Photo Friday: wind, waves and waterproof camera cover

Shot with our new Outex waterproof SLR cover.

Good coaches continue to train, and widely

This we believe: becoming certified is more of a commencement than a conclusion of coach education. We gained our first certifications five or six years ago, but that was just the beginning of our journey toward becoming capable coaches. And we're still progressing along that path.

For us, continuing coach education takes several forms. These include:

• Training in a variety of environments
• Training in a variety of paddlesports
• Training with a variety of high-level coaches

This process is time-consuming, expensive and often humbling. But it's also engaging, exciting and eminently rewarding.

Over the past few years, we've had the privilege of working extensively with Shawna Franklin and Leon Somme of Body Boat Blade, International on Orcas Island, Washington, and Scott Fairty of Summit Sports in Brighton, Michigan. Last month, we spent five days in Chicago working with Nick Cunliffe of Kayak Essentials in Anglesey, North Wales. And we just returned from eight days with John Carmody of Sea Cliff Kayakers in Boothbay, Maine.

John Carmody.

We chose to work with John for both his reputation and his location. He's a BCU Level 5 Sea Coach -- the highest coach certification in the BCU system -- who combines a deep knowledge of seamanship and human biomechanics with paddlesport and coach education. And he's based on the craggy Maine coast, where an understanding of tides and current, weather and navigation are non-negotiable and provide good preparation for paddling in the UK (home waters of the BCU) and other ocean environments.

A lighthearted moment on the beach.

We signed up for a BCU four-star leader training with John, but he also invited us to observe a private lesson and a three-star assessment, as well as observe/assist with a three-day course for a group of eight students and their coach, Sylvain Bedard, from Quebec. This gave us seven days on the water with John, along with two days of navigation training on land--experiences that expanded our understanding of the ocean and his approach to coaching in ocean conditions.

A conversation before a daylong journey along the Maine coast.

Because we recently completed a BCU Level 2 coach training, we appreciated the opportunity to see the principles we've been thinking about put into practice by someone who makes it seem effortless. Like any good coach, John chooses a progression based on the students' goals and skills, and selects a venue to match. The Maine coastline offers plenty of opportunities to work in current, tides, swell and surf, as well as chances to maneuver around, over and between rocks and ledges.

John consistently displayed many of the coaching strategies we are working on:

• individualizing instruction for each student
• leaving room for experimentation
• making use of the environment
• incorporating a journey
• using varied practice to keep students engaged and learning
• keeping a sense of humor

John demonstrates proper paddle position while ruddering in a boat made of sand.

John has travelled the world, but there's one place he's never paddled: the Great Lakes. We're thrilled that he'll be a featured coach at the upcoming Gales Storm Gathering symposium, October 11 through 13 in the Apostle Islands. Registration is limited to 60 participants, but there are still some spots available. Register today and you'll be able to work with John, too, without the trip to the east coast.

It's not unusual to find John coaching from the beach or standing in the water.

Reflections on the GLSKS "one coach track"

At this year's Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium, we had the opportunity to work with students who signed up for the "one-coach track." This meant each of us worked with five students for the entire weekend, rather than being assigned to teach a series of two-hour skills sessions with an ever-changing group of participants who signed up for each of those courses.

We chose the one-coach track because we were interested in working on a progression -- one of our responsibilities as BCU Coach 2 trainees. But we did so with some regrets because it meant we wouldn't have the opportunity to work with other coaches and participants at the symposium. We'd be off on our own little learning island.

It turned out to be a terrific opportunity. We began by discussing their goals and then videotaping each of the 10 participants performing a set of two-star skills: efficient forward paddling, moving sideways, maneuvering in a small space, and performing a low brace.

Some of the participants in our one-coach track watching their videotaped performance as Alec offers observations.

Over the course of the next two and a half days, we were able to help them improve those skills. We began with the fundamentals: posture, connectivity, power transfer and feel. We then applied those and other concepts to everything from the forward stroke and edged turns to bracing and rescues. Our standard for everything was "safe, effective, efficient," enabling them to understand why particular approaches make the most sense and to choose what works best for them.

Thanks to the weather, the course culminated in taking those skills into bumpy water for a real-world application. Finally, we videotaped again, allowing our students to see how much they had progressed. It was a rewarding weekend for all of us.

One-coach participants testing their skills in bumpy water. 

The one-coach track allowed us the freedom to work on skills without feeling the two-hour clock ticking, to establish a well-paced progression, and to provide varied practice over two and a half days. In the end, if was a more optimal learning experience for them, and a more satisfying coaching experience for us. 

The 10 participants and two coaches from this year's one-coach track.

Wild weather at the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium

Unloading boats at the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium.

The words of Herodotus, inscribed above the door of the New York City post office, might well apply to this year's Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium*: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night..."

We arrived in Grand Marais, MI just before a deluge that signified the end to a string of hot, humid days and the start of a period of cooler weather. The rain pounded so hard on the metal roof of the symposium headquarters in the community center, people had to shout at close range to be heard. Outside, ominous clouds began circling over Lake Superior, and the US Coast Guard announced a water spout offshore.

Ominous clouds circling offshore at Grand Marais, MI.

But the wet and wild weather didn't dampen the enthusiasm of coaches or participants.

Hey, it's a water sport! These students couldn't be stopped.

Over the next three days, we paddled in wind and waves, as well as on flat water. We sweated in light clothing and shivered in dry suits. It was a weekend tour of midwestern summer weather, and a great demonstration that neither snow nor rain nor heat not gloom of night stays these paddlers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

*More posts about this symposium will follow in the coming days.

Taking advantage of paddling Chicago's manmade shoreline

Our local environment. Photo credit: Joyce Ann

When we think about taking advantage of a local paddling environment, we tend to think about exciting and even exotic things: rock gardens, tidal races and tiny islands.

Here in Chicago, we don't have any of those natural features. Our 28-mile shoreline is manmade, an urban coast comprised of beaches and break walls, punctuated by piers and harbors. Our shoreline is highly developed, and in places, the offshore waters are bustling with tour boats and recreational traffic on summer weekends. How do you take advantage of that?

Some of Chicago's offshore manmade structures: the Chicago Harbor Light and breakwall.

In fact, this environment is ideal for a course on risk assessment, leadership, group management and good decision-making. These were the foci of our recent Open Water Journeying course, which we created to enable students to plan and execute safe and enjoyable day trips.

Participants in our Open Water Journeying course making sure their boats and kit are ready for the day's paddle.

Over the course of the day, we assessed the actual risks we faced that day and found ways to mitigate them. We discussed general principles of leadership and group management, agreed upon ways to communicate among ourselves, and practiced communicating with lock tenders and commercial vessels.

Following appropriate protocol to hail the lock tender on a VHF radio.

We developed strategies for safely paddling through areas with complex boat traffic patterns. We kept together as a tight group during longer crossings and correctly estimated the time it would take us to complete them.

Keeping a group together during a longer crossing.

We launched and landed on docks and other structures.

Chicago offers a variety of launching and landing challenges.

We've long appreciated other features of our shoreline: the break walls that generate exciting clapotis when waves approaching and leaving them collide; the north-facing beaches where we can surf when conditions are right. But it's easy to overlook this area's other environmental assets--a hazard of paddling any place that's very familiar--or to regard them as negatives.

Following proper procedures in the Chicago Harbor Lock. Photo credit: Joyce Ann

Sure, there are days when we wish there were less traffic, and we definitely take advantage of every opportunity to paddle or coach in places with more beautiful and interesting natural features. But wherever we are, we try to appreciate what we have. And when we're on the water in Chicago, that's Lake Michigan's urban coastline in all its manmade glory.

Making good choices before a complicated crossing through boat traffic. Photo credit: Joyce Ann

Photo Friday: A rainbow of kayaks

Part of the kayak line-up before our Open Water Journeying course.

Buy my kayak! Avocet LV is perfect for smaller paddlers

The Avocet LV is one of the few boats suitable for smaller paddlers.

There aren't many performance sea kayaks suitable for very small paddlers. Many boats claim to fit kayakers who weigh less than 130 pounds, but few actually do. Most boats are too deep for shorter paddlers (a paddler's hip bones should be just below the cockpit coaming) and too high-volume for lighter paddlers (increasing the amount of boat out of the water and making it more susceptible to the effects of wind).

In the Avocet LV, a 110-pound paddler has proper trim.

The Avocet LV is one of a handful of boats that actually fit Sharon. It's fast and nimble, equally at home on a journey or in surf. It's stable enough for beginners, playful enough for advanced paddlers, and highly responsive.

The Avocet LV loves rough water.

This boat is a 2008 with a built-in compass and a fiberglass keel strip. The skeg works, the hatches are dry, and it's in good condition with only cosmetic blemishes. The deck is robin's egg blue; the keel is white; the coaming and trim are quill grey.

So why are we selling it? Because Sharon is now a Valley-sponsored paddler, and she has a new Avocet LV. So this one is for sale for $1900 (firm).

Here are the specs:

• Length: 15'11"
• Width: 20'5"
• Depth: 11.5"
• Weight: 45 pounds

If you're interested, contact us at kayak (dot) bp (at) gmail.com.

A full weekend of big waves and rough water

This has been a stormy start to summer in Chicago. We've had lots of rain and, to our delight, several days of strong northeasterly winds.

Northeast winds yield big waves on the southwest side of Lake Michigan. 

Better yet, this happened over a weekend. And even better than that, we had a contingent of kayakers staying at our house.

Paddling out into 5- to 7-foot waves during one of three weekend paddle outings.

Mountains of water, and no other boats to share it with.

The winds were in the 20- to 25-knot range for most of the weekend. One evening, we paddled into the wind for more than an hour, then turned around and paddled back in 15 minutes. North-facing beaches had excellent surf, though paddling out against the wind and the waves was a workout.

Taking photos of surfing is uniquely challenging. It requires getting out of your kayak and snapping pictures while your friends continue playing in the waves. Some days we do it; some days we don't.

This time, we didn't.

Blue skies, smiling at me, nothing but blue skies, do I see

You know that expression about how some people paddle with dark clouds over their heads, while others see only blue skies?

That was our experience on Friday.

Pat Rota paddles out under menacing clouds.

Sharon focuses on the light at the end of the tunnel of clouds.

Keith has no idea why we might be worried.

Note: We had carefully monitored the weather and tailored the location and duration of our paddle accordingly. No kayakers were injured in the making of this blog post.

Paddling in fog: a quieter experience on Lake Michigan

Paddling out through the fog.

Warm air, cool water and still winds conspired to create fog along the shoreline on Thursday morning. The four-mile crib was invisible from Burnham Harbor. The only way to get there was to paddle a 67-degree course and wait for it to come into view.

The fog-shrouded skyline behind us.

Few sailboats bothered to venture out in such still conditions; motorboats and cruisers stayed in the harbor, too. We saw a couple of tour boats and heard communication on our VHF radios between them and the lock tender. Aside from that, we were alone on a very quiet lake. 

The four-mile crib came into view about half a mile from shore.

We heard the fog horn long before we reached the crib. As we approached, we also heard the squawking and screeching of cormorants and gulls, who weren't pleased to share their prime fishing ground with us.

We weren't interested in fishing, though. We came to swim.

Alec pulls his boat through the water, demonstrating that we are all between swims.

The fog gradually burned off, providing an interlude of blue skies before the cumulus clouds built above the city once again. By late afternoon, another in a series of summer storms came through, with strong winds and a deluge that contributed to the rising lake level (the optimistic way to view yet another storm that kept us off the water). In coming days, we'll post photos of some of the rougher water that followed.

Photo Friday: Evidence of higher Lake Michigan water levels

Taking a photo below the surface near the breakwater at 12th Street Beach.

The view below.

A few months ago, the breakwater at 12th Street Beach was barely below the surface. Today, we had at least 18 inches of clearance. According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, water levels in Lake Michigan are up by a foot and a half. The June 27 level was 577.68 feet, up from 576.19 on March 1.

Water levels were historically low at the start of this season due to last year's record heat and drought, combined with this past winter's lack of snow and ice. This spring's record-breaking rain has been making up for those losses.

New course offering: Open water journeying!

Journeying along the scenic Chicago shoreline.

This has been a busy paddling season, between the private lessons and club trainings we've offered, the coach trainings we've participated in, and our personal paddling adventures. This Saturday, Have Kayaks, Will Travel is offering an open-water journeying course, and spots are still available.

This course emerged out of our experiences with friends and clients who want to paddle on Lake Michigan and have the basic boat-handling skills, but don't always know how to:

• assess and mitigate risks
• pack for a day trip
• choose the right route 
• use a VHF radio to communicate with lock tenders and large ships
• negotiate boat traffic
• launch and land in a variety of places
• solve problems and make decisions as needed to keep a group safe and have fun on the water.

We're going to coach these skills during a fun journey on the Chicago River, through the locks, and on Lake Michigan (though the exact route will depend on conditions that day). 

• Date: Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, July 7
• Time: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Distance: 10 to 12 miles
• Cost: $125

To register or for more information, contact us at kayak.bp@gmail.com and please include a phone number so we can call you back.

A Father's Day poem for paddlers

To all of you dads

who would rather be paddling

than opening gifts

amid family prattling.

To all of you dads,

be you homely or dashing,

who want to get out

on waves cresting and crashing.

I hear you, I get it.

I feel the same way.

But I think you should hang

with your family today.

(Unless, of course,

your kids paddle, too.

In that case, get out!

This poem’s not for you.)

Think for a moment

of all they have done

to allow you to paddle

and have so much fun.

They put up with your gear

hanging in the back yard.

They tolerate neoprene stink--

and that’s hard!

They squeeze past your kayak

to get to the car.

They don’t laugh aloud

when you say “pub” not “bar.”

They let you buy rescue knives,

tow belts and flares,

and assemble your kits

for first aid and repairs.

They know all the acronyms:

CLAP, PFD

BCU, ACA

VHF, LTPD.

They deal with the sand

and the water and dirt.

They’re even OK

with you wearing a skirt.

So stay home and celebrate

family today.

Hang out with your kids.

Hear what they say.

For despite your addiction

to paddling, it seems,

your children still love you.

You’re the dad of their dreams.

                                                             --Sharon

Photo Friday: Another excellent use for duct tape

A buoy outside of Jackson Harbor in Chicago.

A little bit wonky, but we guess it works!

10 tips for prolonging the life of your drysuit

Forget tuxedos and gowns. Our drysuits are our most treasured (and most expensive) garments. Treating them well can lengthen their working lives and ensure that they perform their jobs perfectly.

We checked in with Matt Porter, Product Manager and Customer Service Supervisor at Kokatat, for advice on extending the lives of drysuits. His advice:

1. Keep your drysuit out of direct sunlight whenever possible. UV degrades both Gore-Tex and latex, shortening the life of the fabric and the gaskets.

2. Avoid insect repellent and sunscreen. DEET is particularly destructive of latex gaskets; sunscreen is also rough on them, so apply it at least 15 minutes prior to putting on your drysuit to allow the sunscreen to soak into your skin. When you reapply, avoid getting it on the gasket.

3. Rinse your drysuit in fresh water, with the zipper closed, after paddling in salt water. Hang it to dry on a wide hanger with the zipper open one or two inches.

4. Clean your drysuit with fresh water. If it smells bad, use a drysuit shampoo or a gentle, bleach-free laundry soap.

5. Never put your drysuit in a top-loading washer; the agitator may rip it.

6. Lubricate metal-tooth zippers with hard wax; use non-wax lubricants on plastic zippers. Plastic zippers should be lubricated every other time you wear your drysuit.

7. Protect drysuit booties by wearing socks and being careful not to walk or stand on surfaces that might damage them while you're changing.

8. Transport your drysuit loosely rolled with the zipper open one or two inches.

9. Store your drysuit in a dry area on a wide hanger with the zipper open one or two inches.

10. When the DWR wears out (and it will!), try ironing the Gore-Tex fabric on the nylon setting to reactivate it. If you decide to re-waterproof it, use a spray-on product, not a wash-in product, so that it doesn't get on the inside your drysuit. Dry it with an iron (on the nylon setting) or a hair dryer; never put your drysuit in a clothes dryer.

Routine maintenance, such as gasket replacement, can be done at home. Other repairs, such as leaks and tears, should be done by the manufacturer.

New website coming soon

Please excuse our prolonged posting intermission. Lots is happening behind the scenes.

This blog will soon be migrating to a new domain. Our friend, the paddler and graphic designer Chris Hoffman of Faucethead Creative, is building us a new website. And our former student, the talented Flo Katzenbach, has created our new logo. 

We've been paddling, coaching and training. We have new sponsors and are about to get new boats. All this activity has kept us offline, but we'll be back soon.

Early season paddling: the precautions and the pleasures

Despite this year's long, cold spring, we've been on the water quite a lot. This has been both possible and pleasurable because we have the three pillars of safe paddling, which are especially applicable in cold weather: knowledge, skills and gear.

Sadly, not everyone who goes out to paddle has all three. Early in the season, the lake beckons anyone with a boat. We've seen plenty of unprepared paddlers wearing light clothing and lacking solid skills, oblivious to the dangers of cold water. Some get away with it; others become statistics. More than 100 people drowned in the Great Lakes in 2012. An unfortunate number of them were people paddling kayaks who weren't prepared for the conditions they encountered. Police reports and news stories are quick to call these people kayakers--a label that makes us queasy because it reflects poorly on paddlers with the training, equipment and judgment to stay out of conditions they can't safely handle.

Drysuit, mitts and a wool hat on a chilly April afternoon.

Skills maintained in the pool translate to the lake.

Rescue practice in cold conditions.

The reward is a lake almost devoid of motor boats. And a longer paddling season.

Alec confronts a big wave. 

Sharon paddles back out for another ride.