So many of you know I keep two blogs. One here and one at Yahoo360.com. I’ve been noticing an interesting difference in the two communities. Here on blogger we have a more "serious" paradigm. Certainly we’re not "Journalists" but blogger lends itself to that sort of presentation. Which is great. Someone commented recently that they check the blog here each day to see what’s up in the Kayak world. I really think that’s wonderful. Of course it’s because so many great paddlers share their news with me. Without their kindness and taking the time to email me all about what’s up, we’d never have this nice opportunity to keep up with everyone. So you can bet as I run around to symposiums this year I’ll be thanking a lot of people for sharing their kayaking lives with us.

Now over on Yahoo’s 360 board, It’s more of a social network. People are posting all day long. Notes flying back and forth, quick hellos are left whenever someone has time to sit down. 360 is an ongoing conversation. Much different. Not better, just different. Of course over there I talk a lot about kayaking as well. Hey, it’s life. But we also talk about life, children, feelings, social concerns, whatever comes up. Certainly a place for both worlds. One thing that has had a great impact for me personally is how the Yahoo blog has put me in daily contact with people from Peurto Rico where I will be paddling in August. Every day PR begins to seem not so much like a distant island, but a nearby town where some of your friends live. Just another way the online world has grown smaller. And another resource for expedition paddlers. A changing world for sure.

Ok, so yesterday was my first real day out paddling in the Ninja as it’s come to be called. I guess because it’s black and hides in small places ready to leap out at any moment. . hmmm, sounds more like "Cato"! Anyway, yesterday we had waves up to 1.5 ft right up tight to the north shore and maybe 8-10 inches on most of the rest of the lake, the wind with a strong southerly wind. The south shore of course was dead calm. I never did manage to try the "skeg" like feature of the hull because I’m so used to using strokes to compensate for wind. Still though, it tracked very well and felt much the same as a fiberglass kayak. The skin of course is quite rigid. So I went and played in and out of the rocks along the western shore of the lake and buzzed around in full circle. In the Romany I would be surfed back even on these tiny waves. The track was much more solid in the water and would not "catch the ride" easily. Not a good or bad thing really. Just a difference.

On the calm of the south shore I played a bit with some of those fiddly moves; bow rudders, draws on the move, and side slips. In both the side slips and bow rudders the little ninja reacted perfectly to commands. It spun right around. The big hard chine did make it resist a bit to draws on the move, but otherwise it reacted well to other maneuvers. I’m still very impressed by how quick I can get it moving. Remember the Trak is about the same length as a Romany. It’s not particularity short. That, and the tight skin let it move through the water well. I put on my drysuit and rolled a few times in the 40f water. Yikes!! I’ve got to pad out the hips a bit. I fit in there a little loose, so I put more into the knees, but that’s a simple issue to resolve. So all in all a good day out. so far I’m still quite impressed. Next comes the big stuff. LOL.

I will probably get to write yet tomorrow. Wednesday I’ve got to get to Chicago early to catch my flight. Security, security, security. Maybe I’ll just go naked and solve the problem! You know what they say, "Nudity May Result In Immediate Boarding" So keep that in mind!!! Then once I’m in the UK , Nigel Dennis was nice enough to offer his office if I need to get online to post and such. So we’ll see you there I’m sure.

Keirron Tastagh is a level 4 BCU Sea Coach (brat) and owns Adventurous Experiences on the Isle of Man. Jeff Norville is an L4 Paddler (that’s more like it!!) and an ACA instuctor in Portland Or.

Now just to prove what records mean amongst the Classy paddlers, Keirron and Jeff will be attempting to break a previous record set by Leon Somme. They will train together right before they take off at. . yep, "Body Boat Blade" on Orcas Island owned by Leon and Shawna Franklin. Total class!

Now you will see sooner or later that the boys will be paddling a Pink Triton. Sure they do like pink and may paddle in soft silky frilly things. . but just so you don’t get any ideas they are kayaking in support of the Komen foundation and in honor of our friend Ginni Callahan who as I’d written about before who had an adventure with breast cancer of last winter. Of course I won’t go into that again. My impression is Ginnie does not take time to "dwell". Suffice to say, "She came, She saw, She kicked it’s Ass!!", and is back to life’s other adventures.

The NDK Triton is probably the fastest double sea kayak on the planet. These guys are going to rip it up! Good luck guys, be safe, have fun!!!

Expedition Website
Trip Blog

Now one thing. Battles for your life are not cheap. They hit you without warning. Ginnie is one tough cookie, but none of us can take on the expense alone. If you can, please donate what you can to help out. As a community I hope we all take care of each other. If we don’t then we’re just like everyone else. I don’t want to believe that.

To help her out with costs make checks payable to Virginia Callahan and mail to:

Chick
PO Box 473
Nehalem, OR 97131

*photos used by permission. Top photo by Mike Wade. Thank you!