Next week Tuesday will bring the totally re-designed Cackletv.com to the web. Cackle as most of you know is the online home of Justine Curgenven creator of the “This is the Sea” video series. Among many new features one of the most unique will be an Expedition Database where you will be able to search an archive of world-wide sea kayak expeditions, major trips, and crossings. New information is still being added daily. Within the new Expedition Database you will be able to search by paddler name, location, year, etc., or you may just browse by regions of the world. As far as we know, this is the only place where records of sea kayaking expeditions will be available all in one place.

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Ok, so that’s one bit of news for you. . . just because you happened to roam by here today. Actually, Justine and I have been working on this database & the site re-design for some time and I think we’re both keen to get it up and out there. I get to be the one to write about it today since she’s busy zooming over the Anglesey Sea Symposium in an ultra-lite aircraft looking for that perfect shot. Of course this sets up the equally perfect opportunity for a bunch of BCU coaches to work on their kayak headstands and present; “Many Moons Over Anglesey – The Full Monty Part Two”.

The Expedition Database is at a good stage to start out, but clearly we have a long way to go. On the other hand, I feel better about it today than when we first contemplated doing it. In addition to all the back-end work of developing the database, search functions and all that stuff, was the daunting task of collecting information from years of paddling history over a planet which was suddenly seeming very big again. To get started we were sending out emails to everyone we know and complete strangers as well, looking for information about any sea kayak stories any one had been a part of or knew about. Then we’d sleuth our way (if possible) to the actual participants and then try to get all the facts. Luckily for me, when it came to finding and entering information Justine did most of the work.

You would think it’s fairly simple to get many of the “records”. But that is not always the case. Often there are no records being kept. In addition some parts of the world are just harder to get information from, even today. Then some folks just did lots of cool trips but never told anyone. What’s more, many expedition stories seem to remain passed on by oral histories within regions. The Great Lakes is a perfect example. In talking to many people I hear many stories about circs & crossings but it’s hard to nail down facts. Who was it?, the whole lake?, bays included?, was it ‘78 or ‘79? etc., It can be tough to make the information you have fit right into a rigid list of database “facts”. But more than “firsts” and “world famous” sponsored expeditions, we also want to include any interesting trips, challenging crossings, or unique paddling adventures. This opens up an opportunity to share in some great global kayaking stories as well.

Obviously an Epedition DB is a never ending project and we’re hoping more and more people will submit their trips or what they know of others as time goes on. For my part I know we’re also really lacking in Great Lakes information and I’d like to be sure we’re represented as well. Please feel free to submit information when the site is up to info@cackletv.com or to me directly if you like. Again we are happy to add any “expedition, major crossing, or other noteworthy trip”. (Well, not the weekend paddle in Milwaukee harbor. . .) What we’re looking for is; where (of course), distance, time (how many hrs, days, months. . ), year(s), paddlers involved, and a short description of the journey. We will also be linking out to other information or paddler websites. We can certainly use your help. As far as we know this is the first time this task has been undertaken and it’s actually a bit overwhelming. . . and fun!

What else have we added to Cackle??. . . hmmmm, Well, given the “NEWS of the WORLD” theme you’d probably expect new photos and that sort of thing too wouldn’t you? Ok, that’s a given. But unfortunately not of the “NEWS of the WORLD” variety. .

Sorry boys!

Ahead of me on the trail something stood out. In a moment my brain put definition on the image. It was a beautiful red fox. It looked as if it were sleeping in a peaceful drowse. But why directly on a hiking trail? Well, it only took a few moments to realize it was dead. Some lunatic had shot it. I was overwhelmed. Angry. Depressed. What was this wonderful animal doing with it’s day before having it’s life taken away so randomly? Hunting? Seeking a mate? Bringing food home to pups? Did it suffer excruciating pain? Does a fox panic when it feels it’s life draining away? I wanted to say something about it but nothing seems to feel right. There it is. Just a non-human life taken randomly in some unknown forest in the middle of Wisconsin. Some days I hate our world.

When Lenin was little
All the birds in the forest were singin’ “Man, this is it!”
But now that he’s older
All the sailors in the heaver are screamin’ “Abandon Ship!”
- the arcade fire

It’s Fiday and if all goes well my postman will be irritating the dog by driving right up to the house to deliver a long white cardboard tube. Cool. In that tube should be #255, a black storm made for me by Don Beale, who is happy to supplement my lack of wood-working skills in exchance for a small amount of currancy. It’s a trade in which the person getting the paddle also get’s the better part of the deal. So I’d better just strap up the kayak now!

In the continuing saga of the White Actua’s refit I spent a good amount of time yesterday slicing and dicing foam for the seat, hip pads & under the deck. Then I put all the rough puzzle peices aside to look at again today. Since I was slicing and dicing with a screaming migrane (better than doing nothing) I’m a bit fearful that I may find a small mini-cell statue of Lenin in the basement instead of knee braces!

Good luck to the guys down at Sea Kayak Georgia who will today be having their second day of BCU 4* training with the plan to assess tomarrow. You know I’m crossing my toes for you!

Couple nice suprises coming along next week. . . stay tuned!

- d

So with the symposium in Anglesey just about to get underway it’s time to get all “UK’d” up. So in solidarity with our Welsh brethren for the next week we can all pay like $6.00 a gallon for gas while we travel to our fun paddling spots. If you’re lucky enough not to have to pay that much for fuel, the rest can go in your symposium fund! Yep, things is tough all over. . . but “no one lives on an island”. . . wait. . sure they do. . who came up with that silly phrase anyway!??

The paddler in the picture above is Laurie Levkenecht. Laurie is ACA/BCU kayak coach, one of the organizers of the West Michigan Kayak Symposium, and just a complete joy to be around. (well, at least when I’ve been around anyway!).

It’s not too long after you paddle with Laurie that your eye keeps fixating on the bow of her boat. You see a bunch of letters there and they seem to make a word. Well, it starts out like a word and then suddenly goes all wrong in the middle bits. “nrh” are not letters that normally play so closely together. So it’s a foregone conclusion that you’re going to ask her about it. You’ll ask, “What does that say on the side of your boat?”. “What?” she’ll say. “Arianrhod?”. “Yes!” you’ll say, “Why, does your kayak say “Arianrhod”??”, “It looks like a NDK. . .” She’ll look at you like you’re daft, then being the kind woman she is, she will share with you the story of her kayak just as if you were the first person she’d told. So I figured I could ask her to repeat it for all of us. That way we won’t have to ask her when we show up in Michigan in a few weeks. ) But then again, what fun would that be? Let’s all ask her anyway. .

Take it away Laurie;

” It started on the day I got my boat – I think three years ago now. It arrived from GRO still in the packing on the trailer. Nigel Dennis was there and helped to unwrap it and talked about further customized fitting. I then went paddling on her (the boat’s) maiden voyage with Nigel and Peter Bray. Peter said I should name it after a Welsh GOD, and I of course, said that I thought a goddess would be more appropriate, since it is a chick boat (colors and all). So I went looking for a Welsh goddess that seemed to fit.

Arianrhod is a Welsh goddess known as the Silver Wheel. She is associated with the moon, night, magik and reincarnation (and sometime the night sea). Sometimes she’s also called the Silver Goddess of the dawn. She lives in the Corona Borealis. She’s the beautiful daughter of the Welsh mother goddess Don. She’s somewhat of a seductress and lures seamen into her embrace. However, she remains independent. . . How’s that?”

So in the end we’ve come back to Wales. How’d that happen? I hope everyone enjoys the big party. Someone throw a soggy biscut at Rowland for me. . and don’t let him get you into one of those 10 boat, towing train thingies of his.

And the moral of today’s story is?? Well, “Wherever you go, . . there you are” of course.

Thanks Laurie, See you soon!!

It was cold. But the show must go on. At 5 am I do feel a bit like Roy Scheider looking at his Bob Fosse reflection in the mirror and saying “It’s show time, Folks!”. For some reason the first class of the year had to be done on the one day we had a strange 10 degree temperature drop & harsh southerly wind. My fingers quickly went numb as I stood putting fuel in the jeep under the last of the morning stars.

Having an early season class with the retail folks is helpful I think, in that it lets you find your groove again but in a more relaxed atmosphere. You know there is no need to tell them what kayaks are made of and most have had a fair amount of time on the water as it is. They know the dogma, “All Boats are good boats” and fully understand why you wear Icebreakers instead of blue jeans. So you just plug along with the skill work side of things knowing you’re a bit rough and out of sync but you didn’t forget as much as you thought you would. The only nerve-wracking part is when they go back and tell the rest of the staff how much you suck!

Thing is, I feel like a bit of a fraud this time around. I open my mouth and out comes words and phrases told to me by others. I know that’s always the case but it stood out to me all of a sudden. Like copyright infringment. This bit from Fiona, that bit from Rowland, the other slice from JB, Sam, Shawna, Brent, Gail, and on, and on. I’m a mocking bird. The skill as an instructor is not so much in the knowledge you’ve gained but in presenting the knowledge others have gained in an understandable and interesting format. Sort of like the “Puteshestveniks” That Jon Turk speaks about in his book, you travel up the coast bringing news from far away. . .

Sunday I decided to remove the seat of my Anas Acuta myself. The weather was perfect. Cloudy, windy, and occasional spitting rain. You just can’t work on a British boat in any other conditions can you? Brian Day’s suggestion of using a dremel tool with a carbide cutter was absolutely the best suggestion. It allowed me to add a nice curve to the cut and went very quickly with no chipping. (By the way Brian is all over the new Seakayaker Magazine with bits on a High Stern Rudder, dent removal, & a review of a paddle sports rapid repair kit.) I’ve not glued the seat in yet as I want to take it out and play around a bit before commit to the seat’s final position. If you want to see a step-by-step photo story Just click here.

I probably won’t post tomorrow as I have a class to teach down at Rutabaga. Apparently I get to take the new retail shop staff out and show them what I know. . And they think that will take a whole day!???? Now, tell me that doesn’t make you want to do your own research BEFORE you go to the store!!

BTW I see Thomas D. is in SK’s letters this month as well. Cool! Cool.

Abandoned halls echo with the sounds of long ago
now given power by a Modern Rock sound – Seven 13

We went “cyber bowling” last night with Gryphon. I don’t know if this is just a mid-west sort of thing but basically they turn the lights down, the music up and chase all the geezers away so the teens can have a fun Saturday night under the incessant blue glow of black lights. Nothing changes. It was sort of funny listening to the Juke box wars. Tired and sad looking middle agers in the bar would keep trying to get into their moods with dollars worth of pick up trucks and Patsy Cline, and the kids would insert their dollars to fight back with Usher, Eminem & Nickleback. So we bowled on under disco lights with a screaming culture war blasting from Behringer monitors swinging frantically over our heads. All you need is a good beat to keep the old people away. Or in this case keeping them off the lanes. And that’s been scaring me. I’m 40. How long before I’ll start complaining about the music?

Personally I’m with the kids on this one. I’m not ready for the Sunny Meadows Retirement Community quite yet. But judging by my piers this change of life must not be far off. I don’t mind my body aging too much. Yeah like everyone else I’m sure I’ve got a few more odd pains after a rolling session or a day in the surf but so what!? A few Tylenol and a couple more rolls and I’m back to normal. If I started complaining about it I’d be done for. To me it’s odd to see the same people who said, “don’t trust anyone over 30″ suddenly bashing the kids.

Maybe I don’t have a choice. Maybe there’s some gene that suddenly goes haywire. I can see it now. I’ll only want to go out paddling on warm sunny days. I’ll no longer long for surf and will go miles out of my way for a little protected area to launch from. My big adventure will be winning a game of GPS tic-tac-toe. I’ll complain that sea kayaking DVDs shouldn’t have bands like 713 on them.

I was watching a whitewater video the other day with an interesting tune that sampled White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane and mixed it into modern hip-hop beat. That’s sort of where I’m at. I’m into the mix. My body may be 40 but I’m not ready to retire.

Not yet.