You’re on Tybee time—even if you are paddling hard during the Sea Kayak Georgia symposium. Tybee Island is just one of those places where it’s hard to take a bad picture. These are from October 14-20, 2014. Click on any image to begin full-size slideshow. 🙂
The day before the symposium began, Sea Kayak Georgia hosted “Demo Day”— an opportunity for folks to try various Nigel Dennis kayaks under the watchful eye of…Nigel Dennis himself! (Can you say, starstruck?)
In case you didn’t know, Nigel Dennis (above) and Paul Caffyn completed the first-ever circumnavigation of Great Britain in 1980, having designed better kayaks for the occasion; and later undertook expeditions in Antarctica, Easter Island, and a televised romp around Cape Horn.
So, next time you rummage around in your offset dayhatch for a cookie or hop into your keyhole cockpit without bloodying your shins, thank Mr. Dennis—the inventor of both.
More scenes around Tybee. Click for full-size slideshow:
Enough with the rolling and surfing. We’re starving! Every Sea Kayak Georgia symposium ends with a celebratory oyster roast, and this year didn’t disappoint. On Saturday night, Marsha and Ronnie cooked up a traditional lowcountry oyster roast behind the shop. We ate our fill of local oysters…while the midges feasted on us.
Click on any photo for full-size slideshow 🙂
Jean achieves rolling zen and facial zinc.
As advertised, a new day. With warm mid-70s temps, mild wind and a bright sunny attitude: become one with the sweep roll. (Make that two—you do want to get both sides.) Today, PFD-less Jean “found her float” and “became one with the paddle” (i.e., upon capsizing, she squared her shoulders to the water, looked at the sky, engaged her waterside leg while dropping her head back, then “swept” the paddle blade firmly but lightly as if flinging a Frisbee, and used her core muscles to slide onto the now-upturned back deck. 20 times both sides. Omm.)
Here are a few of today’s moments of Southern zen, including Jean’s sweep roll, plus sights and sounds of Tybee:
Tomorrow’s goal—rolling with an un-extended paddle and an element of surprise (i.e., “finding the set-up position”). And “finding a cold one” to enjoy on this here porch. Goodnight, y’all! 🙂
Alex likes to say, “Life is non-linear.” And guess what? Learning to roll is no exception. Just because you had success on both sides yesterday doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll simply pick up where you left off today. You might start overthinking your pivot hand, which can make you forget you even have legs that should be driving the kayak upright, and where should my [name of body part here] be now? thoughts come flooding in with the tide.
No worries—just review the basics. A lot. See the two video clips below, featuring Cheri and Turner and lots of Tybee sand:
So….Jean’s to-do list for tomorrow: 1) “find her float,” sans lifejacket, 2) keep her pivot hand on her pivot shoulder instead of pushing the paddle away or down or who-knows-where, and 3) scull for support. Tonight’s to-do, however: Remember that “tomorrow is another day.” (Pictures below from this evening, Thursday 10/16, Tybee Island, GA).
The other day, Jean tossed her kayak on top of the good ol’ Subaru and drove 840 miles to paddle none. That’s right—from New York to Tybee, Georgia, to spend five consecutive days rolling at the 2014 Sea Kayak Georgia Skills Symposium. She’s in expert hands: Cheri Perry and Turner Wilson of international Greenland-rolling fame! Assuming all goes as planned (i.e., Jean keeps breathing warm Georgia air vs. warm Tybee water), you can expect a nightly update on her progress. Below, the adventures of Day One 🙂
Learning the standard layback “sweep” began with no boat at all. Here, Jean emulates Cheri’s arched back/dropped head/raised hip position but looks like an ex-citizen of ancient Pompeii.
Cheri demonstrates the progression. After “capsizing,” she “finds the float” (shoulders square to the water, as if floating on your back in a swimming pool; paddle parallel to your shoulders and the water surface.)
Roll the hips (your boat will tilt partway up)
Engage your core muscles (abs) to slide your torso onto the back deck of your kayak.
Next, add a boat—but hold the water.
Here’s what it looks like on water:
Our turn! Jean and new pal Dee give it a whirl. Er, roll.
See you tomorrow!
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