BaffinPaddler - http://baffinpaddler.blogspot.com

Here goes! I'm starting to practice the Balance Brace without a spotter. Even though I'm not perfect, I'm making progress. I had to make a choice between camera man or spotter because the camera man is sometimes also my spotter. So most of the time, I choose to have a spotter since I haven't learned to roll yet. It's easy to fall over and go upside-down when you start learning the Balance Brace . I find it isn't very forgiving for mistakes. I like having someone to spot me, coach me, and also have someone to film each practice session. It's a great way to learn and progress. It takes a village! But we don't always have a village around to help us. I'm a big fan of Helen Wilson's video, (from Greenlandorbust.org) "Simplifying the Roll" , a multi-level guide to rolling a kayak where you learn the basics in simple terms and can move on from there. She also demonstrates how to troubleshoot common problems with the roll (I have al...

Maelstrom Vaag 174 sea kayak, Loon, Lac Monroe, Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada Simple question. "Why do you paddle?" You may question it sometimes. "Why am I doing this!" It can be an up and down road.  The answer for me is: It's all the times that make me think and feel . . . "This is why I paddle!" Picnic table on sandy beach, Lac Monroe, Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada I'll admit. I love luxury. When you spot an unoccupied picnic table in the distance on a sandy beach, you may find yourself thinking, "This is why I paddle faster!" Later, I'll write about and post some video on another great adventure.  Learning how to Balance Brace a sea kayak in nice spots. (Here it is: Balance Brace practice in the Maelstrom Vital 166 in this beautiful spot.) Maelstrom Vital 166 sea kayak, sandy beach, Lac Monroe, Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada Why not? If you're going to get sideways and look at the world upside...

Lac Monroe, Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada You're on vacation right? The hot, lazy days of summer have taken hold of you. The gear is always wet. It doesn't get any time off. Rolling practice and balance bracing means even more wet gear, and wavy, curly hair that is always tangled. You're already dreaming of a dry suit for fall. Back at camp and at home, people, including yourself exclaim, "There's wet gear strewn everywhere!" You don't want to see pics of that beautiful mess, right?! It doesn't bother the neighbors at all. Yep! You're a paddler. Enjoy the best of summer . . . doing the stuff you love best! Maelstrom sea kayaks, Lac Monroe, Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada Nuf said! Large marsh, Lac Monroe, Mont Tremblant, Quebec Happy paddles. The BaffinPaddler

Maelstrom Vital 166 sea kayak on the Riviere Rouge, Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada  Isn't it nice to stop everything and take a moment, or lots of moments for love of boat? I mean your beautiful sea kayak. The one you love! It's awesome to love a sea kayak. If you don't . . . yet, I hope you find one you love! Keep searching. It's worth your time. A kayak is a great way to distract yourself from all the other stuff you could be wasting your time with! Happy paddles and lots of sand in my shoes from a great paddle on the Riviere Rouge (the Red River) in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. The BaffinPaddler

I think this is when I like the camping neighborhood best . . . at dawn! Everyone is tucked into their beds. The eerie morning mist is rising. It's the best time to sleep or the best time to get up. Take your pick. It's a hard choice sometimes. The party ended at midnight . . . I think. But, the motor boats gurgled all night. Could someone please just burp them and get it over with . . . ?! You always remember to bring your ear plugs on camping trips, right? No? Me too. Why do I keep forgetting to bring the most important gear item of all. Even the scout camp is quiet at this early morning hour. The kayaks are still there. What a beautiful sight to wake up to. Mango coloured Wilderness Systems Tsunami 165 sea kayak Dew alert! Everything is wet. Upper Brewers lock is our first night's camp on a 3-day kayak camping trip from Kingston Mills to Narrows lock . Upper Brewers lock station is a pretty nice, kayak friendly camping spot on the Rideau C...

Holding on to a drop cable inside a lock Pretty glamorous, eh? Well, here goes. I'll be going through a lock on the Rideau Canal for my very first time, gulp! We're kayak camping for 3 days, launching from Kingston Mills and heading for the Narrows. It's a bit intimidating looking at a big lock from a kayak. My stomach is nervous, my heart is speeding up. I don't know if I'm going to like this. But once I'm in the lock, I'm stuck and there's no going back. The water boils a bit and gets a little turbulent before the lock door opens. Gee, that sure makes me feel better! You feel like you're going into the belly of a beast. Paddle buddies go in first. They've done this many times before and lucky for me, explain what to do and what to expect beforehand. Having them in front of me and watching what they do is a big help. It's obvious that I'm nervous as a cat, but they chuckle when they see me pull my camera out of my life jacke...

Here we are, approaching Lower Brewers Lock 45 on day one of a 3-day kayak camping trip on the Rideau Canal, in Ontario Canada in July with heat wave temperatures in the 30's Celsius (80's Fahrenheit). We launched from Kingston Mills lock in the morning. Our destination for our first night's sleep is Upper Brewers locks (we'll go through 44 and 43). But Lower Brewers Lock 45 is the first lock I have to go through on this trip. I've never been in a lock before. And we're going to lock through all the locks on this trip from Kingston Mills to Narrows Lock. It's a little daunting. I have to get through three locks on the first day. "How about you go first and I'll see how it's done." Tomorrow, inside the lock. What's this all about? See: Kayak Camping the Rideau Canal and Testing the Wilderness Systems Tsunami 165 sea kayak Map: Rideau Canal Paddling Map 3 - River Styx to Lower and Upper Brewers Locks, Cranberry La...