Issue 1 Feb 15
ThePaddler ThePaddler magazine
SICKLINE CHAMP INTERVIEW
JOE MORLEY
For the UK’s recreational paddlers
THE ALEUTIANS IN JUSTINE CURGENVEN
101 DAYS WORLDS
BUILDING FOR THE CLAIRE O’HARA Waters of Wales
The Jurassic coast
Kayaking across Scotland
Contents
Sarah Outen, Aluetian Islands, Alaska Photo: Justine Curgenven Editor
Peter Tranter peter@thepaddler.co.uk Tel: (01480) 465081 Mob: 07411 005824 www.thepaddler.co.uk
Advertising sales
Anne Egan Tel: (01480) 465081 advertising@thepaddler.co.uk
Cover Claire O’Hara Photo by Pete Astles
Additional contributor credits: Phil Carr, Aidan Egan Tranter, Lynne Percival, David Bain. Jordy Searle, Tim Burne, Mark Skirrow, Amie Burne, Sarah Outen
Issue 01 February 2015
004 Finding the spark again By Andrew Regan
008 Women’s Paddle Symposium From Scotland by Karen Duff
012 Testing, testing
Tons of new kit reviewed and tested
028 Claire O’Hara
Wave training for the World Championships
034 Coaching
Planning by Dave Rossetter
038 Waters of Wales
The dabate on responsible access to water
046 Inverpolly, Scotland
Into the unknown with Calum Rogerson
056 Interview
With adidas Sickline champ Joe Morley
064 Journey to freedom
Sonja Jone’s pathway number two.
070 Mexico
A paddler’s wonderland by Rebecca Jones
082 United States
The Aleutian Islands, Alaska by Justine Curgenven
090 England
The Jurassic Coast by Richard Harpham Not all contributors are professional writers and photographers, so don’t be put off writing because you have no experience! The Paddler ezine is all about paddler to paddler dialogue: a paddler’s magazine written by paddlers. Next issue is April 2015 with a deadline of submissions on March 20th. Technical Information: Contributions preferably as a Microsoft Word file with 12002000 words, emailed to submissions@thepaddler.ezine.com. Images should be hiresolution 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. The publishing of an advertisement in The Paddler ezine does not necessarily mean that the parent company, 2b Graphic Design, endorse the company, item or service advertised. All material in The Paddler ezine is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without prior permission from the editor is forbidden.
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AostaValley
We ran many of the classics in the Sesia Valley and had high water adventures in the stunning
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ANDREW REGAN
Finding the spark
again…
In starting this piece I can’t help but comment on the recent kayak related tragedies that have struck the kayaking community at home and abroad. Juanito de Uguarte was somebody I had met regularly on the Ottawa River in Canada. Mostly I just spent time listening in on his coaching tips and taking note of his endless stream of positivity that he gave to paddlers he was coaching everyday. We didn’t speak a great deal, only to greet and thank each other when we worked together to help in customer rescues. he was just one of those people that you look up to without even knowing why and I know the people who do know him well are going to miss him very much.
Getting to the Alps was the easy bit. The University of Limerick Kayak Club make its annual pilgrimage to the Sesia valley in Northern Italy and I hopped on the banter bus and two blurry days later we were on the Sesia River. I helped to run an intense advanced week course for the club mainly consisting of two river trips a day and reached a peak on the advanced Egua river where a huge group of club members made a successful descent.
Closer to home, two recent tragedies in the kayaking community are still very raw with the passing of young Shane Murphy and Niall O'Broin. The Irish paddling scene is a close knit community, we all know each other and these events affect us all. Shane and Niall will be deeply missed and my thoughts are fully with their families and close friends. Such incidents and outcomes have made me question why I even kayak any longer!
Limerick then took off to Slovenia while I choose to play on Italy’s steep creeks. Fortunately for me an old pal named James Smith and his short trip to the Sesia co-ordinated with this week. James and his UK crew including Dom Burrow and Leuen Peace brought me in on their meal plans and made extra effort in order to drive me to rivers. We ran many of the classics in the Sesia Valley and had high water adventures in the stunning Aosta Valley.
If you told me I’d be questioning why I kayaked eight months ago I’d call you crazy as I was just about to embark on a summer I’d dreamed about for years. Going on a paddling trip with a solid group of your best friends is the ideal experience for many, it’s how I have travelled in the past and how I originally planned on doing my first European summer tour.
With promises to reunite at a later stage, my UK friends took off to France while I remained in Italy as I still had rivers to check off my list. I ate bananas and biscuits for one night before the generosity of the kayaking community reared its head again. This time it was Simon, Jakub and Jake from Gene 17 driving me to rivers and inviting me to wine and dine with them.
My goal of knocking off as many of the classics in mainland Europe and Norway as I could over a nine week trip was not fully matched by any of my go-to friends. Instead of being dismayed and giving up on the idea, I became intrigued. How far could I get over the summer without a staple crew, vehicle or even cooking equipment on a minimal budget? How far could enthusiasm and meeting new people take me?
Shortly after this, more university kayakers from Ireland showed up from Dublin and Galway and without even asking I was invited to paddle and join in their food plans. This culminated in being offered a lift to France. There I was reunited with good friends Joe Rea Dickins and Dom Burrow who ended up driving me around for the next four weeks. Then Leuen, a person I had met for three days in Italy, contacted me from Norway saying he had space for me if I wanted to come up.
Photo: Dan Rea Dickins
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spent a fantastic two weeks in Norway finishing with the famous Pimp and Ho party at the Sjoa River Festival before a three-day drive back to the UK. Over the summer I discovered that always travelling with the same crew can become a comfort zone in itself. By breaking out of this comfort zone I managed to paddle with at least 20 different groups of people over the summer. It’s fascinating how different crews no matter what their ability level, operate in different ways on the river in how they communicate, run safety and paddle and I felt I was in a state of constant learning throughout my time abroad and loved every minute. The only advice I can offer to people is that while having a crew that you know and trust is always a huge asset, you can take so much from paddling with new people all the time. A minor shoulder injury near the end of the Norway trip felt like a minor blip in an otherwise fantastic summer. Unfortunately the minor shoulder turned out to be more serious then first thought after re-injuring it while working and I had to undertake physio exercises six times a day to be able to get fit for the European Championships in Slovakia. After a fantastic summer full of wilderness experiences and adventures down new rivers around mainland Europe and Norway I just felt disinterested and fed-up at myself for not being able to paddle to my ability in the competition. I got home and immediately began a semester of college but the disinterest remained.
Photo: Mike Shaw
I took up board surfing and forgot about kayaking for a few weeks, finally getting myself back in a kayak at the end of October for a high water day on the Clare Glens, which ended in my first swim in Ireland for four years. My shoulder was still hurting and I wasn't enjoying kayaking.
Their hilarious phone call and coercion got me out of bed and to the high water river. I remembered the feeling of redemption and the buzz of overcoming self-doubt when I nailed my line on the rapid that had made me swim weeks beforehand. High fives at the end of the river with the people I like to kayak with most and I could feel the love returning. Last Saturday was the day I realised I will be kayaking until I can no longer physically kayak anymore. I kept up my involvement in running the Ennistymon Race and although it was a day tinged in sadness, as we remembered Shane and Niall, the atmosphere and buzz about the place was amazing. Meeting friends I hadn't seen for months, greeting new people I hadn't met before and just joking around and laughing all day whilst running waterfalls made me realise that these were the sort of experiences that got people like Shane, Niall and Juanito addicted to the sport in the first place and falling away from this atmosphere and community would be a massive mistake. I'll sign off by leaving some a video I created recently of an amazing summer.Thanks for Reading and have a great 2015 – Andrew
EuroTrash | Summer 2014
I didn’t hesitate and
Shortly after this news of various tragic events began to filter through. I focused my attention on a tough semester of assignments and exams and forgot about kayaking completely. Luckily I have good friends who rang me at 8am the morning after my exams finished having probably recognized my fading from the scene over the past few months.
Andrew Regan https://vimeo.com/112656070
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I liked
The Scottish Women Paddle Symposium was born in 2009 in a thunder clash of ideas.
it so much‌
I joined the committee
Mags Duncan, Tracey Sherrington and Morag Brown developed the plan of an event with women coaching women, where no one could hide behind each other (as we all do). The aim was to help each other reach the next level in their own personal boating achievements whether that is skill level, leading or coaching. A women only event can be off-putting for some but for others gives the opportunity to really grow in an environment that is supportive and understanding. The event offers opportunities to spend time in this environment and to network with the best female paddlers in all disciplines, not only from Scotland but with the best coaches from across the UK. As the event has grown so has the skills of everyone involved in the planning and organising of the event. Everyone gives their time for free and one outcome has been to pass on the event to others to develop longer term.
Karen was one of the women who came along for the first time in 2014. She had never been to a symposium, or a women only event. Here is her story. 2014. The year I decided to take paddling into my own hands. As the mother of two young paddlers (boys) I seem to spend half my paddling life wondering where they are and what they are doing which means I am not spending nearly as much time focusing on my own paddling. What was I going to do to take paddling into my own hands? One day when I was on my local kayak clubs forum I spotted a flyer for a women only weekend. Not only was it a women’s only paddling event, it was also a multi-discipline event.
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What more could I have asked for: a weekend paddling on my own, an opportunity to improve my sea kayaking skills and a chance to test out my new surf boat all under the guidance of some of the best female coaches kayaking has to offer. The icing on the cake was the price at £60. Yes, I would still have to pay for travel and accommodation but still cheaper than two days with a private company. Sold!
Mags Duncan, Margaret Pearson, Morag Brown,Vicki Haywood, Jutta Dimke, Kirsty Murfitt, Anne Young, Karen Duff
The Scottish Women’s Paddling Symposium Committee
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When the time came for me to go along I was a wee bit nervous as I was going on my own and I had no idea where I was going. Findhorn was up there! The A9 beckoned followed by some random B roads and not a toilet in sight when I needed one. I got registered, booked into my B&B and then spent some time meeting with some of the women I would be spending the weekend with. Day one and it was time to find the waves – surfing here we come. The group met up and jumped in the van and set off for the short journey to Sandend. We spent some time watching the water and doing some beach coaching before warming up and getting on the water. The water was a good level for beginners with only little waves, less than a foot high. The funny thing about those little waves is that they look so cute and innocent and yet lean in the wrong direction and it’s a North Sea bath for you!
only did they sell non-alcoholic beer – it was cold. A roomful of strangers can always be a bit daunting but everyone was so buzzed after a great day that the room was alive with all the chatter of everyone’s adventures. The night was only made better with the good food and amazing deserts. A raffle, where everyone really was a winner concluded before we all bade our farewells and looked forward to saying hello to our beds.
3 Star sea skills
Day two and it was time to practice some 3 Star sea skills. The weather was great again and the views over the bay were sublime. Group sizes were small again with six paddlers and two coaches. It was a good day running over all the key strokes and using docked boats and buoys as obstacles and also a great opportunity to be reminded of good practice and to have those tips whispered in your ear as to how best refine your strokes. After lunch we practiced our rescues. I had the pleasure of rediscovering what has turned out to be the impossible to patch leak in my drysuit. I did ‘women’ up though and did the lot, even throwing in a roll to see if I could do one in a sea kayak – I can. The day finished with me being cold but happy. Before I knew it our day was coming to an end. It was time to get out of our paddling gear and help everyone get their boats on their cars. A final cuppa and then it was time to drive back down the road.
The look on everyone else’s face said it all though. Surfing is awesome!
It was a great weekend; a weekend to reconnect with myself and time to connect to other women who share my passion for paddling. It was different. I can’t define how, it just was. Was it because it was an all women event? Was it because the coaching style was different to what I was used to? Was it because the support provided was different to that provided by men? I don’t know. I haven’t quite managed to work it out yet. What I do know is that I enjoyed it and not only did I learn more I tiredly drove down the road feeling confident in my paddling ability.
In the evening it was dinner at the Village Inn, catered by the Kimberly Inn. Amazing! After a quick shower and change it was off the shop and to my delight not
After the event Karen provided feedback to the committee and volunteered her help. The committee asked, “Would you like to join?”
Practice, practice, practice and I was still not loving my new surf boat; a good spot by one of our coaches and a better fitting boat was found. Surfing was starting to happen. Personally it was a pretty mixed day; I love surfing, however, a slow start with my new boat left me not quite sure what my next steps were.
The event this year is taking place in Findhorn on the weekend of the 16-17th May Find out more on our FB page and website: www.facebook.com/groups/301159310036458 www.scottishwomenspaddlesymposium.com Or you can email or phone email: swpsymposium@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 07591 249 958
Kayaking is fun… Bruce Jolliffe Kayak Coaching Kayaking Catalonia – Spanish Pyrenees In 2015 we will be offering our: Revolutionary Week – for budding freestylers, freeriders and freedom fighters. This week will be focussed on playing, both park and play and downriver fun. (Freestyle 3 Star and possibly 4 Star available on request). 4-11th July. Improvers Evolution Week – for river runners that wish to push their grade in as forgiving a learning environment as is possible. 11-18th July. Learn to Guide Week – for those that wish to grow their river sense and look after others on the water, this includes the BCU WWSR and 4 Star WW Leader course. 18-25th July.
http://brucejolliffe.com http://brucejolliffe.com
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DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS IN SOME OF THE BEST PADDLING LOCATIONS IN THE UK. TOP OF THE RANGE KIT AND EQUIPMENT.
PLASMENAI.CO.UK 01248 670964 info@plasmenai.co.uk BOOK ONLINE NOW!
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Testing, Joby Suction Cup and Locking Arm/ GorillaPod Arm http://joby.com By Dale Mears
Joby has been releasing great accessories for action cameras (POV) for many years now. The original GorillaPod being an outstanding product and now available in all sizes, colours and materials to hold whatever you can throw at them or fit in with your fashion. Easy to carry, intuitive to use and outstanding performance. So what is Joby’s latest offering and how will it improve your game? The Joby Suction Cup and Locking Arm/GorillaPod Arm is another suction cup to add to the current market. Now I know there are quite a few knocking about, GoPro produce one, Contour produce one, you can also go on eBay and pick one up for a reasonably cheap deal, but like those annoying sat nav suction cups they fall off, or simply don’t have the suction to hold onto most surfaces.
I have been using Joby’s new Suction Cup since the prototyping stages and the ability to stick onto a kayak with ease is something many people just don’t seem to try. I assume it’s fear of losing their precious camera but things have definitely moved on.The Suction Cup comes separate to the locking arm allowing you to use this with the full range of Joby Action Series products. On top of the Suction Cup is a quarter inch thread to screw in the Locking Arm or any other device. Once tightened this doesn’t budge and holds in place thanks to a small rubber washer supplied on the Locking Arm even when wet this holds in place and allows you to continue shooting. The Suction Cup itself looks like any other however has a good amount of travel before locking into place, some suction cups are very shallow so you do not get a very good airlock.This allows you to use the Joby Suction Cup on not only flat surfaces but a good range of curvatures (test it first, as this is hard to measure). I have used these or seen them used on my Wavesport Recon, Wavesport Mobius, Pyranha Burn, Lettmann Granite, and Zet Raptor with ease. My one bit of advice is to keep it to a shiny surface. However, Joby has a range of cool stickers to allow you to expand your stickability – they really have thought of everything!
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testin
ter of in
I used these earlier on this summer when filming for Joe Morley who was cartwheeling his creek boat with the Suction Cup and it stayed on strong with no problems.
dle rs - e mail us: r eviews@t hepad dler ezin e
m .co
My advice for the most secure system is to lock on the Suction Cup first, separate to the locking arm and then screw in and tighten the Locking Arm in place before tweaking your positioning. This way your Locking Arm is tight into the Suction Cup. I always recommend using a tether with the Suction Cup for extra security, I have knocked mine off a couple of times but only due to hitting it with my paddle when on a short freestyle kayak and of course the dreaded slalom poles! Amazon sell some cheap 3M tethers that do a great job.
est pad to
The Locking Arm features two ball joints and one allows you to pivot through 180 degrees and rotate through 360 so you have full control how you position your camera. I am a Contour user, so for me having the adjustability is great. Both ball joints lock in place thanks to a single twist lock knob making it quick and easy to adjust.
. If you want y o tion u rp sta r st
The Suction Cup is very intuitive, it has a red rubber band around the exterior, which can easily be gripped and twisted to lock the cup. I use these and have had no issues on my kayaks in the wet, or on my car bonnet, windscreen etc in the rain. I shall be taking mine skiing in February to try out on a ski/board too. Oh yeah and I’ve even stuck it onto a storm troopers helmet!
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e will b nd it ed a view t re uc od
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Dagger Roam Dagger have launched the Roam, a cross performance sit-on-top kayak.The Roam delivers a package of great manoeuvrability, solid tracking and predictable stability, combined with thoughtfully-designed, ergonomic outfitting and storage space. “Dagger recognizes that today’s outdoor enthusiasts need a boat that broadens the onthe-water possibilities without compromising performance,” says Jessica Prescott, Dagger’s marketing manager. “The Roam not only satisfies this demand, but offers a boat with rounded utility for multi-sport athletes.” The Roam features the new Contour Surround seat system, designed to be comfortable, manoeuvrable and versatile. The Contour Surround seat system cradles the body with fore and aft seat back adjustment, complemented by side bolsters that are comfort-inspired from white water hip pads. The outfitting features ergonomic thigh straps, which, when combined with the boat’s leg lifter, allow more connection with the kayak for quick responsiveness. Storage options include two deck hatches, multiple lashing points and a mesh tank well storage bag with a zippered sealed enclosure. The thigh strap can also be attached to the mesh bag, converting it to a courier-style daypack for hiking. A confidence-inspiring hull design is powered by a mould similar to the popular Axis crossover boat. The boat’s spring-loaded adjustable skeg allows for steady tracking in flat water, and a water-shedding trim boosts buoyancy in whitewater. www.daggereurope.com www.dagger.com
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Lowepro Dashpoint AVC cases http://www.lowepro.com By Dale Mears
These purpose built lightweight composite cases have been designed for use with all action cameras. I’ve been using both the AVC1 and AVC2 for a while now and both are handy sizes for storing your gadgetry! The AVC1 is the smaller of the two cases ideal for holding a single camera and accessories or two action cameras.This case lives in the boot of my car usually carrying a Joby Suction Cup and a few other bits and bobs and a Contour camera.The case features an easy to open zip with a good plastic keyring to open easy even if damp or muddy. Inside you are greeted with a slightly padded lined case and a simple velcro divider that can be placed to suit. In the top section of the case is a drop down divider that features a velcro flap that secures it and prevents it from opening. Inside this flap panel is a removable piece of lined and padded board with various elastic attachment loops for securing your bits and bobs, mine generally has relevant cables, attachments etc. The larger AVC2 case is roughly double the size allowing you to store much more within the case. The AVC features two dividers and a larger top section so more accessories can be stored such as remotes, mounts etc. Both cases come in a navy and black colour scheme and feature a grab loop which you can use to attach to a carabiner or backpack with ease. These cases also easily stow away in a backpack and are very compact. I find them very useful and a great way to protect my action cam gear. At a low price tag of £26 and £30 respectively, these are quite affordable.
FOLDING Canoes & Kayaks
Quest Folding Kayak
The Quests combine great looks with comfort and efficient cruising performance. Quests are ideal travel kayaks. Very light, yet ruggedly-built with space-age polyurethane materials which contain no toxic chemicals – the planet will thank you!
Puffin Saranac
Puffin Kayaks are perfect travel companions. Great stability and paddling performance make Puffins enjoyable on the water. With good looks and light-weight price, they are a pleasure to own.
PakCanoes
PakCanoes are excellent for remote wilderness trips or adventures closer to home. Light-weight, compact for easy travel and storage, yet rugged, dependable and easy paddling.
www.pakboats.com Enfield, New Hampshire, p USA (603)632-9500 • info@pakboats.com To advertise email: ads@thepaddler.co.uk or call +44 (0)1480 465081
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Peak UK 2015 Whitewater Jackets
Peak UK have updated their popular Freeride and Combi jackets for 2015. Both jackets are now constructed from Peak’s X2.5 recycled polyester and will be available in brand new colours orange or blue. The Freeride is an enduringly popular all round whitewater jacket, featuring double neoprene / latex wrists, double waist and neoprene cone neck with tension strap. Suitable for freestyle, river running and surfing all year round, the Freeride is available in sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, and XXL, has an RRP of £155 and is out now. The Combi is one of the most versatile paddling jackets around, featuring double neoprene / latex arm seals with the ability to attach Peak’s Combi Sleeves (sold separately) for a full winter jacket! Like the Freeride, the Combi also has double waist seals and a supersoft neoprene neck cone with tension strap and is suitable for all types of whitewater paddling. The Combi comes in sizes S, M, L and XL, has an RRP £155 and is also in shops now.
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The Titan pump http://redpaddleco.com
The Titan pump (A Red Paddle Co registered design) dramatically reduces the time taken and effort required to inflate your board.The pump mixes double chamber performance and a clever switching system and unique Hi-Flo handle system to achieve the new bench mark in inflatable board pump technology.The Titan is part of Red Paddle Co's commitment to producing inflatable boards that offer an authentic paddling experience. Stiffer boards create a better ride. One of the major contributing factors to board rigidity is the pressure inside the board. Red Paddle Co founder John Hibbard explains more, “We’ve pumped up a lot boards since 2008 and we’ve come a long way since we started! The current crop of high pressure style pumps came from our close partnership with the leading pump manufacturer. They work ok for small, low volume boards but we wanted to upgrade and produce a pump that addressed the major issues of the inflation process – time taken and effort required. “Using a Titan Pump can half the inflation time and, unlike the dual action style of pumps used by many brands, it drastically reduces the amount of effort required to reach the correct pressure. We prefer to spend our time paddling rather than pumping so for us the Titan is a game changer. We can’t wait to share it with everyone. “We always want to offer a hand pumping solution. While electric pumps can be used in some circumstances they are expensive and most can't reach a high enough pressure to give the best paddling performance. You also need a power or recharge source. Not so with the Titan Pump.Take it anywhere!” The Red Paddle Co Titan pump offers turbo like performance with a maximum power output of 62mph! More than double the air speed of standard pumps.
Pump comparison https://vimeo.com/116194023
MAKING LEARNING EASY Stable and forgiving, the Katana C is the ideal fleet kayak. The gentle rocker, built-in skeg and soft chines inspire confidence, to develop essential skills and make it easy to simply enjoy paddling. Outfitted for quick set-up with proven durable parts.
AC
KATAN
WWW.DAGGEREUROPE.COM
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AVAILABLE IN EUROPE FROM PALM EQUIPMENT
To advertise email: ads@thepaddlereco.uk or call +44 (0)1480 465081
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Great Barford
Canoe & kayak hire Stand up paddle board safari
Bromham
Wild campsite located next to river Tuition, guided tours & multi day trips Canoe & kayak sales Group deals, kids parties & corporate days
The Embankment
Activity vouchers, bushcraft bus & adventure activities Other locations including the River Thames, River Ivel & River Wye
Bedfordshire Canoe Trails
Call Ashley on 07960 087235 or Richard on 07710 616520 Proathlete ltd trading as Canoe Trail
Win a kinetic 100 To celebrate the launch of ThePaddlerUK, together with tootega we offer you the chance to win a fabulous Kinetic 100. Follow us on Facebook for more details in early March. To read a review of the Kinetic read issue 20 of ThePaddler ezine. ThePaddlerUK/Kinetic giveaway will close on April 10th with the results to be published in the April issue of ThePaddlerUK
ThePaddler The UK digital magazine for recreational paddlers
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SUP Mag UK is your one stop shop for all things stand up paddle related from our green and pleasant land. Awesome travel features, spotlight focus interviews, with the stars of the sport, grass roots level reports, gear reviews and U K m a g p a d d l e u p t a n d everything else in between. BIG savings over the printed version also comes with support for mobile devices - no need to install apps at all with HTML5! Optimized for all major mobile platforms including iOS, Android and Win8. And it’s available in print. Printed on top quality matt paper with thick laminated covers - it’s top notch! To subscribe to the digital copy visit: http://joom.ag/fbqb Prefer the app? Download the Joomag app from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/joomag/id454833442 and read your purchased ezine through the app on IOS. To subscribe to a printed copy visit: www.standuppaddlemag.co.uk/subscribe.html The printed paper copy costs £6.99 inc P&P for a single issue or £24.99 inc P&P for a subscription of four magazines.The first issue for 2015 appears on March 2nd. Please check the website for details and yearly subscription rate. If you have any queries please call: 01480 465081 Email: subs@thepaddler.co.uk
To advertise email: ads@thepaddler.co.uk or call +44 (0)1480 465081
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Sealskinz midlength sock I’ve used Sealskinz for some time now whilst walking, biking and kayaking either inside my dry suit for added warmth or under my Palm Paw shoes when wanting to keep my feet dry and warm. The socks always keeping my feet super dry and cosy. I recently received a few new pairs in medium and thick mid length sock from the new range. Is there any difference? Yes, the new socks have been redesigned for a better fit for your feet, noticeably around the toe area and also sport new styling, new colours and more branding. I personally think this is what the socks were missing. With regard to quality I have not noticed any difference. They still hold the water off and offer incredible warmth – I describe them as my own little microclimate! I truly love these socks and due to the current winter weather have been wearing them not only under walking boots and for paddling but inside my trainers for day to day warmth. If you’re wanting a good waterproof sock constructed from merino wool, waterproof, comfortable, warm and stylish then look no further than Sealskinz, especially if you participate in a wide range of outdoor activities. Dale Mears
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Palm Gear for 2015
http://www.palmequipmenteurope.com/ Extrem – women’s whitewater PFD
For 2015 Palm have re named their flagship women’s PFD and introduced two bright new colourways. An updated version of Palm’s Luna, the Women’s Extrem includes the full set of whitewater safety features, in a foam shape designed to provide exceptional fit and comfort for female paddlers. Failsafe shoulder straps are stitched right through to the waistband, creating an integrated harness system, and you’ll find a quick release safety harness, plenty of pockets for gear, and high visibility reflective detailing. For female paddlers who require the best in whitewater flotation. Size: XS/S, M/L, XL/XXL; Colour: Aqua/Sherbet; Price: £169.95/€219.95
Surge – whitewater jacket
Palm’s mid-range whitewater jacket, the Surge, has been re-launched for 2015, with new colours and bright contrast detailing. Palm’s do it all whitewater workhorse made from breathable 2.5-layer fabric, it features latex neck and wrist seals to keep the cold stuff firmly on the outside. After extensive fabric testing and refinement of its construction and taping process, the Surge is back; more reliable, and harder working. Size: S - XXL; Colour: Red/Blue; Price: £169.95/€219.95
Zenith – whitewater jacket
The Zenith is Palm’s do it all three season whitewater jacket. Available in a male or female versions, it features a GlideSkin neck seal for comfort, with latex wrist seals, and bright, contrast colour detailing. The Zenith is made from Palm’s XP 2.5-layer fabric, and features a new neck seal construction for improved longevity. Whether you’re paddling rivers, playboating, or surfing, the Zenith is the perfect one jacket to keep you on the water from spring to autumn. Size: S - XXL, WS - WXL; Colour: Men’s: Sherbet/Green, Women’s: Plum; Price: £149.95/€199.95
Bora – touring Jacket
New for 2015, the Bora is the premium touring jacket from Palm. Constructed in lightweight, durable 3-layer ripstop fabric for warmth and comfort, the Bora is loaded with features to keep you warm and safe in foul conditions. Inner and outer zipped neck closures, with a fleece lined ventilated collar and volume adjustable hood allow you to configure the Bora for a variety of conditions. Asymmetric cuffs keep wind off the back of your hands, and you’ll find a fleece lined handwarmer pouch for hunkering down against the wind. The Bora is available in both male and female versions, in three bright, safety conscious colours. Size: Men’s S-XXL, Womens S-XL; Colour: Mens: Red / Yellow, Women’s: Aqua; Price: £249.95/€329.95
Vantage – touring jacket
Palm’s versatile Vantage touring jacket is available in three new colours for 2015. At home on the water or on land, the Vantage is a pullover jacket constructed in Palm’s unrestrictive 3D cut. Featuring a fleece lined handwarmer pocket, zipped storage pocket, long asymmetric zip for ventilation, it will even pack down into its own hood for easy storage. Keep wind and spray off whilst paddling, wear it on your bike, to the pub at the end of the day, or pack it as a back up on your summer paddling trips. Available in Yellow , Green, or Purple, with contrast zips and detailing. Size: Men’s S-XXL, Womens S-XL; Colour: Mens: Green / Yellow; Women’s: Purple; Price: £99.95/€129.95
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Select paddles Having successfully imported and distributed Wenonah canoes and Grey Owl paddles for many years, Outdoor Active Ltd are extending their range with the addition of Select paddles. Manufactured in France by one of Europe’s leading carbon fibre specialists, the familiar green W1 whitewater paddle has already gained a strong following amongst some of the UK’s best paddlers. Richard Bennett, Outdoor Active’s Managing Director, added, “The Select range of paddles offers the discerning paddler a choice of great value upgrades to the standard paddle. We’ve been particularly pleased with interest in the Impact a great value fibreglass composite paddle designed for the paddler wanting to progress beyond the nylon reinforced blades commonly used by clubs. Another key advantage of working with Select has been our ability to offer enhancements to the performance range such as Ergo/bent shafts and splits at great prices. Add to this the extended range of whitewater and touring paddles all manufactured to the same exacting standards and high quality we’ve come to expect from Select and we believe its a great time to think again about one of the most important pieces of equipment you’ll ever buy.” Canoe and Kayak already have Select paddles in each of their three stores (Gloucestershire, Cardiff, Walsall) and will be rolling them out to selected leading retailers across the country during the next few weeks. If you’d like to know more, or want to arrange a test contact the team at Outdoor Active/Canoe and Kayak Store on 01454 261058
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Katadyn Gravity Camp 6L
http://www.katadyn.com These filters simply use the power of gravity to filter water and therefore require no pump action or battery power. This makes them particularly suitable for use around camp, where the filter will continue to work without any interaction from the user, freeing up time to set up tents/cook etc. The filtration systems are built around Katadyn’s new Ultra Flow Filter, which is a pleated glass fibre filter with a pore size of 0.2 microns that meets the industry standards for reduction of bacteria and protozoan cysts. It is extremely lightweight and its pleated nature means that it has a huge surface area for water to filter through. This vastly benefits the flow rate of the system and allows the Ultra Flow cartridge to filter water up to 2L / min – the fastest filtration rate of its kind. Glass fibre depth filters like this, in comparison to hollow fibre filters, are less prone to clogging which omits the need for back flushing. They are also much more frost resistant, making them suitable for use in all conditions. The cartridge has a capacity of around 1,500 litres but this will depend largely on the water quality used. It is therefore worth always choosing the cleanest possible water source available. To get the most from the cartridge, Katadyn have implemented a few design features, which essentially act as pre-filters: firstly, the cartridge sits slightly above the base of the bag over a small recess called the sediment trap. In use, gravity will pull larger particles past the filter element towards this recess, preventing the sediment from entering the filter cartridge even when all the water inside the bag has been filtered. It is also supplied with a cleanable protective screen which wraps around the cartridge. This traps the majority of any remaining suspended
matter before it enters the filter. If the output rate slows, the protective screen can be cleaned using the provided sponge. The reservoir consists of a rolltop drybag with welded seams and a water level indicator window. The outlet cap features a Quick Disconnect system which is self-sealing – until the outlet hose is connected, there will be no throughflow of water. To fill up the bag, you can either use a separate container where available or the bag itself, taking care not to let contaminated water get in contact with the outlet connection or end of outlet hose. Roll down the rolltop closure at least three times and clip the buckles together. This can then be used to suspend the system. To start and stop the flow of water, simply open or close the pinch valve. If you have a compatible hydration bladder (e.g. camelback), you can connect it directly to the outlet hose. As with all portable Katadyn water filtration systems, the Gravity Camp and Base Camp Pro are supplied with an outlet hose bag, to prevent any cross contamination in transit. When not in use, the entire system packs away into the black carry bag to aid transportation. The range will consist of two products: the Gravity Camp 6L filter and the Base Camp Pro 10L filter. The base camp pro features D-rings and a shoulder strap to aid suspension or transport – its larger capacity makes it ideal for group use when you don’t want to carry in lots of drinking water.
http://youtu.be/weMQbJMVKIo
When the filtration systems are not being used to filter water, they can be easily converted into a solar shower using the optional shower adaptor. Simply fill with water and let the power of the sun do its job.
Price: £90 for the Gravity Camp (6L) or £100 for Basecamp Pro (10L). Replacement filter cartridge: £45 Shower adapter: £10. For stockists: www.lyon.co.uk/outdoor/all-stockists/katadyn
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New dealer for Tiderace in Scotland After three years’ hard work and having sold a huge number of Tiderace Sea Kayaks (many to those who paddled on his trips), Roddy McDowell of Kayak Bute has decided to focus on the paddling, guiding and training part of his business. Tiderace wish him every success in these future endeavours and thank him and his team for such an effective dealership over the years.
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Neptune Surf 9ft SUP http://www.neptunesups.com By Tez Plavenieks
Neptune’s Surf 9ft was the first board from this new UK brand we stepped on. Conditions on the day were less than ideal with mushy swell the order of the day. Paddling out through the foam the 9ft initially feels a tad wobbly, although give it chance, as the board’s secondary stability soon kicks in. There’s a very familiar feel with the Surf – everything settles down and feels comfortable after the first few minutes of paddling. Handling heavy chop and froth Neptune’s design is great for intermediate to advanced riders looking for a stick to cope with shonky conditions.
With immediate effect the new Tiderace Sea Kayak dealer for Scotland is the Glenuig Inn on the Sound of Arisaig on the west coast of Scotland, run by Steve Macfarlane,
When a face does stand up it’s a quick pivot (with practice) to get paddlers in the right space before taking the drop and accelerating rapidly. Sloppy conditions highlight the true nature of your sled these really come to fore with Neptune’s offering. Riders looking to turn will be wanting a responsive ride that can carve tightly, keep going through flat spots and float round sections or up to the lip – the Neptune Surf does all this and more.
The Inn was featured in the last issue of Ocean Paddler Magazine, showing the fabulous paddling to be had in the area as well as the wonderful facilities at the Inn.
We’ll admit, we did swap out the stock fins with a more performance orientated set, and this is worth doing if you want rippability. However Neptune now has a pro range that comes with carbon rails and carbon honeycomb performance fins, so all bases are covered.The Surf, however, still has a lot of carving potential to unlock and all paddlers will enjoy discovering how far it can be pushed.
Having built the watersports side of the business with a fleet of Tiderace Sea Kayaks, it is a natural progression to provide and then sell the kayaks.
Lip hits were slick and rebounds fast but predictable. On steeper waves riders can get right over the tail which allows for some sliding action, while a quick step forward engages the nose and drives paddlers down the line.
In Steve’s words, “We are delighted to become part of the Tiderace dealer network and to introduce even more paddlers to the joy of Tiderace Sea Kayaks from our ideal location on Scotland’s iconic west coast”
Bamboo wood veneer finish is a uniquely identifiable trait for Neptune while the weight of the board was fine for all but feather lights to proactively squirt into pockets of juice.
To arrange a demo, to order a boat, or simply to have a chat about the available range, contact Steve at Glenuig Inn:
Conclusion
While not the smallest of performance SUPs on the market Neptune’s Surf 9ft is still loose enough to offer paddlers a stoke inducing session. As they manufacture their own kit, within reason, all sizes are available and at no extra cost. Riders with less than ideal wave locations will appreciate the throw about but balanced nature of the 9ft while beginner paddle surfers will discover plenty of performance to grow into.
Phone: 01687 470219 or 0795 735 6099
www.glenuig.com
Email: tideracescotland@glenuig.com
Price: £529.00 (regardless of size) or £629.00 for the Pro version (+£100.00 more to include their adjustable carbon paddle) Info: info@neptunesups.com
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Yak Riwaka dry top Chinook Dry Trousers Hallertau PFD http://www.crewsaver.co.uk/YAK Phil Carr on Unsponsored
Yak are the paddling side of the Crewsaver company. In the past Yak have catered for the middle to lower end of the market with some fantastic kit for centre and club use. Although functional and hardwearing they didn’t have the same appeal as some of the more well known brands. Over the last few months I have been testing a few pieces of Yak gear including the Riwaka dry top, Chinook dry trousers and Hallertau PFD. Yak Riwaka dry top
The Yak Riwaka in a very loud green has arrived at Unsponsored HQ. Now this is the third bit of gear from Yak that has landed here at the HQ in as many weeks and once again Yak have made a really good impression (I need to find out who is designing this stuff) – here’s why. The Riwaka is a fully featured dry top that appears to be made out of a fabric that should stand the test of time. It feels tough without being too rigid. The cut has been designed for paddling and has clearly been tailored well. I have the large size and it fits me without any form of restriction or discomfort whilst at the same time it doesn’t have an excess amount of material flapping around. Darts in the rear of the jacket allow greater freedom of movement.They also hide some reflective detailing. I am sure that it has some performance advantage but I would prefer them not to be included within the design. The fabric is both waterproof and breathable as you would expect in a dry top that has a RRP of £200 (can be found for less online).There has been some careful consideration given to how the jacket is pieced together and where/how the separate elements come together. The taping within the jacket looks good and has been well executed. Now the colour won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but I do really like it. I have several bits of gear in GREEN but this has to be one of the brightest. The contrasting blue logos and detail works well and matches the new Yak PFD perfectly (as you would expect). The top comes with both latex neck and wrist seals with additional adjustable wrist seals and a neoprene neck seal. The neck seal is pretty damn good. It’s formed by a cone and then joined to an additional band of neoprene at the top. The seal on my 15.5” neck is snug but comfortable and creates a really good seal. It’s a small design feature that I really like.
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The waist has the usual Velcro adjustment and deep inner tunnel. Matching it up with a spray deck is very straight forward and initial impressions of the seal created is good. The Riwaka has a couple of small pockets, one on the chest and another on the arm. Useful for storage gear that is OK to get wet. My car keys in an Aloksak dry pouch fitted nicely inside each of the pockets. So initial impressions are very good.The fit and feel of the dry top really puts it up there with some of the best offerings out there. A couple of nice little touches help it stand out. After a few months of very regular use the Riwaka is still as bright as ever and still performing well. Even after a couple of nasty portages late last year, the fabric is still holding up really well and the DWR treatment is still in place.
Yak Chinook Dry Trousers
The Chinooks come in a very subtle yet practical grey colour. – this is the only colour option. Both the outer waist and outer ankle seals have Velcro adjustment. whilst the Knees and bum are re-enforced with a 500d Cordura type material. The inner waist band is taller than the outer and includes a deep elastic section with a series of silicon rubber strips, that should help keep everything in place. This twin waist arrangement should allow the Chinook pants to be paired with any twin waist dry top to create a pretty good two piece system. I have used the Chinooks with Yak’s Riwaka and Sweet’s Supernova dry tops without out any issue. In fact the seal between tops and the Chinooks was very impressive even whilst swimming.
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The double fabric knees even have built in drain holes as does the reenforced seat area – a great idea that has been well executed without compromising comfort by using a grommet/metal drain hole. There is no chance of these grommets being ripped out. Just like the Riwaka dry top the quality of the taping within the Chinooks is very impressive. Underneath you can make out that all joints have been double stitched before being taped over. Throughout the winter, the Chinooks have been used extensively and have mainly been paired with the Riwaka dry top. Again the performance of the Chinooks as been impressive. The taping remains in place and the additional layers of tough fabric has allowed the Chinooks to stand up to some serious abuse. If I had the chance to improve the Chinooks in anyway I would increase the height of the inner part of the twin waist and even include some sort of bib/straps. This in addition to a pee zip would take the Chinooks up into a completely different league.
Yak Hallertau PFD
The Hallertau is a top spec river running PFD with a quick release harness and all the storage options you could ever want. If I were to draw up a shopping list of all the features that a rescue PFD should have – then the Hallertau would have it covered.
The Hallertau has a large zip on the front and is put on much like a coat. This means that it is easy to get on even over bulky dry suit zips. The zip seems solid and the top of the opening is secured with a small plastic press-stud. It works well but can sometimes be a little fiddly to snap into place with cold hands. First and foremost there is loads of storage. The Hallertau isn’t short of pockets at all. In fact Yak has gone as far as including little card cut outs showing what accessories could be stored in each of the areas. This includes a knife pocket with lanyard and a whistle pocket with lanyard. The QR rescue harness is the same as the ones found on most other rescue PFDs and includes a steel ring for clipping into. The strap along with most other PFDs is almost completely hidden within the fabric and creates a nice clean look to the PFD and minimises the chances of snagging a strap whilst on or off the water. All other straps have slots in which the loose ends can be stored, thus once again reducing the chances of snagging. The PFD has a great deal of adjustment and getting a secure fit is super easy. The Hallertau sits nice and low and has an incredibly low profile. Paddling and swimming in the Hallertau is very easy with no adverse signs of movement and certainly no hint of the PFD riding up. One superb little feature is the shoulder padding. It works really well and has just enough padding to take away some of the discomfort suffered during long portages with a kayak on your shoulder.
Conclusion
Having been familiar with older Yak designs I was expecting gear that was functional at a very basic level, i.e. the gear would do its job well enough but would not compete with the big names in the market place. However I have been blown away by the style, fit and function of all the new Yak gear that I have tried to date. Aside from a few minor niggles the Riwaka dry top, Chinook dry trousers and Hallertau PFD are all well worth checking out.
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Wave training –
l d i u b – the
s d l r o W e ’ H O ara e r i h a l t to By C In seven months time the ICF World Championships will be taking place on ‘Garb’ wave on the Ottawa river in Canada. The Ottawa River is renowned amongst freestyle kayakers as one of the best training venues and is home to some of the best surf waves in the world. In the summer there's warm water, sunshine and a mixture of small, smooth and fast technical waves, whilst in the spring it’s home to some of the biggest and most challenging waves ever surfed.
A test to its quality and standard, this will be the third time the river has been selected to host a freestyle kayak World Championships. In 1997 the Rodeo World Championships took part on the waves of the McCoys rapid. In 2007 the first ICF World Championships took place on the Lorne rapids ‘Bus Eater’ wave and now in 2015 it will host another ICF World Championships again on the Lorne rapids but this time on ‘Garburator’ wave.
On a wave
This is my fourth World Championships and second on the Ottawa river and will be one of my biggest competitive challenges yet. I will be returning as the three-time and defending Squirt Boat World Champion and two-time and defending Freestyle Kayak World Champion, to do battle for gold in both events. I will be competing against the best paddlers in the world, in categories where the standard is rising rapidly week after week, this time on a wave!
Claire training on the White Nile Photo by Dennis Newton ThePaddlerUK 29
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I grew up paddling and competing in holes across the UK and therefore became very proficient in hole boating., going on to winning my two Freestyle World titles competing in holes. Now, for the first time in over eight years I will be competing in a wave worlds. In 2007, where I finished 11th, I could count the number of days I had spent surfing waves on one hand – I was new to competing and new to surfing waves. I enjoyed the event and did really well but still didn't have much grasp on how to paddle waves, let alone how to paddle them well. In 2009 I skipped the Freestyle Worlds, a wave event, to concentrate on squirt boating where I won my first gold. Now in 2015 I have the challenge of competing against some extremely talented and experienced wave boaters on a extremely technical, fast wave.
Over the last seven years I have been aware that my wave boating level and experience has been significantly lower than my hole boating skills. However, in the last few years with the help of my coach Dennis Newton (Sweetwater Coaching), I have been doing specific wave training trips to Uganda and Canada to concentrate on developing these skills.
At the start of 2013 the standard difference really began to show again as I started nailing some crazy combos in the hole but still didn’t have much grasp of the basic wave skills. So we set about creating a plan for change. We looked at the year and set about creating a wave training and development strategy plan that would see me spending as much time as possible on waves. We noticed that all four of the major events on the freestyle tour were once again on holes and during the main wave training season in North America. So with my goal (as it has been for many years) to be the best paddler I can possibly be and with a focus on the 2015 ICF World Championships, it was a relatively easy decision. I decided to miss the ICF World Cups and European Championships and go and spend the summer training on the waves. To some it was a big call but to me and Den it just made sense. It was the only chance I would have to really gain the wave boating experience I needed in order to give myself the best chance to be as good as I possibly be in time for the Worlds.
Claire at the Payette River Games 2014 ThePaddlerUK 31
So now over a year on and after spending a full summer on waves, I realise the decision we made was the right one. It was so worthwhile. Over the last 12 months I have had some major breakthroughs. and developed an understanding of wave boating. I have not only begun to be able to throw a whole range of different moves but I have also learnt to adapt them to the different styles, speeds and shapes of the different waves. With the help of Den and many other paddling coaches and friends around the world, I have now thrown almost every wave move (left and right). I have medalled in a number of wave competitions and been able to lay down some solid routines and rides. I have made massive progress in my paddling and confidence on a wave and I am beginning to feel ready for the Worlds. My challenge now, with seven months left to go, is to take what I’ve learnt and to keep applying it to a whole mix of different waves. – to get these new wave moves consistent and technically perfect and to be able to perform them on demand as part of a routine. This is a challenge, a fun challenge, a big challenge! One I am enjoying and one I can’t wait to put to the final test.
Claire throwing a Helix on Nile Special, Uganda. Photo by Dennis Newton
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Claire dropping in to surf Habitat Wave Montreal Canada
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By Dave Rossetter –paddlesport instructor – How big is your ‘recipe’ book? I have been coaching, running coach education courses, running leadership training and mentoring other coaches/ leaders for a long time. As the saying goes, “Everyday is a school day” and this past year has certainly been true of that for me.
I am currently studying for the British Canoeing Level 4 award. This is for a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance Coaching (Paddlesport) through the University of Stirling. For those that don’t know me, this is a big thing to enter the world of education after coming out of school to kick a football around. This didn’t happen for me so the world of skiing and paddling came instead.
I enjoy the variety of environments, the challenges that need to be overcome, the stories to be told and the sense of freedom that travelling through the stunning environments. We will come back to this! Having been exposed to great coaching (and not so great coaching) over the years I have a fair handle on what the attributes of a good coach should be.
One thing that I was always impressed with is that they always seemed to have plenty of tasks and activities for everyone. It didn’t seem to matter at what level the skills were getting worked on or the ability of the student the coach always had something for them to do. This is something that keeps the sessions happening and learning continuing.
PLANNING
– Glenmore Lodge
Planning The more experienced the coach the more I started to see good flow in the session and very intuitive decisions being made. As I assess coaches at all levels this flow is something that I look for but how do you train it?
Some of the answer goes back to the variety of experiences that we have as a performer. We have solved problems ourselves and therefore we as coaches are keen to prevent others having the same problems. This problem solving approach is one that is great for the challenges that we have in our boating. It aids the students in understanding the context and the reason why a lot of paddlers come and get some coaching. They are looking too short-cut the problems and get someone to aid them who have already solved them. This ‘recipe’ approach is one that the sports coaching educationalists mention at length in a variety of sources. These ‘recipes’ use existing knowledge that may come from a variety of places.
–
building your ‘recipe’ book!
On coach education courses we often help the new coaches with how to deliver sessions so give them our ‘recipes’. This gets the new coach up and running and gives them a framework to work from. The ‘recipe’ can also come from the coach’s own experiences. Sessions that they have delivered in past that were previously successful. It can also be templates they have seen in books or videos.
These ‘recipes’ are to be encouraged and are a great way to get up and running. However, the challenge within running based on a ‘recipe’ is do you have you the right ingredients for the paddlers in front of you. As coaches we need to ensure that we have the correct ingredients to form the ‘recipe’.
Intake
Who are you coaching and what are their wants but particularly what are their needs?
With the experiences that I have as a paddler and that I do a lot of coaching over many years, I have many of these ‘recipes’ to choose from. However, I still lose sleep at night working out what to coach and how I am going to deliver to these wants and needs. By ensuring that I work with the paddlers, that I help them to achieve their goals and aspirations, aids in getting the correct solution for the challenges in their boating. By putting the individual paddler at the heart of the coaching challenges our ‘recipes’.
One size doesn’t fit at all. Some get what they need but others don’t. As coaches we can fall short of meeting the paddlers wants and needs. Also like earlier where the great coaches always had the next task/activity if working to just a ‘recipe’ we can run out of the ingredients and therefore now what? This falling short or what next can leave the paddlers that come for coaching feeling frustrated and not engaged.
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Summary Options
In my own coaching when working on new courses, courses that I haven’t delivered for a while or having a new challenge to solve then I need to put a bit more into the planning.
There is the real formal approach where using a proforma session plan can aid the coach. This helps with thinking through variety of strategies such as timing, where, types of practice, delivery strategy and space for our notes. By having this written down aids the coach. The saying ‘ink it don’t think it’ comes to mind here. This can be a lot to hold in the head. By spending time before the activity reflecting on existing ‘recipes’, looking at the ways to deal with the challenge, writing down our thoughts it aids focus and forces the coach to have a ‘plan’. Even if we don’t follow the plan we have thought through our options.We have options – plan ‘B’ / ‘C’ / ‘D’ and so on. We have thought about our questions and what we are asking them for.
Coaching is a messy unpredictable beast. It is ever changing and the challenges keep on coming. Be they because the manufacturers keep changing the boat design, harder pieces of water are looking to be paddled, our understanding of the sport is ever increasing and as paddlers come to us looking for different challenges / problems to be solved. We, as coaches, need to adapt and overcome. We shouldn’t forget the ‘recipes’ of old but we should be using them to help us create new and exciting programs / solutions for those that we coach. So my question for you coaches out there is, “How big is your ‘recipe’ book?” Happy Paddling and hope to see you on the water.
By having adopting this planning approach it can aid in getting a good night’s sleep knowing that I can at least get up and running with the session. Sometimes for the more challenging courses or new courses these plans can be a big mind map. Being able to write it down and read it helps with my thoughts and ensures that I follow the great coaches that I have witnessed and have enough tasks / activities for the paddlers that I coach.
One of the challenges to the formal approach can be the sticking to rigid plans. Not allowing our natural decisions making instincts to kick in can lead to the same frustrations as the ‘recipe’ approach.
To help me overcome this and something that you see a lot of the great coaches do is to write down in bullet point format the top line information. Taking these bullet points out onto the water with me gives me the starter of the ‘recipe’. If I am stuck or unsure of where next I have my plan to go back too.
Keeping the ‘recipe’/‘ingredient’ analogy going.When you watch the cooking shows we see the chef start of with a recipe.They get the ingredients out. Missing ingredient or different taste requirements no problem we see them adapt to meet the specific need at that time. So it is with coaching. We have the existing knowledge / plan and recipe in mind. We write it down and check it over. Meet the paddlers and adapt as required. This more formal approach or writing them down in what ever format builds on our existing experience. It starts the process over as we have added to our ‘recipe’ book.
Dave Rossetter Dave is the full time paddlesport instructor at Glenmore Lodge – Scotland’s National Outdoor Training Centre. He has been involved in the development of the new awards and provides expert advice throughout the industry on all things to do with coaching, safety, leadership and personal paddling. He is passionate about all things paddling and specialises in white water kayak and open canoe where he will most often be found. He is supported in his paddling adventures and coaching by Pyranha Kayaks, Mad River Canoes and Palm Equipment. http://www.glenmorelodge.org.uk/ http://www.pyranha.com/ http://www.palmequipmenteurope.com/ http://www.madrivercanoe.co.uk/
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“I crossed the river near Aberedw by courtesy of a fisherman, who rowed me across in his boat and I continued downstream for five tantalizing miles to Erwood… Unashamedly I paddled. A heron watched from the far side, and stood on one leg, while I stood on both and stared back… crouched there with my camera poised and the shutter set at its fastest speed, but need I say that the salmon did not leap again. I crossed the river at Roger Mortimer’s Ford and found a slow pool where I could splash and float …” WH Potts, 1949, Roaming Down the Wye
The Waters of Wales – WoW: responsible access to the waters of Wales for all; free of unnecessary restriction, while respecting other users, environment and wildlife.
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ThePaddlerUK 40 Riverside walking, boating, fishing, birdwatching, paddling, swimming and photography: some of the many leisure activities enjoyed harmoniously in, on and beside the waters of Wales. To some, this may sound too good to be true; most would be surprised to hear that responsible enjoyment of the waters of Wales is not freely available to all. Others, believing that they have exclusive rights to enjoy the water, are outraged at the prospect of public access to water and waterside for recreation.
Why is there a problem?
Wales and England are almost unique in Europe and across the world in basing their countryside management strategy on a presumption against access, contrary to the principle under English law of “That which is not forbidden is permitted.� The current legal position is unclear, and this can lead to conflict between users and/or landowners, whose
TW Cubbon discussed with locals a proposed trip down the Dee from Bala to the sea, and the
only objection was that a canoe would be more suitable than his rowing boat!
Text/photos by: Andy Quick Bob Mackay Pam Bell
TW Cubbon discussed with locals a proposed trip down the Dee from Bala to the sea, and the only objection was that a canoe would be more suitable than his rowing boat! Around this time William Bliss was documenting canoeing exploits on the Wye, Teifi, Usk, Vyrny, Lugg and Monnow. views differ as to their own rights and responsibilities and those of others. To understand how we reached this position, we need to look back at public use of water through history. Archaeology tells us that people have been using water for transport and subsistence from prehistoric times, and Roman law explicitly states that flowing waters are ‘Res Publicae’ to which access must be freely available to all. Across the former Roman Empire, the principle of ‘res publicae’ underpins present-day law relating to public access and navigation. We know less of what happened in Britain after the Romans left, but we know for certain that subsequent encroachments on navigation were redressed by Magna Carta.
Rivers enjoyed by the public
19th to 20th Century local newspapers bring to life a picture of rivers enjoyed by the public for sustenance, transport and recreation, just as they must have been from time immemorial. We can read of youths swimming in the river while coracle-fishers go about their work nearby; farmers bringing their sheep to the river to be washed before market; local boating and swimming regattas; families enjoying placid rivers and lakes in small boats, adventurous paddlers exploring the white-water reaches of our rivers.
Inland water was demonstrably being shared by a wide variety of users up to the 1940s and beyond, so how, only two decades later, did access to inland water become contentious?
Foundations for future conflict
We have no records of problems for recreational water-users until very recent times, but foundations for future conflict may have been laid early in the 20th Century, when the developing sport of flyfishing came in to conflict with the needs of netsmen fishing by coracle for sustenance or income. “Has he to forgo sewin fishing altogether, and for 19 days out of 20 for salmon fishing, merely for the sake of the leisured class, who have the time to lash the waters all day long for salmon at £2 a piece… and cheap, too, at the price. They own every yard of land, and must they own every gallon of free-running water as well? The product of the land is already theirs. They now desire the harvest of the flood all to themselves… One word with you, my friend Twm Shon Jack. What the sportsman wants is the river all to himself, and “he will get it too” if you do not wake up.” Letter to the Tivyside Advertiser 1912 The first known challenges to recreational water-users came in the 20th Century, from landowners claiming that permission was needed for swimming or
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boating in water passing their land. Records tell us that some representative bodies sought to defuse conflict by entering into ‘agreements’ to restrict their activity. While the motive was to enable unchallenged, albeit limited use of water, the unintended consequence was to reinforce the mistaken belief that permission was needed to be in or on the water. Within a very short time, many were led to believe that access to and along inland water was restricted to a small fraction of the inland waters of Wales and England.
Body of evidence for historic use
Campaigning developed along two lines: negotiation and calling for increased permission; and researching historic rights of navigation. A large body of evidence for historic use was uncovered, by individuals working independently or on behalf of BCU. No-one was aware of the full extent of the evidence, and the cost of bringing a case to court was considered to be prohibitive, so efforts to negotiate access redoubled, without significant increase in uncontested public access to water. In the 1970s a pressure group known as CRACK (Campaign for River Access for Canoes and Kayaks) arose, but was quashed by the paddlesport establishment under threats of removing existing permission and pressure from government as to future funding. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act (CRoW) passed in 1999, was originally intended to address land and water access issues, but the final bill excluded access to water. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, however, addressed public access rights across the spectrum of activities on land and water. In 2005 BCU delivered a petition and manifesto, accompanied by a protest paddle on the Thames and followed by meetings between BCU members and their constituency MPs, to the UK government at Westminster, calling for legislation for England and Wales. A presentation to the minister was met with an obviously pre-determined and uncompromising message to, “go away and identify four target rivers for agreements.”
Rev Douglas Caffyn
Rev Douglas Caffyn, whose Master of Laws thesis concluded that, “there is a public right of passage on all rivers which are physically usable” was pivotal in bringing about a
change of direction of the campaign in Wales
In the period leading to the petition, BCU became aware of the research of Rev Douglas Caffyn, whose Master of Laws (2004) thesis concluded that, “there is a public right of passage on all rivers which are physically usable” was pivotal in bringing about a change of direction of the campaign in Wales. Following the Government of Wales Act (2006), access was among the legislative areas devolved to Welsh Government. WCA (now Canoe Wales) ceased to negotiate access agreements and mounted a campaign for land reform legislation, similar to that passed in Scotland. A 10,000 signature petition was delivered, by canoe, to the Senedd in 2008.
Access agreements are based on the misunderstanding that the relevant sections of the rivers are private
The petitions committee commented after a short inquiry: “We believe that the clear balance of rights in Scotland has inherently moved the access debate forward onto a more productive footing.” “Different parties in Scotland have been able to leave behind cul-de-sac positions concerning who has which legal rights on their side... “We therefore suggest it provides a useful basis from which a unique Welsh model may be developed.”
Same failed strategy
In 2010, despite the Petitions Committee’s recommendations; following a full inquiry which heard how voluntary agreements had failed to work, and of the success achieved in Scotland; Welsh Government decided to continue with the same failed strategy by recommending: ● the setting up of voluntary access agreements by landowners ● that SPLASH funding be targeted at these pilot projects; and that ● the effects of the pilot projects should be closely monitored and the outcomes widely disseminated.
By coincidence, Rev Caffyn completed his PhD the same year, and in 2011 wrote, “…expenditure on negotiating access agreements, and the resulting delay in implementing the policy, is not required. Access agreements are based on the misunderstanding that the relevant sections of the rivers are private.” Over the next two years, a series of ‘Round-Table Discussions’ took place, and ‘SPLASH’ funded projects were implemented. More than £2m of public money was spent, with no demonstrable improvement in public access to inland water.
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Following a review, in October 2013 the Welsh Government wrote: “The report of the National Assembly for Wales’ Sustainability Committee on their Inquiry into Access to Inland Waters in Wales (2010) advocated that in the short term effort should focus on establishing voluntary agreements, but should the Assembly secure legislative competence in this area that introducing legislation to address areas where conflict persists would also be desirable.Three years on there continues to be conflict between different user groups and voluntary access agreements do not appear to be working Wales wide. The Minister now believes that it is necessary to explore ways of seeking to bring clarity and certainty for all on where they can go and what activities they can do, whilst ensuring proper safeguards for both nature conservation and the interests of owners.The Committee’s findings are informing this current review.”
By Welsh Government’s own account, the strategy of agreements funded by SPLASH has not delivered.The Green Paper promised for December 2013 has been considerably delayed.The continuation of SPLASH is unlikely, but there is no indication of Welsh Government’s future intentions regarding public access to inland water. It is difficult to draw any conclusion other than, as with CRoW, public access to the waters of Wales has been sacrificed to ease future legislation for access to land. There is a real danger that access to water will disappear completely from the Welsh Government agenda. Opponents of access to water seek to weaken the case for public rights by dividing the water and landbased aspects of countryside and/or representing the issue as polarised local conflict. Once again we see ‘access agreements’ developing between limited users, which are then used to bring pressure on the wider public to conform. Waters of Wales believe that legislation is urgently needed that will address the needs of all for responsible access whether land or water-based. We will continue to campaign for land reform legislation to benefit all, but we consider that while the needs of land-based recreational users are well represented, there is no one body which seeks to represent the needs of the wider water-using public, allowing these to be sidelined or ignored. We decided to set up an independent community campaign because we see a need for representation of the public who wish to enjoy recreation on the waters of Wales.
Delight at the Welsh Government’s new-found determination to represent the public interest was, however, short-lived and only two months later, after a ‘reshuffle’ a new statement was issued: “On water, there is a need to see an increase in the number of voluntary access agreements providing for a range of recreational activities. We will therefore publish a Green Paper on improving public access to land and seeking better facilitation of voluntary access to water. We do not plan to pursue primary legislation in this assembly term.”
Waters of Wales – WoW is a community campaign with the core aim of representing the water-using public of Wales with a view to achieving legislation similar to the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, to enshrine public rights, with responsibilities, of access to the countryside, including water, of Wales.The WoW community includes a range of water-users including, but not exclusively, swimmers, walkers, birdwatchers, photographers and boaters. Community members may be individuals or members of groups clubs and organisations. The next Welsh General Election is in 2016 and WoW is already campaigning to get legislation to enshrine public rights with responsibilities to the Welsh countryside, including water, back on the government agenda.
www.watersofwales.org.uk Follow the campaign on www.facebook.com/WatersofWales or @WatersofWales Contact admin@watersofwales.org.uk to volunteer your services.
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A canoe unknown By Calum Rogerson
adventure into the
For most people in the UK, they are unlikely to know much about, or indeed heard of the Inverpolly National Nature Reserve in the north west of Scotland. It’s about as remote as you can get in the UK and really can be considered as one of the last true wildernesses on our shores.That’s what makes it such an awesome place to explore by canoe! So, why should you go paddling there?
Ok, it takes a long time to get there from just about anywhere south of Inverness. It does have the odd midge or two during the summer months sniffing out tasty human prey and it occasionally gets a bit breezy, but that’s all part of the fun!
TIP one Travel as light as possible, yet don’t leave anything behind that could really spoil your trip
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For those of you interested in what lies beneath our feet, the rocks you’ll find in the Inverpolly area, and indeed that run up the north west coast of Scotland, are about as old as it gets, in geological terms. These rocks provide the foundation for a stunning landscape, which is so different to what you see anywhere else in the country. Indeed, the North West Highlands has Geopark status, endorsed by UNESCO as an area with a high quality of geological heritage (http://www.nwhgeopark.com).
As you approach the reserve, the landscape becomes more barren; only after a while does it dawn on you that you haven’t see many trees recently. You’ll see plenty in the way of water, with lochs and lochans stretching off into the distance as you drive up the A835 towards Elphin. Even in the height of summer this area will remain relatively quiet and should you decide to take your canoe with you, the chances are that you won’t come across another living soul out in the wilderness.This really is an adventure waiting to happen.
Where should you paddle?
There’s one particular route I wanted to tell you about that provides an opportunity to get well off the beaten track with your canoe, although I should add, not without a bit of hard work. This trip is also tempting because it offers the chance to don your walking boots and rucksacks for a bit of uphill exploration. One such diversion from your canoe journey might be to climb the iconic Suilven, which rises from the barren landscape like nothing else you’ve seen.
Suilven
TIP two It’s extremely important that you carry out all your rubbish and leave campsites as you found them.
Think ‘leave no trace’
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TIP three
You won’t find much in the way of firewood to burn so don’t plan on having campfires. If you take your own wood, use a firepan to
protect the ground
Allow yourself three
or four days for this trip, and starting at the tiny village of Elphin, make your way from the road, down the track to Loch Veyatie. Unless you’re lucky and the gate is open, this will involve a 500-600m portage to the water, so take your trolley! In terms of paddling, the distances you’ll encounter aren’t huge, but what they lack in size, they certainly make up for in interest. Paddling west along Loch Veyatie you have Cul Mor to your left and Suilven will gradually come into view as you approach Fionn Loch. It’s only around 11km to the far end of Fionn Loch, where the River Kirkaig starts its tumbling descent to the coast about 5km away.
Once you reach Fionn Loch you have the ideal opportunity to pitch your tent in the shadow of Suilven, and if daylight permits you could even nip up for a glorious west coast sunset that evening. Alternatively, you could nip up the next morning after porridge and coffee, to take in the awesome views that await you across to Canisp and Quinag in the north.
A choice
At this point you have a choice: return the way you came to Elphin, or with a bit of hard work get out and pull your boat! From Fionn Loch you paddle for a short distance on River Arkaig, landing again soon and making your way over land to Loch Sionascaig. However, if you have time to spare you can take a wander down to see the Falls or Kirkaig, but probably best to avoid them in your canoe!
You may need to empty some of the contents out of your canoe, depending on how many home comforts you take along with you. You’ll have a portage of around 600-700m over to the next lochan before jumping in your boat again. After a short paddle you have a similar length of portage before reaching Loch Sionsacaig. This can understandably be tiring, so do think carefully about what equipment you take along with you on this trip. You need enough to be self-sufficient, as you won’t find any convenience stores out there, but you do have to lug it all everywhere you go. Loch Sionsacaig now awaits you, with islands to explore, wildlife to watch and mountains to climb if your legs are willing. You could easily spend another day here taking in all that is on offer and camp for another night. For this particular journey, the end point isn’t far away, but the more adventurous amongst you could exit the loch via Loch na Dail (at the northwest corner) and wheel your boat down the minor road to Loch Bad a Ghaill. From here you can paddle back towards the A835 at Drumrunie, although to reach there would involve a 3.5km portage along the minor road.
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However, for our
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trip we’ll exit Sionascaig via Boat Bay in the north, across to Loch Buine Moire and out at the roadside, where you will hopefully be reunited with a car that you remembered to leave there! The logistics of this journey do involve a bit of inconvenience if you’re running shuttles yourself, but it’s totally feasible if you have sufficient roof bar space and take the time to plan it. Alternatively, pre-arrange a shuttle service to collect you and your equipment and take you back to your vehicle at Elphin.
This really is an awesome experience, made all the richer by the sense of achievement you’ll get having completed it. You’ll be tired, midge-bitten, badly in need of a shower and looking forward to a cup of tea with some fresh home baking. However, you will have ventured where only a tiny proportion of the population could claim to have been. This trip certainly isn’t for everyone, yet it’s not so difficult that it should be automatically added to the ‘out of my league’ list of canoe journeys. With careful planning, a bit of determination and perhaps a bit of advice from those in the know, this really could be a trip to remember for all the right reasons.
TIP four Take your time to enjoy the experience
The Prospector 15 is a scaleddown version of our larger Prospectors, that’s faithful to the original lines in every way. You get all the great handling features that make the Prospector a paddling legend in a package that’s smaller but more responsive. Great for all round paddling, a good rocker and high freeboard suits white water and offers a good level of capacity for tandem tripping . Now available in roto-moulded polyethylene
A great boat with budget pricing whilst maintaining all the characteristics offered above.
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White Water Consultancy Old Village Hall Bronwydd Carmarthen SA33 6BE
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Photographer Deon TerBlanche
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WITHTHE ADIDAS
SICKLINE CHAMPION JOE MORLEY
Interview: Peter Tranter Photo: Jordy Searle
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F
irstly, where was your first paddle? The River Ure - Sleningford Watermill, Ripon
…and where was your first descent? I can’t remember, probably the Washburn.
What got you hooked on white water kayaking? The freedom and the challenge.
Only early doors but what is the biggest accomplishment of your career so far? There have been a few biggies but probably my second Sickline title. After I won the first time around a few people were giving me chat about getting lucky, so it was nice to show them!
What would be your ultimate achievement? To make a living out of kayaking. It would be beauty to be able to devote 100% of my time to kayaking.
Can you describe the feeling of winning the adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championship? It was a huge buzz! We got a big apartment with a super good crew, so there was a beauty atmosphere all week and when I won it just amped everyone up. It was mint to be able to share the experience with everyone!
I was born in the greatest city in the north of England/possibly the world: Leeds. I grew up just outside the city in a pretty suburban setting with my mum, dad and older sister. I was well into MTB and rode my bike everyday until one day aged 11, I said to my dad, I want to go kayaking… So, we went kayaking. Dad got involved too and we did the weekly pool session with West Yorkshire Canoe Club in Wakefield. I got into the slalom side and trained at Bradford and Bingley Canoe Club. Once I’d finished school I moved down to Nottingham to train full-time at Holme Pierrepont. I perused slalom and paddled white water a bit on the side until 2012, where afterwards I packed in the slalom, did a ski season in France and cracked on with the white water scene.
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What are your goals for the next 12 months? Have you ever been scared and if not – what would it take? I get scared on the river all the time, its all part of the fun!
Any advice for those starting extreme kayaking? Get with a good crowd of competent boaters and get amongst it as much as you can!
Competition or river running – which gives the most satisfaction? Winning a competition for sure! Nailing a rapid is sweet but nailing a rapid quicker than everybody else is super satisfying.
When preparing for an expedition to a far away place in challenging conditions – what are the qualities you look for in a fellow kayaker? They have to be good mates, good paddlers, organized and quick at getting ready. Faff is the enemy!
West coast camp
I’m aiming to hit the Little White Race this year and spend more time in the States, improve on eighth place (from 2014) at the North Fork Race and another Sickline title.
Where do you see yourself in 20 years? Hopefully still getting at it and living the dream – possibly with a family.
Besides kayaking, what other sports do you pursue? I still ride MTB and love to surf. I’ve been getting into SUP surfing – it’s epic!
Can you talk about your training? Greatest inspiration? Who/what kept you motivated? My old man is a great inspiration to me, he’s still super fit and trains pretty hard. I get a kick out of pushing myself physically and love competition so I find it easy to be motivated. I guess I just want to beat everyone – all the time.
I’m a paddler and looking for the perfect river, where would you recommend? That depends on what kind of water your into, big volume? Steep? Gorge? Scenic? I’d probably say get yourself to Norway, there is so much good stuff, huge variety and compact!
What river would be on your bucket list? I really want to get down the Zam – before the damn dam!
Chilling down under
facebook.com/joe.morley.9
Who are your kayaking buddies?
That’s pretty dependant on where I am. Over in New Zealand this season I’ve been paddling a lot with the baby bird (Ryan Lucas). I’ve also spent a lot of time paddling with David Bain and Jenny Chrimes. My next mission is to Croatia with David, Barney Prees and Oscar McBurney.
Where would you like to see extreme racing go in the future?
I’d love to see the sport keep growing the way it is. The events are getting bigger, the rivers we race are getting bigger, the participation is getting bigger and the attention it attracts is getting bigger. There is nothing better than watching a load of beauty boaters battle it out on some burly white water with a DJ cracking out tunes from a Redbull truck on the bank. It’s sick to see big name brands like Redbull, GoPro and adidas getting involved and I’m excited to see how big it can go with the right backing. There is definitely scope to go huge with it, there are rivers over in New Zealand that could easily host races that would be an absolute spectacle!
Watch Joe’s 2014 Sickline winning run http://www.adidas-sickline.com/en/gallery/videos/
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Quickies…
If you could paddle with anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be? It would be a right laugh taking Keith Lemon down a river. He’s well funny and I reckon it would be easy to scare the shit out of him!
Which one sports personality has inspired you? Paul Ratcliffe
Pick two celebrities to be your parents Travis Pastrana and Holly Willoughby
Favourite iPod track?
That’s a tricky one… my iPod is pretty diverse. It’s totally mood dependent but Cornerstone by the Arctic Monkeys never gets skipped.
Cats or dogs? Dogs!
Facebook or Twitter?
Facebook. Twitter is terrible. I don’t really care what people have to say, I just like looking at pictures which Twitter seems to lack.
An ideal night out for you is?
All the boys round mine, heaps of drinking, stupid fancy dress, wander into town to rage in a dirty club.
What one luxury item would you take with you on a desert island?
If a fully stocked, fully staffed five-star luxury hotel counted as one item, then that. If not, a helicopter with enough fuel to fly to the closest civilization. If not, a torch or Holly Willoughby.
What do you get really angry about?
People being amazed that I don’t like tea. I don’t like tea… get over it! Also tea.
If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us? Probably the best curry of your life.
Any broken bones? Fractured skull. Back.
If you could be a superhero for one day, what superpower would you choose and why? Hum… that’s deep. I’d go for the aqua man breath under water thing so I could huck the biggest dirtiest rapid of all time and not worry about it.
Favourite sport’s team?
Im not really into team sports, too many of them involve chasing balls. I’ll watch international rugby when it’s on but I follow the downhill world cup and a lot of action sports.
What’s the most boring question you are often asked? If I would like a cup of tea…
Fill in the blanks:
I am – fired up for 2015!
Any final shout outs?
I’d like to say a big thanks everyone who supports me. The guys at PeakUK for making the best kayaking gear in the bizz, Lettmann for making the best boats and paddles in the game and obviously my mum! Plus you guys for being interested! Keep your eyes on my Instagram – joe.morley and my athlete page on Facebook for the latest on what’s going down!
Joe Morley Cheers Joe…
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JOURNEYTO
FREEDOM By Sonja Jones
October 2013 I was 27 years old and urgently hospitalised with suspected stroke. I couldn’t move my left hand very well and was incredibly weak down the left side. I was unable to open my mouth properly to speak or eat, and couldn’t even smile. Numerous blood tests, two MRI scans, and a lumber puncture later revealed that I actually have Multiple Sclerosis (MS). I didn’t see that coming. On leaving hospital, the gravitas of the situation set in. I felt that there were two pathways before me. Pathway one could lead down a spiral staircase of self-pitying and depression to a future of doubt, lack of confidence, and ultimately a half-life. Or Pathway two could start with buckets of ice cold water being chucked over me to get my blood pumping and wake me up, followed by a life of self-exploration, adventure, love, and joy (with a few mountains to climb here and there). After much contemplation, I chose Pathway Two. I realised that I had been living life on autopilot based on what I believed society expected of me; go to university, get a good stable career where I’m supposed to wear a suit, and herein lies the cycle of Monday-Friday 9am-5pm humdrum life until I retire, which at this rate will probably be at 80. This siren that was MS (or Malcolm as I call it), was screeching at me so loudly, that my entire being was poised for action. Pathway two was glaring before me; it was showing me the way to an alternative life, a rich life full of passion and endless possibility. If you told me this time last year that in May 2015 I am to kayak Scotland coast to coast, I would have laughed you out the room. In terms of physical strength, I was still very weak, and emotionally, I was getting used to the idea of my new companion, Malcolm. Malcolm had made life’s inevitable uncertainty so much more profound and so I felt paralysed by the sheer volume of things I wanted to do. I didn’t know where to begin. This disease is nothing but unpredictable. I might stay the way I currently am, functioning pretty much normally (the
medication helps that I’m sure) but with Malcolm, like an annoying younger brother irritating me from time to time; or I could eventually be very disabled, or somewhere in between. I have no idea how this life is going to take shape, then again, who does? Malcolm has made me feel mortal, and for that, I thank him, and regard him now as my best friend, not my enemy. “What, a neurodegenerative disease is your best friend?” I hear you cry. Let me explain. By being woken up and granted pathway two, I now understand what it means to truly live and not simply exist. Mine and my partner’s world has become vivid technicolour, rather than pastel shades. I believe it has driven us both to follow our hearts and make those day dreams a reality. I have had a tendency to daydream about adventure rather than embarking on one. After months of strength and confidence building, I decided to work on the road to fun – I plunged into the world of kayaking.
“What, a neurodegenerative disease is your best friend?” I hear you cry.
Let me explain. By being woken up and granted pathway two, I now understand what it means to truly live and not simply exist.
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I got my paddle on Kayaking has always been there in the back of my mind as something I really wanted to get in to. I was lucky enough to be sent on a few PGL holidays as a teenager, and every time, I would try to do as much water sport as possible, especially kayaking. I have always treasured those memories of playing kayaking based games in the canals and lakes, and howling with laughter whenever anyone lost their balance and with a giant wobble fell in and got mystery sludge in their shoes. As an adult I have always lived near canals or rivers in Leeds, Manchester, and now Wales, where, I’ve seen people whizzing like pond skaters over bodies of flat water or others jumping like salmon in turbulent rapids. No matter the medium – all seem to be in a state of mindfulness, close to nature, and oozing happiness. I wanted in on this aquatic world.
You don’t need to leave the UK to experience scenic-heaven
I have had a couple of sessions in adulthood, my favourite being with a chap called John Jones, accompanied by my friend, Claire, around Borth y Gest bay. If you haven’t been there, you must go. The mountainous backdrop and the crystal clear waters of the bay, where you can see an array of marine life pootling about below you as you glide across the surface is nothing but spectacular. You don’t need to leave the UK to experience scenic-heaven. That beautiful session was about two years ago and I vowed to take it up properly back then, but unfortunately my demanding job was a barrier to that, or perhaps I didn’t try hard enough. Over the past couple of years, a portion of my work has led me to be surrounded by kayakers (more specifically, their ears, when providing them with protection against surfer’s ear – but that’s another story for another day) and so naturally I had made a few contacts. I wanted to start kayaking but because confidence in my own physical ability was low as I hadn’t done any exercise whatsoever since the arrival of Malcolm, and also being such an unpredictable soul, he might rear his cheeky head mid-session and make life tricky. I wanted to be sure that my teacher was to be an understanding and patient one, but one that would have the confidence to push me to my true ability.
Chris made me feel that anything is possible and immediately we made a pact to adopt
‘the sky’s the limit’ ethos
October 2014, I contacted my pen pal, Claire O’Hara for suggestions of coaches, who put me on to Kelda Wood (paracanoeist and part of the Team GB 2016 Olympic squad) for further advice. It was through Kelda that I met my coach from Team Pyranha, Chris Brain. From the very first emails whizzing to and fro about my need to do some exercise, and how kayaking might be good for not only rehabilitation but mental wellbeing – Chris has been nothing but motivational and supportive. For the first time since the onset of Malcolm, I felt like I could achieve anything and that my body does not need to feel like a prison. I could not wait for our first session together; I was so nervous and excited. On our first session, we went for a cup of tea to get to know each other prior to paddling, but because we had corresponded so much, it felt like I was catching up an old friend. Very quickly we became giddy as fishes where our conversation got on to how we were going to conquer the kayaking world with our first mission being Scotland coast to coast in 2015. WOW! What a quest and by golly are we going to have an amazing journey doing it. Chris made me feel that anything is possible and immediately we made a pact to adopt ‘the sky’s the limit’ ethos. From what I gather, we have gone about training very differently to most. Rather than concentrate on the technical aspects of paddling on flat water as a starting point, from the very first session, we got stuck in to moving water – I even handled some rapids down at the Mile End Mill, Llangollen (check out my blog to follow our journey together). I really enjoy this way of learning – rather than over think strokes and get stressed out about whether I’m doing it properly, I’m learning by doing. As long as I get from A to B safely, confidently, efficiently, and happily – that is all that matters to me. Maybe at a later date, we’ll concentrate on the specifics. By my third session, I have already paddled; around Mile End Mill (Llangollen), a 19Km adventure from Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to the Boat at Erbistock on the River Dee, and have graduated from a Pyranha Fusion Sit on Top for the afore mentioned sessions to a Pyranha Burn for a 15Km trip from Glyndyfrdwy to the Horseshoe Falls on a very high, fast and scary (for me) river. Each session just gets better and better where expectations are surpassed every single time. It’s an amazing feeling. I couldn’t wish for a better coach to guide me through this unbelievable journey.
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Our epic quest All of this kayak training isn’t for nothing. I wanted a goal to work towards to not only increase my fitness and self-awareness, but to help educate the general public about what it can mean to have MS. My God Mother had MS; she passed away a few years ago. When I was told I had it – I immediately thought of her and assumed that I would stay semi paralysed down one side and unable to speak properly for the rest of my life, and be just like her from the word go; severely disabled. From speaking with my friends and family, their perception of it was no different to my own. It has only been since living with it and meeting others with MS that has made me understand that it is unique for everyone. May 11-13th, over a period of three days rather than the recommended five, a group of eight of us will be kayaking in excess of 60 miles from Fort William to Inverness. We will be navigating a series of lochs and canals; including the famous Loch Ness… I hope Nessie doesn’t think us a tasty treat whilst we’re sleeping under the twinkly stars!
Fundraising for two charities
I have decided to fundraise for two charities off the back of the quest, The Cheshire Wildlife Trust Living Seas project, and Climbing Out. It would be so great if this adventure could not only help to increase public understanding of how varied life can be like for those with MS (particularly for those newly diagnosed), but to also raise some money along the way for two fantastic charities. If you can, any pennies you can spare would be gratefully received.
BLOG: https://paddlehigh5. wordpress.com Thankyou to you and my sponsors for your supportknowing you are there in the background will make any pain experienced during the process sweet. I already know this will be the hardest thing I have ever done both physically and mentally, but I know I can get through it, especially because I have you there cheering me on.
Stay tuned for paddling updates. Thanks to the following sponsors: Pyranha Kayaks; VE Paddles; Astral hf Safety Gear https://paddlehigh5.wordpress.com/ about/please-sponsor-me
Above: Chris Brain of www.chrisbraincoaching.com
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The water is a tropical temperature, bright azure blue and crystal clear
Totonac temples, tacos and tourist yakking
Story: Rebecca Jones Photos: Rebecca Jones,Tim Burne and Amie Burne with Mark Skirrow I’m not going to lie, Mexico was never really on my to do list. If you had asked me six months before where my next paddling trip was going to be I would definitely have said the Zambezi. However, a chance text message from a friend and a boyfriend refusing to grapple with crocodiles meant that the invite was accepted. So in November 2014 Tim and Amie Burne, Mark “Skiz” Skirrow and myself headed off to Heathrow. We had booked flights with a vague plan to spend two weeks travelling around the states of San Luis Potosi and Veracruz. Mexico is a really varied paddler friendly country. Yes, there is gnarl but there is also something for everyone.
e on Burn Tim a cc be Re dit Cre os. Mic
Jon es
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Rebecca on El Salto Credit Tim Burne
TiM BURne ToP RiveR exPeRience: The oTheRS MighT lynch Me foR SAying ThiS, BUT The MoST MeMoRABle RiveR foR Me wAS PRoBABly The SAnTA MARiA. noT So MUch foR The qUAliTy of RiveR – TheRe weRe SoMe nice RAPidS, BUT TheRe wAS An enoRMoUS flAT SecTion And SoMe of The MoRe MeATy RAPidS weRe A liTTle hARd (And SiPhon filled) foR oUR SMAll TeAM MeAning A fAiR ShARe of PoRTAgeS. howeveR,The STUnning TAKeoUT followed By The AdvenTUReS TRying (And foR A long TiMe fAiling) To find oUR dRiveR MAde foR An enTeRTAining SToRy – in ReTRoSPecT AT leAST. i love A good doSe of dRAMA!
Travertine central After arriving in Mexico City at 5am we set off on the bus leg of our journey. The bus companies are super helpful with kayaks and they were never really a problem as long as you turned up first in line to get the luggage on board. It’s many miles to get from Mexico City to Ciudad Valles so after spending pretty much the entire day on the bus, when we arrived at the bus station we walked across the road to the nearest hotel we could find. Ciudad Valles is an industrial town so there isn’t a great deal of accommodation choice. So after a night in an interesting hotel we were picked up by a driver and taken to the Cascadas Micos. There is no other way of describing this than Disneyland for kayakers – especially with the queues of Mexican adventure tourists waiting to jump off the falls. I cannot get across in words how beautiful this river is. The water is a tropical temperature, bright azure blue and crystal clear. What follows is a series of super happy fun slides and drops that range in size from about eight to 25 feet. The travertine is a bit weird. We kayaked the Micos when it was considered to be high which meant more water was flowing over the travertine than in the guidebook pictures, which is no bad thing. This opens up a variety of lines and means that you can walk on the slides and drops without slipping. However, as Skiz found out some of the holes at the bottom of the falls are a little bit sticky. We hired some camping pods at the Aldea campsite which went down a treat for Skiz and I who had earlier in the year enjoyed the hospitality of the Hairy Lemon, Uganda. It’s a similar idea, food at regular intervals and beautiful riverside surroundings at the bottom of the cruisey section of the Micos.
What is travertine? Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs.Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, cream-coloured and rusty varieties MARK SKiRRow ToP RiveR exPeRience: i ReAlly enJoyed el SAlTo eSPeciAlly The STeP RAPid, which i Pinned My BoAT on And SwAM down. ☺
Rebecca enjoying the beauty of the Alseseca. Credit Tim Burne ThePaddlerUK 73
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Tampaon With our jet lag kicked in to touch we were really keen to do the Tampaon. This is the classic Ciudad Valles rafting section so it’s pretty easy to take a lift up to the put in with a rafting company in exchange for some safety kayak cover.great deal of accommodation choice. The common theme to Mexican rivers is the astounding natural beauty. The Tampaon winds its way through the forested countryside before being funnelled through a rather boily gorge. However, it is classic grade 3 kayaking throughout and is a lovely warm up run.You’re rewarded with a spectacular natural land bridge spanning the entire river, which disappears underneath. We had freeloaded with a less organised outfit and got a bit stranded at the take out, this proves to be a common theme to our trip.
AMie BURne ToP RiveR exPeRience: The MicoS wAS definiTely My BoATing highlighT of The TRiP. AlThoUgh SoMe of The hoRizon lineS looKed TeRRifying fRoM ABove,They weRe All ReAlly fUn fRiendly..
Something I was not expecting in Mexico was the chilly weather. The day we paddled the Tampaon was decidedly cold and I had packed for much warm weather – so take thermals kids!
Tim on El Salto Credit: Rebecca Jones
El Salto Another day another river, we managed to agree a lift with a more reliable driver and took a ride up to El Salto. At the put in, the river has been faffed with to the point where it is diverted through a power plant and the put in is the outflow. We had read that there was poison ivy at the put in and as we didn’t really know what poison ivy looked like opted for seal launch straight in to the swift flowing narrow channel. Fortunately being Brits, we felt quite at home in the tree jammed ditch, which cruises down to the start of another travertine beauty where the river joins its natural course. El Salto is not as spectacular as the Micos but is definitely more varied and probably more fun. There is a mixture of bigger volume falls at the start but as everything is portagable it is definitely worth it for less able boaters. The travertine forms little dams and it is always worth looking back upstream to see the fishbowl like windows where the travertine has collapsed. The take out is a must-make above El Salto del Meco, which has been ran but was less than successful and made the Rider of the Year Carnage Reel! Tim and I were pretty keen to do the Santa Maria so we headed back to accommodation in Ciudad Valles. We used Patta del Pedro – a dog themed hostel that is pretty boater friendly and dirt-cheap. Locating a driver is not that easy in Valles as the area isn’t as commonly paddled as Veracruz but we found our chap in the form of a jolly Mexican called Nico. Much to Skiz’s disgust we arranged a very early departure and bought some river food from the supermarket in the form of tortillas, cheese and salsa. We were aware that the river was a pretty long day but perhaps with hindsight you will probably agree we should have given this more thought.
Fortunately being Brits, we felt quite at home in the
tree jammed ditch Rebecca on the Tampaon Credit: Tim Burne ThePaddlerUK 75
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Santa Maria We were picked up by Nico in a Chevy AKA a Vauxhall Corsa. We’d had a lost in translation moment and Nico didn’t realise there were four boats to take. However undeterred we tied our boats on and piled in to the little car. Nico babbled on to us in Spanish talking mainly about tequila and played La Cucaracha on the radio. I don’t think we could have had a more stereotypical experience unless of course he had a Chihuahua. The Santa Maria is a fair drive away and Nico wasn’t always sure of the way and had to stop for directions… several times. This delayed us further on what was going to be a long day. We made the put in which was in the middle of a tiny village way off the main road, this river was by a long way the most remote we paddled in Mexico and for the majority is a long way from the road. However, it again is stunning with many grade 3 and 4 rapids, which are scoutable and portagable for the most part. We were making pretty good progress and decided to stop for lunch ahead of the more challenging gorge. Unfortunately our progress was less good from this point in. The levels were not ideal for running the sieve laden grade 5 and there were a few very visible siphons, which were very much in play. As time was pushing on we made the decision to portage, which was a bit of a mission in itself. However, happily back on the water we continued through beautiful steep boulder gardens more than aware we needed to make it to the take out with daylight left. The Santa Maria take out is easily the most beautiful I have ever seen. The Cascada de Tamul joins from the left in the form of a 300-foot cascade of the Rio Gallinas in to the main flow and you take out at the base. Unfortunately what follows is one of the grimmest hike outs I have ever experienced. Zambezi style ladders… very large spiders… a river crossing… no driver… in the jungle… and in the dark. Just at the point where I was ready to put my ‘just in case’ dry clothes on and bed down in the emergency shelter we saw the headlights of a Vauxhall Corsa appearing out of the black, Nico had saved us. I don’t think I have ever been so pleased to see a Corsa in my life! We treated him to midnight tacos and beers at Taco Richard in Valles ,as we had also not eaten since lunch and we owed him a pretty big thank you. Quite the day trip adventure, which despite the sense of humour failures, sweaty climb out and 5k walk back to the road I would actually do again tomorrow. Nico dropped us off at the bus station complete with bracelets as presents for Amie and I. He was the kindest stranger you could ever wish to meet. We had also learnt the meaning of, “Proper preparation prevents ‘cough, cough,’ poor performance!”
Veracruz To get to Tlapacoyan from Valles is a further day’s travel and as we had pretty much exhausted our paddling options with the current water levels we decided after the Santa Maria epic to head over to Aventurec and some R&R. A day’s bus ride to Veracruz followed with some pretty tasty gorditas. The last bus driver was really helpful and for a small tip dropped us off on the doorstep of Aventurec. We were very pleased to find a well stocked bar, a pool, sunshine and comfortable accommodation in the form of little jungle facing bungalows. Tim headed off to do the Roadside Alseseca but we were still in bits from the carry out so opted to sun bathe and stretch! We hitched a lift with the Aventurec rafters and paddled Rio Filo-bobos, initially unaware of another hot, long and jungle walk in. You can pay locals to carry kit down (‘cough, cough,’ Tim Burne got an old lady to carry his boat ‘cough, cough’) but this river is a real grade 3 treat. No real flat sections and lots of play waves and boulder gardens but some of the sections might be less than fun in low water. Tim and I stayed on for the lower section and got the opportunity to visit the Totonac ruins. These are only accessible by kayak or on horseback by crossing a river. There is a sacrificial (ball game court) palace and a pyramid. It seemed pretty strange to be wandering around ruins in kayaking kit and no other tourists, as it was late on a Sunday evening.
Filo-bobos riverside ruins Credit Tim Burne
We had also learnt the meaning of, “Proper preparation prevents ‘cough, cough,’
poor performance!”
AMie BURne ToP geneRAl MexicAn exPeRience/geneRAl TRAvel TiP: The highlighT of My Mexico TRiP wAS ReleASing BABy TURTleS inTo The wild dURing oUR non-PAddling weeK on The coAST in oAxAcA.
Rebecca and Skiz on the Cascada de Tamul, Santa Maria Credit Tim Burne ThePaddlerUK 77
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The Roadside Alseseca section Unfortunately Tim hurt his back so Skiz and I had to latch on to another group to run the Roadside Alseseca section. This is a short fun steep run where most things can be portaged which was lucky as I certainly did not fancy Sticky Hole and S turns but it was great to watch Julian run it. I was pleased we had locals with us who were familiar with the run as it is horizon line after horizon line. Some need a look (and maybe a cheeky portage) but most go without too much trauma. The water in the Alseseca is known to be a bit grim and we didn’t want to risk getting ill before going home so we used the local cure – tequila and lime. Spectacular end to a wonderful trip! Tim and Amie had a paddling free week in Oaxaca and took an internal flight. Skiz and I had a day spare just before our flight and the hotel we had found were really accommodating. Not only had they allowed us to drag kayaks through their pristine reception, given us a free late check out, fed us the best steak we’d had all trip but let us put our kayaks in to the airport shuttle bus for free. It is well worth having a tourist day in Mexico City at the end of the trip and we really enjoyed the day at Teotihuacan, topped off with some sun bathing by the pool and a beer before our flight back home. What made our trip such a fun time were the people we met along the way and helped us out. Big shout out to Nico, Raft Huaxteca, Aventurec staff – especially Terry the Chihuahua for living up to the Mexican stereotype. Finally to Pyranha for the discounted boats and quickly making me a medium Burn. Whilst Mexico is known for its large cascades, do not under estimate the fun that can be had on the cruising sections. The Burn was playful and yet reliable when I needed it the most..
Discover Mexico –
TiM BURneToP geneRAl MexicAn exPeRience/ geneRAl TRAvel TiP: The STReeT food. iT'S fReAKing AweSoMe. TAKe Any oPPoRTUniTy yoU'Re given To SAMPle AS MUch of iT AS PoSSiBle. find A BUSy STAnd (The oneS oUTSide BUS STATionS AlwAyS SeeM To do A RoARing TRAde) And geT involved! To Be fAiR All MexicAn food, AlThoUgh SoMewhAT diffeRenT To oUR ideA of MexicAn food, iS PReTTy oUTSTAnding.
MARK SKiRRow ToP geneRAl MexicAn exPeRience/geneRAl TRAvel TiP: The ABSolUTe highlighT of The STReeT food wAS A diRTy PUlled And deeP fRied PoRK And cheeSe SAndwich – diScoveRed in vAlleS.
it rocks! ThePaddlerUK 79
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ALEUTIANS “So close, yet so stuck� a friend wrote to us on day 99 of a 2,500km paddle along the Aleutian Islands and Alaskan peninsula. Reading the email in the warm cocoon of our little red tent, which was being buffeted around by the wind and rain, I let out an ironic half-laugh. Homer and the first road to somewhere was merely 100km away but a barrage of strong winds were preventing us from making our final two 16-mile open water crossings.
It started in April 2011 when I joined Sarah Outen on the start line of her round-the-world human powered journey. We kayaked from London to France, and Sarah cycled from there to Russia. I joined her again to island hop from Russia to Japan (see The Paddler issue http://joom.ag/H48X/p54).
JUSTINE SARAH CURGENVEN OUTEN
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Sarah set off alone to row the Pacific Ocean to Canada
but 600 miles out her boat was damaged by a tropical storm, not to mention the mental damage to Sarah who endured over 20 capsizes and water leaking into her boat for a 48 hour period. On her second attempt to row the Pacific a year later, her rowing boat was the play thing of unseasonable winds. She was pushed north and back towards Japan, finally realizing after four months that she wasn’t going to make Canada before winter storms hit. Looking at a map and scratching around for solutions, her eyes were drawn to a mysterious chain of islands 500 miles to the north, which are dotted between Russia and Alaska.
I was sitting at my desk working in August 2013 when I had a phone call from the Pacific Ocean and a friendly voice asked if I would kayak along the Aleutian Islands with her the following summer. It would be from wherever Sarah landed in her rowing boat to the nearest road, so she could jump back on her bike and continue her journey.
I didn’t answer straight away. I was doing calculations in my head about how long I’d need to be away for and what whether the substantial challenges would be too much for us to take on safely.We’d be taking on over 20 open water crossings of over 15 miles in an area of strong – but undocumented tidal streams, in a virtually uninhabited archipelago, over 1,000 miles from the nearest coastguard station.
Sarah is one of the most determined, tough people I know
but at that stage she didn’t have a reliable roll, wasn’t able to read the water and had very limited experience of rough conditions, surf landings or controlling her boat in strong winds. I’d love to go to the Aleutians myself but was it reckless to go with Sarah?
After some research and a lot of faith in Sarah’s ability to train and to cope mentally with challenging situations, we decided to do it. Over the winter in the UK, Sarah learnt to roll and her rough-water skills improved dramatically.We decided to take Flat Earth kayak sails which would increase our speed and therefore make us more likely to land in the daylight on the longer crossings. If we couldn’t paddle for any reason, we may be able to raft up and use the sails to take us towards land (whether that was in front of us or behind us).
In April 2014, we flew to Adak, the westernmost inhabited community in America and got ready for a paddling journey to the mainland that hadn’t been attempted since Aleut people used kayaks to hunt from 300 years ago. It was exciting (and at times nerve wracking) to discover the conditions for ourselves, figuring things out along the way. While there are a few small communities dotted along our route, it’s primarily a large swathe of untouched wilderness and we felt lucky to spend several months weaving our way along the shores, watching her burst with life during the short summer season, and seeing the landscape turn from the treeless, rocky volcanoes of the Aleutians to the lush, green spruce-laden slopes of Kodiak.
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The highlights are too many to list,
much of the joy was in the simple fact that every day brought new scenery and experiences and life was boiled down to the basic pleasures and necessities of food, safety, shelter and living in the now. A naked Sarah coming face to face with a curious brown bear while washing in a stream, barbecuing fish in the embers of a driftwood fire, washing off the grime and sweat in the delicious heat of a hot spring, being woken up at 4am by three sea lions hauling their giant bulks ashore besides our tent, watching hundreds of mother otters swimming on their backs with their babies clutched close to their chests, and jumping between the driftwood logs along a vast empty sandy beach as the last of the sun turns the sky pink. These memories and more help make this one of the most special trips that I’ve made. We visited eight of the ten communities that are scattered along the Aleutians and the Alaskan peninsula. Twice we needed to cover 250 miles between villages. We shipped food ahead to these communities and we carried enough food for a month. There are short stretches of road in all the habitations but the only way in and out is by plane or boat so the people who live there chose to exist close to nature and appreciate being able to harvest much of their food from the land.
Delights we sampled included sea lion soup,
smoked salmon, canned salmon, baked halibut, reindeer bolognese and sea urchin eggs slurped straight from the shell.These times spent with people who chose to live on the fringes of modern society were really special, although ironically the modern tool of Facebook will allow me to continue to watch these new friends as they catch salmon, harvest berries and beach comb for glass balls. Some of the paddling was really committing and we didn’t always know how long it would take us to buck currents and reach land. On one 30-mile crossing we were swept away from land for two hours, not knowing if or when the current would change to allow us to reach solid ground before it got dark. Once the current relinquished and allowed us to inch towards land, a headwind ensured our progress remained slow, and our bows crashed into oncoming waves, losing momentum and requiring continuous hard work to reach safety. Sixteen hours later, I felt like kissing the ground.
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On day 100, after five days of waiting for a weather window, we set off on our last crossings to Homer. Crossing number 1 to the Barren Islands started slowly but the current changed and gave us a helpful push north. We decided to make the most of this favourable current and continue with crossing number 2. Being close to Homer, we had current predictions for once but that doesn’t mean they were accurate. We were once again swept away from land into the middle of the sea.
Kayaking the Aleutians
It was two weary but happy paddlers that pulled into Homer spit after 101 days of challenging paddling in wild and beautiful Alaska. We’d covered 1,350 nautical miles which is 2,500 km or 1,550 statute miles. Sixtymiles, four of those days we paddled and we spent 37 days on land. Sarah is now cycling across North America through the winter winter, and will set off to row the Atlantic in the spring of 2015 – see www.sarahouten.com
You can see the trailer here… http://youtu.be/6gYn0-QDH0E
“Superb filming to go with a superb adventure! Justine and Sarah are kayaking alone through one of the most challenging and dangerous environments in the world. It is incredible that not only did they make it, but that they were able to create a high quality documentary without a film crew following along. Their film not only communicates the hardships and dangers of the expedition, but also conveys the rich backdrop of wildlife and culture in this region.” Colin Angus, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year
Anglesey Sea Kayak Symposium
Main Event: Saturday 2nd - Monday 4th May Courses Week: Monday 4th - Friday 8th May Tide Race Weekend: Saturday 9th - Sunday 10th For more information please visit www.angleseyseakayaksymposium.co.uk E-mail: symposium@seakayakinguk.com
Tel: 01407 765550 To advertise email: ads@thepaddler.co.uk call +44 (0)1480 465081
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Britain’s south coast offers so many incredible places for sea kayaking whatever the conditions from sheltered water to extraordinary geological features through to fast and testing tide races. The Jurassic Coast is a UNESCO World Heritage site nestled on English side of the Channel. It is simply stunning and a paddlers paradise with incredible scenery and some challenging places to kayak. Locations are awarded the UNESCO World Heritage status for a reason, they have a sprinkle of magic, a connection to our heritage and something so special that for visitors it represents an opportunity of a lifetime. The Jurassic coastline stretches 95 miles from Orcombe Point in East Devon to Studland cliffs in Dorset. If you are in the area then there are also other great sea kayaking trips on offer, including circumnavigating the Isle of Wight and threading the Needles or exploring Poole Harbour. The Jurassic Coast and nearby locations features some truly iconic locations for sea kayaking, which I want to inspire you and to add to your bucket list and to pay a visit.
Sea kayaking the
JURASSIC
COAST and surrounding areas By Richard Harpham
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Circumnavigating the Isle of Wight My original introduction to sea kayaking came with a project to complete five challenges for charity called The Big 5 Kayak Challenge.The challenge included 1,000 miles of sea kayaking from Vancouver to Alaska on the Inside Passage; a 32 NM (nautical miles) from Lands End to the Scilly Isles and circumnavigating the Isle of Wight. Despite paddling for what seems like a century, I didn’t even own a sea kayak, something of a late developer you might think! The diversity of coastline around the Isle of Wight is extraordinary from winding estuaries near Cowes and mud flats to dodging hovercrafts near Ryde. The southern side also offers more changes in scenery with chalky cliffs, shallow reefs, sandy beaches at Ventnor and the exposed St Catherine’s Point before eventually approaching Freshwater Bay and Needles. It is famous for sailing with Cowes Festival and the ‘Round the Island Race’ but is equally brilliant for smaller craft like kayaks. Our trip back in 2009 was defining in so many ways, leaving Southampton Boat Show and paddling past the massive refinery at Fawley and then crossing to the island. We were so tentative
Big 5 kayak challenge team at the Needles, Isle of Wight. L to R: Dean Buckingham, Rob Bates, Richard Harpham, Aisling Ni Chuinn, Helen Reeves, David Gordon, Aaron Buckingham, Geoff Tilford, David McCarthy Sea kayaking up Southampton Water
hurrying through the busy waters crammed with dinghies and yachts. We passed the shallow sand bar where locals hold the annual cricket match at low tide and on towards the pier at Ryde with darkness now in place. Our plans were not the best laid kind and we ended up dodging hovercrafts in the dark on the mud flats and getting hit in the face by jumping fish. This was of course marginally better than getting hit by a hovercaft! We eventually scrounged somewhere to rest, not before one of the team had discovered the anti gravity slippery jetty scoring high marks for a big wipeout. He was of course treated to roars of laughter with limited sympathy. On the South side of the island we got a little bit of surf and also managed a cheeky ice cream break, like all good tourists. We were certainly in calorie credit! By the time we reached Freshwater Bay we were tired and planned to pitch our tents with a perfect 10 wild campsite. Reality broke and we ended up pitching our tents next to a public toilet on some grass but did manage some liquid refreshment from the local bar. The highlight of the trip was the Needles, covered below. After threading the Needles, Bamboo Clothing’s Dave Gordon confessed to an ‘armchair moment’ where he would have given anything in the world to be back in his armchair at home. The last stretch back round the final quarter was
torture as a yacht cruised in front of us cooking bacon for breakfast, Despite our long faces and desperate looks they motored on, out of sight but not out of our minds!
The Needles
Although they are located just to the east of the Jurassic Coast, The Needles are another beautiful destination for sea kayakers to tick off their list. Threading the Needles by kayak and surfing in the races provides a great photo opportunity. I returned here the following year to film a piece with Mike Bushell of BBC 1, for a short feature and have been back a few times since. By now it has become habit rather than paying for the local ferry. A shorter paddle from the sheltered harbour of Keyhaven can make the Needles a very accessible day paddle. Be aware there can be a fair amount of marine traffic with commercial craft and a huge sailing community based on the south coast. You could make your Needles visit even more challenging by paddling around to Freshwater Bay and portaging over the island to meet the estuary at Yarmouth. My late gran spent a large proportion of her life living in Bournemouth and latterly Mudeford, so any dutiful visit usually meant a roof rack adorned with a kayak. Mudeford, Bournemouth and Poole Harbour are all worth your paddling time.
Threading the Needles in Sea kayaks for BBC1 filming our challenges
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Mudeford
Mudeford is a mecca for windsurfing and paddle boarding enthusiasts with a shallow tidal lagoon. Some of the most expensive real estate in the UK is situated just across the entrance from Mudeford Quay. Further up the estuary is Christchurch Quay and the River Stour. The flow out can be interesting on the spring tide when coupled with wind and waves in the inlet. It provides confused and refracting waves and chop making a bumpy ride. I have literally been drenched as a double height wave has landed on my head, right in front of the tourists on the quay. Keep cool Rich! On the outside of the sand bar you can often find lovely two-foot green waves heading towards the quay, which make for good kayak or ski surfing.
I was promptly informed that their
comfort zone
Poole Harbour
Poole Harbour was made famous by Lord Baden Powell and Brownsea Island, where he hosted his first experimental camp in 1907 that led to the formation of Scouts in 1908. Now owned by the National Trust it guards the entrance to Poole Harbour and has some restricted access. A great place to launch for a day trip taking in Old Harry and Poole is from the estuary at Wareham on the River Frome. You will need to check out the tide times to ensure the appropriate conveyor belt of moving flow. The lagoon is sheltered but can be cluttered with sailing dinghies and other boats. On one trip with relative beginners, we poked her noses out into Studland Bay only to find some particularly lumpy swell in a Force 4 where upon I was promptly informed that their comfort zone had stretched to breaking point. We turned carefully and beat a retreat. To leave the harbour you will need to dodge the chain ferry patrolling the entrance.
had stretched to breaking point
Google map https://goo.gl/maps/6n7TZ
Old Harry Rocks Old Harry Rocks are chalk white stacks (pillars) protruding from the seabed lying east of Studland Bay on the Isle of Purbeck.They are continually hammered by the elements and have been slowly eroded.They make great paddling with stony beaches, small tide races and plenty of nooks and crannies to investigate. Apparently Harry’s wife crumbled and fell into the sea some time ago leaving Harry and a few of his mates. Old Harry sits in between Poole Harbour and Swannage, which make for convenient launch sites and if you are launching from Studland Beach then check out the coolest beach café ever called Joe’s Café, which is a pimped up beach hut that offers a mean evening paella feast from time to time.
ThePaddler 95
ThePaddlerUK 96
Lulworth Cove
Lulworth Cove is a huge natural harbour formed by the erosion of clay and green sands, leaving a more resilient limestone layer to form the outer perimeter. Wave diffraction hollowed out the huge circular shape and it is a sheltered place to launch kayaks to visit the nearby Durdle Door. You will need to get permission for this and there is a fair carry down from the National Trust Car Park. Once on the water the carry is soon forgotten. The harbour is like a massive sink hole open to the sea. Be warned though as it can be rough outside its calm waters, so poke your nose out into the wind and assess conditions. There is a small reef on the right hand side of the bay where you can practice surfing your boat. One of my buddies had a small washing machine experience there by not watching the following wave – luckily a quick roll later and he avoided a swim. If you are in the area without a kayak then there is a local provider who does have sit-on-tops.
Durdle Door
Durdle Door sits just down the coast from Lulworth Cove and is a stunning coastal arch. There are also plenty of caves and inlets to explore on the way there. Unlike the majority of sea kayaking, which is away from the general public, this location almost guarantees pictures, waving and the occasional cheer from the masses visiting this picture postcard destination. We even got the opportunity to appear in a Bollywood film last time, when we were there with the heroine wading in the sea and rejecting the amorous advances of a suitor. Not sure if they wanted sea kayaks in the shot but they got them! Heading down the coast you are overlooked by imposing chalky cliffs and a few rocky outcrops. There is a small archway further down the bay, which can be fun in rough conditions. Our last trip provided more fun and sights than referenced in any tourist guidebook. We rounded a rocky outcrop to find a group of women and two lads skinny dipping. Our innocent approach by stealth kayak added to the excitement as they stampeded bare bottomed up the beach to the safety of their towels.
Portland Bill and Chesil Beach
Portland Bill juts out into the English Channel and is truly imposing and exposed. I have surveyed storm force conditions from land, scary seas with thunderous crashing waves beating the battle worn rocks. I have yet to experience this section in my sea kayak but as you so often hear it is good to have something to come back for. Once you round the Bill you reach Chesil Beach which is 18 miles long and over 15 metres high and essentially once of the biggest pebble mountains you will ever see! Be warned the Portland Race off the Bill can reach 10 knots on the spring tides and even the smaller inside race can be 3.5 to 5 knots.
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ThePaddlerUK 98
I truly hope that you have felt interest and inspired to go and visit this remarkable stretch of coastline for yourself. Paddle Safe. You can read more about routes, tidal conditions and ideas for your trips in ‘South West Sea Kayaking’ by Mark Rainsley. Pesda Press. ISBN 978-1-906095-28-4.
Richard is a human powered adventurer and paddler www.richadventure.com who has completed over 7,600 miles of adventures by kayak, canoe, ski and bike. He runs www.canoetrail.co.uk with his wife and co founded www.inspiredlife.org which inspires young people and communities. He is a motivational speaker drawing on his stories from adventure, in corporate life and managing the Ghana ski team at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Richard’s adventures test equipment in the harshest conditions and he is proud to be supported by: Paramo Clothing, Valley Sea Kayaks, North Shore Kayaks, Up North Adventures, www.bambooclothing.co.uk , Leatherman tools, Scott Skis, Mountain Fuels, Canadian Affair (airlines), Aquabound Paddles, Reed Chillcheater, Surly Fat Bikes, USE Exposure Lights, Garmin GPS systems.
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