Traffic and Me

Yonkers Paddling and Rolling Club...

Kate Helps a first time kayaker at the Sara Lawrence pool

The Second YPRC pool session of the year has begun! Over the course of the last class, with Jack's instruction, I became very comfortable with the forward sweep roll and the storm roll. I'll use these more often than the layback rolls because my kayak has a really high back (and they feel really good). This time I get to help out with instruction. The experienced instructors are really great and I've learned a lot already by observing their teaching techniques.
Also, I ordered Dubside's rolling video last week. I can't wait!

In the Shadow of the City

Here is a great, and very funny, true story about some guys on a "yatch", and their adventure of being shipwrecked on an island in Jamaica Bay last spring. Listen and find out how Alex Zharov ends up "stranded and bleeding within view of the Empire State Building". I really like the story and I plan on paddling out there this summer to see the ruins on the island and camp out... I don't want to give any of the surprises away, you really have to hear it to believe it. It's the first act of an episode of "This American Life". There is a short intro story about Chicago, and then the story titled "Brooklyn Archipelago". Here's a link to the TAL website where you can download the story. http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1174 I got it on itunes as a podcast for free.

Hook Mountain

I'd forgotten how turbid and brown the Hudson River is most of the time. It's normal for the Hudson and part of it's character. Early spring colors on the river are brown and blue. Soon we'll be soaked in green. On Saturday we paddled from a park in Nyak along the west bank up to a spot across from Croton Point and back. The air was warm, but the water's only 40F. The wind picked up as the sun set and it got a little choppy. We fought it for the last mile or so. Good use of a March afternoon.

Josh Rolls!

YPRC Pool Sessions!

The YPRC pools sessions started tonight. It's a good mix of people with varying abilities. My goal for the 6 weeks is to get some solid forward rolls. A reliable storm roll and a forward sweep, hopefully. Next week I'll remember my camera and get some pics and videos to put up.

Turner and Sidsel

It was great to meet Sidsel last weekend! She's from Denmark and lived in Greenland for a year. She's spent the last 3 months in NYC and will be going home soon. Turner knew Sidsel through mutual friends, but had never actually met. She took the Metro North up to meet Gwen and I, and we drove up to a Connyak pool session in Wallingford, CT where Turner Wilson and Cheri Perry were teaching, while many others were practicing their rolling skills. I even got to use a rolling boat and tuilik which I am quite appreciative of. Afterwords, we went out with a large group and flooded a local pub. It was funny to see so many cars with kayaks on top of them in one place (especially in the cold weather).
Sidsel and Turner have me really interested in Greenland. They talked about some of the towns and culture. It sounds beautiful and strange. Maybe a little bit like Alaska or places in Michigan's upper peninsula, but without trees. Cheri and Turner will give a talk and slideshow about their travels and paddling in Greenland, it's hosted by YPRC at the Beczak Center in Yonkers on February 8th at 8:00pm.
The conversation also got me quite interested in Greenlandic rope gymnastics (Qajaasaarneq). It's a way to practice strength and flexibility while spinning on the ropes in ways that mimic kayak rolling. I'll have to get Dubside's video and some rope...

I Hand Roll Gwen's Valkyrie-- Video by Jack G.

Greenwich Rolling Session

South Street Seaport By Kayak

Self Portatrait south street seaport, originally uploaded by Pleuston.

I took this pic on my first Manhattan Circumnavigation.