Living on the most eastern of the San Juan archipelago islands, Fidalgo island, the variety of trip & training paddle routes from here are endless. While strong currents do exist in nearly every channel surrounding our island shores, learning how to use these currents to travel in the back eddies, the mid-channel-river-like 'green tongue', along with harnessing the strength of the winds (with kayak sails), is what paddling the San Juans is all about to us... Efficiency. Speed. Using what Nature offers to help us achieve our paddling (distance travelling & racing speed) goals. Which sometimes mandates a combination of styles & skills from river and sea kayaking mixed in with occasional surfing and sailing. Adreline rushes. Personal Speed Records. Risk-taking. Innovation. ~Paddle the Islands and let Nature Inspire.~

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Happy Holidays 2010!

Merry Christmas
from our family to yours
and a

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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Solstice Moon

From Fidalgo island we've enjoyed  
watching a nearly-Solstice,

near-full moon rising
over nearby Mount Baker
AND then hiding
again during a lunar eclipse!
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Friday, December 10, 2010

Tight race, every stroke of the way!

Many thanks to Gary Luhm for these great DPD race photos,
of our tightest, funnest race yet as tandem team;)
For more great paddling photography 
visit  http://www.garyluhm.net/.
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Sunday, December 5, 2010

Deception Pass Dash 2010 ~ Race start video


A trailside view of this years Deception Pass Dash race start with 150+ paddle sport competitors sprinting out of Bowman Bay on one the finest December days of the year.
A lot of fun was had by all at this years Dash.  For the second year in a row, marine weather conditions couldn't have been calmer for this 6 mile popular, paddling sprint race through these notoriously turbulent currents...
In my first kayak race in over a year since requiring two back-to-back spinal surgeries for a paddling-related injury,  Jim & I were pretty excited to be able to duke it out together again in our trusted Chiquita Nootka in a tight race in the mixed doubles class against Werner Paddle's Andy Bridge and his paddling partner, to finish 36th overall in a time of 60:38. 
Debbie feeding the gratefully hungry masses!
We extend a big thanks to Bill Walker, OAC and all of the awesome volunteers who make the Dash possible!

*Race photos & video courtesy of one of the youngest 'Island Paddlers', 11 year old A.V.
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