I Love To Paddle.

Hmmmm, what's goin on here?

Paddlers In The Mist.

A group of South African paddlers out for an Autumn paddle near Johannesburg.

Via Corriere della Sera. | Photo: Denis Farrell / AP

The OC.

Ocean canoe, not a television program, on the bay.
It has been fantastic the last couple of weeks. We can sail, paddle, row, kiteboard, surf and swim (brrrrrr...ok I admit the water is a tad bit cold for swimming without a wetsuit) in the Bay Area. This place is almost perfect.

The wahines out for a paddle in an OC6.

Photos taken from the cockpit of the Mighty Mo. FotoHorse

Dave Kissane's Training Schedule. Paddlers Take Notes.

There's a great article on Dave Kissane, the three-time Australian Men's Health Ocean Racing Series champ, over at Epic Kayaks.

Here's a peak at Dave's typical week of training:

Monday: Off

Tuesday: Flat water kayak squad interval workout: 15-20 km total, i.e. 4 km, 2 x 2 km, 2 x 1 km, 2 x 500m, then 5 min. easy paddling followed by 2 x 2 km, 2 x 1km, 2 x 500.

Wednesday: Open ocean session. Typically something like 8 x 2 km at a heart rate between 135-150 beats per minute.

Thursday: Flat water workout, i.e. 4 km wash riding warm-up and then 6-8, 500 meter efforts.

Friday: Go surf! If there are no waves, he’ll go for a swim and a run.

Saturday: Two hour session with other open water paddles. i.e. 5 min. efforts for 70 minutes into the wind and then a straight 50 min. effort back with the wind

Sunday: Either a 2 hour downwind paddle or a club race in either kayaks or in the ocean. The only thing that I do that is similar to Dave's schedule is Friday's workout (minus the run). I guess I won't be paddling in this year's Molokai race.

Brah, you'll see me on the beach driniking Mai Tais.

Surf Ski Time!

I finally picked up my Knysna surf ski. I can't wait to take her out.
Thanks Jon.

Surf Ski Time!

I finally picked up my Knysna surf ski. I can't wait to take her out.
Thanks Jon.

Are We Having Fun?

Canoe surfing has been on my brain today.

Canoe Surfing.

Surfing with an OC-1. (Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe.)

Outrigger canoes can be paddled, surfed and sailed.

Canoe Surfing.

Surfing with an OC-1. (Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe.)

Outrigger canoes can be paddled, surfed and sailed.

I Think We've Sprung A Leak!

Bail, bail....too late. It's time for a swim.

Hardcore Paddlers. Surfski Photo

The Men's Health Winter Fest. South Africa.
If I had been there I would have become "The Drowned Horse." Outstanding paddlers!

Photos from the Winter 2004 Mens Health Surfski Racing Series in Kwazulu Natal South Africa.

Hardcore Paddlers. Surfski Photo

The Men's Health Winter Fest. South Africa.
If I had been there I would have become "The Drowned Horse." Outstanding paddlers!

Photos from the Winter 2004 Mens Health Surfski Racing Series in Kwazulu Natal South Africa.

Hydrofoil Kayak?

Click the image to see the Flyak in action. WMV file. I was reading the Yahoo surfski forum this morning when I ran across a post about hydrofoils on kayaks. Being a sceptic my first reaction was, "that can't be, a kayak with hydrofoils has to be unstable. This guy is on drugs." Well I was wrong (not the first time).

Click here to find out more.
Yahoo Surfski Forum.

There is hope for us old guys! Oscar Chalupsky wins the Molakai World Surf Ski Championship

(Honolulu Advertiser) Oscar Chalupsky, 42, of South Africa powered his way to win the Moloka'i World Championship in the surfski division. Folks, this is a big deal, paddling on open water across the channel from Moloka'i to O'ahu is hard....hard...HARD. That's probably why I like to row longer distances...much easier even if it's backward.

Chalupsky completed the 32-mile course from the Kaluako'i Hotel, Moloka'i, to the Kona Brewing Co. in Koko Marina, O'ahu, in 3 hours, 28 minutes, 38 seconds. The race is considered the world championship of solo ocean paddling, and Chalupsky has now won it an unprecedented 11 times. Chalupsky, 42, won his first title in 1983 when he was 20.

"I can't say it was an easy win; probably one of the hardest," he said. "I did my homework and it paid off. It shows you age is not a factor." My hat's off to Oscar. What an accomplishment! If it was me I would have run out of gas and drifted down to Papohaku. Where's my Mai Tai?

Opening Day. Venezia, Italia

Opening Day. Venezia, Italia