Travels with Paddles

a sea kayaking journal

Axel Schoevers (Photo: A. de Krook) Name:
Axel Schoevers
Location:
Rijswijk, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Welcome back my friends...

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This week I was re-united with a long (thought forever) lost friend. I found the good old Lady back on the internet. Stronger than ever, world-wide via internet radio stream and satellite.

My first memories of listening to music radio stations go back to 1973. I was eleven years old. Then it was Radio Veronica and Radio North Sea International. When they died in 1974, because of anti "Pirate Radio" laws, Radio Caroline continued... And how! Against almost insurmountable odds. Until the Ross Revenge ran a-ground in a November 1991 gale. All through my school years and beyond, this is what I listened to. Great Rock (album) music.

Of all the radio stations I listened to after that, none could hold my interest for longer than a few months, because of the 'regurgitating play list formats'. Just this year I started to transfer all my music to MP3 format, because of that. And now I have all my music in MP3 ?

Radio Caroline plays again through the speakers. Songs (and sounds) that in a split-second time-warp me back 20+ years. Songs that I have not heard on any other station again all that time. And great new music too!

Maybe finally a reason to activate G3-internet on my mobile phone...

My first kayak, in 1994, was a Kirton Meridian. It was faded-red, my Ross Revenge. And true to the Lady, she is also very much alive!
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Running, Laughing, Skipping through the streaming fields of time
On my way back home
Sky is shining time is flying bird is on the wing
On my way back home
Flying to the sun sweet Caroline

(New Riders of the Purple Sage)

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Surfing at Katwijk

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I went surfing with Jan this afternoon. I took my surf kayak out for the first time. I should have checked the wind strength AND the current. If I had, I would also have taken my sea kayak. Now I found myself fighting a hell of an along-shore rip current against a force 5/6 south-westerly wind (along shore). I was going backwards. No way to position myself for a run. But Jan was kind enough to lend me his Explorer a few times and that was fun. Also today for the first time, I used my short WW/Surf Lendal Kinetic paddle. I should have used a shorter paddle for surfing years ago... Even in the sea kayak I was quicker to react with it to the waves and for take-off. Late afternoon the (rip-) current slackened a bit and I could try the Mega Neutron again. Still hard work with the wind, but at least I could get a bit used to my new craft.