Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

This video was put together by “Canoe & Kayak” magazine from an interview that Joe Glickman did with me earlier in the year – and using my footage. The interview and Joe’s introduction was published in their July issue, and is reprinted on their website here. On that page, you can also watch the video without sitting through an advert first!

If you haven’t had enough of me after that, the current issue of Seakayaker magazine features the story of our return to Tierra Del Fuego.

When I graduated as a geologist a long time ago and was deciding whether to work in the field, one of my first questions to my lecturers was ‘How do I get to Antarctica as a geologist?’ The answer was to spend 3 years working on a pHd, which didn’t appeal to me. Instead, I immersed myself in film making and exploring the world by sea kayak. But the desire to visit the magical landscape and seascape of Antarctica has never gone away .

While Barry and I were kayaking around Tierra Del Fuego last year, we wandered into the harbour in Ushuaia and stumbled upon the “Spirit of Sydney” yacht. Co-incidentally, not only did I know one of the people working on board, Phil Wickens, it was also the same yacht that supported Andrew McAuley and friends on their kayak trip along the Antarctica peninsula. The skippers Cath Hew & Darrel Day are in the film I edited of that trip and have supported dozens of trip to Antarctica, the Patagonia Fjords and South Georgia.

They take sea kayakers, mountaineers, TV crews and adventurous sightseers on  up-close-and-personal journies to these wild places that team with wildlife. They recently offered me the chance to be an assistant leader on one of their trips if I can match them up with some sea kayakers who want an experience of a lifetime to the icebergs, penguins, whales and dramatic landscapes of the frozen South. There are some spaces on a sea kayaking trip to Antarctica from Dec 31st – Jan 25th 2014. Are you interested?

The Spirit of Sydney sets sail from Ushuaia and the first adventure is the 550 nautical mile sail across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic peninsula, with a stop at Cape Horn if weather permits. This typically takes 5-6 days. The brochure says,

Spirit of Sydney is an ocean greyhound and her origins as a southern ocean ’round the world’ racing yacht reflect in her thoroughbred handling and the chance to steer a real racing yacht in the southern ocean is an exhilarating experience in itself, an exhilaration matched by the soaring flight of wandering albatrosses as they lift off the wave tops and soar above the yacht. Adventurous guests of all abilities are catered for, (you don’t need to be an experienced sailor to lend a hand) as the yacht is easily shorthanded, and even non-sailors have returned as seasoned veterans of southern ocean sailing.

Our arrival in Antarctic waters is heralded by porpoising penguins and the fantastical shapes of weird and wonderful icebergs, with anchorage perhaps at Whaler’s Bay in the sunken caldera of volcanic Deception Island – home to 300,000 pairs of bustling noisy chinstrap penguins. High jagged peaks, overhanging seracs, huge glaciers dropping newly formed ice bergs into the ocean…… and everywhere life abounds in this icy paradise.

Once there, the itinerary can be adapted to the small group of 6 or 7 on board the yacht. Kayaking trips of a few hours, a day or overnight trips of several days can be on the menu, depending on the weather and the desires of the participants. There are opportunities to walk, shoe shoe, toboggan or even ski on Antarctica, as well as explore the remnants of the whaling industry and an visit an unmissable hot springs!

Days 6-22 Our next days merge into each other as we cruise the relatively sheltered waters of the Antarctic Peninsula, exploring the wild and beautiful landscape and fascinating plethora of animal life. The chance to see this “Last Paradise” as part of a small and flexible group offers opportunities for adventures that are beyond the realms of travel by any other means. As an independent yacht we are able to visit tiny coves and shallow anchorages where one can enjoy the magnificent solitude of one of the remotest places on earth, while watching close-up the antics of the local inhabitants, curious leopard seals, playful humpback whales, or frenetically busy penguins. You are part of the landscape! – and we have the time and flexibility to stop and enjoy it. This is an expedition and you are a participant. As we sail through spectacular islands and straits you may take the helm or climb the mast to look for leads in the ice. Imagine yourself as one of the first visitors, early explorer or whaler, pushing into new territory, dwarfed by the awesome majesty of the landscape, and astonished by the amazing wealth of animal life.

After over 2 weeks to explore, the Spirit sets sail back to Ushuaia.

There are 6 Current Designs ‘Storm’ kayaks available for use on board, plus paddles with pogies, spray deck, pump, and lifejackets. They have 6 hand held VHFs and 2 hand held GPS. You can bring your own drysuits or use their Kokatat suits.

Once you step aboard ‘Spirit of Sydney’ all food, drinks including local beer and Argentinean wine, port fees and Antarctic permits, and Iaato passenger fees are supplied.

So if you – like me – dream of one day going an adventurous trip to one of the remotest places on Earth – sailing there and sea kayaking past fairytale icebergs while watching close-up the antics of curious leopard seals, playful humpback whales, or frenetically busy penguins… then think about when ‘one day’ is! How about this January!? For more information, see the Spirit of Sydney website 0r facebook page. Kath’s contact details are on both – email her for more details and prices.

Magazine Carnets d'Aventures in France have published a review of "This is the Sea 5" in their 
latest issue. Even if you don't understand French, you can see they like it by the heart 
next to the review. I think that means it's their favourite of the books and DVDs that 
they reviewed, which is great news! I don't think they mention that there are optional
French (and Spanish, and Italian) subtitles - but there are. 
If you haven't seen it yet then you can buy the DVD or the download. 

On the DVD, you can chose whether to turn any of the subtitles on. 
The downloads are available without subtitles, or with French, Spanish or Italian subtitles. 

has recently been published in English. 
The 320 page book contains 60 paddles 
around Brittany including advice on 
linking paddles into longer trips. 
I've got a copy and it looks great!
Cordee stock it in the UK.

Here is a translation of the review - 
kindly provided by Thomas Plassan.

The favorite of Johanna. 
We liked previous "TITS", this one even more ! 
Each DVD is divided into several parts: 
films about the kayaking trips, and other 
shorter with the activities, people or particular 
places, all related to sea kayaking. 
The director, Justine Curgenven, excellent full 
of energy kayaker takes part in the expeditions. 
Her films are alive and well edited, with images
filmed at the heart of the action. 
In this No. 5 DVD, four expeditions take us in
many different places and conditions: 
- Circumnavigation of Tierra del Fuego of nearly 
1000 miles, a difficult and committed journey, 
sometimes surrounded by large marine mammals ! 
- London-France and Russia-Japan: Justine then 
accompanied kayaker Sarah Outen in her
trip around the world without motorized 
equipment (alternating sea kayaking, 
cycling and rowing boat, www.sarahouten.com) 
- Sardinia circumnavigation 
- Sicily, Aeolian Islands and their active volcanos !
 Other sequences - from surfing in boat wakes 
on the River Thames to waves in Wales, 
through downwind surf skiing or rolling in rough 
seas 
- we are discovering aspects of sea kayaking 
sometimes unexpected and surprising! 
A nice pleasing mix of interesting 
and informative films to see.

This thorough review was published in Atlantic Coastal Kayaker. If you want to know more detail about what’s in the DVD then read on! If you haven’t seen it yet then you can buy the DVD – or download high definition versions of the films you like the look of. Individual films start at just £1.99 (approx. $3 or 2.50 Euros). The downloads are priced in UK £, but the films play in all regions on your computer or TV. If you prefer a DVD then click here for the UK/ Europe / Australia store – and here for the US/ Canada / South America / Japan store.

And remember at the moment, we are giving away a free sea kayak keyring to people who buy 2 or more DVDs from the store.

Happy paddling – or viewing – or both!