Location:Hobart Tasmania

Website:  http://www.pangolin.co.nz/snow_petrel/index.php

Years paddling: 5 years

Favourite Paddle Craft:Plywood Homemade 3 part 17 foot Merganser (Eric Shade design)

Greenland Paddle Supplier:The Local Timber Shop, and a bit of enjoyable shaping. I am still playing with shapes, but have a heavy swamp gum paddle, and a lighter king billy/myrtle plus a baltic pine and tas oak storm paddle.

Why do you like the GP: I find it fun to use, low impact on my dodgy wrists, I like to be a bit different and enjoy the traditional elements. Also Its cheap to make and tough. I love the unfeathered small blades for strong winds and the ease of indexing the blades when underwater. At the moment I am getting into rolling and have got my basic foward and backward and sculling rolls plus my layback crook of the elbow rolls and behind the neck rolls working but am stuck on the spine roll, ballance brace and norsaq rolls… but there’s always next week.

Favourite place to paddle: Any unspoilt part of the world, currently Tasmania, I love exploring those little uncharted inlets and rivers, to find what lies around that next corner, for fun playing in rock garden in a gentle swell, for excitement surfing on a beach, for a technical challenge the pool sessions with my stick and the rolling list.

Most memorable paddle: A brush with a Leapard seal in Antarctica will never be forgotten. But for pleasure a 3 day trip round Lake Peddar.

Most embarrassing paddling incident: Ending up stranded 1 meter up on a small island after a badly misjudged attempt to get through a gap between the island and some rocks, while being assesed for my sea skills. It took a few waves before I was completely washed back down… The first big wave only got my bow into the water so I was kind of perched with my bow under water and my stern 1 meter up, and sculling madly so as to not capsize until eventually another big wave enabled me to ungracefully paddle off,  everybody was looking concerned and working out how to “rescue me”. I was sure I had failed at that point.

What is your dream paddle trip: Paddling around Flinders Island, in Bass Strait. Or maybe the Queensland Coast.

Final Comment: I would love to learn some more greenland rolling with any other people interested. There is a bit of a scene starting here in tassie, with a few other tassie sea canoe club members having built SOF boats, and greenland paddles but it would be great to have an australian greenland rolling and paddling event, maybe as part of some other paddling event. Or maybe there already is?

Location: St Georges Basin, NSW, Australia

Website: www.kokororyu.com (not paddling related)

Years paddling: Built my first Skin on Frame kayak in the very early 70′s and have been on the water to varying degrees ever since. Last 10 or so years solid.

Favourite Paddle Craft: My current boats! Valley Aquanaut CK – great for rough water, cruising, rolling. Prijon Seayak – great for long trips & camping, surfs long shore breaks beautifully. Wavesport Kinetic – great white water boat.

Greenland Paddle: A Mitchell Horizon Split modified (those stickers were tricky to remove). Others to come.

Why do you like the GP: Due to injuries acquired in my other pastime – martial arts (right AC shoulder joint permanently dislocated by 2cm), mountain biking (left clavicle broken into 4 pieces) etc. – and a touch of arthritis in the wrists and thumbs, probable also due to other interest, I find the GP to be a much less taxing paddle to use. Also I love the look. Oh and there’s that tradition stuff.

Favourite place to paddle: Jervis Bay and the surrounding coast.

Most memorable paddle: That special white water paddle with my wife in Borneo (2008). Memorial for all the wrong reasons; the kayaks supplied were huge for white water boats, the paddles were long thin touring ones, the guide was to busy showing off to show us the best lines, we were not told that the river had not fully receded from a flood two days prior, the river was suppose to be mostly grades 2 & 3 but the flood had boosted that up. The end result was I swam twice, my wife swam three times, our rolls were not always up to the challenge. Did we have fun? Darn right we did?

Most embarrassing paddling incident: Swimming twice on a river in Borneo.

What is your dream paddle trip: Whitsunday’s (planed for August 2010), British Columbia (planed for 2011), After that the dreams continue.

Final Comment: I enjoy a good paddle with my GP. Um, did that come out right?

Location: Fremantle, Western Australia

Years paddling: 10

Favourite Paddle Craft: Wilderness Systems Tempest pro 180 (aka Curious George)

Greenland Paddle Suppliers: Mitchell

Why do you like the GP: Smooth, easy on the body, tricky

Favourite place to paddle: Crazy Waves, South Fremantle WA

Most embarrassing paddling incident: Litany

What is your dream paddle trip: Montebello Islands WA

Final Comment: Nice work on the website

Founded the company “Kajakkspesialisten” in 1996 and has since then worked full-time on building traditional kayaks and paddles, teaching others to build traditional kayaks and giving kayak technique courses. Involved with the Norwegian Canoe Association since 1998 as a member of the Technical Committee for Sea Kayaking. Among other duties, I was responsible for the sea kayak instructor education in the Canoe Association.

I have never “converted” to Greenland paddles as for me, sea kayaking is something you do with a stick! Of course, I have learnt the use of modern paddles as well over the years, but when I was first introduced to Sea kayaking it was in a Greenland kayak with a Greenland paddle! Thank god! It really got me hooked – I remember as if it was today and the feeling is still the same – pure joy, and a strong feeling of connection to nature itself, and the elements around me.

Beside my work as a kayak and paddle maker, I still spend a lot of time paddling my home built kayaks – Greenland kayaks of various designs, baidarkas, and sometimes odd mixtures and experiments. My favorite paddle design for all-round use is a simple shouldered Greenland paddle. My next big project is to paddle the entire Norwegian coast (nearly 3000 km) in a canvas covered baidarka and a simple Greenland paddle.

Website: Kajakkspesialisten.co

Email: anders.thygesen (AT) kajakkspesialisten.no

Location: Arcata, California

Website: www.greenlandorbust.org

Years paddling: 3

Favourite Paddle Craft: That depends on my mood and what I’ll be doing with it. I paddle a Tahe Marine Greenland, a Valley Anas Acuta, a west Greenland skin-on-frame and a Necky Chatham 16.

Greenland Paddle Suppliers: Joe O’Blenis Paddles

Why do you like the GP: I enjoy paddling with something that has so much history behind it. I like the organic feel, the beauty and the simplicity of it. The GP, if custom made for the paddler, becomes an extension of the body. It is an ideal tool for all kinds of sea kayaking (surf, flat water, touring, rock gardens, rolling, etc). I also find that a GP is much gentler on the body than other style blades. With a GP there is no right way up, backwards or forwards, you just put it in the water and go.

Favourite place to paddle: I have paddled in many places around the world, and enjoy them all, but there’s something comforting about returning to my home spot… Trinidad, California.

Most memorable paddle: Wow. They are all memorable. Every location that I have paddled has offered something that sticks in my memory. I have paddled around the volcanos in the Aeolian Islands in Italy, listened to the crackle of icebergs in Greenland, watched the sunset over a never-ending lake in Michigan, had salmon jump around my kayak in the inlets of Alaska, rolled under the Golden Gate Bridge, swirled around in whirlpools at Deception Pass… I could go on and on.

Most embarrassing paddling incident: I haven’t really had that many of them (now that I wrote that, I’m sure that I will). As a new paddler I would capsize a lot (as in several times per paddle). I’d roll up and look around really fast to make sure that no one saw me fall over… again. I was constantly reminded by more experienced paddlers that I needed to work on my bracing skills.

What is your dream paddle trip: I have many. I am looking forward to a short expedition that Dubside and I are planning in Spring 2010. I am also excited about paddling in two locations in Iceland in May, returning to Italy in the summer and hopefully a Faroe Islands expedition.

Final Comment: I have lots of them in my blog, www.greenlandorbust.org

Location – Anglesey, North Wales UK

Website – www.angleseystick.com and www.seakayaker.co.uk

Years paddling – 7

Favourite Paddle Craft -  Rainbow Laser (plastic fantastic),  Anglesey Stick Double (stitch and glue with strip cedar deck).

Greenland Paddle Suppliers – Anglesey Stick

Why do you like the GP – Totally changes the way you use a paddle, and solved my problem with a long-term shoulder injury.

Favourite place to paddle – Milos, Greece.

Most memorable paddle – Pentire Head, Cornwall, UK.

Most embarrassing paddling incident – Walking along a tidal river pulling my kayak, had got the tide times wrong.

What is your dream paddle trip – Any warm circumnavigation.

Final Comment – There are limitations to the use of Greenland style paddles like the Anglesey Stick but they are mainly in the minds of paddlers who don’t use them.

Angry you ask? Yes, because once again I was reading about someone ending up in the water, paddling solo, and I was actually scared for a moment (even though Sean was writing the article so I knew he was ok).

How many of you kiss your spouse and hug your kids before you go off paddling? I’m hoping you all do, because accidents do happen. I don’t want to sound like a mother hen, or maybe it is my military background, but your safety on the water is your prime concern.

During the summer months here in Ontario, Canada, I read about kayakers going out on one of the Great Lakes without their safety equipment and the story ends in a tragedy. Our Great Lakes are nothing to sneer at, they are large bodies of water where the weather can change on you just as fast as a blink. We OWE it to our loved ones to be safety conscious.

One should check the laws of their country as to what basic safety equipment they should have with them when they do go out kayaking. I know here in Ontario that being caught out on the water without some of your equipment can lead to fines for each item missing. That can add up!

I’ve listed some basic and some optional equipment. This is the list of what goes out with me every time I venture from shore. Why? BecauseI am worth it, and to protect myself for my family. Items are in no particular order.

• PFD – make sure it fits! If it is ripped, torn or really, really, faded, then replace it
• Something to bail with – small pail, or get yourself a floating pump, and keep it handy under the bungees on the deck
• Paddle float – very helpful for re-entry
• Throw rope – you never know when you need a tow or to tow someone else
• Extra paddle – Storm or 2 piece
• Whistle – pealess, works when wet
• Boat Sponge
• Knife – serrated edge to cut rope and fishing nets etc
• Dry Suit if needed, if not, light moisture wicking clothing
• Water shoes to protect feet from sharp rocks or puncture
• Waterproof floating flashlight with working batteries
• VHF Marine radio for weather updates and emergency. If you plan to talk on it a lot, take a course and get yourself a license. Learn to use proper radio protocol
• Compass of some sort, whether mounded to your deck or one that fits in your pocket
• Emergency position indicating beacon – have saved lives in cold water, or when high winds come up and blow you out to sea
• Paddle leash – to keep your paddle close in case of being overturned. It will stay with the boat
• Deck light – for low light or night kayaking. Light yourself up, be seen!
• Rescue stirrup
• Flares
• Plastic covered map of the area that I am kayaking

Tell someone when you should roughly be home so if you aren’t back then, give or take an hour, or a phone call from you, they can phone authorities to go search for you.

Be responsible with your life.

You can be the best kayaker in the world, and some person in a speed boat doesn’t see you for some reason, swamps you or runs you over. Remember, anything bigger than you has the right of way. Larger boats can’t stop or turn on a dime, so give them a wide berth.

Do take a kayak safety course, and if you can’t, learn to do a wet exit and self rescue. Things can happen out there on the water, things you have no idea that can. When on the kayaking safety course I took, it was a rather cold, windy June day. The water had 3 ft waves breaking on shore, and it was rather raw out. One of the kayakers on the course flipped over and was floating. I quickly observed he wasn’t trying to stay with his kayak, so I hollered at several of the people on the course and we paddled over to rescue the fellow. Turns out he was a diabetic and the sudden shock of the cold water sent him into diabetic shock. Thank goodness his PFD righted him face up, we radioed an ambulance and we got him to shore safely and to a hospital.

Lesson – cold water can shock anyone! It causes you to automatically do the “gasp” reflex, which can be dangerous if there are waves breaking over your head.

If you swamp, keep a cool head and don’t panic. Let your PFD take over and concentrate on what you have to do to get yourself back into the kayak safely. Having to do a wet exit while out alone can be a scary thing. All of a sudden you realize you ARE alone, you are not invincible, and many things can flash through your head.

The main thing is not to panic and take control of the situation. If you need help due to an injury, or are too cold to get back into your kayak, then whistle, signal, or radio for help.

Having a floating waterproof GPS is a good help in giving your exact location. Clip it to your decklines. Or stuff it in the pocket in the front of your PFD.

Accidents can happen to even the best kayakers. Even those who always carry their safety equipment. But…having the equipment with you cuts down on the odds of being a statistic.

You can go for years without having a mishap, but get slack about your equipment and then *whamo!* that fateful day comes. Once you get back to dry land, if you are lucky you can go over in your mind what happened, how could you have prevented it, how it would have affected your family, and you shake – partially from the cold, and partially from realizing what could have happened out there all alone if you aren’t prepared.

So to sum this up, carry more than just the basic equipment. Be aware of your surroundings out there. Keep an eye on the weather. Do try to take a kayaking safety course. When you draw on the wisdom of this course, you might not be saving your own life, but someone else’s who is out there and in trouble. Going to their rescue, knowing what to do, keeping them calm, these are the lessons learned.

So please practice safe kayaking – your family will love you for it

Author: Jill Ellis
Adanac Paddles
Makers of Handcrafted Traditional Greenland Kayak Paddles
http://www.adanacpaddles.com

Image Credit: Damiano Visocnik (Copyright 2009-2010)

People have asked why I decided to make paddles and kayaks. After many years of sailing yachts and dinghies, I wanted something more manageable on the water. Something you could use without a lot of preparation, and without having to rely on other people and their availability. The answer was obvious, I needed to get into kayaking!

Initially I couldn’t really find a kayak with the right mix of speed, seaworthiness and affordability, so I built a kayak out of pine. It met all my criteria (well almost, it was not quite as pretty as I wanted!). Since then I’ve tried a few different kayaks and finally have settled on one that nearly meets all my needs. In the back of my mind though there is another small play kayak developing as well, but it’s going to take some more thinking before I’m ready to start on that one – watch this space!

Although the firm is called Gram KAYAK, I primarily build Greenland paddles. I quickly discovered that the normal paddles gave me all sorts of painful wrist and shoulder problems, limiting both the time I could spend on the water and the quality of the paddling experience. The only possible solution was to spend 300-500USD on a high end custom paddle, something I wasn’t prepared to do.

Instead I started to build the paddles myself. I made many paddles, and paddlers I met who saw them loved their quality and asked if they could buy one. Admittedly in the beginning I didn’t have the heart to sell them, but realistically who can use 50 paddles? It was officially time to share them with others!

Over the years I’ve made many different styles of paddles, experimenting to create the optimal paddle I make and sell today. This does not mean I have stopped experimenting though, and if you have an idea for your own paddle, I would be happy to build it for you.

Med venlig hilsen!
Lars Gram

Gram Kajak
Præstekravevej 28
DK-8541 Skødstrup
Denmark
gram@gramkajak.dk
www.gramkajak.dk

Location – Minnesota, USA

Website – www.christophercrowhurst.com

Years paddling – 32

Favourite Paddle Craft – Tahe Greenland

Greenland Paddle Suppliers – Betsie Bay Kayak, Joe O’Blenis

Why do you like the GP – There is more to paddling a GP than just paddling, it evokes a different feeling in me than simply sticking a piece of carbon into the water and accelerating my kayak. The feel of the wood, the craftsmanship of the paddle and the tradition of the strokes, rolls and rescues all create a wonderful feeling on continuing the evolution of a mode of transport that has become a sport. And let us not forget its better on my bones, joints, ligaments and muscles.

Favourite place to paddle – Kauai, Na Pali coast.

Most memorable paddle – Paddling a double up the Hanalei river and for the first time my wife Jacquelyn getting the real feeling of the forward stroke. To celebrate we rode the current out into the ocean and surfed back in on her first ever wave over the bar – she was squealing with delight!

Most embarrassing paddling incident – Every paddle is a learning moment, but the best has to be launching in Lake Superior last summer and ending up going over headfirst into 37F water without my butt even making it into the seat. My daughters laughed so hard I though they were going to fall in too.

What is your dream paddle trip – My family in our fleet of kayaks paddling on a warm summers day across the lakes, sharing a picnic rafted together and taking a post lunch swim in the warm water.

Final Comment – There is no better feeling than teaching your children how to be safe afloat, and then sitting on the shore with a glass of wine watching them messing about in boats.

Location – Brisbane, Qld

Website – www.funtessea.blogspot.com

Years paddling – 5

Favourite Paddle Craft – Right now Sialuk my Nordcapp LV, but I have my eye on the Tahe Marine Greenland.

Greenland Paddle Suppliers – testing a Greenland paddle from Elver Paddles and own a Vanstix Aleut Paddle.

Why do you like the GP – So far, able to do everything the euro can do with less muscle fatigue.

Favourite place to paddle – Secret places in the Whitsundays, anywhere bumpy with good company.

Most memorable paddle – Whitsundays 2008.

Most embarrassing paddling incident – I’m not easily embarrassed but if the question was most frustrating incident, I could name a couple…

What is your dream paddle trip – I’d like to circumnavigate Moreton Island, not sure if that counts as a dream trip, but its one I want to do.

Final Comment – Keep your mind open and try everything once, especially traditional paddles!