canoe sa

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Photo of the day

What happens when you’re in the right place at the right time with a camera in hand. Well you get picked for photo of the day by “Lets Be Wild”.

Let’sBeWild.com is an online adventure travel magazine, inspiring you to leave the comfort of the known for the excitement of the unknown.

A photo (by me) of Robyn paddling around the headland leaving Adventure Bay, Bruny Island Tasmania. Flat calm conditions for a couple of hours before the southerly winds sprung up again.

Link to the photo page here

You might also want to check out the Photo Essay “Dolphins of SA”

Happy New Year !!!!!…. Ian Pope

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Edithburgh : paddling the old wheat ports

On the road again. Kayaks, mountain bikes and other toys.

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Six of us met in Edithburgh for kayaking and bike riding. We managed a couple of paddles along the coast and offshore but the wind and catastrophic fire danger alert kept our mountain bike riding to the main tracks. The town of Pt. Lincoln was threatened by a bushfire and 50km away fires burnt towards the coastal town of Ardrossan. A week later and the Pt. Lincoln fire is still burning within containment lines.

Edithburgh on the Yorke Peninsula coast. A main street, jetty, 2 hotels, a couple of cafes and a wind farm.

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The Wind farm

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Old and New. Abandoned farmhouse with old windmill and the Wind farm in the distance.

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Glenn and Kathy decided to visit Troubridge Island 8 km offshore.
They landed at low tide.

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The sea is held back from the Lighthouse but only just.

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Kathy explored the walkway behind the Lighthouse.

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Meanwhile, Gavin and Ian explored the coastline between Edithburgh and Wool Bay 12km to the north.

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Past the Jetty and on to the Tidal swimming Pool. Deserted even on this hot day. I remember swimming here when I was about 10 years old and nothing much has changed.

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Following the coastline on a flooding tide we passed the oyster beds at Coobowie.

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Rounding the point we could see the wheat silos at Port Giles.The silos are full and waiting for the grain ships to arrive.

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A coastline of limestone cliffs, small caves and beaches that are only accessible at high tide.

Pulling into Wool Bay we see the old Lime burning kiln near the jetty.

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Best thing to do on a hot day – relax in the deserted swimming pool.

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Guess who’s got a new Cagdeck ?

Guess who’s got a new Cagdeck ?

Super comfortable, lightweight and of course fashionable, yep that’s my new Cagdeck. A combination spraydeck and paddling jacket (Cag).

Ok, I do use a Greenland paddle and have occasionally been seen practicing my rolling off the local beach in winter, but I think I will draw the line at wearing the traditional Greenland Tulik (Tuliq). The most active paddlers in Australian cold water conditions are slalom and rodeo paddlers and I found that the top paddlers in that arena all seem to use a one-piece Cagdeck instead of a separate spray deck and paddling jacket (Cag). I talked to a couple of coaches who spend considerable time on the water and they were sold on the Cagdeck combination for maximum dryness and comfort.

So it was a Cagdeck for me. The standard spraydeck and Cag meant 2 layers of neoprene around my waist which I found a little restrictive and sometimes uncomfortable. On a longer paddle the Cagdeck is more comfortable and allows different layers to be worn underneath without feeling too bulky. In the surf kayak, where I spend a lot of time getting wet, the more comfortable waist also allows easier movement and therefore harder turns and often some panicky support strokes.

If you happen to be practising rolling in cold water then simply add a neoprene diver’s neoprene hood for extra warmth.

Cagdecks are mainly available in small cockpit sizes because they are made for the competition slalom kayaks and they will fit many of the Greenland style kayaks but I couldn’t find one big enough to fit my Nimbus Njak sea kayak. Luckily a couple of phone calls and I had one being custom made through Liquid Life kayaking gear.

I even did a paddle along the coastline, stopping in for a coffee at a café and yes there were a couple of strange looks at my paddling attire, but try that in a Tulik and you risk setting off the armed robbery alarm.

Check out some of my happy cagdeck surf kayaking photos at the bottom of the page.
Happy Paddling
Ian Pope

Cagdeck                                                              Tulik

Pros                                                                      Pros
Keeps water out                                                   Keeps water out
Comfortable fit                                                     You look like a Greenland kayak expert
Latex wrist seals
Super-stretch neoprene neck seal
Neoprene deck stretches to fit
Easy to get on/off

Cons                                                                      Cons
Can be a little hard to fit fibreglass                     Not accepatable attire in Cafes
cockpit rims

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Kayaks and Great White Sharks

I just read the latest research on the Shark Shield electronic deterrent device by Government researchers. Unfortunately the research was done in my back yard so to speak, with tests conducted off the Neptune Islands of Southern Australia. This is not far from a few recent paddling trips to outlying islands out of Port Lincoln and to areas around Althorpe Island and Innes National Park.

The verdict seems to be that they just don’t work.
Now I always had my doubts about these units, even when they first surfaced as the Shark Pod, several years ago. Anyway I ended up with one supplied by the manufacturer to try out . If it worked and I survived it would be great publicity but if it didn’t, well  I probably wouldn’t be in a position to complain.

I was sceptical, but hey, what if it really worked. I had been spending a lot of time paddling around the bottom of South Australia and especially loved to snorkel with New Zealand Fur Seals on the Wardang Island  group about a 10 km paddle from shore. Great times for both Robyn and me filming seals and friendly dolphins, even with a slightly cumbersome Shark Shield attached to my leg, giving me the occasional electric shock when it brushed against a bare bit of skin.

See the report  here.

Of course one of my favourite places was Shell Beach in Dolphin Bay part of the Innes National Park . Just lolling about in the clear green water was fun and we often went  paddling or snorkelling on the nearby reef. But then this bloody nosy 6 metre Great White Shark started frequenting the area and decided that small kayaks were fair game, and had a chomp on one. The kayak was a  Dagger Wiz white-water kayak from the University Mountain Club and luckily the paddler was not seriously hurt in the attack.

Check out the report  here.

So what to do now ? Simple, get out there, keep paddling, keep surfing and having fun.  Always remember, it’s much less dangerous than my Saturday morning group bike ride.

One good thing though. I just removed another piece of superfluous electronic gadgetry from my kayak kit. Maybe that means more room for wine and cheese !!

Anyone want to buy a shark Shield ? Great condition, hardly used.

Keep paddling
Ian Pope

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Spring surf kayak session

At last a couple of decent days of weather in a row.  Today was such a beautiful day, clear skies, light winds and we could almost call it warm. I’ve had enough of winter now and my arthritic joints are certainly looking forward to summer.
Only one problem with the day; the surf was tiny, however Michael and I were desperate to wet a paddle so we opted for a short blast at our local surf spot. Robyn managed to capture a couple of happy snaps which I’m sure you will enjoy, sitting at your work desk.

Have a great day

Ian, Robyn and Michael
PS  You can also see the photos from the slideshow on our Flickr site

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Old Paddles

In a dark corner of the shed hidden behind an old Canoe Polo kayak and some old kayak seat moulds I found some very used paddles from the 1980’s. Now I remember why I like the look of wooden Greenland paddles.

A Greenland Paddle ? No thanks !!. That was what I remember of my first introduction to Greenland paddles in the 1980’s.  I was paddling a Nordkapp at that time and just getting into long distance sea touring when I came across a couple of “salty old dogs” who were dabbling with GP’s they had built from plans sourced from magazines ( no internet in the good old days). However, I ended up owning a paddle made from these plans as well as one purchased from overseas. (Mitchell brand I think).

Then arrived a new Kober Augsburg, followed by a Nimbus Capilano and a Linimat racing paddle, along with commitments in Canoe Polo, Marathon and Sprint racing for many years as well as instructing Sea Kayaking. Lots of other paddles came and went after that.

I now spend my days paddling or pedalling and the lure of the GP resurfaced using the Elver Greenland Paddle (made in Australia). I find that I like the feel of the GP and it seems to relieve my creaking joints. I even found rolling easier with the GP, maybe it’s just the longer surface area; and that’s rolling a Nimbus Njak kayak, not some low volume Greenland rolling kayak.

I did take time to get used to the GP in heavier conditions and clapatis but it all seems pretty normal now, no matter which paddle. I like the idea that I can move my hands up and down the GP to change direction which is quite different from what I have taught others in the past.

I worked out the approximate surface area of the Greenland paddle compared to my Feather brand Spoonbill paddle and found that they are actually very similar, which sort of surprised me a little as I always had it in my head that the GP was smaller in overall surface area and offered less support when bracing. I know that it feels that way when bracing sideways in a wave but maybe it’s just that overall it has a “softer feel” (is that a technical term ?).

I don’t get into the “which paddle is better” arguement. Have both and have fun – I also have a ruddered and a skegged kayak !. I find them equal, just different.

What next ?  I have ordered a new Greenland paddle from a local craftsman made exactly to my dimensions, and I have found a box of old kayaking photos in the shed so maybe more laughs to come.

Happy Paddling
Ian