Travels with Paddles

a sea kayaking journal

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

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Pampus Slingshot

Lots of wind forecasted for the Easter weekend. Saturday materialized as being the best day for sun. With the forecasted southerly 5/7 Bft winds a 'training' run on the Markermeer seemed a nice thing to do. Plan was to paddle from Uitdam to Muiden via Pampus island.

After two hours strugglng against the force 5/6 winds, Fred and I reached Pampus and decided to have our lunch in the restaurant there and return. We were back within an hour, surfing all the way.

This was a nice combination of continuous and interval training. The interval training felt more tiring today. Catching waves and powering through for long fast runs, ruddering and bracing. Good training for the Anglesey races in May.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Marking the start


The start of the Peddelpraat club sea kayaking season starts with a circumnavigation of the lighthouse of Marken. In 1957 a dam was build to connect it to the mainland. Confusingly the 'outside' is called Markermeer and the inside is called 'Gouwzee', both being part of the larger body of water 'IJsselmeer' that used to be the 'Zuiderzee'.


Usually this trip draws 40+ paddlers and because of that lots of our trip leaders. But this time Marianne informed us that we were not all needed as the number of participants was only 15, but all trip leaders showed-up anyway. This is the best trip that does right to the 'Peddelpraat' name: Paddle Talk all the way...