Gearing Up

Keirron is in the air today flying into Vancouver. I'm driving up to Orcas Island Wednesday, where we'll meet with Body, Boat, Blade's Shawna, Leon, and Bryan. That will be the first time Keirron and I meet, first time we see some of our kit (including the kayak), and we'll make those last-minute outfitting adjustments.



There's the typical massive pile of crap - drybags, freeze-dried turkey tet, piles of fleece, partially-stuffed tent - on my futon this morning. I'm excited, my dog Maya isn't (how does she know when she's not invited?).

We're still assessing which end of the island we begin from - this is a weather-dependent decision. As someone pointed out, we don't have flexibility in our schedule - so we'll have a little in our starting location. This will allow us to optimize timing for conditions along the more exposed parts of the trip (though video footage of us "paddling off" might be a little contrived).

Four days out:
http://weather.unisys.com/gfsx/4d/gfsx_pres_4d.html

Should I forget later, thanks all for your help and support!

T-Minus 9 Days...

But who's counting?

Ordered food today (thanks Mountain House); trimmed gaskets on the drysuit (kudos Kokatat); Keirron emailed his air itinerary; I'm contemplating a smaller, lighter tent; and shopping for potential replacement for the decade-old GPS I finally killed a couple weeks back (yes, for backup only - though as a cyclist I find staring at speed-made-good fascinating). Amazing how much wear and tear happens to gear BEFORE the expedition!



Tonight - I will finally finish loading the detailed waypoint list (significantly influenced by Roy Massena's excellent list - thanks Roy!) into Google Earth. Might be of interest to individuals, and could help our "remote blogger" show where we are.

Jon Walpole will be acting as our home base and remote blogger via satellite phone. Jon will relay weather info/predictions to us while posting progress/trip reports here while we roll. Thanks in advance Jon - this is so cool. And it's good you're getting all that canoeing in now, we're going to have lots of questions about weather like this:

"Gale warning continued.
Winds southeast 25 to gales 35 knots with gales 45 near the Headlands this morning. Winds rising to southeast gales 35 to 45 This evening and easing to 25 to gales 35 Wednesday morning. Periods of rain. Seas 2 to 3 metres.
Outlook. Strong to gale force southeast easing to moderate to strong southerly."

(http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/marine/marine_e.html?C-WRU)

Good times, good times.

Website Launched

http://www.pinkkayak.org/

Here's a link to a simple info site for Keirron and myself - we'll post a coupld high-resolution photos here and additional information about press releases.

If new sponsors sign on in the next ... three weeks (!), we'll post that info here too.

See you on the water,
Jeff

An Invitation To Help

The following letter is being distributed through our network with these goals:

• raise breast cancer awareness;
• promote fund raising directly for Ginni (below); and
  
• promote fund raising for the foundations supporting research for breast cancer.

Dear Friends,

As many of you may have heard by now, our good friend Ginni Callahan faced one of life’s most daunting experiences this past winter: breast cancer. In true Ginni style she’s doing it with grace and dignity.

Breast cancer has no boundaries. It can hit right out of school or right before retirement, and can affect women as well as men. It can impact those with no family history. Ginni - a professional sea kayak coach who lives along the Columbia River, Washington - is a healthy, young, active woman with no family history of cancer. This is a reminder to all of us to get checked and self-test as early detection is our best defense.

More detail about breast cancer risk factors, controllable and less so, is summarized at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure website:
http://cms.komen.org/komen/AboutBreastCancer/

Breakthrough Breast Cancer in the UK has published this excellent awareness page:
http://www.breakthrough.org.uk/about_breast_cancer/

Ginni is many things to us: a leader, an author, coach, paddling partner, and certainly an indomitable inspiration. Just after Thanksgiving, 2006, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS, a non-invasive cancer limited to duct tissue) extending beyond the limits of the biopsy sample in all directions. Doctors recommended mastectomy, which was scheduled for December 12. She was home from the hospital recovering that afternoon - and on the road to The Baja by the beginning of January.

Ginni headed to Baja not only for the "surf therapy" needed to help her recover but also for her livelihood. Seasonal, migrating kayak coaches have to keep moving to keep solvent - and still rarely allow that they need help.

While she has been gone a group of friends devised ways for her compadres (that’s you!) to help Ginni financially. Not everyone can get down to Loreto for one of her brilliant classes - so here are some options. Two ways you can help:

1. Donate to your nearest foundation. If you’re in the States, that’s Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Click here to reach the Oregon and SW Washington Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This secure form accepts most credit cards and has a Verisign secure certificate.

UK-based readers may use their cards securely to donate to Breakthrough Breast Cancer here: http://www.justgiving.com/seakayaking.

Both sites can accept payments from other countries.

2. Send a check directly to Ginni and receive a personalized thank-you. Please make check payable to:

Virginia Callahan

and put it in the mail to:

Chick
PO Box 473
Nehalem, OR 97131

• $40 gift. With this gift you will receive a 5X7 photo off Ginni’s Favorite Photo page. Please specify which photo you would like and include a return address. You will receive your photo in May.
• $60 gift. With this gift to Ginni, you will receive a new copy of Steady As She Goes: Women's Adventures at Sea, edited by Barbara Sjoholm (now out of print), while supplies last.
• $100 gift. With this gift you will receive a copy of This is The Sea (I) DVD, and an 8 x 10 photo off Ginni’s Favorite Photo page. Please specify which photo you would like and include a return address. You will receive your photo and DVD in May.

Don't forget a return address!

Anything is appreciated, and the most important thing to take away from this experience is to stay informed about breast cancer.

More information about Ginni Callahan:
http://www.columbiariverkayaking.com/
http://kayaktravel.blogspot.com/

More information about a couple guys paddling a pink kayak and helping to raise awareness:
http://www.adventurousexperiences.com/expeditions.htm

Press Release: Kokatat

Kokatat has released their official PR of their support for this expedition:
http://www.kokatat.com/documents/pr/KokatatVancouverIsl.pdf

Thanks, Kokatat! As Keirron says, this kit rocks.

See you on the water,
Jeff

p.s. Look for additional PRs near the end of this week.

Oregon-Based Training, Donations

Training on this side of the pond looks a little different from Keirron's spirited loops ... here Karl calls in a pizza near Willamette River mile 2, Oregon. (Now who has the hand sanitizer?)

Meanwhile, while we work on the official "Press Release" for our support of breast cancer awareness and research, here's your opportunity to contribute to the Komen Foundation's Oregon affiliate:

Donate to Komen Oregon.

Why did we color (colour?) our boat pink and take up a "cause" other than cultivating tendonitis-proof wrists?

Our mutual friend Ginni had an "experiment" with the cancer last fall. Columbia River Kayaking's December 7, '06, blog entry "The New Adventure" began this way:

"The adventure is not always what you anticipate. In a slight detour, our kayak guide is temporarily experimenting with breast cancer..."

More recent blog entries document her quick and successful operation and nearly-immediate seasonal migration to The Baja:

"Freedom Report: News the other day was good. No chemo, no radiation. Baja bound in 3-4 weeks! ..." (2006-12-22 post, http://kayaktravel.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html)

Survivors of cancer sometimes need a little support. Stay tuned for how you can support Ginni directly, or consider a donation directly to the excellent foundations mentioned in this blog.

See you on the water!
Jeff

Breakthrough Breast Cancer - donations

Jeff and I made the decision to use this Record Attempt to help a worthy cause. Due to circumstances close to home, which Jeff will be best at explaining, we have chosen to join the fight against Breast Cancer, and we have each selected local charities, to which donations will be directed.

This is the reason for the choice of colour of 'Triton' double kayak!

My local charity is Breakthrough Breast Cancer, and a donations page has been set up with the following link;
http://www.justgiving.com/seakayaking

This will be on the Adventurous Experiences main website Expeditions page, and other sites with links or sponsors of the Trip.
More updates and news shortly
All the best
Keirron

Sponsored kit is Awesome!

Been a while since the last update... Jeff and I have been spending what little free time we have available training hard, on our local waters, so will get this up to date!

The Mighty 'Triton' left Sea Kayaking UK in North Wales two weeks ago, (i couldn't face a colour photo of it this early, so will have one uploaded nearer the time...) Jeff will tell more.

The delightful package arrived from Lendal. A set of composite Kinetic Wings, (as seen) and a set of Kinetic Touring as a spare set, likely to be used if my shoulders complain too much when using using the powerful 'grip' the wings provide, in all conditions.

Just to finish this clearly luxurious arrangement, my Expedition Drysuit arrived from Kokatat! So I put them to the test!

Drysuit very comfortable, (not like previous neck and wrist seals I remembered, fitted perfectly and totally dry! Paddles gave plenty of power and enough support when needed. And the kayak, awesome, i'd expect nothing less.

Expedition Sponsors Confirmed

It is with great delight that we can name the sponsors of the expedition so far.

Sea Kayaking UK - NDK 'Triton' and support. http://www.seakayakinguk.com/
Kokatat Kayak Wear - drysuits, PFD, Decks and Hydration Packs http://www.kokatat.com/
Lendal Paddles - Kinetic Wings and Touring blades http://www.lendal.com/regions.asp?redir=%2Fpage%2Easp?pgid%3D500010001%26shift%3D
Reed Chillcheater - made to measure thermals http://www.chillcheater.com/
Johnson Outdoors - camping equipment, clothing, kayaking kit http://www.johnsonoutdoors.co.uk/
Kari-Tek - Hydro Skeg Rudder system http://www.kari-tek.co.uk/
Body Boat Blade International - logistics, planning and preparation. http://www.bodyboatblade.com/
Jon and Kirti Walepole - Website, updates, communications and electronic devices
http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~walpole/kayaking.html
John Kimantas (Author) - waterproof marine atlases designed for kayakers
http://www.thewildcoast.ca/

Many thanks to all our sponsors so far.

For other 'Triton' adventures recently, checkout 'Double Trouble' on Justine's blog;
http://www.cackletv.com/blog.html

Preparation going well

In May 2007, there will be an attempt to circumnavigate Vancouver Island in a Sea Kayaking UK ‘Triton’ double kayak. Keirron Tastagh from Adventurous Experiences on the Isle of Man with paddling partner Jeff Norville from Portland, US, will be aiming to complete the 700 mile round trip in 2 weeks, setting a new record and proving that the sleek and very manoeuvrable Sea Kayaking UK Triton double kayaks can be used for longer expeditions and are faster than the higher volume, more cumbersome doubles on the market.

More details, sponsors and updates as we get time to add them. We hope to update the blog regularly whilst on the expedition.

Following preparation at Shawna and Leon's (Body, Boat, Blade International) on Orcas Island, http://www.bodyboatblade.com/ the plan is to paddle to Pender Island and ‘enter Canada’, and have Passports stamped. Then continue NE up the sheltered inside passage first, trying to gain as much distance as possible, before rounding Cape Scott and down the exposed West coast and Strait of Juan de Fuca, past the San Juan’s back to Pender Is.


Part of the challenge of this expedition, is that Keirron and Jeff will meet and train together for the first time just before the trip. They have both been training separately in home waters.