Testing a new paddle

As I have broken my two greenland paddles made of wood I have been thinking of buying one in carbon fiber. After checking on the Internet for one and also looking in some shops and not finding on I liked for a resonable price I did find one from Gearlab, in Taiwan, recently.
It was a paddle with a 2-piece design I really liked and also the first carbon fiber paddle with color I have seen. The price was not to bad either.

I checked reviews and a bit about the company and decided to buy one. I went for a shoulderless one called Akiak, 210 cm long and red color. This paddle also got the advantage of exchangeable paddle tips. I ordered with flat tips and one extra pair plus a bag for the paddle.

Paying with PayPal was easy and four days later I had my new paddle. Very fast all the way from Taiwan. And the paddle is beautiful! Nice and tight split, very light paddle with a very nice finish.

I have been working a lot this week so I had to wait three more days before testing this marvel. On a rainy Saturday afternoon I went out on the lake for two hours and paddled round some reefs and did a few rolls. Very, very light paddle. It dosen't feel like I'm lifting anything, very smooth through the water and I can get a nice grip on it without slipping.
It will probably take a few more times out with this paddle before I'm 100% confident with it but already now I feel that this is the paddle I've been looking for some time. That it matches my kayaks just makes it perfect. As for rolling it went ok, probably more my fault then the paddle, it wasn't perfect rolls. But I have not been rolling with my own kayak for some time and I need to practice more.

All I can say is that I can highly recommend the Gearlab paddles and the nice and quick service they have.

1500 km

Some statistics

I have now:

• Paddled 31 weeks in a row
• Paddled 19 months in a row, every month on Lake Vänern
• Average a little more than 3 days a week
• 1500 km (932 miles) since March 1
• About 150 rolls during this time. (Most since i did my last training with Helen and Mark)

Friday surf session

Me and my friend Björn went to a nice beach, Svanäs, for surf training on Friday. And it was surf allright! Probably the most difficult seas I have ever paddled in. The wind was 16-18 m/s and up to 20 m/s in gusts. (Up to 39 knots, 44 mi/h).

Hard to paddle out through the surf to deeper water for turning in towards land again. The wind was pushing very hard at my blade so it was a struggle. I really missed my Greenland paddle there. And what did I miss more? My GoPro that is in for repairs and charged battery for my Olympus camera. Very, very frustrating. But luckily enough Björn had his camera with him so he took some photos.

It was hard in the surf to stay upright and I tipped over several times. But I managed to roll up every time except two times when the water was to shallow. One time racing down a wave at great speed my bow went down, and down and down. Finally the sea pushed me head-over-heels to land upside down. This was absolutely a first for me. And I managed to roll up again! 

After three hours I was knackered and went to Lidköping with a big grin on my face. Thanks Björn for your company and for the photos.

Saturday leisure trip 

After piloting in the night and three hours sleep I went to Spiken fishing village to meet up with some friends. It was Fredrik, Frida, Magnus, Jens, Björn and Lennart. It's unbelievable how the water could be so smooth after the surf and heavy seas the day before. A bit cloudy, some fog but also some sun peeking through the clouds.
A nice slow trip in the archipelago of Kålland down to Naven light house. There we had some lunch and friendly discussions before going back again. Nice training of paddle technique weaving between islands and reefs. And as always I did some rolls. Some thinks it's just a show off. Well partly that I admit but mostly because Helen Wilson advised to do a roll every week. So I do at least one every time out kayaking.

Getting ready! Photo:Björn

Struggling to get out again.     Photo:Björn

Do you see the top of my paddle? Very high seas.           Photo:Björn

Surf with my Anas Acuta

       Photo:Björn

Björn is working hard against the sea

And surfing in again

Magnus, Lennart, Björn, Frida and Jens

Fredrik in his Seabird Scott

Jens in his beautiful SKUK Greenlander

Frida in my Nordkapp

Köpmannebro

Köpmannebro is an old small harbor at the beginning of Dalslands Kanal. It was a long time ago since it was in use but they have a few boats tying up there for the night sometimes before going in to the locks at Dalslands Kanal.

For me it's a great place to paddle to from Sunnanå which is 10 minutes away with my car and there are some nice places to put the kayak in. The distance to Köpmannebro, from Sunnanå, is about 12 km and as there are a lot of small islands and reefs to go around, I guess it will make 30 km from Sunnanå and back.

The weather was fantastic, again. And I was almost alone on the lake, only two boats out. And I saw two big sea eagles.
Strange to paddle with an Euro paddle again. But as all my Greenland paddles are now broken I had to o back to one of my carbon fiber/glass fiber paddles again. Well, I have all the wood now to make a new Greenland paddle but the weather is to nice to be indoors when I can be out kayaking instead. We will see next weekend or the week after if I will start making a new paddle.

The trees are changing colour now.

My Anas Acuta

The Primus Express Stove

Vie from the old harbor at Köpmannebro

Rose hip growing on the old shipping berth

On my way back through all the small passages. Had to do a few rolls to cool off as I had my dry suit on.