Issue 19 - August 2014
ThePaddler ThePaddler ezine com ezine com ..
International digital magazine for recreational paddlers
INTERVIEW Mariann SÆTHER AMAZON source to SEA INDIA’SWW quiet SIDE Extreme kayaking
Darcy Gaechter epic paddle
Steve Brooks
RegularPaddler
KayakPaddler
SaltyPaddler
SUPPaddler
CanoePaddler
Contents
Antoine Albeau, Mauritius Photo: Dave White http://davewhite.me Editor
Peter Tranter peter@thepaddlerezine.com Tel: (01480) 465081 Mob: 07411 005824 www.thepaddlerezine.com
Advertising sales
Anne Egan Tel: (01480) 465081 advertising@thepaddlerezine.com
Covers Kayak: Thilo Schmitt, paddling the Kruttåga, Norway at medium flow by Mariann Sæther SUP: Dan Gavere by Dan Gavere/Zach Mahone ‘Bird Bath’ drop, Homestake Creek, Colorado Salty: Christopher Lockyer, Nova Scotia OC: Andreas Reitner by Martin Strunge
Additional contributor credits: Phil Carr, Aidan Egan Tranter, Alan Ward, James ‘Pringle’ Bebbington, Dan Crowley, Gemma Simons, Paul Caffyn, Belinda Mulvany, Lizet Hansen, Don Beveridge, Ute Heppke, Martina Wegman, Jakub Sedivy, Humberto Reyes, Rodrigo Lavin, Zach Mahone, Caren Forbes, Alfred van Gieson, Paul Teruya, Joe Thwaites and Gordon Ross.
Not all contributors are professional writers and photographers, so don’t be put off writing because you have no experience! ThePaddler ezine is all about paddler to paddler dialogue: a paddler’s magazine written by paddlers. Next issue is October 2014 with a deadline of submissions on September 1st. Technical Information: Contributions preferably as a Microsoft Word file with 1200-2000 words, emailed to submissions@thepaddler.co.uk. Images should be hi-resolution and emailed with the Word file or if preferred, a Dropbox folder will be created for you. ThePaddler 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 ThePaddler ezine does not necessarily mean that the parent company, 2b Graphic Design, endorse the company, item or service advertised. All material in ThePaddler ezine is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without prior permission from the editor is forbidden.
006 Eight of the Best
Issue 19
August 2014
The best paddling films from around the planet
008 FUSE
The making of the ground breaking video
014 Photo of the month From FUSE
016 Testing, testing
Tons of new kit reviewed and tested
026 Lapland
Jackson’s kayak fishing team trip by Mark Radcliffe
036 United Kingdom
Kayak fishing for pike by Simon Everett
042 United Kingdom
Sitons.com beach survey results
052 New Zealand
Circumnavigation of the south island by Tara Mulvany
060 Nova Scotia, Canada
By Christopher Lockyer and Jarrod Gunn McQuillan
072 Coaching
Psychological skills by Dave Rossetter part two
076 WW safety
Throwlines and pulleys by Flo Fischer
082 Amazon River, Peru
Part one: the source in Peru by Darcy Gaechter
092 India
Uttarakhand white water by Steve Brooks
102 Interview
Norway’s Queen of the waterfalls, Mariann Sæther
110 Patagonia, Chile
Futaleufú River in the winter by Patrick J. Lynch
122 United States
Creating my dream WW SUP board by Dan Gavere
134 United States
NYC 100 Mile Paddle - the ultimate challenge in SUP
142 The Paddler’s Planet By Christian Wagley
144 Interview
Jenny ‘Waikiki Love’ Lee
152 United Kingdom
WindSup by Paul Monnington
158 Canada
Canoeing the Yukon River by Richard Harpham
170 Denmark
Freestyle canoeing moves by Martin Strunge
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r r e e y t t B e n d r P a o r w T e r o
F
Photo: Anne Egan
ThePaddler 4
Two years on…
Time moves fast but in publishing it seems somehow to shift faster. Maybe it’s a consequence of always thinking several months down the line, for instance at the start of summer, publishers are already planning their Autumn/Fall schedules and the year predictably begins to blur.
Well, the last two years have been just that – a blur but a blur where much satisfaction has been gained alongside the vast amount of midnight oil to tie something together that originates from just about every corner of our planet.
We have been truly inspired by you paddlers out there who are ever-willing, generously, without hesitation and with always the very best of intent, to share your fantastic stories of your paddles and wanderings in the most stunning of locations and that in turn inspires us to do our very best to make that feature stand off the page. There are those amongst you who just want to share their experience, alongside those who wish to offer sound advice to their fellow paddlers and others who wish to highlight their own very special part of our planet on which they live.
No matter which it is – one thing is for certain and that’s without doubt there are thousands of paddlers out there who just love to lap up the information – over 20,000 of you now read the ezine each two months – a staggering number considering that this time two years we didn’t exist. September 2014 will be our second anniversary and so it seems
appropriate to extend our thanks and deepest appreciation to all of the wonderful people, who, have provided us with their beautiful, insightful stories with stunning photography to boot!.
ThePaddler ezine is free to all paddlers and therefore a very special thanks also to the companies who have had the faith to back us by advertising their products, which have made it possible for us to roll on and become more adventurous in what we publish, gain more readers and who in turn purchase more paddling kit and so the cycle continues. Our Facebook page is where we release our news in the first instance, so please come and visit us at https://www.facebook.com/ThePaddlercouk and also feel free to share your news too. The page has almost 5,000 ‘likes’ as at the end of July – all genuine paddlers like yourselves. Use it to let us know how you would like to see the ThePaddler ezine develop in the future – it is work in progress… One idea that has been developed in the last six months and has really been appreciated are the multiple covers, where you can choose your own flavour of cover. One of the beauties of digital publishing is that there are no boundaries.
Having said that, plans are in place to begin a paper version towards the end of the year by subscription only, as many of you have indicated that is what you would like to see. Email us on subs@thepaddlerezine.com to let us know of your interest. So whether you are in South or North America, Down Under, Africa, the East, Middle East, Europe, and here in the UK, please keep paddling, keep sharing and we’ll do all we can to spread your tales, recollections, advice and experience to fellow paddlers here, there and everywhere…
Here’s to the next two years
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Paddle Adventures Unlimited
Wild Side TV United States
PRG14 Sunday Funday
LS3 Aerial United States
Sevylor速 SUP
SEVYLOR EMEA official channel France
Learning Whitewater Kayak
Dave Bouskill Canada
Canoeing with Alligators
Southeastern Explorer United States
How To SUP
Runtastic Fitness United States
Sea kayak surfing Cork
dunneryak Ireland
Tropical Blends Hawaii #1
ThePaddler 6
Tropical Blends O'ahu United States
It’s about the journey. CONQUER A RAPID. Ride a wave... Then drop skeg and CRUISE THE RIVER. When you need to cover some ground, carry all the kit + still have fun. EXPERIENCE
THE ETHOS OF ADVENTURE.
Why compromise?
ThePaddler 8
They just don’t mix… Do they?
Well if Dave Wortley, Alan Ward, James ‘Pringle’ Bebbington, Dan Crowley and the good folk from Palm Equipment have got anything to do with it…
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ThePaddler 10
It does… We asked Dave Wortley how they managed it… Obviously a lot of hard work went into making FUSE, what is the aim of the project?
I wanted to make a kayaking film which was creative and visually inspiring. I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I enjoy solving technical problems like this and once I discovered Electroluminescent Wire I knew it was possible.The guys at Palm Equipment Europe were impressed with the idea and immediately offered to help with creating the glowing FX Buoyancy Aid and Cag, without these it just wouldn’t have looked anywhere near as impressive! What was the most difficult challenge of the preparation and paddle?
We had a few technical problems with trying to waterproof all the connections. Dan used his electrical engineering knowledge to get all the batteries and transformers connected as efficiently as possible and we used an entire reel of Mammoth tape to secure all the wires down. Shooting video in such low light was extremely difficult and I was lucky enough to have access to some great kit. James Bebbington from Pringle Media brought his Sony FS700 camera and I borrowed some fast lenses. Alan Ward is one of the world’s best freestyle kayakers and with next to no visibility on the wave it was down to his skills to really make this film stand-out with some incredible moves. It was very cold on the night we shot and with wires being fed under his spraydeck he had to deal with water leaking in as well!
and it’s called FUSE
ThePaddler 11
ThePaddler 12
What has been the response?
The response has been incredible, it’s been shared all over the web and been show-cased on some nonpaddling websites which is great to see it breaking out of kayaking circles, even if a French-Canadian review called me a ‘Stubborn Director’. What’s next?
It was really fun to create and if we make a part two, it’s going to have to some-how increase the wow factor.There’s a few ideas in the pipeline, but always with things like this you have to research and prepare to make sure everything will work and keep everyone safe as being on moving water at night is inherently dangerous.We’re thinking the next instalment might be some kind of race…
Thanks Dave
Watersports W atersports aterspor a at its ver veryy best! Island location ideal al for developing your kayaking kay ayaking skills skills,, e passages.. equipping you for both sea and inland water passages Stay with us and enjoy a superb range of paddling o opportunities for all all.. Visit www.nationalcentrecumbrae.org.uk www.nationalcentrecumbrae.org.uk o callll 01475 530 757 to t book b book. k. or
ThePaddler 14
Month
Photo of the Alan Ward FUSE video
Photo: ‘Pringle Media http://www.pringlemedia.com
ThePaddler 16
w
Testing, in association with
in association with
Immersion Research Arch Rival www.immersionresearch.com By Phil Carr
such a top, as part of their current line up being quite small. So after much searching and considering the few alternatives, Immersion Research came to my rescue with the Arch Rival.
In the UK, IR is sold exclusively online so the order was placed with IR's UK rep Mark Mulrain. The top I have owned the Immersion Research (IR) arrived within a matter of days, the seals were Short Sleeve Comp top for years. It only trimmed and the top was packed away for the next sees the light of day when it warms up here spell of warm weather. I didn’t have to wait that long in the UK.The cag is a short-sleeved version to try the top out. We have been blessed with warm of the Comp top and shares all of its weather, surf and the odd downpour of rain that has features with the exception of the obvious kept a number of local summer runs topped up over (long sleeves and latex cuff seals). After years the last few weeks. of loyal service I fancied a changed.There wasn’t anything wrong with the Comp, just The Arch Rival seen here has the Gul three-way wanted something new. colour combination that I think works really well. The red stitching, logo and tabs on the Velcro adjustments Now as it turns out, the search for a high help make the top look a little special – it’s a nice specification short sleeved dry or semi-dry top is touch that works well. actually quite a hard one with the number of manufacturers offering The material
feels pretty tough, tougher than my IR Comp top that is actually still going strong. Throughout, IR has used breathable fabrics, which really does come into its own on warmer days, the kind of days that you would want to wear a short sleeve dry top. In addition to the bomber fabric, both the stitching and taping used within the Arch Rival looks pretty good. Stitches are straight and precise and the taping is glued solidly to the top and everything looks like it will stand the test of time. In the event that something does fail, IR has a superb customer service and warranty policy.
The neck and biceps cuffs are snug with comfortable close fitting neoprene gaskets.The outer neck seal has the Immersion Research name in black on black, which is a nice touch.They offer great performance even when playboating but I did find some water found its way down my neck, just enough to make my thermal damp. However, this is something I experience with all of my dry tops/suits. To date I have never had any water find its way through the arm seals, which is
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testin www.nswatersports.com
01642 01642520234 520234
Features include: â—? â—?
â—? â—? â—?
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Low profile foam panels. Slimline front pocket with inner compartment, key ring clip. 3D anti ride-up waistbelt. Easy Glide strap adjustment throughout. Continuous loop failsafe shoulder straps with strap keeper pockets. Reflective detail on shoulders, front and rear panels.
dle rs ema il u r s: eview s@ t hep ad d lere z in e
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IR deck – nice anda really snug with water finding its way in. Palm have made goodnolooking and highly Despite being quite narrow, the outer neoprene functional PFD with the FXr. It has taken the FX,seal which plenty ofPFD silicone stripslevel. to help keep position. ishas a superb to a new Palm hasitainPFD that I The inner tunnel is elasticated at the bottom and think will be a huge success with a wide range ofagain has silicone in place to help keep it in place. During my paddlers who will love the fit and comfort of the PFD. summer play boating sessions this year there hasn't Creekers and river runners will like the robust fabrics beenaddition a hint ofofthe Rivalbelt. moving and given the a and theArch rescue You have therefore testing conditions I see little danger of the top riding PFD that can be used equally as well in a number ofup. different scenarios. Thethe only I have spotted As we move towards endnegative of the summer I plan tois the odd fact that Palm may have inadvertently created continue using the Arch Rival until it becomes too cold. aInlower cost PFD that is actually better in many summary, it’s a great top that does it job well. respects that the Amp PFD.
waanntt yy IIff yyoouu w oou tiioonn.. u r r sttaat pprr sstt s
purely cosmetic, seen from the outside and did In addition to thecan’t mainbepocket is a small knife pocket. not impact upon the performance of the top. This is located above the main pocket and runs horizontally at Arch the top of isthe foam slab.me The pocket is The cut of the Rival great. It fits well without easy to find/access and is fastened shut with a pressexcess material, yet allows for a full range of movement stud. I have a couple foldingwaist knives this a without anytried restriction. Theofdouble sealinwith pocket and have found that it works well. Velcro adjustable outer waist seal married nicely to my
eesst paadd t ttoo p
pretty good givenistheir has totally The front pocket hugevulnerability. and is easilyIRaccessed via a redesigned the outer arm gaskets for 2014 some large zip. Inside is a useful clip in point, D ringasand small earlierpanel models outerzipseals. mesh for had keystight etc.The is easy to spot as it is in aThe contrasting colour to the restofofa the PFD. The quality pocket latex gaskets seem to be pretty good and the foam slab sit low on your body, which again and glued solidly in place. However, on the top there is gives great of movement for that paddling dare, I excess gluelevels around the latex seals looksand pretty say it, makes swimming pretty easy. messy and a little rushed. This is a real shame but it is
ThePadd le r ez ine te
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www.nswatersports.com
View Palm FXr video
17 ThePaddler 11
ThePaddler 18
www.nswatersports.com
in association with
in association with
Coleman Instant Dome 5 www.coleman.com By Anne Egan
A tent is a tent, is a tent – or is it? I am new to camping, so my perspective is that of someone with little or no experience of putting up tents and the difficulties that I have heard people getting into. We’ve all heard the stories and seen the funny sketches of puzzled campers surrounded by a myriad of poles and layers of polythene etc.
However the beauty of the Coleman Instant Dome 5 man tent is that none of that matters. It does what it says on the packet and with a minimum of effort and time is ready to enjoy in fact it took just three minutes to erect. It’s a simple matter of laying the tent out on the ground, fold out the leg pole and then pull up on the central hub, extent and click the legs in position and like magic, you have a useable tent that just needs pegging down as the fly sheet is already attached and in place.
The zipped door opened wide creating a lovely airflow, the door panel includes a clear window panel. It would have been perfect if it opened independently of the door.
Once up, people up to 5’7� are able to stand upright inside the tent, giving a very spacious feel inside. The Dome 5 as its name suggests is for up to five people but I think that would be a little too crowded and think four people would be better for comfort.
The ventilation windows in the roof of the tent helped to keep the tent comfortably cool and fresh and can be opened from the inside with a mesh guard to keep the bugs at bay.
There is a small gear loft for small items such as keys, mobile phones etc that can be removed and replaced by the torch hook for light. If further electrics are required there is a very useful zipped power cord vent.
The only problem we encountered was the door zipper mechanism tended to snag on the fabric of the tent, which necessitating being freed to continue closing the door.
Taking it down is even simpler and in seconds it is gently rolled up and back into the neat carry bag.
Over a two week period the tent was uses in three different locations and overall was a dream to use. My teenage son and myself were delighted with our first camping venture together and having such a user friendly tent to sleep in, made the whole experience even better. If speed, ease of use and space are what you need, then look no further.
Technical specs
Poles: Fabric: Seams: Pack size: Weight:
Steel with fibreglass Polyester 75D/185T Taped Seams 105 x 19 x 19 cm 5.9kg
Watch the video
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www.nswatersports.com
01642 01642520234 520234
We are Scotland's National Outdoor Training Centre located in the heart of Cairngorms National Park. Learn, develop or qualify in an adventure sport of your choice. Our goal is to inspire adventure by teaching beginners, coaching intermediate/advanced and delivering training and assessment courses for leaders and instructors.
White w White water ater
Open ccanoeing Open anoeing
Sea kkayaking Sea ayaking
kayaking Surf kayaking
Qualifications
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Touring
ler
10
s Pants
kuk.com
two new pants in the 14.
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Testing, testin
ThePaddler 20
in association with
in association with
www.nswatersports.com
www.nswatersports.com
01642 01642520234 520234
Point 65 Rum Runner www.point65.com By Peter Tranter
ultisport Pants are om tough x2.5 Prices: We were first introduced to the modular Aside from the watertight hatch, the front with reinforcements Rum Runner 11.5: snap together SUP at Germany’s Canoe Expo section also contains two cup holders plus a places. The flat ckcord waist and £750.00 in October last year. At the time it was just a carry handle and the rear section has a ro ankle seals make polystyrene model but seeing just how easy it retractable fin plus carry handle. al not only for Tap system on pen boating, butRum Runner 12.5: was to use Point 65’s Snap spot between the FX and FXr is the addition of www.palmequipmenteurope.com Performance wise, the Rum Runner activities such as belt. This isget the same system used on Palm’s rescue £830.00 their kayak range, we couldn’t wait to our By Phil Carr ing, saving you displacement hull excels in its role as an Palm’s entire rescue PFDs and includes a metal OPalmon Equipment The FX PFD from hands one. has ace in your luggage! ring for clipping in to. The belt is threaded through SUP tourer on the water; straight tracking been around in one form or another for the fabric of the PFD, which gives the PFD a really Pants are made been one of Palm’s top years and has First observation is sellers obvious –niceyou need and don’t clean look. Both atheroof metal O-ring is andspot on, stability is nicely balanced co-friendly recycled throughout its lifetime. In 2013 Palm took rescue belt can be easily removed. rack.overhauled We loaded the Rum alongside a nimble turn of speed and eature an Aquaout its fit and the Runner into the back of our the FX and totally double Aquaout Theto FXrthe like river the FX we is a slab design that is put on material used.ever dependable Rav4 and off went. manoeuvrability. etch neo cone over the head. The slab is a much better fit than on The front pocket is huge and is easily accessed via a The new FX has been such a success that it seemed ls. The Semi Pants FX model, it hasas been shaped the previoushull youup get the three-part is as aseasy I’mtostill very much a beginner terms of clip in point, D ring and small large zip.inInside is a useful move things a gearthere, and develop to make sense toWhen ost scenarios and contour with your torso. A better fit is a safer fit. In mesh panel formuch keys etc.at The zip is easy to spot as it is in a rescue vest using the same platform. Palm have done 1-2-3 to snap together and off you go (see the video SUP but I very soon became very erfectly Peak’s new addition the low profile design of the FXr allows for a contrasting colour to the rest of the PFD.The pocket exactly this and have released the FXr in early 2014. great range of movement. Adjustment to allease of thewith the board and and bottom right). before long started the foam slab sit low on your body, which again straps is simple and straightforward. The waist I have used the FX for almost a year for playboat gives great levels ofmoves movement for paddling and dare, I ultisport and Semi to have quite a bit of fun, attempting band/belt is for coated with a rubber material (3d anti duties and have used Palm Extrem Vest whilst Thea river is theRiver natural environment the Rum say it, makes swimming pretty easy. available now and that I hadn’t tried before. ride up), which helps to keep the PFD in place. out in my creek boat of river runner. The FX is a d £115 Runner where you can pack plenty of items including In addition to the main pocket is a small knife pocket. superb bit of kit and I was intrigued to see how the The fabrics used are pretty heavy duty 500D Cordura, This isof located above the main a small tentboth if necessary, Overall the modular system assembling andpocket and runs up against the FX and into the forward FXr would measure the same as used in the more expensive Extrem River horizontally at the top of the foam slab. The pocket is Extrem PFDs. compartment – it gives you Vest the and freedom to explore taking apart worked very well, though I would match in colour to those used in the dry top easy to find/access and is fastened shut with a pressrange. Thebelongings FXr is availablewet. in Sherbet (a brightrecommend orange In many respectswithout the FXr is just same asof thegetting FX. I have tried a couple folding knives in this thetheworry your you try it instud. your garden a fewoftimes with contrasting blue zips/stitching) and Aqua (a bright The majority of the features have remained the pocket and have found that it works well. before your first paddle as it definitely improves with blue with lime green zips/stitching). Nice little touches same. However, some improvements have been Regarding surf, Point 65 recommend you don’t use Palm have made a really good looking and highly really made in a number of key areas. The easiest change to like the contrasting stitching and reflective piping practice. functional PFD with the FXr. It has taken the FX, which the Rum Runner with wavesmakes above three the FXr standfeet, out. as this is a superb PFD to a new level. Palm has a PFD that I can damage the Snap Tap system. Easy to live with, to transport and to store, Point 65 think will be a huge success with a wide range of haven’t missed a trick. The roto-moulded hull cancomfort be of the PFD. paddlers who will love the fit and We used the 12.5 board that can carry up to 300lbs Creekers river and runners will like the robust fabrics heavy when assembled but it is and tough impact and addition of the rescue belt. You have therefore a with its extended mid-section covered with a very resistant. PFD that can be used equally as well in a number of comfortable soft padded EVA foam that gives plenty of different scenarios. The only negative I have spotted is grip.This section is also equipped with a built-in SlideIn the October issue we the willoddhave a more in-depth fact that Palm may have inadvertently created cost PFD is actually better in many Trax system which allows you to fully customise it to review of the board aftera lower the local seathatscout unit have respects that the Amp PFD.
Palm FXr PFD
your specific needs such as seating, fishing gear etc.
given it a thorough testing over the summer. Features include: â—? â—?
â—? â—? â—?
â—?
Watch the video
Low profile foam panels. Slimline front pocket with inner compartment, key ring clip. 3D anti ride-up waistbelt. Easy Glide strap adjustment throughout. Continuous loop failsafe shoulder straps with strap keeper pockets. Reflective detail on shoulders, front and rear panels.
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Point 65ยบN products are distributed in the UK and Ireland by Lyon Equipment - www.lyon.co.uk
ler
s Pants
in association with
in association with
Immersion Research Guide Shorts
kuk.com
two new pants in the 14.
ultisport Pants are om tough x2.5 with reinforcements places. The flat ckcord waist and ro ankle seals make al not only for pen boating, but activities such as ing, saving you ace in your luggage!
Pants are made co-friendly recycled eature an Aquaout double Aquaout etch neo cone ls. The Semi Pants ost scenarios and erfectly Peak’s new
Palm FXr PFD
www.palmequipmenteurope.com By Phil Carr
The FX PFD from Palm Equipment has been around in one form or another for years and has been one of Palm’s top sellers throughout its lifetime. In 2013 Palm took the FX and totally overhauled its fit and the material used.
www.nswatersports.com
www.nswatersports.com
01642 01642520234 520234
Sweet Protection Shambala shorts www.sweetprotection.com By Phil Carr
Sweet Protection are no strangers to the paddling world and over the years I have tried and owned a fair spot between the FX and FXr is the addition of few items from their range. Palm’s rescue belt. This is the same system used on However, earlier this year Palm’s entire rescue PFDs and includes a metal Oring for clipping in to. The belt is threaded through saw the arrival of the newly the fabric of the PFD, which gives the PFD a really updated Shambala shorts. nice and clean look. Both the metal O-ring and easily removed. to previous, the new 2014 models have a more fitted and rescue belt can beCompared articulated fit. In onaddition to the improvements made to the overall fit, The FXr like the FX is a slab design that is put slab isfastenings a much better fit and than onadjustments on the over the head. Thethe The front pocket is huge and is easily accessed via a shorts have also been tweaked.
The new FX has been such a success that it seemed the previous FX model, as it has been shaped to large zip. Inside is a useful clip in point, D ring and small to make sense to move things up a gear and develop contour with your torso. A better fit is a safer fit. In mesh which panel for match keys etc.The is easyrange to spot as is in The pair I received is the gunmetal blue ones, thezipnew ofit 2014 a rescue vest using the same platform. Palm have done addition the low profile design of the FXr allows for a contrasting colour to the rest of the PFD.The pocket exactly this and have released the FXr in early 2014. kit including the 2014 Strutter helmet. When looking out for a pair of kayak shorts it great range of movement. Adjustment to all of the and the foam slab sit low on your body, which again straps is simple andisstraightforward. The waist I have used the FX for almost a year for playboat important to me that they will last the test of time and of course that they fit gives great levels of movement for paddling and dare, I ultisport and Semi duties and have used a Palm Extrem River Vest whilst band/belt is coated with a rubber material (3d anti say it, makes swimming pretty easy. available now and Around 15 years agoThe myFXfavourite really well. ride up), which helps to keep the PFD in place. in my creek boat of river runner. is a out d £115 In addition to the main pocket is a small knife pocket. paddling shorts were my Playboater superb bit of kit and I was intrigued to see how the heavyofduty 500D Cordura, the Shambala shorts The fabrics used areInpretty terms construction very well Theandfabric This isare located above the made. main pocket runs has a would measure up against both the FX and NeopreneFXr shorts – absolutely bombproof andthe same as used in the more expensive Extrem River horizontally at the top of the foam slab. The pocket is Extrem PFDs. good combination of soft feel and toughness. The inner short is made from Vest and match in colour to those used in the dry top curved to fit when sat down etc. Unfortunately, easy to find/access and is fastened shut with a pressrange.The FXr is available in Sherbet (a bright In many respects the FXr is just the same as the FX. neoprene and has orange an articulated fit especially sitting in knives a kayak or have tried a for couple of folding in this stud. Idesigned too many The pies forced the sale of those shorts and with contrasting blue zips/stitching) and Aqua (a bright majority of the features have remained the and have found that itbelow works well. pocket canoe. The shorts are a little longer than the norm and sit just the knees. This blue with lime green zips/stitching). Nice little touches However, been same. I have since been onsome theimprovements hunt for have a long-term have a really goodyou looking greatandwhen portaging into itsmade own when sit and in ahighly kayak as stitching reflective piping really but it really comesPalm made in a number of key areas. The easiest change to like the contrasting is replacement for years. I have owned kayak and PFD with the FXr. It has taken the FX, which out.shorts still cover the knee/thigh giving functional makes the FXr stand the a bit of extra padding between your leg is a superb PFD to a new level. Palm has a PFD that I non-kayak specific shorts (mainly board shorts) and the thigh braces within the boat. The articulation within the helps success withdesign a wide range of keep think will be a huge and although all have done a great job, I have paddlers who will love the fit and comfort of the PFD. things in the correct place. Creekers and river runners will like the robust fabrics always moved on to try something else. addition of the rescue belt. You have therefore a When sat in a kayak, the exposure of yourand lower back can often be an issue. The PFD that can be used equally as well in a number of My criteria for short choice is pretty simple: Shambala shorts sit nice and high at the back with a curved waistline andspotted the is different scenarios. The only negative I have � A good fit (both standing and whilst sat in a kayak). the odd fact that may have waistband can be adjusted via two Velcro tabs that arePalm situated atinadvertently the frontcreated of the � Bombproof construction and materials. a lower cost PFD that is actually better in many shorts. These tabs are attached to an elasticated belt that allows for the short to be respects that the Amp PFD. � Fast drying. �
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10
Value for money.
I have therefore for the past few years settled on the Guide Shorts from Immersion Research (IR) and in particular the neoprene lined variety.
The Guide Shorts are built in a similar fashion to surfing board shorts. They have a lace-up waist with just a small circle of Velcro on the fly and deep gusset crotch for a siting position
snugged up nice and tight around the waist yet still have some give when you are Features include: moving around. Low profile foam panels. â—?
Slimline front pocket with inner compartment, key
Overall I have been very pleased with the shorts ring as clip.I did have initial concerns over the anti ride-up waistbelt. sizing, as I found that the neoprene inner shorts3Dwere pretty snug and I was having Easy Glide strap adjustment throughout. difficulty getting the shorts to sit quite right – they have of course stretched a little over Continuous loop failsafe shoulder straps with time and now fit perfectly.They do offer both the and warmth that I require. strapprotection keeper pockets. �
â—? â—? â—?
â—?
Reflective detail on shoulders, front and rear panels.
They are constructed from quick-drying rip-stop polyester microfibre and the signature brass grommet on the back leg - perfect for clipping the shorts to the rest of your gear, or for hang-drying. The shorts for are a great length, just sitting on the knee.
Inside is an attached set of neoprene shorts, which are super comfy and give that added bit of comfort and warmth.
The material used on the shorts feels substantial and from the couple of pairs that I own, I can vouch that the construction is superb, they feel as if they could easily see me well into the next decade without missing a beat.
IR have not changed the design since 1997 and to be honest they don’t need to. They are a proven design that I find work extremely well. So much so that I own the neoprene lined, unlined and fleece lined shorts.
They are pretty expensive at just under ÂŁ100 but the quality of the design and fit makes them probably one of the best if not THE best paddling shorts out there at the current time.
Vi
Paul Ramsdale. River Dee. Image: Pete Astles
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ThePaddler 24
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North West England Canoeing Guide By Phil Carr
The FX PFD from Palm Equipment has been around in one form or another for years and has been one of Palm’s top sellers throughout its lifetime. In 2013 Palm took the FX and totally overhauled its fit and the material used.
NFCT Through-Paddler, Katina Daanen (left) has announced the publication of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail Throughspot between the FX and FXr is the addition of This rescue belt. This Companion. is the same system used on is Palm’s Paddler’s Palm’s the entire first rescue PFDs and includes a metal Ocomprehensive ring for clipping in to. The belt is threaded through resource guiding paddlers of the PFD, which gives the PFD a really from the fabric nice and cleanfirst look. Both the metal and takethe put-in to O-ring the last rescue belt can be easily removed. out on the 740-mile Northern The FXr like the FX is a slab design that is put on Forest Canoe Trail in the north over the head. The slab is a much better fit than on eastFXUnited model, as itStates. has been shaped to the previous
Pants are made co-friendly recycled eature an Aquaout double Aquaout etch neo cone Best GuideTheBook fora success Stuart new FXAward has been such thatMiller's it seemed ls. The Semi Pants to make sense to move things up a gear and develop N.W. ost scenarios andEngland Canoeing Guide. contour with your torso. A better fit is a safer fit. In a rescue vest using the same platform. Palm have done profile as erfectly Peak’s new the low design of America’s the FXr allows Best for addition Named in 2011 this and have released the FXr in early 2014. exactly At the 2014 Lakeland Book of the Year Awards great range of movement. Adjustment to all of the Canoe Trail by Outside Magazine and the FX for almost a Canoe year for playboat on 15thI have Julyused – Stuart Miller's & Kayak straps is simple and straightforward.The waist ultisportheld and Semi sometimes to as (3d theanti is coated withreferred a rubber material duties and have used a Palm Extrem River Vest whilst band/belt available now and Guide to N.W. wonof river the runner. Striding Edge ride up), which helps to keep place. my creek boat The FX is a out inEngland ‘Appalachian TrailtheofPFD thein Waterways, ’ d ÂŁ115 superbGuidebook. bit of kit and I was intrigued to see how the Award for Best are prettyNorthern heavy duty 500D Cordura, The fabrics theused 740-mile Forest Canoe FXr would measure up against both the FX and the same as used in the more expensive Extrem River Extrem (NFCT) begins in the Stuart said he wasPFDs. delighted and surprised to win Vest andTrail match in colour to those used in the dry top FXr is available at in Sherbet (a bright orange In manyat respects the FXr isof justthe the same as the Adirondacks its western terminus when he looked the quality books heFX. range.The with contrasting blue zips/stitching) and Aqua (a bright The majority of the features have remained the in Old Forge, New York, ending at the was up against. In their summing up, the judges blue with lime green zips/stitching). Nice little touches same. However, some improvements have been in Fortpiping Kent, Maine. commentedmade thatinthey were especially impressed contrastingterminus stitching and reflective really a number of key areas. The easiest change to like theeastern thetraverses FXr stand out.22 rivers and streams, 58 makes It
with the quality of the maps and photos in Stuart's book.
Pete Knowles, from Rivers Publishing commented that he believes that this is the first British Canoeing Guidebook ever to win a book award – a worthy credit to Stuart's dedication and work. “This prestigious book award is an affirmation of what the specialist canoeing press have already said, ‘this is the best quality UK paddling guide yet produced.’ â€?. Canoe & Kayak Guide to N.W. England is available from most canoe shops and online 368 pages, full colour. Price ÂŁ22.50. http://www.riverspublishing.demon.co.uk
The front pocket is huge and is easily accessed via a large zip. Inside is a useful clip in point, D ring and small mesh panel for keys etc.The zip is easy to spot as it is in a contrasting colour to the rest of the PFD.The pocket and the foam slab sit low on your body, which again gives great levels of movement for paddling and dare, I say it, makes swimming pretty easy. In addition to the main pocket is a small knife pocket. This is located above the main pocket and runs horizontally at the top of the foam slab. The pocket is easy to find/access and is fastened shut with a pressstud. I have tried a couple of folding knives in this pocket and have found that it works well.
Palm have made a really good looking and highly functional PFD with the FXr. It has taken the FX, which is a superb PFD to a new level. Palm has a PFD that I lakes and ponds, passes through 45 think will be a huge success with a wide range of paddlers who will love the fit and comfort of the PFD. towns and villages, and requires 63 Creekers and river runners will like the robust fabrics portages, totalling 53 miles. and addition of the rescue belt. You have therefore a PFD that can be used equally as well in a number of Daanen first learned of the Trail while attending a presentation at Canoecopia, different scenarios.in The2010 only negative I have spotted an is the odd fact thatthe Palm hour, may have inadvertently created annual paddle sport event held in Madison, Wisconsin. Within she was already a lower cost PFD that is actually better in many scheming about whom to recruit in order to spendrespects the following paddling this that the Ampsummer PFD.
compelling trail.
Features include:
Low profile foam panels. When asked “Why a guidebook?� Daanen explains, “While I planned my own trip using Slimline front pocket with inner compartment, key the Northern Forest Canoe Trail official guidebook, maps and website, I found many of the ring clip. 3D anti ride-up paddler blogs to be helpful from a through-paddling-specific pointwaistbelt. of view. I documented strap adjustment throughout. my own trip with the intent of providing more detailsEasy andGlide adding to the volume of Continuous loop failsafe shoulder straps with information available online. After my trip, I started fielding the pockets. same trail questions being strap keeper detailsimilar on shoulders, frontpatterns and rear panels. raised among prospective through-paddlers as well asReflective noticing travel among those who had completed the trail. I recognized a need to create a throughpaddler resource. Plus I like creating maps.� � �
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Drawing upon her research, organizational and design skills, Daanen has written and produced a guidebook that navigates the Trail in its entirety from the perspective and unique needs of an expedition paddler or anyone looking for more detailed information while following the official NFCT maps.
The ‘Companion’ provides comprehensive and tactical advice about specific water bodies, including upstream paddling directions, portage (or carry) descriptions and distances, and mileage markers, while offering suggestions for ordinary, yet sometimes elusive matters, such as where one might spend the night. The 246-page guidebook includes: � 36 consecutive segment descriptions documenting the entire Trail including 160-plus miles of upstream paddling. � 20 illustrated maps highlighting challenging trail sections. � Details about every portage (or carry) with recommendations about how ‘wheelable’ each may be. � Statistics about average paddle times. � Tips for planning daily mileage goals. � Lists of services found along the Trail.
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ThePaddler 26
LAPLAND: Land O’F JacksonTeam trip to Lapland
Touching down in Stockholm is often the start of a pike fishing trip for many visitors to Sweden, with the Baltic on its doorstep and the vast amounts of pristine lakes and rivers in the vicinity. For us, it was just the start of the journey with a ten-hour drive straight north to our first destination of Blattniksele, deep into Lapland.
Planning for this trip had been ongoing for the previous six months. Greger Jonsson of Salmo Lapland has been looking to develop tourism in Northern Sweden and one of the obvious areas of this is fishing. However due to the nature of the area, this environment specifically lends itself to kayak fishing, with its limited bank access and boulder strewn waters. Being a dealer for Jackson Kayaks his first call was to Jan Liska, team leader of the Jackson European fishing team and soon myself, Sam Baxter and David Blair of the UK Team were on our way to explore the area’s potential, along with Jan and two other members of the Czech team.
By Mark Radcliffe
Photos: Sam Baxte
Fish
er
Mark Radcliffe chasing pike on the Aman River
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For a UK angler this is a good day’s fishing but little did we know what the
remainder of the trip
For the Brits the drive north
was to hold
just increased our excitement about what was ahead. Everywhere you looked there was water. Vast lakes full of picturesque islands and reed fringed margins, small ponds overgrown with weeds and lily pads as well as powerful rivers which looked slow and deep, just the place to find those large fish. When not staring at the passing waterways the time was spent spotting Elk by the side of the road and trying to avoid the local reindeer population, which we were later to learn are notorious for trying to find new and novel ways of killing themselves in front of passing cars.
Jan Liska on the Aman River
We finally arrive at Blattnicksele Camping at 4am and after an all too brief sleep, Jan was knocking on the cabin door at 7am to see if we wanted to sleep or come and explore a local lake. This wasn’t really a question that needed asking and soon enough, we were unloading kayaks and fishing gear outside a deserted house on the banks of Huftasjon Lake. This was probably our hardest days fishing. The lake was large and shallow with bays filled with reeds and lilies. Unlike every other venue we visited the fish weren’t evenly spread and were shoaled up in the bays that had the wind blowing into them. However once you found them they were there in numbers and everyone finished on six or seven fish for the day. For a UK angler this is a good day’s fishing but little did we know what the remainder of the trip was to hold.
Ready for the day at Blattnickselle camping
Stopping off for lunch on boulder lake
Holmtrask camping
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Day two
was spent exploring the River Vindelalven, Bonsai trees on Boulder Lake which ran right alongside the camp. Sam and I found a huge backwater away from the power of the current which looked ideal for pike, but we struggled to catch, only having a couple of fish each. It was decided to head back to camp for a sleep and rethink. In the evening our host at the camp Kalle Bergstrom treated us to a traditional home cooked meal. This also included a glass of his traditional home made hooch, flavoured with beaver glands, which he distilled in the forest. I can honestly say it wasn’t the most delicious liqueur I have ever tasted but as they say ‘when in Rome…. ‘ After the meal the evening was perfectly still. The river was glassy calm and the midnight sun still shining. It would have been a travesty not to launch and gliding across this mighty river at two o’ clock in the morning with the sun on the horizon remains one of the abiding images of this trip. The fact that I caught my biggest fish on this session also adds to the memory. I had been fishing a fluorescent shad along the opposite margins and caught three pike to 80 centimetres.
The main feature of this lake, as its new name may suggest
were the boulders.
They were everywhere and they were huge, the size of a house
Then I had another take, as I was playing the fish the line suddenly went slack. I thought I had lost it but realised the fish had suddenly swam straight at me and winding in fast, the rod buckled as I hit a solid weight. I really wasn’t sure what was going on but as I got it nearer to the kayak, I could see in the clear water that a much larger pike had attacked the one on my line and had it clamped in its mouth. There was no way I could land the larger fish so it was just a case of admiring it before I let go.
F
Boulders the size of a house
Fishing in the midnight sun
Jan and Sam paddled over to have a look and the larger pike held on for nearly ten minutes before deciding it had had enough and with a final flick of its tail it let go of its smaller relative and disappeared into the deep. I thought that would be the last I saw of that fish but a few minutes later, was aware of a shadow underneath my kayak. As I drifted along the river the shadow kept pace obviously thinking another easy meal may be coming its way. I couldn’t resist and dropped a shad down which was immediately attacked by the toothy predator and after a spirited fight a 95cm pike was soon in the kayak, my biggest fish of the trip. Our next three days were spent on the same venue. Its true name was Abmotrasket but to the group it became known as ‘Boulder Lake’. For most of us this venue was the highlight of the trip. It had one access point 10km down a dirt track. The lake was huge, each channel opened up into another stretch of open water with bays, islands and channels leading to yet more water all of it edged by pristine forest. It was a challenge to keep track of where you were each day and make sure you found your way back to the launch site.
However, the main feature of this lake, as its new Sam Baxter with a pike name may suggest were the boulders. They were everywhere and they were huge, the size of a house. You could be paddling in ten metres of water and then you were scraping the bottom of the yak as another boulder came out of nowhere. This meant that the lake was impossible for boats to access without doing serious damage to the hull or propeller so it was perfect water for a kayak. The fishing here was superb. The water was crystal clear and when fish live in clear water their markings become brighter and more defined, like they have been hand painted. This was especially true for the perch with their sergeant major stripes and red fins. On my best day, I had 14 perch to over two pound caught on a drop shot rig and every one of them was picture perfect. Each morning we all paddled off in our own direction to explore and you could go for hours without seeing each other again as the lake was so large.
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I have never seen a waterway that holds such a population of pike and perch
Mark Radcliffe enjoying the solitude of the Aman River Sam Baxter in the afternoon sun
Ospreys at Boulder Lake
In reality only half the time was spent fishing,
the other half marvelling at the scenery and wildlife. Many of the protruding rocks had miniature bonsai trees growing on them, one of the central islands had an Osprey nest with the parents coming and going and occasionally surprising you by taking a fish from the lake just a few hundred metres away. Anders, one of the Swedish team, saw a moose with calf come down to the lake from the forest to drink almost within touching distance of where he was anchored in a bay. Everything here was spectacular and three days on this lake passed all too soon. The second half of the trip was to be spent exploring the Aman River system. We moved camp a couple of hundred kilometres to the east and the kayaks were moored in the tiny village of Holmtrask as we explored north and south along the gentle river and into the large lakes that it passed through. Unlike our previous venues, this area was fished a small amount by the local population. Obviously here people fish for the table and the pike and perch are a favourite meal so we weren’t sure what to expect. Would the local fish population have been affected by this harvesting for food or would it still be in good health. We needn’t have worried. Within minutes of launching everyone was catching pike. Not big fish but huge numbers of them. I have never seen a waterway that holds such a population of pike and perch and over 30 pike a session became the norm with a similar number of perch taking the large pike lures. The challenge on this water was to try and find the larger fish, and Sam Baxter led the way on this using a large casting fly on ultra-light gear to find pike over 90cm every day. He even used his home- made yellow rubber duck lure to great success deceiving a 93cm pike into taking it from the surface. I spent all of my time on this river system surface fishing with weed less frog lures in the reeds. It was a new method for me and is one of the most exciting ways of fishing I have tried. When you cast the lure into the reeds, you slowly twitch it back along the surface imitating an injured frog. From the corner of your eye you see a swirl 20 metres away as a pike notices the disturbance and then you just watch the bow wave getting closer and closer to the lure until a pike launches itself from the water, sometimes three feet into the air as it attacks what it thinks is an injured frog. The hook up rate with this type of fishing was very poor, but it was such an exhilarating and visual way to fish that I couldn’t resist it, and it resulted in many pike to 85cm. Perch on the fly
Sam Baxter with the smallest pike of the trip
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After three days
The UK and Czech Jackson fishing teams Mark Radcliffe playing a pike
here our trip was over. The final evening was the obligatory barbecue where we repeated already often told stories, compared notes and made plans for future Jackson Team trips. The following day we met Greger from Salmo Lapland who wanted to know if we thought that Lapland was a viable destination for visiting kayak anglers.
Well really, what could we say? We had barely scratched the surface having fished on only half a dozen waters. Each water had offered superb fishing and spectacular scenery. On each water you had perfect solitude with minimal bank access and no sign of other watercraft. Did I think this was a destination other kayak anglers would want to visit – yes for sure.
On each water you had perfect solitude with minimal bank access and no sign
of other watercraft
The long drive south to Stockholm with Sam and Dave was a noticeably more muted affair than the drive north had been. Each of us reflecting on what had been a fantastic trip. Everywhere we looked there was water and watching it pass by, we all knew that each pond, lake and river offered fishing that could only be dreamt of in the UK. Would we be back to Sweden in the future? Absolutely, at the very earliest opportunity. David Blair returning from a day on the water
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A NEW STRETCH OF By Simon Everett
WATER
I had a day like this the other week, out on the kayak to try a new stretch of water that I had been told was very lightly fished, as there is no way of accessing it by land and few people can be bothered with the effort that is required to reach it by water, a paddle of about 2.5 miles and with no boat launch for a conventional boat, so it makes it a perfect venue for the paddling angler. We arrived on the bankside early, hoping to get launched and fishing before the sun got too high. It was a calm, crisp morning with a clear, blue sky as we slid our kayaks into the water and loaded up. I was using my fly rod and just had my fishing bag with the small gear, a drink and something to nibble on in it. The water had already started to warm up after the long, cold spell over winter. It was good to be back on the water, exercising muscles that had had a long layoff, and getting my paddling rhythm and casting arm back in action.
I like going to new waters to fish, there is always an air of optimism and expectation about that first visit. With everything so new there is nothing that has become familiar and even the scenery is a great stimulus.There could be a great slack, full of promise just around the next bend.The landmarks are unfamiliar keeping all your senses alive while you soak in the surroundings and try to read the water for likely fish holding spots.
As we made steady progress on the two mile paddle ahead of us against the current of the big river we passed a few people fishing from the bank and gave them a wide berth making a special effort to paddle cleanly and not make too much water disturbance traversing their swim. They may have spent several days feeding that swim in preparation for this day of fishing and I am not into spoiling other peoples’ leisure time. In my experience fish are not bothered by a carefully paddled kayak, which is one of the attractions of a kayak in the first place, they are a very stealthy craft to fish from, but fish are definitely disturbed by splashy actions and noise, especially human voices. We pressed on, past stands of pussywillow that were already coming into flower with masses of the soft, fluffy, silvery buds. We made mental notes of various really good looking places for future visits, but as they were just out of the flow it would require anchoring in the river to fish them properly and we were on a mission, so couldn’t spend the time today.
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The two miles
soon slipped behind us as the Kaskazi kayaks glided almost effortlessly through the water, round various tight bends until upon rounding the last one, the entrance to the unfished water appeared. We turned off and glided into the calm offshoot from the river and gasped at the prospect that faced us. The banks were totally overgrown with willow and alder, making it impossible to fish from the shore without some serious chainsaw work. We could now see why there was so much excitement about fishing the spot. I started to plumb the depths along the edge with the fish finder, where the tree branches were hanging in the water. The Dragonfly sonar showed it was fairly uniform along this side at about four or five feet deep right by the trees and so perfect for pike to lay in ambush. The opposite side was steep and inaccessible from the bank with a vertical drop to the water of some eight to ten feet, here the water was much deeper straight down and the sonar showed masses of fish lying on the thermocline at 10 feet down, regardless of the depth of water the fish were all at 10 feet. The sonar also showed the drop off and structure of the bottom so we were able to target good looking spots.
Mitch was casting lures, illuminated by sunlight against a backdrop of dark, leafless trees and brooding clouds. His lure flew in an arc towards the tree-lined bank and landed with a gentle splash. On about his third cast he gave a shout as the rod bent into the first fish from this new stretch of water. It wasn’t a big fish, but it was a very welcome one and gave us renewed confidence. I set up my drift with very little breeze to move me, just enough to push me along very gently about 25 yards out from the edge of the trees. The intermediate line took my 6� orange fly right to the edge of the trees. Knowing there was five feet of water I gave it a count of ten before beginning the stop start retrieve. It felt fishy and I was in a positive mood, which is always important. I was casting well and accurately, dropping the fly just short of the branches and then working it back in a very considered retrieve, with my mind picturing how the fly was working below the surface.
I prefer to measure my pike now, rather than weigh them, especially on the kayak where weighing is pretty impractical. I keep a tape measure in my fly wallet for the very purpose. This fish measured 86cm and I estimated its weight as I lifted it aboard as about 8lbs, which is close enough for me. I am not that fussed by figures, I just enjoy my fishing, especially on a new and exciting piece of water.
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The breeze pushed
me down the inlet a bit further and there was a gap in the trees about ten feet wide. I didn’t anyone to tell me to cast as close to the bank as I could in this gap. The water was clear enough that any pike would be able to see at least half way and with the pulses from the fly would soon find my offering. My first cast was just a bit wayward and landed the fly on the end of a drooping branch, one slight tug had it dropping off and into the water right beside the branches. I gave it a pause and began to retrieve, expecting the line to go tight at any moment. It didn’t. I couldn’t believe it, a cast like that deserved a fish. I recast and landed the fly in the middle of the gap. I counted to five and started to bring the fly back in short, sharp jerks.
The fly was probably half way back to the kayak, certainly well clear of the trees, when I got a thumping take and the fish bore off into deep water. It really fought hard and I got it to the side of the kayak where it went berserk, head-shaking and leaping clear of the water. The pike bore away again and I let it have some line as I slowed it up. Once more I got the pike alongside, but it still wasn’t ready and thrashed away sending a flurry of spray everywhere. On the third attempt I managed to grip the pike safely under the chin and lifted it gently aboard to measure and photograph it. The barbless hook slipped out easily enough and the pike was carefully returned. It lay on my hands, right way up, just under the surface for a few moments while it got its bearings back, then it just moved off gently back into the murky depths.
The Fatyak Kaafu for fishing The Fatyak Kaafu is a one piece rotationally moulded kayak, no seams no joints and is manufactured using high grade high density UV stabilised polyethylene. It has moulded in padeye fixings giving unsurpassed leak protection. All Fatyak kayaks are manufactured in accordance to BS7852 in Somerset England. The Fatyak Kaafu offers the versatility that Sit-on-Top kayakers want. It’s unique stable lines ensures that children, fishermen, sport and recreational kayakers will all have an enjoyable time. We believe in good value for money and strive to provide you with the best product at a great price. We are innovative and are always looking to expand our range. We have many years of experience in rotationally moulded products and are hand to answer any questions you may have. Available to purchase from our accessory section are fishing rod holders etc. KAAFU REVIEW BY TERRY WRIGHT • Easy kayak to lift • Skeg moulding for improved tracking • Stable, deceptively fast and straight • Ideal for lure and fly fishing
“I ended up paddling about four miles and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with the performance. I am not saying I am getting rid of the P13 or my SINK but when I am looking to do just a bit of lure fishing and cutting back on all the gear or to take the wife or grandson out then this is just the job. Others have reviewed the Kaafu as a saltwater vessel so I will only comment on it as a fresh/flat water fishing kayak. Hand on heart I found myself smiling as I paddled, it is a great first kayak for people on a budget but also ideal for lure fishing, fly fishing. It is stable and deceptively fast and straight.”
Testimonial “The Fatyak Kaafu is a superb kayak with lots of cleverly designed features. On our tests, we found it a very dry ride; the only water we had in the cockpit area was from paddle drips. The hatches were dry and fixtures well placed. “The kayak tracked well and paddled really easily. This is a very responsive kayak. It's also very easy to handle and put on the roof rack due to the fixed balanced handles. The recommended retail of the bare kayak is around £300 so this is a very affordable option and sure to become a favourite amongst us kayak anglers.” North Wales Kayak Fishing.co.uk. Full review: http://northwaleskayakfishing.co.uk/index.html
Fatyak Kayaks Tel. 01984 632026 www.fatyak-kayaks.co.uk
All Fatyak kayaks are manufactured in accordance to BS7852 in Somerset, England. ISO 9001,14001, 18001 accredited manufacturer.
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Sitons.com
Words and pics: Tez Plavenieks Graphic: Sitons.com
‌beside the seaside, beside the sea‌
beach survey results UK summer is now in full effect. Birds are tweeting, wafts of BBQ aromas fill the air, ice creams are licked, moods are buoyant, coastal destinations are positively buzzing and the paddling fraternity have shed that annoying winter attire (mostly). Cast your mind back to 2013’s balmy months and although it may be a distant memory there were plenty hitting the sands then as well.
Sitons.com was keen to investigate visiting habits and launched their beach survey, in partnership with Perception Kayaks Europe, to an unprecedented response. A diverse spectrum of beach goers all heard the call – even if they didn’t have any intention of dipping a toe – which gave a broad range of data.
Many head for the coast during good weather – even when the sun doesn’t have his hat on large numbers flock to the seaside for frolics in the sea, to build sandcastles and maybe sink a cold one in the sun. Most stretches of sand during high season will be blanketed with visitors. Those wielding paddles will seek out golden beaches, shingle expanses and rocky shorelines – anywhere for a spot of ‘yakin’ under a warm sun.
Having sifted, collated and compiled; the insights revealed give an interesting snapshot of the nation’s beach visiting habits. Straight out of the blocks Cornwall (possibly unsurprisingly) tops out at number one for most visited beach county. Dorset and Devon follow closely behind, giving the south west a clean podium sweep. Norfolk nips in at number five while Pembrokeshire makes the top 10, yet again proving the magnetic draw of Celtic regions. Scotland makes a good showing and Sussex grips on tightly at number four – even shingly beaches reel in the numbers.
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We asked people to tell us why they made the pilgrimage to their chosen spot and it seems when spending time afloat isn’t a priority, having a good quality and accessible beach is still important. 76.43% of responders were families who love an open expanse of sand for kids to roam and parents to relax. Sole travellers hitting the coast were only 9.46%, suggesting it’s preferable to be beside the sea in a group, with friends or accompanied by relatives. Those actually splashing about in the drink (35%) gorged themselves with up to three hour stints; while 24.82% of visitors didn’t get wet at all – you don’t need webbed feet to appreciate the coast.
Distance travelled to each venue was eye opening – the majority not trekking too far to access their chosen beach. 37.90% journeyed less than 10 miles while 34.72% completed between 10m-50m. Only 27.33% broke the 50m barrier.
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As summer gets underway in the UK, we’re sure there’ll be the usual race for the coast as good weather bathes us. Wherever your favourite beach destination, and however you choose to spend your time there, we’re confident you’ll have a great time being beside the seaside, beside the sea…
Sitons.com – the website all about sit on top kayaking. Contact tez@sitons.com for more info.
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White Water Fest Supported by WRW Construction Cardiff International White Water 6 September FREE to spectators
This event is your chance to try out a range of watersports for the very first time (including canoeing, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding) as CIWW special 'taster sessions' will be offered at a reduced rate of only £5 per person for a 1.5 hour session!
Or if you are an experienced paddler see the latest kit on sale and get some handy hints and technical guidance at the trade stalls. Also the water will be on all day so why not ‘park and play’? ‘Park and Play’ sessions are for experienced paddlers who have their own equipment and want to enjoy all the course has to offer! Warm up on the flat water, relax on the conveyor, and then experience the ‘on demand’ white water! They offer a range of features to suit both the intermediate and advanced boater.
The action packed Indoor Surfing attraction will also be open so book your space now by calling 029 2082 9970. Prices start from £25. Otherwise just relax, grab a drink and a bite to eat, in the café bar, and enjoy live music on the bandstand.
All activity sessions include training and kit. Terms and conditions apply.
Find out more at www.ciww.com Twitter: @cardiffintww Facebook: facebook.com/cardiffinternationalwhitewater
International Sports Village, Cardiff, CF11 0SY Pentref Chwaraeon Rhyngwladol, Caerdydd, CF11 0SY
Available in digital and print SUP Mag UK is your one stop shop for all things stand up paddle related from our green and pleasant land. Printed on top quality 115gsm matt paper with thick laminated covers - it’s top notch! Get BIG savings with the digital version that 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. To subscribe to a printed copy visit: www.standuppaddlemag.co.uk/subscribe.html To subscribe to a digital copy visit: http://joom.ag/Z0db The printed paper version at retails at £5.99 inc P&P for a single issue or £16.99 inc P&P for a yearly subscription of all three magazines. Digital at £2.99 ($4.99) for a single issue or £6.99 ($11.69) for the yearly subscription of three issues. 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.
Published: April issue: April 10th July issue: July 4th September issue: September 10th
If you have any queries please call: 01480 465081 Email: subs@thepaddler.co.uk To advertise email: ads@thepaddlerezine.com or call +44 (0)1480 465081
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Salty Paddler 052 New Zealand
Circumnavigation of the south island by Tara Mulvany
060 Nova Scotia, Canada
By Christopher Lockyer and Jarrod Gunn McQuillan
ByTara Mulvany
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Rounding the sea stacks off Nugget Point on my way to the south coast
S
A winter circumnavigation of New Zealand’s
South Island
Sim and Tara. Photo: Paul Caffyn
O
n a cool, still morning in late spring 2012, my friend Sim and I paddled away from Milford Sound. Huge granite cliffs towered above us, and waterfalls spilled from hanging valleys, plunging into the dark, tannin stained water below. A bubbling concoction of excitement, expectation and fear filled me. There was so much uncertainty in what lay ahead, and I suddenly felt very small, and the task ahead seemed so huge. Huge cyclones down in the Southern Ocean forced violent south westerly fronts over the lower South Island, and along with them brought a huge, powerful swell. With a brief break between these fronts, we slipped quietly out onto the Tasman Sea, eager to make some headway north. We paddled past a wild an untouched land, covered in a blanket of native forest. Sun-bleached driftwood lay scattered on sandy beaches, and swirls of seaweed clung to jumbles of rock.
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Battling with the south coast surf. Photo: Belinda Mulvany
For three days,
the ocean was calm, and the wilds slight. But soon, the storms moved in, and we were trapped on land for days at a time. From wind swept beaches we watched sooty shearwaters gliding past us on the gusts of wind, carving sweeping arcs across the sky. Heavy rain belted down from dark clouds, and the mountains slowly became covered in thick snow.
We tip toed lightly in the weeks that followed, slowly inching our way up the west coast in the brief weather windows that we were given. But as the days grew shorter and colder, I couldn’t help but question our decision to have set off in winter. Perhaps there was a reason it had never been attempted at this time of the year before. There was nothing we could do but sit and wait for the storms to pass, and the seas to ease.
On rare calm days, after a battle out through the surf, we were treated to incredible views of a fairytale land. The huge mountain range of the Southern Alps stood tall beside us, with their glaciers tumbling down like rivers of ice, into the lush rainforest below. Huge waves exploded on beaches of golden sand, and alba
The swell smashed into rocky headlands, sending sheets of
salty spray upwards
atross often circled above us, gliding over the crest of the waves with utmost control. Further north, Nikau palms hung over beaches of pure white sand, and the swell smashed into rocky headlands, sending sheets of salty spray upwards. There were no roads, no houses, and no contact with the outside world.
Then after nearly two months, we rounded Farewell Spit, a 35 km long, narrow strip of sand that marked the end of the west coast. We had been tested like never before. We’d taken more than a handful of rolls between us, survived a couple of big surf landings in the dark, endured days of sea sickness, and even managed to loose each other for four days. But, we had survived, and in a moment of relief, we slipped onto the calm waters of the Pacific Ocean.
A gloomy morning in the Acheron Passage, Fiordland
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Beaches were few and far between, and I was alone in this
perfect wilderness.
Halfway round
the South Island things took an unexpected turn, for better or worse, I’m still not sure. Either way, our relationship came to an end, and I was faced with continuing on alone. I packed my boat and paddled away. With a couple of weeks of settled calm, spring weather, and I made quick progress down the east coast. I paddled for 12 hours, day after day, munching chocolate bars like never before. Rounding Nugget Point, and the end of the east coast, I paddled through towers of giant rock, and onto a grey and bleak south coast. In Bluff, the end of State Highway One, I was trapped for 10 days while nine metre swells battered the very stretch of coast I was heading for.
Wild, remote and unforgiving
Sim and I paddling down the Mahitahi River on our way towards the west coast surf. Bruce Bay, Westland
Eventually I set off, with my kayak fully loaded with what I hoped was enough food to get me back to Milford. I paddled towards the beginning of the Fiordland coast feeling a little nervous, but hugely excited at the same time. I was back in familiar waters, and on the home run. All that separated me now from Milford Sound was 500 km of the most wild, remote and unforgiving coastline in all of New Zealand. Massive granite mountains dropped straight into the ocean, and rainforest clung to near vertical rock faces. On the water, penguins squawked, and splashed before disappearing deep below. Beaches were few and far between, and I was alone in this perfect wilderness. It took me two weeks to paddle back to where my journey had first begun. Rounding St Annes Point, at the entrance to Milford Sound, I wound my way from point to point, skipping between the sheer walls as I made my way towards the inner fiord. I was filled with an overwhelming sense of relief. It had taken me five months to complete my journey, and despite all the storms and challenges that I had dealt with, I had somehow pulled it off. As I rammed my boat onto dry land, I was quietly content.
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An early morning start from Colac Bay, heading for the Fiordland coast
A year after completing my circumnavigation of the South Island, I loaded my kayak with six weeks worth of food, and set off for Rakiura/Stewart Island, New Zealand’s third largest island. I spent five magical weeks exploring, fishing and paddling around the island.
Less than two weeks after returning from this trip, I loaded my kayak onto the roof of my car, and drove for 12 hours up to the top of the South Island. I then jumped into my kayak and paddled across the Cook Strait, beginning my solo journey around the North Island. Four months later, I became the first woman to have paddled around not only the North Island, but also all three islands of New Zealand.
This coming September I’m releasing a book about my journey around the South Island. Information about where you can purchase a copy will be available on my website: www.tarasjourneys.com Publisher: www.craigpotton.co.nz
Farewell Spit, and the end of the west coast
Pete Astles. Astles. Dorset. Dorset. Image: Image: Paul Paul Ramsdale Ramsdale Pete
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ThePaddler 60 By Christopher Lockyer and Jarrod Gunn McQuillan
Nothing
While the east coast of Canada has not always captured the same attention as some other paddling destinations it certainly offers some of the most diverse and exciting sea paddling around.
boring about this‌ The Canadian maritime Province of Nova Scotia is no exception and is quite possibly the highlight of the region. From the exposed and varied Atlantic coastline speckled with island archipelago’s to the dynamic and powerful waters found in the Bay of Fundy featuring the largest tidal range in the world, you are certain to find a world class paddling venue.
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When you focus
in on the upper part of the Bay of Fundy you will find a myriad of large tidal estuaries where the large tides interact with fresh water rivers. Of these, the Shubenacadie River is of greatest interest to the paddling community. The Shubenacadie River is part of a large canal system that was started in 1826 and competed in 1861 creating a historically significant connection from the Bay of Fundy to Halifax.However, paddlers are drawn to the river due to the impressive 55 plus foot tidal range recorded around the corner from the river at Burnt Coat Head. During one tidal cycle the Bay of Fundy sees up to 100 billion tonnes of seawater moving
in and out. This phenomenal volume of water is more than the combined flow of all of the world’s fresh water rivers. This water travels with a significant velocity and when it meets the constriction offered by the Shubenacadie River excitement is sure to be created for the rough water enthusiast.
Surfing the ‘Power Line’ set Getting ready for the ride
During one tidal cycle the Bay of Fundy sees up to
100 billion tonnes
s
The tidal bore
The local paddling community refer to the Shubenacadie River as the ‘Shubie’ or the ‘Shubie Tidal Bore’. The put-in is found in Maitland, Nova Scotia and is timed with low water. The nearest primary port for tidal predictions is on the other side of the Bay of Fundy in Saint John, New Brunswick. Low water at Maitland is four hours after Saint John; however, this area can be quite unpredictable and can run much earlier or later than this ‘rule of thumb’ calculation. The next factor to consider will be the tidal height difference with anything above 22 feet making for a great day on the river and above 24 feet the velocity of the current will increase and enhance the features as well as the level of challenge for paddlers.
Hunting the tidal bore
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Upon arrival you
A paddler’s success will surely be enhanced by will be met with expansive views of tidal mud pairing up with knowledgeable paddlers from flats and a relatively benign looking river. This the area as the location of tidal features are first creates your first obstacle, as you will need to exposed with the recognition of subtle changes navigate down the soft muddy shoreline to reach to the surface water and the trademark ripples water. Some folks prefer to slide down in their that begin to form as an indicator of where waves boats to save their footwear and add to the will soon build. The water will start to mover excitement. After your shoreline ramble and you faster under your kayak and get afloat you can watch you find yourself paddling You can enjoy a wave of the mouth of the river for in high gear to keep pace the arrival of the tidal chocolate milk averaging 50 and hold your position on bore. As the tide begins to feet wide and reaching a the river. As the current turn you will often see speed increases, so do the birds scatter as the water maximum height of six feet waves. Like a beach wave, begins to push its way up the waves build and build until they are higher this muddy drainage and replace shoreline and than twice the depth of water under them and sand flats with seawater from the Bay of Fundy. then they start to curl over. As the water mixes with the riverbed considerable silt and sediment is suspended ‘Sand Bar’ within the water column to the point that surface If you are lucky enough to experience the tidal light will not penetrate, of significance to a bore you will be well positioned as this is also paddler should you capsize. The tidal bore itself home to the ‘Sand Bar’, which is the first area that can be fickle and does not always form, however, tidal features can form. There is often a delay for when it does form you can enjoy a wave of these waves as you wait for the water levels to rise. chocolate milk averaging 50 feet wide and This will require holding position by paddling reaching a maximum height of six feet forcing its against the flow or working your way towards the way up the river and covering everything in sight. shoreline. While waiting you will surely be If the bore does not form, your day is certainly amazed by how quickly the water rises and you not over as the majority of the fun is found as will literally watch shoreline disappear before you work your way up river on the variety of tidal your eyes. The patient paddler will be rewarded races and overfall features that form. with a great warm up, as the Sand Bar set offers some of the more forgiving waves to be found on Tidal features the river, a great precursor for what is to come. There are anywhere between ten and 13 locations where tidal features will form along the Shubie ‘Killer K’ and these features can change as the powerful The next prominent feature is the ‘Killer K’ and tides flush water in and out and move and shift often provides some of the largest waves on the the river bottom from year to year. However, river. On larger tides the water in this area moves most of the main features are consistent and very fast and the waves become steeper and can reliable. Only a few of these features will be exceed 10 feet in height. These waves often have a highlighted in this article. foam pile on top of them adding to the challenge Tidal features are created as water levels rise and and excitement. The savvy paddler will fight to begin to fill the exposed riverbed, steadily stay at the front of the wave train for the best increasing the velocity of current and as it passes chance of grabbing smooth chocolate rides as the over sand bars and veers around bends in the quality of waves degrade as you move upriver on river. The astute paddler will use patience, timing this feature. The area proves to be a wonderful and continual awareness of their surroundings to training ground as the upriver portion provides a scout play spots along the length of this 12km confused, foamy chocolate mayhem testing the run. most seasoned paddlers skill set.
Hardly blue seude shoes
Sean dropping into the Killer K
Shubie fun
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ThePaddler 68 ‘Power Line’
The last and most unforgettable area to grab waves on the river is called the ‘Power Line’ and provides the closest rendition to a standing wave that this constantly changing river has to offer. As this feature is near the end of the run a paddlers endurance be put to the test, however, if fit and up to task the compensation will be a smooth brown wave that allows the paddler an opportunity for a fluid ride carving back and forth in excess of 20 minutes at the best of times.
As seen from above
A paddlers run on the Shubie ends playing in the large eddy line formed by the prominent steep river bank on a bend in the river referred to as ‘Anthony's Nose’. At the end of a fast-paced exciting three-hour ride this is a great spot for working on ferry glides, breaking in and out and refining white water manoeuvres in long boats. Be prepared to have sore face muscles from smiling after this adrenalin filled paddling experience. The Shubie gives you a great physical workout and a great deal of enjoyment. The take out for the Shubie is a place called Green Creek and a well-placed shuttle will leave you will plenty of time for you and your mates to recap your run on the Shubie.
Playing at the Nose
adrenalin filled
Be prepared to have sore face muscles from smiling after this paddling experience.
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Kayak Paddler 072 Coaching
Psychological skills by Dave Rossetter part two
076 WW safety
Throwlines and pulleys by Flo Fischer
082 Amazon River, Peru
Part one: the source in Peru by Darcy Gaetcher
092 India
Uttarakhand white water by Steve Brooks
102 Interview
Norway’s Queen of the waterfalls, Mariann Sæther
110 Patagonia, Chile
Futaleufú River in the winter by Patrick J. Lynch
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By Dave Rossetter –paddlesport instruct Part two about the psychological area of white water kayaking
The previous article opened up the psychological area of arousal control by using positive self talk, pre-performance routines and imagery.
This article continues the theme and covers the area of – Attentional Focus.
When paddling there is a lot going on:
From environmental aspects: • Waves, stoppers, tide races, wind issues or wildlife encounters
It’s still all in your Paddling skills: • Body position, stroke choice, where you are heading, technical or tactical decisions
Others: • Other paddlers, other water users or leadership decisions
The paddler needs to be able to focus on different areas at different times. A skillful or competent paddler makes things look so effortless and they seem to be able to link lots of things together with apparent ease.
This is due to as to when they get competent that skill becomes autonomous. It becomes part of them its what they do and requires little or no thought. If this is the case, then there is more space for the brain to be concentrating on other areas such as other paddlers or environmental aspects.
Think back to when you were learning something, perhaps learning to drive. In the beginning you are struggling to work out what the feet are doing while your hands are busy holding the steering wheel, while there are gears to change, indicators and other levers to worry about. That all needs to happen while you are looking at the road ahead then are aware of other road users, pedestrians and road signs. Then you have the driving instructor chatting to you at different times as well. Busy isn’t it?
Once you have more practice and passed your test then you seem to be able change your focus and things start to happen with no conscious effort.The ability to hold a conversation, change the radio station but also not worry about what the feet are doing.
While paddlers are learning there is a lot going. They struggle to look where they are going as they are looking at the blade for every stroke. Coaching some freestyle paddlers the other day I asked one of them if they were pushing on their heels at the end of the loop. They came back and said, “You want me to think about my feet as well? If I do that then I will have to forget about something!”
Learning to roll also creates the same issues. The paddler goes through all the movements on top of the water, knows what they are trying to achieve, says to you the correct things then goes upside down and due to the change in the environment and therefore the change of focus required, the roll is not successful.
All of these examples are about the focus that is required to make things more successful. For this to happen the paddler needs to be able shift the focus into different areas. There will be times when we need to be focused on multiple areas and other times when we can be focused only on one area.
tor at Glenmore Lodge This switching is key to successful performances
If you are into your football you can see great examples every week on the pitch and there has been plenty of examples in this year’s World Cup. During a penalty shoot-out for example, we see the goalkeeper doing their best to distract the penalty taker. There are a few aspects to this. First the goalkeeper has to attend to what they are going to do in terms of trying to save the shot but also how the opposing player responds. The player then needs to focus on what they are going to do and put aside the antics of the keeper and the noise of the crowd. This takes training to keep the focus on where it should be.
ur mind! The other football one is where a player is caught ball watching. The focus has drifted from the task at hand onto what the ball is doing. Often something that we see beginners in matches doing.
Like self-talk, pre-performance routines and imagery these are skills that we practice in our performances.
Our focus can be: Broad
This is seeing the big picture for example: seeing the whole rapid, taking in your surroundings
Internal
External
Other paddlers, the environment or equipment issues
Narrow
This is all about you – your thoughts, performance and movements
Small picture areas – edge control or blade placement
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Training and practicing
Training and practicing for this is something that can happen all the time in any of the environments you find yourself. Like all things if we need to effect change we need to work/find out where we are at in the skill. So what do you do?
Scenario 1
You are coming up to the eddy line to break into the flow.You need to have the correct speed and angle of attack for the eddy line as well as being aware of where you are heading.
How do you recognize it’s time to turn? Is it based on seeing the eddy line or feeling the change in current?
For those that are still learning about eddy lines they will more than likely be looking for it. By the time they see it they have already started crossing it and therefore potentially miss the correct timing for the next stroke that pulls them into the flow and away from the line. The switching of focus has been late due to requiring to see the eddy line. If this is you or someone you are coaching work on this switching happening earlier or looking for clues that will alert you to the required change of focus.
In this practice we have the paddler who is very internal and narrow in their focus. What we are working on is the ability to have more external and broad focus in their paddling at this point.
Many will be aware of the old proverb, “Look before you Leap” and for those involved in coaching the phrase’ “Look where you want to go” is one that helps with this attentional focus.
Scenario 2
You are out scouting a rapid and looking at the route choices.You are noticing all the aspects of the rapid but you are unsure as to what you need to do. You decide to observe what other paddlers do and observe their lines. As you watch them it leaves you feeling apprehensive as they made the line. was it because of their skills or because they are in a different boat to you they got through the wave or stopper.
In this scenario the paddler is external and broad in their focus. This can be useful due to the paddler seeing the big picture and recognizing there are options. However, by being too external and worrying about others they are not in control of their skills and what they need to do complete the rapid. Here we would want them to be more internal and narrow in their focus.
Scenario 3
As a leader there are a variety of roles that needs to be undertaken in any trip. However, consider if the leader is focusing a huge amount of their available brain space on themselves what happens to the group? This means that the leader who has to be conscious of their own skills, their group skills and what the environment is doing is in danger of something getting dropped.
The training required – using past experiences and the environmental clues around the leader stops everyone moving and run the rapid one a time with the leader as the safety person on the bank. Here then the leader now has the ability to put more focus on the group and what is happening around them. Moving from internal and narrow to external and broad.
Here again the training that is required in all of these scenarios is the ability to switch to a different perspective.
Where is ‘your’ focus? How good are you at switching your focus? Areas to practice – Task 1 – Throwbag games
In a group take time to throw a bag around the group. Start off random – where are you focusing?
Now change the task so that you are throwing to the same person and receiving from a different person. How has your focus changed?
Task 2 – Counting
When paddling on a familiar stretch of water count number of eddies, rocks, trees or bridges. How well did you manage to perform the outcome of paddling the stretch and counting? Keep a note of your performance and the number of things that you spotted and repeat. How has your focused changed?
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/
Understanding what you are focused on will: 1. Aid you in your control of your anxiety levels 2. Aid you in your performance 3. Help you to get to where you want to go
Ensure that you are training the mind as well as the body. Next time you are out on the river have a go at incorporating these areas into your training
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White water
safety Imagine the following:
You’re out there on an insane river. Everything is running perfectly until you reach a rapid where another group is running around frantically because one of their paddlers is stuck in a dangerous slit and there is no exit without external help.
What would you do?
Do you have the right equipment with you?
Do you have the know-how to handle the situation?
Flo Fischer guides you through his procedures‌ ThePaddler 77
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I
n the last few years, white water kayaking has become more and more popular; paddlers are searching for new adventures and possibilities to challenge themselves.You meet kayakers on some of the most difficult rivers in the Alps and after conversing with them, you’re totally stoked to learn that they have only been kayaking for only two or three seasons. Maybe kayaking is a sport, which is easy to learn if you have talent and it’s very easy to escalate to more difficult white water.
However, a good kayaker not only needs to paddle perfectly, they also need many more skills that are necessary to be safe on the river. Of course, you need experience to appreciate the right way to avoid accidents but if there is an accident, you need not only the theory but principally the practical knowledge to handle these situations under stress.
Throwbag
As everyone should know, the throwbag is one of the most important pieces of safety equipment, which consists of a long rope stored in a handy bag. The main use is to hold the free end of the rope and throw the bag to somebody who is in trouble to pull him or her out. However, it can also be used to build up a pulley block – there are many applications for this important piece of gear.
Please check on every throwbag once a year, especially when it’s a new one that there is a knot on the bottom of each bag, which is responsible for the sling you can see outside of the bag. Also check that it is still in good condition and there is enough free rope left in case of movement of the knot.
The other end of the rope is responsible for many discussions, principally if there should be a knot or not. In my eyes there are only two possibilities:
•
A small knot at the end of the rope prevents an unintended release if you’re taken by surprise. However, there is the small risk that the knot can become stuck between rocks or trees in the water and you must throw it away because you can’t hold it anymore.This can lead to serious accidents.
•
A clean line is the expression for an end of the rope without any knot.This is the opposite of the advantages and disadvantages of the above.You don’t have any stopper at the end of the rope, so if you have to loosen it, you need to check exactly how much rope is left. On the other hand, the risk of getting stuck in the river is much smaller.
Here I would like to give a short overview on the necessary equipment and how to use it.
NOTE: This is based on my personal experiences and opinion and doesn’t represent any ‘must-do’ instruction. I just want to prompt all of you to practice safety techniques at multiple times of the year.
For me, I use a small knot because for me the advantages of the stopper and finding the end of the rope easily and fast is more important than the unlikely situation that the knot will become stuck.
Whichever possibilities you choose make sure you remove the plastic handle at the end of the rope! This is the fastest way to get your rope stuck in a tree. Remove it or replace it with a small knot with a very small sling.
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Pulleys
The situation, I was talking about at the beginning of the article is a classic situation in which to use pulleys. In most situations it is just equipment that gets stuck on the river because the paddler escaped from the boat. However, it could also be that a paddler is involved in the accident. In this situation you don’t time to think about how to build up a pulley block. You need to know exactly what to do and build it up as fast as possible. I will show you just one possibility I rely on in two different situations.
Pulley block with a single loose pulley
You will need: • Your throwbag. • A sling to fix your system to a tree or a huge rock. • Three carabiners. • A self-blocking pulley (such as Petzl Traxion, etc.). • Maybe another basic pulley.
Here is how to install it: 1. Search for a reliable point to fix your system. This could be a tree (minimum of 30cm diameter), a huge rock or anything else that is solid enough. 2. Use your sling to build up a fix point. I always use a 6m long open sling, which I wear like a belt underneath the outer skirt of my drytop or drysuit. 3. Fix one end of your throwbag rope with a solid knot and a carabiner at your fix point. 4. Try to reach a solid point near the paddler or boat where you can pull it out and plug a carabiner with the rope just clipped in. This is your free pulley. You can improve the efficiency when using another pulley here but it is not necessary. 5. The part of the rope, which comes back from the paddler, you need to plug to your fix point as well, using your self-blocking pulley. 6. Make sure that every carabiner is closed and you have a basic pulley block with a single free pulley and a return stop.
If this is not enough and you need more power, you need to use another free pulley. So what else do you need? • Something to fix a carabiner in the middle of a rope (such as a prusik sling or a Petzl Tibloc). • Another carabiner. • Maybe another basic pulley.
This is how you extend your existing pulley block to one with two loose pulleys. 1. The basic setup is the same as the basic pulley block I explained before. 2. Fix your carabiner with a prusik or Tibloc somewhere on the rope between the paddler and your self-blocking pulley. Make sure not to use the rope, which is fixed to your fix point! 3. Just clip your free rope, which comes out of the self-blocking pulley into the new installed carabiner. An additional pulley here helps to improve the efficiency. 4. Now you just need to pull in the other direction to the basic setup.
Remember: always try to pull in the same direction as the trapped paddler or boat! This is usually the only way to free it.
Conclusion Necessary equipment:
Here I just want to give a short overview about the equipment you should carry on your body, in your PFD and in your boat.
On your body: • •
A long, open sling with a carabiner (6m). Maybe a small extra throwbag in addition to the big one in your boat.
In your PFD:
• • • • •
Minimum of two carabiners. A self-blocking pulley. A prusik sling or Petzl Tibloc, etc. Another shorter sling to extend your long sling or your whole setup. Mobile phone, Spot or SatPhone.
• • • • • • •
Throwbag (minimum 20m rope). One or two additional pulleys with a metal roll. Two or three additional carabiners. Another prusik sling or Petzl Tibloc. Two more slings. First aid kit. Spare paddle.
If you carry all these things with you, you have enough material to build up a more extended pulley block than I have described above, there may be times when this could be necessary as well.
As you see, it is pretty easy to set up a basic pulley block and you don’t need much material. However remember, a real accident is a very different situation than just practicing at home. So please be sure to practice many times and ride safe!
In your boat:
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Don Beveridge and West Hansen stand at Lago Acococha discussing hiking routes to the source of the Amazon. Photo by Darcy Gaechter.
July 28th, 2013
We woke up on the shore of Lago Acococha – 4,500 metres (14,766 feet) above sea level – and found that our water bottles had frozen solid. Not surprising since I had just suffered a nearly sleepless night fighting off cold despite being inside my tent, inside my bivy, inside my sleeping bag, wearing every single piece of clothing I brought to Peru (including my dry pants and top). The recollection of the icy night gradually faded as the sun crested the mountains and thawed us out. We made coffee and breakfast as we prepared to paddle our kayaks across the lake and begin our hike to the source of the Amazon.Through the wind, cold and altitude we plodded up the mountainside searching for the highest place we could find flowing surface water.
E N O G N I T N : U K A D TAS K A Y A K ET’S N A R L E P V I E R H T GEST URCE O R S : A L ROM SEA O F T N By y c r a D er cht e a G
E TH
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Absurdity of our situation
Peru
We spread out, individually searching every tiny trickle that ran through the high elevation tundralike grass seeking out the one that we could pinpoint as being the farthest from the Atlantic Ocean. The absurdity of our situation was not lost on us, but we pressed on knowing that from this moment forward, our lives had a singular focus. We had one simple, yet daunting task – kayak the Amazon from source to sea. We were all in a fairly good position in life to throw ourselves into this undertaking. David had taken a year-long sabbatical from his computer programming work, and Don and I had recently sold our kayak guiding business in Ecuador. Nothing to worry about for us besides just waking up every day and paddling east (well, we actually spent a fair amount of time paddling north, and even sometimes paddling west and south…but you get the point). Staying focused on this objective, and training ourselves not to think of things outside the river was paramount to our success.
Embrace the understanding
Zeroing in on our mission really was the only way to stay sane on a trip this long. Start thinking about home, family, or things you wanted to do when you got back and the annoyance at the pace, the length of the trip, and how far we still had to go crept in quickly. Pushing all things beyond the Amazon River out of my mind, however, made me content to do what I had to do each day. It took time and struggle, but I eventually learned to embrace the understanding that someday we would reach the end; but that it didn’t actually matter what the end date was because there was nothing besides this river. Early morning visitors at our first night’s camp. Raising sheep and alpaca is the mainstay of most highland Quechua people in this part of Peru. Photo by Darcy Gaechter
We left Lima, Peru and started driving towards the source of the Amazon on July 27th. Flamingos, Andean gulls, and herds of alpacas kept our attention as we drove the maze of dirt roads through Peru’s Altiplano. The sheep and alpaca herders had tied dead foxes and coyotes to their fences as warnings to other would-be predators. It was a surreal experience driving around up there—the 19th Century wild American West meets Andean Indigenous herders.
Darcy Gaechter and David Midgley (Midge) searching for flowing water high above the shores of Lago Acococha. Photo by Don Beveridge
would-be predators
ANDES MOUNTAINS
The sheep and alpaca herders had tied dead foxes and coyotes to their fences as warnings to other
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RÍO MANTARO
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Peru
We all contemplated in silence
what lay ahead of us; none of us truly knowing or understanding what we had taken on. The next day, we paddled across Lago Acococha, hiked around a beautiful glacier-carved valley and sat contentedly at the commencement of our trip, the unassuming beginning of the mighty Amazon. It would be an unfathomable 148 days later that we would be celebrating our accomplishment on an uninhabited Atlantic Ocean beach. From there, we spent the next five days paddling what we could of the tiny creek and irrigation canals. When it became too shallow, we walked our boats through the creek bed. The weather was decent and we had pleasant days, but each night, as soon as the sun set, the chill would set in. We just weren’t losing elevation fast enough and the cold nights easily kept up with us. Knowing full well that we would regret this later, we all longed for the heat of the lower river. We would soon get all the heat and humidity we needed, but first we had 20 more days of white water to navigate. We would soon learn that, although the Apurimac is more notorious, the Mantaro still holds plenty of challenging white water. The Mantaro was much more difficult than we had anticipated. We had been mentally and physically preparing to paddle the Abysmo Canyon of the Apurimac. When Rocky Contos proposed, and the larger geographical world accepted, that the Mantaro was a longer tributary, and therefore the ‘most distant source of the Amazon River,’ we changed plans. We all relaxed a little bit upon hearing that the Mantaro was easier as it was lacking any Abysmo gorge. We heard about sieves and some hard rapids but West Hansen had told us that everything truly gnarly was portagable. Rocky called numerous points Class V and V+ but he was there at high water, and we were going in at low water. What we found in the depths of the Mantaro’s river canyons surprised us. The Abysmo may be in a more committing canyon, but the Mantaro is not to be taken lightly; even at low water its canyons held plenty of Class V rapids. Before reaching the hardest whitewater of the Mantaro, however, there were a number of nice, albeit polluted, Class III and IV sections in the upper reaches of the river.
Midge and Don enjoying a serene canyon on the Mantaro. Below the Huarpa Confluence, we found 10 days of deep canyons, with incredibly diverse geology. Photo by Darcy Gaechter
Darcy films David cruising through one of the irrigation canals that the Amazon flows through. At this point, the river is called the Rio Gashan. Photo by Darcy Gaechter
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Darcy follows Don through a rapid in the canyon we named ‘the California section’ because of the amazingly smooth granite. Photo by Darcy Gaechter
Ten days of Class IV,V, and V+ rapids
There was a great Class IV/IV+ canyon below Huancayo, and then the largest canyon section between the Huarpa confluence and the Rio Ene held ten days of Class IV, V, and V+ rapids. Most of the rapids were runnable, but as reported, those that we did not wish to run were portagable. The crux of the white water for us came on day 20, August 16th as we paddled through the 5km long construction zone for the ‘casa de maquinas’ of the new Cerro de Aguila hydroelectric project. The previous day, paddling past the construction where they are building the dam itself, was a comparative breeze, so we weren’t expecting such dire conditions down at the water re-entry point.
Heavy blasting
Where they plan to put the water back into the river is a in a sheer-walled gorge that presumably already held many steep Class V rapids. Heavy blasting on the cliff walls high above had dropped house-size pieces of rock into the river creating an impressive series of sieves. The blasting had also created incredibly steep and unstable scree fields that flowed down the cliff walls and into the river. Large boulders hung in the loose rock fields above our heads looking as if they would tumble at any moment. One of the many hazards we found in the river while paddling through the construction zone for the new Cerro de Aguila hydro project. Photo by Don Beveridge
It took us nearly six hours to move 5km downstream; every minute of which was intense and taxing. We did a two-hour long portage up the mountain side to get around one giant sieve. It was an incredible stroke of luck that there was an egress up through the cliff walls just upstream of this massive sieve. We paddled and snuck with caution where we could, and literally ran across unbelievably loose scree slopes to portage when we had to. We were forced to run one marginal rapid because there was no portage option.
We could see construction workers high up on the c above us shaking their heads and drawing their fin
across their nec
cliffs ingers
cks We paddled past a dump truck that had tumbled from the 100-metre cliffs above and was now creating a peculiar obstruction in the river. We tried not to think about what must have become of whoever was driving the truck at the time.
Universal sign language for death
During one scout, we had to wait for dust from a recent rock fall to settle before we could assess the paddleability of what we were looking at. When the dust settled, we could see construction workers high up on the cliffs above us shaking their heads and drawing their fingers across their necks, the universal sign language for death. With no option to portage, and rocks continuing to fall while we scouted, our only option was to paddle and so paddle we did for our lives. The first sentence in my notebook entry that night is, “Scariest day of kayaking ever!”
Darcy and Midge paddling through the San Juan Mine. This mess comes just two days below the pristine waters of Lago Acococha. Photo by Lizet Hansen
The next day, we welcomed any Class V+ we came across, happy in the knowledge that we were in a natural riverbed, that crushing rock fall was not imminent and that we no longer needed to hurry. Although we were much more relaxed after surviving the construction zone, the Mantaro was not. The river would continue to show us its force over the next few days as it finished its mighty tumble out of the Andes Mountains. The rapids were extremely long in the lower canyon and of relatively high volume as well.
The Mal Paso Dam - second of three large dams on the Mantaro. This unmanned dam was a little tricky to portage, but after some creative thinking we made it past the concertina wire more or less unscathed. Photo by Don Beveridge
We were paddling on an estimated 120-130 CMS (4,2004,600 CFS). We knew we had 90 CMS from the Tablachaca water re-entry point, 25 CMS was being released from the Tablachaca dam itself, and we are guessing that an additional 5-15 CMS more came into the river from small tributaries along the way. There was substantial gradient in the inner canyons of the Mantaro and we were not lacking in the excitement department. Continuous big water Class V can be rather stressful for days on end whilst being in a remote and little-visited area of Peru.
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Highland ranchers ‘encourage’ an unwilling cow to cross this bridge about 60 metres above a huge rapid in the river. Photo by Don Beveridge
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The ‘Red Zone’
All too soon, we would be longing for rapids and adrenaline of the white water nature. The last two days on the Mantaro, before it confluences with the Apurimac to make the Rio Ene were relatively mellow rapids-wise. We had, however, just entered into Peru’s ‘Red Zone’. This loosely defined geographical region is infamous for violence, cocaine production and justifiably distrustful Indigenous people.
Beginning with the Franciscan Missionaries in the 17th and 18th centuries, the Indigenous people in the Upper Amazon – mainly the Ashaninka – have experienced hundreds of years of violence exerted upon them by outsiders. The 19th century rubber boom brought the next wave of vicious outsiders who stole land, and enslaved the locals, often working them to death. Yet, the apex of violence against the Ashaninka occurred during the lifetime of many people who still live along the river today.
Darcy entering the canyon below Huancayo. Aside from being beautiful, this canyon held fun Class IV and IV+ rapids. The only downfall is that you are paddling on all the effluents from the large city of Huancayo…Shots of tequila at the end of the day helped to kill any water-borne bugs we may have ingested! Photo by Don Beveridge
It was during the 1980s and 1990s when the Shining Path guerrillas took refuge in this remote jungle region of Peru and killed anyone who refused to aid their cause. The problems in Red Zone persist today with Shining Path remnants, cocaine production at a new all-time high, a flourishing illegal logging industry, river piracy on the rise, and a slurry of new government sponsored dams in the works. As these various forces continue to encroach on the Ashaninka people, the Ashaninka, in turn, ramp up their vigilance and self-protection making the Red Zone a volatile area. Facing the danger of white water is one thing; you have a certain element of control. Add to the mix the various forces battling it out in the Red Zone and you are playing an entirely different game. Our safety was more out of our control than any of us had ever experienced.
Read part two of Darcy’s expedition in the October issue. Two local kids and their puppy lend Darcy a helping hand on the portage around Mal Paso dam. Without exception, the locals we met on our trip, were amazingly kind people. Photo by Don Beveridge
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Uttarakhan
Looking over the Yamuna River, in the distance snow clouds are forming
nd the
QUIET
side
We were now back in Rishikesh after a very successful trip with Harry on the Ganges and the Alaknanda Rivers. Harry was on his way to the airport and Europe and we were trying to make the most of the Western style meals in Rishikesh before we headed back to Manali.
Every year we make a 12-14 hour manic dash from the hill station town and our base in India Manali to Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world and the gateway to some of the best white water India has to offer. Every year we say never again but this year we had to make the trip twice as we wanted to take our brand new Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle on a tour looking for some secret little river gems in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
Photo: Ute Heppke kayaking on the Yamuna River in northern India
After an undercover order of a chicken sizzler - Rishikesh is a vegetarian town but there are a couple of restaurants run by a few entrepreneurs that hide a chicken menu inside the usual menu, we hatched a plan for our return journey to Manali. Rather than make another manic dash trying to race the sun and daylight (one of the most dangerous activities you can ever do is drive at night in India) to get to Manali, we would instead turn this trip into a kayak road trip and paddle the Yamuna and Tons Rivers on the way back.
By Steve Brooks Absolutely everything gets pushed to its limits in India, including this pick up truck!
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We left Rishikesh
early hours to miss the traffic in the city of Dehradun and it was not long before we were winding our way up the mountains to the hill top town of Mussourie - now famed for its language schools and pleasant climate it became a very popular destination already during the time of the British Raj. By mid-morning we were finally in the Yamuna Valley and with the road hugging the mountainside it gave us some great vantage points to check out the Yamuna and its character.
A village cricket match taking place on the dry rice fields.
The weather had changed and the clouds were now covering the high Himalayan peaks and the temperature was dropping. By the time we reached Barkot - our put-in we decided it was way too cold to camp by the side of the river and instead we started to look for a room for the night. It was off-season and for a village that is full of hotels and guesthouses not one of them was open apart from the Government Rest House.
Sleet and snow
This is more of an emergency place to stay and the facilities were extremely basic. The temperature was plummeting and the rain was now turning into sleet and snow. The electricity was erratic but the kitchen kept on bringing us hot and very sweet Indian chai (tea).
The Lower Yamuna is a great multi-day paddle on mellow white water in a beautiful steep valley with very little access to the river. As we approached Barnigad we came across a huge landslide that formed a nasty long class VI rapid full of syphons. In fact it actually reminded me of a classic Peruvian rapid! We decided that Barnigad would be our take-out, thus avoiding the class VI monster and the Lower Yamuna.
Temples, banana trees and rice fields in the beautiful Tons Valley
Steve just above the town of Tiuni on the Tons River
The Yamuna is one of the most important and holiest rivers in India. A big pilgrimage takes place throughout the summer months to the headwaters of the Yamuna. It is entwined deeply in the Hindu Religion, where it is said that by taking a bath in the Yamuna River will liberate people and cleanse them of contamination of a very material world.
The Kumbh Mela
It also happens to be the Ganges biggest tributary. The Yamuna joins the Ganges at Allahahabad where the Kumbh Mela festival - which attracts some 10 million pilgrims – takes place every 12 years. The Kumbh Mela is regarded as the biggest peaceful gathering in the world! The next day we headed to our put-in. The clouds were slowly disappearing and the sun was trying
to make a come back! The river was very rocky at the start and though quite steep there was still enough water to take us all the way down to Naugoan. Our first gorge was tight and channelled with some pushy white water that would certainly be interesting in higher water. Then came bigger rapids with some nice moves to avoid a few holes using tongues and creases that really got you into the flow of things! The next gorge was somewhat more technical and harder in character. Again it was read and run and the drops were more constrained and were certainly deeper.
Yamuna River
It is said that by taking a bath in the
will liberate people and cleanse them of contamination of a very material world
Above and below: Ute Heppke paddling Tons Valley
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As we came out of the second gorge the clouds were coming off the mountain tops to reveal a blanket of snow. The gradient continued and we were kayaking some great white water in a fantastic valley with amazing views all around. It was not long until we reached a small village on the left hand bank, the road was high above and the only way to reach the village was on the small footpath from the road. The houses were very traditional and built from stone, wood and slate. However, for me what was interesting was one of the villager’s dogs.
Huge metal spiked collar
there was a small crowd of spectators and they had even managed to bring in a local microphone and tannoy system. We sat up on the road watching a few overs pass by but unfortunately the game was not going to last long as the clouds were getting darker and again rain started to fall.
Tons Valley
As we arrived into the Tons Valley the rain had become a lot heavier and again we decided the stay in a Tourist Rest House. This time the manager was not keen on providing dinner but the rain continuing to pour, SSR persuaded them to get the cookers on and within no time we were again drinking hot, sweet chai sitting in our huge room looking out of the windows watching the river rise.
Around his neck was a huge metal spiked collar that is used to protect dogs from leopard bites. I asked in my very basic Hindi if they had problems with leopards but the village elder said there were none around at the moment. Still I think the dog was happy to keep his leopard proof collar on! I have been coming back to the Indian Himalayas every year since 2008 and one of the most important questions I have learnt is to ask local villagers about the leopard threat. It comes as a sobering thought when a villager says to be very careful as there is a man-eating leopard around and with the stories I have heard and events I have witnessed it can be quite intimidating to no longer be at the top of the food chain! We kayaked for another hour on some nice read and run bouncy white water until we reached the Barnigad Bridge and our take-out for the Yamuna. SSR our driver was waiting and with a smile on our faces we packed up and headed to our next river, the Tons.
Ancient fields
The journey from the Yamuna Valley took us through some fantastic scenery, around the village of Purola with ancient fields cut into the surrounding mountains. It was autumn, the fields were empty and the ground hard. However, this did not stop the locals from having a game of cricket. One of the fields was the batting wicket and with the right technique there were plenty of runs for offer around the surrounding fields. It looked as though it was a game between local villages as
The next morning we decided that I would run the first section from Hanol down to Tiuni and then Ute would join me for the lower part. The river had kept its green/blue colour and again the high mountain peaks were blanketed in snow. We drove down to a bridge, which had great access to the river. Again half the village was out to see the crazy tourist with his plastic kiste (the closest Hindi word for kayak) put-in on the Tons River. A few mellow class III rapids gave a great warm up, then the gradient started to steepen and the pools became smaller and shorter. As the Pabbar River entered on the right the drops were getting bigger and I ended up scouting three rapids, all of which were class IV+ with some deep munchy holes to catch the unaware! After the Pabbar confluence each rapid was getting longer and it was not long before I reached Tiuni. Ute was waiting and had her boat unloaded ready to go. I went on a mission to find some mineral water in Tiuni. This turned out to be quite a mission as not many foreign tourists head into the Tons Valley.
Steve passing the Pabbar confluence with plenty of whitewater action still to be had!
it can be quite intimidating to no longer be at the top of
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After the fourth attempt a shop keeper told me to wait and after a couple of minutes he brought out a pack of mineral water covered in dust and dirt but the caps were still sealed and with no other option (filtering water by the river next to a small state border town is not one of the healthiest options in the Himalayas) we filled up our bottles and continued. A couple of kilometres below Tiuni, the river started to lose its gradient but with a lot of side creeks coming in and from all the rain in the past three days the volume was getting bigger. We kayaked through a stunning gorge, took lunch and as our energy levels had taken a beating over
the past few months we would kayak until 3pm and head back to Tiuni. We had reached Anu Bridge and with just a 200m carry up a steep wall of rock, mud and gravel we waited for SSR to come. Miraculously he had seen us just after the gorge and had even managed to get a glimpse of us by the bridge. It took him 20 minutes to drive down to the bridge and by this time we had again a few spectators and head scratchers! We loaded the kayaks, and with a fair few passengers cramped into the back of the jeep and with people hanging off the side we headed up to the main road and finally reached Tiuni.
It is a known fact that you can spend a lifetime in India and not see everything,
which also seems to be the case with its rivers!
Shimla in Himachal Pradesh
On the ridge road heading towards Shimla with the Himalayas going on and on in the distance!
With just one choice of hotel, we booked in said out farewells to SSR who was heading back to Rishikesh and the next morning we started our brutal journey over a couple of passes and through the snow to finally reach the city of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. The journey up was cold but we were blessed with amazing views of the Himalayas on the Shimla ridge road. It felt as if the chain of mountains was going on forever. From the view on our left all the way to the right the snow covered mountains just kept going on and on and on. We changed over jeeps in Shimla and headed back to Manali. It had been a great Ute kayaking through the Lower Gorge of the Tons River
Ute Heppke kayaking on the Yamuna River A traditional farm house on the banks of the Yamuna River
road trip and a real eye opener. The Yamuna and its tributaries is certainly a great way of breaking up a journey from one amazing kayaking centre to another. Our plan now was to eat a lot of chicken, rest for a few days then head out on our Enfield Bullet to check out some rivers for next years mission to Himachal Pradesh.
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INFORMATION Steve Brooks
Steve is now running a successful kayak school in Austria. It is the perfect training ground and the ideal step into running bigger volume rivers such as in the Himalayas. When the rivers start to drop along with the temperature in Austria you can find Steve leading, kayaking and exploring India’s northern rivers. www.gokayaking.at
www.gokayaking.at
Uttarakhand, India Uttarakhand map
Info: To get to India from the UK then Virgin Airways are your best bet. They have a daily flight from London and take your kayak for free!! The best way to kayak the Yamuna and Tons is to go from Rishikesh. The roads are in better condition and it is less distance to get there. You also have the problem that if a taxi from one Indian state goes to another then they have to pay a huge tax for the privilege and of course that will add a lot of Rupees to your trip!
Accommodation: There are plenty of options in Rishikesh to stay, or you can go and stay on the Ganges River at one of the rafting companies campsites. Aquaterra and Red Chilli Adventures have camps that can be highly recommended. Food and restaurants: Again in Rishikesh and the suburbs you have plenty of options. Rishikesh is actually a vegetarian city but there are a few entrepreneurs that sell chicken dishes. You will know which restaurant this is as they will hide a separate chicken menu inside the standard menu just in case you have had enough of rice and dal or the usual veggie burger and other traveller style meals! Off the river: In Rishikesh there is plenty to keep you occupied. There are some great treks further up the valley, you can hire an Enfield and go for a cruise, yoga is an obvious one being made so famous in Rishikesh by the Beatles and you can even go and become a healer of faith if that takes your fancy. Getting around: For the seasoned Indian kayaker, they will get picked up at Delhi airport and it is up to 8 hours taxi ride to Rishikesh. In and around Rishikesh there are plenty of tuk-tuks and to head further afield you should look at a taxi, it gives you greater freedom and you can change your plans just in case a weather system comes in and surprises you! Guiding: Kayak School Arlberg based in Austria run road trips in both Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Steve and Ute have been kayaking in these areas every year since 2008 and know the area extremely well. For a bespoke kayaking trip to the Indian Himalayas check out: www.gokayaking.at
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It’s a savage, tough, raw, unforgiving and merciless planet out there! To conquer it is a
‘state of mind’ and Norway’s Queen of the waterfalls…
Mariann
SĂŚther
has it in spades
The mindset of one of world’s top female extreme kayakers
Interview by Peter Tranter Photos unless stated: taken in Iceland by Martina Wegman ThePaddler 103
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F
irstly, what kayaks do you own?
Remix 69, Stomper 80, Dagger Redline, LL prototype playboat carbon and a Jackson Star.
Where and what was your first white water paddle and what got you hooked?
On my local river, the Otta. It was early spring, I could not roll and swam three times (ice was floating in the river), and I loved it. I right away knew there was no going back from kayaking, as it made me excited and left me motivated for trying again and again.
How does extreme white water kayaking give you satisfaction?
You can push yourself as much as you want, whenever you want. If you have a bad day, you step back and hold the rope, if you have a good day you can push your limits and walk away feeling like the king of the world. It is a very addictive feeling. It is also a very interesting and complex art of being alone in a group: You need to work as a team on a river, but in the end, you are the one that paddles your kayak.
Are you naturally competitive?
Photo: Martina Wegman
Yes.
Competitive kayaking or expedition paddling – which do you prefer?
I am 33 years old, born in Lillehammer, Norway. Lived and learned to kayak on the Otta and Sjoa river. Travelled the world non-stop for 13 years, competed in 8 World Championships, been a part of many first descents around the world. I have been a full-time student for 8 years along side kayaking. (Just never showed up for classes, just exams) I work as a teacher and journalist.
Expedition I would have to say, but I really enjoy competitions as well. I have always gone back and forth between disciplines, some years I have competed a lot, other years not.
Have you ever been scared and if not – what would it take?
Many times. If you are not scared, you should not be on the river. Our sport deserves a lot of respect from us; the rivers can never be controlled.
What has been your best ever day on the water?
I have had so many, actually most days are my best days ever on the water, so I cannot pick one. Maybe it has to be that first day in the kayak on a real river, as it opened up a whole new world to me at age 16.
Give us some advice on successful waterfall drops?
Start small, then go bigger and bigger. No waterfalls are the same, so you have to be good at realizing what is the problem/hazard risk with that particular one and adjust your game plan accordingly. The hardest waterfalls are not always the tallest ones!
After paddling rivers across the planet - where is your favourite river and why?
The Futaleufu in Chile. She is pristine, runs through an amazing valley and you can push yourself or run an easier line every day.
If you are not scared, you should not be on the river. Our sport deserves a lot of respect from us; the
rivers can never be controlled
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What accomplishment in your life, not necessarily to do with paddling, are you most proud of?
Getting a very good university degree alongside paddling full-time for a decade. Purchasing and building a home on the shores of the Futaleufu River at the age of 25, with my own hard-earned money.
Apart from kayaking what other one main interest do you have in life?
Outdoors in general: trekking, skiing, climbing, running. Dancing (jazz ballet and tango). Writing articles, poetry and short stories.
When preparing for an expedition to a far away place in challenging conditions - what are the qualities you look for in a fellow kayaker?
To be able to make good decisions. The group is never stronger than the weakest link. Also, the person has to be relaxed and easy-going: very often things do not go as planned. And of course, a solid white water kayaker.
What’s the most courageous thing you have done in life?
Knocking on the door of a local farmer in Futaleufu, with minimal Spanish, trying to convince him to sell me a piece of paradise. It took a long time, but I made it happen.
What’s the next big descent/ expedition you have planned?
There are many plans: Source to sea on a couple of Iceland’s glacier rivers. Running all the rivers that come out from the Svartisen Glacier in northern Norway. A potential China trip on the horizon. Following the route of the first explorers in Patagonia: La ruta de los exploradores, using horses to get into the head waters of the Rio Bravo. Another few first descents around Lago O’higgins in southern Patagonia.
Watch Mariann’s videos @ https://www.youtube.com/user/mariannsaether
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OK Mariann, let’s finish with something s If you could sit down and converse with somebody for an hour - dead or alive who would it be? A long lost friend of mine that died in 2001.
Which famous person would you most like to see play you in a film?
I don’t know who is famous anymore… I don’t own a TV!
Favourite sports person?
What would I find in your refrigerator right now?
Cheese and caviar (it is a Norwegian thing)
If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us? Homemade spinach lasagne (my favourite)
Biggest turn-off? Loud Americans
Aksel Lund Svindal
Worst injury?
Mothership Connection
Saddest moment?
Favourite kayaking film? What would you do with $20 million?
Give a few millions away, and then buy as much of the Futaleufu valley as possible to avoid it being dammed
Shoulder separation - took me out for 10 months I lost my kayak, Dagger Redline, on the Rio Pascua in southern Chile in 2005 - I was devastated. Then I got it back from a nice farmer in 2011. An amazing surprise!
Cats or dogs
If you could be a wild animal – what would it be?
Facebook or Twitter
Fill in the blanks: I am ____
Dogs
Wolf
Happy.
Hiking into Rio Blanco, with Mount Fitzroy massive in the background Photo by Jakub Sedivy,
short and snappy‌
Thanks for your time:)
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Chile’s Futaleufú River
is famous worldwide for its combination of insane white water, lush green backdrops, and turquoise currents. Summer competitions like FutaFest; soon to hit its tenth year, bring hundreds of kayakers from around the globe and both local and foreign rafting companies word hard each year to welcome as many eager newcomers as possible to partake in a life-changing experience on the ‘Everest of rivers’. But what happens when the summer season ends and the community revert back to what it looked like in days gone by? This article is about the other Futaleufú, the one that exists during those other eight months. It is a world few outsiders have ever had the pleasure of seeing. Patrick J. Lynch from Futaleufú Riverkeeper, a non-profit founded in 2012 to safeguard the watershed and the communities who depend on it for survival, takes a look at what you can do if you find yourselves in the southern cone out of season.
Humberto Reyes and Rodrigo Lavin, leaving the Jetty Rio
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Summer is king in Patagonia In addition to those who book week-long adventure trips, thousands of backpackers will trek through the town of Futaleufú on their way further south from November through March, stopping for a day or two to run the famed bridge-to-bridge section of the Fu. Visitors can paddle with kayakers who know every centimetre of the river or they can try out new options like Creature Craft’s (featured in ThePaddler’s June issue) or River Buggies now offered by local outfitter Bochinche Expediciones. But what’s Futaleufú like from April to October? To be sure, there is rain and cold, and wind, and occasionally power outages. A Patagonian winter is not for the faint of heart. In winter Futaleufú becomes the frontier town it once was, where roads can wash out and where fresh produce only arrives once a week by truck from Puerto Montt (if it gets there at all). Few tourists venture this far south if they haven’t been down here before and already know the way. But the rough climate and lack of tourists is also a reason some people choose to stay. As connectivity improves, paddlers and rafting guides have begun to permanently Humberto Reyes and one of the students running down the Espolón River
Hiking above the Futaleufu in winter. Photo: Natalia Ibanez
Humberto Reyes at the output of the Ram River behind Sierra Mountain Teta
Humberto Reyes running safety to one of the students sliding down the snow in his kayak.
relocate to Futaleufú to live here year round and raise families. Take Humberto Reyes, known by friends as “Pelado”, a well-known fixture in town and head guide for Expediciones Chile. Humberto grew up in Rancagua, in Chile’s arid winemaking region. After several years of being trained on Chile’s other renowned rivers, he found a spot on the Fú working with American former Olympic kayaker Chris Spelius, who founded and runs Expediciones Chile (a supporter of Futaleufú Riverkeeper). Rodrigo Lavin sliding down the snow at the shore of the river
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In summertime Humberto guides visitors safely down the river, but the rest of the year he stays busy running a guide school for local teenagers, which he calls FutaLeufluye (Futaleu-Flow). This year Futaleuf煤 Riverkeeper enlisted a few of our supporters to provide scholarships and ensure the students would have access to drysuits and other gear so they can safely practice Eskimo rolls and hit those eddy lines even when temperatures approach zero degrees Celsius.
Rodrigo practicing his boof stroke on a beautiful sunny day on the Espol贸n River.
Communities on both sides of the border are becoming increasingly connected as they struggle to prevent overdevelopment and hold off large
megaprojects
When the river gets too high from the rainfall like it has done this past month, Humberto packs the gear in his truck and shuttles students across the border to the Argentinean town of Trevelín, where the weather is milder. Including the border crossing, time from Futaleufú to Trevelin is only 45 minutes. Communities on both sides of the border are becoming increasingly connected as they struggle to prevent overdevelopment and hold off large megaprojects. Giving students a chance to interact with their foreign neighbours is another step towards creating a united regional effort to save Patagonia. Humberto’s project adds a cultural element to kayaking in rural areas that can go missing when we’re only focused on running the river itself. Teaching local kids to become guides is Humberto’s way of giving back to a community that embraces ecotourism but hasn’t yet found the right balance between cultural preservation and sustainable growth.
Kayak lesson at the Laguna Espejo. Photo by Humberto Reyes
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The next generation, Chilean style
the rivers. So Earth River and others started recruiting and training everyone they could find who were up to the task. As a result of those early efforts, several companies have now sprouted up that are Chilean-own. Often they set up offices near the plaza in “downtown” Futaleufú (the town is only seven square blocks), catering to backpackers and families who pass through town and want a taste of one of the world’s top white water destinations. These new community-based companies are the future of ecotourism in Futaleufú. They are the spokespeople for the paddling community in a town where most people don’t know how to swim. They are the bridge that connects local opposition to megadams and gold mines with the larger international effort to keep Patagonia’s rivers wild and scenic and they are working to build a year-round economy where they can provide for their families without having to chase another wave train in another hemisphere.
Rodrigo smiling happy after a high water day at the Espolón River
Humberto Reyes running down the Noroeste Creek
Lago Espolon in Winter. Photo: Ervin Redlich
The first generation of kids who were brought up in Chile’s guide culture have now come of age. Not surprisingly, many have chosen to stay, starting their own companies. Taking a cue from some of the first rafting companies to arrive, one of their main priorities is training local guides. When companies like Earth River Expeditions first arrived in Futaleufú there were very few kayakers in Chile, and even fewer who were willing to train as guides. The Futaleufú has been called the Everest of rivers, and it takes years of dedication for paddlers to learn
Students paddling down the Espolón River in high water and a plenty of snow There will always be people who want the exclusive ten-day getaway, perfect weather, and the sense of adventure that comes with being on the river and camping in treehouses and in cabins overlooking the rapids. Futaleufú has always been a top spot for paddlers and rafting enthusiasts alike. After nearly two decades since the first wave of paddlers showed up on Futaleufú, all the hard work to connect locals and international visitors is finally paying off.
Keep up to date on life in Futaleufú in the off-season, you can check out Futaleufú Riverkeeper on Facebook www.facebook.com/FutaleufuRiver keeper.
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INFORMATION LOCATION: The Futaleufú River is a river in northern Patagonia fed by the lakes in the Los Alerces National Park in Chubut Province, Argentina, crossing the Andes Mountains and the international border into Chile and opening into the Yelcho Lake.The town of Futaleufú, Chile is close to the Argentine border and has a population of about 2,000. The main income for the community is fly fishing, white water rafting, and tourism.
Patagonia - Chile
www.roughguides.com
WEATHER: Chile encompasses a wide range of climates (and micro climates). Its seasons are the reverse of those in Europe and North America, with, broadly speaking, winter falling in the June to September. period and summer in the December to March period.
Patagonia map
PADDLING: Chile’s many rivers afford incomparable rafting and kayaking opportunities.The country’s top destinations, the mighty Río Bío Bío and the Río Futaleufú, entice visitors from around the globe. In addition to these challenging rivers, gentler alternatives exist on the Río Maipo close to Santiago, the Río Trancura near Pucón, and the Río Petrohue near Puerto Varas.The Maipo makes a good day-trip from Santiago, while excursions on the latter two are just half-day affairs and can usually be arranged on the spot, without advance reservations.
Chile’s white-water rapids also offer excellent kayaking and sea kayaking is becoming increasingly popular, generally in the calm, flat waters of Chile’s southern fjords, though people have been known to kayak around Cape Horn. Note that the Chilean navy is very sensitive about any foreign vessels (even kayaks) cruising in their waters, and if you’re planning a trip through military waters, you’d be wise to inform the Chilean consulate or embassy in your country beforehand.
GETTING THERE: Airfares depend on the season.You’ll pay the highest fares in the December to February and June to August periods, the southern and northern hemisphere’s summer holiday months, respectively. Fares drop slightly March to November – and you’ll get the best prices during the low seasons: April, May, September and October.
TRAVEL: Travelling in Chile is easy, comfortable and compared with Europe or North America, inexpensive. Most Chileans travel by bus, as it’s such a reliable, affordable option. However, internal flights are handy for covering long distances in a hurry.The country has a good road network and driving is a quick, relatively stress-free way of getting around. Chile’s rail network has fallen into decline and only limited services are available. South of Puerto Montt, ferry services provide a slow but scenic way of travelling as far as Puerto Natales.
FOOD: On the whole, eating out tends to be inexpensive. In local restaurants you can expect to pay around CH$3500–5500 for a main course. If you’re aiming to keep costs way down, rather than resort to the innumerable fast-food outlets, you could head for the municipal markets found in most towns; besides offering an abundance of cheap, fresh produce, they are usually dotted with food stalls.The best trick is to join the Chileans and make lunch your main meal of the day; many restaurants offer a fixed-price menu del día, always much better value than the à la carte options.
Chile’s seafood rank among the best in the world.To sample the freshest, head to one of the many marisquerías (fish restaurants), particularly those along the coasts of the Litoral Central and the Norte Chico.
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SUP Paddler 122 United States
Creating my dream WW SUP board by Dan Gavere
134 United States
NYC 100 Mile Paddle - the ultimate challenge in SUP
142 The Paddler’s Planet By Christian Wagley
144 Interview
Jenny ‘Waikiki Love’ Lee
152 United Kingdom
WindSup by Paul Monnington
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– at the beach, the whitewater park or for active training sessions.
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W
CREATING my dream
paddle board
Dan Gavere Zach Mahone by
photos
This is the shot Zach got looking straight up at me with the ‘Lower Mank’ rapid of the creek in the background. To get this shot I had to use my Stream board to get Zach across the river with top attached to back of board and all his camera gear in a dry bag. Once across I simply pulled the board back across the eddy pool below the drop leaving him on river left to really stack the rapids up behind me with a telephoto lens. I had to coax Zach to get the shot but in the end we all high fives on the result.
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Paddling white water
on a stand up paddle board is most certainly a challenge, but the fun factor has me frothing for it more than anything else I have ever done. I was excited to introduce a few friends to it and ever since that first day on the river back in 2007 I have been racking my brain around what the ultimate white water board would look like? So in my head I have gone through many shapes and visualizations and these turned into real boards that I was able to ride and give feedback on until we would arrive on the perfect board. This has always been a dream of mine and now it was happening. The final result was released in 2014 with Starboard called the Dan Gavere Astro Stream Board.
Composite boards
The process started in 2010 with the Starboard Whopper in a composite construction. Obviously I was doing some serious damage to the composite boards on the rockier and shallow water in the rivers near my house so my main concern was durability. Very soon in the process I also realized how the low volume narrow tails and sharp rails of most the boards which were made for ocean surfing, did not work well in river situations and especially for downstream river running and catching eddies. I dreamed of a board that paddled similar to a white water kayak but also still looked like and rode like a stand up board. I loved the flat deck with no deck rails, recessed areas, or bumps and notches on the deck to trip or hit or bump my knees on. Sometimes I would have to bail to my knees and some of the boards I was using at the time left me sore and bruised even with knee pads on.
This is where I found a pretty mellow put-in spot just below the ‘Pine Creek’ section of the Arkansas river where the river mellows before entering the Numbers section, which is solid class 4. The Stream board was loving the challenge and I was nervous but cautiously confident as I put in at a relatively high level for this section.
Looking downstream on the Numbers section of a no name rapid warm up. I was scouting for my next safe haven eddy that I would shoot for on river left about 100 metres downstream. I love the Stream board for this because I can focus on my line and not just getting out of the eddy. It eats eddy turns and peel out for lunch.
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ThePaddler 126 Landing the drop on the Homestake. It was tricky and the eddy was small with another Class 5 that I really didn’t want to experience looming just down stream. There were some big boils that recirculated back into the hole at the bottom of the drop, so I was pretty stoked to get a lot of speed and clear the backwash.
Then came the
Astro/Inflatable line of boards from Starboard and I immediately got my hands on the Whopper Inflatable. It was different and took me a little while to get used to the delay and bucking sensation of riding an inflatable but by the end of the river I was feeling dreamy on the inflatable and I knew this was going to be the ultimate construction for the best white water board. At four inches thick and 200 litres, I had no problems in low and medium volume rivers like the Arkansas in Colorado and the Hood River in Oregon, but would still get the occasional swirl-a-gram, and rail grab to power flip in larger volume rivers like the Deschutes and Colorado Rivers which typically run 4,000 cfs and higher.
I liked the generous rocker and forgiving outline of the Whopper and it paddled predictable even in bigger waves and holes. The board was super fun to start trying on/off the board tricks and surfing river waves. I was even starting to catch waves on the fly for the first time! I could travel anywhere with it in a backpack with a three-piece breakdown paddle. I really enjoyed the ability to easily portage bigger rapids. It was so light weight and carrying it over rocks was so easy I found myself repeating the fun and challenging rapids again and again.
In 2012 the Astro Starboard Whopper six-inch Deluxe version was released at 300 litres. I quickly realized the extra volume was super helpful on the larger volume rivers and even better for small volume rivers and creeks too, especially on stuff from 300-800 cfs. The completely removable fins also added another dimension to shallow water paddling and at 300 litres I could run lines I had never tried before for fear of hitting the fins and falling in shallow water.
The biggest hazard Fin strikes on rocks are potentially the biggest hazard and hardest to recover from without hitting the drink. I absolutely hate hitting them and I have even been working on a new
technique where you jump up and Ollie Boof over the rock. If the timing is perfect it’s a pretty cool move that involves jumping up off the board the instant before a rock hit. If done right your board will pass over the rock and you land on it after the rock has passed beneath your board or at least passed your standing area. The Ollie Boof is my favourite trick on the water and certainly one of the hardest tricks to stick clean and ride away in my opinion. The Stream started to brew in my head even more and I envisioned a pointy nose with a wide tail, something wide and a board that looked good with the right colours. It would be bright because brighter colours always look good and are the safer for white water for the best possible visibility especially when the board gets away from you on the river. The tail shape had to be perfect, and combined with the rocker I needed a board that had excellent tail release so that when its on edge the tail of the board disengages from the water.
First prototype
I received the first prototype in the spring of 2013 and it was a sexy beast. It measured 9.6 by 36 inches wide with a pointy nose and some nice rocker lines – I was stoked. The tail was about ten or eleven inch, which I thought would be adequate. The board ripped on waves and hit down stream eddies with speed but I knew it needed more stability especially at slow speeds while paddling downstream.
Poser!
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Eye of the Needle Rapid Upper Colorado River
United States
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We went back to
drawing board, gave it a little more of a generous and rounded nose, which wasn’t as sensitive and didn’t have to be spot on at 90 degrees to the waves and holes making it more forgiving for river running. Then we increased the tail rocker and widened the tail of the board to 20+ inches.
When prototype two came I couldn’t believe the difference. It lost 10-15% of its surfing ability but gained 50% more stability and control at slow speeds while running the river. We were getting closer, so we tested and tested again and blew some stuff up in the process including countless paddles and boards to find something that could make the sport more fun.
Now or never
‘Blasting’ is a way to surf a pour over or ledge hole where your board is at a 45-degree angle or steeper. I have been working on foam blocks that look like a brick to place my rear foot on while the board gets vertical so as to not slip off. It’s a super dynamic and crazy fun way to surf and it can be done in even the smallest of features.
Prototypes three and four came and we kept dialling in the rocker fin placement and a few details but by the time the spring rains started to come in Oregon, I had the chance to test and finally give it the thumbs up or not. It was now or never as we had to decide going into 2014 to get it in production or else would have to wait until 2015. The production board arrived just before the show and I was so amped to see it. The new colour in red looked excellent and everything was dialled in. It was a compact package at 9.6 in length but packed an amazing 387 litres! This was one short and buoyant package and really made an impression at the Show in Salt Lake City.
in the process
We tested and tested again and blew some stuff up
Busting through a hole on the Colorado River and loving the nose rocker on the Stream because you can just stay put in the middle of the board and let the rocker do its job. The board paddles like a kayak making white water easier than a conventional cruiser or crossover board.
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Loving life on the river just as much as the day I started at the age of seven, in the canoe with my old man. Thanks Dad!
On the way home to Oregon I was able to make a stop in Banks Idaho near Boise to hit the Payette River. I went up and got right on the most challenging piece of the Payette I had done so far, the lower 5 of the South Fork Payette. This class 3 and 4 section includes some pretty challenging rapids like Slalom, Bronco Billy and Staircase. Some of the kayakers I had met just there at the put-in were definitely watching me with a bit of a chagrin smile and a raised eyebrow. I didn’t know if they thought it would be fun to watch
me swim the whole thing or they just thought I was crazy? Either way it didn’t matter, and my crooked smile probably enforced this thought process. I was nervous but the final version of the Stream board felt good under my feet and inspired my confidence to complete the river, it was right then that I had to laugh out loud and feel a great sense of accomplishment to have achieved my goal of making a board that made white water easier.
Some of the kayakers I had met just there at the put-in were definitely watching me with a bit of a chagrin smile and
a raised eyebrow
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There is a time when your best effort is good enough‌
NYC
100 Mile Paddle
C
e
This is not that time‌ The 100 Mile Paddle is where athletes push themselves and their teams beyond any perceived limits in a unique race arena while paddling to support a variety of charities.Those who choose to challenge themselves in the race, not only face world-class competition, but also an adventure dotted with exquisite landscapes, personal endurance, and perseverance.
Photos: Š jorgbadura.com
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The ability to split the miles and plan out your logistics as a team makes this event accessible to both the highest calibre athletes as well as the
weekend racers
This race gives athletes the chance to reach that next level of personal accomplishment and also allows participants to raise money for a variety of charities from Autism awareness to promoting clean water initiatives on a local and global level. Due to the overwhelming positive feedback and requests the organization has received, this year there will be two races scheduled, catering to racers on both the east and west US coasts.
The 100 Mile Paddle: NYC
is a two-day adventure paddle race with each day requiring the ability to paddle 50 miles as an individual or on combination in a multi person relay team.
The 100 Mile Paddle: LA to San Diego
is a three-day stage race covering some of the most scenic coastline in the entire world. Either race is bound to be an experience of a lifetime. A solo paddler or relay teams can challenge both 100 Mile Paddle races. It is important to remember that athletes thinking of an individual race should be in peak physical shape. The stamina required for this event is similar to that necessary in an Iron Man or triathlon event. While traditional paddle board competitions are anywhere from 6-24 miles, the goal here was to create a race that allows athletes to push themselves beyond the usual limits in a non-traditional race arena. Participants that are not ready for an individual race can opt to join a relay team and experience the same beautiful scenery and challenging course in lesser increments. The event is open to multiple watercraft types including SUP, traditional prone paddleboards and outrigger canoes. The 100 Mile Paddle team has also created an ‘Ultra Paddle Race’ experience, which can be extreme for a solo participant or well within the grasp for the weekend racer on a team of two, three or four individuals. “Longer distance paddle races are the natural evolution of paddle sports,” says Andrew Mencinsky, co-event director of the event. “The ability to split the miles and plan out your logistics as a team makes this event accessible to both the highest calibre athletes as well as the weekend racers”.
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“I made it through today and I will make it through tomorrow”
The 100 Mile Paddle Race is an adventure requiring heart, determination, planning and immense physical effort over a two or three day period. The first annual 100 Mile Paddle NYC event was conquered by last year’s overall winner William Rich on an unlimited SUP, Karen Wrenn the first woman over the line on an SUP 14’ and NY’s Carol Choi on an OC-1. This year will also boast a tight field of international competitors who view distance paddling as the next logical evolution in the paddle sport world. By giving participants the opportunity to support charities and surpass previous physical milestones, paddlers find satisfaction as they complete the difficult goal set by the requirements of a race of this calibre.
How will this race challenge athletes differently than other paddle races?
The 100 Mile Paddle is a different kind of challenge because it does not require just one day of an individual’s greatest physical effort, but multiple days of their greatest mental and physical stamina. When you finish each day, you proclaim, “I made it through today and I will make it through tomorrow”. As an individual or team effort, when you cross the finish line you’ve become part of a league of elite athletes that can claim they completed the 100 Mile Paddle. With the ability to challenge individuals and help others, the 100 Mile Paddle competitions have been able to raise money for charities such as Surfer’s Healing, Hawaii Autism Foundation, and Waves For Water, a hurricane relief initiative. As any athlete prepares for a competition like this, it’s important to always remember it’s not about looking back but finding encouragement with how far you’ve come. With every stroke, racers are reminded of not only what they are accomplishing for themselves, but also how their victory will be helping others. As you forge ahead, you’ve just come one paddle closer to conquering personal doubt... yes... you can do this!
The 100 Mile Paddle. You Came. You Paddled. You Conquered.
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William Rich
Karen Wrenn
Ross Stevens
*Eligibility for this race requires that all athlete’s must have participated in at least one high endurance paddling event and be able to demonstrate their proficiency as a paddler.Your minimum donations must be collected or committed by the deadline in order to participate.You must be at least 16 years old and anyone under 21 must be accompanied by an adult age 25 or older. All donations and contributions must be agreed upon no later than 21 days prior to the event and participants must sign a waiver and adhere to all rules and regulations of the race.
Find out more and sign up at www.100MilePaddle.com
Garrett Fletcher
Photos: Š jorgbadura.com
Carol Choi
F A N A T I C
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Our waterways and climate change By Christian Wagley
For more information on how you can participate wherever you may be on the Planet visit www.supradioshow.com/wpftp Stay tuned for my weekly podcast of The Paddler’s Planet with my guest host Christian Wagley on www.supradioshow.com,
Climate change is bringing a range of impacts to the waters we love. As paddlers, we have lots to lose, but also one of the best opportunities to take action.
Climate change is real and it is already underway. Scientists have spent decades refining the research and the answers it brings, and the science gets clearer every year.
Earth is getting warmer, and humans – mainly through our burning of fossil fuels – coal, oil, and natural gas, cause “Where we are Standing Up most of that change. As our atmosphere warms, so do for the Planet!” our waterways. Water has an incredible but not unlimited capacity to absorb heat, and so temperatures of oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams are rising along with those of the atmosphere.
That aquatic warming leads to a host of changes.The level of the sea rises as warmer water expands in volume, and as glaciers melt and release freshwater. Scientists predict a rise on the U.S. coast where I live of anywhere from two to six inches by 2100.That ultimately pushes shorelines landward, which can squeeze-out natural habitat like wetlands if they are located between the sea and roads or buildings that cannot easily move. Climate change also brings changes in the dynamics of water itself. Warmer water holds less oxygen, which could lead to low oxygen levels that stress or even kill aquatic life. In the sea it’s ºleading to a chemical reaction that causes oceans to become more acidic, absorbs some of the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the air. This ocean acidification is big trouble for organisms like corals and molluscs, as the calcium they need to build their shells becomes less available as waters become more acidic.
A warmer atmosphere also will likely lead to stronger storms in many areas – both extreme rain events and hurricanes.That’s because warmer air holds more moisture, leading to more intense rains. and warmer seas fuel more powerful hurricanes. Since humans have so altered our natural landscape, heavier rains wash even more of the pollutants from urban streets, lawns, and farms into our waters.
More and more disease-causing organisms like the bacterium Vibrio, which can sicken and kill those consuming raw oysters, are proliferating and moving their range poleward with the warming water temperatures. Harmful blooms of algae are also predicted to expand in warmer seas.
Many fish and invertebrates are also moving their range toward the poles as an adaptation to warmer waters. While many organisms likely can make the shift, some may not – if they are too immobile, too stressed, or locked in place by geography as life in some lakes could be.
Our rivers and oceans can handle these changes much better if they are healthy and resilient. As we know, many of the waters we paddle are not healthy, making it harder or perhaps impossible for these natural systems to adapt. That could leave many with permanent changes that make them poorer, not richer.
As paddlers and lovers of water, we experience the changing climate first-hand. Knowing some of the science behind these changes is an important first step in confronting climate change and since paddling brings us together in the places we love, it can unite us toward action. Next time we’ll talk about how paddlers are indeed taking action to protect our water planet from the worst impacts of climate change.
Paddle-Boarding (SUP) & Lifestyle company offering adventures and exploration throughout Scotland Start your adventure explore@wildernesssup.co
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Check out our #paddleadventures at https://vimeo.com/wildernesssup
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the LOVE
JENNY ‘Waikiki Love’ LEE
City and County Lifeguard, outrigger canoe paddler, mum and Mistral International Team Rider – a real inspiration for other women in water sports…
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F
irstly, what boards are you using?
My boards are from Mistral. They are custom shaped Take-off boards that surf really well. Fun in any conditions.
Where and what was your first surf and what got you hooked?
According to my dad the first time I surfed was when I was two. He said we caught one wave and I kept pointing back out to catch more waves. I honestly can’t remember my life without surfing! So to answer your question I was hooked at twoyears old! Checking the waves on my Kona Brew Cruiser near Diamond Head
What and where was your first competition?
My first SUP competition was China Uemuras Wahine Classic in Waikiki. It’s a great local contest we have here in Hawaii every year.
Which do you prefer - surfing or racing and why?
I definitely prefer the surfing aspect of SUP. Racing is great but takes a lot of time away from my family to train so I don't do it as often as I used to.
How does SUP give you satisfaction?
I’m always stoked to be on the water and SUP is the perfect way for me to get my fix everyday because I can cruise, surf, or dive off of my SUP. It’s so easy.
Aloha,
I was born and raised on the island of O'ahu. I’m currently working as a City and County Lifeguard and have a 10-year-old daughter named Lilly. I started surfing competitively in long boarding when I was eight and transitioned into SUP about eight years ago.
You’ve just taken part in the 1st World Cup of Dragon boating – how did that happen?
My boyfriend went to Hungary last year with Team USA for Dragon boat racing and really enjoyed it. So when the opportunity came up for him again this year, he asked if I could come along and participate as well. Luckily they were short a few paddlers and I got to go! It was such an awesome experience. I met some really great people and got to be competitive in a completely different paddle sport. I definitely feel that my SUP paddling background made for an easier transition into the realm of dragon boating.
What do you consider to be the biggest accomplishment in your career to date?
Doing the Moloka'i Channel is definitely one of my biggest accomplishments. It’s a piece of the ocean I respect so much and I’m really happy I got to complete it.
Can you talk about your training? Greatest inspiration? Who/what keeps you motivated?
For training I do yoga and a lot of hiking. The ocean is without a doubt my greatest inspiration. It allows me to enjoy an active ocean lifestyle. At the end of the day I want to be doing what I love with my family right my side, and also be able to continue sharing it with people all over the world. That vision pushes me and keeps me motivated everyday.
I used to drive my parents nuts when I was younger because I could surf good, but had such a
hard time competing
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Surfing in Makaha on the west side of Oahu
What would be your ultimate achievement?
My ultimate achievement is simple. I want to be able to give back to my community and inspire the next generation of watermen and women.
Are you naturally competitive?
I am definitely not a naturally competitive person. I used to drive my parents nuts when I was younger because I could surf good, but had such a hard time competing. It took a while for me to teach myself to really get in there, and be more aggressive so that I could start advancing through heats in any contest.
What's next for you in the next 12 months for you in the growing sport of SUP?
In the next 12 months there’s a lot going on. Summer time is usually very busy and loaded with fun events such as the M2O and the Duke’s Ocean fest. I’m also looking forward to progressing in my SUP surfing. The sport in itself grew so fast that progression is practically moving by the day. And I’m also looking forward to more travelling.
What advantages are there to being a Mistral rider?
I feel very fortunate being able to work with a company like Mistral. Mistral has been around for a very long time with quality brand products that have always been at or near the top of the industry. Mistral is really passionate about doing the same in the SUP industry and I am glad to be a part of that passion.
Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
Ha-ha, I don’t know? Happy, loving life, and still surfing!
I’m into SUP and going on vacation, where would you recommend?
I would recommend you come to Hawaii! You can get some great waves and also do some fun downwind runs if you are into distance racing.
Surf spot
fing in my favourite surf t, ‘Queens’, in Waikiki
watch Jenny tackling the Hawaiian surf… http://youtu.be/Zs4bf_AURcw
Surfing in the women’s SUP final in the Pop’s Ah Choy event in memory of the innovator of SUP paddling as we know today Photo: Paul Teruya
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OK Jenny let’s finish with something shor
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Thanks for taki of your
Highest scoring wave of the competition in the women’s SUP final in Waikiki
rt and snappy…
ing the time out busy schedule:)
If you could paddle with anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be?
I would paddle with Rell Sunn and Duke Kahanamoku. They were both amazing ambassadors of surfing and I think they both would love SUP!
Which famous person would you most like to see play you in a film? Angelina Jolie I think she’s rad!
Pick two celebrities to be your parents Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
Favourite film?
Definitely Anchor Man.
Favourite iPod track?
Favourite iPod track right now is Foster the People.
What would you do with $20 million?
If I had $20 million I would start a business, buy us a new house, have more kids, travel more and finally get my farm so I can grow my own food and have a massive aquaponics set up. The rest I would just save.
Cats or dogs Dogs.
Facebook or Twitter Twitter.
What would I find in your refrigerator right now? Lemons.
If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us? Spaghetti, it’s the only edible thing I make ha-ha! Oh and a cup of water!
What one luxury item would you take with you on a desert island?
A Mistral Inflatable iSUP! I can use it as a bed, to explore, a roof, a blanket, who knows?
What do you get really angry about?
Crowded surf! Especially when it’s crowded with people who can’t surf and are disrespectful in the line-ups.
Any broken bones? Nope! Strong as an Ox!
Worst injury?
Stitches under my chin.
If you could be a wild animal – what would it be? A dolphin for sure.
Fill in the blanks: I am ______? Waikiki Love.
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S
ummer’s here, waves and good wind become scarce, but you can still make the most of marginal wind and those summer swells with a WindSup. Getting out in waves is a fantastic way to improve your regular wave sailing, it really helps you to understand the spot, the timing of the sets and your interaction with them. Plus if you can already windsurf you’ll already have the necessary skills to get out and amongst it. I’ve had a WindSup since 2010 and I wouldn’t be without one, it gets me so many more wave sailing days than any other bit of kit I’ve ever owned. My latest Loco 9’5’’ WindSUP has the best wave riding shape I’ve tried, it’s designed with performance in mind, it not only looks awesome in the wood finish I always have a grin on my face after sailing it.
An introductio By Paul Monnington
So here are my top tips for getting started using your WindSup for riding waves.
1
Give Way. If you’re out in waves on a WindSup you will be able to catch waves earlier and further out that anyone else. Make sure you don’t hog the break, leave plenty of space and waves for other water users, it’s really easy to move around the break sailing a WindSup so aim for the quiet sections, people don’t want to see a 9 or 10ft board flying down the line toward them as they are starting to paddle for a wave, and you don’t want to run anyone down. Respect other water users is key.
3
5.3-5.7m is a great size as it’s light in the hands and easy to pump. If you’re a lighter rider you can drop down to a 5.0m without any issue. Personally I love my Hot Sails Maui Super Freaks on the WindSup, I like the large rigging range and the softness of the sail allows it to go neutral when you don’t need the power and it can still give the drive when you do.
No foot straps. Move your feet. Don’t fit foot straps on your WindSup, to get the best out of wave riding you need to be moving your feet around, trimming the board and making sure you can get your weight adjusted to engage the rails in the turns and get your weight forward and back when taking the drop or coming off the top turn.
on to WindSUP 2
5.3m-5.7m is big enough depending on your size. It’s not planing windsurfing so don’t act like it is! Let’s face it if you could plane on a 5.0m you’d be on your small wave kit anyway.
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4: Big wide stance for getting out over white water. Your WindSup will easily go out over bigger waves than you think. The board will have a lot of width and float so will be quite corky on the white water. You can use a wide stance to rock the board over the swell pushing with your back foot to bunny-hop the nose as you hit the white water then pushing with your front and unweighting the back as the wave passes under you (not dissimilar to paddling over substantial white water) 5: Pump. There doesn’t need to be a lot of wind but on a floaty WindSup you can pump the sail to move you around break, but it’s also useful to remember pumping the sail will give you something to lean against which helps when you need that extra bit of balance.
6: 5-10 knots x-off is plenty. When the wind is x-off the waves will be cleaner which make it much easier to drift and pump your way out back. You’ll also get an acceleration of the wind on the wave face itself which will give you more power in the sail as you get on the wave, and turn down the line.
7: It’s long boarding not short boarding, treat it as such. Your WindSup isn’t going to do 20-25 knots on the face, but it is going to surf waves, particularly if you’ve got a good wave shape in your board, you’ll be able to not only turn but also cruise down the line picking the sections you want to smack. Remember you’ve picked the wave up earlier than you would prone surfing or paddle boarding so you have plenty of time to draw all kinds of lines.
8: Light wind freestyle, heli-tacks and the like are great at improving your rig technique and board control. You can do this anytime on your WindSup but I find that clew first wave riding a favourite particularly when the wind is a little onshore as it will give you a bit more pull in the sail. Jumping round the mast and wave riding front to sail on the leeward side is great fun too. Practice your flat water light wind freestyle and then bring it to your wave riding to mix it up a bit.
9: Swimming with kit. When you eventually get cleaned out in the impact zone and you will, you’ll find there isn’t enough wind to water start and there may not be time to uphaul so you may need to swim into shallower water with your kit. The best way to do this is to grab the boom and the tail of the board and swim surf yourself back into shallower, calmer water. I find that a small knotted line trailing off the tail leash plug makes an excellent grab point.
10: Give Way, see point 1 :-)
The most important dimension of windSUP for me is that it prevents endless skunkings when the wind isn’t quite there, provides fantastic light wind wave and freestyle training and even if there’s no wind I can stoke out with my paddle and still make the most of some waves or just go for a cruise and take it all in. Paul Monnington Loco Sup, K4 Fins, Hot Sails Maui.
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Canoe Paddler 158 Canada
Canoeing the Yukon River by Richard Harpham
170 Denmark
Freestyle canoeing moves by Martin Strunge
The FULL range of Esquif boats now in stock
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It’s the great, big, broad land ’way up yonder, It’s the forests where silence has lease, It’s the beauty that thrills me with wonder, It’s the stillness that fills me with peace. Taken from the Spell of the Yukon, Robert Service
YUKON
CANOEING THE
RIVER
Five Finger Rapids. Photo: Martin Quinn ThePaddler 159
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700 MILES FROM WHITEHORSE, YUKON TERRITORIES TO CIRCLE, ALASKA
P
rior to canoeing the Yukon River I had been lucky enough to sea kayak from Vancouver Island to Glacier Bay, Alaska. I had experienced ‘an awakening’ within me and fell in love this extraordinary part of the world, with its pioneering people, incredible heritage, beautiful wildlife and stunning wilderness. I had sea kayaked a fair amount as part of the original Big 5 kayak challenges including crossing the English Channel and Lands End to the Isles of Scilly with plenty of challenging days, but this place was different. So I literally jumped at the opportunity to return to Canada and explore the Yukon Territories and canoe one of the most iconic rivers on the planet. For me one of the attractions was the history linked to the gold rush of 1896-98 when literally thousands of ‘would be’ prospectors flocked to Dawson City to stake their claims.
Matt and Gordon on the Yukon ThePaddler 161
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These ordinary people took on an extraordinary challenge just to get there. Most favoured the arduous Chilkoot Trail, hiking into Canada via the mountains, with one ton of supplies, (required by law), before building a boat or raft and risking their lives in the various rapids along the route including Miles Canyon, Whitehorse itself and Five Finger Rapids. Our small team of four, photographer Gordon Ross, my brother Matthew and friend Aisling Ni Chuinn were eagerly anticipating this trip of a lifetime.
plane. After a day or so acclimatising we are ready to depart into the fast moving flow that awaited us. With our excellent Yukon River maps at the ready (purchased from Mac Fireweeds bookstore) and a few forward strokes and a big sweep later and we were off for 700 miles of paddling. We had equipment, tents, bear barrels, food and plenty of treats.
One obvious difference from previous adventures was that we were paddling on a moving conveyor belt of water, starting at a mere five miles an hour (mph) that increased beyond Dawson City to almost eight or nine. It was another opportunity to share a beautiful remote wilderness with wolves and bears whilst travelling through huge canyons, forests and lakes. Whitehorse is one of those places where everyone who loves the great outdoors should try to visit at least once in their lifetime. We were fortunate enough to have been introduced to a local family business, aptly named Up North Adventures who provided our Nova Craft canoes and a mountain of other kit.
One of the first locations on the route is Lake Labarge, a 33-mile long shallow lake that can whipped into a frenzy with awkward waves and strong winds. The prospectors eager to get downstream to Dawson City had documented it as treacherous. We were told if white caps were present to seek safety on the nearest shore. Approaching the entrance to Lake Labarge we were hammered by a heavy squall that appeared from nowhere and literally blew us sideways.
One of the things I love about Whitehorse is its rich tapestry of history and sense of importance; whilst small, it clearly punches above its weight. The airport for example boasts the largest weathervane in the world, a Douglas DC-3 bush
Lake Labarge
We took shelter and made our first camp on Policeman’s Point. Lake Labarge was kind to us with reasonable conditions and our first bear, a grizzly scanning the shoreline. Leaving the lake we spotted an inquisitive beaver patrolling his neighbourhood keeping an eye out for any unwanted types. It was incredible to be up close and personal with one of these beautiful creatures.
White River delta,Yukon
Washing duties at Policeman’s Point, Yukon River
Making camp in the land of the midnight sun
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By now we were into the swing of it, paddling quite hard, but also enjoying cruising in the flow. We would scout the water for little play waves and features for surfing and breaking in and out. Sometimes it was hard to tell the perspective and fall as the scale of the flanking mountains and canyon walls were so vast. It was truly inspiring as a place to connect with nature. We passed through Carmacks, saw a brief glimpse of people and kept on paddling. Downstream of Carmacks is Five Finger Rapids where the mighty river is dissected by several islands in the flow. Guidebooks suggest staying river right for safe passage. We did as instructed but then spent an hour or so ferry gliding, threading the small arch in the middle and exploring river left. (Note this was a calculated
Black Bear on the Yukon shore
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Blackened and twisted trees
Minto was suffering with a large forest fire, with hundreds of fire fighters deployed to beat and create breaks. We paddled through eerie blackened and twisted trees still smouldering like a scene from ‘Lord of the Rings’. Throughout the trip we were blessed to spend time paddling with wild animals, rounding a corner we found a moose blocking the river and on one occasion a black bear swimming the river spent 5-10 minutes alongside us. For me none of this could compare to the privilege of canoeing with a wolf for 30 seconds in one of the small channels away from the main river. As I often point out whilst working in schools with Inspired Life sharing adventure stories with young people, it was us not the wolves canoeing! We nearly missed Hootalinqua, the old shipyard island. The flow is quick here so unless you get your ferry glide right you are gone. Seeing the abandoned majestic SS Everlyn Norcom paddlesteamer awaiting rescue was like so much of the history of the region – it remains intact but slowly decaying. (We figured it was just too cold or too difficult to remove such items for much of the year so they just stayed put).
Two moose on the Yukon River bank
risk as we are all experienced paddlers). Rink Rapids is further downstream and offers some clean waves to surf canoes on although apparently river left there is a paddle steamer wreck beneath the surface.
Wolf camouflage on the Yukon River
None of this could compare to the privilege of canoeing with a wolf for 30 seconds
Arch on the Five Finger Rapids
Some of the characters on the Yukon.The two people on the right are two of the firefighting crews
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Pelly Crossing
is one of the highlights of the Yukon River with the confluence of the Yukon and Pelly rivers at a first nation settlement called Fort Selkirk. It is rich in heritage and was largely preserved by the hard work of a number of locals. Now it is a listed heritage site with interpreters to share history and stories. The Van Bibber family were raised here, including Alex and JJ who contributed much to the Yukon archives (one of my next adventures will be to repeat Alex’s 1942, 500-mile expedition to open up a new route for the Canoil pipeline through the Mackenzie Mountain Range). Wandering around Dury Stores, the old church and other buildings was poignant and moving. We found similar feelings and experiences on so many occasions wandering into the undergrowth and finding old Ford cars, step side trucks, cabins and other heavy equipment just abandoned. It really is Indiana Jones moments and you can’t help to feel inspired. Paddling into Dawson City was in the words of Seasick Steve like being ‘a man from another time’, it still has wooden boardwalks, dirt streets and plenty of adventure, with finding a halfeaten deer leg casually cast to one side. One worrying sign was a ‘Cowboy parking only, Violators will be castrated!” We hurried on our way and were glad that we had arrived by canoe! In the 1898 Klondike gold rush, sparked by Skookum Jim, George Carmack and Dawson Charlie, there were over 30,000 people who flooded into Dawson.
Rowdy ‘cowboys’
It now consists of a small local community and a booming tourist trade, mostly from river boats and the Alaskan Highway. Dawson City also boasts the worst karaoke on the planet, which was punctuated by rowdy ‘cowboys’ throwing the tuneless singer out through the saloon doors. Next! Also in Dawson are the museums for the Gold Rush including a 3,000 ton dredge or excavator, called No.4, abandoned on claim number 17. Also worth a mention is Robert Service’s cabin where he wrote so much of his magical poetry and Jack London’s cabin where he penned ‘The Call of the Wild’. The community runs a replica music hall and gambling den called Diamond Tooth Gerties. It was a great place to grab a day’s rest and we used the local hostel as a base. They say once
you leave Dawson it is like dropping off the face of the earth. The Yukon is a place of legends and you find them around every bend of the river. Frank Slaven’s roadhouse is no different, built in 1932 and used through till the 50s to provide hospitality to prospectors passing through. The pace of the river picked up and it became more remote with limited connections with the outside roads and fewer settlements. We were looking forward to arriving in Eagle, the last town in the Yukon prior to heading into Alaska at the border. As we approached we spotted Martin, one half of our support and film crew who we had seen two to three times during the trip who shouted two confusing words “Eagles Gone!” “Gone where?” we thought.
They say once you leave Dawson it is like dropping off the face of
the earth
As we approached the extent of the catastrophe was revealed, the winter break-up of the ice had blocked the river and kept rising until it wiped out the front of the town. Our keen plans for a hot shower and waterfront hotel has sadly been dashed. Chatting to the locals it has been a tough time watching the ice rise and destroy their homes. In sombre moods we restocked our supplies and went paddling.
Everlyn Norcom, H
There were still plenty of interesting places on this part of our journey including the Rock of Ages, a 4,000-year old stalagmite in the middle of the river. We did the obvious thing, broke out of the main flow and stepped onto the old rock. We also passed Calico Bluff with sedimentary layers of limestone and coloured shale rock at the entrance to the Yukon Charlie Rivers National Preserve. By now we had been joined by plenty of mosquitoes and ‘no-seeums’ so bug jackets, head nets and ‘Avon Skin so soft’ were essential. Our final destination was Circle, Alaska, close to Circle Springs. The brochures and Internet had shown tourists enjoying hot-tubs and beer and after two weeks on the river we were sure that we had earned it. We arrived to find the place deserted and boarded up. After a mini celebration and a bit of banter we then spent many hours extracting our equipment and ourselves via mountain roads.
Photos: Gordon Ross photography
F O a e
Hootalinqua
Minto forest fire
Towards the end near Circle, Alaska
For me this was not the end but just the beginning of a love affair the Yukon as you can read in October’s issue of ThePaddler ezine, joining up the pieces of my Yukon River trip and Inside Passage, a gap of 250 miles including the infamous Chilkoot Trail and my new plan for a 500-mile ski expedition (Ski to the Edge).
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INFORMATION Richard Harpham: Richard is a human powered adventurer and paddler www.richadventure.com. He runs www.canoetrail.co.uk with his wife and co-founded www.inspiredlife.org which inspires young people and communities. Richard is proud to be supported by Paramo Clothing, BC and Alaska Tourism, Bamboo Clothing, Leatherman tools, Scott Skis, Mountain Fuels, Canadian Affair (airlines), Aquabound Paddles, Reed Chillcheater, Surly Fat Bikes, USE Exposure Light, Up North Adventuress, Meridian Zero and Garmin GPS systems. Thanks to http://gordonross.ca/ for some of his images. Richard is currently raising funds for Hopes and Homes in memory of his late father so if you want to make a donation then visit www.justgiving.com/AlanHarpham . He is also raising awareness for the River Access Campaign in the UK.
http://www.touryukon.com
YUKON Google map
Weather: Weather conditions in northern environments range widely between extremes. The only fact you can bet on with the weather is that it can change instantly. On any given day you may experience sunny, hot, dry weather that is interrupted by periods of rain or, on rare occasions – even snow. In general, the weather is moderate with average temperatures of 16C (62F) in July, and 14C (56F) in August.
Mosquitoes: Mosquito populations vary according to temperature, rainfall, and wind. Be prepared with mosquito repellent and a head net if mosquitoes annoy you. Consider travelling in August as cooler temperatures will reduce the mosquito population. Getting there: The most direct and convenient means of getting to Whitehorse is via air. Four air carriers provide flights from Vancouver, British Columbia, Calgary, Alberta, and Edmonton, Alberta. Air North: www.flyairnorth.com Air Canada: www.aircanada.ca WestJet: www.westjet.com Canadian Affair www.canadianaffair.com Accommodation: The best source for accommodation is www.touryukon.com Canoe outfitters: Outfitters can supply you with rental canoes, kayaks, and camping equipment.They also provide drop-off and pick-up service. Up North Adventures: www.upnorthadventures.com Kanoe People: www.kanoepeople.com Yukon guidebooks: Guidebooks that provide coordinates, campsites, history, and preparatory information can be ordered online at http://bcyukonadventures.com/yukon-river-guidebooks/ Guided trips: Up North Adventures: www.upnorthadventures.com and Sea to Sky Wilderness Adventures have been leading canoeing adventures in the Yukon for 25 years. www.bcyukonadventures.com Feeling ambitious?Then you could enter the Yukon 1000 Canoe Race (http://yukon1000.com ) run by Peter Coates or the Yukon River Quest (www.yukonriverquest.com ).
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WHY?
FUNNY CANOE MOVES
A g l s t r t H
B
?
A good friend once told me, “When you travel, you get much greater experiences if you know the language of the country you are travelling in. It’s the same with paddling – if you know how to talk with the water, you paddle and your canoe, you see the rare bird in the sky, the fish in the river and you get to feel connected to the water you are travelling on.” Hans Michael Nielsen.
By Martin Strunge
Beautiful evening at the Kringelfieber Photos by: Maria Laurberg Danielsen and Martin Strunge from Scandinavian Canoe Company (www.kanotur.nu) ThePaddler 171
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Freestyle canoeing
Maybe you have heard about freestyle canoeing before, you might also seen some short films about it on the Internet. If you have, and if you thought that it was something you would never try – then please read this article. I will try to put into perspective what freestyle can be. If you don’t know about freestyle canoeing or are already intrigued, I hope this article will inspire you to take the challenge to improve your paddling skills. We all know the feeling of getting stressed when trying to do something or move somewhere, when we are paddling, especially when the conditions are challenging, the wind is picking up or the current takes control over your canoe and paddle. For some paddlers it has been a while since the feeling occurred and for others it happens all the time. That might be a question of experience – or is it? With experience we can cope with many difficult situations, we might not use the most effective manoeuvres or strokes, but we get from A to B because we have tried it before and know the boat and the reaction of the water. If you feel like you have a lot of experience there are two choices. You either keep on doing what you have always done (because it works for you) or you try to become even better, and increase your ability to paddle difficult. When you have no experience you can either learn the strokes the ‘right way’ from the start or paddle for many years and figure them out yourself. I would rather paddle smart than hard and that is one of the reasons why I think freestyle canoeing is so great. It gives you a great base for you future paddling.
Andreas Reitner displaying some beautiful freestyle manoeuvres
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Working to become a freestyle instructor (ACA freestyle instructor course, Germany 2014)
Maria’s first introduction to freestyle in 2012 at Kringelfieber in Germany
Off-side stroke focus (ACA freestyle instructor course, Germany 2014)
I’m not going to talk about the history of freestyle canoeing, which you can find on the Internet or in books. I’d rather talk about the possibilities of the future. If you take up the challenge you will find that freestyle canoeing is all about great paddling skills. It’s about the ability to do something perfect every time, it’s about being efficient whenever you go on the water, and the benefits of these techniques are many. All the manoeuvres and strokes can be transferred to whatever water or boat you paddle. Take me for instance, my shoulders use to hurt after a few days of paddling. They would hurt so much that I sometimes got a headache. I felt like I was a good paddler and my skills where quite good but since attending a class with an ACA Freestyle Instructor on basic strokes I have not experienced sore shoulders after paddling. I needed to rebuild my paddling technique by changing my body position and lower my
shoulders. It all made perfect sense when I tried it. So why did I not figure it out myself? Well that is a good question. This is like everything else, the best way to learn is to get the basics correct from the start, otherwise you code your brain the wrong way. Maria got interested in canoeing a little later than me. I was trained by some great instructors at my education centre as an Outdoor Leader in Denmark and did a lot of canoeing during that time. Maria’s first formal training was at Kringelfieber, which is a big freestyle event in Germany. Within a few lessons her basic technique was already better than mine – why? The ACA Freestyle Instructors have a certain way of explaining the basic canoeing skills, and an exceptional eye for adjusting the paddler to perform the best.
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They are very skilled in modelling the strokes and explaining them to each paddler whatever level he or she is on. As I said earlier I felt like I was a pretty good paddler, but after just a few hours at the Kringelfieber my paddling also improved a lot. My challenge was to get rid off all the ‘bad’ habits that I had taught myself through hours and hours of paddling alone. So if I could choose today, I would have started learning the basic paddling skills from an ACA Freestyle Instructor. When you have the basics in your system, you can make up your mind on where to go next. No mater what you choose, white water, flat water, freestyle or a little bit of everything, you will have the basics stored correctly in your mind. If you ask me you will have much better possibilities to develop your paddling skills into something extraordinary. If you are an experienced paddler you can also benefit from learning the basics again and you will be able to take your technique to the next level, feeling the difference the next time you paddle demanding waters.
The solo boats are small and manoeuvre really quick (ACA freestyle instructor course, Germany 2014)
All in all, the most important thing is just to go paddle –whether it’s on a lake or a river, solo or tandem canoes, or even a kayak or SUP. However, never close your eyes for the chance to get better and freestyle canoeing will make you a better, more efficient paddler.
Video shot during an ACA Instructors Course in Germany in 2014
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Great Barford Barford
ʁ Canoe & kayak hire ʁ Stand up paddle b board oard safari
Bromham
ʁ Wild campsite located next to river ʁ Tuition, guided tours & multi da ayy trips ʁ Canoe & kayak sales ʁ Group deals, kids parties & corpo porate rate days
The Embankment
ʁ Activity vouchers, bushcraft & adventure activities ʁ Other locations including the River Thames, R River iver Ivel & River W Wye ye
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