, forward of the knees, and the grip hand is stacked over the shaft hand (or even a bit overextended), the canoe will continue to carve. One can play with increasing or decreasing the diameter of the circle being paddled, all by controlling the degree of heel. With practice, the diameter of the inside circle can be increased until it is so large that one is essentially paddling a straight line. Controlling heel and pitch, and carving, are essential tools that the advanced paddler can employ to enhance their paddling experience and to become one with their canoe. Mastering the nuances of heel and pitch, along with perfecting the forward stroke can turn an otherwise stressful, challenging stream into a fun, playful day on the river.
…and useful for a tight, quick turn on the river.
A solo wedge…
…and its tandem version
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Photo: Warren Won
The Crash and Rise of
Mike Shoreman The Unbalanced
PA D D L E BOARDER Interview: Sarah Thornely (Supjunkie) Photos: Warren Won, Philip Zave Photography & Darius Bashar Photography
#PADDLESUP has become the war cry of thousands of paddle boarders all over the world after Canada’s Mike Shoreman became everybody’s darling by overcoming a debilitating illness with passion and determination, culminating with him becoming Supconnect Man of the Year 2020. I, like many others, have been fascinated with his story and have been supporting and sharing his news on social media for a couple of years – I knew, almost a year ago that this story would be good. Still, a year later on, it’s even better! Mike, thank you for helping with this interview from across the water - for those who don't know, can you let us know a little bit about yourself and your involvement in SUP? Yeah, for sure! I began paddle boarding about 12 years ago. It was just beginning to take off in the big cities in Canada. The boom was just hitting, and I went for a lesson and fell in love – the love of my life. I've heard from so many that their first experience was a rough one, mine was! I was terrible – I spent 40 minutes of that hour in the water that day, but I loved it – every wipeout. Eventually, that hobby turned into a profession, and I became certified with Paddle Canada as an advanced level flat water instructor. I then went on to open a business sharing my love of the water and the beautiful skyline with amazing people, clients – many of whom became friends. In November 2018, you were affected by a rare neurological condition which changed your life – it must have been a very distressing time – how did it affect you? Wow, that was something. So, I returned from California in late October after going out there to set up a retreat partnership with a SUP business that also focused on paddle boarding at sunset and when I returned it all went south pretty quick. My face collapsed on the right side, hearing loss, speech and some vision problems and I lost my sense of balance from reactivation of my chickenpox virus attacking my ear. Physically it was excruciating. They compare it to both your knee caps being blown out. The exhaustion from it is something I still live with today, but I manage, and it’s not as bad as it was. I still take a lot of naps now! Mentally I think it was a lot more of a journey than the physical part. Losing your business and the life I built was like living in a nightmare. I lost my independence and my social life. I shut down emotionally, a huge depression. I closed people out, and it got dark really fast until that culminated in a trip to stay at a mental health treatment facility.
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After your illness, I understand you had to close your very successful SUP-related business – that must have been a tough decision? I remember vividly sitting on the sofa and posting on all my social media platforms the announcement that the business would not be reopening. The reality had sunk in, and I knew that it wasn’t going to be possible. I could barely walk from my front door to the end of the driveway alone, so to be running something like a SUP business would be too much. I was in the darkest place I’ve ever been when I shut it all down – crushing! To lose something that you love, that you built its very emotional. Let’s talk about motivational speaking – how did you get involved, and were you inspired and helped by others? I went to visit a friend – I was in a bad way. I was using a cane and wearing an eye patch, and I was rough! Like people stared in public kind of rough. My friend said, “I know you, Mike Shoreman.You are not done.” She said she was going to send me some info for this thing called Speaker Slam. I later found out that it was Canada’s largest inspirational public speaking competition. When I applied, I didn’t think I would get accepted. It’s all professional speakers, Ted Talk speakers but I pressed send and thought maybe, you never know! I entered thinking that I would like to uplift a few people in a room of 300. I never imagined what would come of that night.
Photo: Darius Bashar Photography
Did you ever in your wildest imagination believe that your motivational speech ‘Paddles Up’ would win Speaker Slam? I had no idea that speech would do that! It was a beautiful thing - for me it was cathartic, a release. It transitioned me from being in it to moving through it, and now I’m on the other side, which is a whole different thing. My goal that night was just to uplift a few people.
Who particularly helped you through this time? There were so many things that did go right even though everything was going wrong. It seemed like it was just one knock after the next, with every appointment I’d go to for months, but I had a great support system in place. My parents were terrific. Not every parent wants to be taking care of their kid who is in their 30s, but they did, and so well with what they were given. I had friends who stuck with me when I was far from my best.The paddle boarding community learned about it slowly, and they were very gentle with me.Tony Horton, yeah, the fitness guru/legend from P90X, went through what I did a year or so before me, and he became this online friend and support to me, and his words and friendship changed everything for me.
That speech has since been watched millions of times and has inspired and helped many people – capturing the international paddling community with the #paddlesup hashtag. Has it taken you to a different world and direction? It’s all crazy! So, I guess it was a week after I won when the speech first went viral on Ashton Kutcher’s platform, and then the Power of Positivity put it on theirs. The paddle boarding community just banded together, and it became this thing celebrating and standing up for people who are struggling. Paddle boarders taking pictures of themselves in their countries with their paddles raised – it’s been a beautiful thing for me and so many. It’s a pretty wow thing when you think about it – the power of the community. It’s been one of the most beautiful things I think I’ve ever seen.
Photo: Philip Zave Photography
@theunbalancedpaddleboarder
You are an advocate for Jack.org – can you tell us about that organization and why it resonates with you particularly? Yeah, so Jack.org is an organization in Canada that trains and empowers youth to go into their communities and educate and train on mental health. Because of the journey I went on, I wanted to become involved with a mental health organization, and I felt this pull toward Jack.org. I believe youth are our future, and if we train them in becoming strong community leaders/difference makers, then future generations will benefit from that.
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Photo: Warren Won
How are you keeping your feet on the ground with all that has happened over the last year? Do you have strong friends and a family network? I have a fantastic family who supports and loves me. I think it’s been a bit whirlwind for all of us. But yeah, I have incredible friends who know when to push me and know when to tell me to slow down, to remind me I still have this condition. They tell me to rest a lot. I sometimes listen! My friends in the Toronto paddle boarding community are like family. They rallied around me, and I have felt that. A great support system! You are back on the water having been told that you potentially would never be – can you tell us about that first time and how it made you feel as we know paddling and being on or near water has been proven to help with mental health issues? People with my condition don’t do well generally with being near or on the water. I have my good experiences with it and my bad ones too where I feel sick after. Vertigo and dizziness are part of this. Not all the time, but it does happen. My first time on a board again was late May 2019, and I was with two friends who are also paddle boarders, and we went out for just a few minutes. I was nervous! But the sun hit my face, the water was flat and I felt like I was at home, like I had somehow made my way back. It was a big turning point for me.
I mentioned your book earlier, and you’ve been kind enough to keep me in the loop and give me very exciting sneak previews – can you let us know more about it and when can we expect to see it released? Yes, of course! ‘Crash and Rise: Diaries of the Unbalanced Paddleboarder’ is my story. The full story. A lot of people heard a five-minute speech, but this goes deeper into that and my mental health experience and how everything unfolded. I think there’s a good lesson of what can happen to a person who has their life collapse and what that can look like. It’s a pretty scary thing even when you are seemingly set up with supports. The book is available online for pre-order now on Amazon and officially launches on October 12th, and then it arrives on other platforms and in bookstores soon after! It’s pretty exciting! So much has happened in your life recently Mike – I understand you are now officially on the Starboard team – tell us how that happened? It’s pretty cool. Last January I had done my first paddle boarding race in the Men’s 400 metres at the Toronto Indoor Boat Show. I wiped out a few times and had to do part of it sitting down. They allowed someone to be right beside me in case I ran into trouble with vertigo or dizziness, which was excellent, and I finished, which I was pleased with. I finished dead last! I crossed that finish line almost five minutes after the other boarders got off the water in front of me, but they all cheered me in. Starboard was there and took notice and wanted to bring me on board with their brand but then the pandemic hit and things got pushed to the side. Following my win as SUP Man of the Year, one of the Starboard reps contacted me and told me they’ve been watching and love me and my story and wanted to bring me on the brand as an ambassador. Pretty cool as that’s usually reserved for the prominent athletes. But super happy to be riding Starboard and representing them while I’m paddle boarding.
@theunbalancedpaddleboarder
You have since been on a rollercoaster of public speaking, TV and radio engagements and now a book deal – we’ve been struggling to keep up! What’s been happening in the last year? I’ve had a lot of exposure! Hopefully, you all aren’t sick of me yet! A lot of that media has been specific to whatever cause I am working with, whether it's an organization for people with facial differences or mental health. I did start to get some corporate speaking jobs which were very exciting and then the pandemic hit and everything stopped. Initially, I thought, “Here we go again,” but then the pivot happened, and now the book is coming out!
You were nominated for Supconnect Man of the Year 2020 up against the world’s best SUP boarders – with the help of several thousand new friends, and you were presented with this prestigious award in August. Can you let us know how you feel about this award? I’m still processing all of it – it’s wild! Kai Lenny and Casper and all the guys are in there. And they’re all fantastic! I remember reading about Chris Bertish crossing the Atlantic on his paddle board a few years ago and thinking, “What a dude.” Chris won SUP Man of the Year in 2017, and he’s the loveliest guy. He messaged me that day to congratulate me on this win and to say he was proud and inspired by me – just the nicest guy. What made this extra special for me was that my friend and fellow Canadian Maddi Leblanc, nominated in the women’s category, won SUP Woman of the Year. I don’t think that’s happened before, so a big year for Canadians in paddle boarding. I am so proud of her. She inspires me. Maddi and I have both talked about it, and we are both very honoured and grateful.
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What is your hope for yourself, your paddling community and message for those involved in your journey? The paddle boarding community is a force of ‘SUP’er heroes. Everywhere you look, you have people making huge impacts – it’s incredible. People are paddling for charities and raising awareness for causes that are important to them. I think it’s important we stick together and continue supporting each other because when we all come together, it’s a pretty powerful thing. As for me, I will continue sharing my story until people tell me to stop and I will continue working with organizations I am passionate about and doing whatever I can to raise the profile of the sport. I think what I need to say is ‘thank you’.Thank you for the love and support and for cheering me on.You have all touched me with your posts and sharing your stories with me.The beautiful friendships and relationships that have come from this, it’s been fantastic. Guilty pleasure: Corrie! But don’t tell people. That’s our secret! I’ve been on set before. I’m a huge Tracy Barlow fan, and I think the character of Tracy would probably really benefit from paddle boarding. Would calm her down! Mike, I do believe that you are one of the most inspirational people I have never met. You have given so much hope to many paddle boarders across the world, especially those suffering from illness and mental health issues. We love following your incredible story and know that there is so, so much more to come – keep paddling and thank you so much for your time!
#paddlesup
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