Pacific Paddling Symposium 2014 Victoria

 

The change of the months brought the second PPS event in Victoria. At this event I was representing TRAK Kayaks, though also I was the official videographer. The PPS event is held at the amazing venue that is Pearson College and is located in an isolated bay near the southern most point of Vancouver Island. It was awesome to roll up and be part of such an awesome event and enjoy the company of old Kayaking buddies, Like Rowan Gloag, James Manke, Matt Nelson, Kate Hives, Costain Leonard, JF Marleu, Allie Carroll, to name a few, and also to make many new friends such as David Johnstone, Alex Mathews, Nigel Foster, Michael Pardy, James Roberts, Dympna Hayes and many more.

This “symposium” is literally more than that; it is a “retreat”, a kids camp for big kids. The grounds are idyllic and reminiscent of Hogwarts from the Harry Potter novels, there is water access right into a sheltered cove that itself opens up to the exposed southern coast of Van Isle and Race Rocks. On grounds there is a pool for controlled coaching sessions, and expansive green space and quite buildings with amazing views to hide away from the crowds amongst. There is yoga in the mornings and the accommodations and food and are wonderful, hearty and filling. This event is limited to around 140 attendees including volunteers and organisers. So this means just over 100 participants can attend. Last year it sold out in 36 hours, this year it was 26. This event is in high demand, and after a long weekend at the event I can see why.

One of the most amazing parts of the Symposium for me was to get out to Trail Island, this place is a restricted conservation area, not only is it right off the southern end of Van isle exposed to all the roughest weather the winds can throw at it, it is also not a place the public can access. getting out there is a real privilledge and in fact i felt like I was visiting the South Georgia Island of the coast of south America. All that was needed where penguins, other than that there were Sea Lions and elephant seals all over the place, a true gem and I am glad it is un touristic and kept simple and barely disturbed with its one lighthouse keeper guardian.

 

I got out on the water a couple of times, most notably with Nigel Foster for Paddle control, and then with Bob Putman and Alex Mathews to work on Surf ski skills. Both where great learning chances for me, it was also great to meet fellow Lendal Paddle Team members James Roberts and Dympna hayes, I very much am endeared to both of them and want to spend more time getting into trouble with them in the future. Other than that I was quite happy filming some great stuff, enjoying the grounds and mingling. I have captured some great footage and I hope to have a short film together on it shortly, though I am leaving up to Janette (PPS co-ordinator) to get more thorough use out of what I shot.

 

I hope I get back again next year!

Jaime

My Life In a Shed and a Van and other images Published in Adventure Kayak Magazine Spring 2014 Issue

This spring I got Asked by Virginia Marshal (editor of Adventure Kayak Mag) if she could do a feature on my life living simple in order to paddle more, and here is the result. I also had a number of other photos published from adventures over the years and from the Bay of Fundy Symposium last Fall (Bay Of Fundy Blog Here). Enjoy. 

Also thanks to TRAK Kayaks   (featured in the main image) for helping my life be lived the way it is.

Read more in the Free online Spring 2014 Issue here

Sea Kayaker Magazines Last Issue and my Only Appearance in the Magazine.

It is sad for things to come to an end, especially things that helped define a culture. I am pleased got one appearance in the legendary Sea Kayaker Magazine before it disappeared, with the publication of a Pygmy Kayaks full page advert.

This Photo Also featured on the Cover of Ocean Paddler Magazine (UK) #39 in December; Link.

 

 Sea Kayaker Magazine Writes in there blog for the last time.

 "For nearly 30 years, Sea Kayaker magazine has been an exemplary cornerstone of the sea kayaking community and a defining influence for the standards of our sport. We’ve been pleased and proud to share 157 issues with the kayaking community, but now we must announce with great regret and sadness that this Issue of Sea Kayaker magazine will be our last. In the course of our many years of service to kayakers around the world, we’ve seen many changes in sea kayaking, the industry it supports, and the business of print and web media. For our first two decades the changes generally worked in our favor, but over this past decade, the tide slowly turned. Though the magazine and the website continue to draw nearly universal praise from our readers, we recently recognized that we’ve been paddling against an overwhelming current and it’s time to come ashore. And so, we’re celebrating the final chapter of the Sea Kayaker legacy with our special 158th issue, the February 2014.

TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS – It is difficult to bring an end to a publication supported by subscriptions. For many of our loyal readers, this last issue will be shy of the number of issues they expect to receive. We have been working with Rapid Media (www.adventurekayakmag.com) and have arranged for our incomplete subscriptions to be fulfilled by Adventure Kayak, a magazine devoted to sea kayak touring. Our subscribers will receive an issue of Adventure Kayak for every issue remaining on their subscription. We encourage you to give the magazine a try. Rapid’s founder and publisher, Scott MacGregor, has graciously invited Sea Kayaker magazine’s editor Chris Cunningham to contribute to Adventure Kayak and he’s look forward to adding a touch of Sea Kayaker and some of his views to the magazine."

As published at  http://seakayaker.us/our-last-issue/

I have also been fortunate enough to have been published in this issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine aswell. Check it out here

My First Published Article, and On the Cover Of Ocean Paddler

Read about the story behind this Photo on my Blog here

Here is also a video from the day


Also in the publication was my first ever published article about our adventure down the Grand Canyon in Sea Kayaks, with Images from Jimmy McDonald and Myself, stoked at this publishing opurtunity.

Read More about the Grand Canyon Project Here
Read More about our Summer Grand Trip Here

Excerpt from Article Below

"It was an exhilarating experience to push these non-traditional river craft

through the surge and boil of large rapids. Capsizes were common for all,
not just the sea kayaks, and the first swims belonged to the white water
paddlers pushing close to the rocks. A number of times sea kayaks got
caught by big hydraulics in the rapids and would completely disappear.
Ben Doffe owned the first and only sea kayak swim when he and Costain
Leonard got caught by what’s called a sleeper hole: a sticky rapid that is
easy to miss, but has a grip like a giant. After a long beating in the foam and
a Herculean effort of numerous rolls, the exhausted Ben swam.
Another memorable moment had me following Ben into a section that we
were reading on the fly, when halfway through the rapid it suddenly became
clear that there was a huge hydraulic hiding behind a large standing wave.
By that point there was no escape. Ben and I paddled hard for the side and
as I crested the wave behind Ben, I had just enough time to see his kayak
being spun vertically into the air, bow deep in to the foam and water, before
being dropped with speed off the back of the wave into the hydraulic. I
slipped effortlessly beneath the foam pile and disappeared; the world went
dark and quiet. Only a split second later I re-emerged, still upright, some
six metres behind the rapid and face to face with Ben. He was all smiles
with the exhilaration of his ride and at the sight of me appearing from the
depths, like a submarine, before his eyes.

Freezing desert nights
Another interesting learning curve for the group was camping. With the days
being colder and shorter, it took us longer to paddle our daily set distance  of 32 km (20 miles) than we expected, often setting up camp only an hour
before dark, deep in the cold shade of the gargantuan cliffs that loomed
above us.
During those clear, starry desert nights of winter we were allowed to collect
driftwood for fires, using a folding fire pan with a fire blanket placed beneath
it to meet park regulations. We enjoyed ourselves late into the night.
Due to the freezing desert nights our wet gear was often found solid in the
morning, forcing us to thaw our gear in the river. We quickly learnt that if you
were to hang your drysuit off the ground, the lack of moisture in the desert
air would actually dry it overnight despite the cold. Only neoprene would still
be frozen in the morning.

Poop tubes
Another requirement of the park is to carry out all human waste. It was a
new experience for all of us to paddle with a large PVC pipe between our
legs. The PVC ‘poop tubes’ were sealed and fitted with a screw top and had
been made by generous group members. They incorporated doggy bags for
collection and clean storage, with kitty litter for smell reduction, and were
able to store your toilet paper and extra toilet essentials as well. The cold
temperatures helped to keep the aroma down, thankfully."

Read more in Issue #39 of Ocean Paddler

Skookum Times at Skookumchuck Narrows.

 

This long weekend the weather was so, so but the flows were awesome. River surfers, Sea Kayakers and play Boaters converged on the legendary tidal rapid in Egmont BC Canada, and I was there amongst it.

Catching the 6.30 am Ferry from Powell river I Rolled into Egmont in the Paddle Wagon and made myself at home at the Back Eddy Camp Ground. This friendly camp and RV park is right on the water 30 minutes paddle (by sea kayak) from the Wave, I was a day late so eagerly geared up and then headed in for the flow. It was a fun few days and so many types of craft where present, I was there of course in the TRAK “Seeker”  folding Kayak, though I had also brought my Bliss Stick RAD WWA Play boat, as the wave was due to be a foam pile for a large portion of the time. Also there was Marty Perry from “The Hurricane Riders” who also had his play boat with him.

There was handful of play boaters from the USA, Canada And Australia present the most Notable was local NRS paddler Drew throwing huge air in his composite Play boat. Other notables where Jacob and Neil from Calgary who are River surfers, they were ripping up Skooks. These two run an organisation Called “Surf Anywhere”, promoting River surfing and sustainable Man made waves. It was a lot of fun to get to know these two and about their project. Check it out here.

I had some great Rides in my Play boat and then enjoyed some long green rides in the “Seeker”. I was also trying out Lendal NA’s New sea Kayak blade design “the Storm” and it was a real treat to play boat with in both sea kayak and WW boat. It is light stiff and responsive, and Lendals lock system held it solidly in place at the feather angle I know. The Storm Blade is slightly smaller than Lendal NA’s Kinetic 700 Xrange model that I normally paddle, and has a scalloped front face which gives a surprisingly powerful purchase and response; it is a nice addition to their range and my quiver.

That first night a group of us had a great campfire and beers under the stars of a crisp fall night and shared a few tales. Showing up that night, the Crew from Pygmy Boats in Port Townsend USA; Jon, Freya and Laura had brought with them 3 of their new boat designs, and I was keen to try them all out on the wave especially the Penguino 14, which is a short little Fat boat (145 feet and 25 inch beam). I was intrigued to see how its physics would allow it to surf Skooks, particularly in the Foam pile. the next morning we all paddled of before 8 am to reach the wave as it started to run on the flood tide. it was great to see so many different types of craft on the wave that day, wooden sea kayaks and folding, play boats and surf boards. I hopped into the Penguino and got to know it as the wave built quickly to a foam pile. amazingly this boat ripped it up and I was able to actually work back and forth from the big Foam pile to surfer left and back, getting big drop in carves. The next day I took out the “The Silke” (14 feet and 22 inch beam), and this boat too ripped in the Pile, but needed much more aggression to turn. “The Silke” was a breeze to get pop outs of the pile with.

That last day I was pretty much the only one on the wave, though while it was smaller Freya Fennwood got her Pygmy boat (named after her) out on the glassy wave and really was stoked to be riding the wave at a bigger flow than she had before. Another first was for Laura Prendergast from Pygmy to get her first Rolls in Dynamic water. It was a great weekend for all. That day I ended paddling for 4 hours nonstop, so fun and I got some epic rides, though now I am buggered. I sit in my Van at Back Eddy Campground recovering and doing work on the computer. Next to Vancouver, and if the rains allow, some Creek boating!

I had a great time and made a bunch of new friends and learnt to push my paddling in a new direction with these little wooden boats, which is always super satisfying.

Thanks to all for the Stoke, Inspiration, and Great equipment.

Jaime