This Months Books and Videos
December 2004-January 2005
This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD
A LITTLE BIGGER NOW
The little folding kayak company has become Canada’s newest Klepper Dealer. Klepper is the original manufacturer of folding kayaks (1907) and their kayaks hold many world firsts and records. Klepper has earned the new distinction of producing the world’s only variable hull kayak, the Quattro, used by army commando units worldwide for its stability and safety.
While on a recent tour of Austria, Germany and Switzerland this October, Joanne Gaudet of the little folding kayak company visited the Klepper Manufacturing facility in Rosenheim, Germany and was asked to become a Klepper Dealer. For more information or to receive a free catalogue, visit www.foldingkayaks.ca or call toll free: 1-866-202-5343.
CANOECOPIA 2005
Canoecopia 2005, the world’s largest paddlesport expo will run the weekend of March 11-13. Canoecopia is hosted by Rutabaga and sponsored by Teva. Check out www.rutabaga.com/canoecopia/
IMPEX & FORMULA CONSOLIDATE
As of October 1st 2004, Mid-Canada Fiberglass’ extensive line of performance touring kayaks will all come under the Impex brand. Changes in design, manufacturing and outfitting have expanded the company’s original philosophy of price point orientation to a high performance manufacturer, supplying some of the best paddlers and shops in North America. The Formula name will continue to exist as a series of high quality price point oriented kayaks under the Impex brand, and there will be three other series consisting of Performance Touring, Pro-Touring and Specialty Touring, also under the Impex Brand. The move will improve efficiency as production will no longer be split between two brands. Mid-Canada Fiberglass believes that this streamlining of production will allow the company to keep retail price well below industry norms, while continuing to improve quality and performance. www.impexkayak.com.
CLEAR BLUE HAWAII WINS BIG
Honolulu-based company Clear Blue Hawaii won the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association Sports Product of the Year Award, the ISPO New Products Award in Munich, Germany and was the ranked by Readers Digest as maker of the Best Kayak in America all within the same month.
The company made a name for itself by launching the first two person transparent kayak back in January 2002. When a kayaker can see schools of fish, turtles, or even pods of dolphins playing below, it adds a new level to the kayaking experience. Time magazine recognized Clear Blue Hawaii as manufacturer of one of the Coolest Inventions of 2003 and Fortune magazine recognized it as among The Best 25 Products of The Year.
Ph: 808-832-2438
E-mail: explore@clearbluehawaii.com.
MOTHERSHIP TRIPS
Mothership Adventures is opening up two new trips aboard their award-winning vessel the Columbia III for their upcoming 2005 season. In addition to their Broughton Archipelago/Johnstone Strait Trips, they will offer two new 3–4 night mothership tours departing from Victoria’s inner harbour. One tour will explore the marine life and small coastal towns of the San Juan Islands and the other will enjoy the scenic waters of the Canadian Gulf islands. Both trips are designed for people who have less time to be away yet want to experience mothership kayaking and the natural beauty of these two areas. For more information visit their website at www.mothershipadventures.com or call toll free 1-888-833-8887.
BUFFER ZONE REOPENS
The McMorrans are re-establishing the Buffer Zone, their remote, oceanside facility, located in the heart of the Broughton Archipelago, an area known for beautiful paddling, countless islands, and abundant wildlife.
What began as a wilderness homestead in 1980 evolved into a successful lodge-based kayak tour company in the 1990s. Now, after a number of years away, with family members involved in studies, they are ready to re-open the rustic seaside resort. Family and group holiday packages and wilderness workshops are available, as well as cabin, room, shower, and kayak rentals. Professional massage and acupressure is available onsite, and water taxi service.
Check out www.bufferzoneresort.com or call 250-935-0055.
ECHO BAY WELCOMES PADDLERS
Echo Bay Resort, in the heart of the Broughton Archipelago, has recognized that paddlers are looking for alternatives to tenting, and is now offering accommodations for groups and individual paddlers. For more information, contact 250-956-2121,
Web: www.echobayresort.com.
KAYAKER DROWNS—IN CHAMPAGNE
Kayak-cop Sean Morley returned to a hero’s welcome at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, in Falmouth, England, six months after setting off on his record-making, 4500- mile solo-circumnavigation of the UK and Ireland, including all the inhabited islands. Several hundred people lined the quayside and cheered as Sean was escorted in by a flotilla of local kayakers, boats and the two Falmouth lifeboats.
After a celebratory Eskimo roll for the crowd, he was immediately drowned in champagne by his wife, Linda. Sean was presented with the ‘Expedition Kayak Trophy’, sponsored by PDQ Comms Ltd and Icetea Ltd, to mark his achievement. Several thousand pounds have already been raised for RNLI and the Marine Conservation Society, and funds are still coming in.
THANKS, CHRIS
The Trade Association of Paddlesports has announced the departure of its Executive Director, Chris Mitchell, from the organization at the end of 2004. Chris has held this position for four years and during his tenure guided the organization through some financial and organizational challenges. We all thank Chris for his support and commitment to paddlesports and wish him well in his future endeavors. Candidates for the Executive Director role should contact TAPS at 360-352- 0764 or 800-755-5228, or by email to info@gopaddle.org.
AND THANKS, RALPH
Ralph Diaz, editor of the Folding Kayaker newsletter, has decided to fold the publication after over a dozen years. His newsletter and book of the same name did much to raise awareness of these specialty boats. Congratulations for a job well done, Ralph!
NEW WENONAH PLANT
Wenonah Canoe’s new kayak facility in the Riverbend Industrial Park in Winona, MN is nearly complete. The 45,000 square foot plant should be fully operational soon. Decisions to move the Current Designs kayak operation from Victoria, British Columbia to Winona were first announced in April, and progress has been on schedule. The new building will result in job opportunities for about 50 new employees.
CURRENT DESIGNS INVENTORY
Before Current Designs’ factory closed its doors in September to move production south of the border to Minnesota, Brian Henry, the founder of Current Designs and owner/operator of Ocean River Sports in Victoria, bought the last kayaks built in the Canadian plant.
“I bought a huge amount of inventory,” Brian told us, “because I know that there will be a demand for these Canadian-built Current Designs boats. We’re holding last year’s prices on the boats we have here in stock.”
Brian also told WaveLength that Ocean River has moved its repair shop to a new location, just a block from the store. New staff with extensive experience have been hired to fix nearly any model of kayak or canoe. Ocean River Repair handles warranty repairs for Current Designs kayaks and works with many other manufacturers.
Ph: 250-381-4233,E-mail: mail@oceanriver.com.
NEW PUGET SOUND SYMPOSIUM
The First Annual Puget Sound Sea Kayak Symposium will be held in Tacoma, WA May 21-22, 2005. Check out www. metroparkstacoma.org. Look on the main page under Quick Internal Links and click on First Annual Puget Sound Sea Kayak Symposium. You can book on-line, and your space will be held for 14 days until payment is made. The presenter and instructor lists are currently being put together. If you have questions about the registration process, call Julie Dames: 253-640-3518.
WALK THE WAVES
Yoav Rosen of WaveWalk, Inc, Newton MA, is marketing the W sportsboat, a new, patented twin hull boat that can be paddled while standing or seated. He points out that the Polynesians, in islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean where big waves were part of everyday life, used multihulls. The design offers stability and versatility, and he claims it also provides enhanced speed and maneuverability. It’s possible to switch positions: sitting, kneeling, standing; change clothing, etc.
Web: www. wavewalk.com, 617-916-2250.
YUKON RIVER QUEST 2005
Registrations are now being accepted for the 2005 Yukon River Quest, June 29 to July 3, the longest annual canoe and kayak race in the world. The 740-kilometer (460- mile) paddling marathon is held on the Yukon River from Whitehorse to Dawson City in Canada’s Yukon Territory. The race is organized by the Yukon River Marathon Paddling Association, based in Whitehorse. Entry forms and other information for the seventh annual event can be found on the race web site.
Web: www.yukonriverquest.com. Deadline for entries is May 26, 2005.
The race is open to recreational tandem canoes, tandem and solo sea kayaks, and voyageur canoes with six to 14 paddlers. Boat specifications are listed in the race rules on the website. A limit of 70 teams has been set. Cash prizes are awarded for the top 10 overall teams, as well as in several bonus categories.
After a LeMans-style start in downtown Whitehorse, teams race round-the-clock under the midnight sun, stopping for just two mandatory rests at Carmacks (7 hours) and Kirkman Creek (3 hours). It is a grueling wilderness adventure race that tests the stamina of both professional and recreational paddlers from around the globe. The prize, for many, is just finishing the event in world famous Dawson City, site of the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-98.
A record 51 teams started the 2004 race, including teams from Australia, Austria, Canada, England, Germany, Scotland, and the USA. Thirty-five teams finished the event. Water level was high during an unusually hot summer, contributing to six category records being broken. The course record of 44 hours, nine minutes, was missed by just 18 minutes by the winning team of Steve Landick and Bruce Barton of Michigan.
BIODIESEL FOR BOATS
Patrick Pillsbury of Bon Accord Charters in Washington State, tells us that his charter boat is burning 100% biodiesel, reducing emissions by up to 78%. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel for diesel engines derived from natural oils like soybean oil. The fuel is produced by a reaction of the oil with an alcohol such as methanol or ethanol, a chemical process that removes the glycerin from the oil. See www.bonaccord.com or call 800-677-0751. More next issue.
AUDITORS WARN GOVERNMENTS
In October, the federal, BC and New Brunswick Auditors General released a report strongly critical of their respective governments’ efforts to safeguard wild salmon, citing failure to adequately regulate fish farms. The BC Auditor General clearly noted that existing provincial legislation and regulations fail to provide adequate protection for salmon habitat because some key provisions are not in force or not being enacted.
Suzanne Connell, the Georgia Strait Alliance’s Salmon Aquaculture Coordinator, says, “British Columbians should be very alarmed about these and the federal findings, and should tell the governments that things must change.
”The BC report, Salmon Forever:
An Assessment of the Provincial Role in Sustaining Wild Salmon is available at www.bcauditor.com, under “what’s new”.
FOG HORNS CUT
The Canadian government has foolishly cut coastal lighthouse station foghorns at Cape Mudge Light, Chatham Point Light and Pulteney Point. See the action alert at www.georgiastrait.org.
GIFT IDEAS
Looking for some great gift ideas for the kayaker or would-be kayaker in your life? Here are three wonderful books to keep everyone inspired over the winter while planning for great adventures in 2005—Sea Kayak Around Vancouver Island, Sea Kayak the Gulf Islands, and Sea Kayak Nootka & Kyuquot Sounds. The three, guides, published by Heritage Books, are filled with useful information and their small format makes them perfect for taking on a trip. As well, your purchase will help support GSA in its marine conservation work (when purchasing on-line through www.bcbooks.com/fishkayaking.html). GSA receives even more if you buy in person at GSA offices in Vancouver, Victoria or Nanaimo. For these and other great book and DVD ideas, visit GSA’s website ‘Gift Shop’ at www.georgiastrait.org.
TOXICSMART
Each day, thousands of toxic chemicals are discharged into bodies of waters around this planet, causing harm to the environment and human health. A large number of these are found in common, household products.
The Georgia Strait Alliance’s ToxicSmart program has been effective in helping communities around the Strait of Georgia reduce the impacts of their household choices with simple, affordable and practical solutions that people can use in their own homes. And this program has relevance to other jurisdictions.
See the Georgia Strait Alliance’s updated ToxicSmart brochure: “What does clean really mean?” now available online at www.georgiastrait.org/TScleaners.pdf. For hard copies, contact Christianne@GeorgiaStrait.org.
FORESTS FALLING
According to the Washington, DC based World Resources Institute, nearly 80 percent of Earth’s old growth forests have already been destroyed or degraded, much within the last few decades. At current deforestation rates, the United Nations Environmental Programme estimates that 9 million hectares of forest, more than 3 times the size of Vancouver Island, are destroyed annually. NASA has warned that the loss of forests has a profound effect on the global carbon cycle, a key regulator of a stable climate. Seventy five percent of Vancouver Island’s pristine old growth forests have already been destroyed, and less than 6 percent of what remains is protected. WaveLength is an Ancient Forest Friendly publication (see left).
US OCEANS COMMISSION
The US Commission on Ocean Policy in October released its final report regarding the health of the nation’s coasts and oceans. The Commission, created by Congress in 2000, and appointed by President Bush, released its draft report in April on how to improve ocean conditions, and accepted comments from the public and from governors before drafting the final report.
“The Commission’s final report clearly finds that our oceans and shorelines are in trouble and need urgent attention,” said Kathy Fletcher, executive director of People For Puget Sound in Seattle (www.pugetsound.org). “Fisheries are collapsing, pollution is on the rise, and natural habitats are disappearing. Policy makers at every level of government must act boldly and immediately to save our oceans and coasts, including Puget Sound.”
“The Commission’s report lays out a comprehensive plan for ocean recovery,” said Kevin Ranker, Pacific Northwest regional manager for the Surfrider Foundation (www.surfrider.org). “The goal now is to act upon it. Here in Washington State we have fisheries closures, water quality problems and decades of shoreline development impacts on our beaches. We can’t wait any longer to take action.”
GLOBAL WARMING
In 2003, carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels climbed to a record high of 6.8 billion tons, up nearly 4 percent from the previous year. Global emissions of carbon have quadrupled since 1950. www.earth-policy.org/Indicators/CO2/2004. htm.
OIL AND GAS REPORT RELEASED
The report from the Canadian government's Offshore Oil and Gas Public Review Panel' headed by Roland Priddle, was released in November. Of the 2759 submissions during the public commentary period, a strong majority of citizens want the moratorium to be maintained, including 75% of respondents and 100% of First Nations.
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