NOLS WSA 2016 day 3 to 5

Day 3 Tuesday July 12

Upp early to make breakfast and take down the camp. First moving day. Me and my tent mates did a quick job of getting ready. I paddeled one of the singels, a Chilco from Seaward Kayaks. A rudder kayak that was OK but not more. I did not like the way the pedals was attached with straps, I had to pull them very tight and then press hard with my legs to have the right leverage for a good paddle stroke. But it was nice for edging so I never had to use the rudder. 

We had a slow paddling with two stops down to Point Nowell. A nice peninsula in the north part of Knights Passage. I had a headache coming ashore du to lack of coffee but a quick brew took care of that.

A beautiful spot with the Chugach mountains in the North and Knights Island in the east.

Day 4 Wednesday July 13

A very warm morning so we got up at 06:30. We had the information that one of the participants was feeling very bad and that a coast guard helicopter was on the way to take her to a hospital. Very sad, but as I helped the girl to the helicopter I noticed that this was the only option for her. (She had to stay in the hospital for a week was was after that ok).

After that we packed our kayaks and proceeded to Dangerous Passage and a small bay on the west side of Chenega Island. A very beautiful small bay without any fishing boats that ad been constant companions the last three days. Now it was at last feeling like real wilderness! This day I paddled a double kayak with Kim, that was rather nice as I had more chances to take photos and had someone close to talk to. Someone who couldn't escape!

Me, Toby, Amy and Kim took a walk across the bay and upp into the muskegg. A lot of bear tracks and also a lot of salmonberries. 

Day 5 Thursday July 14

I was upp early and picked some salmon berries for the pancakes that Toby made for breakfast. Very nice. 

Paddled with Kim also this day but in the front this time. Kim did a good job steering the kayak. We crossed Dangerous Passage again and on the way a Sea otter cub was swimming around the kayaks very close. We made our way away so it could join it's mother.

Then we paddled in to Icy Bay but they stayed to far from shore for my taste. I like to paddle close to shore to see all the nice cliffs and the wild nature. A break at the mouth of Nassau Bay and then through an ice field into the bay and to our campsite across from Chenega glacier. Maybe the most beautiful place I've been to in Alaska!

In the evening we had a small fire and did some s'mores, an (in my mind, disgustingly sweet) american favorite.

More posts from my Alaska trip:
Anchorage
Day 1 and 2
Day 3 to 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9 and 10

Lisa

Sea lion

Toby

Josh

Alaska!

Early morning

Chenega glacier

Fresh bear scat

Salmon berries (Prunkhallon, Rubus spectabilis)

Through the ice field at Nassau Bay

Nice color

Wow!

My captain for the day, Kim.

Can it be better?

S'mores

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.

NOLS WSA 2016 day 1 and 2

Day 1 Sunday July 10

Previous post!

Then it it started!

I met all my course mates at the train station in Anchorage early Sunday morning at July 10. An old school bus took us out to Palmer, the local NOLS branch where we had to fix all our gear and back everything for the expedition.
We are eleven "students" and three leaders on this course. When we arrive in Palmer Oscar, who was my chief instructor last time in Alaska, greeted us. Then a few hectic hours followed.

All our personal gear had to be checked and we had to buy or rent the things that we missed. I had most of what was needed except rubber boots, a sleeping bag and some small stuff. I also got the chance to borrow a greenland paddle from Haf (Oscar fixed that, Haf was also one of the instructors last time. Thank you guys!). Then we had to pack the kayaks, paddles, tents, cooking gear and food for two weeks. All the food was already packed in bags for us so we saved almost one day not having to do that. The students do that on longer expeditions.

We had a nice lunch and then into the bus for the three hour trip to Whittier where the "Kayak chief", a charter boat from Lazy Otter company, took us out to Main Bay. Finally out in Prince William Sound!

First we had to set our camp. I got to be tent mate with Tom and Toby, two great guys and we had our tent and tarp up rather quickly. It was a very nice beach and perfect weather.

Day 2 Monday July 11

A slow morning with some talk about cooking and how to operate the stove. We had MSR Whisper Lite with white spirit as fuel. They work great.

Then Lisa talked about some about kayaking, getting in and out, paddle strokes, pfds, spray skirts and other related stuff. Finally we got into the kayaks for a short test trip. I had the pleasure to paddle a single kayak and as the sun was warming me in my dry-suit I had to do some rolls to cool off. (And a bit to show off!) The kayak had a high aft deck so the rolls where not perfect and the butterfly roll didn't work at all.

A fishing boat came up to us and gave us a large nice salmon that we but on the grill. And I did some "gravlax". 

A nice day and I'm slowly getting to know my new friends.

More posts from my Alaska trip:
Anchorage
Day 1 and 2
Day 3 to 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9 and 10

Kenai and Prince William Sound.

Our track. The finish is at Eleanor Island.

Oscar (old friend), Lisa, Josh and Darren our instructors.

Sorting our gear.

In the stores at NOLS, Palmer, are all the equipment you need.

On our way to Whittier.

Whittier Tunnel: Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. The longest in North America.

Finally out in Prince William Sound

Kayak Chief took us out to our first beach.

Toby, Ashly, Kim, Arthur, Amy, Kila and Tom

Lisa is demonstrating some necessary kayak skills.

Kayaking! "L" and Lisa

Just hanging on the beach

Cooking

Prince William Sound with  Chugach mountains in the background.

Tom and Toby are the cooks

Can you think of a more beautiful place?

Alaska, Anchorage

I have finally sorted through my photos from the trip to Alaska.

So, lets get started with the first three days in Anchorage before my expedition with NOLS.

I left Sweden very early morning on July 7 and had a eight hour stop over in Frankfurt. Boring! Then with a Condor flight direct to Anchorage. I sat besides an Italian gentleman who didn't speak any English. More boring so I slept, read a book and watched a movie.

After 10 hours flight I arrived in the afternoon in Anchorage (without my luggage, more about that later) and was picked up by Krista from the Alaska House of Jade bed&breakfast. Krista and her husband Zack are the new owners of the B&B. At House of Jade I met the old owners Dee and Yves whom I met last time in Alaska and became good friends with. That was a very pleasant meeting! Nice to meet friends on the other side of the planet!

I was a bit restless and only mentally tired so I took a long walk in the nice surroundings. Anchorage is a very "green" city with a lot of green areas and walkways. You could often meet moose and bear in the city. I didn't this time though.

After the walk I joined Dee and Yves for a nice dinner at an Indian restaurant.

The next day I had to try to track my missing suitcase. After a telephone call to Condor I had no more clue where it was. They could not track my luggage despite me having the sticker I got in Gothenburg at the check-in. They were not very helpful. I explained that all my paddel gear was in that suitcase and I very much needed it for the NOLS expedition. No sympathy from them! Lucky I planned for this scenario by having a few days in Anchorage first.

Then I got a lift from Zack downtown to buy some underwear and toiletries needed. As I was walking on the streets downtown a Swedish guy stopped me. He had been on the same plane and recognized my Fjällräven shirt. Nice to have a new friend to spend the day with. Thanks for the company Marcus! We went to REI which is a great chain of stores for outdoors gear.

I spent the following day mostly on the airport trying to find my luggage. And in the late afternoon with some help from a mother and son working at the airport I finally got my suitcase! What a relief! 

That evening I was rather tired and despite being invited for dinner with some of my future course mates I went to sleep early.

And then the next day my NOLS expedition started.
More posts from my Alaska trip:
Anchorage
Day 1 and 2
Day 3 to 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9 and 10

Me at Gothenburg airport

My luggage. The yellow and black strap was good
for identifying my suitcase

Downtown Anchorage. Notice the beautiful mountains in the background. 

Zack & Krista

The best B&B in Anchorage. Alaska House of Jade.

Good friends Yves & Dee

As close to heaven as you can get in a city! REI

A nice track in central Anchorage. I expected to see a moose any second.

Next post!

Home from Alaska

After almost four weeks in Alaska I'm home again. It took me 15 hours to go out kayaking in my own kayak, it had been lonely with me away :)
We were some friends that took the chance to do some surf training at Svalnäs while the winds and the weather were good. 12-13 m/s (24-26 knots) and a nice surf. A friend made a video from the occasion, my own GoPro didn't work, look at the link of the video. The battery was out and I didn't have any more charged after my trip.

The next day Paula, one of my daughters, was with me on a nice day paddle. We were just going out a few hours near my home north of Sunnanå.

I'm working on the photos and the videos from my trip to Alaska. About 2000 photos and seven hours of GoPro film will take time to go through. Here is one that is finished:

Paula

My Anas Acuta and Nordkapp

Me with my kayaks

Waiting ......

Now it's only a few days more until I'm going to Alaska. My vacation has started, I have done all the purchases that needed to be done and my bag is more or less completely packet. The weather is not the very best now into July, but we are in Sweden so it's to be expected.

Checking the weather for Anchorage, Alaska I find it's about the same as here or a bit better!

Temperatures about 21° C to 25° C. Not bad!

While I'm now waiting to start my trip I took a short evening trip in Vänersborg after a I had been piloting a ship. I just did 12 km in a fast tempo, mostly to get out and then to do some training. It felt nice to exercise and as always nice to go kayaking. The only thing the bay of Vänersborg is rather boring but I had a nice time anyway.

Writing this I now have only one more day at home before going to Alaska. :) :) :)

Setting out from "Friluftsfrämjandets" jetty.

The lighthouse "Grönviks udde" is not big.
Notice the thin gap in the middle creating the white (safe) sector.

Meeting the small passenger vessel "Strömkarlen"

Getting dark.