Archive for September, 2007
Posted by Freya on
September 15, 2007
Where?
Around New Zealand’s South Island
When?
October 2007 -???
With whom?
Solo.
Thanks for the help of the "Veterans of the South Island":
Paul Caffyn, Chris Duff and Bevan Walker with Nora Flight
Contacts in NZ and ideas:
Sandy Ferguson, John Kirk Anderson, Pete Notman
Posted by Freya on
September 15, 2007
It was a great place to meet and to talk to plenty of kayaking buisiness people from all over the world!
It was a real international event, I had interesting talks to people from Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, France, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Czech, South Africa, USA and for sure from Germany, too. Who knows where I’ll be going next year…
Who ever in the kayaking industry missed this event - it is growing every year! 2008 will be even topped again with number of exhibitors and probably visitors, too. It is one of the best kayaking market places in Europe.
Thanks, Reed!
Oscar Chalupski, epic kayaks co-owner, gives me a big hug and good luck for for my future adventures, for sure paddling again with a brand new epic wing blade.
Posted by Freya on
September 11, 2007
Last weekend in Finland…
…my tiny littel kayak, not used to be a submarine…
…took 110 kg! You could tell it rolled on it’s own…
…but Henrik, you did a great job! Flexible and elegant, I wish I had a video…
…anyway: head down! :-))
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Later *I*was paddling my little submarine…
…capsize came so sudden…
Posted by Freya on
September 8, 2007
All sea kayakers know and value the IKEA-bag as a high-volume carrying device for all dry bags, bits and pieces on a trip, but a s a low volume folding-down bag to store on top of the hatch in the loaded boat (no, I didn’t bother with getting sponsored by those guys… :-))) )
I used the blue bag for years - every now and then affording to BUY a new one for an Euro (some guys who do carry *yellow* Ikea bags around haven’t *bought* them!!! :-)) )
Posted by Freya on
September 8, 2007
From a plain white fibreglass shell to a lovely shiny kayak!
Paintig session with two-components paint in my living room…
The finished shiny, black new family member, nicely labelled with a fat "PROTOTYPE" sticker besides all company names…
Posted by Freya on
September 8, 2007
… Anglesey Sea Kayak symposium 2007…a helicopter was in the air to demonstrate sea rescue…a rainbow colored helicopter was playing on the water, too…
pictures by Nico Middelkoop
Posted by Freya on
September 8, 2007
They provided a nicely heated little pool at a service house, which just took two kayaks afloat. A perfect teaching site!
My room was just in the same building, actually the office of the club. Clas did a lovely job to host me, filling the fridge, putting up fresh flowers and fruit on the table, preparing meals, donating me a *black* (and white striped…) bathrobe, and taking me around Helsinki for sightseeing on Sunday morning. Thanks, Clas! All old school gentlemen’s style… 
Posted by Freya on
September 8, 2007
The Stockentreffen this year proved to be again the "TO BE" event in Sweden!
Plenty of participants came to Stocken to share experience and "kayak talk".
I had the pleasure to pick up Wendy Killoran and René Seindal from Kopenhagen, who are going to paddle around Sicily and Sardinia this winter. Good luck to both!
The event started with a rolling demo, after I was already busy teaching 7 students Friday afternoon! 15 more students Saturday and Sunday followed…busy times.
Posted by Freya on
September 8, 2007
This year’s Isle of Man adventure week, organized by Keirron Tastagh, proved to be an adventure with the weather - it blew nicely all weekend, and even Monday after the main weekend, which was scheduled to be the day of the first attempt of breaking my circumnavigation record was blown into the seas…only Peter Oakley foud it well worth to start, but stopped at the North tip with force 5 headwinds, and being 2 hrs behind schedule already. So my record in the Explorer is still up to be broken…Nico Middelkoop and I decided to share a NDK Triton (thanks for Keirron to borrow it to us!) and to jump into the tidal race of the Calf of man - watched by plenty of people enjoying the beautiful (windy) day out there.
Mental support: My family
Clas Hagelstam from 