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Sunset with a Blue Whale, August 26, 2010
On Thursday evening after work, I paddled straight out three miles looking for blue whales, didn't see any, turned around, and as I was coming back, found one barely a half mile from the Newport Harbor entrance. I stayed with it for 30 minutes right through sunset. And by the way, would someone please tell that dolphin that jumped up three feet to my left that after what I've been through, it's just not polite! Attacked by a Great White Shark, August 2, 2010
Read all about it at Great White Shark Attack. Greenland Strokes and Rolling Class at Aqua Adventures, Coming July 25, 2010 I'm excited to announce a Greenland style strokes and rolling class at Aqua Adventures in San Diego. Learn how to take full advantage of the highly versatile Greenland paddle. Topics include the canted stroke, blade flow dynamics, extended and sliding strokes, braces, controlling the kayak in wind and waves, and preventing injuries. The rolling will focus on the balance brace as the foundation for learning and perfecting Greenland style rolls. Jen Kleck and I will be coaching the class on Sunday, July 25th, all day for only $100. Space is limited, call AA: 800-269-7792. Foggy Night Crossings/8 Oil Rigs/22 Nautical Miles/6.75 Hours/Bonus Oil Rig, June 6-7, 2010 Read about the crossings at: SoCal Offshore Oil Rig Aware. 4 Oil Rigs Off Oxnard,/28 Nautical Miles/8 Hours/1 Whale, May 17, 2010 Read about the crossings at: SoCal Offshore Oil Rig Aware. 7 Oil Rigs Off Long Beach/26 Nautical Miles/8 Hours of Paddling, May 3, 2010 Read about the crossings at: SoCal Offshore Oil Rig Aware. SoCal Offshore Oil Rig Aware, May 2, 2010 I’ve never been a person with a cause. But the disaster at the oil rig offshore from Louisiana has made me realize the risk we face with oil rigs along the Southern California coast. As a sea kayaker who loves to cross to our Channel Islands, I’ve often paddled by our offshore oil rigs. I appreciated them as aids to navigation, often using them as a stepping stone in foggy weather. I also found a certain beauty in them, with their towering size, the hum of the machinery, and their lights shining bright at night. But since the Louisiana disaster, I see them in an entirely different light. Yet many Southern Californians don't even know we have oil rigs off our coast. I'm going to paddle my kayak to each and every oil rig to help people become aware of them. Follow my new blog: SoCal Offshore Oil Rig Aware. Oil Rig Edith Crossings, April 19, 2010
Today I tested the “bananas are bad luck on a boat” superstition 8 nautical miles offshore at oil rig Edith. It was a 20 nautical mile/5.5 hour solo paddle. There’s nothing better than being offshore on a beautiful day, sharing the ocean with a couple dozen dolphins and a half dozen sea lions. The wind didn’t pick up till I landed, so you know what I think about the superstition. And gosh did the wind pick up. I had trouble getting my kayak on the truck, and I even had to cancel my plan to tan in the sun afterwards, because I was getting sand blasted. So much for the 10 knot wind forecast. I watched the kite surfers for a few minutes and left. Allunaariaqattaarneq: Trying To Make It Look Easy, April 17, 2010
Allunaariaqattaarneq (ah-sloo-nar-ee-ah-kah-tar-nuck) or Greenland rope gymnastics. In this video I'm doing my best moves. I end the video in failure, because it's something you have to get used to learning this kind of stuff. Training Blog for Greenland Style Competition, April 2010 I've started a blog about my training for the Greenland style competition at Kayak Academy Greenland Week. You can read my blog at G-Style Athlete. Southwest Kayak Symposium, March 26-28, 2010 It was another great Southwest Kayak Symposium in San Diego. On the drive down a day early on Thursday, I stopped at San Onofre and surfed my sea kayak is some nice five footers. On Friday it was fun to be at the symposium to watch friends arrive. Jake Stachovak's slide show that evening was one of the most interesting ones I’ve seen. On Saturday I helped Greg Stamer with a Greenland style paddling class that went really well. That night was a great potluck dinner and a fun party around a campfire. It was tough to leave on Sunday morning. I’m looking forward to the event next year. Never Post a Nude Photo of Yourself On The Internet, March 6, 2010 ...Especially if you have evil friends who are good at Photoshop. Thanks, Mark! It seems I went for a walk on the Golden Gate bridge to show off Freya's autograph: Duane at the Golden Gate. Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium, February 26-28, 2010 On the seven hour drive home from the Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium, I didn’t play the radio, because I wanted my mind free to relive the entire 3-day event. I made a lot of new friends and got to know a lot of old friends better. There were lots of exciting sea kayaking experiences in wind, rain, current, rips, and rock gardens that I will never forget. "Holy Grail" Refinished, January 29, 2010
I refinished my redwood Greenland paddle (#21). I had finished it in tung oil originally, but I sanded it off and went back to my old trusted epoxy. Also, I had to add a wood-burned inscription of the "feeling" I had when I found this perfectly vertical and straight grained piece of redwood at the lumber yard. Skinboat Launched, January 9, 2010
See the photo gallery. A San Onofre Christmas Eve with Friends Video, December 24, 2009 Some friends and I had a wonderful Christmas Eve morning kayaking and singing at San Onofre. Enjoy the video.
Skinboat Frame Done, December 23, 2009
I finished the skinboat frame just in time to relax and enjoy the holidays. It is 17' long, 19.5" wide, 6.75" deep, and weighs 20 lbs. The gunwales, deck beams, and stems are redwood, the chines and keel are pine, and the ribs and cockpit are red oak. The wood was treated with linseed oil. I built it as a lightweight kayak for Greenland competitions. It has no deck stringers. I'll be skinning it with 8oz polyester and sealing the skin with Zar outdoor water based polyurethane. Steam Bending Wood For a Skin-on-Frame Kayak Video, December 8, 2009
Today I steam bent wood for the ribs and cockpit hoop on a skinboat I'm building, and it went great, even better than when I did it before over 10 years ago. I spent $45 on red oak with flat grain and minimal run-out from Lowe's, and it turned out to be enough bending wood for two kayaks. I only had to replace one rib, and I replaced a second rib just to make it perfect. I'd like to give special thanks to my assistant, Ken Fry, whose commentary is often heard in our video of the steam bending. Jake's Going Away Paddle, November 7, 2009
Jake Stachovak is moving back to Wisconsinsin and beginning his Portage to Portage Paddling Project around the eastern USA. He will be greatly missed in Southern California. We had 37 paddlers on his going away paddle. See the photo gallery. Traditional Arctic Kayak Symposium (TAKS), October16-18, 2009
It was another great TAKS at San Simeon, California. Like I said in previous years, the surf really makes this location a lot of fun, and more so this year than in the past, a lot of people spent a lot of time playing in the surf. Check out the surf photos taken by Mark Sanders. Here is my photo gallery. Rolling Video, October 12, 2009 The surf forecast was only 6-12 inches today, so I decided to have some fun documenting the rolls I've been working hard on this summer. I'm sorry about the last couple of minutes getting goofy, but saltwater does that to the brain. Here's the video. The Folding Kayak Frame is Done, October 11, 2009
The frame for the folding kayak I'm building is 100% done. It weighs 26 lbs. and requires no tools for assembly, which took me 26 minutes the first time. No piece is longer than 39 inches, so it's shorter than a 2-piece paddle. I'll skin it with 18 oz. PVC after TAKS. The folding design is the Sea Ranger by Tom Yost. Solo Anacapa and Santa Cruz Island Crossings, August 31-September 2, 2009
I did a 3-day crossing and island hopping trip, and during the 18 nautical mile crossing back, I had one of those crossings that reminds me of why I like crossings so much. During the last 4 hours of the 5.5 hour crossing back, I was in thick fog. I really like how fog turns the visual world into one of sounds. I didn't bring a GPS on this solo trip, so it was up to me and my compass. Halfway across the channel is an oil rig, and with it's fog horn, I used it as a navigational stepping stone. Closer to shore, the fog horn at the harbor I was heading for helped zero me in. I aimed a bit left, found the surf zone, and followed it for a few minutes to the harbor jetty. The fog was still so thick, I never saw the outside break wall. Don't need no stinking GPS! Here is the trip photo journal. Surfing Short and Long Boats at San Onofre, August 24, 2009
Here's the video. Goofing Around with Hand Rolling in Small Surf, August 10, 2009 Here's the video. Blue Whale Jackpot and Video, August 5, 2009 For 2 1/2 hours I followed two blue whales and had them all to myself for the first 30 minutes until a whale watching boat zeroed in on me. I was able to get some nice video. Another Day of Surfing and Another Video, August 4, 2009 Mark Sanders and I went surfing at San Onofre. I brought my surf boat, and he surfed and shot video from his sea kayak. At 2 minutes and 15 seconds there is an embarrassing moment for me. Long Live Long Boat Surfing Video, August 3, 2009 I canceled my 3-day Anacapa Island crossing and circumnavigation trip because of strong winds and went kayak surfing instead. With the waves small at San Onofre, it was a perfect day for surfing the sea kayak and shooting some video. Saw My First Great White Shark Today, July 13, 2009 It was a beautiful summer day down at San Onofre State Beach, where I was surfing my sea kayak in some small waves. About 40 yards outside the breakers, a woman stand-up paddle surfer was paddling back and forth. It looked like she was a bit unsteady on the board and was practicing just paddling rather than surfing. Suddenly, the woman came paddling up to a group of us as we were waiting for the next set. She was visibly shaken and said she just saw a great white shark. I asked her how big was it, and she said, "huge!" As she paddled on in, I paddled out 40 yards to where she had been. As soon as I arrived there, I saw it. We were heading in opposite directions, and it passed by 3-4 feet down and to my right. It was only about 7 feet long, but it was very thick, which makes me think it was a young great white. I felt pretty safe behind the plywood and layers of fiberglass of my kayak and was disappointed it wasn't a 20-footer. But I didn't do any more static braces with my head and shoulders laying in the water. I've been hearing about some great white sightings at San O', this year and in the past, but even with so many surfer's legs dangling in the water, I haven't heard about any bites. So I still think it's a pretty safe place. But I'm glad my legs are in a kayak and not dangling in the water. Hanging Out With Common Dolphins, July 6, 2009
The surf looked good this morning, but July is blue whale season, so I launched solo at Dana Point this Monday morning. After paddling 15 minutes to get out of the harbor, I paddled another hour straight out to get 4 miles offshore. The conditions were calm, and I sat in my kayak quietly, scanning the horizon for spouts and listening carefully for them. After sitting for a half hour, I thought to myself that there can't be any blues within a mile of me, because I would've heard them. Right then I barley heard the distant and faint sound of dolphins jumping in the air and flopping back into the water on their side. I turned into the the direction I heard the sound, but couldn't see or hear anything. Then I heard the flopping sound again, exactly in the direction I was looking. After some more hard looking on the horizon, I saw dolphins jumping high about 3/4 mile away. A ten minute paddle later, I was in the middle of a pod of 300 common dolphin, moving along slowly and jumping 6 feet into the air. With them moving so slowly, I was able to easily keep up with them. I watched them swim along, often right under me, and often jump high into the air. I also often heard their high pitched whistles, no hydrophone needed. After hanging out with them for a half hour, I started the 4 mile paddle back to Dana Point. About halfway back, I ran into another large pod of about 200 common dolphin, and while I hung out with them for a half hour, the pod I was with earlier came and merged with the other pod. No blues today, but needless to say, it was a special day on the ocean. Here is video of a jumper and one dolphin swimming within 2 feet under my kayak: Four More Redwood Greenland Paddles Carved, July 4, 2009
Recently, I carved 4 more redwood Greenland paddles, which brings my total to 23 GP's built now. One of them is from the "Holy Grail" (see post below) piece of wood, which has near perfect grain and deep red color. These recent paddles have been finished with tung oil rather than epoxy. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but redwood turns dark when saltwater leaks into it, so tung oil seems to help keep it's appearance better. A tung oil finish is also easier to maintain. I'll be saving one of the paddles as new to donate at the auction to help support TAKS. Seven-Day Catalina Island Crossing and Circumnav Trip, June 7-13, 2009
I just got back from a wonderful 7-day Catalina Island crossing and circumnav trip with six friends. By far the highlight was on the crossing over, when for 40 minutes a minke whale followed us. Every 3-4 minutes it came up for air 10-30 yards from us. Occasionally we saw it swim under our kayaks to change sides. It actually joined our pod. We also saw a blue whale spout. I have two really good photos of the minke whale with kayaks in my photo journal. Bought Used Surf Kayak, a Dick Wold Nova, May 29, 2009
I've been in the market for a used composite surf kayak for a long time, and I finally found one. It's a Dick Wold Nova, 7 feet and 7 inches long by 26 inches wide. It was a friend's kayak, and I had already tried it out a few times in the past. It should fill the niche for a high performance surf kayak pretty well. Greenland Paddle #19 Completed, May 28, 2009 This GP is another carbon fiber one. My other carbon fiber GP is a year old and still in perfect condition after a lot of use. Building them is a fun two week project, and they are amazingly lightweight and durable. The only thing I did differently this time was add small end pours to the paddle tips. Hand Rolling Video, May 17, 2009 One of the contests we had at the CKF Fest this year was speed rolling. My goal in the contest was to put on a good show rather than win, so I did the rolls without a paddle and ended up tying for first with two other paddlers with 10 rolls in 30 seconds. Thank you, Des Hernandez, for the video. Greenland Paddle #18 Completed, May 4, 2009 I'm now three for three for trips to a lumber yard and finding redwood good enough to make GPs. I just finished making another one and it turned out really nice. If you would like to see the paddle, ask Teresa Boli in San Diego. Anacapa for Lunch Crossings, April 21, 2009 View the photo journal, which includes a couple great shipping lane photos. Found the Holy Grail, April 20, 2009 My GP collection is a plenty, enough to last me 20 years if need be, but like most of the rest of the GP fanatics, I'm always thinking about that next GP and searching for the wood for it. I have an excellent source for primo Sitka spruce, of which I have some great paddles. But being from California, I also have an affinity for redwood. It's our state tree, after all! I did find some nice redwood 1 1/2 years ago and made two GPs from it, and I gave them to cherished friends. Since then I've been searching for another good piece. Well, it's been a tough search. For months now, I have, on occasion when bored, stopped by at three higher quality lumber yards, unable to find a good piece. On a tip of another good lumber yard, I went by the forth one today. It took me over an hour, but I found the perfect redwood board, a 2"x6" that is 8' long with amazing vertical, tight, and straight grain. It cost $30 and I was happy to pay every cent for it. Actually, I would've been glad to pay $100 for it. This holy grail of a piece of redwood is in my garage now, and I can't help but stop and admire, almost worship, the wood every time I pass by. I'm almost nervous about cutting into it. Solo Catalina for Lunch Crossings, April 6, 2009 I completed my sixth Catalina for Lunch crossings, this time solo. Read the trip report or watch the video on YouTube. Southwest Kayak Symposium, March 27-29, 2009 It was another great year at the symposium! Attendance was good, and the participants and coaches all had a great time. A lot of my friends came, and I had such a wonderful time being with them that I felt truly wealthy. There was a Greenland style presence at the symposium too. Greg Stamer was instructing Greenland skills and rolling. It was great to finally meet him. I enjoyed one of his classes and we had a good chat at the campfire. I did a Greenland ropes demonstration. When it was time to start doing the rope moves, no one was there to watch. So I decided to just start doing the moves and see what happens. I almost felt silly and wondered if the whole thing was going to fail. After I did a few moves, a 10-year-old kid came over and asked if he could try. The flames of interest were sparked! Soon a good size crowd developed and were trying the moves. Here is some video of the ropes demonstration. Black Canyon, March 13-16, 2009 Great place, great weather, and most of all, great friends! Here is the photo journal. Point Bennett Chop Job Complete, February 1, 2009
I finished the Point Bennett chop job. The old deck was cut off, and a new one was installed 1 1/2 inches lower and with an ocean cockpit. The deck height at the front of the cockpit is 10 1/2 inches, and at the back of the cockpit, 6 1/2 inches. The ocean cockpit is 22 inches long and 16 inches wide (with 4 inches behind the seat back). The kayak weighs 45 lbs. fully outfitted and is expedition strength. Of course, I had to make a new spray skirt to fit the ocean cockpit.
Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium, January 9-11, 2009 The Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium was awesome. It was a world-class training event and great being around so many highly skilled, fascinating and fun paddlers, both students and coaches alike. I can't wait to go again next year. Here's the link to my photo journal of the event. Point Bennett Chop Job Started, November 2008
Just to sexy it up a bit and increase my on-the-water suffering, I've contemplated lowering the deck and installing an ocean cockpit on one of my two identical Point Bennett sea kayaks. The original PB built in 2004 was due for a paint job this winter. I thought that if I was going through the trouble of painting it, I might as well cut the deck off and install a new one 1 1/2 inches lower with an ocean cockpit. I already had all the materials laying around, except for the fiberglass cloth and paint, so the project is rather inexpensive. I'm reusing the VCP hatches, and by the way, the 3M 5200 sealant used on the hatch rims is tenacious stuff, so I had to chisel off the fiberglass and plywood. This week I'll be attaching the new deck, which will have a height of 6 1/2 inches at the back of the cockpit. The ocean cockpit is 16 inches wide and 22 inches long. For a retro Brit boat look, the day hatch is centered rather than offset. If you want to build a Point Bennett with a lower deck, the instructions are here. Greenland Paddle #17 Carved, November 6, 2008
I've known Jim Richards from the San Diego area for many years. In recent years, we've occasionally surfed together at San Onofre. As he was getting into waveski surfing about five years ago, he was a sea kayaker and made the initial cuts for a Greenland paddle in a beautiful piece of western red cedar. Because he became so involved in waveski surfing, he never finished the paddle. Earlier this week, he gave me the roughly cut wood, and a couple of evenings later, I finished carving my 17th Greenland paddle. In the spirit of Jim giving me the wood, I'm giving this paddle to California Kayak Friends so that it may be passed around to enjoy. Greenland Paddle #16 Built, October 30, 2008
I just completed my 16th Greenland paddle. This one is made of Sitka spruce with cedar highlights and carbon fiber tips. Like usual, I oriented the grain in the laminates so the shaft has vertical grain and the blades have flat grain, which I call a "crossgrain laminate." It maximizes the strength of the shaft and blade edges. The carbon fiber tips also add strength, not to mention a touch of high-tech beauty. This paddle weighs 32 oz. Edge Control in Surf, September 15, 2008 I had the day free, so I went to San Onofre State Beach to surf easy, slow spilling 2-4 foot waves, which make great edge control practice in a sea kayak. I was able to take video of some of the rides. Watch the horizon angle flip back and forth to see the edging, which helps turn the kayak and prevents broaching. Hard chines rule! "Shark Bait" Kayak Song Video, August 9, 2008 Not only is my friend and fellow G-sticker Steve Wilson (aka Hull Cracker) a great kayaker, but he is also a talented singer/song writer, and he is well known among kayakers in Southern California for his kayak songs. This song "Shark Bait" is inspired by the kayak disaster book "Deep Trouble," and it was performed at Aqua Adventures Kayak Center on 8/9/08. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn17GPxzUdM Camp Pendleton Paddle, 22 NM, August 2, 2008 Paddling the length of the Camp Pendleton Marine Corp Base in Southern California is rather rare. One reason is the distance, and the other reason is concern about paddling in a military area. I did the paddle solo in 2000. On this more recent occasion, six local paddlers were accompanying the Rogue Otters on their paddle down the coast from Dana Point to Oceanside. View the photo journal. Difficult Surf Launch, July 20, 2008
Usually, I can land and launch in surf without getting my hair wet, but I had some difficulty launching today. With a long period swell bringing lots of water and a six foot beach break at Crystal Cove State Beach, I was repeatedly getting knocked back or turned around in just inches of water. I was trying to wait for the lull between sets, but three long sets came right after the other. It was all caught by video camera on the deck of my kayak. Catalina Island Crossing Trip, July 4-6, 2008 After canceling the Catalina crossing trip over the Memorial Day holiday weekend due to bad weather, we had wonderful weather on the trip over the Independence Day holiday weekend. I had a milestone 25th crossing of the channel between the mainland and Catalina during the crossing over. View the photo journal. The Blue Whales Are Back! June, 29, 2008 I paddled solo four miles offshore from Dana Point today, and for two hours I was following a blue whale, which I saw at the surface a dozen times, including three fluke views. It never surfaced closer than a hundred yards from me, so I wasn't able to get any good video. I saw about a thousand common dolphin too. As the pod swam by, I thought it was never going to end. Greenland Paddle #15, 100% Carbon Fiber, 19 oz., June 22, 2008
I just completed my 15th Greenland paddle. This one is 100% carbon fiber, weighs only 19 ounces, has the same amount of flex as Sitka spruce, and with foam plug silencers is as quiet as wood. It is the 4th composite paddle I've built, and I've gone through the whole "from plug, to mold, to paddle" sequence three times, so building composite GP's is not a fluke. The project is a lot of fun and results in a lightweight and rugged paddle. I've updated the instructions for building the paddle with more details and tips, and better photos. Dolphin Video, June 12, 2008
After work I paddled two miles offshore from Newport Beach to look
for blue whales, and a pod of common
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