Indholdsfortegnelse for Paddle World 2014 (PW 2014) i Kayak Session Magazine

Many places in the world lay claim to the origins of travel by watercraft. The reality is that for thousands of years, human beings living by lakes, rivers and oceans have plied their nearby waterways. From inlands areas and coastal zones to northern climes and tropical regions populations created boats of various sizes, shapes and styles, depending on their needs and the resources available. Despite the myriad differences, the common ground in all these places and among all these crafts has been the use of a paddle. A paddle world. As paddling evolved, use expanded from pure need to recreation, competition and pleasure. Along the way, the distinctions and differences in equipment and culture have increased as well. Yet in a world that seems increasingly insular, it is important to…

The West Coast of Ireland is known for its rugged and wild scenery, seen in its magnificence most clearly from the sea. There is every challenge here for any kayaker. Beginner paddlers feel confident on the backwaters, lakes and rivers, which are abundant along the entire mid-west coast. Serious and more advanced paddlers will find excitement when out on the open sea flying with the tidal shifts, surfing the waves and judging the ever changing currents of the Atlantic. Beyond the cliffs and wild coast, the city of Galway, the hub of culture, music and typical Irish hospitality on the West Coast, is a paddling destination itself, with ancient stone walled canals running through the city to the harbor and eventually out to the Atlantic. Our trip will start with…

Baja is the second longest peninsula in the world, extending 1,247 kilometers (775 mi) from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south. Split down the middle by the Sierra de Baja California and with the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Sea of Cortez to the east, Baja is a desert surrounded by a kaleidoscope of blues and greens. The quality waves and lively waters of the Pacific are complemented by the quieter and more protected Sea of Cortez, which means that if a paddlesport exists, there is a place to enjoy it in Baja. An abundance of sea life lives or migrates along the Baja coastline, including humpback and gray whales, sea turtles, sea lions, and whale sharks. Our…

Starting before dawn, you begin rigging your kayak on the beach hoping that all your plans come together. The sun has not even begun to rise when you start your paddle to the fishing grounds several miles from shore. Before you can begin fishing for the big stuff you spend some time loading your bait tank with feisty little mackerel, hoping you have the right one that will attract a monster. Baited up, you get to the business of trolling, and the target today is marlin. Paddling and trolling, trolling and paddling, you keep up a steady cadence covering miles of ocean waiting and hoping that the big one is going to take the bait. During this time you slip into a rhythm of enjoying the quiet beauty of the…

From a half-mile away, the bears spotted us. It was a mama grizzly and her yearling, and they were coming our way. The nearest tree was a hundred miles distant. A swarm of mosquitos gathered as we stood still, and waited. One minute later the bears reappeared from behind a knoll, looking too damn close in my binoculars. The yearling shook and romped like a playful puppy. The mama zig-zagged along a ridge, clearly aware of us but acting coy as she angled in slowly, within 80 yards now. For a moment, her broad stout head dropped low and came straight in, but then she swerved off again and stood up, sniffing and looking. I put my arms out and called “Hey bear.” This was likely the first human voice…

Our crew of seven made the outward voyage from Ireland to Greenland on board the 50-foot Killary Flyer, taking turns at having our hands frozen to the wheel for the fifteen-day crossing. In teams of two, one would steer while the other watched out for ice, boats or random objects. We were a mix of experienced and novice sailors navigating a boat stocked with 1.5 tons of food, equipment, fuel and water. The westerly ocean voyage from Galway, Ireland, brought with it three mid-Atlantic storms. At its most ferocious, 60-knot winds gusted from all directions while waves dwarfed the boat and smashed against it. We even surfed a tail wind at 9-knots on bare poles. A novice on the water, fourteen consecutive days of seasickness dropped me to a depth…