Santa Lucia paddling Dec 2012

Santa Lucia paddling Dec 2012

For the third time we were some paddlers who went out to honour Santa Lucia, the famous saint from Siracusa, Sicily. This year we had to undertake this paddling as early as 8 Dec due to different circumstances. It turned out to be a good idea since the weather was absolutely fantastic.

Myorcha on my Over-line Aretusa

Tahe and Over-line kayaks

  I had to take the trailer down to Killingsholmen this year where the participants were told to gather. There was no wind to talk about and even if the temperature was around 8 degrees below zero, I  assured everyone that they shouldn't be worried about getting cold today...

Grefab Marina, Killingsholmen

Martin about to launch

     Since there was ice at Billdalsbadet where I normally launch we had to go to Grefab Marina where they have hoses on the bottom which delays the ice.
We were now gathered and ready to go out. The plan was to paddle for approximately an hour, have a break for some coffee, glögg, ginger cookies, and singing!

Richard seems to enjoy it

Is this really true? Göran (Green kayak) is reflecting on Life when it is at its best?

               The snow that had fallen and managed to stay on the rocky islets, due to cold temperatures lately, created a rather surreal feeling for all of us. One of the paddlers had been in Svalbard this summer and got a dejà vú.  Now he was paddling outside Billdal with another Sval...Svalstrand :-)

Mats, Fredrik and Richard on their way

 After just a few minutes everyone felt nice and warm, even having thoughts about whether he shouldn't have out on that many layers of clothes. We aimed for Lilla Lövö.

                         

After having paddled for a while, stopping now and then just in order to say that "this is great", "beauuuutiful", "fantastic", and using all kinds of expressions to explain or feelings.

Myorcha guides and protects us

We let our paddles into the waters and I would say that at those particular moments when nothing else matters than the PRESENT we experience nature and its magnificience in overwhelming magnitudes of pure fascination and feelings of being ONE. Everything is connected.

Three paddlers

The Svalbard Man

Martin and Peter coming out from the "lagoon" at Stora Lövö

Mats passing between rocks

It's easy to forget about time when having such a great time together, but one aim of this trip is to have some glögg and sing a song. So, let's go on with some more paddling...

Göran B

East side, the sun doesn't reach us here

Time to land. We chose a good spot for that. We wanted to stay in the sun, otherwise it would get a bit nippy. It was easy to land. Once I had landed I could pull the other kayaks up on the ice and thin surface of snow/ice on the rocks. A new drink perhaps, Kayak on the Rocks, please!

Thanks again, Giuseppe, for the Aretusa

We all want our pictures

Had to hold the kayaks, Slippery when ice.

Well, we'd better prepare for this year's performance. Assume your positions. Clean your throats with some glögg and ginger cookies. Time is about to come.

"The Glögg was good, the fudge too"

Yes, that's me. Dressed for success. Thumbs up, Like (nowadays)...

The story about the singing is that we did it last year too. Then it was recognised by one of the leading magazines so then we thought that it could be nice to repeat it. The song is performed in Italian (at least we hope it sounds a bit like it). We do apologise if our pronunciation of certain words isn't 100% correct. We also took the liberty to change the lyrics from "Napoli" to "Billdal" and I hope we're excused for that. The link is as follows: https://www.youtube.com/link_gplus?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fmy_videos_upload
We have to admit that it might not win any awards...

Time to launch. It was possible to slide into the water

The sun is about to set

After a while without exercising too much you need to get warm again. We went for another hour of paddling before aiming back to the beginning. Some photos:

Torholmen

Martin in one of my Tahe Greenlands

Getting dark. Killingsholmen at 4PM

Göran and Fredrik have landed.

It had been a great time out there and for some of the paddlers this was a totally new experience. We all felt comfortable and happy with three hours out on the sea. This has now become a tradition.
"Natten går tunga.......Santa Lucia Saaaaaaantaaaaaaa Luuuuuucia".
Merry Christmas and do not complain about darkness, let there be light instead!
/Mikael, Sea Kayak Billdal

SEA KAYAK BILLDAL Sunday 4 Nov

There's been a lot of rain and strong winds this autumn so when the weather calms down and the water becomes a mirror then it's a must to go out. A paddling friend, Martin, has for a while been interested in paddling one of my Tahe Greenland kayaks and to try a greenland paddle.




Martin feels comfortable and passes through Norra Småholmarna

Heading for some islets further west

There was no wind at all. Outside Stora Lövö we met a seal that almost always turns up to show his interest ín kayaks.

 
We passed through the gap southeast of Stora Lövö before doing some Rock Gardening.

I paddled my Over-line Aretusa. Martin came in from the right while I was singing "Pocahontas" by Neil Young.



"Aurora Borealis/ The Icy sky at night...



"Paddles cut the water in a long and hurried flight..."

    I put the camera in the day hatch and didn't bother to use it more. Today was a really relaxed paddle, and I didn't really care how fast or far I paddled. We used a couple of hours in one of the best ways possible.

My Garmin watch reminded me that this was a really relaxed paddle for about 8km. We continued paddling. We went out to Lilla Lövö where we explored the rocky surroundings and then back to Billdalsbadet where we summed up the trip with some nice clichés. Martin liked the kayak and now he wants to try the Tahe Greenland LC. You're welcome. 

Mikael Svalstrand
SEA KAYAK BILLDAL                          

3-hour trip to Risö

What beautiful weather! We're not spoiled with that this autumn. Had breakfast, drove the kids to school and then Gather ye Rosebuds while ye may sounded in my mind. The only difficulty I faced was which of the kayaks I should use? And which paddle...Today's big issue in the Industrialized world?

Time to launch after a difficult choice. The Aretusa was really keen on going out...like a mare or stallion, whatever you prefer, she/he rose in front of the water at Billdalsbadet!

We set out and decided to go to Risö, approximately 8km south of Billdalsbadet.

On our way we had to say HI to some friends out there.

Having paddled at a rather good speed, we chose to land at our favourite spot at Risö. I have been here before, and know I will go back here many a times in the future. For the Over-line Aretusa, it was the first time and she/he felt so at home immediately, as if that was a familiar place.

I had an apple which I  shared with the red and white kayak made by Giuseppe di Mauro. I had a short stroll, on my own, when all of a sudden Hemingway passed and said that "the world is a fine place". I agreed and told myself that good old Hem is still among us.

Time to launch and go home. On our way back we said HI to another guide out in the vast blue sea. We were so grateful to see this colourful guide.

We continued our trip and couldn't resist moving into the lagoon among Södra Småholmarna (some islets south of Billdal). We met our friend, Mr Heron, and Mr Swan was out with his rather shy family, now consisting of his wife and 4 babies. "Nice seeing you, take care!", he said. We, alas, frightened some Canada Geese, but they are used to it.

Ah, that was a well spent morning.

- Mikael, SEA KAYAK BILLDAL after 16km