The Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco from a hilltop

Five world wide famous backs hiding the world wide famous bridge:

Ben Lawry, Rob Avery, myself, Jeff Allen, Gordon Brown

I paddled up to Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay – the world’s famous prison island – quite some tides around!

More than hundred kayaks were launching all of the three symposium mornings from Sausalito marina, right besides the Golden Gate Bridge (picture by Jeff Allen).

It was a great play area – much better than I was expecting! In the bay on tidal races, around the bay islands or going out of the gate into the open, this weekend very swelly sea. Friday were up to 40 kn winds, Saturday a Tsunami warning, Sunday bright sunshine and lovely waters! All days were great paddling conditions and possibilities for everybody’s taste and skill level! Sean Morley and Matt Palmariello did a great job on organizing. Come and join us next year!

Some other strange crafts were around at Sausalito marina:

This asian guy paddled his SUP (stand up paddle board) in tidal waters kneeling, later standing, in very slow motion. He had the longest paddle I ever saw, with two twisting handles pendicular attached to the probably 3 m long double blade. Amazing style!

I was smiling at the “Plastiki” – a sailing catamaran made out of plastic bottles, anchoring at Saulsalito marina in San Francisco Bay

One disadvantage has the plastic bottle construction: The place for sponsor logos is limited! )

Talk about going to the freezer from the frying pan. A few days after I returned home from warm and sunny Hawaii, I was invited to teach for the weekend in the beautiful-but- far-chillier Loften, Norway.

Jann Engstad from Lofoten Aktiv was kind enough to invite me to lead a rolling clinic as well as do a slideshow about my recent circumnavigation of New Zealand’s South Island.

Thanks very much to Jann and Siri for taking such a good care of me!

As I stood in the freezing cold water for two days clad in my favorite all-black Kokatat dry suit with two layers of fleece underneath and some snowcapped mountains in the background, it was nice to return to the roots of kayaking vis a vis Greenland style rolling. To endure the freezing cold water I poured hot water into my Chota Quick Lace Mukuluks twice a day – a trick I used on cold weather expeditions as well. A pair of Chota Thinskin Neo Gloves helped keep my hands warm(ish) and allowed me to maintain a good feeling for the student’s body as they rolled through the water.

It was rewarding to see the student’s happy faces after they caught on how effortless a kayak roll can be – no need to power and strength, force or speed — all qualities which were in prominent display the week before among the surf ski racers I hung out with in Hawaii.

I ended my first day with a rolling demo and, later that night, I showed a slideshow about my New Zealand circumnavigation and then talked about my upcoming year-long trip round Australia.

The next day was filled with some more rolling lessons, topped off with a lovely salmon dinner at Jann’s and Siri’s house.

Siri and her youngest daughter in traditional dress

The quick stopover was really well worth the effort, and I hope to be back in 2010!

All pictures by Jann Engstad.

I’m glad to announce that with the great help of Derrick Mayoleth Greg Stamer and I will be able to hold a Greenlandic strokes and rolling session at the Baraboo Pool in Wisconsin/ USA. It’s a short 40 min drive from Canoecopia in Madison, so the session will start at 6pm after the show is closed.Greg will start the evening with a talk and demo of Greenlandic strokes, and I will follow with a rolling demo, where I emphasize on my teaching method , topped with some of the fancy rolls and balancing stuff.Then each of us will be teaching and supervising each student in a kayak for min 1/2 hr, working with max. 2 students at a time. There will be enough kayaks, assistant instructors and playtime besides the direct instruction of Greg and me, to try out what you’ve seen and learned, until you’re worn out…For rolling I’ll bring my Qaanaaq SS (sorry, my Underground isn’t ready yet, see previous post…), and we hope to get some more low volume kayaks for effective rolling instruction. Greenland paddles will be available, but you can bring your own, or your Euroblade, too.

The rolling class is for *everybody*, complete beginner or advanced, Greenlandic or Euroblade paddler. It will teach you the soft side of rolling, see my Rolling Classes website. No strengh, no power needed… let us know where you are at, and we’ll take you a great step forward!The class is very useful for potential instructors, too, as they can help teaching, watch and learn on each students progress.

Please have a look at Derrick’s blog, he put up all the things you need to sign in.

Hope to see you there!

Freya & Greg

I was teaching in Holland last weekend – here are some links about it. http://kajakwoerden.blogspot.com/2007/01/virtual-greenland-rolling-classes.html
http://kajakwoerden.blogspot.com/2007/01/very-satisfied.html
http://kajakwoerden.blogspot.com/2007/01/rolling-classes-pictures-uploaded.html
http://www.seakayaker.nl/Journal/2007/01/rolling-on.html
http://www.abca-design.nl/qajaq/images/07_01_28_795_9506.jpg
I would like to thank Hans Heupink, who invited me and did a great job on the organisation, and my co-teachers Gerard, Nico, Sien and Govert, as well as Axel, Tom and Dick helping out to “entertain” the students while not being supervised by me.

“Hands up” or he’ll kill you…Govert in danger…

Sien on the rescue…

I was glad that it seems as everybody liked it, and will be happy to show up again some times, then probably with a roofrack full of “Underground” rolling kayaks (I’ve got a big roof…)

Actually, the idea of the

“Underground Rolling Factory”

was born that weekend, as my partner Greg Stamer wasn’t able to show up, and I had to organize my teaching time for about 55 students that weekend… my co-teachers did a great job! Thanks again!

Hans and I having everything under contol

But – this week I’m extremely busy with re-opening my icecream-shops this Saturday, so the enrolling of that vision will be done on the next week’s post.

The “Underground Rolling Factory creating conference” in my van, with Gerard Joling, Axel Schoevers, Nico Middelkoop, Tom Steenbergen, Dick van Zanten, me and Hans Heupink taking the pic

Yeahhhhhh! Aled is probably one of the few Greenland kayak builders who is able to PADDLE, too, and damn good!

And nobody can say my new Rockpool Underground isn’t tested well!

Have a look at this little video, taken by Justine Cugenven for TITS III…