Happy Holidays & All The Best For 2016 From Greenland Or Bust.
Showing posts with label WindPaddle Sails. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WindPaddle Sails. Show all posts
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Wednesday, August 05, 2015
August's Newsletter
THE NORDIC TOUR • GREENLAND EXPEDITION • ISKGA
For us here at Greenland or Bust, it has been a wonderful summer. We hope that you're having just as much fun as we are, both on and off the water.
We're writing this newsletter as we leave the east coast of Sweden and head west, running classes as we make our way to Denmark. Time flies, and we can't believe that we're already ten weeks into this year's Rebel Kayaks supported Nordic Tour!
Throughout July we ran Simplifying the Roll in the charming fishing town of Grebbestad; Simplifying the Roll, Incident Management and Intermediate Boat Handling in the magnificent city of Stockholm; Simplifying the Roll in Mora, a place which is often referred to as "the heart of Sweden"; Simplifying the Roll, a BCU 3 Star Sea Training, a BCU 3 Star Sea Assessment and a BCU 4 Star Sea Training in the beautiful archipelago surrounding Nynäshamn; and a guide training program on the stunning island of Sandhamn, which is located off the east coast. All of these locations are in Sweden, and yet all of them are very different from one another, and the diversity has made this year's tour incredibly fun. In addition to on-water classes, we've also ran 15 sessions of Yoga for Paddlers.
We're currently on our way to Lake Vänern near Karlstad for the Värmlands Paddelfestival, after which we head to the west coast for two days of classes in Helsingborg before hopping on a ferry to Denmark for classes in Rungsted, Frederiksværk and Svendborg. We'll be in Denmark for most of August, and then we end the tour in Malmö and Karlshamn (Sweden) before heading home in early September. Click HERE for our complete 2015 Nordic Tour schedule.
This is the sixth year of the Nordic Tour, and every year it's great to be back and catch up with our Scandinavian paddling friends. It's also great to make so many new friends each year. Special thanks to Rebel Kayaks for supporting the tour, as well as the clubs, businesses and organizations that put the classes together in their neck of the woods, and a HUGE thank you to all of the participants.
The tour ends in September, but "kayaking season" will keep going full swing. We hope that you'll consider joining us for a class in California (Trinidad, Whiskeytown Lake, Mendocino, Dana Point, Marina Del Rey) or Wales (Pembrokeshire, Anglesey), or perhaps we'll see you at one of the symposiums that we'll be teaching at in the remainder of 2015 (Traditional Paddlers' Gathering - Minnesota, Sea Kayaking Cornwall Symposium - England or Lumpy Waters - Oregon).
In other news, Greenland or Bust is excited to announce that we are now an authorized center for the International Sea Kayak Guide Association (ISKGA) in the United States (located in Arcata/Trinidad, California). We're both ISKGA guides and are really excited to be running ISKGA training modules and observations.
And finally, are you interested in joining us for a Greenland expedition? The dates and location have been set! Next year's expedition will take place in the Disco Bay/Ilulissat area from July 20 to 31, 2016. Contact us at info@greenlandorbust.org for more information.
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 neighbourhood, e-mail: info@greenlandorbust.org.
Happy paddling!
Helen and Mark
In April’s newsletter we talked about the ‘technical’ element of the BCU’s TTPP model, and in June’s edition we covered the ‘tactical’ aspect, as they relate to the development of a paddler’s performance.
This month we focus on how a kayaker’s use of psychological tools can help achieve successful outcomes. To recap, this element represents our ability to overcome anxiety, manage arousal, determine confidence levels and understand motivational reasoning.
At times, a paddler may find themselves in challenging or highly-dynamic waters that will cause them to react both physically and mentally in a manner which could negatively affect their performance. Stress, arousal and anxiety are terms used to describe this condition. It might be that they ‘talk’ themselves out of making a maneuver or feel their heart beat faster than normal, experience the sensation of ‘butterflies’ or just get ‘gripped.'
Adopting good psychological strategies and using goal setting techniques can help moderate these emotional states, thus enabling a person to perform under pressure. To assist an individual to master their anxieties, somatic techniques (e.g. relaxation) and cognitive techniques (e.g. imagery) can be used.
Goals setting can help us gain greater control of achieving our paddling objectives because they specify what we need to work towards (thus giving direction) and the amount of effort required to achieve that target (levels of intensity). This in turn will increase our levels of motivation and self-belief.
Goal setting provides structure to a training program and is a useful tool in measuring progress. Establishing short, medium and long-term goals creates an opportunity for rewards (if you succeed in meeting each goal) or for reviewing your training needs (if you don't meet a goal).
Relaxation techniques are seen as powerful aids to managing our emotional states and can have a direct affect upon our confidence levels. Progressive relaxation methods, along with energizing activities, prior to paddling, can have a positive effect on anxiety levels while on the water.
Imagery, visualization, mental rehearsal and mental practice all refer to creating or recreating an experience in the mind. This approach involves either retrieving an experience from memory and using it in a meaningful way, or creating an image of a new experience from cues or visual aids.
Imagery, as a tool, can be used to center the mind and help us focus on what we want to achieve. It involves mentally rehearsing a performance and can be done on the beach; in a car park; even while paddling. Visualization involves picturing what a successful performance of a task might feel like.
Some people like to hold the paddle and physically go through the motions of the maneuver they are about to perform (e.g. rolling; entering the flow), while others prefer to build a picture in their minds-eye of how they might apply a technique or complete a maneuver successfully.
Applying Psychological tools, such as arousal management and mental rehearsal, along with the use of goal setting, will enhance our paddling performance and improve our Technical ability as well provide us with greater confidence in being Tactical when kayaking.
The final element to be looked at in the TTPP model is that of a paddlers’s Physiological development, including endurance, flexibility, strength, hydration and nutrition… but more on that next time.
Helen and Mark
Dr T's Coaching Corner
In April’s newsletter we talked about the ‘technical’ element of the BCU’s TTPP model, and in June’s edition we covered the ‘tactical’ aspect, as they relate to the development of a paddler’s performance.
This month we focus on how a kayaker’s use of psychological tools can help achieve successful outcomes. To recap, this element represents our ability to overcome anxiety, manage arousal, determine confidence levels and understand motivational reasoning.
At times, a paddler may find themselves in challenging or highly-dynamic waters that will cause them to react both physically and mentally in a manner which could negatively affect their performance. Stress, arousal and anxiety are terms used to describe this condition. It might be that they ‘talk’ themselves out of making a maneuver or feel their heart beat faster than normal, experience the sensation of ‘butterflies’ or just get ‘gripped.'
Adopting good psychological strategies and using goal setting techniques can help moderate these emotional states, thus enabling a person to perform under pressure. To assist an individual to master their anxieties, somatic techniques (e.g. relaxation) and cognitive techniques (e.g. imagery) can be used.
Goals setting can help us gain greater control of achieving our paddling objectives because they specify what we need to work towards (thus giving direction) and the amount of effort required to achieve that target (levels of intensity). This in turn will increase our levels of motivation and self-belief.
Goal setting provides structure to a training program and is a useful tool in measuring progress. Establishing short, medium and long-term goals creates an opportunity for rewards (if you succeed in meeting each goal) or for reviewing your training needs (if you don't meet a goal).
Relaxation techniques are seen as powerful aids to managing our emotional states and can have a direct affect upon our confidence levels. Progressive relaxation methods, along with energizing activities, prior to paddling, can have a positive effect on anxiety levels while on the water.
Imagery, visualization, mental rehearsal and mental practice all refer to creating or recreating an experience in the mind. This approach involves either retrieving an experience from memory and using it in a meaningful way, or creating an image of a new experience from cues or visual aids.
Imagery, as a tool, can be used to center the mind and help us focus on what we want to achieve. It involves mentally rehearsing a performance and can be done on the beach; in a car park; even while paddling. Visualization involves picturing what a successful performance of a task might feel like.
Some people like to hold the paddle and physically go through the motions of the maneuver they are about to perform (e.g. rolling; entering the flow), while others prefer to build a picture in their minds-eye of how they might apply a technique or complete a maneuver successfully.
Applying Psychological tools, such as arousal management and mental rehearsal, along with the use of goal setting, will enhance our paddling performance and improve our Technical ability as well provide us with greater confidence in being Tactical when kayaking.
The final element to be looked at in the TTPP model is that of a paddlers’s Physiological development, including endurance, flexibility, strength, hydration and nutrition… but more on that next time.
Program Schedule
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 18 Skudeneshavn, 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 The Rest...
Simplifying the Roll
September 5, Big Lagoon, California
Traditional Paddlers' Gathering
September 10 to 13, Lake Carlos State Park, Minnesota
BCU 4 Star Training
September 14 to 18, Pembrokeshire, Wales
BCU 4 Star Assessment
September 19 to 20, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Simplifying the Roll
September 19 and 20, Whiskeytown, California
Simplifying the Rescue
September 19, Whiskeytown, California
Private Rolling Classes during Mendo Madness
September 25 to 27, Mendocino, California
BCU 4 Star Assessment
September 26 to 27, Anglesey, Wales
Simplifying the Roll
October 3, Anglesey, Wales
Combat Rolling
October 4, Anglesey, Wales
Sea Kayaking Cornwall Symposium
October 10 to 11, Cornwall, England
Lumpy Waters
October 16 to 18, Pacific City, Oregon
…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.
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Copyright © 2015 Greenland or Bust, All rights reserved.
Helen Wilson and Mark Tozer • (707) 834-5501
info@greenlandorbust.org
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
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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