Archive for the ‘Expeditions’ Category

Mind me platypus duck, Bill,
mind me platypus duck.
Don’t let him go running amok, Bill,
mind me platypus duck.
Altogether now!..

It’s been a long time coming, but I can’t say there was much doubt.  Freya Hoffmeister of Germany completed her  sea kayak circumnavigation of Australia!! Amazing! Wonderful!  Well done!  Read the rest of this entry »

For somebody who don’t drive, I been all around the world. . .
– melanie

Ok, so hopefully Mountain Hardwear won’t be peeved that I’m using them for an example.  I just KNOW somebody won’t catch on when I say, “old”, “out of date” or “example” repeatedly below… Thing is there was still a link to an old sponsorship form active on a Mountain Heardwear blog post from September of 2008 (Nothing every goes away). Now what makes the old sponsorship form special is that it offers all those potential, future, world class, climbers, paddlers and other adventurers out there a chance to see in good order what sort of questions they should be answering before they send emails and letters out to companies asking for props.  And let’s face it, we can’t all be Freya…

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“Peter Bray was 43 days into his attempt to row from Newfoundland to the Isles of Scilly when he was caught in 20ft (6m) swells and 46mph (74kph) winds.” – BBC

Peter Bray called for a rescue in the face of an oncoming hurricane shortly after 1200 BST.  What else can you do!? Thanks Pete for setting a good example by demonstrating when to say when! Glad you’re OK….  What really sucks is having to leave the Black Knight at sea without even a flesh wound.

- Visit Pete’s Website
– Read BBC Article
– Help For Heroes

Many miles away there’s a shadow on a door
Of a cottage by the shore
Of a dark Scottish lake
– the police

A new day, a new bowl of Haggis! Well, something like that anyway.  Thanks to everyone for their emails and encouragements. It’s hard sometimes to translate emotions to print but I’m certainly not down or out. Speaking with Kelly last evening I’m sure he’s more disappointed than I am, at least in the fact that I can still get my stuff together continue my Nessie hunt. The only real change comes in that I have to pick up on some logistics and at this point, maybe even those original plans will still go through. Plus there are lots of good folks around that I’m sure I can pester someone to give me a ride to the water’s edge.

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You either run or you hide
Now you slip now you slide
You say you will, but you won’t
You either do or you don’t
– buckingham

Things come up and things change.  That’s the nature of life.  Unfortunately things did come up and Kelly let me know today he won’t be able to make the Scotland trip.  That’s too bad too, I’m sure we’d have had a flippin’ good time.  Ok then, we rearrange the pieces on the chess board and have another look.   Can I do this solo?  Why not?  Maybe another crazy paddler would jump in and join me, if only on the slightly open water bits. We’ll see.

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Save, save, ohhhhhh, save me
Don’t let me face my life alone
Save, save, ooh…
I’m naked and I’m far from home
Queen

I’ve read that the Royal National Lifeboat Institution rescues on average 22 people a day in the UK.  I certainly don’t want to be one of them.  If I’m going to visit with those brave (and possibly a bit crazy) volunteers of the RNLI I’d rather do it while warm and dry.  With that in mind I’m checking in with the life boat stations along our route to let them know what we are planning and also to arrange a visit or two so we can share some of their stories with you along the way.  The crew at Loch Ness Life Boat have welcomed  Kelly and I to drop in already.  I’m looking forward to that!

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I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment’s gone
All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity
– kansas

It’s that time again.  The time where I can’t let another day go by without making one decision or another about my upcoming paddling adventure. This time of course,  it’s Scotland.  Some of it is easy enough.  Buy this, buy that, read this, read that.. take notes!  What is different is that with a little experience I’m trying to travel as lightly as I possibly can.  Traveling light is harder than you may think given my past BCU training.  You come to believe that anything less than everything is irresponsible. I still remember the days when I carried practically 2 weeks worth of gear just to teach a class because that’s what a “hard core” coach did. Or at least I thought so.  Read the rest of this entry »