(note to my readers: This post begins an occasional tribute to individuals who have made major contributions to sea kayaking) Derek Hutchinson could be called the father of modern sea kayaking for his paddling prowess, long distance journeys, kayak designs, his entertaining talks and advanced bracing classes worldwide. To me, he earns the title by […]
Sea kayaking books
THE FAT PADDLER – A Review
The book’s title says it all. This just-published book by Aussie kayaker Sean Smith tells the story of an ordinary bloke who took up sea kayaking in earnest because he had to. It’s not about a long sea kayaking expedition. It’s about a fun-loving rugby rower out riding his scooter who was run over by […]
THE RAVEN’S GIFT, by Jon Turk – A Review
Can you judge a book by its cover? No. You can’t. Gazing at the cover of sea kayaking adventurer Jon Turk’s The Raven’s Gift (2009), I envisioned a tale of an arduous sea trek along the icy coast of Kamchatka. And Jon did kayak there. But that’s not what the book is about. The book […]
Four Ways to Learn Sea Kayaking
I learned how to sea kayak from a book. Written by Derek Hutchinson, it was called SEA CANOEING. From that book I learned how to roll, how to outfit a sea kayak, how to surf and seal land, and how to stay safe on the water. But that was not the only way I learned […]
The Tsunami X-1 Rocket Boat Breaks the Wave Barrier
Below is an excerpt from CONFESSIONS OF A WAVE WARRIOR. As a youngster, I dreamed of becoming a frog man when I grew up, but though I had the chance while in the Navy, I let the opportunity pass me by. I later learned to SCUBA dive and to kayak in rivers and the ocean. […]
Paul Caffyn’s THE DREAMTIME VOYAGE – A Review
It’s not too soon to think of Christmas, for two reasons. First, what do you get the kayaker who has everything? How about an autographed copy of Paul Caffyn’s The Dreamtime Voyage: Around Australia Kayak Odyssey, 25th anniversary edition, published in 2010? The other reason to think of Christmas is Paul set out on his […]