compressible sleeping bag you can afford; and do a few dry runs at home so packing doesn’t take all day at the put-in. Sommé is not a big fan of packing things in his cockpit for fear of losing gear and hindering re-entry in the event of capsize. He makes an excep- tion on ocean trips in arid regions where fresh water can be the heaviest item in the boat. Here, Sommé rigs a through-the-deck hydra- tion system behind his seat, storing bags of water close to the bulkheads.
THE EXPEDITION PADDLER’S MENU
F
SAFETY AND RESCUE I
nstructors and expedition paddlers Shawna Franklin and Leon Sommé, co-owners of Washington-based Body Boat Blade Inter- national, like to divide safety gear into group (first aid kit, boat repair kit) and individual (VHF marine radio, flares) items. Franklin doesn’t hesitate when asked which piece of safety gear she’d never leave behind on an expedition: a tow system. “We use tows all the time. On the south coast of Iceland, Leon came out of his boat on a surf break. I was able to tow him and his boat through the break to perform a rescue. Later on the same trip, we used a tow to assist a seasick paddler. It is important that everyone on the trip has a tow system and knows how to use it; we wear ours on our waists.”
TRAINING AND FITNESS S
expedition in 16 days. What could’ve been agonizing was made enjoyable by a pre-trip training strategy. “I didn’t get to train as much as I wanted to,” says O’Blenis. “I planned on doing lots of long, eight- to 10-hour train- ing days. But in reality I didn’t have time to do that.” Instead, O’Blenis relied on intense two- to three-hour on-water sessions, includ- ing intervals and time trials (see Adventure Kayak, Early Summer 2010—
www.adventu-
rekayakmag.com/0002—for more info on fit- ness paddling). His secret weapon in develop- ing speed, power and ultimately stamina was training with a wing paddle. “I had no inten- tion of using it on the expedition,” he says. “The idea was that when I switched back to my normal touring Greenland-style paddle it would feel effortless.”
ea kayaker Joe O’Blenis knows a thing or two about making the most of limited va- cation time. Last year, O’Blenis reclaimed his speed record for circumnavigating Vancou- ver Island, completing the 1,150-kilometer
HAULING THE WEIGHT S
ood is often the distinguishing factor be- tween a recreational trip and an expedi-
tion. True, you can go gourmet on a long-haul, multi-day journey, but “after paddling six to 10 hours a day the last thing you want to do is prepare a five-course meal,” says Sommé. Franklin and Sommé prefer easy to prepare, one-pot meals that they “can eat over and over,” without gagging or getting malnour- ished. Typically that means combining lots of carbs with a source of protein and fat like olive oil or gobs of peanut butter. Hard-boiled eggs and dried sausage are staples on Franklin and Sommé’s lunch menu. But that doesn’t mean you can’t eat fresh. “One of the best things we did on our Haida Gwaii trip was a cabbage salad,” says Franklin. “Cabbage keeps forever and by combining it with apples, carrots and an oil and vinegar dressing, it makes a great side dish.”
Flying Solo The old British Canoe Union
ommé insists that if you think like a back- packer you’ll never run out of space when
packing your boat. Break down your tent into individual components; pack clothing and gear in small drybags; avoid doubling up on group gear like pots and stoves; buy the most
40 ADVENTURE KAYAK | EARLY SUMMER 2011
mantra “never less than three at sea” makes good sense: A group of three or more ensures that an injured paddler will never need to be left alone while the rest of the group summons help. But the rewards of paddling alone may be equally high for those prepared to deal with the additional risks and responsibilities. Solo expedition paddlers set their own pace and need only worry about themselves. “I’m more connected to the ocean when I go alone,” says California- based sea kayaker Duane Strosaker, founder of the website
Rollordrown.com. “With every person you add to the group, you lose this sense of intimacy with the ocean.”
PHOTO: RYAN CREARY
PHOTO: VIRGINIA MARSHALL
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56