tuilik home

Unpacked and lying, perhaps not unsurprisingly, like the skin of a vaguely familar marine mammal, my tuilik is back home after a flying visit back to Canada for alterations to make it fit the Tahe G. I wish I could visit so quickly and easily. A fast and efficient service from Brooks.  I am looking forward to uniting it with the boat and having the freedom to roll without a deck. It's always more condusive to paddling outside in the cold too, though, when I say paddling, of course, I mean rolling.

welcome return of the travelling tuilik

The Dark Side

I watch as Hairyaker tries out the Tahe, (spookily like Eichi Ito's animated paddler). For a brief moment trying out the boat involves a tiny bit of discussion on forward finish rolls, and suddenly, I'm coaching Greenland style rolling!

But maybe not for the last time...

as we know, the dark side can be addictive!

Tahe Time

The arrival of the long awaited and eagerly anticipated Tahe Marine Greenland LC has been accompanied with outbursts of compulsive naming: 'The Black Beast', 'The Black Beauty', 'Night Rider' and so on... And it is black and very, very shiny. Black and shiny enough to be near invisible on the top of my car after 5pm and cause shock and alarm both to me and other drivers when they realise how close they came! (without toggles though there is no convenient place to tie a rag on to). Lifeguards have been rushing for their duct tape (yellow! aaargh!!!!) to protect their tiles from the pointy ends, ultimately only to be deterred by my incredulous expression.

'Oops, am I taking up too much room?'

Seriously though, when it comes to rolling I am getting used to the new contact points and gathering advice about foam outfitting in different shapes and forms, permanent and temporary. So for the moment its a case of going over the basics and developing a feel for the physics.

Video editing inspired by NK's recent 4x faster pool vid, though not in HD quality.

Meantime my friends make observations!

photo and frame by Johnny

Sometimes...

its sunny. But in Orkney sunshine is punctuated by fierce and furious squalls - just in case we get too soft around here. However that does not mean it isn't stunning from time to time, though this can be hard to appreciate when the tears are being blown out of your eyes and salt is caking in layers on your face. Sometimes its easier to appreciate in photos afterwards!

Who is that up front furiously paddling toward the pot of gold?

Hang on a minute - it can't be..?

It is! It's Lesley! Oh yes - she's just bought a new boat!

Photos by Johnny.

Pautik

Scapa Distillery, Orkney.

I think from time to time its important to acknowledge the input of paddling mentors from around the world who have helped me on the journey. This photo kind of sums up the international element of what I spend most of my spare time thinking about and doing. Recently I have to thank the folks over at Pautik and Christopher Crowhurst at Qajaqrolls, James Manke, and Mel Hanley at Greenland Downunder for practical advice and sharing the detail about what has worked for them when learning traditional paddling and rolling techniques. Working away on my own here sometimes feels like a very strange thing to do so its good to feel part of a supportive learning community. Looking forward to the next part of the journey with my Tahe...

Pautik in the place I do most of my summer rolling practice.