Ellesmere
Published September 8, 2011 | 
I’ve spent part of my morning reading about Jon Turk & Erik Boomer’s 104 day Ellesmere adventure. (It wasn’t exactly a “circumnavigation.”) Ellsemere Island, one of the last bits of land before reaching the north pole, sits just off the coast of Greenland and is not what anyone would call “inviting”. Grinding ice, insane cold, polar bears, unpredictable weather with occasionally ferociousness winds.. Well, if it’s harsh and uninviting, there’s always a kayaker to say, “That’s where I want to be!”. Continue reading
Body, Boat, New!
Published July 26, 2011 | 
Check it out! Our friends at Body Boat Blade International have a fancy new website. Looks Great! Don’t you wish you could update your own body, boat and blade as easily as you could update a website? Man, my old hide could sure use an update! My boat is not far behind! Sorry, I just went 3 inches sideways there.. (See? There’s the topic.. now look 3 inches to the south.. see me over there, waving??) Anyway, in addition to the new website, Shawna and Leon are off on another adventure as they head out to circumnavigate Vancouver Island. Why? Well, I love this bit, to “give Shawna an opportunity to do some artwork”. One of the best reasons for a paddling trip I’ve heard this year! You can read more about their trip right here.
Global Row on Ice
Published June 6, 2011 | 
Money / It’s a gas
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash
New car, caviar, four star daydream
Think I’ll buy me a football team – pink floyd
Are you getting the feeling that money is getting a little tight? Yeah, me too. I received an email over the weekend from Alec Greenwell who is one of the paddlers involved in the Engelandvaarder crossing and shore manager for Olly Hicks’ Global Row Expedition where he intended to circumnavigate Antarctica. Alec tells me that Google, who was one of the expedition’s main sponsors, pulled out without explanation which essentially puts the whole thing on ice for the time being. The hope is that new sponsors can be found and Olly can give it another go next season. Good luck guys.
Finding financial sponsors. . . And you thought circumnavigating Antarctica would be difficult!
Engelandvaarders 2011
Published May 13, 2011 | 
In memory of the thirty-two young Dutchmen
who tried to escape to England by kayak
during World War II to join the Allied Forces.
Eight of them reached the English coast.
The last living survivor dedicated this memorial
to his brothers in arms who were less fortunate
he reached England – and freedom -
on this beach on 21 september 1941.
During World War II, some 1700 Dutch men & women escaped Nazi-occupied Holland by crossing the North Sea from the Netherlands to the UK in every sort of craft. They were called the Engelandvaaders. In August of this year three British paddlers, Alec Greenwell, Ed Cooper & Henry Franks, will attempt this hazardous crossing in their memory. The paddlers will be following a route that brothers, Henri and William Peteri took some 70 years earlier; launching from Katwijk, just north of The Hague and heading west across the channel to land on the beach at Sizewell in Suffolk, UK. It took the Peteri brothers about 56 hours to make the crossing, the 2011 team hopes to cover the 118 mile route in about 30 hours. What makes this historic crossing so challenging is that they will be padding against a constant natural current through some of the busiest shipping lanes on earth. This will certainly be one to watch. Continue reading
Bass Boats
Published March 25, 2011 | 
There’s no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going
There’s no knowing where we’re rowing
Or which way the river’s flowing
- it’s a wonka thing..
Not sure why, but Australia has been on my mind this morning. I suppose it’s mostly because I’ve been following Geoff Murray along with Greg Simpson, Mark Broadley and the “Mysterious 3″ as they explore the Bass Strait. Funny thing, the Bass Strait; It’s actually a challenging bit of ocean between Tasmania and Australia named after a guy named George, but if you told someone from around here that you were going, they’d probably suggest a Ranger Comanche and your favorite spinner! Worlds apart… The Bass Strait trip blog is worth following by the way. Any blog that can fit the words, “trousers”, “bumpy” and “interesting” in the same post is well worth the read! Continue reading
Ye Olde Kayak Emporium
Published March 18, 2011 | 
Another party’s over / And I’m left cold sober
My baby left me for somebody new
I don’t wanna talk about it / Want to forget about it
Wanna be intoxicated with that special brew – queen
Yesterday I was down in Madison to visit with Darrin Kimbler who will be leaving for the west coast in a couple weeks to begin his “Canoe Across America” expedition. This is a 5,200 mile trip that will keep him away from home until sometime in December. Well, at least he’ll have his dog with him!
From Darrin’s domicile, I drove over to Rutabaga which if you don’t know by now, is one of the country’s biggest, finest, and most well-loved paddle sports shops. (Did I say that right Boss??) I don’t know why… I mean what kind of legitimate kayak shop wouldn’t give out free chocolate chip cookies at the door? Shame, really. Be that as it may, I rolled in on Thursday which is their first day back open to the public after Canoecopia last weekend. Walking in the door right after they opened in the morning reminded me of the old Monty Python cheese shop sketch.. “It’s certainly uncontaminated by cheese.“. The shop was certainly uncontaminated by anything related to boating! That’s because all the stock was still ’round back in the trailers. That’s what happens when you host the worlds biggest paddle sports show each year. Heck even the back lot which is usually packed full of kayaks was hauntingly empty. Of course all that will change very quickly. The staff is going to be on their toes for the next few days. That means the store will be once again brimming with paddle candy right about the time the ice melts on the pond behind the store… which may be only a day or two the way things are going.
On a side note, someone asked me on my Quixotica Twitter account if Rutabaga has their own Twitter…. I think they hide it at @RutabagaPaddler…
***Full Disclosure: I am a paddling instructor at Rutabaga. This means anything I say is probably bias, and occasionally puts me at risk of losing my meager status as occasional hired goon.
**** What is it with all the food references in this post? I must be on a diet again.. Bah!
Vancouver Island Record Attempt
Published March 16, 2011 | 
It’s the memory that hides / Take your photographs back
For the love of all gods / Our gas hed marches on
– live
So… I have it under pretty good authority that Leon Sommé & Shawna Franklin…no.. wait.. I mean Shawna Franklin and Leon Sommé of Body, Boat, Blade International are going to be attempting to set a new Vancouver Island sea kayaking record. A record that, if achieved, will not only be a true first, but I’ll dare anyone to beat it as well. Of course I can’t tell you any more than that without unduly exposing my contact at Kayak-Wikileaks. What I can tell you is that Canadian Joe O’Blenis holds the current speed record of 16 days, 12 hours and 14 minutes beating a previous record set by Sean Morley. Is that relevant? Probably not.
original photo by Keepitsurreal. Retouched by yourstruely.
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