GGSKS 2014

I measure the success of GGSKS by the amount of fun I have and I had a ton of fun this year.  So I guess that makes the 2014 event very successful.  At least by my standards.

GGSKS is a subset of the sea paddling community and a damn fine one.  Sean Morley and I receive lots of feedback (positive and negative) and probably way too much praise.  But, here's the reality.  If you enjoy the event, you can't blame us.  Blame the community.  All we do is lay the foundation for GGSKS and everyone else adds to it until something beautiful has been formed.  We're just facilitators.

The value of this event goes well beyond any hard skills you'll learn.  It's also about connecting with other people that paddle.  It's about having a good time, laughing, smiling, cheering each other on.  There's a positive energy in the air and all you need to do is embrace it to become a better paddler.  I think that great paddlers must first be great people and I met lots of great people this year.  I made some lasting connections and I can't wait to see how it will impact my life.

This year we had 190 people attend the event as students, coaches, staff, media & volunteers.  We came from California, Florida, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, New York, Montana, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, South Carolina, Minnesota, Nevada, Virginia, mainland Mexico, Baja California, Scotland, Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia.  14 states and 4 countries.  That's pretty rad.

Don't listen to me describe what it was like, just watch the film by Marty Perry.

Never drive away from good surf

Sunshine and warm weather can sure help you have fun.  I spent the weekend in Cape Kiwanda on the Oregon Coast for the 5th annual Lumpy Waters Symposium hosted by Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe.  That crew operates as a true team and does a fantastic job delivering a fun & safe event for all.  On top of all their planning, the weather came together perfectly with abundant sunshine, warm air temps and fantastic surf building from 2ft on Friday to 10ft by Monday afternoon.  Couldn't have asked for more.

It was really fun spending more time in a sea kayak and seeing some friends I only see once or twice a year.  The students did a great job assessing their skills properly and were seriously going for it in our long boat surfing course on day one.  The ideal conditions gave people a reason to go hard and make the most of their weekend.  Sea kayaking felt young this weekend!

Monday is traditionally the coaches play day and this year there were about 15 people ready to charge.  A wise man from Portland told me 'never drive away from good surf' so I didn't.  I opted out of the coach paddle to three arch rocks and opted in to surfing the huge waves at Cape Kiwanda.  It was pretty intimidating paddling out into those monsters, but after riding the rip to the outside and getting a drop or two out of the way, I started to relax and focus.

By the end of the session, I was dropping in on 10 foot faces without hesitation and making them.  A couple got really hollow, a few beat me down, but overall I had an incredible session with only 5 guys in the lineup.  I feel like it was definitely a progression session for me and I'm pumped to get out on more big clean waves...

The view of the sea all weekend!  Haystack rock at Cape Kiwanda

Waves built to 6-10ft on Monday

Relaxing in Loreto

As many trips do, this one had a goal.  It wasn't clear, but it clearly involved spending time on myself & resetting for a major change.  I recently left my job in search of something more meaningful and more fulfilling, and a trip to Baja seemed a good starting point.  So far I'm feeling way more 'in touch' with myself and am taking the time to listen to my body.  I'm sleeping well, getting up early and my thoughts are more clear.  More than I even realized, I really needed this trip for personal growth over anything else.  I'm relaxed and stress free!

The drive down was quite remarkable due to the scenery, the company and the two fun-filled sup surf sessions along the way.  I'm on this trip with Ginni Callahan, the owner/operator of Sea Kayak Baja Mexico, to help get the company up and running for the season.  SKBM is the only Nigel Dennis Expedition Center & BCU Center in Mexico and they're experiencing growth after 6 years of operation.  After laying low in San Diego for a week getting work done and visiting friends, we started the 1,000 mile trek down the peninsula and pulled into Loreto three days later.

2013 Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium

Three weeks have passed since the 2013 Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium in the San Francisco Bay Area.  The vibe was right-on this year with a healthy mix of personality, positive attitudes, a relaxed atmosphere & abundant sunshine.  It was a great place to make friends and do some paddling.  

After a brief period of contemplation, we've decided to do it all again in 2014.  My goal next year is definitely to spend much, much more time on the water.  Maybe even do some coaching!  I want to give a huge 'thank you' to the many sponsors, volunteers, staff, coaches & participants that came out for the celebration.    

photo by Roberto Gutierrez

photo by Roberto Gutierrez

photo by Roberto Gutierrez

The morning drive to the launch.  photo by Roberto Gutierrez

photo by Roberto Gutierrez

photo by Roberto Gutierrez

Love this classic bridge shot.  photo by Roberto Gutierrez

Lumpy Waters Symposium

Paul Kuthe and the crew at Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe go far out of their way to make sure everyone has a good time and I'm pretty sure that was the case.  For me, it was 4 solid days of paddling this, paddling that.  Talking about paddling, actually paddling, reconnecting with other paddlers & meeting new ones.  There was a wonderful fresh energy this year dominated by first-time attendees, some of them having only gotten into kayaking this summer.  Considering the less-than-ideal conditions for new students, I'm greatly impressed with their stamina and positive attitudes in rainy conditions.  I didn't hear one complaint the entire weekend and, to me, it was refreshing to see everyone just enjoying their time around other paddlers no matter what the conditions.  The majority of folks were highly appreciative and understand all the work that was done to give them this opportunity to learn.

Well done Alder Creek!

Loreto Kayak Symposium

Sea Kayak Baja Mexico

This week I've had the pleasure of assisting Ginni Callahan with a 4-day sea paddler training at the Loreto Kayak Symposium in Loreto, BCS, Mexico.  "Mi espanol es no bueno" was my go-to phrase on the journey down since my conversational spanish is horrible.  After one flight and three bus rides I arrived in Loreto 24 hours after leaving Berkeley and was instantly greeted by Santiago Berrueta, Mexico's only BCU 4* paddler and lead guide at Sea Kayak Baja Mexico.  Later that day we met the group of 7 students - two Venezualans, one american and four mexicans.  Much of the course was run in Spanish and my conversation skills improved leaps and bounds in the 96 hours that followed.  

Sea paddler training works off the BCU 3* syllabus and can cover a large range of topics.  Since conditions on the Sea of Cortez were predicted to be light - read flat - we loaded trucks and ventured to San Juanico, also known as Scorpion Bay, arguably the longest right wave in North America.  Unfortunately it wasn't going off to it's potential, but we did encounter a nice surf zone to coach in and rather dynamic conditions for two days of training on the Pacific. 

Ginni is a fantastic coach and really brings out the best in her students.  Personally I'm improving my own coaching skills while shadowing and co-teaching with her.  She is leading the way for sea paddlers in Mexico and is raising quite a group of skilled paddlers.  Her business, Sea Kayak Baja Mexico, is a Nigel Dennis Expedition Center and uses the best equipment available - NDK kayaks, Werner paddlers, Seals, Snapdragon, Kokatat and more.  They offer everything from boat hire to training to full-on expeditions.  

It was impressive to watch the students progress quickly in four days and improve on fundamental skills.  Before the training some of these paddlers had never been in the surf zone and by day two they were side surfing, combat rolling and applying fundamentals in dynamic water.  It was beautiful to watch.  To top it off, we camped right on the beach between the ocean and the dunes.    

Back on the Sea of Cortez we said goodbye to Lorena and hello to Dave.  Launching at Rattlesnake beach on day 3, we set off for stroke training and navigation exercises in slightly bumpy water.  The brave stuck around for a fourth day boat control in wind and rescues on the rocks.  Sadly the water was just too warm to be refreshing and you can be out of your boat all day and not be a bit uncomfortable.  Baja is an amazing place and I feel very lucky to be here paddling & exploring with great people.  I'm in Loreto the rest of the day then we head north to start a 10-day trip from Mulege back to Loreto.  Check back for a trip report...  Adios.

my bed for the night

Baja Highway

San Juanico

Sunrise over Danzante

NICE...

Lumpy Waters in Oregon

I recently travelled to Pacific City, Oregon with Bryant Burkhardt and Sean Morley,  two other California Canoe & Kayak instructors.  The three of us were coaching at Lumpy Waters, a terrific sea paddling event catering to different levels of boaters.  Without a doubt, anyone who is passionate about sea kayaking and training should go to this event next year.  No matter what drives you there - the class offerings, the coach lineup or just the overall experience - it's worth the trip.  

The event begins Friday afternoon allowing everyone the morning off to free paddle, to drive in or just to sleep in.  Friday came and went with lots of boating and some incredible Incident Management on the part of some instructors.  Saturday brought decent weather and beautiful ocean conditions and I'd estimate around 100 students in attendance.  Sunday was more of the same with nice paddling weather and conditions.  This was one of the first events I've attended as a coach.  I travel to lots of events, but often as a volunteer, student or organizer.  It was nice to attend from a different perspective and learn some things.  I've definitely come away with some new ideas for GGSKS this February.  I also got to spend some valuable time working on my coaching skills and observing top coaches at work.  

Symposiums in general are really exciting to me.  They are such a good place to learn, to fine-tune and to advance your skills in good company.  I got my first serious taste of the sea at a symposium and it kick-started my training.   For paddlers new to symposiums, though, I think it is important they step back and take in the whole experience, not just the on-water courses.  The social aspect is huge at symposia and meeting other paddlers and coaches is very easy.  It's in these social settings that we often talk shop and discuss other events, trips, concepts, teaching styles and more.  Think of it as a meeting of the minds - for sea kayakers.  If you're interested in learning more, check out The Golden Gate Sea Kayaking Symposium in San Francisco in February or The Southwest Kayak Symposium in San Diego in March.