A windy Friday I had some time to go out surfing with my Anas Acuta before going to Karlstad for piloting a ship. Very, very nice! It's getting a bit cold (8°C in the water and a bit colder in the air) but going in and out of the seas makes you warm.
I was at Ursands Camping where I tested the Black Pearl a week before. Almost the same height of the waves. But I feel a lot more comfortable in My Anas Acuta than in the Black Pearl. No wonder as I have about 2000 km in my A.C. That is a kayak I don't step in to, I wear it!
I think I have decided about what kayak to get next time. It will be a good plastic kayak for rock hopping, surfing and rolling. That is also good for lending to my friends and family. A Black Pearl will be used almost exclusively by me and it's not a practical kayak as its very small and can't take any cargo. Good mostly only for surfing and rolling.
Now it's only to decide what kayak to buy :)
We had a very nice kayak trip on one of Sweden's most paddled lakes. This is a 15 km long and narrow lake in Dalsland that is not connected to the Dalslands Kanal. In June, July and August this lake is probably the place in Sweden where you see most canoes, open canoes and kayaks. People from all around Europe come to this part of Sweden for canoeing and most of them end up in this lake sooner or later.
I try to avoid Svärdlång during that period and go there either early spring or in the autumn. This time I brought some friends with me who some of them had never paddled in the area. We stayed at a prepared camp site which is mandatory on this lake. Normally in Sweden "Allemansrätten" applies but as there are so many people camping here at summer the land owners like to lessen the impact by concentrating the visitors to certain spots. The camp sites are managed by DANO rangers and there are a fire pit, fire wood and an outhouse.
October can be very beautiful with all the colors in the nature and that was what we had. Very windy but int this narrow lake with high cliff sides we were not so affected by the wind. And in the night and morning it was completely calm.
Camp fire, evening kayak trip, sleeping outdoors, no rain, good company, good food and a lazy morning with some rays of sunlight. What more can you want?
I was very pleased that I could show my friends this paradise.
A blue lake
Nils & Magnus (son & father)
Frida and my daughter Paula are having breakfast in bed
