‘Helen’s Blog’
Sweden, the Nordic Tour Continues
We are now 12 weeks into this year’s Rebel Kayaks supported Nordic Tour, and having an absolute blast! Since my last BLOG we have had classes in Nynashamn, Sandhamn, Karlstad and Helsingborg (all in Sweden) and Rungsted and Frederiksværk (both in Denmark – and both will be covered in the next blog).
After leaving Mora, we made our way to Nynashamn, which is located on the east coast of Sweden, about an hour’s drive south of Stockholm. It’s always wonderful to catch up with Pelle and Carina of Nynas Kajak & Upplevelse. During the five days that we were there, I ran several sessions of Yoga for Paddlers and Simplifying the Roll, while Mark ran a BCU 3 Star Sea Training, a BCU 3 Star Sea Assessment and a BCU 4 Star Sea Training.
Stunning scenery and Yoga for Paddlers, is there a better way to start a day?
At this point in the tour, the water had heated to a nice, comfortable temperature. Perfect for rolling classes.
The BCU 4 Star Sea Training class worked on navigation.
A gorgeous day to be on the water.
Rescue scenarios are great way to cool off on a hot day.
We had our own private brewery tour at Nynäshamns Ångbryggeri, which including a tasting of the brewery’s award winning beers.
The owner of the brewery did a fantastic job of telling us about all of the different types of beers.
After leaving Nynashamn, we were picked up by a boat and taken to an island off the coast of Stockholm to run a guide training program for Sandhamns Kajakskola. Sandhamn is a beautiful island, consisting entirely of sand. It has a relaxed feel, and it was great to circumnavigate the island and see its beautiful shoreline.
Kayaks were secured on a boat, which took us to the island.
Participants learn how to teach rolling during “The Art of Teaching Rolling.”
Guides had a first hand opportunity to teach rolling.
Participants also learned how to repair a kayak in an emergency situation.
Just one way to tow a kayak…
We tried out a couple of stand up paddleboards.
And seven-year-old Noah taught Mark how to sword fight.
It was nice to walk into town for dinner at a tasty restaurant on the harbor.
Sandhamn has some of the biggest toads that I’ve ever seen.
It also has some of the prettiest sunsets.
After leaving Sandhamn, we headed to Karlstad to run classes for Vanerkajak during the Varmlands Paddelfestival.
Lake Vanern was warm and sandy. The perfect venue for a festival and classes.
I taught two days of rolling classes in the warm lake.
During the rolling classes we worked on all types of rolls. Here a Chest Scull is born.
Others worked on a first roll.
A few people tried out Rebel Kayak’s newest kayak, The Husky, which is one of the kayaks that we’re using during the tour.
Mark ran a BCU Coastal Navigation and Tidal Planning class.
After the festival, we stuck around for a great paddle.
After leaving Karlstad, we made our way to Helsingborg, which is on the west coast of Sweden, where we ran two sessions of Simplifying the Roll and an instructor development day for Helsingborgs Kanotisterna. It was great to be back, and the weather was spectacular!
The rolling classes took place on a very popular beach across the street from the kayak club.
A Balance Brace is born.
On Saturday evening, the Club hosted a crayfish party, which is a common celebration in Sweden during the month of August. The party included team games (shown here).
Each “team” got extra points for every team member that could get to the top of this structure. I might not have done it the intended way, but I got up 🙂
The tasty crayfish.
As part of the Instructor Development Workshop, I ran Yoga for Paddlers.
Team building games are always good too.
More team building.
Instructors worked on maneuvering strokes and how to teach them.
Happy instructors.
Special thanks to Pelle, Carina, John, Mans, Bjorn, Jakob, Ronny, Lars and Anneka for taking such good care of us!
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Greenland or Bust’s August Newsletter
THE NORDIC TOUR • GREENLAND EXPEDITION • ISKGA
For us here at Greenland or Bust, it has been a wonderful summer. We hope that you’re having just as much fun as we are, both on and off the water.
We’re writing this newsletter as we leave the east coast of Sweden and head west, running classes as we make our way to Denmark. Time flies, and we can’t believe that we’re already ten weeks into this year’s Rebel Kayaks supported Nordic Tour!
Throughout July we ran Simplifying the Roll in the charming fishing town of Grebbestad; Simplifying the Roll, Incident Management and Intermediate Boat Handling in the magnificent city of Stockholm; Simplifying the Roll in Mora, a place which is often referred to as “the heart of Sweden”; Simplifying the Roll, a BCU 3 Star Sea Training, a BCU 3 Star Sea Assessment and a BCU 4 Star Sea Training in the beautiful archipelago surrounding Nynäshamn; and a guide training program on the stunning island of Sandhamn, which is located off the east coast. All of these locations are in Sweden, and yet all of them are very different from one another, and the diversity has made this year’s tour incredibly fun. In addition to on-water classes, we’ve also ran 15 sessions of Yoga for Paddlers.
We’re currently on our way to Lake Vänern near Karlstad for the Värmlands Paddelfestival, after which we head to the west coast for two days of classes in Helsingborg before hopping on a ferry to Denmark for classes in Rungsted, Frederiksværk and Svendborg. We’ll be in Denmark for most of August, and then we end the tour in Malmö and Karlshamn (Sweden) before heading home in early September. Click HERE for our complete 2015 Nordic Tour schedule.
This is the sixth year of the Nordic Tour, and every year it’s great to be back and catch up with our Scandinavian paddling friends. It’s also great to make so many new friends each year. Special thanks to Rebel Kayaks for supporting the tour, as well as the clubs, businesses and organizations that put the classes together in their neck of the woods, and a HUGE thank you to all of the participants.
The tour ends in September, but “kayaking season” will keep going full swing. We hope that you’ll consider joining us for a class in California (Trinidad, Whiskeytown Lake, Mendocino, Dana Point, Marina Del Rey) or Wales (Pembrokeshire, Anglesey), or perhaps we’ll see you at one of the symposiums that we’ll be teaching at in the remainder of 2015 (Traditional Paddlers’ Gathering – Minnesota, Sea Kayaking Cornwall Symposium – England or Lumpy Waters – Oregon).
In other news, Greenland or Bust is excited to announce that we are now an authorized center for the International Sea Kayak Guide Association (ISKGA) in the United States (located in Arcata/Trinidad, California). We’re both ISKGA guides and are really excited to be running ISKGA training modules and observations.
And finally, are you interested in joining us for a Greenland expedition? The dates and location have been set! Next year’s expedition will take place in the Disco Bay/Ilulissat area from July 20 to 31, 2016. Contact us at info@greenlandorbust.org for more information.
As usual, visit www.greenlandorbust.org for more information and our current Events calendar and Blog postings. You can also follow us on Twitter. For questions, comments or to schedule us in your neighborhood, e-mail: info@greenlandorbust.org.
Happy paddling!
Helen and Mark
Dr. T’s Coaching Corner
In April’s newsletter we talked about the ‘technical’ element of the BCU’s TTPP model, and in June’s edition we covered the ‘tactical’ aspect, as they relate to the development of a paddler’s performance.
This month we focus on how a kayaker’s use of psychological tools can help achieve successful outcomes. To recap, this element represents our ability to overcome anxiety, manage arousal, determine confidence levels and understand motivational reasoning.
At times, a paddler may find themselves in challenging or highly-dynamic waters that will cause them to react both physically and mentally in a manner which could negatively affect their performance. Stress, arousal and anxiety are terms used to describe this condition. It might be that they ‘talk’ themselves out of making a maneuver or feel their heart beat faster than normal, experience the sensation of ‘butterflies’ or just get ‘gripped.’
Adopting good psychological strategies and using goal setting techniques can help moderate these emotional states, thus enabling a person to perform under pressure. To assist an individual to master their anxieties, somatic techniques (e.g. relaxation) and cognitive techniques (e.g. imagery) can be used.
Goals setting can help us gain greater control of achieving our paddling objectives because they specify what we need to work towards (thus giving direction) and the amount of effort required to achieve that target (levels of intensity). This in turn will increase our levels of motivation and self-belief.
Goal setting provides structure to a training program and is a useful tool in measuring progress. Establishing short, medium and long-term goals creates an opportunity for rewards (if you succeed in meeting each goal) or for reviewing your training needs (if you don’t meet a goal).
Relaxation techniques are seen as powerful aids to managing our emotional states and can have a direct affect upon our confidence levels. Progressive relaxation methods, along with energizing activities, prior to paddling, can have a positive effect on anxiety levels while on the water.
Imagery, visualization, mental rehearsal and mental practice all refer to creating or recreating an experience in the mind. This approach involves either retrieving an experience from memory and using it in a meaningful way, or creating an image of a new experience from cues or visual aids.
Imagery, as a tool, can be used to center the mind and help us focus on what we want to achieve. It involves mentally rehearsing a performance and can be done on the beach; in a car park; even while paddling. Visualization involves picturing what a successful performance of a task might feel like.
Some people like to hold the paddle and physically go through the motions of the maneuver they are about to perform (e.g. rolling; entering the flow), while others prefer to build a picture in their minds-eye of how they might apply a technique or complete a maneuver successfully.
Applying Psychological tools, such as arousal management and mental rehearsal, along with the use of goal setting, will enhance our paddling performance and improve our Technical ability as well provide us with greater confidence in being Tactical when kayaking.
The final element to be looked at in the TTPP model is that of a paddlers’s Physiological development, including endurance, flexibility, strength, hydration and nutrition… but more on that next time.
Program Schedule
Nordic Tour
May 23 to August 30, Norway, Denmark and Sweden
May 23 to 24 Asker, Norway
May 29 to 31 Oslo, Norway
June 6 to 7 Fitjar, Norway
June 9 to 11 Bergen, Norway
June 13 to 14 Bekkjarvik, Norway
June 18 Skudeneshavn, Norway
June 20 to 21 Stavanger, Norway
June 26 to 29 Copenhagen, Denmark
July 3 to 4 Grebbestad, Sweden
July 9 to 12 Stockholm, Sweden
July 16 to 18 Mora, Sweden
July 22 to 26 Nynashamn, Sweden
July 28 to 30 Sandhamn, Sweden
August 1 to 3 Karlstad, Sweden
August 8 to 9 Helsingborg, Sweden
August 11 to 12 Rungsted, Denmark
August 15 to 16 Frederiksværk, Denmark
August 22 to 23 Svendborg, Denmark
August 29 Malmo, Sweden
August 30 Karlshamn, Sweden
And The Rest…
Simplifying the Roll
September 5, Big Lagoon, California
Traditional Paddlers’ Gathering
September 10 to 13, Lake Carlos State Park, Minnesota
BCU 4 Star Training
September 14 to 18, Pembrokeshire, Wales
BCU 4 Star Assessment
September 19 to 20, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Simplifying the Roll
September 19 and 20, Whiskeytown, California
Simplifying the Rescue
September 19, Whiskeytown, California
Private Rolling Classes during Mendo Madness
September 25 to 27, Mendocino, California
BCU 4 Star Assessment
September 26 to 27, Anglesey, Wales
Simplifying the Roll
October 3, Anglesey, Wales
Combat Rolling
October 4, Anglesey, Wales
Sea Kayaking Cornwall Symposium
October 10 to 11, Cornwall, England
Lumpy Waters
October 16 to 18, Pacific City, Oregon
Working on your roll and need a little help? Simplifying the Roll with Helen Wilson and Yoga for Outdoor People are available from our on-line store HERE.
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Copyright © 2015 Greenland or Bust, All rights reserved.
Helen Wilson and Mark Tozer • (707) 834-5501
info@greenlandorbust.org
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Denmark and Sweden, the Nordic Tour Continues
We’re now about nine weeks into this year’s Nordic Tour, and so far it has been a wonderful summer. This year’s Rebel Kayaks supported tour began in Norway, where we had classes through the end of June. To read about that part of the tour, click HERE.
After leaving Norway, we made our way to Copenhagen, Denmark for four days of classes at Kajakhotellet. I taught Simplifying the Roll and Complicating the Roll while Mark ran a BCU 3 Star Sea training. We also ran two skills classes for the local kayaking club and a coach development workshop for the local instructors.
It was great to catch up with Anders at Kajakhotellet.
While we were in Copenhagen the weather shifted and summer arrived. We had clear blue skies and calm water, which was perfect for the rolling classes.
Participants worked on lots of different types of rolls.
Mark talks about strokes with the local kayaking club.
We also worked with balance.
Just one way to cool off on a beautiful summer day.
We also played some towing games, which included balance and singing.
There were lots of smiles during the coach development workshop.
While we were in Copenhagen, we took the opportunity to go to the Natural History Museum of Denmark and marvel at their incredible Inuit display.
The traditional Greenland kayaks display is phenomenal.
This well decorated norsaq was one of many.
Of course, there were harpoons as well.
And lots of paddles.
After leaving Copenhagen, we made our way to Sweden for classes in Grebbestad, Stockholm and Mora.
It was great to see Mats at the Kajak Center, located in Grebbestad.
Participants warmed up with Yoga for Paddlers before heading out onto the water for Simplifying the Roll.
Throughout the two days in Grebbestad we worked on all types of rolls. Here a participant cools off with the Balance Brace.
A roll is born.
Grebbestad is an absolutely gorgeous location and well worth a visit if you’re on the west coast of Sweden.
Johan Wirsen, owner of Rebel Kayaks, and Ann Hanbert stopped by for a visit.
Happy rollers.
More happy rollers.
Johan plays around with his new kayak design, the Rebel Husky.
The day after classes, Mark, Johan, Ann and I went for a paddle in the archipelago.
We found a nice island with a great view to land on.
The combination of a relaxing paddle, tasty food, a warm rock and perfect weather created the ideal setting for an afternoon nap.
Grebbestad is known for its shellfish, and we enjoyed lots of it. The local beer wasn’t bad either.
After leaving Grebbestad, we made our way to Svima Sport in Stockholm for the Stockholm Sea Kayak Symposium. It was great to meet Shaun Rodgers of Sea Kayaking Cornwall, who was also there as an out of town instructor. Throughout the four day event I ran Yoga for Paddlers, Simplifying the Roll and a rolling class for instructors, while Mark and Shaun ran an ISKGA incident management class, along with several other local instructors. We also enjoyed an evening paddle around the island where Svima is located.
The ISKGA incident management class chatted in the shop before heading out on the water.
Daniel, owner of Svima, was presented with his ISKGA Advanced Guide certificate, an award that he’s worked incredibly hard for.
We did Yoga for Paddlers before every rolling class.
Participants worked on lots of different types of rolls.
It was fun to teach surrounded by the spectacular city of Stockholm.
Paatip kallua tuermillugu illuinnarmik (the Shotgun Roll) is born.
Shaun looked uber cool in a tuilik and with a Greenland paddle.
The incident management class enjoyed some bumpy water and some great play spots.
The happy incident management class.
Saturday evening we enjoyed a relaxing paddle around downtown Stockholm.
Daniel assured me that this tunnel was tall enough to pass through. He was right.
A gorgeous evening in Stockholm.
After the four days of classes, Mark and I spent some time exploring the city. We enjoyed a cocktail at a bar made entirely of ice.
We also went to Grona Lund, an amusement park in Stockholm. Here Mark plays with optical illusions in the fun house.
After a fun few days in Stockholm, we headed to Mora, a scenic town located on Lake Siljan, where we ran five sessions of Simplifying the Roll and two sessions of Yoga for Paddlers.
Yoga for Paddlers.
Participants work on their rolls using the “Human Kayak Method.” Join us for a class to learn what that is 🙂
Rolling, rolling, rolling.
Happy rollers.
Magnus kept everyone well fed (thanks Magnus).
After three days of classes we stuck around for a couple of extra days to play. Magnus had been organizing an art show that took place throughout the town. We enjoyed walking from one place to the next to see both the art and the charming town of Nusnas.
A lot of the art was displayed on boat houses along the water’s edge.
The area is know for the wooden Dala horse, and we visited two Dala horse factories to watch the horses being made.
This woman makes each horse unique by painting them by hand.
Part of the art show included watching fishermen use nets to attempt to catch a very special fish called the Blikta.
We also visited Orsa Gronklitt, a wonderful bear park, where the bears seem happy, healthy and playful.
Another gorgeous bear.
There were some tigers as well.
We ended our time in Mora by going on a shrimp cruise. It was fun to cruise the lake while eating large quantities of tasty shrimp.
The lake was a great place to enjoy a wonderful sunset.
Special thanks to Anders (Copenhagen), Mats (Grebbestad), Daniel (Stockholm), Magnus and Anders (Mora) for taking such good care of us!
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Greenland or Bust’s July Newsletter
MORE NORDIC TOUR ADVENTURES
We are writing this newsletter from a hot and sunny Sweden, although most of June was far from hot and sunny. Here in Scandinavia summer had a late start, but we took advantage of it and even had the opportunity to go hiking in the snow. Despite enjoying winter fun in June, it is nice to see the sun. We are now six weeks into this year’s Rebel Kayaks supported Nordic Tour, and having tons of fun.
Throughout June we ran a BCU 3 Star Sea Training and Assessment and Simplifying the Roll in Fitjar, The Art of Teaching Rolling in Bergen, Simplifying the Roll in Glesvaer, Simplifying the Stroke and Simplifying the Roll in Austevoll, Simplifying the Roll in Skudeneshavn and Simplifying the Roll in Stavanger. All of these locations are on the west coast of Norway, which is an incredibly scenic and friendly place. After all of that we hopped on a ferry to Denmark and made our way to one of our favorite cities, Copenhagen, to teach Simplifying the Roll, Complicating the Roll, a BCU 3 Star Sea Training and a couple of classes for the local kayaking club. While we were there the clouds parted, making room for intense sunshine and blue skies… and summer seems to have decided to emerge, at least for a few days.
Now we’re on our way to Grebbestad, Sweden, where we’ll be teaching two days of Simplifying the Roll this weekend. After that we’ll head to Stockholm, Mora, Nynashamn and Sandhamn, all in Sweden. In August we’ve got more classes in Sweden, then we’ll be back in Denmark before finishing the tour in Sweden. Click HERE for our complete 2015 Nordic Tour schedule.
As usual, visit www.greenlandorbust.org for more information and our current Events calendar and Blog postings. You can also follow us on Twitter. For questions, comments or to schedule us in your neighborhood, e-mail: info@greenlandorbust.org.
Happy paddling!
Helen and Mark
Helen’s Mentoring Madness
Question: I recently learnt to do the Storm Roll, but it doesn’t always work. I can do the exercise where you lay the paddle perpendicular to the kayak, capsize and roll up. The “real” Storm Roll works mostly, but not always. One problem I have is that my left shoulder always hurts afterwards. I think I must be making some mistake, since I have the feeling I have to use a lot of force to pry up. A roll cannot be correct if a lot of force has to be applied. What could this be due to?
Answer: A good general rule is to keep your elbows bent. If an elbow is straight, you’ll put a lot of pressure on that shoulder. When recovering, rotate your shoulders so that your chest is perpendicular to the water. This will help you to use your “chest” as the “paddle,” thereby reducing the need for force from your arms. Make sure that you’re rotating your kayak with a firm lower leg. You might also want to check that your head is relaxed and forward during the recovery, which will also reduce the need for force from your arms.
Program Schedule
Nordic Tour
May 23 to August 30, Norway, Denmark and Sweden
May 23 to 24 Asker, Norway
May 29 to 31 Oslo, Norway
June 6 to 7 Fitjar, Norway
June 9 to 11 Bergen, Norway
June 13 to 14 Bekkjarvik, Norway
June 18 Skudeneshavn, Norway
June 20 to 21 Stavanger, Norway
June 26 to 29 Copenhagen, Denmark
July 3 to 4 Grebbestad, Sweden
July 9 to 12 Stockholm, Sweden
July 16 to 18 Mora, Sweden
July 22 to 26 Nynashamn, Sweden
July 28 to 30 Sandhamn, Sweden
August 1 to 3 Karlstad, Sweden
August 8 to 9 Helsingborg, Sweden
August 11 to 12 Rungsted, Denmark
August 15 to 16 Frederiksværk, Denmark
August 22 to 23 Svendborg, Denmark
August 29 Malmo, Sweden
August 30 Karlshamn, Sweden
Simplifying the Roll September 5, Big Lagoon, California
Traditional Paddlers’ Gathering September 10 to 13, Lake Carlos State Park, Minnesota
Simplifying the Roll September 19 and 20, Whiskeytown, California
Simplifying the Rescue September 19, Whiskeytown, California
Private Rolling Classes during Mendo Madness September 25 to 27, Mendocino, California
Sea Kayaking Cornwall Symposium October 10 to 11, Cornwall, England
Working on your roll and need a little help? Simplifying the Roll with Helen Wilson and Yoga for Outdoor People are available from our on-line store HERE.
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Copyright © 2015 Greenland or Bust, All rights reserved.
Helen Wilson and Mark Tozer • (707) 834-5501
info@greenlandorbust.org
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The Nordic Tour Continues
It’s hard to believe that we’re over a month into this year’s Rebel Kayaks supported Nordic Tour. Time definitely flies when you’re having fun! Since my last BLOG we’ve been on the west coast of Norway, running classes and playing.
Our time on the west coast started in Fitjar, where we ran a BCU 3 Star Sea training and assessment, Simplifying the Roll and did an evening presentation titled, “South Greenland Expedition & The Greenland National Kayaking Championship.”
Mark chats with 3 Star candidates.
Part of the 3 Star award deals with navigation.
Strong winds and offshore rocks created some nice play spots.
Timing is key.
Participants were given scenarios to find solutions to.
Happy candidates.
We also ran a day of rolling, and participants worked on everything from first rolls to sculling rolls.
A roll is born.
Success!
After leaving Fitjar, we headed to Bergen. It was great to catch up with Ronny at God-Tur. If you’re in Norway, his store is well worth checking out.
Ronny.
We also visited the fish market for a tasty seafood fix.
In Bergen we ran “The Art of Teaching Rolling.”
A happy group of instructors.
Then we made our way to Glesvaer for two days of rolling classes.
Participants chat on land before heading out into the water.
Glesvaer is a beautiful place to learn to roll.
Happy rollers.
Next we made our way to Austevoll for Simplifying the Stroke and Simplifying the Roll.
Sunday started with Yoga for Paddlers.
Mark works with participants on strokes.
Sigrun works on her forward stroke.
Happy paddlers.
We also ran Simplifying the Roll.
The location was absolutely stunning.
While we were on Austevoll we met up with our friend Ingeborg and walked out to view the Marstein Lighthouse.
Ingeborg let me play with her excavator and a big pile of gravel.
We had a couple of days off before our next teaching day, so we made the spontaneous decision to head to the mountain town of Odda.
The sleepy town of Odda.
We decided to hike the trail toward Trolltunga. Thick, melting snow prevented us from completing the 22 kilometer hike, but we still had a wonderful day in the mountains.
Bright snow and clear blue skies created a nice contrast.
The melting snow made crossing snow bridges tricky.
Fresh drinking water wasn’t hard to come by. No filtration needed.
On our way out of Odda, we stopped to enjoy several roadside waterfalls.
Next we made our way to the charming town Skudeneshavn for an evening Simplifying the Roll class.
We started the class with a little Yoga for Paddlers.
Then we headed into the water for some rolling instruction.
Body position is key.
More happy rollers.
The following day we explored the town. We enjoyed coffee and pancakes at Verdens Minste Kafe, which translates to “The World’s Smallest Cafe.”
We also browsed in some of the shops. Mark tried on some hats.
Next we headed to Stavanger, our last teaching venue on the west coast of Norway.
Participants worked on the Balance Brace before moving on to other rolls.
Another Balance Brace is born.
Torstein was stoked on learning to roll his surf kayak.
Another happy roller.
Rore grabs a quick bite between his rolling class and a surf ski race.
Erik tried out a surf ski.
More happy rollers.
And still more.
Special thanks to Geir Ingolf, Trond, Lillian, Dirk and Kalle for taking such good care of us!
Comments Closed
Greenland or Bust’s June Newsletter
NORDIC TOUR ADVENTURES
We are writing this newsletter from Oslo, Norway, where we’re into the second week of our Nordic Tour. It’s hard to believe that the first tour took place six years ago! At that time, the tour was three weeks long. Over the years it has grown to over three months. We’re very thankful to Johan Wirsen and Rebel Kayaks for sponsoring the tour for the second year in a row and providing us with kayaks. Helen is in the Ilaga, and Mark is in a brand new design, the Husky.
At the beginning of May, Helen was enjoying the warmth of the tropics at the Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015, which took place in Bacalar, Mexico. After that she headed to the warmth of the Mokelumne River in Lodi, California to teach three Simplifying the Roll classes and one Simplifying the Rescue class. Meanwhile, Mark was in Pembrokeshire, Wales, running a BCU 4 Star Sea Training week, as well as a BCU 3 Star Sea Training and then a couple of BCU 4 Star Sea Trainings on Anglesey, Wales. The Nordic Tour started on May 23 in Asker, Norway, and as mentioned, we’re now at our second stop, in Oslo, Norway.
We’ll be in Norway for most of June. Today is our last day of classes in Oslo, and tomorrow we’ll start to make our way to the west coast, for classes in Fitjar, Bergen, Bekkjarvik and Stavanger. At the end of June we’ll head to Copenhagen, Denmark, for classes there. Along the way we’ll be doing some hiking, paddling and exploring. Norway is a beautiful place to be if you like the outdoors. Click HERE for our complete 2015 Nordic Tour schedule.
As usual, visit www.greenlandorbust.org for more information and our current Events calendar and Blog postings. You can also follow us on Twitter. For questions, comments or to schedule us in your neighborhood, e-mail: info@greenlandorbust.org.
Happy paddling!
Helen and Mark
Dr T’s Coaching Corner
In April’s Newsletter, we talked about the ‘technical’ element of the BCU’s TTPP model and the part it plays in developing a paddler’s performance.
This month we focus on a kayaker’s use of tactical strategies can help achieve a successful outcome. To recap, this element represents how we apply our technical skills in any given context through our understanding of timing, angle, edge, trim, speed, cadence, use of water features…and so on.
As paddlers, developing effective tactics to ensure success in our given environment is important. We might be able to demonstrate technically correct skills, but without considering the tactical element there is no guarantee of a good performance.
For example, we may be technically able to edge our kayak, but if we edge the wrong way when entering an eddy we are likely to capsize.
Completing a successful manouvre therefore requires the use of tactics which come from developing judgement, decision-making processes and the appropriate application of our skills in the chosen environment.
In order to master tactical decision-making and develop good paddling judgement / strategies then we need to actively think about where we are paddling to; which waves to ride; what line to take; how we shape our course; and ways to deal with environmental factors such as swell, surf and current.
Once we are able to combine our Technical ability with Tactical application, we can focus on the Psychological and Physiological aspects of our performance. More on that next time.
Program Schedule
Nordic Tour
May 23 to August 30, Norway, Denmark and Sweden
May 23 to 24 Asker, Norway
May 29 to 31 Oslo, Norway
June 6 to 7 Fitjar, Norway
June 9 to 11 Bergen, Norway
June 13 to 14 Bekkjarvik, Norway
June 18 Skudeneshavn, Norway
June 20 to 21 Stavanger, Norway
June 26 to 29 Copenhagen, Denmark
July 3 to 4 Grebbestad, Sweden
July 9 to 12 Stockholm, Sweden
July 16 to 18 Mora, Sweden
July 22 to 26 Nynashamn, Sweden
July 28 to 30 Sandhamn, Sweden
August 1 to 3 Karlstad, Sweden
August 8 to 9 Helsingborg, Sweden
August 11 to 12 Rungsted, Denmark
August 15 to 16 Frederiksværk, Denmark
August 22 to 23 Svendborg, Denmark
August 29 Malmo, Sweden
August 30 Karlshamn, Sweden
Simplifying the Roll September 5, Big Lagoon, California
Traditional Paddlers’ Gathering September 10 to 13, Lake Carlos State Park, Minnesota
Simplifying the Roll September 19 and 20, Whiskeytown, California
Simplifying the Rescue September 19, Whiskeytown, California
Private Rolling Classes during Mendo Madness September 25 to 27, Mendocino, California
Working on your roll and need a little help? Simplifying the Roll with Helen Wilson and Yoga for Outdoor People are available from our on-line store HERE.
============================================================
Copyright © 2015 Greenland or Bust, All rights reserved.
Helen Wilson and Mark Tozer • (707) 834-5501
info@greenlandorbust.org
Comments Closed
The start of this year’s Nordic Tour
It’s hard to believe that this is the sixth summer that I’ve spent in Scandinavia. Time flies! When the Tour first started, it lasted three weeks, which I thought was long at the time. However, over the years it has grown to be over three months long, and we’re thrilled to be back!
We arrived in Sweden on May 21 and met up with our Nordic Tour sponsors, Johan Wirsen, owner of Rebel Kayaks and Janusz Ko of Aquarius Kayaks. I’ll be using the Rebel Ilaga throughout the tour, and Mark will be testing Johan’s new design, the Rebel Husky.
From left, Johan, Mark, myself and Janusz.
After catching up with Johan (which is always lots of fun) we headed to Asker, Norway, the first stop on this year’s tour. We were greeted by friendly people and a calm sea.
A gorgeous day to head out onto the water.
Asker’s kayak club gave us a warm welcome (notice the flags). We started the day with Yoga for Paddlers.
Throughout the two days we taught two full-day sessions of Simplifying the Roll.
It was wonderful to work with people on everything from first rolls to sculling rolls.
Happy rollers.
After two days of classes we had the opportunity to explore the surrounding area.
We spent an entire day exploring the Fram Museum and the Natural History Museum.
The museums were both educational and fun.
We spent a night in Rognstranda Geopark, which felt like we were at the end of the world.
The following day we went to Verdens Ende, which really does mean “the end of the world.”
A replica of a Vippefyr, an early type of lighthouse at Verdens Ende.
Mark and I paddled to another lighthouse, this one was located seven kilometers offshore.
It was a windy day, but the journey to the lighthouse and back was spectacular.
After exploring for a couple of days, we made our way to Oslo to run more classes.
Participants “simplify” their rolls.
In Oslo we ran three sessions of Yoga for Paddlers, two Simplifying the Roll classes and one session of “The Art of Teaching Rolling” (shown here).
More happy rollers.
And still more…
After three wonderful days in Oslo, we slowly made our way to the west coast. Norway is having a particularly cold June, and many roads were blocked by snow. Despite avoiding the snow as much as possible, we still got to enjoy some, even on the lower crossings.
We enjoyed a scenic drive to the west coast.
Despite being beautiful, I was glad that we weren’t teaching rolling in this lake.
Special thanks to Jan, Joan, Einar and Inge for taking such good care of us in Asker and Oslo!
Photos by Mark and Helen.
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Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015 – Bacalar, Mexico
Last week I returned home from the Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015, which took place in Bacalar, Mexico. Bacalar is gorgeous. It’s located just north of Belize on a freshwater lagoon surrounded by a jungle.
I stayed at the Villas Ecotucan, which are run by Arturo, Gunnar and Jaqueline. (Gunnar and Jaqueline are also organizers of the Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015.) The place was absolutely incredible!
One of the two cabins that I stayed in.
The thatch-roofed cabins are made out of native materials. Jaqueline worded it well by saying it’s like luxury camping.
The open restaurant was a wonderful place to relax and socialize.
The lagoon was on the property and just a short distance from the cabins.
Gunnar runs kayaking trips on the lagoon for guests. I tagged along on one of these trips.
It was fun to paddle around the mangroves.
Throughout the kayaking trip we stopped several times to enjoy a dip in the warm water or some fresh tropical fruit.
It was very relaxing to swim in the warm water.
After returning from the kayaking trip, I headed out with Jaqueline for a nature walk in the jungle (this is another service provided to guests at Ecotucan).
There are many animals in the jungle, and although jaguar sightings are rare, this sign was brought up in many conversations.
The jungle trail.
Jaqueline is very knowledgeable about the plants, birds, bugs and animals in the area.
Seeing this tarantula in the jungle was a real treat.
Visitors with open eyes could spot all kinds of wildlife. Here a bunch of geckos enjoy the evening.
I spent quite a bit of time trying to find a scorpion. My last night in Bacalar, one came to me.
Of course, besides from hanging out in paradise, there was a paddling event taking place. The two-day race brought in over 70 participants in all types of watercraft; including Mayan canoes, kayaks and stand up paddleboards.
It was a treat to paddle across the lagoon on a five person stand up paddleboard.
Steve and Lise prepare to race kayaks built by Gunnar.
The Mayan canoes were gorgeous, and each of them held ten paddlers.
Before the race participants warmed up, and spirits were high.
The kayaks and canoes were first to start the race.
The stand up paddleboards started just seconds later.
While the race was going on, I hung out at the booth chatting with people about traditional kayaking. I also ran a private class, teaching the Storm Roll.
Gunnar’s balance boards were fun for all ages.
The weather was hot, and everyone (including Tyson here) found ways to cool off.
It was fun watching the racers come in.
Racing is hard work.
Throughout the week, I had the chance to try lots of different food and drink (all of which were very tasty).
This michelada is a Mexican drink made with beer, lime juice and assorted sauces, spices and peppers.
I also really enjoyed the fresh fruit and coconuts.
One evening we got fresh tamales from a street vendor.
The tamales are wrapped in banana leaves and covered with a very spicy chili sauce (optional – but delicious).
The airport was a four hour drive from Bacalar, and I left a day early with Lise and Steve (pictured previously in this blog) to relax for a night in the city of Tulum.
Tulum has white sand beaches, relaxing hotels, tasty restaurants and the Caribbean Sea.
Of course, there were fish tacos as well.
All in all, it was a wonderful week. Thanks to Gunnar and Jaqueline for having me out for the event!
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Greenland or Bust’s May Newsletter
JUNGLES • LAGOONS • OCEANS • SEAS • NORDIC TOUR
For us here at Greenland or Bust, kayaking season is in full swing, and the year ahead looks awesome! Helen is currently in Bacalar, Mexico, at the Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015, and Mark is currently running a five day BCU 4 Star Training in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
We were in Wales and England for a large part of April, and enjoyed running Simplifying the Roll, Combat Rolling and a week long BCU 4 Star Sea Training on Anglesey. We also squeezed in time for some personal paddling and adventure. After that, Helen flew across “the pond” to be a presenter at the East Coast Paddlesports and Outdoor Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. Meanwhile, Mark stuck around Wales for the Kayak Essentials Festival on Anglesey, followed by a BCU 4 Star Sea Assessment with candidates from Finland, Germany and Canada. Helen then headed to California to run classes during the Explore North Coast Kayaking Social. As mentioned, Mark is currently in Pembrokeshire, Wales running a BCU 4 Star training week, and Helen is enjoying the jungle and lagoon while teaching and presenting at the Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015 in Bacalar, Mexico.
Coming up in May Mark will be running a BCU 4 Star Sea Training and a BCU 4 Star Sea Assessment on Anglesey in Wales, and Helen will be running Simplifying the Roll and Simplifying the Rescue in Lodi, California. After all of that our Rebel Kayaks supported Nordic Tour begins. This year’s tour is bigger and better than ever, and we have classes scheduled in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. We are very excited to be back for another tour, and look forward to seeing all of our Scandinavian friends again. Click HERE for our 2015 tour schedule. With the success of this year’s Storm Gathering USA, we’ve had lots of inquiries about future events, and it’s always good to plan ahead 🙂 The next UK Storm Gathering takes place February 20 to 22, 2016 on Anglesey in Wales, and the next Storm Gathering USA takes place March 3 to 5, 2017 in Trinidad, California.
As usual, visit www.greenlandorbust.org for more information and our current Events calendar and Blog postings. You can also follow us on Twitter. For questions, comments or to schedule us in your neighborhood, e-mail: info@greenlandorbust.org.
Happy paddling!
Helen and Mark
Helen’s Mentoring Madness
When performing a rescue, give loud and clear directions to the rescuee, and be ready to modify your rescue if necessary. Remember that the purpose of a rescue is to get the rescuee back in their kayak as quickly as possible. This might require modification of a “textbook rescue.” It is very important to keep yourself (the rescuer) safe. If the rescuer is not safe, then the rescuer could become another rescuee. As the rescuer, you should take care of yourself. Be ready to abandon the rescue and start again if the rescuee puts you in danger. When a rescuee re-enters their kayak, there can be a lot of strain put on the rescuer. When the kayaks are rafted together, lean into the center as much as possible, this helps to distribute the pressure of the rescue throughout your core, instead of putting all of the pressure on your shoulder(s). Keeping your elbows bent also reduces pressure on the shoulder(s), which can reduce the possibility of shoulder injury.
Program Schedule
BCU 4 Star Training Week: April 27 to May 1, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015: May 1 to 3, Bacalar, Mexico
BCU 4 Star Sea Training: May 5 to 6, Anglesey, Wales
BCU 4 Star Sea Assessment: May 7 to 8, Anglesey, Wales
BCU 4 Star Sea Training: May 13 to 14, Anglesey, Wales
Simplifying the Roll: May 16 and 17, Lodi, California
Simplifying the Rescue: May 16, Lodi, California
Nordic Tour
May 23 to August 30, Norway, Denmark and Sweden
May 23 to 24 Asker, Norway
May 29 to 31 Oslo, Norway
June 6 to 7 Fitjar, Norway
June 9 to 11 Bergen, Norway
June 13 to 14 Bekkjarvik, Norway
June 20 to 21 Stavanger, Norway
June 26 to 29 Copenhagen, Denmark
July 3 to 4 Grebbestad, Sweden
July 9 to 12 Stockholm, Sweden
July 16 to 18 Mora, Sweden
July 22 to 26 Nynashamn, Sweden
July 28 to 30 Sandhamn, Sweden
August 1 to 3 Karlstad, Sweden
August 8 to 9 Helsingborg, Sweden
August 11 to 12 Rungsted, Denmark
August 15 to 16 Frederiksværk, Denmark
August 22 to 23 Svendborg, Denmark
August 29 Malmo, Sweden
August 30 Karlshamn, Sweden
Working on your roll and need a little help? Simplifying the Roll with Helen Wilson and Yoga for Outdoor People are available from our on-line store HERE.
Yoga for Outdoor People can also be purchased as a download from the Digital Goods Store.
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Copyright © 2015 Greenland or Bust, All rights reserved.
Helen Wilson and Mark Tozer • (707) 834-5501
info@greenlandorbust.org
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East Coast Paddlesports and Outdoor Festival – Charleston, South Carolina
Last week I returned home from the East Coast Paddlesports and Outdoor Festival. It was my third time being a presenter at this fun event, which takes place at James Island County Park in Charleston, South Carolina.
It’s always fun to watch kayaks show up at the start of an event.
Vendor booths lined the shores of the lake.
Getting through the booths took time because it was great to stop and chat with everyone.
The event includes canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, rock climbing, slacklining, mountain biking, archery and disc golf. Participants could come to play and try out gear, shop at one of the many booths, take classes or enjoy the entertainment. Evening entertainment included a Reggae Night Concert with Black Lion and the Reel Paddling Film Festival.
The lake was a great place for people to try out all kinds of watercraft.
There was even a double SUP.
It was wonderful to catch up with east coast paddlers, vendors, presenters and the awesome volunteers, who are always there when you need a little help.
Everyone was friendly and into the spirit of the event, which was celebrating its 25th year.
It was great to catch up with Kenny from Epic.
P&H Kayaks was there with demo boats and provided beginner classes.
Throughout the three-day event I did classroom presentations called “Jamaica, A Circumnavigation Attempt” and “A Women’s Survival Guide to Wilderness Travel.” I also instructed Simplifying the Roll, Complicating the Roll and Intro to Greenland Kayaking. The last day of the event I instructed Intro to Rolling, which was presented by P&H Kayaks.
Having so much fun is hard work. This dog had the right idea.
Special thanks to Charleston County Parks and Recreation, Josh Hall and John Radel for having me there and for all of their hard work putting this event together!
It was great hanging out with other presenters in my cabin and the one next door.
And equally as fun to go out for a post event dinner at the local wine bar.
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