The TRAK Files Episode 6.

Better Late than never I just Realised I had not shared this episode of "The TRAK Files" on my Blog yet. so here is Episode 6 which came out in May this Year.
Episode 7 has been put on the back burner for now due to New projects I have been doing and the needs of TRAK kayaks, though it will be out in the next year.

TRAK Files Episode 5, International TRAK Packing

OK so it has been a few Months since the last TRAK Files Episode! Finally I have worked my bum off at the computer and finished Episode 5, all about traveling the world in the TRAK Kayak. I hope you enjoy, it has been almost three years of filming to make it happen! ~ J ~

June 2012 “The TRAK Files” Filming in the surf, Tofino

 

 

I headed out in the newly Set up Wagon to Tofino on Vancouver Island, the goal was to film the TRAK’s In action in the surf, I had a couple of Friends lined up ( Ben Doffe and Liam McNeil) to have some fun and the surf was co operating having some steady sized stuff rolling in. The wind on the other hand was not in favour, and was blowing 20 knts cross shore most days. though we certainly had some fun! good surf, some good air, and some good laughs.

 

I also tested out the P and H Delphin as a comparison to the TRAK folding Kayak, I loved the outfitting for the seat in the boat, though apart from when it is on a wave (where it’s planning Hull makes it super fun) it was an absolute pig to paddle and very unresponsive to lean turns. I was not a fan and felt it was far to specialised and not diverse enough. Read more of my experience with the Delphin here.

The TRAK surprised everyone who paddled it with its ability to surf and be nimble and quick, the only up set was the lack of solid white water style thigh braces, and appropriate hip padding. I am working on some options for this, and one is the adjustable wrap hip pads from Nimbus Kayaks, they fit the TRAKS perfectly and are easily added and removed and adjustable. I will look into thigh brace options later.

 

Ben was first up and we hit the surf for about 4 hours, the surf was about 7meters in the morning and we got some solid drops and rides, as the afternoon progressed the waves got smaller, though cleaner as the wind died off. here are some Images of Ben at play.

Next session was with Liam two days later, the surf was smaller at most beaches though at Cox beach we found some nice solid steep faces and got a good trashing. In one instance we had to paddle out hard and we ramped up the face and got air of the back of a number of waves. we also went and did a bit of rock gardening out around the point and enjoyed the large surges off the rocks.

TRAK Files Episode 4 part 2 Panama!

This  TRAK files vid gives you some insight into our panama trip, with living color!

June 1st 2012; The New World Wild Expedition Mobile!

 

Ok so I have picked up and old Diesel Short bus. a “91 Ford E350” with a 7.3 ltr V8 Diesel Engine. It has only 132,000km’s on her, these engines are good for at least 500,000kms. Being an old wheel chair transporter, she is empty in the back and ready to be designed as a portable adventure HQ and Bio Diesel machine.  Loaded up with Gear Storage, sleeping quarters and kitchen is the hope. Maybe a Roof Rack/upper patio and certainly an internal power system for on the road computer editing.

We will see how she goes, I don’t want to put to much money into her until she has proven herself this summer with a road trip around the NW USA. I will keep the blog updated with our adventures together!

 

Here she is Standard as Purchased!

And now roughly set up to sleep and adventure from!

The TRAK FIles Episode 4 Part 1 is Out!

This is the beginning of the real meat of the series. First with a journey with gaint sea beasts in

this episode, which explores British Columbia Canada, and then int the tropical wilds of Isla Coiba, Pnama, in the coming part 2.

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed being on and filming the adventures.

J.

TRAK Files Episode 3 is Out!

Episode 3 is out, this episode has been a bit of a cursed episode, finally released almost a month and a half behind schedule, due to unforeseen technical issues of filming editing and producing the series while in the road traveling in Central America. In February my computer unexpectedly stopped working after a slight incident with a bag man in Panama dropping my bag (containing my laptop) I had tried hard to protect. I was unable to do repairs on the computer in Panama as in 5 days I was to fly out to Belize, I decided to fix it in Belize and lost a week of good editing time. on arrival in Belize the computer worked again, and I began editing again in-between guiding client groups out on the islands, then the computer stopped working again, this time we found the issue was the video card that had been shaken lose in travels. It finally seemed I could get the Episode finished however I then had issues with the final render, and after pulling out every graphic and change in the area where the render froze, I found the image that caused the issue and the episode got done.

Also in the past month and a bit, I had my SLR camera stolen along with all my memory cards containing all the footage from Panama (only to find again, along with bags, passports another computer and more stuff stolen from our tent; scattered along the beach in the night with the high tide threatening to engulf it). I then lost my Main GoPro Camera with LCD back pack and flat lens in the surf while filming. It has been a challenging project to release episode 3 of the TRAK files amongst the ongoing adventures, filming and guiding. I hope you enjoy!

Santa Catalina Video

A bit of a vid about our adventures prior to heading out to paddle Isla Coiba.

Jan 23rd Shopping and the Rush to Produce Episode 2

 
Allie and I speak English to each other, “we need at least 10 days on Coiba!” “yes I Agree!” “Just tell him that we are experienced kayak expeditioners and have a locator beacon and a VHF radio”.
Allie turns too Yann and discusses the issues in French (Yann’s native tongue and Allie is fluent), he then picks up the phone and calls the number on a piece of paper. In fluent Spanish Yann request Senore Santiago Rojo the Jefe Grande of the ANAM Coiba. It is our third call that day in a French, English, Spanish communication train that has been us trying to confirm permission to circumnavigate Coiba Island by Sea Kayak. The first call found Senore Rojo, not in the central ANAM base in Santiago town (funnily enough also the first name of the man we were trying to track down) , so we had to call isla Coiba. That last call found Senore Rojo not at the main office and we would need to call back, though it sounded positive from his underlings there that it should be ok.
Yann now made the call and Senore Santiago Rojo came to the phone, a fray of quick Spanish conversation began, during the course of it, the tones in yann’s voice and the little Spanish we could understand, made Allie and I both feel we were losing. However at the end of the conversation, Yann thanked Senore Santiago hangs up and exclaims in French, Spanish and English “tout va bien”,” Todo es Bien” and finally “it is all good!” wonderful, it appears we are all good to go.

That was two days ago, yesterday we were shopping for our food supplies in Santiago town, we hitched a ride into town with Mike McKenzie of Fluid Adventures as he was purchasing the food for the trip with his clients we will be guiding. He also took our supplies back for us, as we remained at a hotel here to use fast internet to allow me to get the final edits of the second Episode of TRAK Files through for work. I had worked on it all night and I am still working on final edits right now.

9pm
I am sitting and waiting for the final good version to upload to the server before Allie and I can leave back to Santa Catalina. The first upload was full of errors and now we have missed the last bus back to Santa Catalina. However we found a taxi who would drive us for $50 now we can leave here when the video uploads again, the taxi and driver wait for us outside (  other drivers tried to charge us $70). It is a close push for time and it has been very unfortunate that internet in Santa Catalina has not been fast enough to allow me to upload regularly from there, however that is filming editing and producing on the road while adventuring in Panama. Let’s hope this cut is good enough as tomorrow we leave for over 2 weeks to Isla Coiba.

12am
We have just got back to Santa Catalina, the upload went through just before 10pm, we hoped in the taxi and dark safe ride of 2 hours has us back at our tent. In 6 hours we must be up again, pack up our tent and gear load on the launcha with the clients and head out to Coiba; we are soon on our way, for now a short sleep waits.
J

Jan 20th; Frisbee’s and an Engagement of Scott's

Beer bottles litter the table, along with a small bottle of single malt scotch travelers whiskey and an odd assortment of wine vessels. Guitar strings ring in wonderful symphony along with rhythmic spoons, a whaling harmonica and bucket drum. The evening is merry and joy with drunken singing and laughter, sweet music filling the air (or at least it is thought so in the ears of the drunkards). Scottish folk songs a play with a flurry at the finger tips of Calum Wood of “The Banana Sessions”, while his newly made Fiancé Jennifer sings along in accompaniment with her sweet voice and the rest of us just try to sing what we know.

It is a fine night of celebrations for sure when a traveling couple from Scotland get engaged upon a tropical beach backed by a fiery red setting sun across the pacific ocean, and that is exactly what this night is all about.

Sitting at the bar eating dinner the betrothed pair walk in and announce the news, I was all set for a quite night and that just all went out the window, rounds of Panama Beer started to flow, out came Calum’s guitar and a bottle of whiskey he had brought from Scotland for the occasion and the night went on to the early morn, loud with merriment. My Scottish and Irish ancestry writhed to my heart and filled me with eager joy to embrace culture and heritage I have never fully understood though feel strangely apart of! What a great evening it became when a band of American brothers joined us, I pulled out my Harmonica, they started to sing and play songs they knew on the communal guitar, while a trash bin became a drum and one brother pulled the spoons from some used ice-cream bowls, wiped them clean and proceeded to come together with his hands. “oh spoon man!”

We have made a great group of friends here at surf point, and it is sad to think they will all be gone when we return from Coiba Island. We will leave in a couple of days and be gone for about 2 weeks and there will be the same Santa Catalina when we return, though not the same wonderful companions we have come to enjoy. The festive night of merriment left all the next day with sore heads and less vigour to head to the water for a daily surf session. I attempted, though after a few rides I came back with my tail between my legs to sleep in a hammock. Every time I fell from the board and got tumbled in the waves, my brain shook and was left aching and pulsating. That day was a day of rest

Today we played Frisbee; the sunset glowed golden, and we hopped and skipped amongst the pools in the sand, chasing and throwing the small plastic disc as we laughed and leaped after it. Paradise is sweet and full of fleeting moments of glory. Departure to Coiba looms closer though there are some issues arising. There is mixed opinion as to whether we will be allowed to do the trip by the ANAM park rangers, some people say yeah no problem, others say no way. I have tracked down the phone number of the head ranger (thanks to Mike my mate who runs Fluid Adventures here and is actual the lead doubter of our case), and we are organizing to get someone to talk on our behalf to the Jefe Grande, or head ranger about our case. Yann the proprietor, of where we are staying, is happy to help, he speaks French, Spanish and English, we will see what happens once we are ready to call.

On a great note, Allie and I will be doing three days of guiding for 3 of Fluid Adventures clients, in turn we make enough money to pay for our trips food, get a free boat ride to Coiba and have our park fees paid for. We then plan to leave right after the trip with clients is done. Fingers crossed it all comes together.

Jaime

Just Released; Trak Files Episode 1 !

After over a year of filming, and 2 months of editing episode 1 of the TRAK Files is finally released! 7 months more of filming and editing to come too fully produce the entire series!.

The TRAK Files will follow Jaime Sharp along with the TRAK folding kayak as they explore the world of kayaking, international travel and Just what the TRAK Kayak can deliver to current and potential clients, wether they are weekend warriors, technical paddlers or international adventurers!

Enjoy the begining of a fun adventure! J

Released Today From Wandering Wolf Productions

A great adventure at the Northern end of vancouver Island turned into a spectacular journey of wildlife encounters. while filming for TRAK Kayaks new TRAK FILES webisode series we encountered curious sea lions who allowed me to create this wonderful campaign starter for TRAK. Enjoy! (yes our hearts where racing at the time these are big animals!)

Swimming Eagle

Here are some great pics and a bit of great footage from a recent Kayak trip I was on in Desolation Sound, BC, Canada.

Such a beautiful and warm area of the Pacific Northwest to paddle, you can even swim naked in the water for over an hour, yes it is that warm!
Mighty mountains and tall island peaks surround you in a sweeping vista, Otters swim and fish in the shallows, Eagles soar over head and the green mossy rocks are soft and warm under your bare feet in the sun! ah whats that smell?
Mmmmmmm fresh Salmon cooking on the grill, YUM!

Bald Eagles are magnificent Predators, though occasionally they make errors! How many times have you seen one of them do this? It's my second time in 8 years of traveling in Canada.

Swimming Eagle from Wandering Wolf Productions on Vimeo.

Kayak Down Under Documentary Donate and Create

Help us Create an awesome short film about our adventure. we are looking for funding.

Golden sands, warm breaking beach surf, starry skies, friendly people, fresh fish for dinner, Sunburns, swimming in paradise, Storms, Gale force winds, Rain, being stuck in a tent for days, Penguins, Dolphins, Seals, kayaking over water like quicksilver, Sea caves, a soapy hot shower after 30 days of hard salty work, good food and new friends, Broken gear, empty deserted beaches, jungle, pain, fun, anger and laughs. This will be a kayaking Trip along the east coast of New Zealand.

I Jaime Sharp (pro adventure guide, and traveler) have organised an expedition, with my good friend Dave Briggs, to paddle, 3 months down the east coast of New Zealand by sea kayak starting Feb 1st 2011.

Kayak Downunder NZ Fundraising video from Wandering Wolf Productions on Vimeo.

TRIP OUTLINE
Feb 1st to April 31st 2011 or about 90 days
The trip along the east coast of NZ, North to South is roughly 1474.8 Nautical Miles total.
We are recording the journey and hope to make a 60 min documentary on the adventure, spotlighting Sea Kayaking in history in New Zealand and the people we meet along the way.
Dave and I have invested a lot of money into committing to and out fitting the expedition, and we need money to get the rest of the quality camera gear we need to capture our adventure, and also to edit the final product professionally. Thus through kick starter we are hoping to raise at least $5000 US to fund the HD video equipment, Audio gear and post production we need to give the documentary the professional appeal it deserves.
Post production will be done with help of Pure production New Zealand (http://www.pureproductions.co.nz), with major input from Dave and I.
The final product will be available for sale and will hopefully be entered into adventure film festivals.
Thank you for your belief and support in our project.

help us out with
                      $5



Recieve a big hearty thanks for your support. we will send you a personal thank you email with a picture of the crew and keep you updated on production developments and also offer you a great funders purchase price on the final product.

           $15

as well as the above we will send you a copy of the DVD final cut before we release it to the rest of the the awaiting world. This will not be a Nicely boxed DVD, but a fully functional pre release signed copy. you will also get a small signed limited edition thank you picture from the trip.
                       $40  

you get the $15 rewards and your name in the credtis at the end of the documentary as a key supporter.
                       $150  

You get as for the $40, but the DVD will be the extended editors cut version.
                       $400  

Name in Credits, extended DVD and a Limited edition photo blow up from the trip. signed with thanks from Dave and Jaime
                       $1000  

all the rewards of the $400 slot, but you get named as an assitant producer at the end of documentary.
ONLY TWO AVAILIBLE, Email to check its still there we will remove option as soon as they are taken
                       $2000

Named as Executive producer plus all the perks of the $400 dollar slot
ONLY ONE AVAILIBLE, Email to check its still there we will remove option as soon as it is taken
               You Choose 

Or donate your preffered amount and we will award you with the reward slot you exceed.

Base Jumping in Norway With Thomas

Here is a fun Vid I put together about an adventure with my Base Jumping Co-worker and Friend, Thomas Berg Hestad, in Norway.

World Wild Adventure in Norway episode 2 Haholmen

Excuse the funny face, here is my next video installment for the first week in norway!


World Wild Adventure in Norway episode 2 from Wandering Wolf Productions on Vimeo.

World Wild Adventure in Norway episode 1 Kayak Video

Been working late nights to produce a couple of short videos of Adventures in Norway, here is the first Episode!I hope you enjoy
J
A World Wild Adventure In Norway: Episode 1 Hustadvika from Wandering Wolf Productions on Vimeo.





See more on a Yak about adventures HERE