tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72024162204601674772024-02-02T19:20:27.558+10:00FuntesseaAdventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-16740826757057810152014-01-14T14:17:00.000+10:002020-06-12T07:43:18.680+10:00QSKC The darkest hour<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: silver;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><em>Please be advised, this entry has a local focus and is a departure from the usual posts on this blog.<br /><span style="color: yellow;">*Updates have been added at the end of this post*</span> </em></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I apologise to those who have already read this posting but due to lies STILL being posted on forums and told to my sea kayaking friends here and overseas, I am reposting it. <br /><br />The ongoing character slurs by members of the QSKC & some of their NSW & Tasmanian counterparts must have good people wondering what is up here in Australia. So, while I have moved on from this rubbish and enjoy a much deeper connection with the sport and other kayakers around the world, this is reposted for the benefit of the locals who are asking questions because of recent postings on forums & conversations.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am not sure what psychological high these people get from telling lies and gossiping about others. I actually dont really care, these people are not the ones I choose to spend energy on. They say they are warning people about me in the interest of sea kayaking - well, imagine if they focused on the sport of kayaking and talked about the pleasure that gives them instead of talking rubbish about people behind their backs.<br /><br />Unfortunately, in the last couple of years I have heard from other women in the SK community who have had similar incidents with the same offender. <br /><br />Women seeking instruction should check out the instructors history, ask other women who have been instructed by them. Take a friend. Trust your instincts. And, most important, at the FIRST sign of inappropriate speech or behaviour REPORT him not just to the club, but to the Police.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><strong>QSKC The Darkest Hour<br /></strong>In my opinion, the current committee of QSKC is formed by a majority of deceitful hypocrites.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />There, I said it!<br />Now I finally can.<br /><br />I am no longer associated with the Qld Sea Kayak Club.<br />Now that I no longer belong to the Club, I don't have to fear censorship, unrelenting judgement and intimidation.<br /><br />Members of the Committee have waged a "witch hunt" against me since the day that I wanted to expose that I was a victim of sexual harassment during Club trips from a QSKC member, who also happens to be friends with a majority of current Committee members and influential members of the kayaking community in NSW.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I believe the QSKC Committee and Queensland Canoeing have successfully managed to brush under the carpet a very serious incident. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">I was not given a fair chance to present my</span> <a href="http://funtessea.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-would-you-do.html">sexual harassment</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">/</span>bullying complaint <span style="color: red; font-size: 85%;">(1) </span>and have been ill advised by the Qld Canoeing Member Protection Officer on procedures, seemingly so the complaint could be dismissed on technicalities.<br /><br />As far back as the 2008 QSKC Xmas weekend held at Cotton Tree, I was warned by the then Vice President/Webmaster not to ‘upset’ the current QSKC Secretary and Events Coordinator, or I would be sorry; that they were influential in the sea kayaking community and that I should be very careful. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">When I asked exactly what he meant, why I should be careful, he replied because they were close friends of the Club member who had been named by me as a bully and sexual harassment offender.<br /><br />Since the inception of the 2009/2010 Committee, I believe the QSKC has seen the worst management in its history <span style="color: red;">(2)<span style="color: black;">.</span></span><br />The Committee has now terminated my QSKC membership under a self interpreted technicality of the Model Rules, <b>despite my actually having not done anything wrong</b>. Instead of issuing a formal warning or reprimand and disregarding my reply to their Show Cause demand and my substantial contributions to the QSKC and the sport of sea kayaking, they chose to terminate my membership. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">But the Committee won't stop at that.<br />Now they are after the person that brought the sexual harassment matter to their attention: Damiano Visocnik.<br /><br />Damiano appears to have been a thorn in their backside for a while.<br />In the best interests of QSKC members, Damiano has exposed several problems within the Club concerning safety and ethical management which were apparently not well received.<br />Now the Committee wants to terminate his membership on grounds that he was aware that potential profit was to be made from one of the ‘Special Events’</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> that I organized. They accuse Damiano of breaking alleged Club rules that actually don't exist in the Model Rules.</span><a href="http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2007-04-14/" title="Dilbert.com"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="Dilbert.com" border="0" height="197" src="http://dilbert.com/dyn/str_strip/000000000/00000000/0000000/000000/00000/1000/500/1565/1565.strip.gif" style="height: 101px; width: 409px;" width="446" /></span></a><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, it seems that while it was OK that Damiano and other Committee members are aware that other Club and Committee members (present and past) make a profit from Club events, suddenly Damiano is breaching Club rules for knowing, after the fact, that Tess Dodd made a potential profit from a Special Event that she organized.<br /><br />It is OK that past and current Club and Committee members provide a service to members for a profit, but when I organized an event for the Club and, to avoid being out of pocket, quoted a fee to encompass unknown costs, suddenly I am breaking Club rules...<br /><br />I attended the Committee meeting held on 5th May 2010 where the Qld Canoeing Member Protection Officer advised the Committee that any profits made from Club events were between the Committee and the provider. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">The Events Coordinator and one of the recently appointed General Committee Members both argued that it is OK for Club members (one works for Qld Canoeing Inc and the other advertises on the QSKC website) to make a profit from the Club, as they are ‘commercial operators’ who pay tax. </span><br /><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">For the record, I have an ABN and declare any profits made from such ventures to the Taxation Department, as I hope do other Club and Committee members who make a profit. But for some reason I’m the only one who has been singled out as breaking an alleged rule somewhere and Damiano is being blamed for that rule breaking <span style="color: red; font-size: 85%;">(3)</span>.<br /><br />For the ‘Special Event’ in question, held more than 12 months ago, I made all arrangements myself in my own time using my personal phone, email and banking details (as I have previously done for several years with many other groups interested in participating in outdoor pursuits eg: Honestly Woman Magazine, BCE Social Club). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">The participants in the Special Event (Club and Non Club members) were advised of the cost of the event and asked to deposit the monies into my personal bank account,<span style="color: red;"><strong> NOT</strong></span> the QSKC bank account or through the Events Coordinator. Invoices and expenses were paid from my personal bank account.<br /><br />My accountant and the Aust Dept of Taxation are the only ones who are aware of any profits made from any ventures I am involved in. While Damiano (and others) is aware of some of my activities, he does not have full disclosure of my financial matters.<br /><br />The Committee refuses to acknowledge this and has deemed Damiano to have breached club rules and are now asking him to ‘show cause’ why his QSKC membership shouldn't be terminated.<br /><br />In light of the Committee's decision to pursue Damiano, I believe it's fair that <span style="color: red;">all </span>Club and Committee members making a profit from events (that the Events Coordinator promotes for Club members), or who know of this, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>should also be asked to show cause.<br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br /><i>If I want to remain a member of the QSKC I need to lodge an appeal to be heard by interested Club members during a general meeting. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>During the past 12 months I have been informed by Club members that they have been told slanderous tales about me by serving Committee members.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Present and past members had already been told that I would be kicked out at the next meeting, before the verdict.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>As it appears the termination of my membership was premeditated to further personal agendas, I do not believe at this time I would be afforded an unbiased audience for a fair appeal.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: red;">(1) - <span style="font-family: verdana;">3rd Feb 2007</span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #cccccc;">QSKC Mudcrab Madness trip - exposing genitals to me, then urinating. Making sexually suggestive remarks to a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>female visitor at camp.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Feb 2007 - Aug 2007 – <span style="color: #cccccc;">Hearing my name called and looking over to see him expose his genitals to me, which on one occasion he was fondling.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Aug 2007 – QSKC Fraser Island Whale Watch trip - while heavily intoxicated, exposing genitals to me during the trip and sharing graphic details of sex life. Asking if I knew the meaning of certain sexual terms. When I asked him to stop he continued and as I walked away, he followed me insisting I HAD to hear it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;">Oct 2008</span> - While serving as Club President, I received abusive and threatening phone calls which I ended and reported to the Committee and the Qld Canoeing Member Protection Officer.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
The member resigned soon after but has since rejoined the Club and is now in a position of power as a Committee Member.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
(2) -<span style="font-family: verdana;">The elected President resigned after a very public outburst slandering me on the Club member email group.<br />The elected Webmaster resigned with a pending grievance against him for discrimination and bullying. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br /><span style="color: red;">(3) -</span><strong> </strong><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As Events Coordinator at the time of the ‘Special Event’, Damiano was responsible for taking registrations from Club <b>and</b> Non Club Members interested in the ‘Special Event’ advertised on the QSKC website, just as the previous and current Events Coordinator is. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: red;"><em>Additional supporting substantiating material available on request to interested parties by private email.</em></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #66cccc;">" I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell."<br /><em>Harry S Truman, Apr. 3, 1956 </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>UPDATE</strong> 11th June 2010</span> -<br />I have been notified by a QSKC member that financial members have been provided with information regarding my ‘show cause’ and have been advised of an appeal date.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">This came as a surprise to me as I received no communication from the Committee regarding the appeal prior to this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">I believe this to be yet another example of the steamroller (bullying) tactics employed by this Committee. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Would it not be wise to advise the parties involved BEFORE advising club members?<br />Would it not be wise to confirm with the parties involved IF they are available on a specific date?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps scheduling a meeting (at short notice) at a time and place that is unsuitable to most members is to the Committee’s advantage?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">I reiterate my earlier statement – given the demonstrated questionable behaviour of the so called ‘Management’ Committee (who are charged with representing the best interest of the club and its members, NOT their own agenda’s) in regard to this matter and others, I find it difficult to believe I would be given a fair hearing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">QSKC smear campaign policy<br /><br />- create a chat group that is distributed to all members private email addresses without prior permission from the members (breach of privacy)<br /><br />- accuse and defame individuals publicly<br /><br />- if the accused tries to present their side of the story, ban them from the chat group<br /><br />- when other members step in to question the Committee or defend the accused, ban and delete all evidence of conversations relevant to the matter<br /><br />- since that was not enough, terminate the accused membership<br /><br />It appears that the QSKC has adopted an autocratic style of management, peddling propaganda and censorship.<br /><br />The authority (QSKC Committee) creates unethical means for communicating the agenda they want to pursue, while eliminating any possible democratic conversation. Members wishing to ask questions or make comment are invited to email Committee members, who do not reply.<br />As a former Web Master (who resigned before he could be terminated) would answer to controversial/and any other issues put to him: <em>"End of discussion..."</em><br />The QSKC Committee creates ‘policies’ to further their own agenda. This is done without consulting members or advising them of their introduction. Records and files have been deleted and meeting minutes contain omissions and bias.<br /><em>No wonder the Committee so adamantly opposed the voice recording of those meetings.</em></span>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-82424012881178371552013-05-09T09:29:00.002+10:002013-05-09T09:29:25.899+10:00Sunset Kayaking<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/8722024436/" title="Sunset paddle_Bribie_c by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img alt="Sunset paddle_Bribie_c" height="325" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7297/8722024436_b26bd9aaec_c.jpg" width="600" /></a><em>image Damiano Visocnik_used with permission</em><br />
I've been out of action for several months and I was eager to return to kayaking. I had some concerns about my paddle fitness and skills. Afer a solid day paddling, testing my rolling and messing around in small waves, I felt strong and happy. Heading out in the evening with Gnarlydog to enjoy the sunset, was the perfect way to end the day. Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-36919555132277151002012-03-26T10:58:00.006+10:002012-03-27T09:13:49.414+10:00Drought Over<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><i style="font-family: verdana; ">"The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears or the sea". Isak Dinesen</i> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></div><div><span >My studies have finished so I am packing the kayak and heading out for a month of "curing" in the salty wet stuff. I will update the blog on my return. </span></div>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-12060672306311147832011-06-28T09:43:00.021+10:002011-06-28T11:36:38.429+10:00Under the Sea - Sculling Brace PracticeUnder the sea<br />Under the sea<br />Darling it's better<br />Down where it's wetter<br />Take it from me<br />Up on the shore they work all day<br />Out in the sun they slave away<br />While we devotin'<br />Full time to floatin'<br />Under the sea<br /><em>Alan Menken & Howard Ashman</em><br /><a title="Upside down_1_c by gnarlydog, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5876979984/"><img height="394" alt="Upside down_1_c" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5026/5876979984_e53eb2919e_z.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />I totally agree with Menken and Ashman - <em>'Darling its better, down where its wetter'</em>.<br />Sculling brace; submerged meditation; devotin' time to floatin', no matter what you call it, planned time spent underwater in my kayak is rewarding. Following <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcctYfQEyEo">Warren Williamson</a>'s advice, I fall into the water, let myself sink and come up on the other side and slowly repeat it from side to side.<br /><a title="hitting the water_c by gnarlydog, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5876489641/"><img height="543" alt="hitting the water_c" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6055/5876489641_8dd58d2293_z.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />To improve I practice in all conditions.Of course the objective is to gain skills to use in challenging situations but I also find this activity very relaxing.Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-67685125654418883802011-05-24T14:00:00.046+10:002011-05-25T15:04:42.323+10:00Special Dolphin Sighting<a title="surfing wind waves_4 by gnarlydog, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5595109140/"><img height="319" alt="surfing wind waves_4" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5228/5595109140_7da1071ccf.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Playing in rough water off Bribie Island in Moreton Bay, I noticed a strange looking dolphin jump out of the water and flip onto its back not far from me. I quickly paddled over to have a closer look, but it had disappeared. There are at least 8 dolphin species recorded in Moreton Bay so it is not uncommon to see them when paddling in the area. However since the Brisbane floods, visible marine activity has been minimal so I was quite excited by the close sighting.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibz3MNNZN72e5hKaM1Ja86MRET2iuxNaaRksntC2dXOa4AQT1R4zam2Kg_mI0MWXjpXiPzuNCIHl_lipfly3SDEBwWoI6g_bLfp5c6I6m7XQU_JrJgd15mZp8_cpkTs9q9L0uSdBYC3M7j/s1600/dolphin.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610480081318482050" style="WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 326px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibz3MNNZN72e5hKaM1Ja86MRET2iuxNaaRksntC2dXOa4AQT1R4zam2Kg_mI0MWXjpXiPzuNCIHl_lipfly3SDEBwWoI6g_bLfp5c6I6m7XQU_JrJgd15mZp8_cpkTs9q9L0uSdBYC3M7j/s320/dolphin.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em>used with permission</em>_<a href="http://http//www.flickr.com/photos/good_day/30886587/">Ken Douglas </a><br />A short time later, as we continued to play, the same thing happened again. This time <a href="http://gnarlydognews.blogspot.com/">Gnarlydog</a> also saw the dolphin and pointed out that it wasn't a dolphin, but a shark approx 4 - 5 ft long. It was quite dark on top with a white belly. The obvious difference was the blunt or stubby head.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpl3h5tWbpHdjyhPyAA_llRhDNQLkWAv72buPxUieWTea21vU3ObSfhihe4xGq92x-_aiDhbGxiXgxHqIzlkqwNRs6fmIZqX72WzqPwQubFtzRFU8wYhQ88TkvosOrtpNqW5rYlHG3SU2g/s1600/Bull+Shark.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610127854254699506" style="WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 364px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpl3h5tWbpHdjyhPyAA_llRhDNQLkWAv72buPxUieWTea21vU3ObSfhihe4xGq92x-_aiDhbGxiXgxHqIzlkqwNRs6fmIZqX72WzqPwQubFtzRFU8wYhQ88TkvosOrtpNqW5rYlHG3SU2g/s320/Bull+Shark.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Bull shark in 1m water</em>_<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fttpwwwflickrcomalbert/5526457961/in/photostream">Alkok</a>_<em>used with permission </em><br />I did not feel overly concerned as the shark showed very little interest in us and while some rolling was going on, we were mostly above water in our kayaks. We continued playing for another hour or more, the shark splashing occasionally before disappearing altogether. I was keen to find out what type of shark it was as I had never seen one jump out of the water like that, especially so close to us. I contacted shark expert Valerie Taylor to ask her opinion:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4ONkmSOZ0am6qdtIagMHRCq33Y30rKSBjHLM8G2yFW8WFgjjCehrDuPv7G_VKF7b6qu2SWQ606CDdl80A0ESwuVrxF_b7lnBaCRRWAaE8Y3WyWuS2L1vYzXh4kYLGGcD7VeS9ltgtOFz/s1600/Valerie_Taylor_224_kb.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610132182627669586" style="WIDTH: 264px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4ONkmSOZ0am6qdtIagMHRCq33Y30rKSBjHLM8G2yFW8WFgjjCehrDuPv7G_VKF7b6qu2SWQ606CDdl80A0ESwuVrxF_b7lnBaCRRWAaE8Y3WyWuS2L1vYzXh4kYLGGcD7VeS9ltgtOFz/s320/Valerie_Taylor_224_kb.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Shark Conservationist and Underwater Film Maker</em> <a href="http://http//www.ronvaltaylor.com/">Valerie Taylor AM<br /></a><em>Tess<br />You have just described an average shark. Nearly all have white or pale stomachs and are darker on top. The blunt head sounds like a bull shark and they will jump out of the water. I have seen it several times. Do not ever get in the water when the vis is down. Predatory sharks hunt by sight and vibration. Lacking hands, if they cant see something splashing around in the water they can and often do investigate the unusual by biting. You were quite safe in your kayak specially if staying still like a log. Female Bull sharks at this time of the year are swimming into the harbours and rivers to pup. They do this so the males don't eat the new born sharks. The baby sharks will stay in the inland waters until they are big enough to hold their own in the ocean.<br />Regards <a href="http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/conservation/shark-expert-honoured-for-conservation-20100614-y9ve.html">Valerie Taylor </a><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">***<br /></span></strong></em><a href="http://http//www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/conservation/shark-expert-honoured-for-conservation-20100614-y9ve.html"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610132178127746898" style="WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 331px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6Cj4MoLhoTVtw6GYhfFif4tJbDXih1DGmRQK5xxj8xl03npua9bWa68HJi_tzig9n8YF-XTIaKnz4TJ2mCKTkAIeo1JGP3QfExruyq3ROHpOCPVHws6PJwIA3ju_yhNY2u6MMtsXGqvt/s320/Bull+Shark+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Bull Shark</em>_<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/delusionproductions/4156319545/">Delusion Productions</a>_<em>used with permission<br /></em><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/talkingheads/txt/s1403416.htm"><span style="color:#cc0000;">***Interview with Valerie and Ron Taylor</span></a>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-61933905530975284592011-04-04T09:00:00.012+10:002011-05-05T13:32:58.489+10:00Getting close to GnarlyDogWind forecasts above 15kn are a great time to head into the tidal flow where opposing forces create nice rough water to play in. <a title="tail surfing_1_c by gnarlydog, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5585051524/"><img height="413" alt="tail surfing_1_c" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5175/5585051524_a7be00c50e_z.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Getting close to GDog, very close...</span></em>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-8450616525490049052011-03-19T18:50:00.021+10:002011-03-21T10:38:04.354+10:00Rainy Weekend Fun<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#C0C0C0;">"</span></i></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,102)" class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#C0C0C0;">In my opinion, you can never practice the sculling brace enough. What I like to do is to get into a sculling brace position, looking up, hands under the paddle, let yourself sink and come up on the other side, to the sculling brace. Doing this back and forth very slowly is a good workout. It's good for learning orientation when you’re under water, teaches you to relax and be ok with being in the water".</span></i><a href="http://www.useakayak.org/rolling_bracing/roll_my_kayak.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3366FF;"> Warren Williamson</span></a></span></span></span></div><div><a title="Tesie skull by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/5539517066/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img alt="Tesie skull" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5139/5539517066_3a5c63290c.jpg" width="600" height="337" /></span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Taking advantage of another rainy weekend when no one else was on the water, I played and had fun, rolling one day and surfing the next. A</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:medium;">s Warren says, the sculling brace is helpful in learning underwater orientation and relaxing underwater, both important for the kind of sea kayaking I enjoy. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:medium;"><a title="tesie surf_3 by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/5544221513/"><img alt="tesie surf_3" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5014/5544221513_a2982b3e99_z.jpg" width="600" height="337" /></a></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Paddling out through the clear green water the sky was ominous and the falling rain stung my eyes. This small discomfort was quickly forgotten as each wave lifted the stern of my kayak for another ride. </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"></span>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-45144297801305242212011-02-17T10:23:00.025+10:002011-02-17T14:21:44.491+10:00Happiness is a Stick<a title="happiness_is_a_stick_c by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/5449604393/"><img height="450" alt="happiness_is_a_stick_c" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/5449604393_c96e8dd2a2_z.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><em>Dreamer Matt_Vanstix Aleut paddle<br /></em>Queensland and my hometown Brisbane, is recovering from the unprecedented weather events of January 2011. Several local beaches and waterways remain closed to swimmers as a precaution. On some of the hottest days of Summer, the usually popular beaches are eerily deserted.<br /><a title="Launch_Nukilik_1_c by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/5451744005/"><img height="450" alt="Launch_Nukilik_1_c" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/5451744005_bb8cc2410a_z.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />It’s no secret that playing around in my kayak with my stick makes me happy.<br />Kayaking is a chance for me to be fully present in the moment, not thinking about anything except my body, the paddle, the kayak and the water. Even when I muck it up, it’s still fun. I play to improve my skills and I like that I don’t have to be technically perfect to enjoy myself.<br /><a title="Nukilik_scull_1_c by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/5452355332/"><img height="450" alt="Nukilik_scull_1_c" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5091/5452355332_d655b4fac9_z.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><em>Gnarlydog sculling during a play session</em><br />As I play, get wet and focus in the now, I not only come to enjoy the sensation of being underwater in my kayak, I learn how the movements of my body affect the kayak in the water.<br /><a title="Greg Schwarz_Scarecrow roll recovery_copyright Tess Dodd by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/5341506119/"><img height="450" alt="Greg Schwarz_Scarecrow roll recovery_copyright Tess Dodd" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5243/5341506119_3cb205e46d_z.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><em>Greg Schwarz Scarecrow rolling during a play session<br /></em>Playing with traditional paddles has fast tracked my learning and increased the FUN factor more than I could have imagined.<br /><a title="Greg Schwarz_Upside down or 'downunder' paddling_copyright Tess Dodd by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/5341505963/"><img height="450" alt="Greg Schwarz_Upside down or 'downunder' paddling_copyright Tess Dodd" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/5341505963_8419340ba8_z.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><em>Greg's 'Downunder' stroke</em><br />Sticks may not be for everyone, but my friends and I enjoy learning the subtleties of using them - and the benefits they bring!<br /><a title="Tess Rolling Happy_(c)_tess dodd by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/5452411590/"><img height="450" alt="Tess Rolling Happy_(c)_tess dodd" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5452411590_3335abd44c_z.jpg" width="600" /></a>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-422815958365233722011-01-05T14:54:00.024+10:002011-01-06T18:30:11.716+10:00Birthday Rolls #46<span style="font-family:verdana;">Starring: Greg Schwarz, Jim, Gnarlydog, Adventuretess<br />Guest Appearances: Moira, Bruce<br /><br />12 months since the tradition of </span><a href="http://funtessea.blogspot.com/2010/01/45-rolls-for-my-45th-birthday.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">‘birthday rolls’ </span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">began, it was time to do it all again. All rollers chose to use Greenland Paddles, including Jim who was using his homemade GP for the first time.<br />Birthday presents are not exchanged among group members; the act of getting together in this way is considered gift enough. I was therefore taken by surprise when <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5111460991/">Greg Schwarz</a> handed me a small red fleece bag. What lay inside left me speechless: Greg had made me a Norsaq, a Greenland harpoon throwing tool similar to a <a href="http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/inventions/">Woomera</a>. My Norsaq is a beautiful work of art meticulously made with the same timber used to make my GP. Greg substituted Ash on the tips and trim where traditionally bone would have been used.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPY_nMcDhxgUlsUv-GX9jZz5qEMvCEVisHt-5y88l2fxEXxPZdeJXzN3amT4L5lhlu9HrAhI79YpU_97kBxzB1W8PqqXL9C45rEcgix06hUJCeyxnWu4f49P6ZXR1rmPwL1cqPpS4J59X/s1600/norsqaq_1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 285px; HEIGHT: 220px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558852879048406994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPY_nMcDhxgUlsUv-GX9jZz5qEMvCEVisHt-5y88l2fxEXxPZdeJXzN3amT4L5lhlu9HrAhI79YpU_97kBxzB1W8PqqXL9C45rEcgix06hUJCeyxnWu4f49P6ZXR1rmPwL1cqPpS4J59X/s320/norsqaq_1.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcmyyw3_FhzigSnjoNg5Ly-5XeN9Wi39dni9ZumyxqdxtrLOVBlpxIIWJ0w6gTjQVArCWpl4EfCXZZ4r8-vJBnS3flHvmGjzMolAFPYOsQbyE8-RRpipID-S9jNsT3Ag7NoOO2clamXyU/s1600/norsqaq_2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 299px; HEIGHT: 221px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558852883411151890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcmyyw3_FhzigSnjoNg5Ly-5XeN9Wi39dni9ZumyxqdxtrLOVBlpxIIWJ0w6gTjQVArCWpl4EfCXZZ4r8-vJBnS3flHvmGjzMolAFPYOsQbyE8-RRpipID-S9jNsT3Ag7NoOO2clamXyU/s320/norsqaq_2.jpg" /></a><br />I have no experience rolling with a Norsaq so was appreciative that Greg included lessons as part of the gift.<br /><a title="Bday roll46_3 by gnarlydog, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5322962460/"><img alt="Bday roll46_3" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5322962460_1334b577c6.jpg" width="600" height="474" /></a><br />Entering the water, the effect of the recent devastating floods was apparent by the unusually brown water and our discovery of a freshwater <a href="http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/28_14679.htm">catfish eel </a>flopping around on the tide line. This poor fellow must have been washed out of a nearby freshwater creek.<br />12 months ago aged 45, I had wondered at my ability to perform as many rolls. Today attempting 46, <em>plus 1 for luck</em>, I had no such concerns. The challenge for me on this birthday lay in doing different types of rolls. The groups abilities are at different levels but throughout the session, butterfly, Greenland, hand, offside, speed, forward ending and other types of rolls were successfully performed.<br />On top of these, Greg decided to do his as hand rolls, all 50 of them, one after the other!<br />After completing the required number of rolls, we played.<br /><a title="Bday roll46_4 by gnarlydog, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5322962470/"><img alt="Bday roll46_4" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5002/5322962470_9471801b2c.jpg" width="600" height="370" /></a><br />Gnarlydog perfected his skirt-in-place re-enter and roll while Greg turned to his role as mentor, helping Jim achieve his first offside roll, using his new GP then guiding me in the use of the Norsaq.<br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />I've found practicing and playing in my kayak improves both my skills and confidence and I’m fortunate to have many opportunities throughout the year to celebrate my kayaking friend’s birthdays in this way.<br /><a title="Bday roll46_1 by gnarlydog, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5322962448/"><img alt="Bday roll46_1" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5322962448_91cbf6a6e3.jpg" width="600" height="344" /></a><br /><em>Jim & Tess<br /></em><br /><strong>How do you celebrate your birthday ? </strong></span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-55573092461993437182011-01-01T16:37:00.011+10:002011-01-02T07:58:55.866+10:00Going Out with a BangFor most of this year I've nursed an injury which has impeded my adventure activities. Opportunities to kayak were precious and with a little help from a <a href="http://funtessea.blogspot.com/2010/07/kayak-surf-skills.html">Gold Coast instructor</a>, some good kayaking DVDs, books and the endless patience of my mentors, I've experienced some quality bum-in-boat moments.<br />I enjoy rough water paddling and am in the process of acquiring the skills of kayak surfing. I'm fortunate to have spent the final day of 2010 with my friends in gentle surf, in my Nordkapp LV.<br /><object width="600" height="362"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/y4zTIXziMdI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/y4zTIXziMdI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="600" height="362"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5313125717/" title="Team Vanstix NYE_c by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/5313125717_b03f8267da_z.jpg" width="600" height="480" alt="Team Vanstix NYE_c" /></a><br /><em>Team Vanstix_Vanilla, Adventuretess, Gnarlydog NYE 2010</em>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-52856473749885495012010-12-28T15:02:00.005+10:002010-12-28T15:21:59.894+10:00Under Threatening SkiesWhile others were fighting for bargains at post-Christmas sales, or staying out of the wet weather on their couches at home, I was itching to get my kayak wet.<br /><br />The only post-Christmas “sale” I was interested in involved using my Flat Earth kayak “sail”. Unfortunately the forecast was for heavy rain instead of wind, so I left the sail at home, grabbed my GP and Gnarlydog and launched under threatening skies.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5293119972/" title="FTYJ0_c by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5164/5293119972_70b03e10db.jpg" width="600" height="436" alt="FTYJ0_c" /></a><br />In contrast to the sky, the bay was calm and unusually devoid of boats. My body relaxed into the familiar rhythm of the forward stroke; the only sounds the occasional splash of the paddle and the ‘tic tic tic’ of rain hitting the brim of my hat. A feeling of peace enveloped me. It was 6 years to the day since I first took up sea kayaking.<br /><br />Approaching the reef surrounding of our destination, the water line was clearly higher than usual, with the incoming flow encroaching on the usually dry land. The king tide was flooding the small protected bay with warm, clear water providing perfect conditions to practice sculling and rolling.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5295700663/" title="dtre45_c by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5295700663_a77f3ee879.jpg" width="600" height="315" alt="dtre45_c" /></a>Taking advantage of the rare water height, we weaved a path over the submerged beach through mangroves and shrubs, inaccessible at other times. Small sandstone cliffs were reminiscent of the coastline in North Queensland, the pink colours a contrast against the surrounding dark foliage.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/5293098530/" title="along the cliff_c by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5285/5293098530_4162614a6d.jpg" width="600" height="423" alt="along the cliff_c" /></a>This rainy day exploration had left me with the feeling of a remote experience in my own backyard bay.Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-21428731921516648212010-11-09T14:00:00.069+10:002010-12-23T16:07:20.957+10:00Sea Kayaks for People with Disability<em>Lou, a friend’s daughter survived a horrific MVA which resulted in the amputation of one of her legs. Lou has been asking me how she can become a sea kayaker.<br />After talking with her, I remembered ‘Birthright’, a moving short film I had seen. In ‘Birthright’ Sean Mullens captures Michael’s daily ritual to find his natural self through surfing.<br /><object height="338" width="600"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9358866&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9358866&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="600" height="338"></embed></object><a href="http://vimeo.com/9358866">BIRTHRIGHT</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1604036">Sean Mullens</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br /></em>I reflected on ‘Birthright’ and options for Lou. Sea kayak manufacturers invest a lot of time and money into developing and improving sea kayaks, but what about kayaks specifically designed for people with disability? Weren’t sea kayaks well suited to people with lower limb mobility challenges?<br />During my search, I was drawn to Hybrid Unlimited, the project of sea kayaker Andre Janecki who is trying to develop a recreational kayak specifically designed for double leg amputees and paraplegics.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2RlKVKLeo2GXdevFOJWI_woYlhAUoRaSkKxHEbanM-EZx1LyFP1c8FKlxe-KLnxcXvbbVqB1yDvlv1r6x2vKSqzZJ0k28h1qsGnBtYdrI4k1Yk2tHWZYGWcw962vVs9KF0zYw8LbTSe2/s1600/Andre.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOx8wCjeRLrNY51e6jBVXcnoJ5ac2Ooog-QGatsO-JqaCWmhSlGlX8w1OeEBGHT7vSpOG0EvhFBqH8Lh9EzF0_awOqo2GOuwfxH-1N4UhFJcoRQZY-fzYtTRenEv9lGn4eNYnsEchIajzi/s1600/hyb1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542882483936738786" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 317px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOx8wCjeRLrNY51e6jBVXcnoJ5ac2Ooog-QGatsO-JqaCWmhSlGlX8w1OeEBGHT7vSpOG0EvhFBqH8Lh9EzF0_awOqo2GOuwfxH-1N4UhFJcoRQZY-fzYtTRenEv9lGn4eNYnsEchIajzi/s320/hyb1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Hybrid Unlimited Designer Andre Janecki<br /></em>Andre’s concept is that to feel free, to feel natural, feel in the moment, means you need to be independent.<br /><a href="http://www.hybridfoundation.org.au/">The Hybrid Foundation Ltd</a>, a not for profit organisation was formed to design and develop products to support people with disabilities.<br />Andre’s design, the Hybrid Unlimited is the world’s first kayak equipped with wheels.<br /><a href="http://www.hybridfoundation.org.au/10501.html"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOx2IowJLSMCJo6mizRkzVvdLuOwxKDp4bov6XjVHmOFrBrkQwr6_kq_YxNv7Caw_Ch2bg3K4tz-RivdgbN8YXkP9BsqGpDoJSJJzX_iw2PFklPYrC_6YRnGw6FMLpxQsONma7HNOkPh1L/s1600/hyb2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542882498172937490" style="WIDTH: 318px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOx2IowJLSMCJo6mizRkzVvdLuOwxKDp4bov6XjVHmOFrBrkQwr6_kq_YxNv7Caw_Ch2bg3K4tz-RivdgbN8YXkP9BsqGpDoJSJJzX_iw2PFklPYrC_6YRnGw6FMLpxQsONma7HNOkPh1L/s320/hyb2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Hybrid Unlimited concept design </em><br />Getting to, in and out of the water without assistance, is the key. Having motorised wheels would make the job much easier. In Andre’s design, quad inflatable sponsons are used for safety and durability. Seats are individually cast to the paddlers profile and a breathable top deck provides additional comfort. Aeronautical quality composites keep the weight to a minimum. This is no ordinary kayak, but neither are the paddlers the Unlimited is designed for!<br />Intrigued, I asked Andre a few questions to try (and) better understand the Project.<br /><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Andre, why is your design special?<br /></span></em>Because it's the first ever kayak with wheels! Wheels are the key factor so you can go down and up the boat ramp on your own! To feel free you need to be independent!<br /><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Have you been able to test your design?<br /></span></em>To fully test the UNLIMITED we need to "stretch" the scale down model for another... 4meters (12ft)! However with over 20 years of kayaking experience I know that this kayak will perform as intended (including the fun as well as the safety factor).<br /><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Do you have any indication on the demand for your design?<br /></span></em>I wish there would never be demand for it, but sadly accidents happen every day. I can't quote double leg amputees statistics, but there are 80 cases of paraplegics per year (half of it involving young men) and this is only in Australia.<br /><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Will the kayak be transported on roof racks and if so will assistance or a special system be required to do so?<br /></span></em>The roof rack or the passenger seat will do. The kayak centre section which includes the 3 wheels and the seat (I call it 'a cocoon') is only 1.2meters (4ft) long and will weight no more than 6kg (16lb). You shift your self in to it like the standard wheel chair and 'zoom' around your car to pull up the paddle, PFD, lunch box, sun glasses, etc. Then by flicking a switch the car battery will inflate the side sponsons (in less than 5 minutes) and you ready to roll down. Having the wheels motorized would obviously help (specially on the way up) but for the time being a 20 meter (65ft) long thick rope with equally spaced knots will do the job.<br /><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Where will the Hybrid UNLIMITED kayak be manufactured and how affordable will it be in comparison to sea kayaks currently on the market?<br /></span></em>As a kayaker I see no boundaries. I am willing to sign with anyone regardless where (and who) they are. The UNLIMITED will always remain as a "recreational special need kayak" with cost equal to a quality "expedition sea kayak".<br /><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Andre, how do you fund the Hybrid UNLIMITED Project?<br /></span></em>The Concept Design is on me. I am committing $350.00 from every "Hybrid 550" (a sea kayak like no other, in Andre's words) sold worldwide to the project.<br />But for the full size prototype we need a Sponsor with $50k. Funding is needed to purchase components and custom made features like carbon kevlar disc wheels, inflatable sponsons, vacuum mouldings, etc.<br /><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Will the Hybrid UNLIMITED kayak be available internationally and how will I be able to test and purchase one?<br /></span></em>Internationally of course! But before we can test (and purchase) one, we need to find a Sponsor for this project! If there is one area I'm hopeless (and a failure!) with, it’s the correspondence to government and corporations. In September and October of 2009, I travelled through Europe, USA and Canada where the Project was well received, but we still need a major financial partner/sponsor.<br /><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Should anyone wanting more information contact the Hybrid Foundation Ltd directly?<br /></span></em>By all means! I hope that together we can make it happen sooner! <span style="color:#ffcc66;"><a href="mailto:hybrid8@bigpond.com">hybrid8@bigpond.com</a></span><br /><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Finally Andre, if you had one wish what would it be?<br /></span></em>I wish for no accidents at all. But knowing the statistics I really wish for a CEO somewhere to realise the rewards for sponsoring the UNLIMITED ... at a cost equal to a replacement set of boardroom chairs!<br /><br />Will the Hybrid UNLIMITED Project help Lou realise her goal? I don’t know, but a project as ambitious as this seems to sit appropriately within our sport, a sport that fosters ambitious sea kayaking expeditions and ‘firsts’.<br /><a href="http://www.hybridfoundation.org.au/10501.html"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537401154287623650" style="WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 345px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVowNUKQKLqEhY7lvT5n85CS_z5uKdddf-Np4x423W06YiqnU8fm2VQ4OQR_VuJkVbqaN604G7SisfHmIFpQODCqKJ8VE5KUOrBQDvlEnIDn10nTvOmYzgkv1IaW9YhUmSv_73dsbOkGx/s320/Freya_HYBRID.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Race Around Australia's <a href="http://qajaqunderground.com/">Freya Hoffmeister</a> Hybrid Foundation Ltd<br />image Andre Janecki_used with permission<br /><br /></em><span style="color:#3366ff;">If you have suggestions or comments to help Lou or Andre realise their goals, please join in this discussion and add your comment below.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#00cccc;">Footnote </span><em>- On 3 Dec every year, <a href="http://www.idpwd.com.au/Pages/default.aspx">International Day of People with Disability </a>(IDPwD) is celebrated worldwide to recognise the achievements and contributions of people with disability. One of IDPwD's aims is to involve people with disability and the broader community in activities to celebrate and raise awareness of IDPwD. </em>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-11959605399701547712010-10-12T09:36:00.017+10:002010-12-15T15:30:48.614+10:00Shark I.D. updateEric Soares has published a story <a href="http://tsunamirangers.com/2010/10/27/how-to-deal-with-sharks/">'How to Deal with Sharks'</a>.<br /><br />The story includes shark & marine life encounters, tips on dealing with sharks and why it is always a good idea to listen to your kayak instructor.<br />Just as we practice recovery scenarios, recent media on sharks (giant hammerhead and great white 'lurking' off the Qld coast & the tragic loss of surfers lives in Perth W.A. and Santa Barbara U.S.A.) could encourage non-hysterical discussion among sea kayakers to plan for the unlikely event of a shark encounter - defence, first aid, kayak damage etc ?<br />Eric's (and the other Tsunami Rangers) experience with sharks as sea kayakers compliments the information shared with us in <a href="http://funtessea.blogspot.com/2010/07/shark-id.html">Shark I.D.</a> by Valerie Taylor A.M.<br /><br /><a href="http://funtessea.blogspot.com/2010/07/shark-id.html">Shark I.D.</a> <em>post first published July 2010</em>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-12957001747083284582010-09-27T08:40:00.026+10:002010-09-28T21:27:36.116+10:00Mud Island Humpback Whales - 12 months on<em>Update to post</em> <a href="http://funtessea.blogspot.com/2009/10/humpback-whale-graveyard-mud-island.html">Humpback Whale Graveyard Oct 2009 </a><a href="http://funtessea.blogspot.com/2009/10/humpback-whale-graveyard-mud-island.html"><br /><br /></a>12 months on Vanilla, Gnarlydog and I revisted Mud Island.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DjNbg4TXtzoiedbRMzJUfb7Fy0pH9QFBRHJO2nTDe80G7EC3_CtJqLmMtaxAOVELjv9WlkvLNCIQcLpKl5ahMvEofWPDHzDozRWEBV5XR3SvzB74BmBa4ydU6lI6-l0GH_6HoQWfn1BY/s1600/Mud+Island+Qld.jpg"></a><br />With a benign forecast and Gnarlydog's renowned lack of interest in flat water paddling, the only challenge on this 35km trip would take place in the mind. Fortunately Gnarly was blessed with great companions and an interesting destination.<br />En route to Mud, Gnarlydog spotted movement across the calm passage. It appeared to be kayaks also moving north. One, clad in bright orange was particularly visible 4km away. <em>If you want to be seen on the water, those high vis tops favoured by some really do work!<br /></em>Close to St Helena Island south of Mud, my attention was drawn below the surface of the water. The floor was bare here except for hundreds of small cone shells. As the water depth increased, I began to see sting rays and passed in amazed silence over a dozen turtles on the bay floor. A minor commotion in the water and swirls of black ink, left behind by a defensive fast moving squid captured my attention. Vanilla alerted us to an eagles nest precariously built on the very top of one of the super tall radio towers. It seemed to be an optimistic engineering feat but made us wonder how long any chicks would last when their first unpracticed flight was such a long way down.<br />Crossing the deep channel between St Helena and Mud Island, the boys asked me to investigate some movement in the water ahead. As I approached the source they eagerly asked 'is it a shark'? While it is pupping season, it was only a large ray.<br />At Mud we entered the moat like lagoon surrounding this part of the island and approached the creek entrance just as 2 kayakers, one wearing a bright orange top, were exiting. <a href="http://www.kayakdiary.net/">kayakdiary.net</a>'s Mark & Sue were the distant kayakers seen earlier, who were also exploring Mud Island on this calm day. Leaving Mark and Sue to continue their exploration, we entered the creek.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4w5GMWHjIjUPP4dMNjIL-_J79GPX3FSP3fpj7ELPNTxTT8JHG8uACUgyyh2bfTVe3nEhlM8_zHFnIs5VY4BwuhYehtibz3zL6vkPPAxvRmHDptHVi_PfIvrG7pAPkjFKvIoK2kn4d2Ym/s1600/Whale_9.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 463px; HEIGHT: 309px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521488843745976738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4w5GMWHjIjUPP4dMNjIL-_J79GPX3FSP3fpj7ELPNTxTT8JHG8uACUgyyh2bfTVe3nEhlM8_zHFnIs5VY4BwuhYehtibz3zL6vkPPAxvRmHDptHVi_PfIvrG7pAPkjFKvIoK2kn4d2Ym/s320/Whale_9.jpg" /></a><br />Surprisingly, there is still matter from 2 of the 3 whales decomposing among the mangroves but only the biggest bones of the 3 whales remain on the creek floor.<br />The creek is quite shallow even on a spring tide and the missing bones are too heavy to have simply washed away. Perhaps the EPA or souvenir hunters have removed them.<br />Weaving through the mangroves past the remains, Vanilla and Gnarlydog chose to follow the creek while I stayed behind and took photos to compare with Kate's, taken 12 months ago.<br /><a href="http://funtessea.blogspot.com/2009/10/humpback-whale-graveyard-mud-island.html"><img style="WIDTH: 247px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521488829172981986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepDtj8SJow6zTn2AlZfMM3BP1Gvxy0KLiSUIDea_SsNQt3Jgi-dcSkGKgbh8PzfK7beClj2UhxQYkIITxPTgsqv-rywef-jUUegd_oYkyXcvOBwlXaV4OblP3SmboqviHQuXAe81t4Ce3/s320/Whale+4+2009.jpg" /></a><br /><em>2009_Kate Yeomans_used with permission</em><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5ZyU2uwyOtbWI77HU54Xgbd3R9on_JAZaOkncXySYoHFj71hMm11FFWOLHKrT3gblQBMhlnDRFv1KcaBOwfpYxhCeK0LvK2pCKYy95miI7LdpWe5urZ1flzfZD_BDkDUSYNP1nP9kDJD/s1600/whale_7.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 462px; HEIGHT: 365px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521488836864082546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5ZyU2uwyOtbWI77HU54Xgbd3R9on_JAZaOkncXySYoHFj71hMm11FFWOLHKrT3gblQBMhlnDRFv1KcaBOwfpYxhCeK0LvK2pCKYy95miI7LdpWe5urZ1flzfZD_BDkDUSYNP1nP9kDJD/s320/whale_7.jpg" /></a><br /><em>2010_Tess Dodd<br /></em>Up close, the smell was overpowering. The rancid stench stayed with me for most of the day.<br />The edges of the flattened remains were fatty and drifting with the movement of the water. The top had hardened and was littered with mangrove leaves.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-T-1YqzjL3jbNXX7aOBUvkLOGUclJQArqYnQnbMJUirR3_xCk166EqA9wkstI9DIV9IIvkpdyFhf6ACMatDLu7M2kIAW3ln5Rw-YxnaYwTJ_Iew_ViwFObyUk8M7rk2Ft8HrYcNfR1-t/s1600/whale_11.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 462px; HEIGHT: 316px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521488849493695938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-T-1YqzjL3jbNXX7aOBUvkLOGUclJQArqYnQnbMJUirR3_xCk166EqA9wkstI9DIV9IIvkpdyFhf6ACMatDLu7M2kIAW3ln5Rw-YxnaYwTJ_Iew_ViwFObyUk8M7rk2Ft8HrYcNfR1-t/s320/whale_11.jpg" /></a><br />Through the shallow water I could see vertebra and a rib lying on the floor beneath the floating remains. When my kayak nudged the fatty mass it startled a school of fish approx 30cm in length which swam out from underneath. While it looked and smelled disgusting, it was very interesting to see how long decomposition was taking and the effect on the immediate environment.<br />Gnarly called out to me concerned that I may have passed out from the smell. I stayed taking photos until I could bear the smell and mosquitos no more and rejoined him to paddle further up the creek.<br />The creek is a tight shallow channel surrounded by a submerged field of mangroves giving the feeling of being in a maze. On a spring tide you could lose your way. Vanilla was nowhere to be seen or heard which is not unusual given his low profile nature. We were unsure which direction he had taken so followed what we thought was the channel. Vanilla eventually emerged driven back by agressive swarms of mosquitos. 'Sand-Fla-Van'<span style="color:#ff0000;">**</span> was hastily produced and applied to already bitten skin.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2SwOw0FGlRcFUp6MKOj97N5BS4H4WZ675E4lPJzNQir4gkSmswspVDOYiqq-Psx97CgsHgqHolYFS6eWO6VESL0E7IqkdONVY7Ym39LqpuLwjiKD58O-PgfGs9Px87ZNsBcx-_S3ZPjM/s1600/Van+and+GDog_1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 466px; HEIGHT: 260px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521488826181554530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2SwOw0FGlRcFUp6MKOj97N5BS4H4WZ675E4lPJzNQir4gkSmswspVDOYiqq-Psx97CgsHgqHolYFS6eWO6VESL0E7IqkdONVY7Ym39LqpuLwjiKD58O-PgfGs9Px87ZNsBcx-_S3ZPjM/s320/Van+and+GDog_1.jpg" /></a><br />We returned to the lagoon as the tide began to ebb enjoying the chance to paddle inside the islands protective coral barrier.<br />Conditions remained calm and returning to our launchsite we were compelled to create our own excitement, chasing and catching the small waves in the chop and mini tideraces along the way. Vanilla raised his sail but forward paddled faster than the weak tail wind. I was very happy to be in my Nordkapp LV <em>Sialuk</em> as my expedition boat would not have been as much fun in these small conditions.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>**</strong></span><em><strong>'Sand-Fla-Van'</strong> (Sand-Fly-Vanilla) was created by Vanilla using non toxic ingredients to replace commercial products containing DEET which destroy expensive outdoor gear. During the past 12 months, we have used it almost exclusively on trips with satisfying results. It is also multi use and has been used to stop bites itching and as a low grade anticeptic.</em>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-66074978028719522882010-09-08T19:08:00.012+10:002010-09-27T08:49:31.951+10:00Mid Coast Humpback Whale Discovery<span style="font-family:verdana;">During a recent expedition we discovered a Humpback whale carcass washed up on the beach by a full moon tide. Locals later advised us that the carcass had been drifting around the area in the previous weeks. I ventured closer observing that the baleen had washed up seperately along the beach. The birds seemed to like it but I did not linger as the smell was overpowering.
<br /><a title="ex Cap_14 by gnarlydog, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/4966947931/"><img style="WIDTH: 397px; HEIGHT: 339px" alt="ex Cap_14" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4966947931_3246e36877.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a>
<br /></span><em><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">Report and images from the expedition to follow shortly.</span></em></em></span>
<br />Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-76127616548652985712010-07-27T11:31:00.052+10:002010-12-15T15:31:08.408+10:00Shark I.D.What shark is that, bumping my kayak.....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxSGE9X9JpdrjjJIcw2083yHaLLuy9LvcRjwX3Z_DOu46MyORRKQ3n58yu2NTthgSwhNuZjsJ-uxsTiarWZCKzHGgUfqd9uI3Aj1CCr1j1I21JLN_zD5kTUB6K9Mm282qRsVPP5i1TDQZ/s1600/Great+White+Dorsal+sticca+info.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500654269195028082" style="WIDTH: 398px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 262px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxSGE9X9JpdrjjJIcw2083yHaLLuy9LvcRjwX3Z_DOu46MyORRKQ3n58yu2NTthgSwhNuZjsJ-uxsTiarWZCKzHGgUfqd9uI3Aj1CCr1j1I21JLN_zD5kTUB6K9Mm282qRsVPP5i1TDQZ/s320/Great+White+Dorsal+sticca+info.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Great White Dorsal Fin_Image </span><a href="http://www.sticca.info/"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">http://www.sticca.info/</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Acknowledgement: I would like to thank </span></em><a href="http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/conservation/shark-expert-honoured-for-conservation-20100614-y9ve.html"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Valerie Taylor AM </span></em></a><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">(Member of the Order of Australia), multi award winning underwater action photographer, film maker, marine conservationist and shark authority for sharing some of her knowledge gained from 50+ years spent underwater with her husband </span></em><a href="http://www.auas-nogi.org/bio_taylor_ron.html"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ron Taylor AM </span></em></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>(Member of the Order of Australia).<br />Valerie, thank you.<br /></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFn496PI8KJZJm1OI_VVCC5sKkxtBj6Xq4wPzx4PIrgNvFD9bOgOfFiEPsyxyjfub9RcbsgnpdsRrFXf51M1U0XXWBD9xFGReTL6ftrgSCaTxhOFr6NSd2VeVW4E-bXxokGjbp08SIbpw/s1600/Valerie_Taylor_with_Black_tip_sharks_.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500948801013272530" style="WIDTH: 376px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 419px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFn496PI8KJZJm1OI_VVCC5sKkxtBj6Xq4wPzx4PIrgNvFD9bOgOfFiEPsyxyjfub9RcbsgnpdsRrFXf51M1U0XXWBD9xFGReTL6ftrgSCaTxhOFr6NSd2VeVW4E-bXxokGjbp08SIbpw/s320/Valerie_Taylor_with_Black_tip_sharks_.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Valerie Taylor AM with black tipped reef sharks_used with permission</span><br /><br /></span>I grew up on an island with a coastline that stretches almost 50,000km linked by over 10,000 beaches. My island home has the Great Barrier Reef on its doorstep and a marine environment which is home to species found nowhere else in the world. My island home is Australia.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Growing up surrounded by oceans and enjoying her bounty, you might expect I would be knowledgeable of the marine life, including sharks. While most Australians live within 50km of the coast, not all venture regularly into the water or have any real understanding of its inhabitants. Like most Australians, the foundations of my knowledge of sharks or in this case ignorance of them, was gleaned from the trusted newspaper, nightly news bulletin and movies. Between JAWS and Vic Hislop, I was totally brainwashed into being fearful of the ‘killing machines’ waiting to hunt me and eat me alive the moment I stepped into the ocean.<br />Thank goodness internationally renowned conservationists and underwater film makers </span><a href="http://www.cousteau.org/environment/shark-and-ray"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Jacques Cousteau</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> and </span><a href="http://www.ronvaltaylor.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ron & Valerie Taylor </span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">were also on screen in Australia in the 70’s to offer us a factual perspective.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CKosqWtKqCe7jqlX5p1bBj73Tdpn2IZWqMiGBSTShuYVX37HyHzYk3JFFErE4c1K7CPysDR8Z0nUk6vxyYq0VyF5ObhLhOpYlcJLojGmawnbogJ768cnJ4B2BdHAezSVDVHUtXz1DQsZ/s1600/Tiger+Shark+Emma_g-na.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500699267428008290" style="WIDTH: 394px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 261px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CKosqWtKqCe7jqlX5p1bBj73Tdpn2IZWqMiGBSTShuYVX37HyHzYk3JFFErE4c1K7CPysDR8Z0nUk6vxyYq0VyF5ObhLhOpYlcJLojGmawnbogJ768cnJ4B2BdHAezSVDVHUtXz1DQsZ/s320/Tiger+Shark+Emma_g-na.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Diving with Tiger Shark_Valerie Taylor AM, Ron Taylor AM, Stan Waterman _Image </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/g-na/4296943928/"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;color:#3333ff;">g-na</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">As sea kayaking takes place in the marine environment it is interesting to note from recent conversations and forum entries that while we may have lost some of the paralysing fear associated with sharks, ignorance still abounds. We laymen don’t know how to identify them by sight or behaviour. Aside from being advised to avoid the sunup/sundown feeding times and churned up water at river mouths where an inquisitive bite could prove detrimental; there is little factual information available about shark behaviour around kayaks (in Qld anyway). For example, a recent touch up between a kayaker and a shark in Moreton Bay was immediately presumed to be by a Great White, even though no one saw the shark. It piqued my interest as my limited understanding was that Qld was not the preferred environment for Great White sharks. Surely there are other species of sharks more commonly found in Moreton Bay which may have tasted the hull?<br /></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/g-na/4296825286/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500715433736040674" style="WIDTH: 393px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib99Pfv5HxAWwpR0YLzCz6hQ3X7bSnBMbGV2egKYaR2IbxE1dTYEqoVeq171eBfZAJHmJTu3SZHjahLlvzkx4nRr6qn5IZeo-NVxhWJtTdgJb4vbuUOzztN5jeDlTg3nD05eP44m5sDrit/s320/Tiger+_g-na.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Tiger Shark 'stripes' Image_</span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/g-na/4296825286/"><span style="font-family:arial;">g-na</span></a></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Preferring facts to sensational speculation, I sought to find out more from acknowledged authorities. Fortunately, multi award winning underwater action photographer, film maker, marine conservationist and shark authority Valerie Taylor AM offered the following insights<span style="color:#ffff66;">*</span>. Ms Taylor advises that her expertise comes from her background as a diver, not a sea kayaker although you cannot argue that her phenomenal knowledge of sharks is undisputed:<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:courier new;">Dear Tess,<br />Some female Great Whites go north to pup probably so their daddies do not eat the new born. They have been tracked swimming up the coast then swimming back. One was seen in the early 70s off Heron Island and photographed by an American called </span><a href="http://www.stanwaterman.com/"><span style="font-family:courier new;">Stan Waterman</span></a><span style="font-family:courier new;">. It was small, 2 meters. Smaller G Ws eat only fish. A big one has been seen by Peter Piggot (Uncle Pete's Toy stores) from a helicopter in Morton Bay. It was probably a female. They could follow the whales up the coast but there are many other sharks that hang around whales when they give birth mainly to eat the after birth. Not even a GW would take on a female whale protecting her young.<br />There are far fewer sharks off our coast than when I was young. In the 60s 70s we saw them constantly while diving and snorkelling. Now we rarely see them at all unless we go to a no take zone or protected area, then it is mainly the harmless Grey Nurse or Wobby.<br />If we see a shark in the wild while diving we consider ourselves lucky. If you see one while paddling enjoy the experience.<br />Regards Valerie Taylor AM<br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPD7HvzSR9cxyhMxaCe6Jv-WssIhkAgcVcpBV9LjaGiRsWIZ4ojBg6IkIH2QxFzz7ZSF0oVQMP0ZwAAs3Nlk8CxUmcxW3snseGpj1K7vE8pgK5RJ-KajYMrMv0Uc-WxCpFvDmEgM7m-TM9/s1600/Great+White+g-na.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500655453105314370" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 253px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPD7HvzSR9cxyhMxaCe6Jv-WssIhkAgcVcpBV9LjaGiRsWIZ4ojBg6IkIH2QxFzz7ZSF0oVQMP0ZwAAs3Nlk8CxUmcxW3snseGpj1K7vE8pgK5RJ-KajYMrMv0Uc-WxCpFvDmEgM7m-TM9/s320/Great+White+g-na.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Great White_Image </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/g-na/4296943928/"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">g-na</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Since taking up sea kayaking, I have had close encounters with Humpback whales, dugong, dolphins, rays, sea snakes and turtles but seldom sharks. The handful of encounters with sharks has included an evening paddle where I was briefly accompanied by a dorsal fin; a Tiger shark surfacing to investigate in the passage between Moreton and Stradbroke Islands; I’ve been aggressively ‘bumped’ from below and followed by what I believe was a large shark, although it did not break the surface. My experiences are not unique as many sea kayakers would have similar experiences.<br />Tom Nicholson of </span><a href="http://www.elverpaddles.com/page/page/6943628.htm"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Elver Paddles </span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">recounted this recent experience<span style="color:#ffff66;">*</span>, while he was paddling his hand made, skin on frame Greenland kayak off the northern NSW coast. Tom raises interesting questions about identifying shark species from dorsal fins, something I’ve wondered myself.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">“On Saturday a cranking southerly was blowing. Perfect for a run from my place to Woolgoolga, 15km up the coast.I headed out in my F1 though dauntingly big surf, 3/4 expecting to be pounded back onto the beach. But my little boat really surprised me and we made it out the back. Guessing some solid 5 foot swell coming through. Once out there I headed north. I barely needed to paddle, other than to make sure I caught the swell when it was breaking behind me, and a bit of steering, as my little sail just cranked - plenty of speed bubble noises, and planing down swells.. at speed the F1 feels like it 'pops up' and planes.Half way there off Sandy Beach (yup it really is called that.. creative buggers round here..) I saw a large D shaped dorsal fin. Ragged trailing edge, sharky slow movement and a _large_ shadow, that seemed about the same proportions as my boat. No tail fin out of the water. Not great visibility of the body because of the wind chop.It was not a whale, and it wasn't a dolphin. ... clearly, it was a biggish shark. And it was turning across my bow, heading round.It certainly gave me some impetus to paddle!! Irrational cause 4 or 5 kts isn't going to out run a shark, but I felt much better paddling a bit away from it.Anyway the paddle was great, saw a whale, a pod of dolphins, some albatros and skewas (sp) and had a mighty nice time out there. Woolgoolga was beautifully sheltered, with offshore wind, and little waves for landing.But I can't ID the shark.From a bit of googling it looks like a great white fin shape, but does anyone know of a dorsal fin shark id method? I'm imagining a nifty poster (What shark is that?) Any help appreciated.”<br />TomN</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.elverpaddles.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">www.elverpaddles.com<br /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>First published on</em> </span><a href="http://www.seakayakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=766"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">SeaKayakForum</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> <em>Sun 25 June 2010</em><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvXw67YBKzgLuNG2FqLSEQ6NmbNmDjgg7RrXCRINd7-_loN8MnBSg5jmo6YYYQNKeytt02egbPH44BoaeVdsJxXW4_FPc5LvtZCA4fE9_QH60NfFMm6Dnk7S5fjYvcvELYSQK9tV7c_Ws/s1600/Tiger+Shark_Willy+Volk.JPG"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500697045891299890" style="WIDTH: 389px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 231px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvXw67YBKzgLuNG2FqLSEQ6NmbNmDjgg7RrXCRINd7-_loN8MnBSg5jmo6YYYQNKeytt02egbPH44BoaeVdsJxXW4_FPc5LvtZCA4fE9_QH60NfFMm6Dnk7S5fjYvcvELYSQK9tV7c_Ws/s320/Tiger+Shark_Willy+Volk.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Tiger Shark_Image </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/volk/sets/72157601251892838/"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Willy Volk</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">There has been speculation on whether certain attributes of a sea kayak might attract a shark’s interest over others; hull colour; rudder acting as a lure; solo kayak or the straggler in a group of paddlers. Ms Taylor kindly responded to these and Tom’s questions below.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:courier new;">Dear Tess,<br />Interesting observations. Few sharks swim on the surface normally but some of the larger species will swim to the surface to investigate the unusual. Hammerheads (the smaller species) often swim on the surface with their dorsals out. They seem to like the sun. Sunfish or Mola Mola often mistaken for sharks do the same and their fin looks like that of a shark. They grow very large but eat jellyfish. They usual swim slowly. Tiger sharks have a curious nature. We have had them come up to check out our dingy and any other thing that they see floating. They have very sweet natures around divers, never aggressive (that’s our experience) but we know when working with them not to swim on the surface and when exiting the water if we have been working with a tiger we get out fast. One guy who does a lot of work with them has had 7 cameras that divers let go for a minute and they floated up taken by tigers. Warning - never swim after your camera, just let it float away if you are filming tigers. They will eat anything they do not understand. It is a test, remember sharks have no hands they feel with their nose or teeth, most of the cameras were later found still floating. The sharks had spat them out.</span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Great Whites also are very curious. They generally do not have a sweet nature. In the 70s we did a lot of colour tests with Great Whites. Their favourite colours seem to be cream, yellow and orange. In the 1980s we did colour tests for the US navy (they were testing the safest colour for the plastic bags that a downed airman could float in). Dark green like a garbage bag seemed best and I think that is what they use today. The US navy tests were in the tropics. No Great Whites.</span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Now, about the fins, even we have trouble identifying a shark by its dorsal fin but with a GW there is usually a tail fin at least breaking the surface a little. Tom’s dorsal sounds like a sunfish or perhaps a tiger. A Hammerhead would I think avoid you. They are very hard to approach when on the surface. I think a GW would move fairly fast though we have mostly seen them around baits in a feeding pattern. The few time we have encountered them without baits they were moving much faster than you could swim.</span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Bull sharks will also investigate the unusual specially something splashing around on the surface like a dying fish. They like the G White also investigate by biting which is why most swimmers on the very rare occasion contact with a Bull is made, are bitten then let go. Bull sharks are fish eaters but a bite in the water can bleed out a human very fast. Most deaths from shark attack are caused by loss of blood.<br /></span><span style="font-family:courier new;">If I had a kayak I would never have the bottom a hot bright colour. As for white, well a lot of fish, sharks included have white bellies which must make them hard to see from below when looking up towards the sky. If a shark was investigating me in a kayak I would keep still, float like a log not splash around like a dying fish. If contact is made a jab in the gills with your paddle will have the shark showing great respect. No predator expects its intended prey to fight back. They expect it to try and escape.<br />Hope the above answers some your questions but remember my experience comes from being a diver not a paddler.<br />Regards Valerie Taylor AM </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgenfqumxh_j5zj6XCMU-R2R2bYbIJggKOi6IQ-o-yiHsro1P7SHba3tA5sz1ZQOUsYfovjECc9dccmDwrst6-nOhAa9t44TGQ9cqfqMgNb79UBxoAoOfolgHRPHU9iUl33oqY5PKyH-l/s1600/Bull+Sharks+AlKok.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500644608643699954" style="WIDTH: 396px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 282px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgenfqumxh_j5zj6XCMU-R2R2bYbIJggKOi6IQ-o-yiHsro1P7SHba3tA5sz1ZQOUsYfovjECc9dccmDwrst6-nOhAa9t44TGQ9cqfqMgNb79UBxoAoOfolgHRPHU9iUl33oqY5PKyH-l/s320/Bull+Sharks+AlKok.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Bull Sharks_Image </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fttpwwwflickrcomalbert/"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">AlKok</span></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_kA3nVqkQ08xeDF8sH-OlcOENaozc1kGuYitjPNrGRb0TN9gyn43wkokoUyO3gbmXUBDHjTRsH2LPmrfE8eR0JbFZkCI4m9TKPOLRGdOQzZZ8Dp-8kGZVluMd4b692YDMkYFW3gcm-Ry/s1600/Hammerhead+ClifB.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500647714971706658" style="WIDTH: 395px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 276px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_kA3nVqkQ08xeDF8sH-OlcOENaozc1kGuYitjPNrGRb0TN9gyn43wkokoUyO3gbmXUBDHjTRsH2LPmrfE8eR0JbFZkCI4m9TKPOLRGdOQzZZ8Dp-8kGZVluMd4b692YDMkYFW3gcm-Ry/s320/Hammerhead+ClifB.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Hammerhead Shark_Image </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11444813@N03/3700887729/"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">ClifB</span></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh143dUeUCPzmv6oQ0eCYvbjYhRK2ESFpCKKt2g9oxr-HY3H3LBDkdYefPFk0BqK0EAj55YxKy17apmyOfaQyMkG0Fe7bKwwggFwqJ-kuUPpEFpzLSNKPsuotMLHnG51581yxg8n7YfZ0kk/s1600/sunfish+mola+mola+jillmotts.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500925602846111954" style="WIDTH: 396px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 249px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh143dUeUCPzmv6oQ0eCYvbjYhRK2ESFpCKKt2g9oxr-HY3H3LBDkdYefPFk0BqK0EAj55YxKy17apmyOfaQyMkG0Fe7bKwwggFwqJ-kuUPpEFpzLSNKPsuotMLHnG51581yxg8n7YfZ0kk/s320/sunfish+mola+mola+jillmotts.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"><a href="http://australianmuseum.net.au/Ocean-Sunfish-Mola-mola-Linnaeus-1758">Sunfish</a> or Mola Mola_Image </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amayu/2198194767/"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">jillmotts</span></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUhCcpyaqhn0h-nFmZ9DjuR06Uxcpwr-BNqsFFfWGUlVOIHt9ONM-f9CZDYxNbmbiIzJ2iWoE7PRuH95F6oO6fFYB1ElYEBDszSpse_gmt1uaM6isIkrTsgQUImy2HwflU6oJ_gDPiLlo/s1600/Sunfish+fin+gbp.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500924894001361346" style="WIDTH: 398px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUhCcpyaqhn0h-nFmZ9DjuR06Uxcpwr-BNqsFFfWGUlVOIHt9ONM-f9CZDYxNbmbiIzJ2iWoE7PRuH95F6oO6fFYB1ElYEBDszSpse_gmt1uaM6isIkrTsgQUImy2HwflU6oJ_gDPiLlo/s320/Sunfish+fin+gbp.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Sunfish fin_Image </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonystanley/2791779509/"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">gripso banana prune</span><br /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Valerie’s information is interesting and offers a lot to think about. There is still plenty more to be learned. The Moreton Bay ‘touch up’ could have been a Great White but seems more likely to have been a Bull or Tiger shark. Regardless of type of shark, paddling a kayak that gets 'taste tested' would be memorable.<br />It seems dorsal fin identification may be a long way off yet and given their diminishing population, the chances of seeing a shark during a trip is rare. When Tom’s heart rate returns to normal, he may realise how fortunate he is to have had the experience.<br />You may have your own facts or close encounter to share, I would be interested to hear from you.</span><br /></span><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#ff9900;"><strong><br /><span style="color:#ff9966;">Postscript 4 Aug 2010:</span></strong></span><span style="color:#ff9966;"><br /></span>from Valerie Taylor re </span><a href="http://www.rollordrown.com/shark.htm"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#3366ff;">Duane Strosaker</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> report on </span><a href="http://www.qajaqusa.org/cgi-bin/GreenlandTechniqueForum_config.pl"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#3366ff;">Qajaq USA Greenland Kayaking forum</span></a><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#3366ff;"> </span>2 Aug 2010:<br /></span><span style="color:#ff9966;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Dear Tess, Very interesting. The shark behaved as I would have thought it should. One small point I did not make when I wrote. Is if the shark cannot dig its bottom teeth into the intended victim (in this case a fibre glass hull) They will not bring their top teeth down with any force. This is maybe because they do not want to break them off or perhaps the subject is not tender and juicy like a fish or sea lion. I noticed this over 100 times during the mesh suit tests. To get the shark to bite properly I had to have a tuna fillet tied to the outside of the suit (they like tuna best) otherwise they would just give a test bite dislike the feel of the mesh and let go. Unfortunately a test bite from a well armed animal can cut through human flesh and veins very easily, it does not have to be aggressive just curious as the shark in the story you sent me seemed to be.<br />Regards Valerie<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCunZgr5L5cEEJJfDh4YyP7kGdfTVXLkBIZVYKlVtFZCmYZE6uOxPoIdZlu9Djk5oNdqg1mLxIVDg6gb0XX1R7k2rkAg83hUxyFSwfLZ4Y1Oys50sVJ6U_XJ3YDuaxx6V8w_nBr8OVDJkH/s1600/Gina+Stan+Waterman+Valerie+Taylor+AM+Ron+Taylor+AM+Jan+2010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500657791452445858" style="WIDTH: 399px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 251px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCunZgr5L5cEEJJfDh4YyP7kGdfTVXLkBIZVYKlVtFZCmYZE6uOxPoIdZlu9Djk5oNdqg1mLxIVDg6gb0XX1R7k2rkAg83hUxyFSwfLZ4Y1Oys50sVJ6U_XJ3YDuaxx6V8w_nBr8OVDJkH/s320/Gina+Stan+Waterman+Valerie+Taylor+AM+Ron+Taylor+AM+Jan+2010.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/g-na/4296362643/sizes/l/"><span style="font-size:85%;">g-na</span></a></span><span style="color:#999999;"><span style="font-size:85%;">,Stan Waterman, Valerie Taylor AM, Ron Taylor AM Jan 2010</span> </span></span></div><div><span style="color:#ff9966;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em><span style="color:#ffff66;"><span style="color:#ffff99;">*Used with permission of the author</span><br /></span>**Information provided by Valerie Taylor AM relates to questions asked about regions in northern NSW and Queensland Australia.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff9966;"></em></span><strong><span style="color:#ff6600;">Postscript:28 October 2010<br /></span></strong><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#cccccc;">Eric Soares has published a story titled</span> <a href="http://tsunamirangers.com/2010/10/27/how-to-deal-with-sharks/">'How to Deal with Sharks'</a>.<br /></span><span style="color:#cccccc;">The story includes shark encounters, tips on dealing with sharks and why it is always a good idea to listen to your kayak instructor.</span></span></div>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-17844136052707076342010-07-01T05:05:00.013+10:002013-04-23T10:19:06.260+10:00Kayak Surf SkillsStarring: <a href="http://www.adventureoutlet.com.au/index.html"><span style="color: #3333ff;">Craig McSween</span></a><span style="color: #3333ff;"><br /></span>Co Starring: Martin, Gavin, Gary, Vanilla, Gnarlydog and Adventuretess<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/4741428664/" title="Craig beach briefing_1 (c) by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img alt="Craig beach briefing_1 (c)" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4741428664_8956727653.jpg" style="height: 251px; width: 395px;" width="500" /></a><br />
<em><span style="color: #336666;">A wise man of sea kayaking once told me "begin kayak surfing by playing in waves which feel comfortable. Over time, move to bigger and bigger waves, which still feel comfortable. Do things (waves) in increments, slowly acclimating yourself to a particular size until you feel the need inside to try something more challenging. If that voice inside you doesn't appear, then you are not ready to go for bigger waves. So don’t let anyone force or talk you into something you are not ready for. Also, if you are going into the surf, expect to get wiped out. There is no shame in that. The trick is to know how to get wiped out". Commander Eric Soares. Good advice.</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">I was upside down. My eyes closed, I could feel bubbles fizzing around me as waves rocked my kayak in the surf. I was here to build on my surf skills.<br />I guess the lesson had begun.<br />Relaxing, I rolled up only to be hit in the chest and pushed backwards by another breaking wave. Laughing, adrenalin pumping, I felt alive.<br /><br />My kayak surfing skills had been put on hold over summer. During the warmer months my favourite beaches are heaving with surfers, stand up paddlers and swimmers. Not enough space for me to safely practice my developing skills. Frustrated by the lack of time in the surf, I eagerly grasped the opportunity to participate in a formal surf session with one of Queensland’s leading sea kayak instructors, Craig McSween.<br />I’ve know Craig for several years. In fact, he introduced me to sea kayaking. His easygoing manner belies enviable skill and an innate understanding of the complexities of the sea.<span style="color: red;">**</span><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/4740793209/" title="At the seawall (c) by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img alt="At the seawall (c)" height="349" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4740793209_907ed8d920.jpg" style="height: 284px; width: 392px;" width="500" /></a><br />The objective of this session was to push ourselves in the surf within the boundaries of common sense. Conditions were mild but provided enough energy to achieve our objective and have some fun. Following a thorough briefing and warm up, the helmeted group of 6 hit the water.<br /><br />Locating a section of surf without the usual mob crowding the swell, Craig outlined each skill then provided a demonstration. Craig’s ability to impart real life knowledge gives his training an edge not found in text books. Under his guidance we ventured backwards, forwards, sideways and at times upside down through the surf. I had flashbacks of the anxiety of going for my driver’s license; hill start, parallel park, reverse, merge...<br /><br />Until now I believed my days of doing cartwheels were left behind in childhood. Martin cart wheeled and rolled perfectly. His first, he wore an elated yet stunned expression on his face for some time after. Gnarlydog managed 3 cartwheels and rolls as he battled in and out through the breakers. Gavin and Vanilla displayed their usual elegance under pressure and I’ve no doubt Gary was low bracing in his sleep that night.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/4740792365/" title="Craig beach briefing (c) by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img alt="Craig beach briefing (c)" height="357" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4740792365_0a18106129.jpg" style="height: 310px; width: 399px;" width="500" /></a><br />I cannot speak for anyone else but Craig's confident relaxed attitude gave my confidence a nudge and whet my appetite to play more often in the surf.<br /><br /><span style="color: red;">**</span><span style="color: #999999;"><em><span style="color: #66cccc;">Craig's interest in sea kayaking led to the inception of the Qld Sea Kayak Club. Craig continues to provide training, tours, equipment and advice to Club members, tourists and members of the public through </span><a href="http://www.adventureoutlet.com.au/"><span style="color: #3333ff;">AdventureOutlet</span></a><span style="color: #66cccc;">, his Gold Coast business.</span></em></span><span style="color: #66cccc;"> </span></span>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-85375483726050670802010-06-16T12:25:00.020+10:002010-06-21T08:57:38.789+10:00Lime Pocket WeekendStarring: 30knot Melt, Gillian, ‘Little Ripper’ Skipper Rob, Vanilla, Gnarlydog, Adventuretess<br />Special Appearances: ‘Little Ripper’, 70 black swans, 140ml rain and 30knot winds<br /><a title="when_it_rains_it_pours_(c)DV by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/4516434323/"><img style="WIDTH: 397px; HEIGHT: 280px" height="375" alt="when_it_rains_it_pours_(c)DV" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4516434323_d9e1a0f8df.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><em>From beneath the brim of my rain soaked hat, I surveyed my companions. Heads bowed into 30knot wind to protect naked eyes from the sting of lashing rain, progress was slow but steady. The force of a sudden stronger onshore gust momentarily surprised me. It was at this moment Vanilla suggested we all kayak roll…</em><br /><br />24 hours earlier…<br /><br />The Queensland weather was turned to ‘sauna’ hot.<br /><br />Our group would be camping remotely on the northern end of Bribie Island. Paddling to meet the others at the launch site, the early morning air was sultry, yet unusually clear and still. Buildings 12km away across the bay were clearly visible.<br /><br />Kayaks loaded with ultralight camping gear and gourmet food, we made our way north where we would rendezvous with Skipper Rob from ‘Little Ripper’, the only non kayaking member of the group.<br />Zigzagging around the many sandbanks scattered up the shallow passage, local birdlife was abundant, but the dolphins, turtles and sting rays commonly seen here stayed hidden below us in the cool water.<br />The humidity as we paddled was unrelenting, causing droplets of sweat to trickle uncomfortably down faces, backs and cleavages.<br /><br />Halfway to our campsite we located the 'Mothership'.<br /><a title="support_vessels_(c)TD by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/4705360332/"><img style="WIDTH: 396px; HEIGHT: 276px" height="410" alt="support_vessels_(c)TD" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1300/4705360332_0866893c27.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Landing nearby, views of the distant Glasshouse Mountains were superb. The antics of the resident birds entertained us while we ate lunch.<br /><a title="low_tide_(c)TD by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/4705361074/"><img style="WIDTH: 399px; HEIGHT: 289px" height="338" alt="low_tide_(c)TD" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4705361074_a9f088179a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />We continued to enjoy the panorama as we followed the channel toward Lime Pocket, our overnight destination. There are no facilities or drinking water there. Campsites are nestled privately in the bush along the passage. As we passed the Mission Point campground, I was pleased my companions were also interested in remote camping, as the campsites and beach here were overflowing with boats and people.<br /><br />Reaching Lime Pocket, we quickly set up camp as Skipper Rob arrived and set anchor. Rob promptly cast a fishing line and an amused eye over us as we swam and enjoyed a session rolling the now empty kayaks.<br /><a title="passing_on_the_knowledge_(c)DV by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/4705360762/"><img style="WIDTH: 397px; HEIGHT: 271px" height="395" alt="passing_on_the_knowledge_(c)DV" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1282/4705360762_5445405768.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a title="Melt_passing_on_the_knowledge_(c)DV by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/4705360638/"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 289px" height="375" alt="Melt_passing_on_the_knowledge_(c)DV" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4705360638_3357327830.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Rolling novice Gillian keenly listened as Melt introduced her to some basic skills. Gill was later rewarded with a hot shower aboard the ‘Mothership’.<br /><br />Skipper Rob extended his hospitality to the whole group making several trips in the tender collecting some for showers and the rest for refreshments. Recharged, we shared a substantial happy hour on the back deck of ‘Little Ripper’ as the sun set. Once darkness descended, ‘popping’ noises could be heard on the surface of the water surrounded the boat. Efforts were made to try and catch the elusive fish before Rob returned us to shore for dinner.<br />Evening temperatures were still warm. Gourmet dinners were prepared and eaten quickly, as the mozzies began feasting on us.<br /><br />During the night the rain came. 140ml of it. Rain. And more rain.<br /><a title="bucketing_(c) by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/4516419481/"><img style="WIDTH: 395px; HEIGHT: 286px" height="414" alt="bucketing_(c)" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4516419481_1bd06d7fd5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />After a night of record breaking rainfall, the downpour eased as dawn arrived.<br />Launching back into the passage, the weather could not have been more different to the previous day. The volume of rain in the passing showers was incredible. Once again passing Mission Point, the beach and campground were now deserted in stark contrast to the previous afternoon.<br /><a title="Paddling_in_the_rain_(c)TD by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/4704795915/"><img style="WIDTH: 395px; HEIGHT: 298px" height="380" alt="Paddling_in_the_rain_(c)TD" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4704795915_cc2d0a4e33.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Virtually alone on the water we again had only the birdlife for company. Flying above us was an enormous stork whose size was likened to an albatross. Ahead on a large sandbank were elegant shapes that were difficult to identify in the conditions. As we drifted closer, we counted 70 black swans striking poses in the rain.<br /><br />We returned to the original launch site to farewell 2 group members, while those remaining continued. Incredibly, within minutes of leaving ‘30knot Melt’ behind, a 30 knot squall was upon us. The driving rain pelted our faces and flattened the tops of surrounding waves. It was fantastic and energising to be out there!<br />Vanilla made the suggestion to roll as the squall momentarily increased. The 3 remaining kayakers rolled as requested, observing the muted silence in those few seconds under water.<br /><a title="pouring_(c)DV by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/4705360910/"><img style="WIDTH: 391px; HEIGHT: 464px" height="500" alt="pouring_(c)DV" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4705360910_194cfe0c40.jpg" width="454" /></a><br />On this trip I found that using my Aleut ‘Bling stick by Van’ was easier than the larger bladed euro style paddles I have used in similar conditions on other trips.<br />The combination of varied conditions, magical wildlife, remote camping and exceptional company made this weekend an absolute cracker – one of my all time favourite overnight trips.Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-34886941722349731192010-02-22T12:34:00.035+10:002010-09-26T20:30:07.642+10:00Teen Greenland RollingMini-Me does rolling<br />Starring: Greg Schwarz & Mini-Me<br /><br />Loving this sport as I do, I sometimes wonder how much more I could achieve if I had started sea kayaking earlier in life - what an advantage to soak up kayak skills when you are younger, braver, have more energy and more importantly, youthful flexibility.<br /><a title="minime balance brace (c) by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/4550392548/"><img style="WIDTH: 393px; HEIGHT: 322px" alt="minime balance brace (c)" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4550392548_5d4ca59b10.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a><br />I recently had the pleasure to be part of a small group practicing balance and rolls in a variety of sea kayaks where one of the group, was a young girl.<br />Prior to this, the girl had only paddled a friend’s plastic kayak with a large recreational cockpit and no bulkheads for a half hour during a picnic.<br /><br />This was her first time paddling a sea kayak. She chose a Greenland paddle and skeg boat (Norkapp LV) and surprised us by listening carefully and applying advice that was offered on the intricacies of forward stroke and body rotation. She spent some time paddling up and down the beach practicing the stroke and in turn, offered critique on some of our forward paddle styles.<br /><br />Observing others rolling, sculling and balanced bracing, she surprised us again by asking if she could try some of the things we were doing.<br />Paramount to any beginner’s success is having a kayak that fits and access to skilled mentors and while none of the kayaks were a perfect fit, she was fortunate that Greg Shwarz was among the group. Under Greg’s guidance she began balanced bracing a Tahe Marine Greenland kayak almost immediately!<br /><a title="minime balance brace_1 (c)[1] by adventuretess gallery, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventuretess/4549753269/"><img style="WIDTH: 403px; HEIGHT: 319px" alt="minime balance brace_1 (c)[1]" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4549753269_15829322e7.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a><br />Only minutes later she grasped the technique of sculling and it was only because she was underdressed and shivering from the cold water that she didn't learn to perfect a roll.<br />Next time, suitably dressed for immersion, maybe she will surprise us with a hand roll? :-)Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-2016086798512558092010-01-27T13:34:00.010+10:002010-02-18T14:14:03.751+10:00Butterflies and Hand Rolls - Australia Day 2010<span style="font-family:verdana;">Starring: Greg and Moira Schwarz, Gnarlydog, Adventuretess<br /><br />Australia isn’t only about <a href="http://www.vegemite.com.au/vegemite/page?PagecRef=1">vegemite</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala">koalas</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/3918012689/in/set-72157601405171323/">mateship</a> and <a href="http://www.cockroachraces.com.au/">cockroach races </a>at the Story Bridge Hotel, it’s about living the Aussie dream and ‘having a go’.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />After returning a day early from Fraser Island, I decided to spend my bonus day off pursuing my current Aussie dream, to hand roll my kayak. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">An impromptu session with rolling mentors Moira and Greg Schwarz was arranged.<br />Watching Greg and Moira’s effortless balanced braces and Greenland rolls has inspired me to ‘have a go’. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It isn’t always pretty, but I have a lot of fun testing the boundaries of balance in my kayak. Without their guidance, balanced bracing would just be some weird thing that those kayak roll specialists do.<br />Armed with determination and a neoprene oven mitt, we met Moira and Greg among the patriotic hordes setting up bbq’s and esky’s along the grassy shorefront.<br />I’ve been attempting hand rolls for a short time and I just couldn’t quite pull it off. Almost reaching the back deck and then failing, my bare handed sweep wasn’t working for me. Warming up with a short paddle and a few rolls, I carefully studied Greg and Moira as they performed hand rolls.<br />I put the neoprene glove on and listened carefully to Moira’s instructions. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Before I knew it I had rolled and was lying on Sialuk’s back deck looking into the sky. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Success! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='378' height='305' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzZr3nnRPV8iqDKJtpB3coLjbSaIpgUUZcTWlclf_jKH4cXvMQmPXy7szkSpOBpg3bko7dlWdb-Tfuqux8ubg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />Tentatively I tried again, to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. Feeling more confident, I tried it again and sure enough, up I came.<br />By this time, I was getting excited and wanted to try it one more time before going commando (without the glove). Well, the magic left me and my hand rolling came to an end. Moira comforted me with assurances that this was common when learning to hand roll. It comes. And it goes.<br />Taking a break we all swapped kayaks and I watched as Moira hand rolled, Greg elbow crook rolled and Damiano <a href="http://gnarlydognews.blogspot.com/2010/01/technique-rear-deck-height.html"><span style="color:#cc33cc;">butterfly rolled</span></a> in Sialuk – his first!<br />Moira paddles an Avocet LV and the cockpit fits me very well. I decided to try the hand roll one more time and surprising myself, I managed to hand roll a further 3 times in the Avocet LV before the magic washed off.<br />We 4 left the beach satisfied. For a few short hours we’d all ‘had a go’ and ‘lived the dream’. Sharing celebratory ice creams afterwards, I was a very happy kayaker.</span>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-84468467256940692452010-01-27T13:32:00.024+10:002014-06-02T17:50:56.536+10:00Team Vanstix 3 Days at Fraser Island<span style="font-family: verdana;">QSKC Australia Day Weekend at Fraser Island
<br />Starring: Team Vanstix</span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><em>I love a sunburnt country
<br />A land of sweeping plains
<br />Of ragged mountain ranges
<br />Of droughts and flooding rains.
<br />I love her far horizons
<br />I love her jewel-sea
<br />Her beauty and her terror
<br />The wide brown land for me! </em></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 85%;">~ <em>extract from ‘<a href="http://www.dorotheamackellar.com.au/archive/mycountry.htm">My Country’ </a>by Dorothea McKellar</em></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">
<br />This poem has resonated with me since I first learned it in Year 7 at school. It often comes to mind during trips. Dorothea McKellar was only 22 when she wrote about the drama, hardships and beauty of life in Australia. </span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/4321738528/" title="Sails at sunset_Fraser (c) by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img alt="Sails at sunset_Fraser (c)" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4321738528_f1619f44cc_m.jpg" height="187" style="height: 240px; width: 385px;" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">
<br />While the majority of the local paddling community were content to spend another weekend in Moreton Bay, our QSKC group decided to take advantage of a rare 4 day weekend to travel to the more remote location of Fraser Island.
<br />During winter, Hervey Bay and the waters off Fraser Island are bustling with commercial whale watch boats vying for glimpses of migrating Humpback whales and their calves. In summer, the warm temperatures and public holidays attract 4wd campers who tend to stay inland or on the eastern side of Fraser, leaving the western side peaceful in comparison.
<br />Launching from Urangan we quickly reached Big Woody Island, negotiating the shallow water surrounding the island before eventually rounding the rocky southern tip. After leisurely investigating the southern beach, we made the crossing to Moon Point on Fraser Island with sails up. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/4309687753/" title="Bracing with FEKS (c) by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img alt="Bracing with FEKS (c)" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4309687753_abd07e334d.jpg" height="375" style="height: 285px; width: 390px;" width="500" /></a></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Rounding Moon Point, the tantalising view of foliage rimmed by white sand and clear turquoise water spread out before us. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">As we headed along the beach we began looking for campsites. A friendly yachty moored close by warned us of the sandflies waiting to ambush us on the beach. </span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Having spent time in bug infested locations around the world; we laughingly assured them a few sandflies wouldn’t diminish our enjoyment of the surroundings..…<em>Famous. Last. Words.</em> </span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/4321738346/" title="Camp at Fraser (c) by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img alt="Camp at Fraser (c)" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4321738346_17ee0cc8e3.jpg" height="398" style="height: 267px; width: 387px;" width="500" /></a></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Unfortunately, we had no sooner set up camp and sat down to enjoy happy hour together than the ambush began. </span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">The yachties were right and we watched enviously as they relocated further offshore for the evening. The onslaught of all things biting was relentless. Sandflies; biting black flies; green march flies; monster black flies; mosquitoes.</span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Fully dressed and smothered in various strength repellents including the usually reliable Sand Fla Van and DEET, one member of the group surrendered and retreated to his tent, the ONLY safe haven. Another member cloaked himself in a large mosquito net, to no avail. Dinner was prepared as quickly as possible and eaten together in 1 tent, where we were finally able to relax.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">
<br />Rising early in the morning we noticed that there were no signs of the usual evening visits of local dingoes. Perhaps the insects had driven them away? We quickly packed up camp and without stopping for brekfast, were on the water to continue our trip in record time.
<br />The air temperature was warm and so was the water. As we paddled, the swell running onto the beach created waves to play in.</span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/4307547625/" title="Van bracing (c) by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img alt="Van bracing (c)" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4307547625_724bd39a20.jpg" height="407" style="height: 297px; width: 393px;" width="500" /></a><span style="color: #33ccff; font-family: verdana; font-size: 85%;">Vanilla bracing on shore breakers
</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Reaching Woralie Creek early, we were pleased to see only 2 others in camp. Surveying the campsite, it was extremely disappointing to see places we had previously pitched tents now littered with toilet paper, illegal fire pits and the blackend remains of fires. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Aside from the fact fires are not allowed on Fraser Island, the fact that the fires had been made on the flat areas leaving only sloping sites to pitch tents on, offered an insight into the intelligence of the fire bugs.</span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">It also raised questions about the management of this world heritage listed island. Perhaps along with Dingo warning signs posted around the island, there should be instructions on how to shit in the bush. Dingoes will dig up anything that isn’t deeply buried, so if you are merely covering your waste with a piece of bark or leaves, you may as well not bother. It’s also highly desirable to do it away from the campsite, not just at the base of the tree closest to your tent! </span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><em>The QSKC in partnership with Leave No Trace Australia promotes minimal impact camping on all club trips; small groups using sound environmental practices. Information on minimal impact camping and kayaking can be found on the <a href="http://www.qldseakayak.canoe.org.au/default.asp?Page=16020&MenuID=Policies/c20251/0/">QSKC</a> and <a href="http://www.lnt.org.au/section02/seakayaking.html">LNT</a> websites.</em> </span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">The afternoon was spent rolling and playing just off the beach and as darkness enveloped us, a pleasant evening was spent out in the open, the biting insects at this campsite deterred by clothing and repellent. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">
<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlydog/4312232369/" title="sunset paddling_3 by gnarlydog, on Flickr"><img alt="sunset paddling_3" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4312232369_8a04c687ab.jpg" height="375" style="height: 259px; width: 390px;" width="500" /></a>
<br />A dawn text message relaying a family emergency forced a change of plans. After another fast pack up, we were quickly on the water for the return paddle to Urangan. Averaging over 8km per hr, we had moments of welcome excitement crossing sandbanks with tide rushing over them. Small following seas and a tail wind in our sails assisted us with our 35km return trip to Urangan harbour.</span>
<br />
<br />Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-14459298015667075242010-01-06T10:03:00.023+10:002010-01-11T14:50:36.432+10:00Scarborough to Bribie - Keeping the Skin on my Tail<em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Starring: 8 members of the 'Claytons Group', Greg Schwarz, Gnarlydog, Adventuretess </span></em><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJ1AhHOZsjCHqeMrG8VS16sp6NTPC8j6L2e3KhehnWm0MevXdFnaDR7UdddEd6v_Z4HdirBZIjoyMyBsTRmxLu-V9V2ZZud8VMZb1F-dNI_fAQfxn7LkyQQ5lLQA0COBvdVs4ldlpkKWV/s1600-h/FEKS_on_Mockpool_2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 396px; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425264318918565106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJ1AhHOZsjCHqeMrG8VS16sp6NTPC8j6L2e3KhehnWm0MevXdFnaDR7UdddEd6v_Z4HdirBZIjoyMyBsTRmxLu-V9V2ZZud8VMZb1F-dNI_fAQfxn7LkyQQ5lLQA0COBvdVs4ldlpkKWV/s320/FEKS_on_Mockpool_2.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Gnarlydog using his </em></span><a href="http://www.flatearthkayaksails.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Flat Earth Kayak Sail</em></span></a> <em><span style="font-family:verdana;">and <a href="http://www.elverpaddles.com/page/page/6943628.htm">Elver</a> Greenland paddle<br /></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The original seat in my Nordkapp LV <em>‘SIALUK’</em> has been rubbing the skin off my tail on trips longer than 15km. Very fond of the hull's shape but not of the "furniture", I tried, among other things, heat deforming the seat to change its shape but ultimately the best solution on longer trips was to duct tape the area on my butt that was likely to be rubbed raw.<br /><br />Gnarlydog made me a new seat in the <a href="http://mei-australia.blogspot.com/">MEI</a> (Multisport Expeditions International) workshop. After a week playing with kayak rolls, I decided to test the new seat during a 27km social paddle with members of informal kayak group <a href="http://groups.google.com.au/group/seqsk">The Southeast Queensland Sea Kayakers </a>or 'Claytons Group'.<br /><br />11 kayakers launched at Scarborough heading for Bongaree on Bribie Island, Group members quickly settled into their own paddle rhythms, the lack of breeze making the trip humid. Optimists in the group kept sails raised, hopeful to catch any whisper of wind. Unchallenging conditions combined with eager paddling made for a fast arrival at Bongaree.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Reaching the sand beach, some opted for a refreshing swim in the inviting water, while others practiced rolling. I separated from the group here to share lunch with some locals before paddling back to Scarborough later in the afternoon.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAbKGtqh4YzXJC8VYWOTmKajlH7hMeTzs8M23SWdPNWc9UpZmjVh96Rqbcs8wNcO8Rp00aG3zmbRtsG4REcA5bIYmozIM1aYbsin7kCejM3-LicFAu9VImcRbNjC1uZXf6opsgRssRjyZ1/s1600-h/FEKS_on_Mockpool_1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 393px; HEIGHT: 249px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425264310481029938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAbKGtqh4YzXJC8VYWOTmKajlH7hMeTzs8M23SWdPNWc9UpZmjVh96Rqbcs8wNcO8Rp00aG3zmbRtsG4REcA5bIYmozIM1aYbsin7kCejM3-LicFAu9VImcRbNjC1uZXf6opsgRssRjyZ1/s320/FEKS_on_Mockpool_1.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Afternoon sail</span></em><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCr2bq0xz8wQ38VSN_ijW-9mp64PfbrmjDI7Z9AbfnEv28R90kMYoOifP-6H-k4uIIlNRaUya88Jg8sb_uQa6Itr8cFNAE513zx73ovkDFzBMj6hooar3fa4mUr2iVVP5ivDKREUv-e-c/s1600-h/FEKS_on_Mockpool_3.jpg"></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sailing back, we noticed smoke flares and activity in the distance. The local Coastguard was undertaking a training activity, using a rescue helicopter to transfer people from water to moving boat and back again. Staying low to water and boat during manoeuvres, the ability of the chopper pilot was impressive. Watching the surface water dispersed by the hovering helicopter, I wondered about the effects the downdraft might have on a kayak....<br /><br />Landing back at Scarborough with the skin on my tail intact, I was very happy with the new kayak seat, which only need minor mods to be perfect for me.</span>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-20393257731947923782010-01-06T10:00:00.022+10:002010-01-11T14:49:45.766+10:0045 Rolls for my 45th Birthday<em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Starring: Gnarlydog, Greg Schwarz, Adventuretess</span><br /></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnxY2IMKCgierZ7tK8aQw0EjvuKudH4Zlq5dAtZqK2najuaZXSl-pcSKXqevMpceN_MnbafCLiE5FVqHNGc6R8HwK7ZcCk2rllFjMx-Zu9kDQ45zKtReD69qCmKnFMZ-PtsxRGMRyOuIb/s1600-h/45_rolls.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 394px; HEIGHT: 282px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424210268665771106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnxY2IMKCgierZ7tK8aQw0EjvuKudH4Zlq5dAtZqK2najuaZXSl-pcSKXqevMpceN_MnbafCLiE5FVqHNGc6R8HwK7ZcCk2rllFjMx-Zu9kDQ45zKtReD69qCmKnFMZ-PtsxRGMRyOuIb/s320/45_rolls.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Celebrating my birthday close to Christmas and New Year has always posed challenges as to the best way to celebrate. Most people are partied out after so many ‘festive’ celebrations. I prefer celebrating by spending time with favourite people, outdoors if possible.<br />During a recent <a href="http://www.qldseakayak.canoe.org.au/">QSKC</a> trip, ideas were tossed around as to the best way to acknowledge my 45th birthday. It's the wrong time of year to undertake a 45km bush walk in Queensland (too hot), perhaps a 45km paddle would do the trick. The suggestion was put forward to try doing 45 kayak rolls using <a href="http://www.qajaqusa.org/QK/makegreen2.pdf">Greenland paddles</a> (GP).<br />As I only learned to kayak roll with a euro paddle a little over a year ago and could then only do 3 rolls in a row in flat water if I was lucky, I felt this would be a suitable, fun challenge to commemorate my birthday. While I can roll and have spent hours roll training, I have never counted them. I believed the desired outcome was achievable; I just wasn’t sure how difficult it would be.<br />Vanilla and Blackduck were both out with chest infections, leaving Gnarlydog and Greg Schwarz to bravely join me in the challenge. Plans were made, rules discussed and rewards decided. The 3 challengers would use traditional paddles (Greg his homemade <a href="http://gnarlydognews.blogspot.com/2010/01/hollow-core-greenland-paddle.html">Schwarz GP</a>; Gnarlydog an <a href="http://www.elverpaddles.com/page/page/6943628.htm">Elver GP </a>& Adventuretess a borrowed <a href="http://www.mitchellpaddles.com/paddles/kt/horizon.html">Mitchell GP </a>– <em>thanks Steve</em>).<br />We 3 are all GP newbies, with different kayaking styles and skills. The smart money was on Greg having the easiest time reaching our target of 45 rolls each. Greg and his wife Moira are skilled rollers who practice regularly and enjoy sharing their knowledge with others. They introduced me to balanced bracing and have taught me new rolls, as well as helping me to improve my existing rolls.<br />All the visualisation, vitamins and yoga paid off (I’m kidding, we woke up, drove to the beach and launched) as Gnarlydog set the pace by aggressively rolling 10 times in fast succession.<br />While Gnarly was eager to get his rolls on the tally board, Greg and I were a little slower to begin.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">A healthy competition to be the first to reach 45 was soon underway, our beachfront audience of mostly <a href="http://www.thegreynomads.com.au/">grey nomads </a>watched in alarm before realising we were repeatedly tipping over on purpose.<br />There was a variety of beautiful rolls performed, but the choppy conditions made photographing our quest difficult.<br />My rolls were not always ‘pretty’, but I did not fail any until I passed the 50 mark and started playing with my offside and forward sculling rolls – neither of which I have done before!<br />Gnarlydog was first to reach 45, plus 1 for good luck.<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='396' height='325' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzcL_j4QL5YWwcaA1j7qervXsnbSUAaOQpOnDtTEgS3HkPWxqtfOmhiJAxL-nl9Mp8pYLvajPdxtvR84hT6YA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Greg and I quickly followed and as there was still some air left in the tanks, we continued to roll. Around 60 rolls in, Gnarly’s ADD (Action Deficit Disorder) kicked in and he couldn’t resist surfing the small waves pushing us around.<br />‘Speed rolling’ was something else I hadn’t tried before, so timing each other, we took turns to see how many rolls we could do in 10 seconds. What fun, although I may need to change my name to Dizzytess!<br />Celebrating later with Greg and his wife Moira over a feed of fresh prawns and ginger beer, the new <a href="http://www.seakayakwithgordonbrown.com/">Gordon Brown DVD </a>played in the background as we discussed the different ways to construct traditional paddles and the merits of using different types of wood. It was the perfect end to my birthday challenge.<br />Completing the challenge was a huge achievement for me. The improvement in my rolling during the last 12 months affirmed my 2009 decision to dedicate time to roll and play instead of ‘throwing a few rolls in at the end of a trip’, usually tired and with a loaded boat.<br />I’m now almost more comfortable upside down than right way up in the kayak.<br />2010 presents more opportunities to continue improving my skills, with a strong focus on GP. I am very impressed with traditional paddles and particularly the lack of stress in my body. I also paddle with an <a href="http://gnarlydognews.blogspot.com/2009/09/aleut-paddle-by-vanstix.html">Aleut</a> paddle, which is slightly different to a GP.<br />I could not think of a better way to celebrate turning 45 – <em>except maybe doing 45 different rolls…. </em></span>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-35938496288667471142009-11-30T14:01:00.037+10:002010-01-12T16:17:32.767+10:00Larry Gray at the Australian Sea Kayak Symposium<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBP1X-LLqa6J9Xz6ApwffB__0eUXh6uJuz4L7tJNit3rqlmJYXEzFU6dpjfJD5X0s4LELzzeIQqIdc5U5opZAEPN-XE-xN9vOxPpZ_88jz5Yy4Bg_01YEaC9QhnJs-RSaCnOcGJiggiHvr/s1600/Larry_Grey_and_Tess_(c).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409750407444623106" style="WIDTH: 391px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 281px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBP1X-LLqa6J9Xz6ApwffB__0eUXh6uJuz4L7tJNit3rqlmJYXEzFU6dpjfJD5X0s4LELzzeIQqIdc5U5opZAEPN-XE-xN9vOxPpZ_88jz5Yy4Bg_01YEaC9QhnJs-RSaCnOcGJiggiHvr/s320/Larry_Grey_and_Tess_(c).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Larry Gray and Tess<br />Australian Sea Kayak Symposium, Currumbin, Qld.<br /><br /></em></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>“When we become one with the sea, a primal part of ourselves is released. We recover that instinct all human beings shared before we distanced ourselves from the living world around us. Ironically we feel more empowered by leaving behind all of the props of the modern world.<br />Perhaps, that is why so many seek the simplicity of the kayak. It is the ultimate craft for merging with the ocean, for understanding its moods and surrendering to its dynamism. When we enter the ocean in a sea kayak, we combine with a greater force. We start to understand who we truly are and what we are capable of.”<br />Larry Gray<br /></em><br />Renowned Australian sea kayak adventurer, award winning documentary maker and <a href="http://www.pittarak.com.au/home.html">Pittarak</a> sea kayak designer Larry Gray was the guest presenter at the 2009 Australian Sea Kayak Symposium.<br /><br />Relatively unknown in Queensland’s sea kayaking community, Larry impressed everyone with his unpretentious behaviour. His skills workshops were extremely popular after the opening night audience were kept spellbound during his presentation. Sharing his experiences honestly and with unrestrained physical animation, Larry entertained while his documentarys amazed. Tales of close calls, ingenious gear fixes and an implicit acceptance of indigenous ways, offered an insight into this unaffected man.<br /><br />Larry’s style might be considered unorthodox in some sea kayaking circles, but it would be a mistake to underestimate him as a sea kayak adventurer or documentary maker.<br /><br />His first kayak expedition in the 1970's began as 2 mates going for a paddle -that lasted 6 months <a href="http://www.pittarak.com.au/news/whereslarry.html">Mallacoota to Torres Strait Island</a>. During his documentary making career, Larry has captured incredible vision surfing through storms and breathtaking images from his 1980's expedition to Greenland.<br /><br />His partner <a href="http://www.primalvision.tv/contact.html">Producer Mary O’Malley </a>and son often travel with Larry to remote locations and feature in some of his documentaries.<br /><br />His continuing passion for indigenous communities and kayaking adventures ensures his life remains the proverbial ‘Boys Own Adventure’. In fact Larry’s boyish charm is evident during his demonstration of the difficult ‘Stealth Roll’.</span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='409' height='315' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzynTttToMNgxUOplbhx8udwdqsdmNnz_Bfj2-TMbA0pc6RhCeAkqzYIdENLfavTfxJ4fiNgc-2zc3U3AUR2A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Larry Gray 'Stealth Roll'<br /></em>Larry Gray is no ‘show pony’. During workshops he demonstrates only some of his incredible paddle and boat control skills. While he obviously advocates paddler safety and injury prevention, he doesn’t say that what he does is the only way to sea kayak, or his tools (euro paddle and Pittarak kayak) are the only tools to use.<br />Hopefully this is only the first of many visits to Qld for Larry.<br />To find out more about Larry, purchase his documentarys or contact Larry Gray and Mary O’Malley visit <a href="http://www.pittarak.com.au/contact.php">Pittarak Sea Kayaks </a></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><object height="324" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iZ2yZ8aZaVI&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iZ2yZ8aZaVI&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="324"></embed></object><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202416220460167477.post-29576319097358136782009-11-03T14:01:00.019+10:002009-11-04T11:46:51.842+10:00The Puffin Paddle - One Man. One Brother. One River<a href="http://www.puffinmagic.org.au/pmf-appeals-events-video.htm"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Puffin Magic Foundation</span> </span></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioloonMt2fQbbUDST_vKyzZnSG4va9Z1u90mrTcjHyvALAZcSc1ksfi5sXgA8wVWJTuxKcxHpKQNHlF4HejLSZl3EwIcKoRcFVNLa9RoHF-NvJP0TwJWDre6VQ_RoM_52-OsoPQR0wSHqR/s1600-h/martin-kayak1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400057883079411106" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 112px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioloonMt2fQbbUDST_vKyzZnSG4va9Z1u90mrTcjHyvALAZcSc1ksfi5sXgA8wVWJTuxKcxHpKQNHlF4HejLSZl3EwIcKoRcFVNLa9RoHF-NvJP0TwJWDre6VQ_RoM_52-OsoPQR0wSHqR/s320/martin-kayak1.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbtSqQtf02W5LW4kLZxn07RnZ8fxpGnQTUJ92N_hd7WSwD8JjdnUytdBAtrLn1bW5NeqiTVPLsE8rWTGyNSXEi7SVYm_H8j21hhM_9uYML70n-Vt4nb7fdwfSuhhz-pAyZhWv3kAbexD4/s1600-h/james-and-martin2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400057888432773458" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 112px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbtSqQtf02W5LW4kLZxn07RnZ8fxpGnQTUJ92N_hd7WSwD8JjdnUytdBAtrLn1bW5NeqiTVPLsE8rWTGyNSXEi7SVYm_H8j21hhM_9uYML70n-Vt4nb7fdwfSuhhz-pAyZhWv3kAbexD4/s320/james-and-martin2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">I became aware of <strong><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">The Puffin Paddle</span></strong> while reading </span><a href="http://www.fatpaddler.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#3333ff;">Fatpaddler</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#3333ff;">'s</span> blog. Sean (Fatpaddler), shared this incredible story of tragedy, hope and brotherly love that I now share with you.<br /><br />On 1 November 2008 <span style="color:#c0c0c0;">James Gribble</span> suffered a severe spinal injury in a freak accident, rendering him a quadriplegic. Waiting to go Tiger fishing on the mighty Zambezi River on a terribly hot day, James merely fainted whilst sitting on a stool, falling backward onto hard sand.<br /><br />The result of this seemingly innocuous occurrence was catastrophic. The impact of the fall severely bruised his spinal cord and broke his C4 and C5 vertebrae, leaving James with voluntary movement only from his shoulder up.<br /><br />Due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the location, it was 30 hours before James reached fully qualified medical care. This delay worsened his condition by causing fluid to collect in his lungs, leading to respiratory complications.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><a href="http://puffinmagic.org.au/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">The Puffin Magic Foundation </span></a>(PMF)</span></strong> was founded with the goal of supporting James throughout his rehabilitation and to expand to support other quadriplegics.<br />In an effort to raise funds for the PMF, James’ younger brother, <span style="color:#cccccc;">Martin will attempt to kayak the length of the Murray River from Albury-Wodonga on the NSW / Victorian border, to Goolwa, South Australia.<br /></span><br />Paddling constantly rain, hail or shine, The Puffin Paddle will take 56 days to complete the 2,200km journey and will commence on 1 November this year-hopefully Martin will finish on time and make it home for Christmas with James and his family.<br /><br />Read the blog of Martin's journey driven by love of one brother for another </span><a href="http://puffinpaddle.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#3333ff;">http://puffinpaddle.wordpress.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzgJec6PDLkAvo-WH8o3Ym_YdzpxutQDsS3mJRL09BN3nMUakgTqP8FGtCj1Xbu1TqELohc30RLzjxVWQM1TeEiLGXN3yHM2TmQ7zHdCUiJP9dEjw1t6vBrTPEuXSuuTR7eLqMxPvsBHd/s1600-h/pmf-relection.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399725177264236514" style="WIDTH: 226px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzgJec6PDLkAvo-WH8o3Ym_YdzpxutQDsS3mJRL09BN3nMUakgTqP8FGtCj1Xbu1TqELohc30RLzjxVWQM1TeEiLGXN3yHM2TmQ7zHdCUiJP9dEjw1t6vBrTPEuXSuuTR7eLqMxPvsBHd/s320/pmf-relection.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>Adventuretesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17810062311489979141noreply@blogger.com0