Archive for June, 2007

PostHeaderIcon what’s on your deck?

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It was funny. I standing with a group of paddlers in Chicago and heard out of the corner of my ear Bonnie Perry say, “Derrick and I are “bi”.” Yep! That was the first time I’d heard someone else say that. I almost blew Aquafina out my nose!

Well, I turn 42 today. So I’m off to enjoy the day. 42 is not a bad number. Remember when “Deep Thought” was asked what the meaning of Life, The Universe, and everything was. . The computer pondered the question for a thousand generations, then when he had finally computed the answer, in his deep ominous computer voice he said. . . . . . 42.

PostHeaderIcon That sound changed everything…

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June 4 – “Later I went for a pee on the beach and in my torchlight saw two red eyes in the water watching me. It was a croc. In my diary I wrote “having serious doubts about my ability to finish this expedition. It was one thing seeing a croc slide on the beach this arvo, but I just saw the croc in the water. I am shitting myself about departing the beach tomorrow. . .”

June 5 – “. . .The beach would be a fantastic landing. Then as I paddled in, I heard Dave Winkworth’s voice in my head. It was him talking about the Gulf, “Crocs like calm water”…I paddled a few more strokes and noticed a few mangroves on the inside of the point. The voice in my head, “Shit! Mangroves”. I dismissed them because there were not many and rationalised that it would be ok. Then SLAM! That sound changed everything… A sound like someone had just slammed two bricks together as hard as possible on the stern of my kayak. My heart rate accelerated. Adrenaline poured into my system. My voice in my head knew that it could only be one thing. I forced myself to turn my head to look. I saw a large croc with its head fully out of the water, jaws open and right on the back of my kayak. I think at this point I may have sworn – “F***!”. I certainly never thought to say Crikey!”

- sandy robson

I had to follow this up. I got a comment today about Sandy Robson’s encounter with a Crock! On June 5th She indeed had a very intimate meeting with a territorial Crocodile. For a long while I had a hard time finding her Journal, but the issue in the end was with the links all over the web forgetting the little “s” in HTTPs:// which is a secure route to her site. So here is the correct link: https://netstorage.penrhos.wa.edu.au/slap/index.html.

Sandy’s been having some excitement recently. Kayaks, Snakes, & Cattle. . Be sure to send her a bit of encouragement.

PostHeaderIcon a moment of time

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She sees shooting stars and comet tails
She’s got heaven in her eyes
She says I don’t need to be an angel
But I’m nothing if Im not this high

But we only stay in orbit
For a moment of time
And then you’re everybody’s satellite
I wish that you were mine
-counting crows

Often on those hot summer evenings out at the lake I just put all my paddles up on the deck and move through the water with my hands. Nah, I’m not trying to get anywhere. Like rolling, it’s just another way to touch the liquid world around me. Water we’re coming to learn, is the blood not only of our planet but is probably the blood of the universe as well. Hidden under a surface of ice, or seas beyond the boiling point frozen by immense pressure. Water connects us with the basic elements of life. From our own beginnings to the far reaches of space. Sometimes I feel as if I can sense it as I let my fingers run through the water building little wakes as my kayak slides across the surface.

Time, life passes. Soon we, and everything we know will end. We will again become part of the bigger picture. Our elements return to the earth to again be reconstituted as part of new life or water, sand or rock. As Moby once said, “we are all made of stars”.

Reading Silbs blog the other day made me think a bit more about the whys of expeditioning. Those “whys” are different for everyone. “because you can” is not a reason, just a fact of life. Of course anyone can if the truly want to. You don’t have to travel far from home, or spend a fortune, or chase sponsorships. . In the end you only need to find a place new to you, and have a thirst for discovery and a love of the natural world. Nothing more. Desire makes things happen.

For my part, I hear the clock. I feel time pass. I want to see and experience my moment in time. These passing days before I wink out. The kayak is a vessel and no different than the Jomon, the Tiano, Lief Erickson, Shackleton, Andrew McAuley and all the myriad people who’ve crossed a horizon, we are driven to discover. Discover the universe and discover ourselves. Even if the discovery is only ours alone. We learn about our place in time and how small we really are in the universe. Can anything make you feel smaller than floating on a black sea under a canopy of stars!? Modern society creates an illusion. The sea reminds you that this, the illusion, is just that. Beyond central heating, guns, governments and box stores there is something bigger out there. I want to touch the universe. Paddling is my way to do it. In my little lake, or in the sea. I need to experience this life, this moment in time. While I’m still here.

PostHeaderIcon Stupid RSS & Roll Video

I’ve received the notes about the feeds not working. Still trying to work out why because they seem pointed correctly. Any ideas?

Oh, and just for fun here’s a clip from last night at the lake. A nice spashy reverse-sweep roll. :)

PostHeaderIcon holding the ladder

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Such a feelins comin over me
There is wonder in most everything I see
Not a cloud in the sky
Got the sun in my eyes
And I wont be surprised if its a dream
- carpenters

Here’s Gryphon from our evening at the lake last night. Last year he was not all that into his new kayak. He wanted it, but feared the water too much to really play. But last week when we were up in Lake Superior and I towed him through a bit of surf and through a sea cave, he suddenly saw kayaking in a new light. So last evening he nailed his cowboy recovery, then just stood up to boot.

Last Sunday he was still a bit figity playing in his EpiSea when we first got to the lake, but I found some games and let him build up comfort in falling out. Then I gave him some easy things to try that would give him early success. With success comes confidence. And of course the good feeling of succeeding drives you to learn more and succeed again just because it feels good.

In my opinion that’s how you teach children and for that matter Adults as well. Give them places to succeed and then just watch that success motivate them to more complex tasks. If they feel good about themselves, they will put in the time. You don’t teach someone to be a good paddler, you can just hold the ladder for them.

So as coaches do we teach skills or do we teach success? Something to think about.

PostHeaderIcon little earthquakes

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Oh these little earthquakes
Here we go again
These little earthquakes
Doesn’t take much to rip us into pieces
-tori amos
So here’s a picture from Penrhyn Mawr that I don’t think I’ve shown you before. If you look closely I think that’s Justine up by the rocks on the left. The photo was taken by Axel Schoevers and does give you some perspective of the size of everything. Which is really hard to do by the way. But the main reason for showing you this picture today is that I talked to Mike at Rockpool by email and it sounds like my baby was getting chopped into sections and will be ready any day now. I’m sweating bullets waiting to see how it turned out as I really did give poor Mike some funky design ideas. Some could be done, and others could not. But I can’t say enough how much I appreciate the work he’s done for me. I’m totally indebted.

Someone said to me recently that the Alaw Bach is not an expedition boat. Ok. We’ll, I heard once that a Greenland paddle is not an expedition paddle either. Tell that to Greg Stamer who is currently trucking around Iceland with one. Or the thousands of Inuit who used them for centuries. Get real! Some people just love to tell you why what you are doing is wrong, just to show what experts they are. Usually these are they guys who noodle around some swamp somewhere and are the first to duck out when the waves show up.

For what it’s worth the Alaw Bach is a lower volume kayak, much like an NDK Romany. No, you’re not going to haul weeks of gear, but on the other hand you will find very few kayaks that can handle the rough stuff as well as the Rockpools. Rough water is in their bloodline. These days we have so many good choices in kayaks. Many of them are great boats. But my personal taste is for something a bit smaller and speed is important, but not as important as keeping me safe and handling well in rough conditions. And of course for my Puerto Rico trip coming up in 33 days. . . there are plenty of places to stop and resupply. If I was going to the arctic, I’d me be taking my Explorer, or maybe a Menai. But in the end it’s all about personal comfort, skill and choice.

I really get peeved by those self-appointed experts and their infernal tongue wagging. New kayakers are often victims of these judgmental types. Hey dudes, SHUT UP! We are all learning, and these novice paddlers can use your knowledge but not your self-inflated egos. I can’t tell you how many misconceptions students come to classes with that they got from some guy that has no business guiding others.

So what got me on this diatribe? Well, I saw another Rudder vrs Skeg argument going on. Blah, blah, blah. . . Gimmie a bloody break! It’s one thing to share the ups and downs of both. . but I can’t believe the long winded, algebra laden, discussions that try to make such a silly personal decision sound like a discussion of quantum physics. Talk about jumping in a black hole!

So my thought for the day is this; Spend more time on personal skills than worrying about gear. If your skills are there, everything else is just cake.

PostHeaderIcon Tight’s All Right

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Tight a$ you can get it
Tight a$ got it made
Uptight’s alright but if ya can’t stand the heat
You better get back in the shade
-lennon

CD asked yesterday about dealing with an ocean cockpit. Congrats on the new Nordkapp by the way! Yeah, in the beginning an ocean cockpit can seem a bit strange. Certainly the keyhole was designed by people frustrated with that little hole! But an ocean cockpit has it’s advantages too. What stands out to me of course is the connection you have with your kayak since there not that big air space above your knees. I think you’ll also find that you get a lot less water in the boat when you flip it. Now, how do I deal with getting in and out of it? Well, the first thing is of course that you have to sit on the back deck and slide into it. (at least I do). Which means often it’s just easier to set the boat on the beach, get in, then seal launch into the surf. This is why I have a strip on mine. Yeah, I know that’s not always possible and some of you don’t like scratches on you boats. Well the next choice of course is taking the kayak out into a few inches of water, sitting on the back deck, using your paddle to brace the boat and then slide in feet first. In time, I’ve learned to do this in open calm water much like a paddle float rescue but without the float. I just use the GP. (traditional paddle). It’s something you need to practice. Of course in deep water, the easiest way in, is just to do a reentry and roll. I have video of that on my site. The ocean cockpit will reduce the amount of water as it is, but if you can attach your skirt before rolling up all the better.


When I land, I usually just lean back then slide myself onto the back deck again before I reach the beach, but I can do it quickly too once I hit the sand. Just remember to get out on the side away from the beach so you don’t get a kayak in the ankles when you try to stand up.

When on the water I really love the ocean cockpits, but there is no way around it. . they are a bit more work now and again. :) Oh, and by the way speaking of ocean cockpits we’ve still got an NDK greenlander for sale. $1100. . .

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