Final Countdown to the DPD 2010 race!

Final Countdown to the Deception Pass Dash 2010... from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

T minus one week to go!

Thanksgiving Kayak Sledding!

Thanksgiving Kayak Sledding 2010 from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

Fidalgo island neighbors enjoy friendly sled races together whenever Nature allows. Excitedly we gathered early this year on the steepest slope in Old Town thanks to a fresh dump unexpectedly Thanksgiving morning- AND with a new and fast racing craft for competitors of all ages to take turns testin' out = kayak sledding!

La Nina, La Bamba!

With winter storm winds gusting from 

the arctic NE at over 30 knots

 bringing chilly temp's to match,

we bundled up and grabbed 
the day's gear of choice...

- our cameras-

Then set out for our favorite nearby

 vantage points to capture the wave-dancing fury 
from this late autumn, 'La Nina' storm... 

From watching gale winds 

blow ferociously over the Salish seas,

to watching a full moon rise peacefully over 

nearby volcanic Mount Baker...

The constantly changing dramatic backdrops that

surround our Fidalgo island shorelines are 

truly amazing! 

The road to recovery....

Exactly one year ago today I was laying in a Seattle area hospital, recovering from the first of what would unknowingly turn into two back-to-back spinal surgeries.

Waking this morning one year later,  I was beyond excited to be able to celebrate the rebirth of reclaimed mobility through a very long and painful healing journey by joining a group of my energetic & encouraging co-workers

along with a few hundred eager others on a chilly November morning in beautiful 
Skagit Valley for Skagit Runners 
2 mile & 10 km 32nd annual  Fowl Fun Run 

Words can't describe the feeling of excitement as I lined up for my first road race in nearly two years.  Ever since sustaining a debilitating, paddling-related, back injury and being diagnosed with progressive degenerative disk disease, I've been forced to completely change my adreline junkie ways and give up many of my favorite athletic pastimes, including running...but not today!  
While my finish times might not be stealing blue ribbons anymore, the fulfillment in the simple act of doing  to me is now the greatest prize of all.  And thanks to random drawings, I still went home a winner....of a turkey!!

Jim having also been forced to take the past year off of running to heal a training-related injury of his own today was equally eager to 'go for it'  it in the 10 km race, finishing strongly with an impressive time of just over 44 minutes!

While neither of us on Team Gimp plan to reincorporate running regularly again into our training routines anytime soon,  it's simply food for the soul to be able to get out there and have fun laughing with friends, testing our fitness levels like the good ol' days on flat racing courses along the sometimes bumpy road of sports injury recovery...

Autumn Alpenglow

Sunset alpenglow illuminates

volcanic Mount Baker

beautifully behind Padilla Bay islands

Island storm paddling in the PNW

Strong winds announce 

autumns arrival

here amongst our Pacific Northwest islands,

giving us great excuse lately to get out on the water, 
storm-chasing along the 
unpredictable Salish Seas 
we affectionately call home. 

Whether just after a weekend sunrise, or strategically before yet another amazing San Juan island sunset- 

Eagerly we set out searching along familiar island 

shorelines for surf-able 

& sail-able waves. 

From Whidbey island
 to Rosario Strait,

down Guemes and 
Bellingham Channels,

up Padilla & Burrows Bays-

Launching from Fidalgo island
 on fun, fall  

circumnavigation paddles

around nearby Guemes, Allan 
and Burrows islands.

 We've giggled with friends

 the past few 
blustery weekends,
 sneaking in awesome 
15 milers just hours

before the next 
big storm arrived!

~Seasons change and winds invigorate.  Adreline rushes from chasing chilly 
wind waves keeps us smiling

into the twilight much earlier each week.  As our layers get thicker,  adventurous autumn paddles

add inspiration to our expedition planning 

for next summer's

island paddling journey...