The "Biesbosch" in winter

We paddled through mirror-like water in the Biesbosch this afternoon. Highlight of the day was a close encounter with a large beaver. Although the beaver entered the water very relaxed, I was to slow (and lacked a camera with a decent zoom-lens) to make a good picture of this fascinating animal. Nevertheless, it was a joyful experience. Perhaps I should attend this "beaver-fotoworkshop" with 100% beaver guarantee (?!) to learn to shoot beavers (click on the link for information about the workshop and some nice pictures of a Biesbosch Beaver - PS: "our" beaver was much larger than this one ;-).

Oliebollentocht - Paddling through Amsterdam

Bijschrift toevoegen

Wikipedia: An oliebol (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈoːlibɔɫ]) (plural oliebollen) is a traditional Dutch food. Oliebollen (literally oil balls) are traditionally eaten on New Year's Eve and at funfairs. In wintertime, they are also sold in the street at mobile stalls. In English they are more commonly known as Dutch Doughnuts or Dutchies. Oliebollen are a variety of dumpling made by using an ice-scooper or two spoons to scoop a certain amount of dough and dropping the dough into a deep fryer filled with hot oil. In this way, a sphere-shaped oliebol emerges. The dough is made from flour, eggs, yeast, some salt, milk, baking powder and usually sultanas, currants, raisins and sometimes zest or succade. Oliebollen are usually served with powdered sugar. 

Another nice Dutch tradition (this year for the 21. time!) is that Arnold and Nico from the Haarlemse Kano Club (HKV) organise a wintry kayak trip just before New Year's Eve: the "Oliebollentocht". This morning more than 30 paddlers gathered near a slipway in a warehouse district in the Northern part of Amsterdam to take part. The group enjoyed a nice paddle across the river IJ and through the scenic canals of Amsterdam. The conditions weren't wintry at all: sunny, 12 degrees Celsius. We had a good lunch at Hannekes Boom and Arnold and Nico treated the group with tasty "Oliebollen".

The length of the paddle trip was 25 km, thanks to Jaap for the tracklog.

 

Kayaking in Woerden

Urban paddling on a rainy morning.

Kayaking in Denmark

Last weekend I spent a few days for work in Denmark (and Sweden). With a team of landscape-architects, urban-planners and coastal-designers we were guided along coastal projects in the Öresund region. It were busy days with a full program: no time to go out paddling, but I did see a lot of paddlers on the water.
I was surprised how common and popular kayaking is in Denmark. Every time we passed the waterfront I spotted paddlers on the water. The infrastructure for paddling is awesome. In the marinas there are boat houses for kayaks, kayaking is integrated in the design of the recreational projects. Even in the heart of the city there are facilities for paddlers. Denmark is a great place ;-)

A picture report of a short visit to 2 German Wadden islands

It was a good example of a last minute decision: looking on our nautical charts Govert and I decided on Wednesday evening to go sea kayaking to the most western German Wadden islands Borkum and Juist. The downside of this nice plan was that we had to leave Woerden at 5.00 AM to embark in time at high water Noordpolderzijl (at 8.00 AM). Timing is critical at Noordpolderzijl (the smallest "sea harbour" of the Netherlands), when you are to late you get stuck in the mud. I am a morning person, but I prefer more than 4 hours sleep...
The advantage of being that early on the water is you have the whole day to paddle. At the end of a beautiful sunny day we had paddled almost 60 kms.  I haven't been paddling that much lately, but it went fine. The next day we paddled 40 kms to Burkana Hafen on Borkum. This was a completely different day: the wind had turned from North to South-East and it was clouded and rainy. Our luck was that the heaviest showers unloaded when we were having a meal in a restaurant at the boulevard of Borkum, waiting for the tide to change. Because the Marine weather-forecast announced strong winds for Sunday, we decided to return to Noordpolderzijl already on Saturday. Being 23 km, the trip on Saturday was the shortest of the 3. But also by far the hardest: 4 hours constantly paddling against the wind was exhausting - I had to go deep to keep up with Govert!


A note about the black Tahe Greenland Kayak on the pictures. I am very happy with this kayak. The Greenland is a more versatile kayak than its sleek appearance suggests. But it's definitely not an expedition kayak or a long-distance tourer. A multiple day trip with camping gear is doable when you are "packing light". But you then have to deal with its limitations: not only is the loading capacity limited, the speed and stability of this kayak also suffer from the load. Depending on your personal weight,  freeboard  is reduced to zero.  Sure you can deal with it, but you might be pushing the kayak (or the paddler?) to it's limit in advanced conditions.


Noordpolderzijl-Borkum-Juist weergeven op een grotere kaart

Marken revisited: an island circumnavigation

Marken is an island in the Markermeer (=the southern part of the IJsselmeer). Or to be more exact: it's a peninsula, since Marken is nowadays connected to the mainland with a causeway. Paddling around an island is fascinating, and because Marken is not to far from Woerden and can easily be circumnavigated by kayak in one day, the "rondje Marken" scores high on my list of favourite kayak-trips. Despite its high score, it's a long time ago I paddled this trip for the last time. The last blog-entry on Kajakwoerden.blogspot.com about Marken dates from 5 years ago! Today it was "Marken revisited", together with Govert.

We enjoyed a sunny day on the water. It is cold for the time of the year (12 degrees Celsius). But with the sun shining and the wind blowing 4-5 Bft NE, it was comfortable in the drysuit. Actually I did sweat. Probably I did because I had to work extra to compensate the weathercocking of my Tahe Greenland kayak. Or perhaps it was because I had to keep up with Govert?
(About weathercocking: Normally the tendency of a kayak to weathercock can simply be compensated by deploying the variable skeg, but the skeg of my Tahe needs a repair. Now I had to keep the kayak on track with correcting strokes and by edging the kayak. More info about weathercocking, skegs and paddling? Greg Stamer recently  published an extensive article about weathercocking and Greenland kayaks).

Distance paddled: 19 km. Wind 4-5 Bft NE, Temp 12 degrees Celsius, Watertemp 12,2 degrees Celsius. Start at the beginning of the causeway, coffee break in the touristical hot-spot Volendam, lunch stop near the lighthouse "Het paard van Marken". 


More information about Marken in the blogpost of 2007.

Biking over the Delta-Works

Biking is (almost?) just as fun as seakayaking. At the moment I spend more time on the bike than in the kayak, which partly explains why it's a bit quit on the weblog. I started blogging about kayaking and don't want to bore the paddlers with my bike-stories to much. But today's bike trip was so "coastal" that I like to share it here.

This morning I took the bike for a ride along the dams and dykes of the Delta-Works. The Delta works is a series of construction projects (mainly) in the southwest of the Netherlands to project the low land from the sea. The works consists of dams sluices, locks, dykes, levees and storm surge barriers. The aim of the project was to shorten the Dutch coastline, thus reducing the numbers of dykes that had to be raised. The first projects were realised in the late fifties of the last century, the final projects were finished only a few years ago. Though some of the fundamental choices made in the Delta Works meanwhile are regretted (there is already a new Delta programme running to prepare the Netherlands for the future), it's still a masterpiece of Delta engineering (According to the American Society of Civil Engineers: one of the Seven wonders of the Modern World). Biking is perfect to experience the huge scale and the exposed location of the project. But also from the kayak perspective the dams are impressive - click here.

Admittedly, the real motive for this bike trip were not the Delta projects (I am busy with the project), but another specialty from the south-west region: the "Zeeuwse Bolussen". Inspired by last Thursday's episode of the Hairy Bikers' Bakeation in the Low Countries (where they visited the bakery of Harry Sonnemans in Burgh Haamstede) I decided to get some fresh Bolussen for the family. Delicious!

Spring in Woerden

Pleasant temperatures in Woerden and the first paddlers out on the water. I met these 3 enthusiasts this afternoon when I came biking home from work. Alex, Jaap and Paul paddled 30 km. That sounds even more appealing than spending your time with a workshop with Delta-professionals (that was my afternoon). But now it's weekend!

Upcoming expedition: Dutchseakayakers around Iceland

Three years after their successful trip around Ireland, Dutch seakayakers Paul and Marian are preparing for the next big seakayak adventure: the circumnavigation of Iceland. They start in June and try to do the whole trip in 2 months. The goal is not to put a new record, but to enjoy paddling and camping along the coastline of this fantastic "Mystery Wonderland". Paul and Marian will write a blog about their adventures on: www.dutchseakayakers.com

Good Luck Paul and Marian!

Kayaking as long as it's possible: Ice fever!

Until now the winter of 2011-2012 was exceptionally warm. The crocuses are popping out of the soil (in January!). The conditions for ice skating are bad (I only skated this winter on artificial ice rinks) and the conditions for paddling are perfect (and yet I have hardly been on the water with my kayak this winter). But finally winter is coming: for the next week a period of frost is announced. This morning the temperatures already sank below zero. When the "KNMI IJsverwachting" (= the official Ice Forecast of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute) is correct, next Tuesday the channels in our region will be ice covered. So I grabbed the chance for a last paddle.

A very calm atmosphere on the Wiericke

I do admit that, as I left the warm house and entered the cold to go to the boathouse, I found the idea of paddling in this cold chilly conditions not very tempting anymore. I reassured myself that I would only do a short 10 km paddle and that I would go home before I even could cool down..

All shades of grey this morning - only the trains of NS trying to add some colour to the scenery

On the water the worries about the cold were all forgotten. I soon got in a flow of relaxed contemplative paddling. I didn't want to stop paddling and before I knew, I was already at the Goejanverwellesluis in Hekendorp.

Goujanverwellesluis in Hekendorp - always out of duty when I get there...

From Hekendorp it's only a short distance to Oudewater, a good place to stop for a warm cup of tea in a pub. But when I passed through Oudewater I didn't want to interrupt the paddle for a break. I just didn't want to cool down. So at the end I paddled non-stop 30 km in 4 hours and 15 minutes (I only got out of the kayak for the portages at the sluices in Hekendorp and Oudewater). The last half hour the energy level dropped and I started feeling hungry and thirsty. No wonder: I was paddling on an empty stomach, missed lunchtime and had forgotten to carry anything with me for a snack or a drink...

As long as you continue paddling no cold hands...

Next weekend 10 cm ice?! I do hope so: I am looking forward to skate this track!

Skate4AIR - paddling for a good cause

This morning 5 paddlers of kayakclub Wyrda took part in the fund-raising action of Marian for Skate4AIR. It was a quit a windy happening. Alas the conditions were too rough for the rowing boats to go out on the river. In last minute the rowers changed the plan and did an indoor-rowing competition on the ergometer). The kayakers enjoyed a nice challenge. It was a "gezellige" and successful happening.

Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo

In the Netherlands the days in December are short, and mostly grey, cold and wet. Not my favourite time of the year. I escaped to the sun and spent last week on a Canarian Isle. Lanzarote was warm, dry and sunny and the days were also (a bit) longer. It's a special sensation for a Dutchman to bike in shorts and to swim in open water only a few days before Christmas!

Of course, on Lanzarote it was also Advent-time with this typical, somewhat quiet, almost contemplative atmosphere. In the touristical centres were palm trees decorated as Christmas trees. Lanzarote is a fantastic place to discover by mountain bike, with endless dirt tracks between lava fields and vulcanos. As "sea kayaker" I was fascinated by the coastline of the island, and felt almost jealous when two seakayaks landed through the surf on the beach of Arrieta.

This was my 4th visit to Spain in a year, by now I should slowly start to understand some Spanish words. For the reader, a free interpretation of the title of this post:

Happy holidays! A good 2012!

Winter paddling in the Green Heart of Holland: "Rondje Kamerik"

"Rondje Kamerik" is one of the shortest kayak routes near Woerden. It's just over 10 kms long and perfectly suited for an evening paddle tour. I regularly paddle this route with local kayak club Wyrda on Tuesday-evening (= the club-evening), but in the last few weeks I was often busy on Tuesday-evening and missed most of the club-paddles. The more I was happy to be on the water again with Paul and Guus. Paddling the route by daylight is even better as it is in darkness. It's a varied paddle through the canals in the city, through the industrial and rural parts of the river and through narrow ditches in the polder. This morning the weather and skies were changing every 5 minutes, which made the paddle even more varied. We chatted a lot along the route, about "important topics" like the Euro crises, kayak techniques and kayak politics, the latest smartphone gadgets and the most sustainable way to clean the toilet... I enjoyed a relaxed paddle in great company ;-)

Tracklog made by the Smartphone:

2011-12-02 10:01 Rondje Kamerik weergeven op een grotere kaart

A year ago "Rondje Kamerik"was snow-covered and looked completely different.

Dag Sinterklaasje, dag dag, luister naar ons afscheidslied...

NKB Seakayak Instructor waving goodbye to Sinterklaas

Today the Dutch seakayak coaches gathered at rowing/kayak club Michiel de Ruyter in Uithoorn for the anual NKB instructors meeting. Over the years it has become a tradition to wave Sinterklaas goodbye before the meeting starts. Sinterklaas visited Michiel the Ruiter early in the morning to embark the vessel "Gousekop" for the last stage of his long journey from Spain to the city of Uithoorn.

This is a tidal race..

In the post about the Sand Motor I wrote that, due to this new peninsula along the Dutch coast, locally the sea currents have increased. The result is more lively water. But you still shouldn't expect too spectacular tide races near the Sand Motor. My colleagues at work asked me what I meant with a tide race. This National Geograohic video (with Paul Kuthe by Brian Smith) makes that very clear. This is a tide race! You don't find races like this in the Netherlands. Alas ;-)

Exploring new land: the Sand Motor by seakayak

The Sand Motor is a large amount of sand (about 21 million m3) which is recently deposited in front of the Dutch coastline, roughly situated between Rotterdam and the Hague, in the shape of a peninsula of about 100 hectares. Wind, waves and sea currents will spread the sand around, creating new land for nature and recreation. This is called "building with nature". Working for the province of Zuid-Holland I've been talking a lot about this innovative project for coastal development. Now the construction of the project is (almost) finished it was due time to explore the new coastline by kayak. René and Roel joined me for the "expedition".

The conditions were perfect: today was the warmest November the 4th ever measured in the Netherlands: 16-18 gr. Celsius, sunny with a blue sky. The wind was blowing rather hard, 5-6 Bft in the morning, 4-5 Bft in the afternoon, but from south-southeastern directions, which is a little of-land. We planned to stay close to the coastline and with this wind direction, you are sheltered by the dunes and there is not much surf to be expected.



The tracklog gives a somewhat surrealistic picture: we paddled around a peninsula which is is so new it isn't visible yet on Google Earth. The track gives a nice indication of the current shape of the Sand Motor. The yellow marker indicates the position of the northern cardinal buoy.

The Sand Motor gives a new experience to paddling along the coastline. An interruption of the straight line. Normally there would be hardly any surf here with a southern wind - but thanks to the new sand banks (partly underwater) we enjoyed some good surfable waves along the southern side of the Sand Motor. The sea currents also changed. The current increases most at the exposed northern tip of the Sand Motor. Still don't expect spectacular tide races over here (therefore the currents along this stretch of Dutch coastline are to moderate), but in combination with the wind (especially when it comes from the West or the North) and the shallow sea, the current can create interesting conditions - see the aerial photo below - taken during a recent storm. With any NW-wind above 4 bft. be careful over here - it's an exposed site!



About the idea behind the sandmotor:


Note: the construction works for the Sand Motor are (almost) finished. The site itself (situation early November 2011) however is still closed. Access to the Sand Motor peninsula from land and from sea is until further notice strongly prohibited. Security guards monitor the site all day and send every "intruder" back. Swimming is forbidden, but kayaking (and kite surfing) is not swimming - is allowed. So at this moment: you can paddle along the Sand Motor but you are not allowed to land on the Sand Motor.

Fast!

I am happy when paddle in 1 hour from Woerden to Oudewater. That's 8 km+. Paul Wycherley paddled in 2 and a half hours from Britain to France. That's incredible!

Video and article on BBC Sports.
The English Channel was exceptionally calm on the record day - almost as flat as the channel from Woerden to Oudewater!

KV Wyrda - 20 jaar!

Yesterday kayakclub Wyrda celebrated its 20th anniversary. Club members and their partners were invited for a program covering the full day. In the morning it started with a guided sight seeing tour in Oudewater. After the lunch we paddled from Oudewater to Woerden with a "apple pie break" at a farm halfway. We finished with a great BBQ at the boathouse.
Thanks to the party committee - Natasha, Paul, Wolter and their helpers for the perfect organisation of this festive day!

An unequal couple on the Lek

Today I toured on the river Lek with René. René paddled the Epic 18X Sport kayak with a Epic Mid Wing paddle. I paddled the Tahe Greenland kayak with a Superior carbon fibre Greenland stick. Seakayak equipment can hardly be more different. It was an unfair "battle" ;-): no way for me to keep up with Rene when he paddled full swing. While I paddled at a decent pace, René was dipping the wing relaxed in the water… Changing the paddles levelled the difference: Greenland kayak with Wing paddle and Epic kayak with Stick were a close match.


I enjoyed a perfect day on the water in good company. The weather was amazing, it changed every 5 minutes: sunny, clowdy, showers. Constant were amazing skies and a strong NW wind (6 Bft.).


Paddled distance 29 km, av. speed 7,2 kmh.

"Sla om-training" - Capsize drills

Picture of the BCU Canoe and Kayak Handbook, Pesda Press- Wales, 3rd edition.

-> Excellent learning guide - a must have for every paddler!

Earlier this evening I hosted a kayak training on capsize drills for KV Wyrda. It was on special request of several members of the club after an incident on a club paddle a week before. At that club paddle one of the paddlers capsized (on the calm flat water around Woerden). The incident wouldn't have been so impressive for him (and for the rest of the group) if he wouldn't have got stuck in the cockpit: he capsized and didn't manage to get out of the kayak. Fortunately it ended up all well, as he finally managed to swim, supported by the other paddlers of the group, half sitting in the capsized kayak, to the embankment of the channel. But this could have ended much worse if he would have been alone and or if the embankment wouldn't have been so close nearby.
Well, the group was seriously startled, suddenly confronted with the risks of the sport - even on the calm placid waters around Woerden. Lessons to learn: (1) don't paddle alone, (2) practice the wet-exit, (3) always wear a PFD.

Lesson 2 is what we exercised this evening: how to get out a capsized kayak: key elements to make this more easy are:
- stay calm, don't panic (easier said than done ;-)
- stay in the boat until the kayak is completely capsized;
- feed the boat of your legs (like taking off a pair of trousers).
The training was a confidence booster and good fun for all.

Regarding the first lesson I admit that I am the bad example in our club. Sorry: I do paddle solo regularly. I shouldn't? A calculated risk? Now about self rescues?