Archive for July, 2007

So you wanted
to take a break
Slow it down some and
have some space
Well f**k you too
Give me my money back
Give me my money back
you b***h
I want my money back
(And don’t forget to give me back my black T-Shirt)
- ben folds

So Kellie Kaneshiro captured this magnificent moment of my rolling demo in Door County a couple weeks back. This was in answer to Mark Pecot of 41 North Kayak Adventures who, as resident heckler asked the timeless question, “What did the Inuit use for nose plugs??”So I have to run to REI today to pick up a few last minute items. Especially that little filter do-dad for making coffee in the morning! tomorrow I go pick up my new Alaw Bach!! YIPPIE!!

Now on to the news. . . .

1. The Deadline for the IR vacation to Hell contest is coming up quick. Get your team registered right away. Deadline is August 17th.

2. Our friend Omer of Terra Santa in Israel will be instructing at Osprey kayaks in Westport, MA in August. They have a link but it was not working when I tried it this morning. But if you are in the area, catching a little time with Omer will not only make you a better paddler, but will aslo cause your hair to rejuvenate.

3. Thank you to everyone who donated to the Andrew McAuley fund over the last few months. That fund has now been given to Vicky and Finlay with the well wishes and support of all of us around the world.

4. Remember too that the “First Lower Columbia River Kayak Roundup” is coming up in August as well. The important thing to note here is that participation is limited to 60 people so if you want to go, you’ve got to get registered asap.

5. So I hope everyone got a chance to see the new Ocean Paddler Magazine. I didn’t of course! LOL! But Richard is sending my copy to PR for me. What a nice chap! Anyway there have been great comments about the magazine so far. So be sure to get your subscription. . oh and all you lurkers out there. . They have advertising space available yet for the second issue!!! Contact them at richard.parkin@masikpublishing.com

I think that’s it for the moment. Of course to all you guys out on the water, we’re thinking of you. Be safe, enjoy!

the captain surfaces for air amongst the torrent nightmare
latching to a piece of the hull, destructions everywhere
no more survivors from the blast, the ship drifts beneath the waves
the master coasts for hours, before the storm begins to wane
an albatross flies overhead, a sign that land is near
an island spotted in the distance, maybe the torment is at an end
- lord of the storm

So we’re just a few days out from the beginning of the “Chasing The Ana” expedition to Puerto Rico. Lots going on in these, “last days”. You know, you plan heavily for your trip way in advance and then as you get closer all that planning (at least in my case) began to feel futile as the date crept up. (something my more experienced friends told me would happen). Of course in our case we are not heading too far from civilization for any length of time. So of course you pack some provisions, but it’s not the same as going to Iceland. In fact for the most part you are prepping like you would for any day trip on the ocean. Keeping safety and comfort in mind. You gather charts and maps and look maybe a day or two ahead with just a general outlook for the complete trip. You see the docs. Prepare your meds & personal needs. You choose your clothing and gear. You shop. You talk to others about places to see and places to avoid. You chase down expertise. If it’s there. You think way too much about batteries and chargers.The big difference between a personal trip near home and this one is logistics and team building. We have to know where we are all going to be and when occasionally. I ended up renting a van for 3 days just to be sure I could shuttle gear until the launch. Then you want to meet with everyone else’s goals and expectations as much as you can. You set aside social time, training time and yes, private personal time as well. You end up divulging to your team stuff about your life that maybe you’d be happier not sharing. But at the same time, they need to know how you tick. No secrets, no interpersonal games. It’s just out of the question.

Then you wake up one morning and think; MY GOD, that’s a lot of ocean out there!! And a month is really quite a long time!! On a calendar it does not seem like a lot, but when you get close and start working your life around it. . you realize that it’s a long time. I can suddenly grasp what 3 month or 6 month trips must feel like. Something that never seemed so big before, now seems pretty impressive. LOL!

Of course there’s the bit where people can tend to perceive that a tropical island trip is just a well, “vacation”. Something you can just “phone in”. Well, It’s not. When I first looked at the 2 foot tidal variance I was sort of thinking, “yeah whatever”. Of course that was naive. In fact there are areas of strong currents, big surf, nasty, crusty, rocky beaches, heavy traffic, quickly changing weather, bugs, wild life and many other things that have to be respected. And all this under the incessant heat of the tropics and the laser fire of a tropical sun. I keep thinking of those movies where the guys spend weeks floating at sea in a life boat waiting to be rescued. Blurry vision, peeling skin and parched lips come to mind. I had a friend ask me what kind of chap stick I liked and suddenly thought, “you know, that’s not a bad question!”.

As time draws near I feel a bit stressed, a bit tired, and just maybe a bit scared. Well, respectful anyway. Chasing the Ana will be fun yeah, but it’s also going to be a challenge. A challenge that is just now starting to seem real.

Spread your wings and fly away
Fly away far away
Spread your little wings and fly away
Fly away far away
Pull yourself together
‘Cos you know you should do better
That’s because you’re a free man
Come on honey
FLY WITH ME!
- queen

Alrighty then! So working with a nice woman named Louise at Transglobal Express Ltd in the UK I’ve arranged to have my Alaw Bach shipped here to Chicago arriving on the 26th. Cutting it just under the line as I leave for Puerto Rico on the 29th. That will give me just enough time to add a couple deck fittings before flying back out again. We’ve certainly come to the point now were it’s a bit panicky. Not bad, but you know how last minute details go. Of course my friends who’ve done this sort of thing before tell me to just relax and get to the water. I’m trying to take their advice. In truth there is a big part of me now that is saying “F**k it!” let’s just paddle! Mike Webb at Rockpool told me he’d email me a picture of my new baby later today, so we’ll see. If so I will post it. I know he’s quite happy with how it turned out. I of course am freaking out to see it! The next thing on my agenda is to figure out the right way to fill out this customs form. That probably means aother phone call. Yarg!So far it looks like Taino will arrive in PR early on the 29th and be gathered by my good friend Nydia who is also flying into PR the day before to help with arrangements. What a complete angel she has been. They will head off to hang with out new friends at KayakScuba a couple hours from the launch point. Carrie the owner and resident sea nymph, has been working like a little beaver to make a nice little space for us to call “home” while in Puerto Rico. Complete with little fridge and comfy floors. LOL!

I will arrive in San Juan late that same evening and spend the night in a hotel on the water. Yeah, I know. . I should sleep on a floor too I suppose but coming in at 9pm, it seems better to just crash and enjoy a last shower in the morning.

Now here’s something cool. Mike at Rockpool tells me that the new issue of Ocean Paddler just came out in the UK and I hear we got a little mention in there. There is also an interview with Jeff Allen of Sea Kayaking Cornwall &. . drum roll. . . A review of the P&H Cetus. I’m sure we are looking forward to seeing how this new magazine does with reviews. Of course this is a P&H so I’m sure it will come through with flying colors. . . (well I have to say that or certain guys from Michigan will kill me. . .)

Well, in the words of my favorite “jane of all trades”. . . . lata!