Archive for April, 2008
Storm Stories
April 22nd, 2008 | 
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Adventure Kayak is looking for your storm stories. So nows the time to share you’re epic tales of the “Big Blow”. They are looking for survival stories, storm kayakers, rough water tips, rough water events and all tall that other stuff where the environment rocks your kayak world. If you’ve got an interesting tale to tell send your thoughts out to Tim Shuff at tim@rapidmedia.com.
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Vertical Limit
Open your eyes
Push yourself inside
Contemplate all of your senses
Tell them what you want to lose
- 30 seconds to mars
Of course there’s no need to lecture. I’d be preaching to the choir. No, I’ll just go for sharing the experience. The last couple years I’ve noticed that I’m starting to feel like the oldest geezer on the hills. It seems to me that the Vertical Limit for people over 40 is about 200 feet.
Here in my little part of the planet the big hills stand about 500 feet over the lake. Still, Devil’s lake State Park is the premier climbing destination in the Midwest. For climbers it’s not the vertical height that matters, but the difficulty of the ascents. The red quartzite cliffs in the park certainly provide variety and an occasional challenge. Each weekend every cliff and every nook seems to have bodies hanging from or ascending them all.
If you don’t climb but still want to enjoy the view, there are trails that criss-cross the bluffs and give you a good view of the area. Usually though once you pass the first benches about halfway up, the age factor takes over. From there you are surrounded by youth. Now at 42 I certainly don’t feel old and I do see people my age out enjoying the hills. Still, few are the ones that are there for the sheer joy of it all. Most of the folks my age seem to be suffering self-imposed torture. Often they are red-faced and sweating profusely while chasing children and yelling for them to slow down. Others fill the benches while guzzling from bottles of mountain dew and struggling to regain their vision. Packs of smokes lie on the rocks marking a myriad temporary resolutions made on quartzite steps. There has to be good in the weekend heath assessments, yet I fear the feeling rarely lasts past the following Tuesday.
Some middle aged folks are enjoying their day of course. There are athletic types in sweat bands and nasty shorts who run the trails with seeming ease. Romantic couples in tans and greens hide under the shade of red cedars. Guys in polo shirts and kaki shorts zip up the rocks with high-tech walking sticks in hand. Once in a while I’ll even pass that one person or couple who are 70 years of age if they are a day. I want to drop to the ground and celebrate their existence! Of course what I really do is just smile and say, “hello”.
Hiking the trails over our little mountains helps me to appreciate nature. It also helps me appreciate the fleeting nature of youth and life itself. Each time I stand on top of a cliff, I can’t help but think about the time when I won’t be able to do it again. I feel that sense of urgency to soak it all in. To hold a wisp of a memory of the time when I was still able to cross the 200 foot line and take in the beauty. A time it seems that for many, comes way too soon.
scrambled, the river
Yesterday we paddled down the river.
Ducks crossed in front or swam alongside the boats.
They always think they are going to outrun you.
When they realize you are gaining on them, they take off or turn to the bank.
We played in eddys and practiced ferrying.
We talked edges, angles and strokes.
Our kayaks raced down a wave train.
Bows buried.
Hair got wet.
The river widened.
Canada geese blasted alarms whenever they saw the kayaks come near.
They would shout at us until we passed by.
Geese on the river are like hecklers at a ballet.
The river spit.
We battled the current upstream through a narrow funnel.
We dug and dug, advanced, then maintained, then slipped.
The current won.
A turtle slipped off an old blackened tree trunk by the river bank.
Julian managed to sneak up on a Great Blue Heron.
It’s hard to tell who was more surprised.
The Heron leapt into the air right over his kayak.
Big broad wings carried the blue-grey bird into the east.
We found multi-colored rubber ball which would become a gift for a child.
On a slow bend a big Red Hawk stood sentinel on a tall barren tree.
Cardinals, Wrens, Blue Jays, Black Birds and Robins shot back and forth across the river
like artillery from opposing cannons.
We paddled up a side stream full of broken garden rakes. I found a golf ball.
A small waterfall turned us around.
We rounded another bend and were met by a cold wind.
Near the take out the river widens and slows.
In the floodplain the banks are lined with fallen trees & yellow grass.
The air is filled by the calls of Red-winged Blackbirds.
The kayaks sharp noses sliced into the mud. We stretched.
We loaded gear. We drove the bridge back over the river.
We continued home.
Tamalpais II from Ahnu
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This week I received a pair of Tamalpais II multi-spot shoes from Anhu. The plan is to put them through the paces this season and see how they hold up. The Tamalpais II are designed for light hiking, trail running and of course just bombing around in. They are also the shoe that the folks at Ahnu thought a paddler would like. Throughout the summer I’ll pop in and show you how they are surviving the paddling life and share some experiences with them as well.
To get all the specs just visit the Ahnu Website at www.ahnufootwear.com.
Elitist
And they were all impressed with your Halston dress
And the people that you knew at Elaine’s
And the story of your latest success
You kept ‘em so entertained
- billy joel
So this morning I sit here drinking Starbucks coffee from a mug with a fancy Venetian theme. Now that would be all fine and dandy if not for the fact that I also realized that the dark roasted Starbucks coffee in the bag bears an amazing resemblance to that dark loam you get your worms in for fishing.
And speaking of elitist, it’s no secret that 99% of instructional video material out there is aimed at Seakayakers & whitewater boaters. However there is a new one out of Wisconsin targeting the recreational paddler with all that basic stuff you want to know when your goal is to just get out and enjoy a day on the lake. Check this out here. Oh, and that guy in the video is Darren Bush who owns Rutabaga here in Madison.
Freya Hoffmeister – Ahead
- photo by Greg Stamer
In October of 2008 Freya Hoffmeister is set to begin one of the most challenging expedition attempts possible in the world of Sea Kayaking. Her goal is to become the first woman to circumnavigate the southern continent of Australia. The first person to circumnavigate Australia was Paul Cayffn some 25 years ago.
The trip is expected to take about one year to accomplish. Along the incredible 9,400 mile route Freya will no doubt face wild seas, hungry crocks and curious sharks. In addition she will have to average some 35 miles per day in the tropical heat, while facing long open crossings and days where miles of cliffs will make landings impossible. This is not a trip you can “phone in”. That of course is the adventure, and the challenge.
When I set out to talk to Freya about the trip I found myself facing my own little challenge. Freya of course is a friend and I know her to be much more than the caricature that easily becomes created in the mills of the paddle press or the symposium campfires. Freya is a smart, talented person with amazing drive and a strong competitive nature and of course much more. I want to thank her for taking time to answer all my questions, even when she knew I was digging a bit. (wink, wink)
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d – Freya, thanks for taking time to do this. Alright, you just got back from your record trip around the South Island of New Zealand and now you’re already planning to circumnavigate Australia. When did that idea hit you, and when did you commit to the trip? Why?
Freya – Well, on the last days of my NZSI circumnavigation I started thinking about what to do for my next big trip. Even though I’d been away from home more than 70 days I just hadn’t had enough…
My first thought was, for sure, that I’d paddle around the North Island as well! Paul Caffyn gave me his NI book and over the next fives days that I was bogged down with bad weather over Christmas at Paul’s house I read it almost half of it. But, well, it didn’t excite me all that much. Perhaps because it seemed too similar to what I’d already seen around the South Island but with less beautiful scenery, less remoteness. Clearly it would be challenging as well especially since there would be the same tricky surf barrier around most of the island again but I guess I was even more eager for a larger, very different trip, even if no one had paddled around the NI besides Paul. But around OZ as well…
After I finished the NZSI trip I spent another 10 days with Paul and managed to wrangle almost the last copy of his book about paddling around Australian from him. I’d long thought that I didn’t want to paddle in a land invested with crocs, man (or woman) eating sharks and I’ve never been fond of poisonous snakes — on land or sea — but as the challenge came into tighter focus my attitude changed…
After talking to my family and business managers at home and finding out that it was actually possible to take off that long, I decided that, yes, I will do it! Clearly this is a HUGE challenge: the distance, the endurance, having the skills to paddle in very volatile conditions, plus, as I said, dealing with the creatures there. But I just love to do something really “outstanding” which might be hard to repeat…
d – We could go on all day about the dangers of this trip, but I think everyone knows by now that you don’t scare easily. So let me just check, is there anything about this trip that does cause a little concern for you?
Freya – Naturally, I don’t have much experience with crocs, sharks and snakes…and I’m very happy to keep it that way! So I think it’s best to learn how to AVOID any really close encounters. And just like on NZSI, it’s important to learn more and more how to best AVOID the biggest breaking surf. That’s my biggest concern!
There are three very long sections of cliffs where you can’t land for two days; however, that doesn’t scare me too much as long as I set out in suitable conditions.
The lack of fresh water in some corners will be solved since I’ll have a desalinater as a backup and I’ll have enough room in my kayak to store enough food.
d – Those of us who’ve been around to watch you move quickly from your “woman in black” traditional paddling days to racing and World Class expeditions have wondered I’m sure what’s driving you to keep this pace?
Freya - Well, that’s just ME…Actually, I was always the “Woman in Black”, the rolling stuff just did emphasize the public vision i was a “roller” only…
But I never felt that I was just a traditional paddler. I’ve brought my gymnastics background to the boat: when I teach rolling, my style is more of a modern, playful approach to rolling. I try to make it creative and fun.
I’ve always loved expeditioning. I’m curious by nature! This includes to learn different disciplines of kayaking that I’ve never done like the surf ski stuff.
d – How do you look at the Australia trip in the sequence of what you’ve done so far. Is this the “Big One”? Or do you just consider it another step?
Freya - For sure it’s A VERY BIG One, but still another step! I won’t stop paddling after that! And I can’t imagine that I’ll stop searching for new challenges.
d – Not all, but most expedition paddlers seem to have a list of certificates and stars by their names, ACA, BCU, etc,. Have you taken many classes yourself along the way or are you a learn by experience type person?
Freya - In my early sea kayaking days I felt it would be interesting to take a five star class to get to know what the BCU stuff is all about. But I drifted away from the idea because of all of the rules and regulations. I think they make sense in general but it didn’t appeal to me.
But I felt approval from others that I can survive on sea was not what I needed. And I didn’t need a teacher to tell me to get a “proper” paddle since I was using my epic wing as always. I’m very independent and liked to decide that type of stuff on my own. In addition, I didn’t want to teach “regular” kayaking classes as I was busy enough with my special niche of teaching how to roll. And I am much more a “one on one” teacher or a loner than a guide or someone who can entertain a whole group on a trip…
d – You have like 20 sponsors these days! I guess that makes you the expert on what it takes to have companies support you in sea kayaking. So do you have any tips for expedition paddlers who are thinking about seeking sponsorships?
Freya - Well, first you have to INVEST in yourself: to get skills, to find out what you like, to do stuff which people think is interesting. You must establish what makes you “special” to stand out of the big crowd.
If you feel one day you gained a bit of experience by investing thousands of dollars in high tech gear, you may feel you want to share your knowledge via a website and start teaching at symposiums.
This gives you public exposure, which is a BASIC ingredient of what a potential sponsor would expect. If you’re making a lot of appearances at symposiums and are able to teach and give interesting lectures that’s a big selling point. As is writing nice stuff for your website or for paddling specific magazines. It’s also a good idea if you embark on a BIG trip to provide the public updates on your web site.
In short, the more exposure you can OFFER a potential sponsor, the more likely you are to find someone to work with! Just be aware it’s a relationship built on give and take. If you have to OFFER plenty, you might be able to GET plenty. Sea kayaking is not the most popular sport, so within the kayaking industry it might be likely to get some gear for wholesale price or even for free as sponsorship. But it takes MUCH more to get financial sponsorship, especially from non-kayaking companies. That’s what I’m working on now for the OZ trip: To get financial support from companies – that aren’t directly related to sea kayaking.
Still I think it’s a mistake to think that sponsoring can cover all of your expenses (or even make you rich.) For me it’s a labor of love, and working with a sponsor is more an appreciation of what you have achieved already!
d – You’re going to paddle an Epic Sport. That’s not the first kayak I’d think about for an expedition. What made you decide on the Epic for such a long journey?
Freya – I was very happy with my NDK Explorer and still love it, but I wanted a “fast” and lightweight kayak with a rudder for maximum speed for that year’s long OZ trip. The Explorer is solidly built. It’s pretty fast and a skeg works well, but there is a reason why racing kayaks have a rudder and a long waterline…I was already working with Epic as I was using their wing paddles already, so it was natural to get into the “sea kayak” as well sooner or later!
I am known for extremes. I’m quite open to new ideas and I love speed…even on expeditioning. So I decided to take the “risk” to use this modified sea kayak from my much appreciated paddle sponsor Epic.
I am currently working quite intensely with Epic to continue the development of their existing Epic 18x sport to insure it’s rock solid but still a lightweight expedition kayak with a rudder that will be able to most likely resist serious abuse on a year-long expedition.
On my OZ circumnavigation I should get now maximum speed due to the rudder, long waterline and a lighter weight.
I won’t drop my NDK Explorer at all; all of my 10 different kayaks have their niches and I love every one!
d - Are you still into traditional paddling?
Freya – I was never into traditional “paddling” except when I raced at the Greenland National Championships with a Greenland paddle and a Greenland style kayak. On all of my previous trips I’ve used an epic wing paddle and fiberglass boats.
What I was doing was “Greenland style rolling”. In fact, even on teaching rolls I do not teach “Greenladstyle Rolling”, but I am using the traditional method, paddle and kayak for an easy beginner’s entry to a safe reliable roll. For sure it’s still fun to play around with exotic variations of rolls, but this is a limited skill and just a basic for me to feel safe on the water in any conditions.
d – I usually ask everyone I talk to for Quix, to share some of the practical side of doing a trip like this. Australia will take about a year to complete. A lot of things happen in a year. The business keeps moving, kids grow, seasons pass. . How do approach being “away” for a year?
Freya – Before I could commit to the trip, I made sure that my son’s father, my franchise partner and my two shop managers are fully behind me. And they are! I am very thankful to all of them! Without their full support I couldn’t do it, both practically and mentally!
For sure the toughest part will be to not see my 12-year-old boy for one year, even though he and his Dad promised to visit! And I know he is proud of his “special mom” too. His father is retired with plenty of time and I think he is the best “mom” and dad in one person our son can get!
That is the “base” team.
Although paddling solo, the extended team will be my kayak weather man Karel Vissel, all OZ people who’ll get in touch and help me prior and during the trip, the person to update my blog and might help me writing some articles during the trip, and, much appreciated, guys like you who spread the gossip news! 
).
Without my sponsor’s list it would be much more expensive to do it, new ones are always welcome!
d- Ok last question. What’s one thing no one knows about Freya Hoffmeister?
Freya - Being in the public spotlight, people have their own picture of me just from reading my website, seeing pictures, the word of mouth, maybe having experienced teaching me somewhere or heard a lecture. But I don’t think that ANY of my kayaking companions know the “real” Freya…they all think they know (love or hate?) the picture of the “Woman in Black”…a modern kayak action figure…
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Visit Freya’s website at www.QajaqUnderground.com
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just paddling
With tightly packed isobars predicting a good wind and the ice just two days off the local lake, it was certainly time for a paddle.
Launching on small lakes when the wind is howling is a trick in of itself. The big water concept of timing your launch goes right out the window. On a little lake it’s “1-wave-2-wave-3-wave”. Of course if you can launch in a second great, otherwise you try to find something to hide behind, at least long enough that you can get your skirt on.
I’m always amazed how the mood of my little lake changes from one side to the other. One end hoppin’ and poppin’ and the other dead calm. On the south end protected from the wind I was reminded how calm water can be so soothing after battling with wind. I think back to different times when coming out of weather and slipping into a dead calm harbor or behind a break wall and feeling the water suddenly become gentle and welcoming.
Well, my feet and fingers are numb from the cold and I’m going to run and find a sleeping back to curl up in for awhile. . .
