For the Rolling Challenged - Your Dry Happy Puppy

Here she is, your warm, dry, happy, puppy pic.

There is nothing better than being warm and dry after you've gotten a little (or a lot!) cold and shivery during a rolling lesson or practice and find yourself getting even colder soon after you've gotten out of your boat as you pack up your gear. At the very least, this is your top concern of the moment.

Even on what seemed like a fairly warm day when you started, in a not so cold lake in which others are swimming in Speedos, you can get pretty cold during a rolling lesson. A rolling lesson for the rolling challenged is not the same thing as rolling practice for those who can roll. We, the "rolling challenged", tend to spend more time in the water, which is usually cooler than our body temps, and so do our great coaches in the shallows at our decklines! (Mine are getting pretty stretched out . . . ! I mean the decklines!)

Why do we get cold? At least me. I don't know about you.

Because we aren't really moving. Mostly we are sitting in our boat, dumping over, time and time again, trying to roll back up. When learning, most people fail and spend lots of time in the water. You are either hauled back to the top by your coach, or you wet exit and get yourself back in your boat.

All the spectators on land are warm and dry. Most of mine seem to have their arms crossed. Does that indicate concern or sympathy, I wonder? Distractions aside, you are starting to shiver sitting in your boat in your wet gear, mine is usually neo. People in dry suits seem to fair better, but who wants to practice rolling in a fairly warm lake in the summer with a full dry suit! This is expensive gear to own.

The most important thing for me, during a rolling lesson, is to take a break and paddle for a few minutes when I get cold. This warms me up quickly and relaxes me too. When my coach says, "Can you try that again in between shivers?", I know it's time to paddle a bit.

After a rolling lesson, or paddling in cooler temps, as soon as I get out of my boat, the first thing I do is peel off the wet gear and squeeze into something warm and dry. It's a happy feeling.

While we're on the topic of warm and dry and how happy it can feel to a paddler, this is a good opportunity to share some links and stories about the importance of staying warm. It also means being SAFE.

Every year we hear a story or two about a paddler who didn't make it back from a trip. It could be a simple day trip or something longer. Something happened, in good weather or bad. A common theme is hypothermia. Getting cold and staying cold for too long. It's not a good feeling to get cold and it can be deadly. It is an important topic for paddlers to be aware of. Even if you are wearing the proper gear, you can get stuck in the water for too long, or on a shoreline with a wind that seemed friendly but can chill you to the bone, and no help is on the way anytime soon. Even close to home. The water you are paddling on can be colder than you think.

One of my favorite sites that covers the topic of hypothermia is Coldwater Bootcamp. Nine water savvy and fit volunteers from across Canada jump into water we paddle and boat in and share their stories of how cold the water really is and how it affects them. I just wish this website would make it more apparent at what time of year the volunteers jumped in to the water and what water body they jumped in to.

And here's a pic of one of my favorite warm, dry, safe, paddling moments in Quebec's famed Saguenay fjord, despite three hours of rain and fog in June. A great guide and good gear just rock! And this is one of those incredible paddle places where you really need both!Wishing you warm, dry, safe and happy paddling wherever your paddle takes you!
The Baffin Paddler

Do you have a favorite warm, dry, paddle moment? One where you were so happy to be warm and dry? Where was it?

For the Rolling Challenged - Your Wet Puppy

Here's your "Wet Puppy" pic. She doesn't seem to like it either . . . getting used to water.

Is this how you feel sometimes after a rolling lesson, whether you have successfully rolled or not. . . when you get out of your nice snug boat?

And she hasn't even experienced upside down underwater. But, she's a happy pup just the same . . . a little surprised, a bit confused, sometimes worried and whiney, needing a bit of support, love and understanding, and trying to get used to a whole new world, just like us! You gotta love a newbie to something.

I just wish she wouldn't sip my coffee!

A warm dry happy puppy pic will appear soon. The same way I feel after rolling practice and a great big towel!

Why puppies?
They just make you feel better don't they? And they share some of the same emotions we do. Even if you are feeling great, they make you smile harder.

Happy rolling practice and staying warm and dry!
The BaffinPaddler

Half rolling success

The Half Roll

I'm starting to be able to half roll my new Maelstrom Vital.

What a nice feeling, especially when the coach says, "you did that by yourself." And despite a weak sweep, and a barely there hip flick, I can get up in my Maelstrom with a half roll. "It's the boat," I say. "It is very forgiving. I don't need much. It will spoil me."

If you don't know what a half roll is, here's a guy from Prestwick Paddlers on YouTube doing a half roll unassisted.

To practice a half roll, my coach pulls me over, asks me to count to three while I'm upside down, then start my sweep and hip flick. What I like about the guy in this video, is that he actually smacks the side of his boat with his leading blade before the sweep. Cool! That little move might just help me figure out where my leading blade should be, as I tend to let it drift away from the boat before I start my sweep, which leaves me with only a weak half sweep.

Why Practice Half Rolling?

Finding your way with half rolling builds confidence and helps you get the feel of the paddle sweep and the hip flick, bringing up your outside shoulder first and your head last, and the timing you need for these movements to get back up. It's also easier to learn than the full roll, at least for me. Learning in increments and baby steps is exactly what I need, and it's the same for most people.

Boat Fit!

I can do things with the Maelstrom Vital that I couldn't do with the Boreal Baffin, another boat that I love, but when a great boat doesn't fit you right, it just doesn't fit you right. My Boreal Baffin is a bit too big for me, even with seat mods. You can play with boat mods, and if it works, great. If not. Keep looking! It's working for me. I finally found a boat I love that fits me right.

Finding a boat you love is so worth it. I hope you find yours. Keep looking until you find it.

Full Roll Attempts

My full roll attempts are still in the same place though. Upside down! I still need to get it right to get it up! For some reason, the full roll still confuses me. When I roll over from the left side of my boat and I come around to the same spot that I was in for the half roll on my right side, it just doesn't feel the same. My coach says, "Your sweep looks like it is in slow motion. You don't have a committed sweep. It's one motion with the hip flick"

Yep, my sweep is in slow motion. I'm just gingerly trying to move the paddle through the water without diving it. Then, despite the weak sweep, when I do start to come up, I've been so focused just on the sweeping part, I forget to hip flick or to even try, and push down on the paddle instead and it goes straight to the bottom and so do I! This seems to be a very common thing when you watch others learning to roll, and it's a tough habit to break once you start it.

I also have to watch what I'm doing with my wrists. If you cock them the wrong way, the paddle dives. My coach has me holding the very end of my Greenland paddle with one hand, the back hand - with the palm facing up under the blade, while the leading right hand has a normal grip on top of the loom (or shaft). This seems to help me reduce the paddle diving habit and gives me a nice long paddle to sweep with.

Ear Plugs

I'm looking for good ear plugs for paddlers. Anyone with resources, please share and I'll post the info for others. You can get a lot of water in your ears when you are learning how to roll. This can be a pain or a real problem for some.

What are my "Rolling Rewards" today?

• I was relaxed before trying, when I used to be stressed
• I was not afraid to try and made more progress
• I had a good coach by my side
• A warm sunny day
• A super clean lake to practice in
• All the homework I did before my lesson did me some good (See "Rolling Rewards"). I was better able to understand and do some of the things my coach asked me to try, and I was more ready to try.
• There was another rolling challenged paddler at the lake working hard without rolling success. Watching what he was doing helped me and I could empathize. He had a good attitude too. I have some of the same problems when trying a full roll. How do I stop that!? I can see some of the mistakes when others do it. I can start to feel some of my mistakes while I'm doing them, and can start to understand and identify what they are with the help of my coach, but it is not so easy to correct all of them in one day.
  

Despite all the good things today, I still hate the feeling of peeling myself out of wet neo in parking lots or smelly outhouses after rolling practice at a beautiful lake, and looking at all that wet soggy, sandy gear in the back of my car that I will have to deal with when I get home.

So what's my biggest rolling reward for today?

Profound visions of some of my favorite warm, dry moments as I shiver and peel myself out of all that soggy sandy gear! That's why this post sports a pic of me happy, warm, and dry hiking the White Mountains of New Hampshire, U.S.A. last week!

Happy paddling and finding your way on the water.

The BaffinPaddler

What are your rolling rewards for today?

Rolling Rewards

I bet you think this post means, “So, she finally rolled her boat!”

Nope. I’m still rolling challenged.

It just means I’m finally starting to recognize “trying to learn how to roll” as a reward rather than an intense feeling of dread, dry mouth, and nausea.

Now, even after a practice session in which I don’t roll, I’m still smiling and very comfortable with whatever audiences I’ve gathered along the way. No matter how much I’ve messed up, I’ve managed to gain something each time. (Even if I’m the only one who thinks so!) One day I’ll post a video or two. Good, bad, or ugly.

In the past onlookers have asked me, “So, how is it trying to learn how to roll?” Me, “It really sucks!” And I forgot to add, “peeling yourself out of wet neo afterwards in a dark smelly outhouse after the sun has set and you can’t find your undergarments while others are waiting in line to use the facility isn’t so much fun either! And it really messes up your hair!” They thought it was funny, and so did I.

I have recognized that I do get very confused upside down underwater. I don’t know how doing it right is supposed to feel (yet). So far, I haven’t stumbled on the miracle teacher who can just show me the way, their way. So, I’ve decided I’m going to put together my own plan and approach for how I’m going to try to learn how to roll. Each time I head to water, I’ll have an idea of what I’m going to work on, alone or with a spotter at my deck lines. Even if I never roll, I’ll become a better paddler.

I’m not someone who’s going to pick up on all the necessary elements to rolling and learn how to put them all together in one lesson, maybe never. Some coaches try to push you too far too fast. Some will even say, “Some of my students learn the very first lesson!” Gee, great. Thanks for the helpful encouragement! Other paddlers, “I learned the very first time!” How nice.

I’m starting to do a little more research on the topic, watch videos of teachers I like and the techniques they employ. I have started to set my own agenda for what I’d like to try to do and how I’d like to approach it. It’s going to be just one piece of the pie at a time for me, the one I choose on any given day, and at my pace, not the “Full Monty.” Then the coach can watch and tell me what I did right or wrong, or help me try to figure it out. The coach can always suggest and propose things. I can consider and decide if I want to give it a try. This is the path I’ll follow for now.

And why am I doing this? Trying to learn how to roll?

Well, two reasons.

Reason number one: MY BOAT! It is so righteous in water.

Reason number two: All the little kids hanging out on the beaches I have paddled from over the years who have called out to me and said, “Hey lady, will you roll your boat for us!”

For all you coaches out there grinding your teeth right now, I know the number one reason for learning how to roll should be for safety and self-rescue, so I’ll add that on my list as reason number three.

To sum it up, here are some of my rolling rewards

• Changing my perspective. (Upside down is a perspective?!)
• Gaining some control over how I choose to learn. (Coaches may run from me or like me better.)
• Becoming a better, more relaxed paddler
• Loving my new boat! My Maelstrom Vital makes me want to learn and keep trying. If I can learn how to roll, this is the boat I’m going to do it in.
• Appreciating all the yoga I’ve been doing even more. It rocks.
• Learning how to get water out of my ears
• Creating this list, which will likely grow
• Enjoying a full moon once in a while!

Happy rolling practice! Don't suffer . . . too much.
The Baffin Paddler

What are your rolling rewards?

Greenland Paddle Makers

People with GPs seem to like to make them. Greenland paddlers are special and fun to paddle with. I admire them. Let someone try yours.
Here are some good resources handed on to me and now on to you.

Making a West Greenland Paddle, by Chuck Holst


Cape Falcon Kayak, Oregon, Greenland Paddles

The Weathered Paddle, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Adanac Paddles, Dover, Ontario, Canada, all about GPs and a paddle maker.

Buy the wood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada at: KJP Select Hardwoods

Check out Gnarlydog's posts, images, and videos on different types of GPs and Aleut paddles, technique and how they perform in surf.

Visit GreenlandPaddle.com for a great explanation of the canted stroke, and much more.

See my more recent post, Let's talk yoga, a Greenland paddle, and healing a wrecked shoulder

Looking for Greenland Paddling and Rolling Clinics?

June 25, 2011, Greenland Paddling and Greenland Rolling Clinics, Back by popular demand at 1000 Islands Kayaking Company, Gananoque, Ontario, Canada

Greenland Rolling Feature with 1000 Islands Kayaking

And the guy featured in this video is the paddler who made and sold me my GP and showed me how to use it. Thanks!

Happy paddling with your favorite paddle wherever and however you find it!
The BaffinPaddler

Greenland Paddling and Rolling Clinics, June 25, 2011 (Saturday) Gananoque, Ontario, Canada

Here's a HEAD'S UP for the 2011 Greenland paddle techniques and Greenland rolling clinics back by popular demand at 1000 Islands Kayaking, in Gananoque, Ontario, June 25, 2011. Contact www.1000islandskayaking.com for more info. 

The Greenland paddle techniques clinic is from 12:00 - 2:00 p.m., and the Greenland rolling clinic runs from 3:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. The clinics are held outdoors on the beautiful St. Lawrence River, in the 1000 Islands region, just off the shore from the quaint little town of Gananoque, in the province of Ontario, Canada.

Greenland Rolling Video Feature with 1000 Islands Kayaking 

This video was filmed April 2011 in an indoor pool in Kingston, Ontario. In this video, you can watch Tom Gartley and Alfred Cheung in his yellow Boreal Baffin do some awesome Greenland rolls! They'll be your teachers for this year's Greenland rolling clinics at 1000 Islands Kayaking PaddleFest 2011, June 25. ENJOY!

Now back to last year's report on the super event I attended:

Greenland Paddling Clinics, Sat, July 10, 2010, Gananoque, Ontario

Ottawa paddlers and instructors, Alfred Cheung and Tom Gartley teamed up to teach Greenland paddling techniques and rolling, Saturday, July 10 at 1000 Islands Kayaking Paddlefest 2010, in Gananoque, at picture perfect Joel Stone Beach.

This is Tom Gartley. Alfred Cheung is hanging out at the top of the page. Sideways is always a great place to be!

A variety of Greenland paddles were on hand for participants to try and experience first-hand. The connection that Greenland paddles can give you to the water and your boat can be incredible, and may surprise you. There were tons of spares. No one went without and everyone had the opportunity to try several different types.

The Greenland Techniques clinic from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. covered: Using the GP. What is it? Why use it? What makes it so special? Bracing, turning, moving forwards and backwards, sliding stroke, followed by a nice forward stroke paddle down the St. Lawrence and a little play in "big motor boat" wakes that are never big enough for me. It is surprising how quickly people catch on to the GP and how fast and fluidly they can move with one. Some students had made their own, others soon will. You just feel something special and intriguing when you discover Greenland paddles and the history behind Greenland paddling techniques. It is fun to see it happen with others for the very first time. I like being part of the quiet and steady movement to share Greenland paddles and paddling techniques. Someone will turn you on to it, then you will do the same.


The Greenland Rolling clinic from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. was the more popular of the two clinics, for intermediate to advanced paddlers to learn Greenland rolling techniques and other "Cool things you can do with a GP", like advanced forward stroke, sliding stroke, balance bracing (static brace), and how to adapt your regular spoon directional control strokes to a GP. Anyone who could already roll with a regular paddle, easily picked up rolling with the GP. Alf and Tom explained and demonstrated the different types of Greenland rolls and paddles, and why they were useful and necessary for the seal or walrus hunter. For those of us that don't live in the Arctic, these techniques have become not only a practical way to rescue yourself in diverse conditions, but also a fun way to amuse yourself on the water, and compete if you wish.
(And they thought I wasn't paying attention!)

Everyone knows GP means Greenland paddle, right?

Warm up for other upcoming Greenland clinics at other venues by having a peek at some videos of different stroke and rolling techniques at QAJAQ USA, the American Chapter of the Greenland Kayak Association, or Kayak Ways.

You can also follow Gnarlydog news. He's a stick paddler and posts great articles and videos about Aleut and Greenland paddles, Greenland paddling techniques, and how they perform in rough water and surf.

Happy Greenland rolling!
The BaffinPaddler

Men Who Paddle Pink

Here's that sneaky Current Designs Suka still teasing me by staying well out of my reach and it's in pink (some would call it magenta). Pink would so clash with my red PFD.

I've heard this boat is hard to demo and finding it so for me, but those who have give it good reviews. I'll catch up with it eventually. Smaller paddlers seem to have to work harder to meet up with their boats.

Suka means fast in native Alaskan (Inuit), so of course, I'm going to like it. I'm also admiring the secure hatches on the Current Designs boats and other boat models after easily popping off the super soft and sticky Kajak Sport rear hatch on my new Maelstrom Vital and piercing a big hole in it at the same time with my kayak knife (still secure in its plastic sheath on my PFD) while practicing a simple cowboy scramble re-entry up the back deck in calm water.

I sat there straddling my fantastic new boat on a beautiful day thinking, "Great, I've rescued myself, and seriously compromised my boat! My secured kayak knife easily pierced my hatch cover like butter when I pulled myself up over and across it and I didn't even feel it. Good thing I noticed it. Wow. I've done this maneuver on other boats no problem and no damage. If I was out camping for a few days or alone for a day paddle in rough water or heavy rain, what the heck would I do? My rear compartment would fill up with water. With my Maelstrom boat, do I need to bring spare hatches or plastic and duck tape for temporary repairs every time I go out? All the gear in my rear hatch would be wet too."

I also sat there for a while longer suddenly remembering all the boats I've seen, and also owned that had very secure hatches. "Hmmm, so that's why! Who would think this could happen!"

The manufacturer (Kajak Sport) says their rubber hatch covers are "extremely durable". I beg to differ. The really soft ones don't seem to be! They are super easy to put on and take off though! The Maelstrom boats have oval rear hatch covers. You might want to take note of the model number because you may have to buy a new one just like me, which cost $67.

I've never had a damaged hatch cover before and certainly don't feel very secure with these. You can't repair them either, only temporarily patch them up until you get home and order a new one.

So now my attention is suddenly turning to hatch covers. The ones on the Suka are looking pretty good to me right now. I wish I could buy something sturdier and more secure at least for the back hatch of my Maelstrom. In the meantime, I bought a soft round rubber key protector and attached it to the tip of my kayak knife sheath to make it less pointy.

Happy paddling and finding your perfect paddle mate(s)!
The Baffin Paddler