Sean Morley, organizer, River and Ocean 

Sean’s easy and brief introduction for me on the symposium and talk:

”If you don’t know Freya, I don’t know what you are doing here!”

Thanks, Sean! 

A great quality audience of almost 300 experienced paddlers, standing ovations at the end of my talk. Many thanks for that honor!

Keith Miller, organizer, California Canoe and Kayaks

Ben Lawry, Tom Bergh, myself, Jeff Allen, Gordon Brown

Cindy and Steve Scherrer

Hillary Humphreys, one of my greatest blog supporters from my OZ trip

“Race around Australia”

Saturday, Feb 27th

  Golden Gate

Sea Kayak Symposium

Fort Mason Center

hosted by:

River and Ocean

 Sean Morley

A note and press release from the organizer:

Freya Hoffmeister Keynote Speaker at GGSKS

Freya Hoffmeister, who recently completed an astonishing and record-breaking 11 month circumnavigation of Australia, will be the keynote speaker on Saturday, February 27, 7pm, at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. This event is free to paid symposium attendees and presenters.

Due to venue size, only 168 tickets are available to the general public at $20 each. This includes two raffle tickets to win over $4000 of paddling product donated by Kokatat (Goretex drysuit), Thule (car racks) and Epic (paddle) among many others. Additional raffle tickets are available for $5 each or 3 for $10.

This event will SELL OUT! To purchase tickets either please:

1) Send a check payable to NCPC noting number of event tickets and number of additional raffle tickets purchased; for example, a $50 check equals 2 event tickets plus 3 add’l raffle tickets or 1 event ticket plus 9 add’l raffle tickets. Please include your contact information, telephone and email. Send check to:

NCPC – att’n Keith Miller

c/o California Canoe & Kayak

409 Water Street

Oakland, CA 94607

Or

2) Drop by either of California Canoe & Kayak’s two locations in Oakland or Rancho Cordova to pay in person.

Receipt of your check constitutes the sale. Plan accordingly. Only two tickets per person please. All tickets will be in roster form at the door. Please bring ID for entrance. Any ticket(s) not used 30 minutes after the start of the event will become available for walk-up purchase. (Raffle tickets are not forfeited – you need not be present to win raffle prizes.)

Questions? Email Keith at keith@calkayak.com See you there!!

Keith Miller, President

California Canoe & Kayak, Inc.

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! )

Organizers Michael Duffy, Kokatat, and Helen Wilson, Explore North Coast President

Thanks for your work!

Michael was introducing the evening

Talk, talk, talk…

It was the night in White (Blue…) Satin with a matching “belt”!

I particularly enjoyed meeting quite a lot of the Kokatat employees! They had a chance to see the great gear they are working on all day “in action”! Thanks!

Thanks to Karl Anderson teaching me the essentials of cross country skiing in skating style! I learnt fancy things like the V1, V2 and V2 alternate, but decided eventually for myself I’m most happy with my V10 sport!

Thanks to Kirti Walpole organizing that stunning beautiful day!

Pictures by Jen Johnson. Thanks!

Steve O’Meara, Kokatat owner for almost 40 years now!

Thanks for matching your company’s logo colors and design to my dress, Steve!

Reception lady Tisha

Marta (marketing), Michael (sales manager), Matt (customer service) and Kevin (customer service)

Design “First Lady” Penny

Production Manager Meredith

Designer Renée

Design team Adrian, Kelly and Adam

The cutting process, all those bits and pieces for the Kokatat garments out of a big roll of fabric!

 The cutting machine

The sewing process, about 136 workers doing the job locally here in Arcata/ USA

PFD padding

seam sealing

more seam sealing

 Glueing the neck and wrist gaskets

Each single drysuit is getting waterfilled and inspected of fabrication leakage

 Last visual inspection before shipping out – nothing is leaving uncontrolled!

And when it wears out over the years of heavy use – it’s getting reaired locally!

my own waterfilled druisuit on the “surgery” table

 Well-earned lunch with the three big Kokatat M’s – Marta, Matt and Michael

“Race around Australia”

Tuesday, Feb 23th, 6.30pm

 Wharfinger Building Eureka

hosted by:

Kokatat

Michael Duffy and Lisa Kincaid

and

North Coast Sea Kayakers Association

President Helen Wilson

Thanks to:

Alder Creek, Suzi Elle and Dave Slover (4+3), plus Kate Ross (5) and Paul Kuthe (6), and my lovely Portland hosts Kirti (7) and Jon (1) Walpole.

Computer expert Jon Walpole helping me with the technical setup

Sorry that everybody had to queue up for so long outside! The queue was wrapping almost around the whole building, and it took 1 1/2 hrs to get everybody in! Fortunately it was not raining and moderate temperatures…

Jon and i waiting for the door to be opened

Meeting and greeting was working well, as people came in nicely one after the other

Everybody took so many pictures – you’re welcome to upload them yourself on my facebook page!

Rob Blickensderfer (80+), the ”oldest” and probably most experienced Portland whitewater kayaker

Everybody was welcome to enter the stage prior to the talk for a close look at the map and the boat and equipment

The Mission Theatre was a most beautiful, cozy retro-theatre with professional technical equipment!

The balcony was packed as well

How did I sleep on the BIG crossing?

Explaining the epic 18x rudder

Paul Kuthe and Kate Ross were successfully finishing the big raffle. Thanks! And thanks to all sponsors donating raffle prices: Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe, Kokatat, Thule, Epic Kayaks, Sea Kayaker Magazine, Northwater and Snapdragon 

The new Epic posters were highly in demand with a personal signature. i was signing the new Sea Kayaker Magazine cover shot as well, plus Kokatat/ Thule  and epic cards

Thanks everybody for attending and supporting my trip in that way!

Thanks to Suzi Elle/ Alder Creek for the great pictures!

“Race around Australia”

Thursday, Feb 18th, 7pm

 Mission Theatre

hosted by:

 Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe

organized by Kate Ross

Don’t say those pics are all looking the same on the last day’s posts…At least I’m changing my outfit – but it’s still *black*… :-)

Thanks very much to:

Organizers George and Barb Gronseth, Kayak Academy

Organizer Joan and Michael Collins, publisher Sea Kayaker Magazine

Organizer Chris Cunnigham, Editor Sea Kayaker Magazine 

Karl Cohegan, Kokatat

Justine and Greg Barton, epic kayaks

Richard Wilson and Mike, Snapdragon

Kristin and Nigel Foster, Nigel Foster Designs

Petra Hilleberg, Hilleberg Tents

Who else was there? Rhonda Schwab, Andrew Elizaga, Wayne Haradowich, Saul Kinderis, Tim Walsh and for sure Paul Riek, Sea Kayaker Magazine, who took all the pictures. Thanks!

It was a large audience of about 220 people. thanks for being patient with all the technical problems, sorry!