The latest trip inspiration from Jim Krawiecki – Paddling from Cemlyn Bay around Carmel Head and on to Church Bay on the north west coast of Anglesey.

Liscombe Lodge http://www.liscombelodge.ca/ is  hidden gem located outside a small village about two and a half hours away from Halifax.  It is one of only three resorts owned and operated by the Province of Nova Scotia.

On May 11 of this year 75 paddlers traveled from as far away as England and Seattle to gather for the 5^th Annual Atlantic Paddle Symposium. www.atlanticpaddlesymposium.com .  Light winds, warm dry weather, and easy swell made for three extremely pleasant days on the water.

The Atlantic Paddle Symposium is our region’s premier paddling event.  The Atlantic Canada paddling community meets for a 4-day event focusing on skill development, outdoor, leadership, education and paddling safety.  The Symposium facilitates relationship building, both within our regional paddling community and allows us to forge relationships with some of the best known paddlers and instructors in the world.

The schedule, as it has been in previous years, was packed with a variety of skills sessions for all levels, covering each of the four paddling styles supported by  Paddle Canada paddling programs. Stand Up Paddling sessions were added (and enthusiastically received) to our roster of sessions for canoe, sea kayak and white water kayak.

The venue offered us great locations and a variery of conditions. Sean Morley, Christopher Lockyer and Mat Nelson ran rock hopping, sea kayak surfing, and Incident management sessions.

Highlights from this year’s event were:

• Zac Crouse’s opened the event with a presentation on the Paddle to the Ocean project  mixing skillful muscianship with his story telling to keep the group engaged.  Big thanks to Zac and Ian for the great music.!
• Andrew Westwood is a true ambassador of the sport of canoeing. His presentation on keeping instruction relevant, current, engaging and fun was inspiring, timely, and well received.
• Sean Morley’s presentation about paddling around Great Britain, Vancouver Island as well as some of the coast of California.
• We were blessed with sun shine, light winds and a bit of swell for the event.

Photo by: Ryan Brake

Without the support from our sponsor this year we would not have been able to make the event so accessible and also would not have been able to have such a talented group of coaches.

Special Thanks to Sean Morley and Matt Nelson for making the trip to Nova Scotia. Hope to see you both back next year.

Picture gallery can be found at:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150905072819706.430161.269008074705&type=3&l=f9877313a5 

Sponsor a Coach:

Lendal Paddle (Christopher Lockyer), P&H sea kayaks (Matt Nelson)

Submitted by Christopher Lockyer www.committed2thecore.com

Found myself with some time off of work and a great forecast so jumped in the car and headed for the Isle of Skye on the west coast of Scotland.
Load the Cetus MV with 3 days food and camping equipment and headed out from Elgol. We launched at about 8pm and headed to the foot of the Black Cullin Mountains for our first camp. Over the next 3 days we had some stunning scenery as our backdrop, met a Basking Shark, saw otters, sea eagles, Puffins and more.
The paddling was great lots of sea stacks, caves and natural arches combined with 250m+ cliffs. Truely a trip to remember. I hope you like the photos. Which are all courtesy of Karl Midlane my paddling partner for the trip.

Cheers Sid

View from Elgol

The paddle to camp 1

The Black Cullin as the sun sets

Idyllic paddling at the foot of the mountains

An evening paddle to cherish

Basking shark of Wiay island as we approach camp 2

He didn't seem bothered by us. We sat still and he would return as he filtered the sea

About to land for camp 2

Macleod's Maidens at about 8am

The light house at Neist point

Sea Cliffs beyond Neist point

Early morning view of Fladda-ChuainAnother tough day at the office!

Approaching Eilean Trodday

Sea Stacks off of Eilean Trodday

About to turn the last corner and make the final crossing to end our quick hit.

The trusty steed at rest after a great trip!

As well as coaching, I took a selection of P&H demo boats for participants to try out, the most popular being the Cetus LV and MV. These were liked by all who tried them.

We are really excited to welcome Mark to the P&H family,  Mark is a professional explorer and adventurer whose human powered expeditions have led him through the Omo Valley in Ethiopia and walking alone across the Islamic Republic of Iran to paddling in Southern Africa, Australia and South America. His expedition background is diverse.

Now his multi-year 7 rivers 7 continents project sees him paddling the longest river on each continent from source to sea. A combined distance of some 22 000 miles.

Amazon River (South America) – 6937 km (4300 miles) – completed 2007/2008
Nile River (Africa) – 6650 km (4132 miles)
Yangtze River (Asia) – 6300 km (3916 miles)
Missouri – Mississippi River (North America) – 6275 km (3912 miles)
Volga River (Europe) – 3645 km (2266 miles)
Murray-Darling River (Australia) – 3370 km (2904 miles)
Onyx River (Antarctica) – 40 km (25 miles)

In 2008 he completed a successful descent of the entire Amazon River from it’s source high in the Andes of Peru to the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil. A journey lasting 153 days and covering a distance of 4300 miles.

In 2012 Mark paddles the longest river in North America alone, the Missouri-Mississippi. The 4th longest river system in the world and some 4000 miles long.

More than successful descents alone, his aim is for the 7 rivers 7 continents project to provide a unique insight into the life that rivers have built and sustain. The project will highlight the global struggle to protect rivers and the rights of communities that depend on them.

http://www.7rivers7continents.com

Jimski and friends paddling from Porth Dafarch to Soldiers Point around South and North Stack on the weekend of the Anglesey Sea Symposium 2012.