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SKC Blog
News & Notes From Jeff & Simon.
Busy year ahead!
2010 looks to be a busy year with Jeff and Simon attending various events around the world to run courses and give presentations. The year starts off with Jeff heading over the pond to the west coast of the US to the San Francisco symposium in Feb.
For a the full details of what events we are attending click here
San Francisco Symposium Feb 26-28 Jeff running courses
London Kayakathon April 2010 Simon organising
SKUK Symposium Anglesey MAY 2010 Simon running courses
Norway Expedition June 19-27 2010 Jeff and Simon leading
Malta expedition June 2010 Jeff leading expedition
Heb Challenge June-July 2010 Jeff - Sea Safety Officer
Finland symposium Aug 2010 Jeff and Simon attending
Storm Gathering 2010
SKC Symposium Sept 11-12 2010 Running the show
NDK Dealers meet Sept 20-24 2010 Getting out and playing!
Sea Kayak Georgia Symposium Oct 2010 Running courses
Iceland Sea Kayak event 2010 Jeff and Simon running 4* courses
Watch this space as more events are confirmed ......
Labels: events, incident management, lecture, nec international canoe exhibition, symposium
Winter Action
All of our 2010 sea kayaking courses and expeditions are now online on our calendar. We have exciting new courses and expeditions as well as the normal 2 and 5 day courses in Cornwall. If you cant find the dates you are after than let us know and we will see what we can do.
Bring on the spring
SKC Facebook page
Enjoy! Jeff and Simon
Norway training in Cornwall January 2010 The recent run of winter weather has created some good home grown surf on our local beaches. This gave Jeff & Jim the oppurtunity to get out and do some training for their up and coming leg of the Norway expedition this spring. Jeff will be joined by Jim Frampton and Petr Major for this next leg of the Scandinavian Circumnavigation. Vaughn Roberts was there to snap some great photos. The surf in Cornwall at this time of year is amazing but you just have to wrap up to enjoy it! You will be able to follow their progress by login on to the Jim carving a line towards the beach  Jeff coming in to land at Swanpool  Jim landing at the end of a good days paddlingLabels: expedition, jeff
2010 Courses and Expeditions
With snow on the ground there is no better time to plan your summer kayaking trips. All of the details for the Sea Kayaking Cornwall 2010 courses and expeditions are now online.
If you cant find the courses on the dates you require just let us know and we will see if we can arrange somthing for you.
Enjoy the snow Jeff and Simon
The Surf is here
 (photographer Peter Major) The season has quietened down in cornwall which has given us both a chance to get out and play.  (photographer Peter Major)
The 4th UK Annual UK Storm Gathering 2nd Sea Kayaking Cornwall Symposium 2009
This September saw Sea Kayaking Cornwall host the 4th UK annual Storm Gathering, the event was timed to coincide with their own annual symposium and bought paddlers from as far a-field as Denmark, Holland, Germany and even Australia. Coaches from around the South West were invited to participate and the Peninsula was explored by all.
Day one was a series of clinics where students at all levels were to explore and expand their skills in the Falmouth Bay area.
Day Two was a day for exploration with paddles around the county, trips to the Lizard and Lands End were organised and J.P Eatock of Falmouth Marine School even managed to lead his group out to the Long Ships and the Brisons Reefs which offered proof that the conditions were much less than Stormy, in fact the event could not have asked for better weather conditions.
Surfing sessions in Sea Kayaks on Cornwall’s famous north coast breaks were held by Steve Bowens, also of Falmouth Marine School and a lot of fun was had by all.
On the Saturday night a presentation was held on Simon Osborne’s recent attempt at Circumnavigating Madagascar, with some amazing photographs viewed and stories recited from a part of the world seldom travelled, let alone paddled.
Immediately after the event SKC held a series of 5 day clinics, these included the new 5 day Sea kayak Rescue and safety course which incorporated elements from the Sea Survival programme developed last year with Dave Whiddon from the RNLI, as well as night rescues and navigation exercises, clinics for both the advanced and intermediate paddler's were held.
A special thanks must go to 'Survival Equipment Services' for the loan of the one man life rafts and H.E.L.P packs. For more information on these and how Sea kayakers can use them as part of their contingency plans go to: Jeff and Simon would like to thank all of the students and coaches who attended, making it a very memorable occasion indeed.
gale force images
Thanks to Peter Major for some amazing images taken on our courses this year.
 We had perfect conditions to go from falmouth around the lizard and finished at mullion. The perfect intro to camping from a sea kayak.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Norway Expedition update
22 03 2009
We had a superb day out on the water with members of the Bergen Kayaking community. We all met up in the small fishing village of Glasvier, on the outer coast. We spent the first hour of the day discussing leadership, incident management, and rescue training. Then it was out on the water for 3 or 4 hours of training. Rescues and towing techniques were practiced in ever increasing conditions, in fact on occasion the weather certainly increased too much and had us hurrying for cover. Squalls came through several times, strong winds, hail, snow and then glorious sunshine and blue skies which all shared the same five minutes.
Mark and I would both like to thank the guys we got to meet and paddle with, we hope to catch up with you again, maybe back home in Cornwall or Maine.
My apologies to the chairman of Austevol Kayaking club, we wanted to be able to meet and paddle with you guys. When I received your SMS I thought your club lay to the North of Bergen, my eyes betrayed me and I mistook Austevol for Askvol, we did not arrive in Glasvier until late in the day and tiredness got the better of me. We both hope to get to paddle with you some time in the future.
All the best
Jeff and Mark
Update Sea Kayak Scandinavia The journey continues.......Well not quite, Oliver my son, and I have been over here for a week now, exploring the local Stavangar area, paddling through the many islands and walking in the surrounding mountains. Oliver shall soon be off to the RAF hopefully and this has been a great week for us to spend together in fine company and a wilderness setting. Preikestolen Rock (Pulpit Rock) is a must see/do location if you are ever over here and the ideal person that you could make contact with for local knowledge would be Erling Brox(erlingb@gmail.com) Erling and his lovelly wife Sonja have been our hosts for the past week and they have been very kind, treating us with fine accomodation and superb home made cooking as well as showing us around. In fact Sonja has hand knitted me a wonderful woolen hat with kayakers in the patterning. Last Friday I presented to the local sea kayak club, previous expeditions as well as future projects were spoken about and viewed on slides at a local pub, I think it was well recieved as everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Mark has now left the U.S and is on his way over to join me, Oliver sadly has to return home to the U.K tomorrow, Mark and I shall then, shortly after be setting out, paddling Northwards once more, we hope to make it to Bergen by the weekend, where we shall be meeting up with local kayakers there to do some training together. I hope everyone is well back home, I am missing everyone, especially Lizzie, we shall be getting married this December and I can't wait to see her soon. Love and best regards Jeff and Ollie
Any one into Kayak sailing?
I've spent the last few month's mucking around with sailing rigs, on both single and double sea kayaks. Its quite a large sail area, the first reef involves quite literally folding the sail in half, after that it rolls around the mast itself. Its been great fun and taking it out in a strong wind with my son in the back seat of one of Rob Feloy's Voyageur double sea kayaks was really quite exciting. The sail's design came about after chatting to Rob at the South West boat show, I went away and chatted with Dave Buchannon, a local sail maker and came up with this. The sail double's up as an emergency shelter, in much the same way as an army basher, but has a distinctively orange glow beneath it. Anyone interested in purchasing one can email us at info@seakayakingcornwall.com or call me direct on 07788690183. 
SKC Symposium
Well the symposium has come and gone. We have had a really busy end to the summer. There was a great number of people who made their way south to join us on the water for our first symposium. Nigel Dennis came down from North Wales to run classes and gave a truly inspirational presentation on expedition paddling. On the Saturday everyone paddled in Falmouth bay as the tall ships made their parade of sail along the coast.
 On the sunday people headed to some of the best locations in cornwall for surf, cliffs and tides. We really enjoyed the event and are looking forward to running it again next year.
For more photographs please follow the link below to view a slideshow by Petr Major of Gale force images.
http://www.photobiz.com/slideshowbiz/slideshow.cfm?slideshowID=29283&photographerID=5790
See you next year!Labels: events, lecture, symposium
Scilly Isles Expedition 2008 I have just returned from SKC's Scilly Isles expedition, this is our second years Xped to this unique archiplego of low lying isles which stand approximately 22 miles south west of mainland Britain. The islands are very tropical in their appearance and have a unique charm. Poor weather throughout the week did nothing to steal away the beauty of our surroundings or dampen the spirits of those who made the journey with us. Everyone did very well, extending their paddling experience by learning on the move, often in advance conditions. Simon did a fantastic job in organising the schedule and is still out there with another group of paddlers. Demand for places on the trip led to us extending our stay on the isles. A full gallery of images will be going up on our website upon Simons return but for now here is an image from the first weeks Xped. A big thankyou to Mike, Geoff, Dave, Sally, Charlie, Lisa, Nick and Nicky for being such great guys, we hope you had a wonderful time. 
Ride, Stride, Glide.
Neil Jordan set off this morning from a Falmouth beach on the final leg of an amazing personal challenge. On the 23rd June last year Neil lost his wife to Cancer.
Neil decided shortly after this tragic loss that he was going to do something to help try and raise funds for Cancer research.
The challenge has been to journey from John O Groats to Lands End through cycling, canoeing, Walking and finally by sea kayaking from Falmouth’s Maenporth beach to Sennen Cove, he hopes to arrive there by Wednesday of this week. He will then be making the final walk from Sennen beach to Lands End along the coastal footpath. Nigel is going to be accompanied on this final leg by Simon.
Since setting out Neil has managed to so far raise £14,000 and he is hoping to reach a target of £30,000 to pass over to Cancer research at the end of his journey.
You can read more about Neil’s challenge by looking at the following web site:
'Planning this journey is giving my life some kind of purpose and meaning. It is also an opportunity to gain additional skills, make new friends, and to undertake a journey which combines many of the things that I enjoy with raising funds for charity.
I believe that Linda would approve of what I am taking on and I hope that the monies raised will help Cancer Research UK in their work of finding a cure for cancer and Sobell House to continue to offer the care, comfort and support that Linda and the family valued so much in her final days’.
Neil Jordan
For anyone wishing to join Neil on the final leg of the official finish of the Linda Jordan Memorial Ride-Stride-Glide – ‘The last lap’ - will be on Saturday 26th July, when Neil will start from the car park in Sennen Cove at 2.30 pm to walking the last stretch of his long journey to Lands End.
 Yvonne, Nick and Sandra in front of the Benoit Glacier, Blackstone Bay.Alaska
Expedition in Prince William Sound
For the last two weeks, I have been away in Alaska, along with Nick, Sandra and Yvonne. Together we spent seven days on expedition in the Prince William Sound area. The whole region is renowned for its Tide water Glaciers and wildlife and we were not to be dissapointed in our time there.
Although we had a mixed bag of weather, this only served to heighten the experience.
Below are a few images from the expedition which we shall be running again next year.  Getting ready to leave from Whittier
 An overcast sky, followed by heavy rain did nothing to hide Alaska's beauty
 After several days of inclement weather the sun came through and revealed Alaska's beauty.
Blackstone Bay forms a perfect backdrop to the third days camp site.  Bald Eagles were a common site along with many other species wildlife.
All in all I have got to say that the expedition was a very memorable experience and marks the start of what I hope becomes a lasting relationship with a very special part of our planet. Many thanks to Tom Pogson of Alaska Kayak School for the use of his Explorers.
 Sea Kayak UK Symposium 2008
25th Anniversary Anglesey
Hi guys, Nigel Dennis recently hosted his 25th sea kayaking symposium here on Anglesey. The event was extremely well organised and attended by paddlers from numerous countries from around the world.
'It was in 1983 that the first sea kayaking meet was planned. I wanted to start an annual meet specifically for enthusiastic like minded paddlers. I spoke to Frank Goodman who owned Valley Canoe Products and he decided to help with the event. This was fantastic as all my early years of kayaking had been in a Nordkap and Frank had always helped with expeditions etc. I decided to call the event the Nordkap meet. There would be a small charge for attending the gathering but it would be free to owners of VCP kayaks. These early events were simple as we met on the Friday had an evening lecture every night, met after breakfast and the more experienced paddlers would offer to lead trips and by 10:00 am all were off paddling for the day.
Over a period of time the event grew into the symposium we now know. Unfortunately Frank retired but the event continued.
Time goes by quickly and now some 25 years later we are planning some small changes for 2009. With help I hope to develop an additional section of the meet to run alongside the main event for the 2 to 3 Star kayaker.
Finally the event over the years has been supported by many Coaches and Expedition paddlers offering to help and for this I am very grateful. Without the help from people who enjoy giving back to the sport the event would not run as we know it'. 'A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO ALL'. Nigel Dennis
We had very good weather, with the exception of some fog, this just added to the mystique of this unique island. The tides were big and this gave some exciting conditions in the races. On the Saturday night Sam Cooke gave us all a splendid lecture
on the early days of sea kayaking as well as recounting his early expeditions to Nordkap and Svalbard.
On the Sunday, Des Keaney of Deep Blue Sea kayaking presented on his recent circumnavigation of Cape Horn, both were natural speakers and kept the audience well amused.
Thank you once more Nigel for inviting us to help out at this fantastic event.
Jeff & Simon
Below are several images from the event.
Ride Stride Glide
Sea Kayaking Cornwall have been helping Neil prepare his skills for the epic journey he is about to undertake in aid of Cancer Research in memory of his wife Linda. He will set off from john o groats, and using a bike, open canoe and kayak he will make his way to Lands End in Cornwall. The last section is to be undertake by Sea kayak from Lyme Regis to Lands End.
We hope to find a paddler that could accompany him on the sea kayaking section of the journey. The kayaking section should start in mid July and take around 2 weeks. If you are interested please get in touch with us and we can give you more information on the journey.
Sea Kayaking Cornwall wishes Neil the very best of luck in his challenge and we are looking forward to welcoming him in to Cornish waters.
Good luck from Simon and Jeff Labels: events, expedition
Jeffs Expedition Jeff is well underway on his Scandinavian adventure. You can see photos and follow his progress here.
Alaska Expedition- places available
Alaska Expedition 2008  Alaska is one of the last true wildernesses in the World. We will spend 8 days and 7 nights out in the majestic Price William Sound. The area is well known for its amazing marine life and carving Glaciers. Taking everything we need to survive with us in the NDK fibreglass kayaks we will explorer the Sound looking out for whales and dolphins as we paddle past waterfalls tumbling into the sea from the glaciated hanging valleys. This really will be an experience of a lifetime.
Length:- 10 days (7 nights 8 days paddling) Price:- £1400 Photos:- Click here for images from our expeditions Full info:- Click here for a PDF of the full details Dates:- Click here for our calendar of courses Includes:- Instruction, camping food, shuttle, 2 night’s accommodation and all equipment needed
We both took groups out of Kennack Sands towards the Lizard today. Jeff had a 3* assessment and I had the last day of a 5 day Intromediate. We had beautiful surf rolling in from the south west. This is my favourite time of year in Cornwall when all of the beaches are deserted and there is not a surfer in sight.
  Labels: 3*, intromediate sea kayaking
Rob on the 5 day intromediate course We have had a busy 6 weeks here in Falmouth. I have been getting used to the British weather and water temperature and Jeff is getting ready for the start of his Scandinavia expedition. We have been running lots of courses and we have actually had a good amount of sun. The Canoe Expo in Coventry was a success and it was great to catch up with lots of friends. The 2008 course and expedition dates are all online and we are looking forward to the season ahead. Labels: intromediate sea kayaking
End of year demo kayaks for Sale
We have a selection of Kayaks for sale from the years kayaking activities there are a couple of Romany's, a couple of Explorers and a Greenlander should anyone be interested, you can contact Jeff on 07788690183 Simon on 07980616839 or email info@seakayakingcornwall.com.
Israel Symposium 2007 Last week Justine Curgenvan and I headed off to Israel to the first open symposium organised by Hadas Feldman of Optimist Marine Equipment based in Hadera and hosted by Ehud and his son Yosale. http://www.optimist.co.il/
Do you think the world of sea kayaking was ready when Mother nature gave birth to
Justine Curgenvan(as you've never seen her before).
Hadas did a really good job of organising the event which consisted of skills clinics in Incident Management, Core stability workshops, 3 & 4 star assessments and Surf training. There were about 30 paddlers at the event, an event which was made open to all paddlers in Israel. I was very impressed with the standard of skills displayed by both the students and instructors who attended the symposium. This was particularly evident in surf conditions. See below for links to other schools participating.
http://www.gilkayaking.com/
http://www.levyam.co.il/
http://www.kayak4all.com/
http://dor-kayak.co.il/
Images from the symposium below.
 Ehud & Steve Good surf for the first two days of the event
 Assessment Day
For more pictures you can go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/gilramister/KayaksInRoshHanikraWithJeffJustineHadasYossaleRami
First Aid Courses for the winter Months
Just thought i would let you all know we are trying something new this winter. To help expand paddler's knowledge in first aid, we shall be running a series of first aid courses during November and December.
The courses will be specifically targeting sea paddlers needs and shall be a series of progressive course modules.
Emergency, Advanced and Expedition awards, equivalent to the R.E.C. 2,4 & 5 modules.
SKC will be teaming up with Training Expertise to deliver these awards.
For anyone interested in signing up go to our courses page for further information.
Madagascar New update (see Madagascar page for details)
BCU Skills symposium at Sea Kayak Georgia  Lunchtime break near the Triangle
Hi Guys, just returned from Sea Kayak Georgia, first of all I have to make a very big thankyou to Marsha & Ronnie for inviting me over this year...Thanyou! I had an absolutely wicked time. Your hospitality and the organisation of the weeks activities were brilliant. The weather for the week wasnt its best but this did nothing to dampen the event. Listening to comments from both students and instructors alike the symposium was enjoyed by all. Hadas Feldman over from Israel gave an inspired lecture on her recent circumnavigation of Newfoundland with Tomer . Russell Farrow from Sweetwater Kayaks and Phil Eccles over from North Wales gave us an hilarious account of their recent paddling trip to the Hebrides, there were talks each evening and everyone of them was good. Halloween saw many getting changed into fancy dress and the party sponsored by Danny Mongo & Werner paddles was great fun. To all the instructors and students I met, it was great to meet you and I hope we get to paddle again together in the future. (More pics to follow)
Simons away!
Its only 7 days till Simon heads off to Madagascar. Life will continue here in Cornwall with Jeff running a variety of courses over the winter. Keep an eye on the website for updates on course dates and the Madagascar expedition
Greek Islands expedition Sept 2007
For more photos please visit our gallery for lots more pictures to give you an idea what the greek islands are all about. Greek salads, fresh seafood and clear warm water make Greece an amazing place to paddle. We were a multicultural group of 7 paddlers out on the water. Nina and Johan from Iceland, Herbert for Austria, Mitch from the UK, Roz from Irealnd and Saggi from Israel. Sea Kayaking Cornwalls works in connection with Terra Santa Kayaks to run expeditions to the Greek Islands in the area of Kalimnos, north of Kos.  Johan floating in the crystal claer waters off the south end of Kalimnos
 The villages are beautiful once you get off the beaten tourist track. The famous Greek blues in all of their glory.
 We camped out for 3 nights of the expedition on remote beaches. Lighting a fire and sitting drinking Regina in the moonlight was one of my personal highlights that made it the experience it was.
 Kayaks are the best way to explore the islands allowing you to get to the places the tourists cant reach. There was no need for fly sheets as we hardly saw any clouds the entire week.Labels: expedition, greece kayaking
Marine safety Helmets for Sea Kayakers 
Sea Kayaking Cornwall have just gone into a working partnership deal with regards to Gecko Head Gear as well as sponsoring Jeff and Simon for their future expeditions, they will be supplying helmets to SKC for trial and sale through our on-line shop. Gecko have long been regarded as being at the very forefront of marine safety, when it comes to the construction of helmets in both the commercial and leisure sectors of the marine Industry. The RNLI, Coastguard as well as numerous other emergency services have been using their products for several years now.Jeff has been looking throughout the market place for the last few months to find the best product to endorse and recommend from the Incident Management courses he runs and feels he has found the right one. Gecko also manufacture a communication and a film unit which is housed within the helmet and this will surely serve to make the leading of groups in advanced conditions a lot safer. The helmets come with an inflatable liner which makes every helmet a perfect fit, regardless of head size or shape. For further details on Gecko headgear go to: http://www.geckoheadgear.com/
USA Rough Water Symposium Maine Island Kayak Co in association with Nigel Dennis Kayaks hosted a Rough Water Training Symposium in the warm waters surrounding Point Judith Rhode Island, USA the weekend of Labor Day, August 31st - September 2nd, 2007.
 I headed out to run various courses for three days. During the Symposium I ran several clinics, these included: Strokes for moving water environments, Rocks and Ledges and Surf classes. The symposium was a first of its kind aiming at the intermediate to advanced kayaker. The weather was a little too good at times making it hard to find the rough water we were hoping for. However the surf and tide gave us the conditions we needed.
 Timing is everything!
When we said rock hopping we didnt mean hop onto a rock!
 Rough water landings, training on a calm day.
Thanks for inviting me out and giving me a chance to work with you all.
Labels: events, symposium
Isles Of Scilly - Expedition report
 The Team - Yvonne, Charlie, Lisa, David, Jackie, Maddy, John, Mitch Jeff and Simon
Our IOS expedition booked up very early this year and we had been looking forward all summer to get out there with the group. We all met at Maenporth beach for a familiarisation day in the local area. It was the start of Falmouth week so there was lots of boats to avoid while crossing the Fal to St Mawes for strawberries and clotted cream.
 Lisa and Charlie leaving the beach at St Agnes
Hadas & Tomers Final Report from Newfoundland
 Hadas & Tomer at the end of their 66 day circumnavigation of Newfoundland, well done guys!!!
Well 3 days turned into almost a week because we figured we had the time to spend until our flight, so we split the days in 2 and took it real easy. Anyway to sum it up, the trip was fantastic!!!! We have seen some special places and met many new friends along the way. Sixty six days with only 10 real showers... And 6 times of doing laundry. We definitely stank and so does all our stuff by now. Lots of stories still to tell but that will be at home.
We take this chance to say big thanks to all our sponsors: NDK kayaks that did the job staying bone dry the whole way around.
LENDAL paddles that always fit our hands perfectly. EXTRASPORT paddling clothes, PFD's and spray decks that kept us dry and afloat. RUTABAGA that helped keep us warm with the under layers of merino wool and dry bags. EUREKA for the big yellow dry tent, sleeping bags and mats. Jeff Allen for all the moral support. Karel Vissel our forever friend and weather man. Avner Moncaz for the GPS Simon Jansen and Susan Pottle in Corner Brook, NFLD, for all the logistics.
Royal Navy Challenge
Around the Sharp End!  Sorry we haven’t been able to update our blog recently. For the past two weeks or thereabouts, we have been busy training up nine Royal Navy personnel for quite a challenge. The aim was to take 9 volunteers with no previous kayaking experience and get them around Cornwall…..In one piece! Well 9 sailors went out and 9 came back. All nine volunteers acquitted themselves admirably and Simon Harry and I enjoyed an amazing journey around Cornwall with them. 
The team prior to departure.
The challenge started with a two day Intro course which was run by Harry Whelan and myself, Harry down from London for a week was working with me in preparing the group for the challenge.
The first day of the journey saw us paddling out from Pilgrim’s Step’s in Plymouth straight into a 5ft swell and force five gusting 6 south westerly wind, we made it as far as Cawsand before the wind increased further and we had to land. Valuable experience was gained later on in the day when a paddle out to Penlee Point was undertaken to practise surfing skills in the large swells and ebbing tide.
After 36 hours the winds died and we had a cracking paddle along the south coast, Fowey, Mevagissey, Gorran Haven and Falmouth were all visited. On Sunday the team had a chance to demonstrate their new found skills at an RNLI day at Maenporth Beach. 
Basking Sharks in Mounts Bay. Monday had us setting off towards the Lizard, a perfect high pressure, blue skies and calm seas allowed us to make good mileage and we made it around the Lizard and into Kynance Cove. Then an open crossing of 16 KM the following morning to Tater Dhu lighthouse, during which we saw several Basking Sharks before rounding Lands End and into Sennen Cove for a meal of BBQ’d mackerel, washed down by a few pints of ‘Head Launcher’, the local brew. 
Landing at Kynance Cove after rounding the Lizard The guys were now facing the North coast, a committing section of coastline by anyone’s standards and they handled it with style, making it as far as Porthtowan before we had to land through the surf to end the journey in style.
Well done Eddy, Matt, Jesus, Rowan, Mark, Guy, Wally, Adam and a big thank you to Lt Cdr ‘Harry’ Harrington for organising such a successful expedition.
Xped members silhouetted against the Atlantic sunset.
Visit our gallery pages shortly for more pics from the expedition.
Hadas and Tomer in Newfoundland So we are now only 3 paddling days away from the finish. After finally leaving the south coast and a very long time of paddling in the fog with head winds lots of the way, we found the sun again. Yohooo!!!!! It was getting so depressing waking up every day in the fog, we wouldn't recommend it for paddling conditions. On one of those foggy days while we were rafted up for a pee, Tomer was just getting back into his cockpit and I was getting out, a very gray calm Mako SHARK!! appeared right by the side of my kayak. While I was almost having a heart attack and Tomer too, it swam around to his side as I was quickly closing my spray deck and both of us paddling away. After a few minutes that shark, or maybe another one was jumping high up out of the water, and again, and again... We got so scared, didn't stop anymore for peeing until the end of that day. On the south coast there are very few small communities that are trying hard to promote their communities for tourism so that they don't just disappear for ever. In one of them the school just closed this year after only having 2 kids left in it. You can only reach these places by boat or kayak. Now we are left with 3 days, hopefully with following seas. (Finally thanks to the SW prevailing winds of the season). Anyway, we are tired and ready to go home. We will write one last update when we get back, so ciao for now TS & HF
Incident Management for the Sea Monkey's of Massachusetts Almost totally flat conditions welcomed us onto the water this morning. We were running an incident management course for the Sea Monkey's of Massachusetts, a self proclamed eating group with a severe paddling disorder. The calm conditions gave the guys and one gal the chance to put a good stamp on basic rescue and towing techniques, The morning was what you could describe as a wet session, but not half as wet as the afternoon was to become, Launching again after lunch we noticed just how much the swell had changed, giving us perfect conditions to take the level up a notch or two and expose the guys to more realistic rescues and incident scenario's. Difficult landings turned out to be the highlight of the day for most of the guys as well as dealing with un-conscious casualties, dislocated shoulders and missing hatch covers...A very special thankyou goes out to Billy, Galen, Bob, Walter, Jason, Werner, Suz, Jon, Rick and Ollie. Well done Ollie for pulling off your first re-entry and roll!  Flat conditions enabled the guy to put a stamp on the basics
Hadas & Tomer in Newfoundland
Update 
 It's a jungle out there!For weeks now people have been asking if we saw any whales and we said,not yet. Well, it turns out that when these small fish called Kaplan, come close to shore, so do the whales to eat them, and many other swimming creatures as well. One of our days out there on a big sea rounding Cape Race, we saw from far a humpback whale lifting his big long white side wing, and diving down, maybe 20 seconds later we noticed 2 big white spots moving under our kayaks making turbulence on the surface, giving us nearly a heart attack!We felt this was our scariest encounter with the wild life. But then the next day we had a whale come out of the water only 50cm in front of my kayak, diving right under Tomer's just inches away while both of us were racing away from it in opposite directions. At the end of that day we had more than 10 humpbacks around us feeding peacefully.Both our mom's on the phone asked if we got any pictures and both of usseparately answered that we get so scared it paralyzes us so neither goes for the camera. too bad we can't share these experiences.We haven't seen the sun for 2 weeks now because this area has the Labrador current meeting the golf stream bringing thick for, so again we crosses in dark fog another bay with dolphins, seals and whales popping up everywhere.Again, hoping to hear the lighthouse horn, we finally heard it from far. After another hour we saw braking waves and only when we were right under them, we saw these really high cliffs. Yey.... we made it. We kept paddling, rounding the spectacular Cape St Mary's with its bird sanctuary, which meant for us thousands and thousands of birds all over, under and around. What a sight!Finally had a shower and laundry after 2 weeks and are ready now for moving forward.Ciao TS & HF
Road Trip in New England....U S A  Getting ready for a day on the water with Jeff and Sue Hats, hats and even more hats whats a hairy hat man to do when it comes to choosing a new hat! Simon and Ollie waiting patiently for Clam burgers
Well we have started our two weeks over here in the North East of the U.S. The journey over was a bit of a nightmare, getting form the Hebrideas and for Simon and Oliver up from Cornwall to London, where we stayed with Harry Wheelan. Harry always gives us a good send off, which is normally marked by hangovers during the journey. This time Harry wasn't there to say good bye, he was still partying at 6am the morning we left, but the hangover reminded us he was there at some time. The flights were delayed and we missed our connections so didn't get to Boston till near midnight. Luckily Susanna was there to meet us as we were all flagging. The next day we had a good session on the water with Jeff and Sue. practising strokes rescues and some rock gardening. Most importantly for me Simon taught Ollie to roll, and later on that day he actually had to roll in anger! Well done Ollie, and cheers Simon. While we are here we shall be conducting a presentation on some of our expeditions at the Kittery Trading Post, so yesterday we visited it and I have got to say its an amazing outdoor store, with everything you need to live an outdoor life, which is obviously so important to the people in New England. More importantly they also sell hats, I need a new hat but found there was just too many to choose from, so we went off to have Clams instead..... Having a great time so far and looking forard to heading North, Simons off to Tom Bergh's place at Peaks Island and Ollie and I are off to Bar Harbour for a five day trip in the Acadia National Park...Awesome.
Hadas & Tomer in Newfoundland latest update 
Ok, so we have been paddling along the eastern coast of Newfoundland forthe last couple of weeks, and it has been a very demanding paddle. Most of the way is big open crossings in wind, rain , fog and some more fog, but this is what it's like on this coast. Some of the days we think...why are we here at all???Yesterday was maybe our scariest crossing, not the longest but thick fog the whole way paddling only on a compass bearing, our eyes not moving off the compass, and only after 6 hours we actually started hearing in the far distance the fog horn from the headland lighthouse. So, now we are stopping every few minutes listen exactly where it's coming from but still just ahead of us, we were so exhausted and by the time we finally saw a small view of the headland we were so happy, we could relax and take some pictures, go for a pee and continue thru the big seas exploding onto Cape St Francis headland. Wow, what a day. Then heading to the nearest town in the fog, expecting as usual to get into the safe harbour, but getting disappointed again because this was the first place there was NO harbour and all we saw were exploding seas against the rocks. Wow... how depressing...finally we saw a very steep slipway between the waves and after a small pray to god, we managed to get ourselves off the water on to safe dry land.Oooo man!!!The only highlight of that miserable day were a pack of minke whales that passed right under us, we almost flipped from shock of course but, wow!!!Today we just paddled 25 km into the capital and now are strolling theStreet’s and getting a rest on dry land. It looks like there are some good restaurants around so we are going to check at least one of them out.Ciao for now HF & TS
Hadas & Tomer in Newfoundland
 Between a rock and a hard place Pretty in Pink! Polar Bears will love these!!!
 Ice cold!
Newfoundland Up-Date from Hadas and Tomer Hi all. Well for the good news.... 3 days ago we crossed the bay of Notre dame, probably our longest crossing of 85 km, in perfect weather. It was from Shoe cove to Bacalho island. Only after 10 hours we started seeing any land, and ended up 20 km beyond the point we planned to get to, So.... yohoooo!!!! yes, we were dead exhausted but very satisfied. The next day we of course had no energy so only went 9 km to the next community, Cobbs arm, which isn't the greatest location for us now that we are stuck there for 2 days with no good tent location, no drinking water to find around, and not too much to buy at the local convenience store. So, after staring at the tent walls for more then 30 hours straight, we decided to hitch a lift into the nearest town 20 minutes away, and are happy to just be standing and walking in the rain and in the freezing wind, instead of in the tent. Who knows how many more days we will be stuck here, all we have is thick fog. It's not realy clearing up in the near future. We don't even have a good hiding place for toilet on the beach so our tent porch became a bit of our bathroom....mmmmm??? Our fingers are sore, our heels hurt and so do our backs. However, saying all that, our spirits are high and we are going to find something for lunch now...yum yum. ciao for now T.S and H.F
A Highland fling for Jeff's Angels!!  The first week of June saw Emily, Caroline, Ronel and I meeting up in Ullapool to set off on a week long expedition.
The mission was, should the three ladies accept the challenge to paddle out from Ardmore campsite just north of Ullapool and head north, paddling up through the Summer Isles, around Rubha Coigeach and into Enard Bay, a couple of days exploring the many small Islands of this beautiful location before heading Northwards to the Point of Stoer and then onto Oldany and Handa Islands, then we would turn south and visit the Kylesku Hotel at the mouth of Loch Glencoul where we would all enjoy a slap up meal of locally caught Langoustines, to be washed down by several pints of beer. The journey was completed in good time and we even managed to retrace our steps back to Oldany Island for a campfire meal, where we cooked locally picked mussels. Before a leisurely final days paddling back around the Old Man of Stoer and down to Lochinver. Finally returning to Ullapool at the end of what had been a truly memorable week of highland paddling. The first evening the weather was a little damp, but after several swigs of wine to fortify us we settled down to some good tucker and decided whoever was last packed in the morning would have to get the pints in when we arrived at Lochinver. Guess who lost? Into the second day the weather cleared and for the remainder of the week was to stay clear and warm, here's Ronel pointing the way, no its this way!!!  Caroline with the Corbettis of Assynt beyond.   Lumpy seas off Rubha Cogeach  Wild Camping at Achmelvich For a further look at the expedition photo's go to our gallery page.
Hadas and Tomer in Newfoundland  We finaly found a place with Internet, so much has happend in these 2weeks, can't remember it all but i'll write about some of it.Anyway, every little place we arive at, people are telling us we will soon see lots of ice and finaly after a week and a half we saw our first small iceberg. We got sooo exited we took lots of pictures. By the next day we had hundreds of icebergs floating beside us as we paddled along, and daybefore yesterday it finaly happened, we actually got stuck in the ice, surounded by heavy fog as well. How scarrrryyy!!!!All i wanted was to find the way out and get on to dry land. Yesterday, after spending most of the day in the tent on some rocky shoreline it cleared a bit and we got so optimistic, we imagined our selves crossing this 18 km bay that's right in front of us. So we packed quickly,hopped into the boats and set off, just to find after 5 km that the way is totally blocked with thick ice on the water.  What a sight!!!!! We pulled our kayaks on to the cliffs under the lighthouse on Cape Norman, put up the tent and tied it to the kayaks and walked to the nearby town, 5 km away, Cook's harbour. This is where we are spending today as well, recharging batteries and bodies. We are hoping that today's wind will blow some ice off shore and let us cross tomorrow. So far we had just one shower in these 2 weeks. Holly crap!!!! But we do bath in the 0 degrees sea water every other day.My head is itching.....Ok, to cut it short for now, we miss our friends but are having a fantastic time in the ice. Will write next time we find Internet Tomer getting ready for bath time, this is one for the ladies, watch out Hadas! H&F
Intermediate Basking Sharks!!  We had a great day out on the water today on the second day of a five day intermediate course. After loading up the van we headed for Sennen Cove. From there we headed out to lands end where we had the real treat of seeing 5 or 6 basking sharks.
We even had one jump clean out of the water! I had never seen one do that before and it gave us all a bit of a fright!Labels: intermediate 5 day course
Iceland Symposium
 I would like to start off by saying a huge thank you to both Steini and Rita for looking after me so well. Iceland has amazed me in so many ways. Everyone I have met has welcomed me with open arms and the climate and scenary has passed all of my expectations.
 Weather front comming in from the north bringing snow!!
 Steini getting a hard time while towing my kayak.
 The drive to a location for the 4 star assessment
 During the week I have run 3 star and 4 star trainings and assesments. On the saturday of the symposium I had the surprise of being lifted by the helicopter during the rescue demonstration. They helicopter flew up through the snow from Reykjavik. Within minutes of them arriving I was lifted up and was safe in the helicopter. They then took the opportunity to show the town how skillfull they were. With me clinging on for dear life we performed dive bombs stalls, low passes and hovered over loan kayakers till they rolled a few times or swam.
 I was told to always do what the locals do while travelling. I never thought that would mean eating a sheeps head at a lunch stop!!
On the sunday they had a sprint and rolling comp. In 2 deg water I found it hard to do even the simplist of rolls.
Before heading back Steini organised a night on a river in the south of the country. Before that we had to take out a group of 37 school kids. What a crazy bunch. Swimming in clothes and loving it! It was great to get out on the river and strange to finish at midnight. I highly recomend to visit iceland for its culture, people, landscape and climate. It is truly a unique country and I hope to visit again soon..
 Labels: events, lecture
New Sea Kayaking Publication Ocean Paddler - The sea kayaking magazine
Launching in July, 'Ocean Paddler - The sea kayaking magazine' is a new and
exciting concept in UK paddlepsort publications; aimed solely at the sea and
touring kayak paddler and published 12 times a year by ‘Masik Publishing,’ Ocean
Paddler’s 84 pages will include trip and expedition reports, technique articles,
reviews, guides, interviews and much, much more. All our articles will inform,
enthuse and excite today’s sea paddler – we guarantee it!
Sea kayaking covers many different elements; from day trips to overnight
sojourns; from weekend to week-long paddles; from full-blown expeditions to
short play sessions in surf or tidal races and all in conditions, ranging from
mild to wild and so will we… Beginners, intermediates, and experts alike will
revel in the coverage our publication will bring to this amazing sport.
The UK is rightly viewed as a leader in sea kayak manufacturing and design; our
coaches are, undoubtedly, amongst the best, if not the best in the World, and we
think it’s about time that UK sea kayaking had the dedicated, monthly magazine
it so richly deserves.
Printed on high quality paper, all from sustainable sources, Ocean Paddler will
be a huge step forward from other UK based kayaking magazines; there are, of
course, other UK paddling magazines covering sea kayaking, but only one monthly
title that is entirely dedicated to the needs of the sea kayaker – Ocean
Paddler!
Through our determination to include only the very best content we have secured
the exclusive services of the World’s best paddlesport wordsmiths and
photographers, all of whom are as excited about Ocean Paddler as we are!
For more information and a half price subscription offer please go to
www.oceanpaddlermagazine.com
Hadas and Tomer start their circumnavigation of Newfoundland Hi guys, I shall be running a series of blogs for Hadas and Tomer on their circumnavigation of Newfoundland, below is the first update on their progress so far.....Jeff Hi from the chilly island of Newfoundland.... We are staying with a lovely couple, Simon and Susan, who are driving us all over Corner Brook town for last minute shopping, we got flares, fuel, food, and local rum to give as gifts on the way. So we were debating if to go north or south to avoid getting ice bound, but for different reasons we decided to go North. First of all to hopefully and definitely check out those unbelievable ice sheets we saw from the airplane. Secondly because there is a road going along the coast North and none on the exposed and more remote south coast. So for the beginning of this trip we prefer to have the convenience of human life nearby, in case we need anything and by the time we get around to the south coast we will be more experienced and stronger too. Thirdly because Jeff Allen said its good luck going clock wise...so....So clockwise it is!!!!!! No pictures yet, too lazy at the moment. But just around the corner from here starts one of the most beautiful national parks of NFLD. Until the next time we find Internet we will say ciao for now. Oh, Tomer got a blue over green kayak and Hadas got black. Very nice ones. Adios,TS and HF
Iceland Symposium
I arrived into a snowy Iceland on Wednesday afternoon. I have never visited Iceland before and have always been facinated since I studied some of its glaciers at University. After driving 3 hours north to Stykkisholmur, home to seakayak iceland and Steini, I quickly realised how amazing this country is. The symposium starts at the weekend and so 5 local paddlers took the oportunity to show me what paddling in Iceland is all about! After 7 hours of paddling into a force 6 headwind we were all shattered. We had a variety of snow and hail along the way to keep us happy. Only two days previous I had been running an intro course with shorts and T shirt on and so the cold hit me hard. During the day I gained even more respect for what Rotem achieved by completing a solo circumnavigation of this country. It is such a remote and spectacular landscape. We spent the night in a small remote house to shelter from the wind and cold. The paddle back took us half the time and we even had time to make a quick trip to the hot baths! The symposium starts in the morning and so an early night to prepare.
Labels: events
SKUK BCU Week
Immediately after the symposium Nigel holds a week of courses, this gives kayak students not only from home, but also abroad, help in identifying with the BCU system and also see where their skills can be assessed at.
4* training and assessments were run by Simon through the week, whilst I had the opportunity to help out on the 5* training and assessments with Nigel Dennis, Fionna Whithead, Rowland Woolven and Trys Burke. I gained a massive amount of experience watching these guys assess the candidates. Cgratulations to those that passed and better luck next time to those who never quite made it.
The 5* training was great, with almost twenty students spread throughout the two days, with Rotem Ron and Harry Wheelan from London to help run things, i think the students had a good time
 Rough water landings, swimming the kayaks on and off rocky shores,
 
Incidents involving casualties and tows through rough water as well as practising personal skills, such as re-entry and rolls in rough water
and Greg Stammer even getting airborne, maybe this is a roll he hasn't told anyone about yet were all highlights of the week for me.Many thanks to all those paddlers that attended and for the use of the above images.
SKUK Anglesey Symposium 2007
 Our apologies for having been off-line of late, both Simon and I have been away helping out at Nigel Dennis's sea kayak symposium on Anglesey. 2007 has proved to be another good year for sea paddlers at this event, with paddlers represented from many countries from around the globe, this really is proving to be an international gathering. Strong winds meant that access to the iidal races wasn't always possible, but Holy Island as well as the remainder of Anglesey still had much to offer.
 Their were over 150 paddlers at this event, and as well as day trips around the island, there were a series of clinics in Incident Management, Rough water paddling, Crash & Bash (or repairs to get you home) and many different brands of kayak on display for people to try. The event ended with an airborne exercise with the RNLI and Coastguard, evacuating casualties at sea is one of those scenarios none of us would wish to be involved in for real, but training at SKUK has always had an emphasis on reality and Nigel has endeavoured to develop a good working relationship with the local coast guard, valuable experience was gained by all on the water. 
The highlight of the symposium for me had to be listening to Rotem Rons presentation on her solo circumnavigation of Iceland. She delivered it in such a humble way it probably didn't impact the audience as it should have done, when you bear in mind that this was being hailed as one of the most dangerous challenges left to sea kayakers and was still being focused on by several of the worlds top expedition paddlers last year, as they stepped down amidst all the hype, in stepped Rotem, no big press releases, she arrived, unheralded, set off solo, and completed it, becoming not only the first person to complete it solo, but she also set a record time too. Anyone interested in hearing her incredible story should contact her through Terra Santa expedition Centre in Israel.
Labels: events
Intermediate 5 Day course  During last week we ran one of our 5 day intermediate courses. We had a real variety of weather and managed to cover alot over the course. I think Sean and Kate will agree that it was quite the intesive course. Here are a few photos to give you a small flavour of the week. Sean flew over from Dublin and Kate came down from near Plymouth where she runs Canoe Tamar.
Labels: intermediate 5 day course
Lecture at Falmouth Maritime Museum  Patrick Winterton will be giving a lecture on his Scottish Extremities expedition at the National Maritime Museum at 7pm on Thursday 26th April.
Below is a small extract from an article he wrote.. See you there!
SCOTTISH EXREMITIES
1500Km of the best sea paddling Scotland has to offer:
‘Scottish Extremities’ is one of the most committing solo kayak expeditions to have been undertaken in British waters but it was not an unprecedented circum-navigation or a speed record attempt. As a consequence the question ‘why’ was frequently asked, but seldom convincingly answered. Now I’ve had plenty of time to think about it I realise this trip was born, not in the pub, but on the beaches. Weeks of sitting on Tiree and the like and being drawn to the distant Hebrides that regularly appear at sunset like a row of Chinese hats . For years I’ve wanted to paddle this, and other stretches of water but I’d never successfully coordinated the time, friends, and weather.
Frustration finally set in at the beginning of the year which is when I took the initial step of turning a dream in to reality: the first major investment. From then on the Scottish version of ‘memory map’ stole all my spare time. Each red route line laid down became more ambitious than the previous one. I was almost shocked by the excitement of this process but became increasingly reluctant to reveal the plans to anyone for fear of being ridiculed. The route was ambitious, perhaps ludicrously so for someone who was to be office bound for the five months prior to setting off. Labels: lecture
To hell and back  http://www.to-hell-and-back.co.uk/index.php
Follow this link and be amazed at what Olaus is about to attempt. Sea Kayaking Cornwall wishes you Good luck.
Labels: events
Intromediate Sea Kayaking with Jonathon and Jane  Easter week has been an absolute stunner, not just on the weather front, but also with the clients we have both had the fortune to meet and paddle with. The last two days have been spent with Jonathon and Jane, down visiting the West Country from Newcastle, they booked onto an introduction to Sea Kayaking Course after having bumped into Simon as he set off from Sennen earlier in the week. The first day we had ideal conditions, flat calm seas, and clear sunny skies. By the end of the day Jonathon even managed to progress onto doing a few rolls, not just the first part either, successfully coming up three times before we called it a day.  Jonathon leading the way i
 Jane landing through Surf for the first time.
 Jane perfecting her low brace, looks pretty good to me!
 Leaving the Helford river on day two.
I woke up on day two and checked the forecast, E3-4, that means surf at Maenporth, and we decided that on the successes of the previous days activities we would head down to the Helford River and launch from the Ferry Boat Inn then paddle back to Maenporth and start a little surfing. What a day we had, by the end of the two days we all felt a little bushed, but in that healthy radiating way, and decided to rename the course Intromediate Sea Kayaking.
Well done Jonathon and Jane Labels: intromediate sea kayaking
Introduction to Sea Kayaking
 With perfect conditions Sea Kayaking Cornwall ran a two day Introduction to Sea Kayaking based off Maenporth Beach. Our intro courses have been very popular so far this year. We have an amazing environment to get you into the sport. This group were all keen to give it a go. (Above - Andy, Ruth, Neil, Catherine, Pauline and Me).
On the first day we spent time going through the basics and learning lots of different ways to turn the kayaks. There was also time to explore and do a few challenges along the way.
Ruth practicing her balence by trying to touch the nose of her kayak with her nose!
On the second day we traveled from Maenporth to the Helford river. We stopped off along the way to rest on some beaches you can only get to by sea. After falling asleep in the sun over lunch at the ferry boat we headded back around to Maenporth. Being out in the amazing sun all day drained everyone and i am sure everyone slept well that night. Thanks to everyone on the course. Hope you enjoyed it as much as i did. Simon Labels: introduction to sea kayaking
Intermediate 5 day course
Over the last 5 days we have been running our intermediate course. The weather has been incredibly changeable with winds from force 9-3. During the week we were able to explore the area around falmouth and the Lizard. Mike and Hugh were on the course and were great to have out on the water. I have put on just a few photos from the week to give you a taste of what the intermediate course is like.
 Exploring the arches and caves around the Lizard Pool rolling session on the tuesday night
Labels: intermediate 5 day course
International Canoe Exibition NEC
 Over the weekend we were at the NEC advertising our courses for the year. The show lasted 3 days and we talked to lots of people. It was also a great opportunity to catch up with friends within the industry.
 We shared our stand with Nigel Dennis and Kari Tek. between us we are the three Sea Kayaking UK dealers for Great Britain. Nigel had on show an amazing penguin kayak. You can order any picture to be hand painted onto your kayak.
 We had justine Curgenven signing her new DVD on our stand during the weekend. I think i must have seen the intro to her TITS 3 DVD over 500 times now!!Labels: nec international canoe exhibition
Introduction to Sea Kayaking  After the weekend of rough water the seas calmed off to give us the ideal conditions for a two day one on one intro course with Colin. It was great to see him develop his skills rapidly out on the water. I worked with him for the first day and then Jeff has taken over today. It really feels like summer here now but without the tourists. This is proberbly one of the best times of year.
Colin had never been in a kayak before and was keen to try somthing new. over the two days we covered all of the basic strokes and made a journey from Maenporth Beach to the Helford river. With wall to wall sun and calm seas, how can you not enjoy sea kayaking.
Thanks Colin it was good to work with you. Labels: introduction to sea kayaking
Incident Management MORE PHOTOS Click here
 Over the weekend we ran our first sea kayaking cornwall incident management course this year. We had absolutely perfect conditions, with beautiful skies and a good breeze. On the first day we worked out of Maenporth and found gullies and areas to work on rescue skills. Then on the second day we were able to find rougher conditions off towards st Mawes. Jeff ran the session while I took the opportunity to get some photographs in the amazing Cornish light.
 (Maenporth rescue training)
 (Tom getting stuck into surf take offs)
 (Kevin in the thick of it at Fraggle Rock) Labels: incident management
Sweetwater Symposium 2007  What a great symposium this turned out to be, a big thankyou to Russell and Jean for inviting us over. The week started with a coaches day out to the marine research fascility in Tampa.
 Then on to BCU week and the days started early with yoga on the beach with Cheri and Turner, then straight into the clinics and coaching. This was a nice relaxed week with numerous activies taking place, always with the sun shining and with numerous wildlife encounters throughout the week.
 The symposium was a great success and it was enjoyed by all, just before leaving Russell took several of us for a paddle up the Myaca river were we saw numerous Aligators and Turtles.
Amazing!!
Irish White Water
 Last weekend I flew over to Dublin to go to the University College Dublin Canoe Club Ball. I had an amazing time and would like to thank all of the club for making me feel very welcome. The quality of the Wicklow rivers surprised me. On the first day we went down the river Dargle. Only a ten min drive from the city and you are on a classic grade 4 with a really nice drop at the top (above). After that we jumped onto the Annamoe to catch up with the club trip. It was great to see such a strong club in action. Everyone was up for giving it a go and what some of the freshers were putting themselves through was surprising. The vibe around the river, as people dropped over the Jacksons fall (above) was really lively. Everyone lent a hand without the need for being asked and everything worked like clockwork. Overnight the heavens opened and the rivers swelled. We then headed for the Upper Liffey which had some interesting stoppers to avoid.
Thanks to everyone for allowing me to paddle and drink with you. I had a great weekend. If anyone from the club wants to sample the SW England white water on the sea or rivers give me a shout.
Thanks Simon
This is the Sea 3 is here! Justines new DVD`s arrived today. I am just about to sit down for two hours and see the final product. If you want your own copy to look at on those days when you just feel like staying in rather than getting wet, click here
Photos of Cornwall
 IF you want a good reason to visit Cornwall then take a look at a local Photographers website. He has captured the Coast line perfectly. THe Coast really dominates this area with more coastline than any other county in England. The Photo above is of Kynance Cove which is about half way around the The Lizard, the most southerly point in Britain. This is a section we try to do on every Sea Kayaking Cornwall intermediate and advanced course. It all depends on the weather but there are many days like the one in the photo.
The SKC wagons People have been asking what we use to get around on our courses. We now have two identical people carriers that are kitted out to suit the courses we offer. They seat 7 people in each and are very comfortable with 5 people. We work on a 1:4 ratio and so this allows us to allways have plenty of room. They are 4x4 so getting to the beach is not a problem. We are using Kari Tek easy load roof racks to get the kayaks on and off. These are perfect for us and without life would be alot harder! I have to admit it took me a while to get used to the looks but now I love them!
Greek Islands Expedition
 Our expedition to greece is booking up fast and so we only have 2 places left. We will be working with Terra Santa Kayaks to explore the islands. We have the use of NDK kayaks and Lendal paddles. If you are interested in knowing more you can look at our gallery and expedition info. We are both looking forward to the week where capsizing is somthing you do for fun!! The thought of being out there sure helps cope with the British weather we are having at the moment.
Labels: greece kayaking
Symposium season ahead  The Season starts this week with the Florida symposium. Jeff has left on his way out to run courses and give a leacture on his expeditions to Japan and South Georgia. Sea Kayaking Cornwall has a busy line up this year. These events are all great for the industry and show how popular it is becoming.
NDK Symposium Anglesey North Wales 5-7 MAY 2007 Jeff and Simon running courses
Skye Symposium 25-1 May/June Jeff running courses
Storm Gathering Lewis 18-20th Oct Jeff and Simon running courses
Florida symposium 17-25 Feb Jeff running courses and giving a lecture on Japan + S Georgia
Iceland Symposium 26-29th May Simon running courses and giving a lecture on kayaking for cancer
NEC ICE 16-18 Jeff and Simon giving a lecture on expedition paddling and manning a trade stand
USA East coast event 9-20 July Jeff and Simon running various courses and giving lectures
This is the Sea 3  Justines new DVD is going to be out on the 9th of March. Sea Kayaking Cornwall have opened for pre orders TODAY. We have uploaded a great taster clip. So you can get your copy sent to you with free delivery and be one of the first to see it. Her last two DVDs have changed the way the world views sea kayakers. We are no longer Bearded old men (no offence Jeff) and are out there pushing the possible and getting to some amazing places. Labels: This is the sea 3
Missing trans-Tasman kayaker Andrew McAuley
We are both extremely stunned to hear of the news at the weekend that Andrew McAuley's kayak had been found only miles off the New Zealand Coast. We had been following his attempt to kayak from Australia to New Zealand by kayak, solo and unsupported. He went missing just a few days from his expected finish. He sent a rescue message to operators late on Friday. The next day, search and rescue teams were not able to find him in the Tasman sea.
Just 80km from the New Zealand coastline, his kayak was found on Saturday, missing a lifejacket and the canopy he closed up when he slept.
He was a very responsible kayaker and put alot of time into the details to make his expedition possible. The slides shown here give you a good idea about the challenge. He was an amazing person and our thoughts go to his family.
Labels: Kiwi solo kayaker Andrew McAuley
Kayaking for Cancer Lecture
 I will be opening the first Energize Conference in Shrewsbury today. The conference is to build partenerships within the sporting comunity to help develop sport for all. Throughout the speach I will be talking about how my life has been influenced by sport and how much benifit there is in getting young people into sports. Above is a photograph of me (front) and my brother Mark (back) in some sort of kayak! This photo was taken about a year before Mark died from Leukaemia. For more details on Kayaking for Cancer click here. Right, back to practicing!
Sea Kayaking Cornwall - Palm Equipment Sea Kayaking Cornwall have set up a sponsorship programme with Palm Equipment. Jeff and Simon will now be using Palm for their courses and expeditions. As well as this Sea Kayaking Cornwall will be acting as technical representatives for Palm and will attend major Sea Kayaking events to promote their equipment. We are very excited to have this opportunity to work with such a reputable company. Their new developments in the sea kayaking range are all very exciting and if you need any information or advice on any of their equipment please feel free to email us.
CKUK Article
 Sea Kayaking Cornwall were really happy to paddle around the Lizard with Jason from Canoe and Kayak UK. We had calm winds but a solid swell that was producing some interesting breaks on the outlying rocks on the Lizard, the most southerly point on mainland Britain. The trip started in the quaint little fishing village of Cadgwith and finished the day in Mullion Cove. Paul 'Cheesy' Robinson, from Palm Equipment, seemed to get stuck into the paddling and made the most of the swells.
 Jason will be writing an article on Sea kayaking Cornwall in a future issue so please keep an eye out for it. The section we paddled is one of the real gems of Cornwall and is a must if you get the right conditions.
Isles of Scilly Expedition
All bookings for Sea Kayaking Cornwalls Isles of Scilly expedition need to be in by the 7th of Feb for us to be able to reserve places on the ferry and on the campsite. Please email us if you are interested. This Sea Kayaking Cornwall expedition is going ahead and is set to be a great week exploring Cornwall's tropical islands.
White water on the Jordan River!?  This was my 5th year at the Terra Santa Kayak Symposium. I have loved every year and i really cant wait to visit again!! The first year i went i was mainly coaching on the sea and surf. The following years saw a change off the sea and more into the surf and then the river jordan. This year was mainly about the river jordan.
 The river has two great little rapids to work on skills and an amazing gorge to test your skills on. Above is rotem on the first section of the gorge taking a rest to spot the line!! We didnt go down the whole gorge this year as the water levels were a bit low. Myself and Omer had a good run down last year with Rotem Ron (solo iceland) Hadas Feldman (South Georgia, Japan) . Rivers are a great way to get your technique to a good standard for expeditions!
 I would like to say a massive thanks to everyone over there for looking after me over the years. I really enjoyed catching up with everyone and meeting new people. Hope to see you all again soon.
Simon
Israel 2007 Jeff   
Well this was my first visit to Israel and also the first time I was to meet with all the guys and girls from Terra Santa. What an absolutely wicked time I had as well. It was a very special time for me and a perfect way to start off 2007; Having arrived at Tel Aviv airport far too early for anyone in their right mind to be up and about, we were both surprised to find Saggi there to meet us and take us to the Hotel. The weather was warm throughout our visit, apparently the warmest winter for some years and after leaving the UK with howling gales it was more than welcome. Over the course of the next ten days we would not be stopping to rest for long, early starts most mornings, and into clinics for club members. It was so nice to meet all of the people Hadas had spoken to me about over the years, everyone was very freindly and treated both Simon and I excellently. Trips to the Jordan river with Omer, Rotem and Near, Jerusalem and the Dead Sea with Hadas and spending most of my early mornings on the water with Saggi were highlights of the trip, as well as meeting all the club members on almost a daily basis. The final day of our visit was to assess several candidates for their 4*. Congratulations Hannan and Madi, sorry if I've spelt any names wrong, you have my sincerest apologies.
One other thing I must mention is a very big thankyou to Hannan for taking a morning off to coach Simon and I on the practical shooting, it was awesome. Looking forward to seeing you all again and hope that you make it across to Cornwall sometime.
Ciao 4 Now
Jeff
Jeffs first post Hi Guys and gals, Im most definitely not computer literate, so this is me just having a test run. Hope you all have a happy christmas and a very merry New Year. Cheers Jeff!! (Yes if this doesn't work, you may not hear from me till after Xmas)
Double Trouble Ok so it has taken us a while to learn how to update this! We are definitly kayakers and not web designers. Would be nice to be both though. The first post should really be used to thank Derrick from www.kayakwisconsin.net for the fantastic website he had put together for us. I hope you agree he has done an amazing job. Last weekend we went up to Anglesey to help film a double kayak section of Justines new video. Thanks to Axel for the photograph of Myself and Jeff having fun. It was a cold, windy and swelly day but great to be out in a Triton.Look out for This is the Sea Three out next spring
What could be more boring than the first "test" post of a blog? Well, maybe a newspaper from 1974. . but since I don't have one this will have to suffice.
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Kate practicing edge control and core stability in the surf at Sennen Cove.
The hot chocolates to celerbrate the end of a successful week. Feeling happy after a good surf. 
Rescue on its way!!
Practicing rough water landings so that we can land on longships in the distance
