Legends
Published August 23, 2011 | 
The Gales Storm Gathering will be held from Oct 8-9-10 at Presque Isle Park in Marquette, Michigan. The event is to be the first intermediate to advanced sea kayaking symposium on Lake Superior. The Gales is co-sponsored by Geneva Kayak Center, Go Kayak Now!, and Downwind Sports. Registration fees are from $120 to $330 & lodging from $20-$60. To register, and for more details visit www.galesstormgathering.com… 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.
The Groove Engine
Published May 24, 2011 | 
Last week I posted a picture of a singer and asked if anyone knew who the woman in the image was. The answer is Betsie Anderson. Betsie and Al Anderson are the owners and creators of the finely crafted Betsie Bay kayaks of Frankfort Michigan. Continue reading
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.
psychological support
Published September 11, 2010 | 
Shawna Franklin & Leon Somme of Body Boat Blade are offering up a little bit of paddle counseling with the help of Bryan Smith and Canoe & Kayak Magazine. They are producing a 3 part “How To” series that includes an article in Canoe & Kayak along with supporting online video and discussion. Great plan. As always Shawna and Leon do a fantastic job demonstrating techniques in a way that is fairly easy to grasp for folks of all skill levels. Continue reading
Parsnips
Published January 5, 2010 | 
I wish the world was flat like the old days
Then i could travel just by folding a map
No more airplanes, or speedtrains, or freeways
There’d be no distance that can hold us back.
– death cab for cutie
You can’t get there from here. But you can a get nice e-card from Body, Boat, Blade. Yeah, I want to go live with Shawna and Leon for awhile.. ( But doesn’t everybody? )
Eat your parsnips.
I always said he’d come to no good / In the end your honor.
If they’d let me have my way I could / Have flayed him into shape.
But my hands were tied, / The bleeding hearts and artists
Let him get away with laughter.
Let me hammer him today! – p. floyd
Leon Somme is one of the most talented, creative and most importantly, inventive coaches I know. He’s obviously getting a bit frustrated with self-appointed experts as of late. Aren’t we all!? Every bonehead on the planet has a Youtube out there showing the “proper” this, that and the other.. Bah! In a recent short commentary for Adventure Kayak Magazine, Leon writes about a really bad idea and asks, “What is an expert in Paddlesports?” Then he goes on to say that “Peer review is one of the most powerful tools we have to keep up standards and to make sure disseminated information is worthwhile. Peer Review”, he continues, “advances new ideas and methods and moves the sport forward at a faster rate..” Peer review? Can we pause there for a moment? Continue reading →