Blog

  • Scotland, Nova Scotia, Norway and Wales

    Michal_Madera_photo_ButeHaving been home in Wales for most of the Summer, I have a bit of travelling to do in the next few weeks.

    It actually started last weekend, when I travelled up to the Island of Bute for their 2nd Women’s sea kayak symposium. I really enjoyed the event  – the atmosphere is friendly, supportive and good fun, Bute is very pretty and the evening meals put on by the Ettrick Bay tearooms were finger-licking good! I’m told there will be another one – although it might not be next year. There is a facebook group here. The photo above is by Michal Madera – he has more here and here and here.

    Nova_Scotia_talk

    In a week or so, I head to Nova Scotia for the first time which I’m really looking forward to. I’ll be attending the Bay of Fundy sea kayak symposium and enjoying some paddling with Chris Lockyer from Committed 2 the Core seakayaking in the Bay of Fundy area – home to the largest tidal range in the world. Bring it on!

    This symposium sold out months ago, but a few people have had to drop out so there are still a few places if you are interested. The is also an opportunity to run the Shubie bore the 2 days before the symposium with some top coaches, which should be great fun. Even if you aren’t going to the symposium, I’m giving a talk on 17th September in Halifax which is open to anyone in the area.

    On 12th and 13th October, I’ll be in Norway at Bolgefestivalen – a paddle festival organised by Kajakkentusiastene, in an area in southern Norway that I haven’t visited before.

    The following weekend, I’m in home waters at the Anglesey Seakayak festival. This is the 2nd event run by the Kayak Essentials Team.

  • French love for ‘This is the Sea 5’

    T5review_carnets_french_jpeg

    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. 

Carnets_review_overview_jpeg

Brittany_seakayak_book
    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.

     

  • Cackle films on the Nautical Channel

    Haida_Gwaii_west_coastIf you have access to the Nautical Channel then you can switch over and watch some of our adventure documentaries . 7 sea kayaking and canoeing films have been packaged into a series called “Kayak Diaries”.

    They have been airing for a while now – here is the schedule.

    the Kayak Diaries will go on air every Sunday at 21.00 from the 5th of May. Please find below the first airing times.
     
    ANTARCTICA  05/05/2013
    HAIDA GWAII 12/05/2013
    ISLANDS OF FIRE 19/05/2013
    SOUTH ISLAND CIRCUMNAVIGATION 26/05/2013
    THE MOUNTAIN RIVER 02/06/2013
    RANNOCH MOOR 09/06/2013
    THE MOOSE RIVER 16/06/2013
     
    Below the runs of each show:
     
    Sundays 21.00
    Mondays 02.00, 08.00, 16.00
    Tuesdays 00.00, 09.00, 18.00
    Wednesdays 07.00, 15.00
    Thursdays 05.00, 11.00, 23.00
    Fridays 06.00, 14.00
    Saturdays  05.00, 15.00, 22.00
    Sundays 17.00

    If you don’t have the Nautical Channel then you can buy downloads of all these great films – and more – for as little as £1.99. Or you can buy the DVDs that they were published on – This is Canoeing – This is the Sea 4 and This is the Sea 3. These are available as DVDs or you can save money and buy the whole DVD package as a download.

    Mountain_River

  • “Personalities Drive the Action” – ACKs ‘This is the Sea 5’ review

    TITS5_ Coastal_kayaker_review1

     

    TITS5_ Coastal_kayaker_review2This 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!