Stykkishulmore
Published June 8, 2006 | 
A journey always begins by looking out into the wide open before you and stepping forward. Sometimes this is the bravest thing you can do.
Here is a note from Rotem Ron of Terra Santa Kayak Expeditions who today will be beginning her Iceland journey. .
“Hi Derrick,
I´m in Iceland and will start paddling today from Stykkishulmor – small town in the mid west. I was picked up from the airport by Steini (sea kayak Iceland) and he helped me a lot, so I decided to start from his place.
I have a website which will be updated:
http://www.seakayak.co.il/iceland.htm”
Of course we wish her all the best in this amazing challenge. Someone somewhere should toss an offering to the sea and tell it to play nice, and keep her safe. 
* image from the Iceland Tourism Board, Updated Map from KV. Thank you!!
Night of the Nearly Dead
Published June 7, 2006 | 
I said I had one more picture of Simon Osborne to share!! We were thinking that this is just the kind of picture that will make elderly women want to take him home and make him a nice cup of tea!
The title is from Episode 23 of Father Ted which seems only right since he’s currently working in Ireland. (Not to mention how we felt that morning). Heck maybe the whole crew of Deep Blue Sea Kayaking would like to sit down and watch it with him. . . All together now. . “Awww, isn’t he lovely!”
Sorry Simon, I just couldn’t help myself! It’s just a gentle teasing to let you know we miss you already. ))
* screen shot from Valdefierro’s Father Ted Gallery
Kayak Against Cancer – Florida
Published June 7, 2006 | 
For More Information Click Here.
every day, every day
Published June 6, 2006 | 
Yep, there’s that silly SOB out on the lake again. So we want to learn to be good at this stuff eh? Well, the best advice I can give anyone is that practice time is directly related to talent level. (at least that gives us no-talents some hope) Some people are very talented and almost instantly look like gods on the water, others are always getting worked. When I talk to my 5 year old about getting good at something, I tell him you’ve got to practice “every day, every day”.
first class traveling set
Published June 5, 2006 | 
Money, its a hit.Dont give me that do goody good bullshit.
Im in the high-fidelity first class traveling set
And I think I need a lear jet.
- waters
Most of the time a sea kayaker will take on a challenge or expedition with their own money for their own reasons. Often by saving and penny pinching for the next big trip. They’re not thinking about the “deals”. What deals? You’d be hard pressed to find a kayaker getting rich in kayaking. (well, maybe Tao) As much as it can look like the big league some days, Sea kayaking is NOT a big league sport. Rarely will a paddler get cash support from sponsors, even when they can prove themselves a good “marketing” bet or for that matter even an established name among enthusiasts.
The one thing many companies are willing to do is provide gear. I’ve heard many times some rough comments about getting free stuff to paddle round in. And to be fair, there are days when you start thinking everyone willing to paddle over 50 miles should give a ring to Kokatat. (just teasing guys!). But on the other hand this is a really good deal. For the sponsor. The cost of free gear can’t really come close to the value of having that gear on the bodies that you are seeing and reading about. Just ask Nike! They know. But then, they also have to shell out to the athlete for “ad-space” as it were. In most sports you can’t just go up to a athlete and offer them a pair of shoes! Cash is just part of the deal, but again that’s in the big league. You know, I sell just one banner advertisement on my business websites for around the retail price of a drysuit. When I think about that, “free kit” seems like an advertising bargain. I would think that has to change in time. But right now a “famous” sea kayaker is kind of like being an late 50′s rock star. You get the stage and the record company get’s the profits. Not that you would’nt appreciate the gear. That’s great too. I wish I got some free gear!! But purely mathematically “schwag” is an amazing advertising deal.
That’s what really inspires me personally about the sea kayakers we’ve all come to know around the world. They’re all doing their thing for their own reasons. Not for cash or kit. Then after a great day, week, month on the water it’s back to the day job. Suddenly they are shop owners, plumbers, police, instructors, teachers, carpenters, and many other things. Their “star power” is checked in along with the PFD and next thing they know they’re washing a big pile of dirty dishes.
It’s great to see the amazing growth in sea kayaking over the last few years. These days we have all sorts of fun things to read, books to buy, boats to paddle and a plethora of gear to pick from. It’s a very good thing we have folks we can learn from and who inspire us to grow in the sport. I’m thankful that they take the time to travel and teach. I appreciate that quite a bit. Lord knows they’re not making any money!
good books, diverse music, aromatic coffee
Published June 4, 2006 | 
No angel could replaceNancy, with the laughing face – frank sinatra
really, really, good day
Published June 3, 2006 | 
I gotta roll, can’t stand still,got a flame in my heart, can’t get my fill.
Eyes that shine burning red,
dreams of you all through my head.
- jones,page,plant
All days on the water are good days. Even the really frustrating ones that momentarily make you want to chew fiberglass. But really good days are the days when you’ve done something you’ve never done before. Or days when you got a monkey off your back. Really, really, good days are the ones where you do both in one go. So yesterday was a really, really, good day.
First, I got my (forward finishing) reverse sweep roll back. ’bout damn time!! Even though I knew how to do it, and had been fairly good at it, I’d lost it when I broke a paddle. I just kept bailing out at the last second. As soon as my brain sensed pressure on the blade, I’d just fall right back over. What a relief when I set up in a chest scull then in one nice little swoop remembered to roll up with my body and not with the blade. I was back up BEFORE by “broken-paddle-scared brain” could react. So I worked away at regaining the body memory for the next half hour. One down.
Then, I kept thinking about how our currently Irish kayaking legend picked up so quickly on some Greenland rolls while we were in Michigan. Then I thought, what do I want to try that looked so easy when he tried it for the first time? Hmmm. Well, that behind the head thing looks fun. So other than the fact that I can’t get my chubby little body in quite the correct set up (yet), I put the paddle behind my head and twisted as far as I could before I rolled over. In moments I was right back up on the back of the deck! Wow! That went MUCH better than I expected. What a good day!
Putting down two rolls in a day is good enough. I followed up by working through the rolls I know. This time with my Masik which to be honest often feels like a cheat. Pawlatta, sweep, c to c, shotgun, angel, crook of the elbow, stick roll, hand roll. Then one more reverse sweep, then behind the head. Then I went straight to the beach. Some days you keep at it all day. Some days you take you’re victories and run.
This morning I had a private lesson with a young guy who’s lucky enough to be going to Glacier Bay in Alaska in a couple months. How cool is that?! It’s not like one short lesson can ever really get you ready for big trips like this. But they can give you an introduction to the basics you need to be part of a group with qualified leadership.
Tomorrow it’s off to Rutabaga for the off water version of paddling. Only this year we’ve got a new on-water element. Coaching seems to always require a bit too much off water time. Pencils, papers and yellow folders just don’t seem to catch the essence of the sport.
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