People who make your day . . . in a good way . . . and the Greenland paddle connection!

Ever have someone really make your day with something so simple? Like one little innocent comment that really makes you laugh and think?  I just did. It made me wonder why we work so hard to have fun sometimes.

I was out tooling around some water with my "skinny stick" (Greenland paddle) in a sweet sleek sea kayak when a guy in a parked houseboat sipping a beer with some friends called out, "Hey. What's that thing you're paddling with? The stick I use to stir my cake mix with is bigger than that!"

"Ha! It's a Greenland paddle", I replied.

"Can you get anywhere with that!?"

"Yep!"

"Why do you paddle with it!?"

"Well, lots of reasons":
  • "The long narrow blade of the Greenland paddle doesn't catch the wind like a big spoon, and spreads the pull on the water over a longer area. A big bladed paddle has a bigger pull on the water over a shorter wider area and puts more strain on your body."
  • "My Greenland paddle let me keep paddling when my injured right shoulder was healing and I haven't reinjured it as long as I stick with my Greenland paddle." (See: Let's talk yoga, a Greenland paddle and healing a wrecked shoulder.)
  • "These paddles were invented by the Inuit people of Greenland propelling their kayaks through big seas and wind, sometimes with a harpooned walrus in tow! They knew what they were doing!" 
After I gave him a few reasons why I paddle with a Greenland paddle, the real reason hit me and it was the most important one:

"When I paddle with my Greenland paddle, it makes me feel connected to the water and my kayak."

Now here's the funny, ironic part of this whole Greenland paddle thing, a skinny stick that always stirs curiosity to newcomers to the "stick", and the thing that made the guy and his crew laugh out loud:

"Plus, you can make one of these things for about 9 bucks! Now my expensive $500 Werner fiberglass paddle is my spare paddle!"

I've probably got one of the longest skinniest Greenland paddles around at 8 foot 8 inches long, and 2 3/4 inches at the widest part of the blade. And I love it!

More and more, I see people making their Greenland paddles with wider and wider blades for more power. Hey, is that cheating? Is it still a Greenland paddle?

Learn more about Greenland paddles at :  Adanac Paddles, Ontario, Canada or see: Greenland Paddle Makers

The Greenland paddle movement is growing! They are making a big comeback and there are more and more converts to the "stick"!

The GP connects you to so many things
  • Yourself
  • The Water and what it connects to
  • Other people
  • Great things you keep discovering
You can add to this list I'm sure!

Have you joined the GP community . . . yet!?
Happy paddling!
The BaffinPaddler

Comments

  1. MikeJune 1, 2011 at 4:50 PM

    Interesting post! During my recent paddle on Beaver Dam Lake (NC), I spotted two kayakers paddling with Greenland paddles. I also wondered about how these "sticks" handle versus more traditional paddle shapes like my Werner and Aqua-Bound paddles. Would like to "borrow" a Greenland paddle and give it a try before I am "sold" on them. BTW, how are you able to get "yourself" in so many of your blog photos? Most bloggers stay pretty much "off camera" since they are the ones taking the photos! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. BaffinPaddlerJune 2, 2011 at 12:37 AM

    Hi Mike,

    Greenland paddles come in so many different sizes and shapes. Best is to have one custom make for you and like you suggest, test paddle a few. I prefer shoulderless. I tried out 8 different models before I bought one made by another paddler who had made 15. Some people like to make their own. It's a lot of work and dust!

    Happy GP shopping. We are lucky to have great Greenland paddle resources in Canada!

    Regarding pics. I paddle with people who can snap and shoot!

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  3. BaffinPaddlerJune 2, 2011 at 12:40 AM

    P.S. The first time I tried a Greenland paddle, I hated it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. DaveJune 18, 2011 at 11:02 AM

    "When I paddle with my Greenland paddle, it makes me feel connected to the water and my boat."

    That's one of the best insights I've seen.

    I gave up Euro-style (read plastic) paddles a few years ago. The Greenland paddles are so much quieter in the water and efficient. And like you say, they provide me with a connection to water and the area I'm paddling. What can I say, "They're mystical."

    Great blog. I'll have to check in more often.

    ReplyDelete
  5. BaffinPaddlerJune 22, 2011 at 9:59 AM

    Thanks Dave! The Weathered Paddle is a great GP site. I'll have to add you to my Greenland Paddle Makers page too. Are you also building a blog page?

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dave WilsonAugust 1, 2011 at 5:08 AM

    Yes, and thanks. I have added a blog to my site. I'm just getting it up and functioning. So much to do, so little time :-)

    http://theweatheredpaddle.com/the-weathered-paddle-blog.html

    I enjoy your blog. Keep it up.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Poison Ivy and Your Pet!

Image
So, you've taken the doggie ashore on the mainland or an island for a little exercise. "Hey, you look so cute in the bush." The final flowers of fall are still standing. You've got to get a shot of the beautiful field of six-foot tall yellow wildflowers before they're gone. Suddenly, your early warning system clicks on and you remember to look down instead of up to see what you're tromping through on that barely there trail to the flowers. Poison ivy starting to turn red in the fall along the Ottawa River, Quebec, Canada.  Ah, ha! Of course. There are a few strands of poison ivy creeping out under the tall stuff! And you manage to avoid it. But where's the doggie? She's romping right through all that poison ivy you've just avoided and now her fur, paws and collar may be full of the oil, called urushiol , from the poison ivy plants - the oil that can cause a nasty rash if it gets on your skin, especially if you're one...
Read more

One cigarette butt contaminates up to 50 liters of water

Image
Oddly enough, the first time I saw this type of sign was on a super busy beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico this winter. I wonder why I haven't seen more signs like this when I travel to waterways:  One cigarette butt contaminates up to 50 liters of water. In Spanish, una colilla de de cigarro contamina hasta 50 litros de agua . The sign was posted by a local restaurant.  I wonder why cigarettes are still allowed anywhere anymore. They are banned from more and more public places world wide. Bravo! I wonder why cigarettes are even produced when you can wear a toxic patch or chew toxic gum and not bother anyone or anything with this disgusting, toxic habit. But I do know one thing, now when I make travel plans, the first thing I will look for are completely smoke-free resorts. The resort we stayed at in Mexico did not allow smoking in rooms nor in the dining areas, lobbies, gym, etc. Even though there were open areas where people could smoke, this type of all-inclusi...
Read more

The magic of camping and kayaking at Bon Echo Provincial Park, Mazinaw Rock, Ontario, Canada! Get your bug suit on!

Image
This is one of my favourite "easy to paddle" little magic spots! Bon Echo Provincial Park is in the south central part of Ontario, Canada. It's a pretty nice place to camp! You have amenites here. Even on the back country sites - where you'll have more bugs - but more privacy. Take your pick. More people or more bugs? It's hard to choose sometimes! Mazinaw Rock is on picturesque and easy to paddle Mazinaw Lake . Mazinaw Rock is 100 metres high. If you call out, it echos three times - hence the name, "Bon Echo". In French it means, "good echo". I'll agree! I tried it - three times. It's true! Mazinaw Lake is the second deepest lake in Ontario, Canada. It averages 135 feet deep, and its deepest parts are 476 feet deep. Wow! Suddenly, I feel so small. You might want to think about a float for your camera here! If it goes overboard, you'll never find it again. I'll admit - I love rocks. Doesn't everyone?...
Read more

Love the Valley Avocet!

Image
I love the Valley Avocet . . . for fun. But didn't buy one . . . yet. I'd like one . . . if they make improvements to some basic design elements! I'd like Valley to work on making their seats something I'd like to sit in! So far, I don't know anyone who likes their seats! And it's a well known complaint. Come on Valley! When I buy a new sea kayak, I shouldn't have to redo the seat before I can paddle the boat, although lots of high end paddlers do just that with every sea kayak they buy. I already have two sea kayaks: The Boreal Baffin and Maelstrom Vital . And I'm perfectly happy in the factory installed seats in each one. Although in the Boreal Baffin, I had to add a bit of foam for a tighter fit. The Baffin is a bit big on me. I'm a 5'6", 125 lbs. girl. I also didn't like the short awkward coaming around the cockpit of the Valley Avocet. It was next to impossible for me to get my skirt on this thing. Not something I have ti...
Read more

Cycling one of America's most beautiful beaches: Fort De Soto Park, Florida

Image
Yes. I felt it. I felt like I was on one of the most beautiful beaches at Fort De Soto. Wow! The big beach cruisers float and roll over the hard sand at low tide so easily. It's a funky feeling. Perched on a wide, overly soft, bouncy seat, holding on to high handlebars with all your stuff packed into a big wicker basket, you feel goofy as you pedal in bare feet or sandals. You know you look goofy, and don't care. It sets you free. Great. It was the first week of January 2014 and we picked the coldest week of the year to visit southern Florida from Canada's deep freeze. It was 34 degrees Fahrenheit (1 Celsius) when we woke up and looked out the patio door of a beach front rental on St. Pete's beach on the Gulf of Mexico, Florida. By noon the temperature climbed to 58F (14 C) according to the thermostat in the rental car. The stiff blowing nor’easter made us think differently. Let's go to Fort De Soto beach . . . in our ski jackets!  Why not. We're ...
Read more