May's Newsletter

JUNGLES • LAGOONS • OCEANS • SEAS • NORDIC TOUR

For us here at Greenland or Bust, kayaking season is in full swing, and the year ahead looks awesome! Helen is currently in Bacalar, Mexico, at the Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015, and Mark is currently running a five day BCU 4 Star Training in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

We were in Wales and England for a large part of April, and enjoyed running Simplifying the Roll, Combat Rolling and a week long BCU 4 Star Sea Training on Anglesey. We also squeezed in time for some personal paddling and adventure. After that, Helen flew across "the pond" to be a presenter at the East Coast Paddlesports and Outdoor Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. Meanwhile, Mark stuck around Wales for the Kayak Essentials Festival on Anglesey, followed by a BCU 4 Star Sea Assessment with candidates from Finland, Germany and Canada. Helen then headed to California to run classes during the Explore North Coast Kayaking Social. As mentioned, Mark is currently in Pembrokeshire, Wales running a BCU 4 Star training week, and Helen is enjoying the jungle and lagoon while teaching and presenting at the Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015 in Bacalar, Mexico.

Coming up in May Mark will be running a BCU 4 Star Sea Training and a BCU 4 Star Sea Assessment on Anglesey in Wales, and Helen will be running Simplifying the Roll and Simplifying the Rescue in Lodi, California. After all of that our Rebel Kayaks supported Nordic Tour begins. This year's tour is bigger and better than ever, and we have classes scheduled in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. We are very excited to be back for another tour, and look forward to seeing all of our Scandinavian friends again. Click HERE for our 2015 tour schedule. With the success of this year's Storm Gathering USA, we've had lots of inquiries about future events, and it's always good to plan ahead :-) The next UK Storm Gathering takes place February 20 to 22, 2016 on Anglesey in Wales, and the next Storm Gathering USA takes place March 3 to 5, 2017 in Trinidad, California.

As usual, visit www.greenlandorbust.org for more information and our current Events calendar and Blog postings. You can also follow us on Twitter. For questions, comments or to schedule us in your neighborhood, e-mail: info@greenlandorbust.org.

Happy paddling!

Helen and Mark

Helen's Mentoring Madness

When performing a rescue, give loud and clear directions to the rescuee, and be ready to modify your rescue if necessary. Remember that the purpose of a rescue is to get the rescuee back in their kayak as quickly as possible. This might require modification of a "textbook rescue." It is very important to keep yourself (the rescuer) safe. If the rescuer is not safe, then the rescuer could become another rescuee. As the rescuer, you should take care of yourself. Be ready to abandon the rescue and start again if the rescuee puts you in danger. When a rescuee re-enters their kayak, there can be a lot of strain put on the rescuer. When the kayaks are rafted together, lean into the center as much as possible, this helps to distribute the pressure of the rescue throughout your core, instead of putting all of the pressure on your shoulder(s). Keeping your elbows bent also reduces pressure on the shoulder(s), which can reduce the possibility of shoulder injury.

Program Schedule

BCU 4 Star Training Week: April 27 to May 1, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015: May 1 to 3, Bacalar, Mexico

BCU 4 Star Sea Training: May 5 to 6, Anglesey, Wales

BCU 4 Star Sea Assessment: May 7 to 8, Anglesey, Wales

BCU 4 Star Sea Training: May 13 to 14, Anglesey, Wales

Simplifying the Roll: May 16 and 17, Lodi, California

Simplifying the Rescue: May 16, Lodi, California

Nordic Tour

May 23 to August 30, Norway, Denmark and Sweden

May 23 to 24 Asker, Norway

May 29 to 31 Oslo, Norway

June 6 to 7 Fitjar, Norway

June 9 to 11 Bergen, Norway

June 13 to 14 Bekkjarvik, Norway

June 20 to 21 Stavanger, Norway

June 26 to 29 Copenhagen, Denmark

July 3 to 4 Grebbestad, Sweden

July 9 to 12 Stockholm, Sweden

July 16 to 18 Mora, Sweden

July 22 to 26 Nynashamn, Sweden

July 28 to 30 Sandhamn, Sweden

August 1 to 3 Karlstad, Sweden

August 8 to 9 Helsingborg, Sweden

August 11 to 12 Rungsted, Denmark

August 15 to 16 Frederiksværk, Denmark

August 22 to 23 Svendborg, Denmark

August 29 Malmo, Sweden

August 30 Karlshamn, Sweden

 …And Finally

Working on your roll and need a little help? Simplifying the Roll with Helen Wilson and Yoga for Outdoor People are available from our on-line store HERE. 

Yoga for Outdoor People can also be purchased as a download from the Digital Goods Store.

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Copyright © 2015 Greenland or Bust, All rights reserved.

Helen Wilson and Mark Tozer • (707) 834-5501

info@greenlandorbust.org

• Find Us On Facebook • Follow Us On Twitter • Read All About It • Visit Our On-Line Store •

Sea Kayakers of The Caribbean

Jamaica is a land rich in culture, history, music and, of course, it’s known for the rum too. With a population of nearly three million, the island is the largest English speaking country in the Caribbean and the third largest in the Western Hemisphere, excluding the United States and Canada. It gained its independence from the British in 1962. The native inhabitants of this beautiful island are believed to be the Arawaks, also called Tainos. They came from South America 2,500 years ago along the Caribbean archipelago and aptly named the island Xaymaca, meaning “land of wood and water.”

In January 2015, the sea kayaking team of Wes Moses, Helen Wilson and Mark Tozer will attempt the first complete known circumnavigation of this historic and popular Caribbean island. The expedition will provide the team with the opportunity to experience both the grandeur and nature of Jamaica while facing the challenge of completing the journey within 30 days of setting off.

Jamaica is replete with verdant hills, majestic mountains, crystalline rivers and white beaches edging onto a turquoise sea. In Jamaica, nature intertwines effortlessly with bustling towns and sleepy villages, with a coastline stretching for nearly 650 miles. From the Blue Mountains made famous by the coffee that bears its name to Pedro Bank, one of the world’s largest suppliers of queen conch, the country’s natural heritage is its most valuable resource.

The island is home to a highly influential music industry which produced such legends such as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, whose socially conscious music has served as the soundtrack to various sociopolitical movements on the island and the world at large. Jamaicans dominate the sprinting world in track and field with the recent greats of Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Yohan Blake, Aleen Bailey, Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Bridgette Hilton-Foster, Nesta Carter and Michael Frater.

Jamaica is also the birthplace of Rastafari – an Afro-Caribbean spiritual and political movement that came into existence in the 1930s, based on the teachings of Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jamaica’s first national hero, and is widely popular across the globe. “We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery because whilst others might free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is your only ruler, sovereign. The man who is not able to develop and use his mind is bound to be the slave of the other man who uses his mind” - Marcus Garvey

The expedition team will navigate a coastline that is full of contrasts. The shores on the northeast have been severely eroded by the ocean. There will be many small inlets, but no coastal plains to speak of. The southern coast is lined with black sand beaches, which are backed by limestone cliffs. In some places the cliffs drop 900 feet straight to the sea. The north coast is reported to contain the island's finest beaches and hotels, and the team will negotiate suitable campsites along the way.

Being a tropical climate, the team is expecting to experience high temperatures and humid weather, which will play a key part in their paddling and planning logistics. One consideration will be the need to launch early in the morning before the trade winds begin to blow and create more intensified conditions on the water. The intended voyage has been scheduled to avoid hurricane season, but the weather will be what it is in January, and the team will deal with it accordingly.

Dengue fever, Chikungunya virus and Leptospirosis present health risks to travellers in Jamaica, as well as possible tropical infections like Leishmaniasis, so the team will be taking necessary precautions, such as using mosquito nets and insect repellant, as well as sourcing clean water on a daily basis. Jamaica has eight native snake species, though none of them are venomous. If they are lucky, the trio might get to see the crocodiles that live in the mangrove swamps or the manatees that populate the water on the south coast. There is a chance that they will come across a variety of marine life such as barracudas, stingrays and sharks.

As for gear, the team will be using gear provided specifically for the expedition by Kokatat, Snap Dragon Design, Barz Optics and WindPaddle Sails. Helen also be using gear provided by the following sponsors: Outdoor Research, Gath Helmets and Joe O' Paddles. Mark and Wes will be using paddles provided by Celtic Paddles.

As anyone can imagine there are variety of reasons within the team for engaging in this expedition. However, they all see this attempt to sea kayak around Jamaica as being more than just about physical endurance. It will be about opening up new horizons and keeping our natural spirit of exploration alive. Like many such adventures, this expedition offers a great opportunity to explore a dramatically beautiful and sometimes wild location.

For expedition updates and team news while the journey is underway, follow the expedition's blog: www.greenlandorbust.org

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December's Newsletter

STORM GATHERING USA • FIRST TIME CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF JAMAICA

Here at Greenland or Bust, we are incredibly excited about the coming year. First off, registration for Storm Gathering USA starts on Monday! This three-day event is based off the other event that we organize, the UK Storm Gathering. The website is up and running, with complete event information, including coaches, sponsors and the schedule. Check it out, and ask us if you have any questions.

Another major thing that's coming up is our attempt to circumnavigation Jamaica. We fly there on Dec 28, meet up with Wes Moses and spend the next few weeks paddling around the place. Special thanks to our awesome sponsors for supporting the expedition! Helen will be using gear provided by Kokatat,  Snap Dragon,  Barz Optics, WindPaddle Sails, Outdoor Research and Joe O' Paddles. Mark and Wes will be using gear provided by Kokatat, Snap Dragon, Barz Optics, WindPaddle Sails and Celtic Paddles.

In other news, we are putting together our 2015 Rebel Kayaks sponsored Nordic Tour. We have confirmed classes scheduled in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. The tour will be from May 23 to August 30. The complete schedule will be posted in early next year.

We are also guiding an expedition in Antarctica from December 31, 2015 to January 27/28, 2016. Wanna go with us? E-mail us at info@greenlandorbust.org for details.

Storm Gathering USA, planning Jamaica and setting up the Nordic Tour have kept us really busy throughout November, although we did have time for a few other activities. Helen led a Traditional Skills Paddle, a surf and crabbing session and did a presentation titled "South Greenland Expedition and the Greenland National Kayaking Championship" for our local kayaking club, Explore North Coast. Mark ran two Canoe Wales 'Coaching Matters' programs - "Who's Leading Who" and "Overcoming Anxiety With Action," as well as BCU 4 Star courses on Anglesey, Wales.

In December, we have Simplifying the Roll classes taking place in Dana Point and Marina Del Rey. We'll also be spending some time catching up with family before heading to Jamaica!

We hope that you have a fantastic Holiday season. Don't forget to register for Storm Gathering USA on Monday. That's one water based party you don't want to miss.

As usual, visit www.greenlandorbust.org for more information and our current Events calendar and Blog postings. For questions, comments or to schedule us in your neighborhood, e-mail info@greenlandorbust.org.

Happy paddling!

Helen and Mark

Dr. T's Coaching Corner

Paddling performance is said to be influenced by the interaction of technical, tactical, physiological and psychological factors (TTPP).

This 'TTPP components model' (BCU, 2006) can be used to structure long-term practice and help individuals identify which dimension(s) may need further development in order to achieve optimal performance on the water.

Technical represents the individual skill that, when executed well, forms the technical template of 'best practice' for a stroke.

Tactical represents how we apply those skills in any given environment through our understanding of timing, angle, edge, trim, speed, cadence, use of water features… and so on.

Physiological represents a paddler's endurance, flexibility, strength, ability to hydrate and balance nutritional needs.

Psychological represents our ability to overcome anxiety, manage arousal, determine self-belief / confidence and motivational reasoning.

Being able to assess obstacles within each factor can help us adopt the right tools and tactics, such as goal setting, variation of practice, strength endurance use of imagery and self talk to help us achieve the greatest gains in overall performance.

Future newsletters will highlights some of the strategies we can use to develop each domain. Stay tuned!

Program Schedule

Simplifying the Roll: December 13, Dana Point, California

Simplifying the Roll: December 20, Marina Del Rey, California

Jamaica Circumnavigation Attempt: December 28, Jamaica

Storm Gathering USA: March 6 to 8, Trinidad, California

Simplifying the Roll: March 28, Anglesey, Wales

Combat Rolling: March 29, Anglesey, Wales

4 Star Sea Training and Coastal Navigation: March 30 to April 3, Anglesey, Wales

Anglesey Adventure Week: April 6 to 10, Anglesey, Wales

Simplifying the Roll: April 11, Anglesey, Wales

Combat Rolling: April 12, Anglesey, Wales

Paddle Marathon Laguna Bacalar 2015: May 1 to 3, Bacalar, Mexico

…And Finally

Working on your roll and need a little help? Simplifying the Roll with Helen Wilson and Yoga for Outdoor People are available from our on-line store HERE. 

Yoga for Outdoor People can also be purchased as a download from the Digital Goods Store.

============================================================

Copyright © 2014 Greenland or Bust, All rights reserved.

Helen Wilson and Mark Tozer • (707) 834-5501

info@greenlandorbust.org

• Find Us On Facebook • Follow Us On Twitter • Read All About It • Visit Our On-Line Store •