3 years

I have now been kayaking every month since April 2014. That is every month for three years! And I think that I have been on the Lake Vänern every month as well.

This day me and my friend Christer had snow, rain, wind with us, wind against, calm and sun. Spring weather! We started at the Yttre Bodane nature reserve and at the jetty a bit from the parking lot. Some ice at first but then open water and with a good pace we went mostly outside the islands upp to Vingens hamn and around Gåsön. 

As it then started to rain (mixed with some snow) we went ashore and into the trees to have our lunch. After a bit it stopped raining and the sun was back.

At the trip back we had some head winds and with my Gemini I had to paddle hard to keep up with Christer.
We saw the first ospreys for the season, probably getting their nest ready. 

All in all a very nice day and good training for a long trip we will have in Norway this summer. (More about that in a later blog post).

Some statistics from the day:

Distance = 22,1 km

Time = 5:17 

Travel time = 3:33

Average speed (whole day) = 4.1 km/h

Average speed (paddling) = 6.1 km/h

Max. speed = 8 km/h

Christer is getting ready to go out in the ice.

I put the GoPro on Christers kayak. Here we got some small surf.

Not yet summer!

Christer at our "fika" break

On our way back

Christer in his Arrow play

It's not possible to paddle into the quarry at Trollön  with this low water level.

My Gemini

Nice!

Millesvik archipelago

The last day of May and first day of June were the first real summer days this year, maybe 25°C in the air, a fresh breeze but cold water still.
Me and two friends went to a place south of Säffle (a small town 100 km from my home) where the north end of a fantastic archipelago starts. (Here is the Google Map adress for Hjälleskate ) Perfect place to start a trip in Millesvik skärgård and to kayak south to Lurö, Ekenäs or just to go around all the small islands and reefs in this almost uninhabited archipelago. We did't see any other kayakers and only one sailing boat (a bit out on the lake) and one small motor boat during the two days we were there.

We started on Tuesday noon and paddled south to Sjötungsholmarna where we stayed the night. And the sunset that evening! Marvelous! Just watch the photos below.

After a warm night we then proceeded to Ekenäs, where I was just a couple of days before coming from Lurö, and had a coffee and an ice cream. Then we had a long trip in the afternoon sun back to Hjälleskate.

An amazing place to kayak in. We saw only one person (and a few at Ekenäs) the whole trip but a lot of birds. Sea eagles, ospreys, a heron, storlomm (gavia artica) and heard the great bittern (Botaurus stellaris) and the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). Besides those all the normal birds in the area.

The trip:

• Distance traveled 49,2 km (30 miles)
• Time traveled 9h 40 min.
• Average speed 5,1 km/h (3,3 mi/h)
• Maximum speed 9 km/h (5,1 mi/h)

My friends Helene and Björn

Fika! (Coffee break)

Dinner

Sunset

Björn

Helene

Around the island Kållandsö

Me and three friends took a longer trip around the island Kållandsö. W started Friday afternoon and finished almost 24 hours later. It was two very beautiful days with a lot of sun bot not very warm.
Just a few fishing boats out and one sailing boat. We stayed outdoors in the night and had a nice barbecue over open fire as the sun was setting.
On Saturday we continued when the sun had warmed the morning air a bit and stayed for lunch near Läckö Castle.
A very pleasant trip with three good friends.

Facts of the trip:

• 43,5 km total distance (27 miles)
• 6 hours 48 minutes kayaking time
• Total time out 1 day 5 hours
• Average speed 6.4 km/h (4 miles/h)

The track from my GPS

Sunset over my Anas Acuta

Fire and sunset

The pot is on the fire

Fika! (Coffee break)

Having breakfast 

Me :)

My friends with Kinekulle in the background.

Approaching Läckö Castle

Läckö Castle 

Martin in some seas

Martin

Mats

Torbjörn 

Naven Light house

Passing an osprey nest