Just four weeks to go before we head off and the last bits of kit have arrived. Yesterday I spent the day stuffing all the gear into dry bags and figuring out the best way to pack the kayak. It reminded me of trying to complete one of those puzzles you sometimes get in Christmas crackers – where you have a plastic frame with 14 numbers that can slide around but only one space free.
"My shoes wouldn't even fit in here!"
Posted in Challenges, Kit, Paddle trips | Tagged Britain, Circumnavigation, Extreme Challenge, Kayakathon, sea kayak | 2 Comments »
Geoff and I recently had our NDK Explorer kayaks smartened up by Andy Willcocks of ASW Boatbuilders.
Our kayaks are around three years old and whilst still in great structural condition, the gel coat was beginning to show the signs of wear and tear – hundreds of launches and landings on sand and rocks and more than a few misjudged ‘rock hopping’ manoeuvres. We wanted to make sure that the kayaks are in great condition before we set off.
Repairing the gelcoat
Posted in Challenges, Kit, Paddle trips | Tagged Britain, Circumnavigation, sea kayak | 3 Comments »
The passenger
Posted in Challenges, Cornwall, Paddle trips | Tagged Britain, Circumnavigation, Extreme Challenge, sea kayak | 4 Comments »
Wish these these things were lighter...
Posted in Challenges, Cornwall, Friends, Paddle trips | Tagged Britain, Circumnavigation, Extreme Challenge, sea kayak | Leave a Comment »
One the GB360 Team gets married this afternoon. Mike and Caroline are finally tying the knot at St Mawes Castle. As Tanya hunted through her wardrobe this morning trying on several outfits asking for my expert advice on each, I made a clumsy remark about never finding a man struggling with what colour to wear or what shoes to go for. Tanya gently reminded me just how many hours I spent looking at the Kokatat catalogue and just how many phone calls and emails there were between me, Mike and Geoff before we could finally settle on our expedition kit. Ok, good point. I may not worry so much about my shore clothes but when it comes to looking the part on the water and feeling safe and warm – well that’s another matter altogether.
Our yummy Kokatat gear has arrived and this week Geoff and I got together for a couple of days paddling to get some miles in and test the new gear.
Posted in Challenges, Kit, Paddle trips | Tagged Britain, Circumnavigation, Extreme Challenge, Sabbatical, sea kayak | Leave a Comment »
A post with a bit of a serious theme this one. When we talk about the trip to friends and family, after the initial “you are joking right?”, the conversation quickly turns to how we plan to keep safe through out 2,500 mile paddle. We have prepared a full risk assessment and will be talking this through with the Coastguard before we leave – below is an extract from it.
Safety kit carried by each paddler in their PFD (Personal Flotation Device) or within easy reach - cockpit or day hatch
Posted in Challenges, Paddle trips | Tagged Britain, Circumnavigation, Extreme Challenge, sea kayak | 2 Comments »
A friend of the GB360 Team, Simon Osborne (from Seakayaking Cornwall) is currently half way across the Atlantic with 3 of his friends – Marin Medak, Stephen Bowens and Alastair Humphreys. More people have climbed Everest than rowed across the Atlantic. Read about their inspirational story on their Facebook page or their website http://transatlantik.si/eng/
Posted in Challenges | Tagged Atlantic, Extreme Challenge, Row | Leave a Comment »
Those awfully nice people at HP Enterprise Security Services (HP ESS) have just donated £250 to the great causes we are raising money for as we paddle round this little island of ours. From Mike, Geoff and myself – a big thank you to HP ESS and to all those who have sponsored us so far.
We’ve now met the first £1,000 milestone and still more than 3 months before we set off!
Just a reminder we are raising money for 5 of our favourite charities and hoping to top £10,000 by the end of our trip.
You can make a donation by clicking here www.sponsor-me.org/midlifekayak
Posted in Challenges, Friends | Tagged activity camps, ms therapy, national charity, sustainability projects | 1 Comment »
The round Britain team are absolutely thrilled to announce that Kokatat, have agreed to be the official sponsor for our paddling gear. For those that don’t know the company – it focuses on paddle sport clothing and equipment and has an enviable reputation for quality. Based in California since it was established 40 years ago, and named after the Native American word for ‘into the water’, they are easily the most highly regarded manufacturer of kayaking kit.
When we were seeking advice from some of the UK’s top sea kayakers about which kit which should go for, Kokatat was the name that kept being mentioned. Both Geoff and I have purchased some of their kit before and the advice we got reinforced our own views that we ought not to use anything else on this trip. With 100 days and 2,500 miles of paddling – the last thing you want to worry about is your kit letting you down.
Once the new kit arrives we’ll post some photos, tell you about how it shapes up in training and on the expedition itself. Can’t wait!
Posted in Challenges, Friends, Paddle trips | Tagged Britain, Extreme Challenge, sea kayak | Leave a Comment »
Midlifekayak 