There’s nothing quite like waking up to a cup of well-brewed coffee while on expedition.  For me, it’s not a luxury, but a necessity for jump-starting my morning.  As with all my menu choices for sea kayaking trips, I try to strike a balance between ease of preparation, weight savings, minimal clean-up, and taste.

Since I’m a stickler for a good cup ‘o joe, I’ve tried just about every imaginable method for brewing coffee in the backcountry.   Here’s a quick run down on how to get the best possible caffeine fix on your next multi-day trip.

Click here to read how…

Like anything new, however, there’s a bit of a learning curve involved as people learn how the new technology functions. In my travels this summer, I’ve come across a few paddlers who’ve said they find the new skeg difficult to deploy. As it turns out, every one of those individuals was engaging the click slider on the skeg the wrong way. As soon as I showed them the correct technique (pushing forward to unlock the slider, not squeezing the trigger!), they were thrilled.

To get the word out, I put together this little video going over the system, how to deploy it, and how to adjust the tension on the skeg. Considering I was able to remove and replace the skeg system with one hand, while filming with my digital camera in the other, I’d say it’s pretty easy…even for a guy with two left thumbs like me! Enjoy!

For the fifth year running, I’ve had the pleasure of working with the midwest’s largest paddle shop–Rutabaga in Madison, WI–at the Door County Sea Kayak Symposium (July 11-13, 2008). Door County is narrow finger of land that stretches about 70 miles out into Lake Michigan, dividing Green Bay to the north from open water to the east. It’s a picturesque place to paddle, dotted with small fishing towns, B&B’s, rocky harbors, and bluffs.

One highlight for me was the chance to test paddle the new Scorpio.

The week began with a bit of a road trip. Kelly Blades picked me up, his truck loaded like a gypsy with gear for two weeks of symposia: sea & whitewater kayaks, bikes, camping gear, a vendors tent, PFDs, sprayskirts, and Werner paddles for demoing. From there it was off to Madison where we joined forces with Ben Lawry and spent a wonderful evening with Rutabaga owner Darren Bush and his family. An impromptu acoustic jam session (Darren on banjo, Kelly on guitar, me attempting to lay down a bass line, and Ben lending moral support) then gave way to a “have you seen this on Youtube?” session. Of particular entertainment value was some of the kayak coaching we found online, especially the tips from this pectorally pumped instructor.

Ben, Kelly, and I arrived in Door County on Tuesday, and spent the next two days relaxing, paddling, hiking, go-carting, and crooning along with Kelly’s I-Pod.

An impromptu game of boulder baseball:

Werner Paddles own Danny Mogno cutting the inside corner

On Thursday, we conducted a SymposiumInstructor Tune-Up session, along with Steve & Cindy Scherrer of Confluence, in which Ben Lawry presented his “4 P’s of Paddling” workshop, Kelly explored rescue variations, and I led a session on using games and skills challenges to enhance your coaching.

Ben Lawry & Kelly Blades demonstrating the connection between power, rotation, and foot pressure.

On Friday the symposium began, and as usual, the event flew by, the weekend melding into a blur of smiling faces, good friends, and late evenings by the campfire. Over the three days, we dodged thunderstorms, dealt with high winds, and pushed our students to expand their comfort zones in open water.

On Saturday I had a chance to test paddle the new Scorpio during the course of a short 3-hour day trip in windy conditions. I was impressed with the Scorpio’s rock solid stability (similar to the Cetus) and speed, which seems to be best I’ve experienced in a plastic boat). The boat carved turns nicely. At 5′9″, 150lbs wet, the boat was a little large for me, but still handled well. The LV version will probably be even better! Over the course of the symposium I heard similar comments from everyone who test paddled the boat. I think P&H has nailed it with this boat design.

On a sad note–sad for us, happy for her–Rutabaga “Jane of all Trades” Megan Pfieffer said her goodbyes on the final day after five years at the shop & symposium. Megan is off to Alaska for an undisclosed amount of time…hopefully we’ll cross paths (or boat wakes) again sometime soon!

Below: Megan “Color Me Surprised” Pfeiffer, Rutabaga maven.

Below: Sunrise over Rowley’s Bay, Door County, Wisconsin.

P&H Sea Kayaks was on hand for the Mountain Equipment Co-op Paddlefest in Toronto, Canada June 13-15. The P&H Great Lakes Squad was mobilized for a border crossing, as Kelly Blades and I made the trek to this always fun event.

MEC is the largest outdoor retailer in Canada, and the Toronto event is the largest of a series of paddle events held throughout the provinces. Along with the P&H team, coaches such as TITS juggernaut Justine Curgenven, Greenland-style man of mystery “Dubside,” and US freestyle canoe champ Karen Knight were all on hand to help make the event a success. With over 200 participants on the water at any given time, the MEC staff made organization look easy and made everyone feel right at home with typical Canadian hospitality.

Kelly and Justine lead a “Kayak Play” class…

A strong storm rolled in on Sunday, forcing an earlier than expected end to the day…

Somewhere in there is my friend Marius.   We were out surfing in light 2-4ft conditions,  and as things started to die, we decided to search for some excitement at the base of our local cliffs.    As you can see, we (or more appropriately, he) found it!    

It’s a little less streamlined than the rest of the P&H fleet, but according to Ben Lawry, the Kelly Blades Inflatable Man-Yak is “fun to paddle, responsive, and surprisingly gentle.” 

Among the many highlights of the Door County Sea Kayak Symposium was Kelly Blades putting his new NRS drysuit to the test…  In addition to being repeatedly paddled by fellow team paddler Ben Lawry and Danny Mongno of Werner Paddles, Kelly also proved to be a very effective paddle float. 

On the way home from a long weekend of instructing at the Door County Sea Kayak Symposium, I took a detour up to Lake Superior to meet up with friends and paddle Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, 40+ miles of sandstone cliffs, dunes, sea caves, arches and waterfalls. 

 At 350 miles (563 km) by 160 miles (257 km) Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world…it plunges to a depth of over 1300 feet and has had recorded waves of over 20 feet.   But on this sunny mid-summer day, the water was as smooth (and as clear) as glass, which allowed me and my friends John and Josh Tatro to explore the cliffs and caves up close.  Low water levels (Superior is about 18 inches below normal levels) opened up caves that we never could have gotten into before…

Pictured Rocks gets it’s name from the myriad colors formed by minerals filtering through the sandstone.  Copper oxidizes into a turquoise green;  iron appears as orange streaks; there are whites, blacks, ochres…all juxtaposed against the aquamarine water.  

I snapped this photo of John and Josh…it gives a sense of the scale of the place as well as the colors (click for a full view).

In retrospect, one of the really wild things about paddling the rocks is the feeling of scale one experiences as a kayaker.    We spent a good part of the day peering up at huge cliff walls…and the other half of the day trying to fit our kayaks (and ourselves) into the smallest nooks and crannies we could find.   Both had a way of creating a feeling of being pretty small and insignificant compared to the forces that shaped these rocks.

Above (left to right):  Josh Tatro works his way through deep, but rather low sea cave;  me contemplating all the things that could go wrong with this seemingly convenient bivy spot;  me popping out of another sea cave. 

We had a lot of fun scampering around on the rocks….the sandstone is really grippy, which is hell on your gel coat, but great for climbing (and getting a good angle for a photo)…and lots of conglomerate rocks meant plenty of handholds.

Above (left to right):   I found this wall a lot easier to get up than to get down (now, where was that handhold again??);  Josh navigating the caves on all fours;  John and Josh moments before I took the quick way down into the 51F water.

DAY 1:    SNUG HARBOR TO LAKE IMRE.   We met our group at Snug Harbor, a tiny little spot that is home to a few seasonal cottages and a small marina and restaurant.  Nick and I drove through the night (and about 250 miles out of our way!) in order to swing through Detroit to meet up with Kelly Blades and pick up my new Cetus.    We pulled in at 4:30am and were able to get about 45 minutes of sleep before the minibus full of bright eyed and anxious paddlers were ready to get fitted.   It’s amazing what a great stimulant taking a trip is…nothing like it to make you forget you’re operating on less than an hours rest!   Cosmos gradually emerged from chaos as we helped our group pack their sea kayaks.    I was amazed at the load carrying capacity of the Cetus…it’s got ample room for personal and group gear, with a surprising amount of space behind the skeg box.   Best of all, the boat handled quite well, even with a full load.   After a quick breakfast at Gilley’s Restaurant, we explored the eastern edge of Franklin Island and paddled up the coast about 9 miles until we found a good spot to bivy on the mainland near Lake Imre.

 DAY 2:   WIND DAY ON LAKE IMRE.    It’s not uncommon to get a lot of wind on GB, so it’s always wise to plan a few extra days in the itinerary.   We’d had a wet evening, but high pressure was moving in, bringing along quite a bit of sunshine and a steady 20knots wind.   We moved our bivy out of the wind, stayed warm, threw the frisbee around a bit, and did some day paddling along the coast.

 DAY 3:  BIG McCOY ISLAND.   On Monday, we were able make a short crossing to Big McCoy Island, our shortest paddle of the trip (under 5 miles), but one of the most scenic.   The McCoys are a series of big round boulders, smoothed out and dropped in place by glaciers, and unlike any place I’ve been before.    We found a great landing spot for our 18 boats on Big McCoy, and there was plenty of room for tents and gear…not a lot of protection from weather, but the forecast was looking good.    After lunch we did a circum-ambulation of the island, which gave us a chance to see quite a bit of wildlife, including some extremely active and entertaining beaver and a rather sizable Eastern Fox Snake.   The geology of the island was really striking, with distinct veins of granite, quartz, and mica.   It warmed up enough to allow for a quick swim in the 45-F (7 celsius) water.    After dinner, a few of us took a night paddle in the maze of islands and shoals.  It was an easy place to get lost while gazing up at the stars and we definitely found ourselves taking the long way back…

DAY 4:   THE MINKS, RED ROCK LIGHT, and FRANKLIN ISLAND.    On Tuesday morning, rather than paddling as a large group, we divided up into three groups of 6, each with a guide and left at staggered intervals.    We had done a quick navigation class the day before, and each group plotted their own course through the island chain and was responsible for all the on-water navigation decisions, with the guides only intervening when need be.    Smaller groups definitely move faster and having the students actively engaged in the trip worked out really well…they were ones pushing us to finish our breakfast, pack, and get moving in the morning!   This was our longest paddle of the trip…we had a 9 mile paddle down the chain of islands, where the groups met up before undertaking a 2.5 mile open water crossing to get back to Franklin Island.   One of the highlights was a short 1 mile detour out to Red Rock Lighthouse, a 60-ft tall light built onto a huge red granite boulder marking the southern end of the Mink and McCoy Island chain.   The crossing back to Franklin went smoothly, with only small 1 foot seas to contend with, and our group arrived ready for a hot dinner on Franklin.    As usual, the last night of the trip was something of a celebration…lots of leftovers to eat, stories to share, and planning already underway for the next time…

DAY 5:   BACK TO SNUG HARBOR.  Because we’d only used up one wind day, we had a very short return paddle, which made for a leisurely morning paddle back.   On the way back, I came across a Gardner snake swimming pretty far off shore.    I gave him a boost onto my front hatch and, with some difficulty, gave him a ride back to the coast.    Like the rest of us, he arrived safely, wet and a bit tired, and ready for his next adventure.

Winter seems to have finally relaxed its grip, and I managed to get out for a little spring surfing yesterday.    The water is still quite cold (36F / 2C) and despite a sunny, 55F / 13C day,  a steady 20kn onshore wind made temps feel downright frigid.

My buddy Nick and I met up at Edgewater Beach where nice, easy,  3-5 foot spilling waves made for some fun surfing.    Nothing heart pounding, but in near-freezing water, I wasn’t exactly looking to get trashed in the surf.

The early season foray did give me a chance to test my NRS Mambas (pogies).  They worked great…my hands felt like they were sitting in little saunas.   I did notice I tend to hold my paddle more stiffly with the pogies on…I usually open my fingers more and use a looser grip (especially with the off water hand), and actually started cramping up a bit.

All in all a good day on the water, and we pretty much had the beach to ourselves…just a couple of die-hard board surfers.    One of surfers bobbing around turned out to be an old high school friend I hadn’t seen since 1991.    Of all the places to bump into each other, we figured this was one of the most unlikely! 

I recently followed a lengthy debate on a popular paddling forum regarding the pros and cons of rescue stirrups (aka rescue slings).    A rescue sling is a device used to help a swimmer who can’t seem to pull themselves up onto their boat during a rescue.     Although I’d definitely consider a stirrup to be  a last resort, there are times as a guide that a stirrup has proven a quick and effective way of getting a cold and tired paddler back in their boat.

There are a host of different ways to use a rescue stirrup.   Many stirrup configurations are unwieldy, time-consuming, and hazardous.   Some methods require lashing paddles together…something which strikes me as a bad idea (you might need that paddle!) and one that would be impractical in rough water.     Others use long loops of webbing that invariably wind up wrapped around the swimmer as they climb back into the boat.

In keeping with the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, stupid!) principle, I’ve devised a simply stirrup that deploys quickly, floats, and has a quick release to minimize the risk of entrapment.    The rescue stirrup I carry as a guide is a 9 ft line with a rope end ball on one end and a bowline on the other.    When the ball is fed into the bowline, it forms a loop that is draped around the cockpit coaming of the empty boat, with the long end hanging in the water.    

 
(Above)   The K.I.S.S. Stirrup:   9 ft non-floating line, rope ball end, a bit of minicell foam in shrink tubing or wrapped in electrical tape for a float, and a section of aquarium tubing to create a foot hold that sinks.

The rescuer stablizes the boat as in a normal assisted rescue, while the swimmer places a foot in the loop so they can use their legs to boost themselves onto the back deck of their boat.

As the swimmer enters the boat, the rescuer can trip the quick release with a simple push of the thumb:

There are a number of drawbacks to using a stirrup.  They take a little more  time, and poses an potential entrapment hazard.     But those risks have to be balanced against having a tired swimmer staying in the water too long, or the problems associated with scoop rescues that get a paddler back into a fully swamped boat.   

The quick-release rig I’ve configured is a handy bit of kit to carry, especially if you’re leading or paddling with individuals who may not necessarily be proficient in getting back into their kayak.   Our guides all carry stirrups, which we’ve found to be just “another arrow in the quiver” when it comes to rescues.   Remember, the best rescue is the one that works!