Another very nice autumn day. We have had a lot of those this year.
This Sunday I was out with 25 other kayakers from Friluftsfrämjandet (an outdoors organization) and we paddled about 15 km outside Lysekil. This is a town on the Swedish West coast (North Sea) and there is a nice archipelago outside the small town.
The weather forecast is now warning for snow and colder weather so it's best to enjoy every day possible.
I did a few rolls at the end of the trip. Working very good but I didn't test any "storm roll" as I have to practice more indoors first to have a solid roll. But the laid-back and butterfly rolls are almost perfect.
I am testing a new video editor, the AVS Video editor. It's better than GoPro studio but I will try Adobe Premiere Elements on the next video. I will also have a new computer next week, that will save me a lot of irritation. The one I have now is too old and slow.
On Wednesday evening I was with Friluftsfrämjandet (an outdoors organisation a bit like The Scouts) in Vänersborg to practice rolling with my kayak. It was a lot of fun! Of course I brought my own kayak, the Anas Acuta which is such a joy to roll with.
I did my normal roll, a butterfly roll and re-entry. The last is where I get in to the kayak under water and roll upp. I also tried to do a hand roll but didn't succeed.
As I was working on the Ships Simulator in Göteborg this week I had to go upp to Vänersborg after work and then in the night back to Göteborg and have a few hours sleep in the hotel before working again. It was worth it!
For the first time I did the video in GoPro Studio program alone. Normally I start there but then finish the movie in Microsoft Movie Maker. GoPro Studio is a good program but I have som issues with it now as it keeps crashing for me. I think it's my computer rather then the program.
The seat of my Nordkapp had broken a month ago. It had broken clean trough up on the side just below the point where the screws are going through the seat. This has happened because some foam bricks had fallen out below the seat at then undue stress has gone to the seat side, probably when rolling or surfing.
I got a new seat and replaced the broken one (I can probably repair that and use as a spare). New small foam was glued into place.
Broken
Foam bricks in place
New seat in place. Only the padding to mount.
Then in the evening it was a trip with Friluftsfrämjandet in Vänersborg. It was a remarkable sunset over Lake Vänern. A very nice evening kayak trip with some nice kayaking friends, about 20 of us altogether.
I did as usual some rolls. The normal Back-sweep and Butterfly roll went very well but when I tried a Hand roll it didn't work so I had to grab the paddle and roll up with a Back-sweep roll.
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Seaside in Vänersborg
A video clip made by a friend of mine (Fredrik). It shows me rolling a bit into the clip.
We were five friends who on Friday afternoon set out from Björholmen Marina on the island of Tjörn. It was me, Christina, Robin, Peter and Lotta.
This was a nice day where we paddled out to the small archipelago Grönskären. After some exploring we set camp on the island Altarholmen that had been a Pilot station at the end of the 19th century. Unbelievable how people could live on such a small island at the edge of the North Sea. Apparently the seas sprayed over the whole island i westerly storms.
A glorious sunset was presented for us.
Next morning started with a terrible thunderstorm with a lot of rain and hail. So much for "A red sky at night is a sailor's delight". That didn't work this time. Then most of Saturday was rainy , but we did some kayaking anyway.
On Sunday only me and Christina was left of the group and the weather was just fantastic. A northerly fresh breeze but not a cloud in the sky. We set out from Bleket and paddled north to Skärhamn where we again turned south with the wind in our back. A nice lunch with a swim at Flatholmen. Finally back past Klädesholmen to Bleket again. Was this the last nice summer day in the kayak this year?
I did a few rolls with my kayak and for the first time fully loaded. Nema Problema! Even a Butterfly roll went well.
All in all a very nice weekend despite all the rain on Saturday. And thanks Christina for your hospitality and for taking the initiative for this trip.
Another great summer day here in West Sweden. Today me and two friends went to the same beach as I was on yesterday and did some more practicing with the rolling.
My friend Fredrik (I stole the photo from you Fredrik) is now doing great in his Seabird Design Scott and with some help and instructions Magnus managed to do his first roll ever in his Tahe Greenland. It's almost better to help someone else succeed than doing it yourself!
For myself the rolling is going really very good. I did about 20 rolls and never had to do a wet exit. I even managed to do a "Butterfly roll". A good day.
I will update this post in a few days when I have edited the video I took with my GoPro. (That is not cooperating with me at the moment).
