OmmenTV - Video of Helen Wilson's rolling clinic in Holland

You can't have it all;-( I missed a unique event this weekend. Freek, Andre and Kanocentrum Arjan Bloem organised the Greenland rolling clinic with Helen Wilson. Here is a video from the local news. Axel Schoevers published an impression with nice pictures on the Travels with Paddles-weblog.

Midsummernight - the Wyrda club paddle.

Jaap and Edwin did a performance this evening: synchro paddling.

(test: first Blogger post with mobile phone)

Triathlon Woerden

On Whit Monday the local triathlon takes place in the city centre of Woerden. Again it was a festive event. Kayakers from kv Wyrda escorted the athletes in the water-segment. Janine took part in the Sprint (1/8)-distance. I missed the party because I was paddling around the Aardappelenbult. You can't have it all ;-).

My return to the sea: rondje Aardappelenbult

Home- and work-situation leave little room for kayaking at sea lately. I still do paddle regularly, but mostly on the placid inland waters around Woerden. So I gladly took the opportunity for a paddle with Govert in the Voordelta on Whit Monday. Circumnavigating the Aardappelenbult (a large sandbank a.k.a. "de Bollen van de Ooster") with 5-6 Bft SW brought the salt-water feeling back.

We rounded the Aardappelenbult clockwise. The time schedule was more driven by comfort (returning in time for dinner) than by taking best benefit of the tides: we paddled 2 thirds of the route against the current and wind - a nice workout :-).

Since 2008 the Aardappelenbult is a closed zone. Navigation around the Aardappelenbult has become simple with dozens of marker buoys around the resting zone. It's only a bit difficult on the water to identify where exactly the part of the resting zone begins where kayakers and windsurfers are (by exception) allowed (= the Northern tip of the resting zone, shadowed on the map). Strangely this zone is not marked by any special signs - find your position by taking a bearing on the lighthouse.

28 km, 5/6 Bft SW, HW Vlissingen 12.30 uur.