Author: Justine

I have a very exciting new toy! An 18 foot Valley Rapier. In a pretty shade of blue.

Barry already has a Rapier & I’ve been trusted with it every now and again, including doing the Menai Challenge last year! Although when I took the Rapier, it took me 12 minutes to get under Menai Bridge against the tide which meant I had a slower time than when I did it in the Valley Etain. This year I’m more familiar with the Rapier so will hopefully ‘do better next time’!

I really enjoyed my few trys in the Rapier & I developed quite a taste for the extra speed, so now have my very own. I’ve been out in it a few times and am getting used to using a rudder. I’m enjoying exploring a new aspect of kayaking & hope to get fitter & quicker.

Today Barry and I took them from Rhoscolyn to Parliament House cave and back, which was pretty exciting. They are definitely not as stable as a ‘regular’ sea kayak and therefore I have fewer photos than I would usually have! But despite it being wind over tide in Rhoscolyn, Penrhyn Mawr & South Stack, I only used 1 brace & felt comfortable on the water. I’m sure paddling the Rapier will improve my balance & technique & I’m really enjoying it.

Reviews are like busses at the moment…. 3 great reviews have been published in magazines within a day or two of each other. Seakayaker (see previous blog), Ocean Paddler & the Welsh BCU magazine, Ceufad were all impressed with “This is the Roll“. Here is Ceufad’s review. I hope to show the full reviews from ‘Ocean Paddler’ and ‘Seakayaker’ in a few months, when they are no longer in ‘the current issue’.

The Ocean Paddler offer for a 2-year subscription, plus a free copy of ‘This is the Roll” is still on—click here to get 2-years digital subscription for £30, or print edition for £60. Or find the DVD in our webshop…. or your local paddling store.

I’ve just seen a great review of ‘This is the Roll‘ in the new August edition of “Seakayaker” magazine. You’ll have to get hold of the magazine to read the whole thing but here is a little snippet! The reviewer recommends the DVD to anyone wanting to learn their first roll, to instructors looking for better ways to teach rolling or for people who have struggled to learn forward finishing rolls.

Just for the record, I have linked to every review of “This is the Roll” that I’m aware of – I’m not just sharing the positive ones. Happily, every review I have seen so far has been very complimentary.

Digital copies of ‘Seakayaker magazine’ are US$4.95. Click here to buy the August 2012 issue

Ooh, and don’t forget you can vote for me (or the others) for ‘female paddler of the year’ in the Canoe & Kayak magazine awards. Click here! It’s free and it doesn’t take long.

On 21-23 rd July I am working at a Women’s Sea kayak Festival on the Scottish Isle of Bute, alongside top paddlers & coaches Carol Lang & Kate Duffus. The fantabulous Sarah Outen will also be coming up for the Sunday night and Monday of the Festival & will give a talk about her looping-the-planet adventures on Sunday night. I’m really looking forward to hearing more about her looping-the-planet adventures over the last year & trying to get some idea of just how frightening it must have been to be caught in a typhoon in her rowing boat off Japan.

The sea kayak festival was fully booked but there have been 2 cancellations, so if you fancy coming along (and you are female!)  then get in touch with the organiser, Roddy of Kayak Bute.

I’ve just found out that Lesley Mackay & Pam Forsyth will be teaching a fun introduction to Greenland-style rolling on the Monday morning – it’s looking like a great event!