Peter’s Paddling Blog

Saturday we finally had a decent wind from the southeast resulting in a sizable surf in the small bay outside the harbor. With winds from west to southwest dominating this country an easterly force +7 is expected with much anticipation.

The wind was bordering a force 8 and snow was falling at intervals as Morten and I peeked out of the harbor entrance. The bay was in a chaos with the waves being funneled into a small sandy beach by the jetty of the commercial harbor and the sea wall protecting the nearby road.

I had a layer of Vaseline in my face to take the bite out of the freezing cold wind. Still the falling snow felt like hail and was stinging like needles. I had to more or less keep my eyes closed when paddling out. Perhaps those silly little peaks on the sweet water helmets are of some use after all.

The surf wasn’t good by any means. Violent, unpredictable and cold. One minutes of surfing was succeeded by +5 minutes of struggling to get out. There were no channels we could use to get through the breakers.

I pitch poled in one run and the paddle was torn from my right hand grip in the following capsize. Rolling up I struggled getting my mitten-clad hand back into the pogie – only to be steamrolled by the next wave. I rolled up and was immediately blasted again. Somewhat shaken I rolled up and headed towards shallow water for a breather. Normally getting ones hands into the pogies is a small inconvenience but in these conditions small problems were inflated.

Morten learned his lesson on the limitations of long boat surfing as he had picked an Anas Acuta for the session. Still the kid demonstrated perfect coolness when twice combat rolling close to the jetty in a chaos of reflecting waves. He got his first roll six months ago and only recently got his handroll. Truth is that there are few sea kayakers I would feel safe about taking into such a sea. In fact I suspect we’ll have more luck recruiting surf kayakers among the young K1 crowd than from the older and more comfort seeking sea kayakers.

Sunday afternoon we met up for a different wipeout at the ergometers. Interval training 3*1min + 3*2min + 3*3min + 2*4min + 3*3min + 3*2min + 3*1min with 1 min breaks between each interval. Mentally much harder than any surf session and not half the fun. Still 60 seconds Wipeout blasting on the stereo was a big help.

I’ve been busier with kayak work and politics than kayaking itself this December. Preparations for the coming season and the roll out of the Euro Paddle Pass have taken its toll. Browsing my e-mail client’s sent folder I count more than 100 emails related to kayak and politics for December.

Christmas brought a number of kayak related presents: a new PFD (with pockets even), books and a pull up bar.

My collection on Arctic and Antarctic expeditions grew by a single book “The Worst Journey in the World” by Cherry-Garrad. It’s a classic I should have read long ago. The author was a member of Scott’s ill-fated expedition to the South Pole but wasn’t chosen for Scott’s final strike towards the Pole.
Having read the first 200 pages I cannot help scrutinizing the passages dealing with Amundsen. Are the Brits being fair in their treatment of Amundsen? Yes they are! Still the book has some funny passages:

“It will be seen that Priestly missed three points. First, he was left with a conventional but erroneous impression that of Amundsen as a blunt Norwegian sailor, not in the least an intellectual” – followed by – “the truth was that Amundsen was an explorer of the markedly intellectual type, rather Jewish than Scandinavian”. Now what the heck is that supposed to mean? Damn Brits!

I also got a copy of the BCU Canoe and Kayak Handbook. While I was never personally into the whole kayak education/coaching circus – I’m highly impressed by this book. The BCU really is a role model for all national canoe federations.

This leads me to the discussion on EPP we’ve been having in this country. One recurrent argument against the Paddle Pass I’ve been hearing is that the EPP, being heavily inspired by the BCU Star Awards, is not rooted in a Scandinavian outdoor tradition. What does that mean?

You see, while we enlightened Scandinavians have a back-to-nature and holistic view (or something) on outdoor activities the rest of you (barbarians – the lot of you) only strive for outdoor educations for the sake of the educations themselves. It’s all empty skills and no purpose.

Ah bug off! This drivel smells like bullshit and wellness. Since when was Scandinavian outdoor traditions not all about the skills? Nansen, Amundsen and Rasmussen would turn in their graves if they heard otherwise. But yes it is a bitch that sea kayak instructors now have to demonstrate a roll isn’t it?

This summer we’ll see a new incarnation of the Scott/Amundsen race, when England’s Tim Brabants is racing Norway’s Eirik Larsen at the 1000m in the Beijing Olympics. I’ll be rooting for Eirik but still happy if Brabrants wins.

Happy New Year to all of you – even the Brits – no especially the Brits!