From  Seapaddler.co.uk

After two issues of “This is the Sea” one wondered whether the formula had run its course, but watching the third volume I realised almost immediately that this was a series which has plenty of mileage left. The format has remained the same with a range of contrasting short films. The opening section on Scottish tidal races is something quite special; it starts off in the predictable waves of the Grey Dog to the more confusing waters of the Falls of Lora.

Maintaining the Scottish connection is a 10-minute section on the Shetlands. Justine paddled to the islands from the Scottish mainland to speak at the Shetland Symposium and this is a record of that part of the event. Whilst there, Justine and Alan managed to visit Foula, one of the remotest parts of the British Isles. The return crossing in a thunderstorm looks like a pretty serious undertaking.

Contrasting with what are essentially travel dialogues, are a series of interviews with a number well known personalities from the sea kayaking world. Paul Caffyn is possibly the best-known sea kayaker in the world, his achievements are legendary and so it is a pleasure to hear him talk about his exploits. For anybody who is interested in the evolution of modern sea kayaking this is essential viewing.

For those who are interested in what is possible in a kayak then the film of Cheri Perry and Freya Hoffmeister performing a range of Greenland rolls is pretty inspiring.

Returning to the more dynamic aspects of sea kayaking then, the short film of the cartwheel in the surf of Trearddur Bay is something else. It requires repeat viewings to fully appreciate the manoeuvre.

The final section is a 40 minute film of an Australian expedition to Antarctica. At times, conditions were so extreme that they feared for their lives but they did succeed in paddling along the Antarctic Peninsula. This is a particularly poignant section of the DVD as the driving force behind the expedition is Andrew McAuley who tragically lost his life whilst crossing from Tasmania to New Zealand.

This isn’t the complete breakdown of the DVD, there are plenty of other short sections which contribute to over 2 hours of compulsive viewing. I am sure that many of you will have pre-ordered This is the Sea 3 and have already watched it several times, but if you haven’t already seen it I would encourage you to buy a copy. Seeing what other paddlers have achieved can only encourage us to extend our own boundaries whether that is geographically or in the type of water that we paddle. Owning your own copies of This is the Sea will ensure that you have access to some of the best footage of sea kayaking ever produce.

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