Archive for August, 2005

We challenged great storms and sometimes we won

Faced death and disaster, we rose with the sun

We worked and we toiled, we strained our men brane

We were a proud people, will we ere be again? – fisherman’s lament

The plan today was to wake up early and run to Wisconsin Dells to photograph Noah’s Ark Water Park. The forecast called for a sunny 80f day. But even here in Wisconsin we are being effected by hurricane Katrina. The outer bands of the disapating hurricane are keeping us cold and damp as what’s left of Katrina skids by to the south east of us somewhere near Tennessee. We offer our well wishes to those suffering the worst of her power.On September 13, 1984 I rode out a good part of Hurricane Diana in the back of a 1965 Ford stub nosed van. At the time we were staying in Myrtle Beach, SC as Diana rolled in just north of us and finally came ashore at Cape Fear in North Carolina. Even though she came ashore as a weak category two storm, the destruction was quite formidable. The damage estimate was set at $65 million dollars.

“Back in the Day”, we were staying just across the street from a then undeveloped long sandy beach that hugged the Atlantic ocean. At the time we were traveling with a business associate who had a friend in Myrtle Beach. We had been hammering away pretty hard over the summer and were taking a few days sabbatical camping on their land right next to the water. Suffice to say Myrtle Beach today is nothing like that small town we visited in 1984. Today there would be no place for an old van and a huge 5th wheel camper to sit right on the sea front with only a small road in between. Late into the night on the 13th While we were sound asleep in the back of our van, the world began to rock and roll and the wind screamed at a volume this Midwest boy had never heard before. As I awoke I could feel spray as water was coming in at every loose seal. In a ‘65 Ford van EVERY seal was a loose seal. Being there open to the wilds of the sea we were being buffeted hard as Diana slipped to the east of us on her way to Cape Fear.

My first thought was to find a place to park behind a building and out of the brunt of the wind. I slid into the drivers seat and started the dog up and turned on the wipers. When we were ready to go I eased off the clutch and turned onto the driveway. Snap! As soon as we faced into the wind BOTH wiper blades snapped right off the truck and disappeared into the dark screaming bedlam.

By this time our travel companion was also up and preparing to head south out of the storm. Since we could not drive the van, I parked it behind a building and we ran through the wind and rain to join him. He felt we had to go at least as far as Savannah to get out of the worst of it. Tired and wet we hit the road and finally at about 3 in the morning we found ourselves parked on a rain soaked street lit by gas lamps. None of us had been to Savannah before and felt like we hand went right out of the tempest into a time warp where Jack the Ripper would be roaming the streets in search of his next victim. To tired to explore our wet surroundings we finally curled up where ever we could fit and got some sleep.

The next morning somewhere around 5am, I awoke feeling hung-over from lack of sleep. I brushed the condensation from the window beside me and could see the sky was still deeply grey under Diana’s southern edge. Unable to get back to sleep I quietly let myself out of the truck to roam the misty streets. I still felt out of sorts walking on cobblestone streets under the wrought Iron bridges and moss covered Oaks. Slipping down some unknown back alley I was now walking below the bluff with historic looking shops to my right and great Savannah River rolling past to my left. After roaming the streets for a couple hours I still had not come across anything to hint that I was not lost in the past. Today I know I only had to turn a corner here or there to be suddenly thrust back into the modern McDonald’s world. It was only the fact that we arrived in the middle of the night and just happened to park above the river bluff on Bay Street that had created the the feeling of being dropped blindly into the past. A moment that I’m sure I will never live again. Since then I’ve returned to Savannah and River Street a couple times but it’s never felt the same as that damp, early morning stroll in 1984. The world is a different place when covered in rain and the only thing you hear is the sound of your own footsteps clacking against the cobblestone beneath your feet.

By afternoon we were back in Myrtle beach. We drove past downed palm trees and an old gas station who’s sign had fallen haphazardly across it’s round red pumps. When we arrived back at our van it looked wet but undamaged. When I opened the side doors about 5 inches of water came rushing out onto the pavement below carrying all sorts of personal belongings with it. It took a few days for things to dry out although the smell of mold lingered for weeks. Not long after that we had returned to a much more urban version of Savannah to open our new office. It did not take long before I stopped noticing how people kept saying “Can I HEP you” when we went into stores. In fact it wasn’t long before I was ready to hep myself, thank you.

One great way to improve your skills is to get out and do stupid things in your kayak. Not the stupid things that get you killed, just the ones that make you look like a total moron to the folks walking along the beach. With that in mind I’ve added two new video clips. Videos 2 & 3 under the heading “fun stuff” The first is called “What the ??” and is a fun little trick where you spin your paddle over your hull in mid-roll. Once in awhile i would hit the deck at the wrong angle and send the paddle straight up into the air. The next clip called “catch it on the other side” is another stupid kayak trick. Not really too hard once you figure out how to get your paddle to stay by the boat when you roll. Oh, and unlike the stunt videos you certainly can try this at home!Justine C. just got back from her trip to Orkney, a group of remote and pretty islands off the North coast of Scotland. She added a bunch of nice pictures here & be sure to read the new journal post as well. Check out the shape of that Rockport Kayak!

Well, that’s it for today. Happy Christmas!

If your’re going to San Francisco
You’re gonna meet some gentle people there
For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco – Scott McKenzieIt’s hard not to think about California this time of year. Mary and I are doing all the math and fiddling all the schedules to see if we can get back out to Bodega Bay for the BCU Skills Symposium. Originally we thought we may save a few bucks going to Georgia, but actually it does not look like much difference either way. The truth is, that northern California also seems to have hooked into us a bit as well. We’ve missed it. We can only hope that plane ticket prices don’t take on space shuttle proportions.

Look who else is heading west! Justine Curgenven & Simon Osborn. 2 of my personal favorite Nigel Dennis Sponsored Kayakers! Ah, it’s easy to make the “Personal Favorite” list by the way. Just write “Personal Favorite” on a 3×5 card and send it to P.O. Box. . . . Friday night Simon Osborn will we talking about is solo circumnavigation of the United Kingdom and Ireland in order to raise money and awareness for Leukemia research in memory of his brother, Mark. You NDK owners will also know Simon as the guy who answers all your emails at NDK. Justine’s presentation will include video and slides from her 850 mile circumnavigation of Tasmania as well as some sneak peaks from her upcoming sequel to “This Is The Sea“. I sure hope that by now everyone has their own copy of Justine’s Video. (A real one, not a copy that some dude made for you. . . .) The West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium is held from September 8th to the 11th in Port Townsend Washington.

Here in the middle of Wisconsin I’ve managed to put a hole in the stern of my boat!! I’ve got a feeling it was a camouflaged weak spot from last December’s adventure that may have just been overlooked. Then with a little more stress it came through. So now it’s time for a keel strip. My poor, poor kayak!! Well, as you all know I am NOT a DIY person other than the occasional messy patch job. Luckily a local body shop in Baraboo has been working with my on my boat from time to time and is becoming pretty efficient at sea kayak repair. In the case of the keel strip I was able to take him the Sea Kayaker magazine article by Brian Day which walks you through the process. Oddly, I’ve been seeing that boat from the article a lot recently as one of my paddle companions from Milwaukee now owns it. I also saw Brian’s old yellow Nordkapp (See; a Valley Catalog) at the Inland Sea Symposium. I’ve got a picture of that bright yellow boat with the red keel strip in my gallery. Brian must not get too attached to his kayaks. I on the other hand, have a personal bond with my boat and just keep patching him up. The warhorse keeps me safe.

NEW VIDEOS

ARMPIT ROLL – First is a close up shot of the “Armpit” roll. Since much of this roll happens under the water it seemed silly to video the roll from a distance. The big points here are 1. don’t trap the blade under your armpit, but actually place it against your shoulder like a rifle butt, next to your PFD, and 2. This is a very slow roll. Twisting your body and sweeping slowly will make your roll more successful. I found the armpit roll to be pretty easy. It was just a little weird learning the motions. I did however get right up on my first go.

STANDARD ROLL – You know what I noticed? All the videos of the standard extended paddle Greenland roll I’ve found are shot from the wrong side! Especially if you are trying to figure it out on your own. Both the Pond Scum guys and the Qajaq USA site show the roll from behind the paddler so you don’t actually see the sweep. So ok, my video is not much better. I shot it just before sundown. But you can see the other side of the boat. I want to re-shoot it again when I have time.

You can expect that I will add more videos and different angles as I have the chance. I know that stuff can always help self-learners.

So now that the long summer is winding down and soon the water will get colder again, it would be a great time to check out all your gear. Change out batteries and so forth. Just a friendly reminder for those folks like me who tend to forget everything!!

Cheers!

In the days

When we were swinging form the trees

I was a monkey

Stealing honey from a swarm of bees -bonoSex has confounded wise men since the dawn of time. Philosophers, religious leaders, and the devoutly pious have laboured long and hard to define sex within their own personal dogmas, perceptions, and interpretations. Somehow philosophically sex like gluttony, just did not seem correct under the bright lights of human enlightenment. The problem has always been that sex for most humans is not an issue of like or dislike, but a part of natural existence. When cloistered in an incense filled chamber lost in the writings of Anslem, it seems reasonable to ask, “how can some seemingly base behavior be “normal” within a creature designed in the likeness of God? It can’t be right. Can it?”

The philosophical intelligencia (now there’s a fun and possibly redundant phrase) have practiced and advocated paths from avoidance and abstinence to the, “if you must you must, but don’t have fun” approach. Enjoyment is often the sin, not so much the act. Certainly they would admit that act in-of-itself has lofty goals within the confines of procreation. So the trick is to procreate which is good, but not take too long, which would be bad.

It is often said too that sexuality will weaken the body and mind. Various eastern writings suggest that you must practice abstinence to achieve true spirituality. Just as one must fast to open the mind. Interestingly Mahatma Ghandi wrestled with a vow of brahmacharya (chastity of in thought and deed) his whole life and admitted he could not achieve it.

However, if you take the philosophical and religious leanings out of the equation and look at sex from a purely evolutionary view (insert Darwin Fish Here), then it seems to much more easily fit into the context of human life. Since we are just evolved animals anyway then there is no need to be “hung up” on the whole subject. Desmond Morris would heartily agree. In this view we “naked apes” have no choice but to be drawn to the Miller Girls or Chippendale dancers depending on your point of view. Heck even chimpanzees live in societies that have war, loyalty, sex and tradition. Why should we not ape the ape as well?

One thing is for sure, no matter how we package it sex is part of life and can’t be avoided. As a society we try to devine ways to clean it up and sanitize it for our modern sensibilities. Often with farcical and funny results. Media is a great example of these human contradictions. As George Carlin pointed out, we can shoot and kill all we want but sex is something to be censored. Thing is, they also know that they can use sex to manipulate, exploit and sell. So the thought in the board rooms must be something like, “we have to use sex, but not “LOOK” like we’re using sex”. This too is approached in many odd and interesting ways. What I find most fun is how some TV channels can be so sex-centric 6 days a week and politically and religiously moral from 6 am to noon on one day a week.

So what has this to do with kayaking your wondering? Well, it’s actually got to do with this kayaking magazine that I have sitting here in my office. Most of the time kayaking magazines have pictures of kayakers or landscapes. Sometimes they will just throw in that occasional boat on the beach at sunset shot to add a warm fuzzy feel to things. Kayaking is one of those things where you don’t really need to over sell your magazine. If you’ve got good content you’ve got an instant, hungry audience. This new magazine has a close-up shot of woman in a white bikini holding a paddle behind her back. At first I didn’t really think about it. Half-clad women on magazine covers is just part of the whole clutter of our modern world. I suppose it was so natural I didn’t even think about it. But as it sat there it began to stand out to me. Then I found myself trying to figure out if I had seen a “bikini” cover on a seakayaking magazine before. Is the picture bad? No. Is it offensive? No. I’m male, I’m human and I’m not offended. I enjoyed the the content in the magazine as well actually. But yet, I’m a bit irritated. Thing is, I hate being intentionally manipulated by marketing guys. They just assume (see above) that most men are chimps and if they throw an attractive woman on the cover then all us chimps will come pick up the magazine.

The rough truth is. . . they’re probably right.

So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage
or your strength, come no further,
for death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.Suddenly the hourglass turned. The cool air and flat violet clouds have exploded south from Canada. The night grows cold quickly and leaves the world soggy and wet when the sun begins to sneak up in the east. The days are still warm but a cold draft seems to be swirling around every tree branch. I saw an yellow leaf today. It’s inevitable then?

Yesterday we went for a hike at Devil’s Lake State Park on one of the trails used almost exclusively by the locals & mountain bikers. The Stienke Basin trails wind through Maple and Oak forests and curve around small secluded ponds and boggy wetlands. As we go we can still pick the last of the wild raspberries that pepper the more sunlit corners along the path. The stream beds are dry, waiting again for melting snow to bring them to life. The bright orange mushrooms seemed to glow against the dark earth.

Last night while browsing around the web I cam across some videos from the MAATSUYKER Canoe Club in Tasmania. Yikes! Check out the ones called “Jamie’s Folly” & “Pirates Bay Trip”

Today I’m heading out with friends for another video session. We know the camera never lies, but we can hope it would be a bit more forgiving.

* udpate: Valley could not produce the colors I’d ask for. Second choice?? White!