the land, always the land
Published May 20, 2007 | 
So, are we tired of Wales yet? These guys were maybe the most entertainment I had the whole time there. Well, them and Rowland of course. I’d hike up from Alun’s house many times each day just to soak in the world. Often I would find myself watching these guys play in the fields.
So today here is another gallery from Wales – The Land.
Strange Days
Published May 19, 2007 | 
YOU should have seen him
Lying alone in helpless silence in the night
You should have seen him
You would have seen his eye reflecting in the light
-alan parsons
I roamed the museum and put my fingers to the glass that covered a golden eagle that once traveled with Napoleon’s legions across Spain. I stood in the castle square and photographed a skeleton that was now traveling with a “man-on-the-street” medical program. I breathed in the sea air.
In the square of Caernarvon I found a small deli where a young woman broke from her Welsh conversation with an elderly man to make me a corned beef sandwich. I handed her my 2 pound coin, thanked her and left to sit under a statue of a local hero who was now a perch for a seagull.
One bite into my sandwich and a phone range in my pocket. Soon I was gathering all my goodies off the ground and putting my sandwich back in the bag. It was time to go.
Suddenly I was in a Tesco’s watching my heroine, Justine Curgenven rummage through the discounted fruit.
Strange days. Strange days indeed.
Click Here for my pictures from Caernarvon Castle.
keep left
Published May 18, 2007 | 
After battling a vicious gang of Keep Left signs and defeating the Spanish …
The humility of the Ninja
Published May 17, 2007 | 
Oh the boat was wildly dancing
To the whistling of the wind
– storm front by Jack J. Burns
I’ve got lots to share, but I think on this first day back what roams through my fuzzy brain is the question, “Am I a better kayaker now??” Well, that’s what we do these trips for right?! My first sort of “off the cuff” answer is, “No”. I can’t say I spent much time on skill work, with so much else going on. I didn’t take navigation courses or work on proper surf skills. In fact, other than my L2 Coach training I really didn’t do anything “officious”. I just paddled.
As much as Justine wants to avoid the issue, she is a good coach. At least for the way I learn. Which means she coached very little unless something obvious was wrong with what I was doing. Like sitting over a big rock waiting to get killed my incoming waves because I was too stupid to see where I was sitting. I certainly made my share of mistakes in understanding the coastal environment. Luckily I was not abruptly punished for those mistakes.
I experienced tidal races in “real time”. I managed. My personal point of pride is that I was not rolled by the sea. Not that it did not try once or twice. Each time I managed to brace correctly or re-balance on the fly with a lift of a knee or the flick of a hip. In the end I did roll in Penrhwn Mawr. . But on my terms just to say I did it. Of course in all fairness I did not go surf the nasty front wave when the race was getting really active. Otherwise things may had been different. 
I managed to paddle in some big soup and land on a beach that was considered too messy for the class that was out at the same time. With a mix of surfing and back paddling I kept my boat under control as the sea tried to rocket me into the beach.
I wrestled with fear on more than one occasion. Most of the time I could work myself down with the simple question, “What’s the worst thing that’s going to happen?”. Fear would say, “What If I got knocked over??”. “I can roll.” I would answer. “What if I don’t roll?”. . “Well, then I would swim!” Fear would ask, “What if you swim??”. My rational would answer, “I am with my friends and they have my back.”. I trust my friends. I know my abilities. Thinking those things though helped me deal with those little moments when fear would creep forward.
In the end, I’m I a better kayaker? I don’t know the answer. I think I’m more confident. I better understand what I can, and can’t do on the water. Maybe confidence and understanding make you better. I’m not sure. One thing is sure however, I got a heavy dose of humility.
photo of derrick & justine by Axel Schoevers – thank you!!
Crafting Kayaks
Published May 15, 2007 | 
To flow inside the spiral tide;
To drown my eyes like a blind ride.
And to cross the perils of black water -
It waits for me like mother and daughter.
-blue oyster cult
This slow craftsman’s approach is what allows for the funky designs which are actually embedded right into the gelcoat. These are not stickers or “paint” but gel coat art work. The upside of course is that your designs will not “wear”.
Thank you Mike!!! For everything.
* top photo by Axel Schoevers
ramble on
Published May 14, 2007 | 
Ramble On,
And now’s the time, the time is now
To sing my song.
I’m goin’ ’round the world,
I got to find my girl, on my way.
-zeppelin
warm & dry
Published May 13, 2007 | 
So you thought you might like to go to the show.
To feel the warm thrill of confusion, that space cadet glow.
-pf
In the morning Axel Schoevers drove me around and then it was off to the beach to meet up with Justine & Alun for my final day on the water. I was having a “niggling” day. A “warm & dry” day. A day that wanted for sleeping late. Something was bothering me about getting on the water. I couldn’t really explain it. Maybe it was that everyone seemed to want to tell me about the Gale warning posted for the afternoon. Whatever it was I would have been happy to take the day off. But in the end, I decided not to back out. Still, I felt a bit apprehensive. After Penrhyn Mawr the day before, we were off this cloudy day to the North Stack. The North Stack is the first of a series of tidal races in a line around from Holyhead Harbor to Porth Dafarch. After North Stack you can follow the current down to South Stack at the famous light house and from there carry on to Penrhyn Mawr.
North Stack was fairly quiet we arrived at peak but without the wind or much swell it was much like a small river. For a few moments there were some fun white waves on the outside but it was messy and hard to find a good wave to surf. Good rough water play regardless. From there we followed the tide down to south stack and went under a high walking bridge that I had just crossed 2 days before to visit the light house. Then we turned against the tide and paddled our way back exploring the caves on the way. In the end although the wind did pick up we managed to never see the oncoming gale that had been fore-casted earlier. I was relieved.
Tonight I’m resting warm and cozy at Justine & Aluns house in the mountains of Wales. The rain and heavy fog occlude the top of the Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales. Yet, even in the fog the mountains dominate the region. Tonight is a night to relax and dry out. Today, warm and dry sounds really, really good.
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