A short dip in the sea, next to the "Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier"

September is party-time in Woerden. Today is Janine's birthday. Our birthday parties are some kind of special: last week in Cologne, today in Zeeland. Janine planned a training with with 5 of her running-friends in Zeeland. They are preparing for the Zeeland-marathon - perhaps the heaviest marathon held in the Netherlands. I volunteered as driver for the running-team and took this opportunity for a quick dip with the kayak in the North-sea. While Janine and her friends were running on the beach, I played on the water with Stef and Monique. It was fun rolling and surfing with the Oosterscheldekering at the background.

Wind SW 4-5 Bft. Temp. 15 C.

On a sunny September day near Harlingen..

...is it quit busy with traffic along the Pollendam. This picture is made by Klaas as we returned to Harlingen after the rescue-training with the KNRM last week.

Party weekend!

Bernhard invited friends and family for a party in Cologne at Blackfoot Beach. It was a sunny and relaxed weekend: chatting, eating, drinking and dancing, playing at the water (and celebrating my own birthday ;-). We had a great time! Thanks Bernhard!

Blackfoot offered demo-kayaks and Stand-Up-Paddle-boards. Hakola, Bernhard and Hans opened the party with a Greenland-style rolling demonstration.

Getting a seakayak(er) on board of the lifeboat...

.. is some kind of special. KNRM lifeboat-station Terschelling invited NKB zeevaren for a training with kayaks and the Arie Visser (=the largest and most powerfull lifeboat of the KNRM). This afternoon Joris, Govert, Axel and I joined the lifeboat crew in their training at the Waddensee. Conditions were calm, perfect to try out several different methods to bring an injured kayaker and his kayak on board. The video shows how an "unconscious" paddler, laying on a raft of 3 kayaks is taken on board.

The training was very useful for both kayakers and lifeboat-crew. The best way to take on board a paddler who is conscious, proved to be by separating the paddler from his kayak. This is one of the situations where a (long) waist-mounted towline is welcome. When the paddler clips this towline on the bow of the kayak, before leaving his kayak, the lifeboat crew can easily bring the kayak on board after getting the paddler on board.

More pictures in the Picasa-webalbum.
Thanks Joris for the video's!

Btw: swam a lot: the Kokatat Goretex Expedition drysuit was very comfortable this afternoon!