Oddly the session was going pretty well up to that point but then after it got worse, it got better. But then it got less better and I need to go shopping.

This time around we took Gryphon with us to the pool which meant I would not have any hands to roll up on if I blew my attempts at a hand roll. So instead I went out into the deep end (which is a place I often find my self in) and worked alone. (also a position I often find myself in) After warming up through the rolls I know, I worked a bit on “slow-motion” angel rolls. I was trying to ease myself to the surface and slide onto the deck as slowly and quietly as I possibly could. When I felt like I was relaxed and things were going well, I could begin working on a static brace by basically reversing the process. Thanks to Alex Pak I found I could pull off a static brace in the whitewater boat. The big old thing happily keeps me afloat with little skill on my part. In the begining it’s and obvious cheat. But over time I’ve been working on moving my body further and further out into a right angle to the boat. Each almost imperceptible movement is a dance step. Each change in angle shifts the balance. I try to quiet my mind and feel what my body and boat are doing. Those of you who have read my posts before know I always go back to that “body, boat, blade, mind, oneness” thing. But I’ve found no other way to advance my techniques than within a calm, meditative state. As soon as I begin to hear the outside world, I lose focus and fail. One reason I was not a good “class” learner. Too much distraction.

So far as I lie out there in the water I’ve found my fingers becoming the first sign that I’m about to blow the brace. Often I feel my fingers wrapping up around the paddle that is laying across the water in a “T” behind my head. As my fingers work against me and try to grasp hard on the paddle, it begins to sink below the surface. My focus comes off the boat. Quickly I have to bring my focus back to the boat, arch my body, and again settle myself in the water. Then again when my mind is calm I can twist out a bit more, then again. . I’ve found now that my arch is becoming very important as my angle extends out from the boat. Now my eyes and nose are going under as I look back out over my head. I can breath through my mouth so this is not distressing. but I need every bit of the arch as my body is so tight in the white water outfitting of the boat. Last night I thought I could have almost performed a static in my explorer if I’d had it to try. But then who knows!? I do know, it’s getting better.

As I said, I really wanted to work on hand rolls, but without Mary there to save me, I knew each time I went over I’d be wet exiting as there is no way to stow a Greenland stick on a ww boat. So I worked on shortening up my hold on the blade. Yet this always seems to go too easily. I can tell that I have to get my form a bit cleaner, but on the other hand something about that long blade still makes it a cheat. So Mary found a little pool pad/float for me to try. I was able to roll off the thing if I swept it with both hands (see pic) but I still seem to completely lose my composure if I hold it in one hand. Of course the big rubber slab flopped around and caused a bunch of resistance under the surface. I could’nt easily get it into a good posistion.

After about 80 rolls and working on the static, then with the float I was beat (bushed, tired, knackered). And with about 15 minutes before the pool closed, I went back out into the deep end just to try a couple quick reverse-sweeps. I remembered this time around to shorten my angle and be quick so the ww boat did not spin and stop my roll. Suddenly on the second attempt I was screwed. . I set up under water as usual. I reached up to the surface with the blade and began to move forward when in an amazingly underwhelming underwater “thud” the blade broke! There I was upside down with just a bit of Greenland stick in one hand and the other bit floating away above me. The first thought that went through my head was, “how’d you like to do this on Lake Michigan??”. After that moment of shock wore off I took the bit of blade I still had and slung it out to my side, twisted my body like a spring, and rolled up!! Amazing! I’ve never been able to roll off a norsaq (rolling stick), so I was surprised.

Happily breathing air again I held up the broken bit of paddle to show Mary who happened to be running some video at the time as you can see from the blurry “big foot” type video still. Far from being impressed with my rolling prowess, she was more than a little disappointed that I broke her stick. So. . . I need a new GP, but on the other hand, I have 2 new rolling sticks. . but then on the other hand, (insert image of Vishnu here) that was Mary’s gift for her very first solo roll.

So the replacement has to be something pretty special.