After a beautiful day yesterday I was out again this Sunday with my daughter, Paula. She got a new PFD (flytväst), paddle pants and paddle boots. She wanted to test those things together with her other gear and see if its working for winter kayaking. So, this was actually her first kayak trip in the winter.
Myself I tested my new tuiliq from Reed Chillcheater again. I changed what I was wearing under a little bit from yesterday, and today it was perfect!
Here is what I used (and I was not cold or too warm at any time today):
After much thinking a bought a tuiliq from Reed Chillcheater in the UK. I ordered it from them with my measures and two weeks later it arrived in my mailbox. I have the standard keayhole design without the fleece lining. I was thinking it was better to have more layers under and be able to use it almost year around instead of having one that will be to hot most of the year. I think I did the right decision!
With two friend, Anders and Kajsa, we went out on the Lake Vänern a very beautiful January 21:st. It was about 5°C when we started and close to 0°C when we were back in Sunnanå yacht harbor. The temperature in the water is just above freezing!
We went up to Köpmannebro and had som fika (coffee break) on the way. One of the most beautiful kayak trips I have taken on the Lake Vänern.
The tuiliq is great! I have a merino wool top and bottom and a neoprene sweater on. And a pair of old dry pants. (I also got new socks and for the first time this winter I didn't get cold feet when kayaking.)
It was cold at the start but as soon as we started paddling it got a bit warm. When taking a break I didn't need to put a jacket on and when we got back at Sunnanå I had just the perfect temperature. I did a roll in the cold water and that was cold! The tuiliq worked perfect but as I had no insulation on my head except the hood of the tuiliq my head got rather cold. But as you can see in the video I was ok.
For my first test I'm very pleased with the tuiliq. It gives me more freedom of movement than with a dry-suit and spray-skirt and it's better ventilated as it's open to the cockpit. I do get some water in at the sides of my face as I wear glasses, but it's tight around the neck and head so not much water will enter. My cockpit stayed dry except some water that came in with my boots. I'm looking forward to test it more.
This is supposed to be an unlucky day but with the nice weather we have had today I see it as a very lucky day for kayaking.
I did my usual trip from Sunnanå yacht harbor and went north to Köpmannebro. It's about 0°C outside and about the same in the water and I push hard outside the islands and the many reefs. This is a day I practiced forward stroke and stamina. I paddle just short of 20 km in about four hours, a good speed.
Back at Sunnanå I'm rather warm and wet from perspiration but my feet are cold. They are crammed up inside my kayak and I can't really move them in my narrow Anas Acuta but my hands are warm with only the poogies from Snapdragon. A very nice trip!
The sun is gone behind some clouds
And then it peeks out again. It freezes on my deck
Nice paddle, is it not?
Anas Acuta
The old warehouse in Köpmannebro (old harbor)
The warehouse and the old crane from the sea side.
I saw two eagles but a bit too far away for a good photo. Can you see it?
I have been busy and not had time to update on my blog lately. But here I am with a post from the Swedish winter.
First I was out on a very stormy day for some kayak surfing. This was while waiting at the pilot station for a ship to come. The canal was closed due to strong winds as they could't open the bridges.
A lot of fun! I shared the beach with two surfers. It was 24 m/s winds (about 50 knots) and that was a new record for me. It was very hard to get out to surf back and a bit more then an hour and I was too tired to continue. Watch the short video clip from my surfing session. And I didn't tip over one single time! This surf training is very good.
Then after a few days of snowing I took a trip from Sunnanå to Köpmannebro and back. Snow, ice and very beautiful. It was about -2° centigrade in the air and the only thing I was freezing were my feet. I have to get something better to wear in my kayaking boots. Thicker wool socks? I have new poogies, Snap Dragon "Hyper Hands", the best I've had for protecting my hands against the cold.
There is a video from that trip as well. That was the first time I edited a film with Premiere Elements and on my new computer. I am very pleased with this computer, the programs are not crashing for me now.
I was out on the 19th of April with a FB friend and we paddled my usual day-trip between Sunnanå and Köpmannebro. The weather forecast had promised nice weather, but a bit windy, and we actually got some rain. Never mind, it was a nice trip where we had good speed and not so many breaks. Good training. Hope we will take more trips Stefan!
Then the next day I had with me three other friends from Dalaborg around Hjortens Udde and back. That day we had a much more leisure tempo in our kayaks. Two breaks and longer ones in the nice warm sun. Only some clouds and a little bit of wind on the way back. As you can see on the photos it was almost summer in the air. The water temperature is still below 5°C but I did my usual roll before we finished. Thanks Björn, Lennart and Helena for a nice day on the Lake.
Here is a video from the last two days kayaking.
It didn't feel much as spring this day.
Stefan south of Köpmannebro.
The next day was much nicer. Here I am carrying my kayak and all the gear. Photo: Lennart Bergvall
North of Hjortens Udde the weak wind died completely. We just sat there and enjoyed ourselves.
On the way back some clouds but the sun still manged to peak through now and then.
Björn is rock steady
Lunch break at the lighthouse keepers house at Hjorten Udde.
For the first time this year I didn't see any ice on the lake or any snow on the shores. I think the winter is over!
I did a short trip at about 20 km from Sunnanå and towards Köpmannebro. In the calm evening I practiced some kayak technique and went in and out of bays and through small reefs. A wonderful evening all alone out on the Lake Vänern.
After two weeks of very cold weather and one week of storm and rain it was finally a nice day. And what a day! Last time I was out kayaking was January 1:st and the sun barley managed to get over the horizon, today it was like a beautiful spring day. The sun was warm and stayed up an hour longer, fantastic!
I had a good friend with me, Christer, and we both agreed that it was the best day yet this year.
We started at Sunnanå yacht harbor, on Lake Vänern, where we found a place without ice to get our kayaks in the water. Than we more or less followed the ice edge up to Köpmannebro where we had to break the ice in several spots to be able to reach the two bridges and the current. At that place we turned back again.
Two breaks during our trip, the first one on the sunny lee side of a small island. The sun was actually keeping us warm! I think it will be a spring and a summer also this year.
We came back to Sunnanå just as the sun was setting and it got cold very fast. The water on our kayaks was starting to freeze. As the water was rather murky at Sunnanå I didn't do any roll today. On the other hand I was invited to be a roll-instructor last Saturday in Lidköpng, indoors in a swimming pool and a bit warmer. That was fun and I was honored to have that invitation. I think they were pleased with me.
