Happy Holidays Y'all !

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year.
Come drop by Savannah's newest paddling store in 2011.

Ganges Kayak Trip Featured in Galactic Chronicles

A celebration of life, death and paddling on the third side of the world.
The planets were truly aligned for the dynamic paddling duo, Mr & Mrs Law of Savannah Canoe and Kayak, when they headed to India on unofficial kayak business.
"We sailed through a barrage of obstacles to get our two man collapsible kayak to the other side of the world".
The destination was a 220 mile section on River Ganges where it flows across the Gangetic plane. The river is the most polluted waterway in the world and the section from Kanpur to Varanassi is the most polluted part of the Ganga.
It is also the most holy.
The couple spent a month in the sub continent. The first week was for cultural acclimation and river scouting in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Week two and three was spent on the river, while the last week was for shopping.
Of course, the best part was the kayaking.
"We were surrounded by death and filth in the most densely populated part of planet earth. It was fascinating and just what we needed".
Aside from some very heavy metal pollutants, there is an abundance untreated human sewage and dead bodies. In terms of water quality, this river is as nasty as it gets.
"There is no doubt we were very fortunate on the whole trip with not so much as a loose stool or missed connection. It was as if the Lord God Shiva himself layed waste to the foes, demons, and bacterial evil spirits against adventure travellers", said lead guide, Mr Nigel Law.

Here are a few slides from the trip.
There will be a video, photos and more stories coming soon.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/savannahcanoeandkayak/sets/72157625512030367/show/Om hari Ganga !

Victory for Sharks in US Waters

Letter from Beth Lowell - Federal Policy Director,
OCEANA


We’ve had a major victory to protect our oceans.

After years of hard work, I’m happy to announce that the Senate just passed the Shark Conservation Act, which will end shark finning in US waters.

Shark fin soup is an expensive dish that drives the shark finning trade, but the role sharks play in marine ecosystems is priceless. By improving shark conservation, the US is improving overall ocean health.

Each year, commercial fishing kills more than 100 million sharks worldwide – including tens of millions for just their fins. The requirement to land sharks whole, as well as a new prohibition on the transfer of fins at sea, will help end shark finning by U.S. fishing vessels.

The House still has to pass the Shark Conservation Act before it becomes law, but I didn’t want to wait to share this exciting news – your love of the oceans and sharks has helped protect these magnificent creatures for generations to come.

Thank you once again and be sure to spread the good news!

For the oceans,
Beth Lowell
Federal Policy Director

Music and Movies

From Brian Jolly at Halfmoon.
'On the 2nd of December the Jepson Center will be showing a series of short films brought to you by those kids at the Savannah Riverkeepers, Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival and Half-Moon.
There will be live music from the local artist Stewart Marshall of Junkyard Angels/ Stewart & Winfield at the reception starting at 5:30pm with the movies to follow at 6:30pm (program attached).

There will be raffles, drinks, food and a good time waiting thanks to Cha-Bella and MoonRiver. Tickets are $10 and it looks like there will be seating for 200 plus, so I wanted to make sure you knew about this so we can try and sell it out! This is where I need your help. Please pass this on to anyone you might think would be interested. We’ll have tickets on sale at Half-Moon Outfitters and at the Jepson during the reception. I can easily put them on hold if you’re interested for will-call.
I just know that this is a great price for a good time.'
Thanks Brian, we will pass it on.

Guides, Instructors, Artists Wanted.

Floor plans for the new SC&K premises are moving ahead as planned.
We checked out a couple of locations and settled on the current site due to location, logistical requirements and vibe.
"It's great space that can be utilised in any number of configurations." said a floor manager yesterday.
Of course, the new building will also be a flagship for Mega Performance Surf Kayaks in the USA. Other brands such as Tiderace Kayaks, Cobra, Bell Canoes, Native Watercraft and Necky will also be showcased. The focus of the shop floor will be on sit down performance paddle craft at all levels.
Aside from an interesting variety of small boats for sale, artwork depicting a nautical theme, or by paddling artisans, will be a part of the emphasis of the 'boathouse'.
We are currently on the look out for local creative talent as well as experienced paddlers and instructors looking to be a part of a team.

Please email us your resumes, CVs and portfolios if you are interested.

Happy Thanksgiving

We Owe It To You - Coming in 2011

2010 was a hard year for us here at Savannah Canoe & Kayak.. and we felt it.
Maybe it was dealing with the loss of a key team player. Maybe it is the fact that we are another ten years older. Perhaps after climbing the same mountain 10,000 times, we need a new challenge. Whatever it is, change is in the air .. and things are changing for 2011.

After 8 years of life, Savannah Canoe and Kayak has attracted a diverse and creative staff/customer base of small craft enthusiasts. The continued support and requests of these interesting individuals have kept us alive and excited about what we do, and what we could do.

So, the question is how do we move forward without comprimising our ideals, without becoming mainstream, generic or 'corporate'.
Well, that's easy...We are Savannah Canoe & Kayak... we sell creativity, experience, quality and performance. So, let's just move ahead in that vein.

From January 2011 SC&K will be moving into 2000sq ft of blank canvas.
This space will allow us to re generate our past ideas such as lectures and presentations, as well as introduce a few new ones.
We will increase our inventory and diversity of boats and gear.
We will have dedicated gallery space to promote local, national and international artists.
Our on water programs will maintain their 'low impact - high quality' presence.
We will be launching our own charity to promote paddle sports to low income families and individuals with disabilites.

Your continued support and passion for paddle sports in Savannah is a big part of our plan. Together we can.

See you at the boat house in 2011.

Our Exuberant Mr Cooper

By Kris Broughton
I was on Tybee Island earlier this week, sitting in my usual spot on the 17th street crosswalk just after dawn, when a young man carrying an ocean going kayak trudged out of the surf and started making his way across the beach.
I said “good morning.” But his reply had an odd amount of exuberance in it for seven a.m....(read on)

Some Twitching for the Weekend

Please join Ogeechee Audubon and expert birder Diana Churchill for a bird walk at Fort Pulaski and Tybee North Beach on Saturday, Nov. 6. There is an especially high tide that morning, which will increase the odds for seeing rails, "marsh sparrows" and marsh wrens at Pulaski. And the high tide will concentrate the resting terns, gulls and shorebirds on the beach, making them easy to compare and identify.

Meet the group at 8:00 a.m. at the entrance bridge to Fort Pulaski. It will be cool and quite windy, so dress in layers and bring a windbreaker and hat. Binoculars, telescope and snacks and water are also recommended. Please bring plenty of quarters to feed the parking meters on Tybee while we bird the beach.

Hope to see you there. And be sure to mark your calendars for our annual holiday potluck supper on Tuesday, Dec. 14, which will include our 40th anniversary celebration and a video about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

And Now For Something Completely Different

A good winter project...





That's cool, makes me want to get into Celloing.

Links from John.F.Thanks.

Jam Results

Novice

1 - Jim Farrelly
2 - Kevin Price
3 - Travis Yates

Tandem

1 - Zach & Cooper
2 - Barry & Anna
3 - Brian & Nick

Sea Kayak

1 - Nick Scoville
2 - Zach Smith
3 - Tommy Thompson

Open

1 - Barry Shrum
2 - Travis Yates
3 - Matt Cooper

Other Awards :
You Rocked it Award Ed & Kathryn for a great Tandem heat.
Barry Shrum "You did good, Kid" Award - Anna Butler
Matt Cooper Stylin Award - Zach Smith

Honorable Mentions-
Kevin Price - Great skills improvement from last year.
Brian Day - For coming down off the fence.
Jim Farrelly - Great costume and dedication to the sport
Arthur Benson - For rockin the hat

1st Place Raffle Winner Zach Smith - Wold Wave Ski Project Boat -
from Ben Lawry.
2nd Place Ed Furia - Custom Saltwood Paddle - From Saltwood Paddles
3rd Place Kathryn Propst - Reed Top/Deck
4th Place Jim Farrelly - Stohlquist PFD



Thanks again to all those who helped with the running and operation of the event.... we could not of done it without you.

Tybee Surf Jam - First Pics.

.

Congrats to Zac Smith on his great success's at this years Tybee Island Paddle Surf & Jam.
Aside from making the roster in several different categories, he also won the grand prize in the raffle...a classic Dick Wold Wave Ski restoration project boat.
It was the perfect end to some very spirited paddling through-out the day from Brother Zac and everyone who took part in SC&K's final program of 2010.
More great pictures from Steve Cramer here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9474083@N02/sets/72157625159010087/We will be adding our own pictures soon and the full results.
Thanks to everyone who attended, participated, helped out and spectated.
You all made it what it was...fun at the beach.
Special thanks to Brian Day for the Feel Free and P&H Delphin Kayaks.

Today at 10

Tandem Surf Kayak Class.
18th St.
Dress for full immersion.
Free for Surf Jam contestants.

Dave White Not on Tybee

We had hoped to have former local paddler Dave White sign up for this years Paddle Surf and Jam. Unfortunately Mr White is still west side and unable to attend.
He expressed his disappointment via email.
We had this helmet specially made for him.

There are several other 'faces ' that will also miss this years event for one reason or another...Rick and Sarah had a baby for goodness sakes !
You will all be missed, but thanks for your best wishes.
Cooler temps are forecast for the day and surf is expected to be 'not great but good enough'. Prizes remain excellent.

Nigel Dennis on Tybee

Mr Dennis was back on Tybee Island today promoting his new boat, the Pilgrim and showing off his recent take over and make over of Lendal Paddles. Nigel is in the process of making several improvements to the paddles which will now be made at his factory in Wales. We welcome the return of this excellent product into the hands of a dedicated paddle sports manufacturer, as well as providing an alternative to the mighty Werner. More about these paddles soon.

Can You Beat This Old Fart ?

He'll be at the Paddle Surf & Jam. Come on down and kick his saggy arse.

Kayak Give-Away at PS&J

Yes, that's right.

At this year's Tybee Paddle Surf and Jam, we will be giving away a kayak, paddle, PFD and helmet.
As many local nonprofit organizations know, our favourite nation is donation and we are feeling the love right now.
There will also be a bunch of other prizes which will all be handed out in a draw.
Anybody can win this stuff, but you have to be registered and partake in the competition.
And a reminder, it is a masked event, so if you do not have a hat or mask you will be allocated one.

Banned From SC&K...

...the fashionable Girl Scout Leader who let her kids run amok around the camping store. She then gathered all the girls together astride a kayak for a photo opp.
"Everybody say 'Expensive Kayak !'"
to which they all replied "Expensive Kayak".
It seems the demise of a once great idea and institution continues to fall victim to the mediocrity and shallowness of the 21st century.
Dear Girl Scout Leader in your retro counter culture getup,
"You're Fired !"

Revised Schedule for this Week

For those who missed it, or otherwise did not receive the memo update, here is the schedule for the SC&K last week of operation for 2010.

Sunday 9-12 - The last 3hr tour for the next 4 months. Skidaway Narrows.
Monday 10am - SOT Surf Kayak Demo @ 18th St.
3pm - Tiderace Demo @ Alley 3.
Wednesday 9am - Surf Kayak Class. Free to participants of the Surf Jam
Thursday 10am - Mega Surf Kayak Demo @ 18th St.
Friday 10am - Tandem Surf Kayak Practice Session @ 18th St.
Saturday 9am - Surf Jam



Also...everything is 'On Sale' all week.

Rolling With Martha

Martha was in town this weekend for some rolling, surfing and paddling abuse and, of course, we were happy to oblige.

Here is some video of her rolling her new kayak that she knitted....



No, not really.
These guys are professionals.

Random Stranger is Friend of SC&K

Hello
I met a random stranger in the park in Savannah, and took a lovely photo of him with his pet snake. He was wearing a T-shirt from your last year's Surf and Jam day, so i just wondered if you/anybody there happens to know him!? I wanted to send him the picture. I know it's a long shot and maybe he was just there at your surf and jam day and bought the T-shirt and you don't know him at all, but if you do happen to recognise him could you kindly put us in touch and i can send him the photo? I am attaching the photo for your hopeful identification!
Thanks so much! All the best,
Becca


Thanks Becca, that is Patrick.... surfer, paddler and snake charmer extraordinaire.
Glad to pass along the photo and put you in touch.
No doubt Patrick will be honing his snaking skills for next week's PS&J.

US Surf Kayak Nationals

Here's a quick edit of our three days under the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. As you can see the weather was fantastic. Congrats to all the winners and to all those who just showed up, took part and generally supported the US surf kayaking scene.
Next year looks very promising for a great World Championships.

Good Times & Waves at Surf Nationals

A long journey, but well worth it to partake in the first US Nationals on the East coast in over 10 years.
After a 10 hr trip that included two ferry rides we arrived at the location for the 2011 World Championships...under the Lighthouse on Cape Hatteras.
Air Temps for the weekend were in the high 70's and water temps must of been high 60's. Winds were light. Wave conditions were excellent as the 3 ft swell kicked up a steady 4-5 ft break. The largest wave of the weekend was probably 8-10ft and was caught by Garazi Iturralde from Basque Country.
The standard of surfing was very high though-out all categories and most US regions
were represented. The West Coast contingent was strong and took home a bunch of medals. Great Lakes surfers were well represented by John Tarbell who also took his place on a few podiums. The Basque team, led by Edu Exteberria, put on a great display though out the weekend and were a great inspiration and fun to watch.
Mega boats were in good attendance across the board, particularly the Mega Bullitt S
.
And congratulations to Anthony Bell, the well deserved new US Champion in both HP and IC. And to the US Womens Long Boat Champion, Linsey Usher.

US World Championships will be hosted by Eska at this same location sometime between the Sept 28 and Oct 10, 2011.
All the results here on ESKA site
We will be putting up a short video of the event soon.

Great Start to US Nationals

Friday
Conditions are looking favourable for a great weekend of surf kayaking here at the Cape Hatteras light house. Winds dropped off this afternoon giving us great 4 ft and more practice waves.
"But I did break my favourite paddle" said one of the Tybeee Team paddlers tonight.
The Basque team are here and looking very strong, and young. Paddlers from all over the States, England and Spain will compete for the title of US champ.
The Surf Kayak Nationals begin tomorrow morning with the first heat, Grand Master IC starting at 8am.

Great pictures and video coming soon.

San Fran Wins Kayak Polo Nationals

The Kayak Polo Nationals were recently held in N.C. After competing, NYC team player Mikhail stopped in to visit Savannah Canoe & Kayak for some sea and surf R&R.
Once again October has been true to itself with fine weather, surf, and miles of empty beaches.
With 9ft high tides, the mid-tide ebbs gave us the best conditions on the south side of the Triangle. We bobbed about in both short and long surf kayaks for two days. Comrade Mikhail got to pilot the high performance Tiderace Xcite, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Mikhail said several times of the demo model,
"Very fast kayak".



Surf report for the OBX Surf Kayak Nationals this weekend is small, but decent. Three Tybee surf paddlers are attending the competition.
We will keep posted with full coverage as the events unfold.

Cobra Kayaks @ SC&K

We are pleased to announce the addition of Cobra Kayaks to our line up.

We particularly like Cobra because they offer a wide selection of kayaks for all paddling activities including day recreation, expeditions, surf ski's, training, and fishing.
Cobra are the leading supplier of value driven, high quality, sit on top kayaks. Perfect for lakes, ocean, rivers, and anywhere there is water.
All boats are Roto-molded from Super Linear Polyethylene.
We will be carrying the most excellent surf SOT-The Cobra Strike as well as using it in our instructional fleet.
We will also carry the Cobra Surf Ski and Cobra Eliminator...2 very well priced entry level training/racing skis.

October -31 Days to Play

The water is cooler, the beaches are cleaner, the waves are better, the crowds have gone and the locals have sobered up.
October is one of the best months to kayak on the Ga coast.
So what's in store for the paddler here.

The Tybee Paddle Surf Team are off to the U.S Surf Kayak National Championships in OBX next weekend.
See 4 local paddlers get hammered in front or their peers (piers)on 15ft faces at Hatters Oct 9/10th.


Lots of Surf Kayak classes all month on Tybee.
Just call and we'll get you hooked up.
Oct 25-29 All week of Sea and Surf classes.
SoT 101 Surf Kayak Class on Oct 25th.
Tandem Surf Kayak Class on the Oct 28th.
Mega Surf kayak & Tiderace Demo and open surf session Oct 29th.
And then the Surf Jam Oct 30th...the only beginner oriented paddle surf competition on the East Coast.
Great art prizes and fun community event for all. Sign up now.

Well, of course there's the big show with all the big names on Tybee for BCU (BCYOU) week. Catch a pint with the Nigels Dennis and Foster, the kayak industries 2 top designers, instructors and paddling gurus available for interesting insider information and story telling.
Catch a rough water class with Dale Williams, the founder of SKG..teaching back on Tybee for the first time in 5 years...back by popular demand, no doubt.
Buy a copy of Gordon Brown's excellent Sea Kayak book and then take it to Doc's pub for him to sign...in exchange for glass of single malt, of course.
And who will be missed ?
Alas,the marvellous, mechanical Ben Lawry will not be appearing here this year and neither will the Green Team, Messrs's Sheri and Turner.
Their excellent styles and techniques will be sorely missed.
Bring it on to Tybee and lets kick off the 'Off' season with a bang.
Kayaks and aspirin provided.

October is Here !

Here's a nice video to get you in the mood for autumn.



Yes, it's time to start dreaming of all your favourite kayak destinations
....because the 'Off season' is actually the 'On season'.

Take Action - For Good Shark Karma

Did you know shark finning takes place in US waters ?
Did you know the fins are removed and the shark is tossed back alive into the ocean ?
Does this sound somewhat cruel, barbaric and un American ?
Each year, millions of sharks are killed just for their fins. Sharks are vitally important to our waters, helping balance marine ecosystems in their role as apex predators.
The Shark Conservation Act would end shark finning in U.S. waters and make us world leaders in shark conservation.

Tell your Senators TODAY that you demand shark protections and the passage of the Shark Conservation Act. »
Take action. Send a letter now.

Last Weekend in Jacksonville.

>


Here's a little snippet from last weekends surf camp down in Jacksonville, Fl.
The video camera was on the fritz and we missed most of the 'surf' action, but you get the idea.

Unscheduled Surf Class This Saturday

Surf forecast looks good for the next few days.
Call in and say you saw it on the blog and save 20%.

Tybee Surf Report -Thursday30 Sept

Surf is up on Tybee.
10 second period with light winds.
Grab your boat and get some.
ps.
Hatteras in OBX has 18ft with an 11 sec period.

Tybee Surf Jam is On

>>


Registration is open for the Tybee Island Paddle Surf Jam.
For only $35 you can sign up for three categories...
Novice: Participants who have competed in two or less competitions.
Sit-On-Top Tandem: Teams of two. (SC&K Tandems will be used.)
Sea Kayak: Any sea worthy sea kayak over 15 feet in length.
Open - Men: Any surfable sea worthy kayak or ski under 12 feet in length.
Open - Women: Any surfable sea worthy kayak or ski under 12 feet in length.

Great art prizes up for grabs as well as lunch on the beach.
Double Sit on Top kayaks provided by Jim @ Feel Free.
Full details here...
http://www.savannahcanoeandkayak.com/tybee_island_surf_jam.htm

New Surf Kayak From Mega

>>

Hot off the drawing board from Professor Pearcey comes The Mega Proton.Following along in the lineage of the very successful Mega Boost,the Proton is as fast and hair raising, if not even a little more so. Designed for those unable to squeeze into it's smaller sidekick, or those looking for more stability and comfort, The Mega Proton is the now the vessel of choice for the larger paddle surfer.

With some tweaking of the length to width aspect ration and a little more depth in the seat Mega have produced a larger, faster kayak.
After all, it's those 'wave crushing' big guys that need that extra lift and speed.

Mega Flying Squad members Chris Hobson and Glyn Brackenbury took the boat out for it's final test flight at the weekend and gave it a big, grinning thumbs up. Chris weighs in at 220lbs and Glyn is currently tipping the scales at 245.


Color of boats shown is a mix of metallic silver and oxford blue with silver splats.
More specs, reviews and pics coming soon. Mega Proton coming soon.
All Mega models currently in stock at Savannah Canoe & Kayak.
Call 912 341 9502 for more info.
Demos available.

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WEEK OCTOBER 10-16, 2010

Special events are planned at National Wildlife Refuges across the country to celebrate NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WEEK, October 10-16, 2010.
Locally, the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex, managed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will sponsor interpretive programs combined with kayak paddles, bicycling tours, and hayrides.

The Savannah Coastal Refuges network includes seven National Wildlife Refuges (NWR), which extends from Pinckney Island NWR near Hilton Head, South Carolina, to Wolf Island NWR near Darien, Georgia. Between these lie Savannah (the largest), Wassaw, Tybee (the smallest), Harris Neck, and Blackbeard Island refuges. Together these federal lands, managed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, span a 100-mile coastline and total nearly 57,000 acres.

On Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), from Saturday, October 9 through Sunday, October 24, Refuge Week activities will include hayrides (1.5 hr trips, offered daily at 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM); bicycling tours (two hours, beginning at 10:00 AM daily); and combination hayride/kayak paddles (three hours, beginning daily at 8:30 AM and 12:00 PM).Call 843/686-3554 or email waterdogoutfitter@yahoo.com for reservations.

Beginner kayak tours will also be conducted within Savannah NWR waterways Saturday, October 9, Friday, October 15, and Saturday, October 16 between the hours of 8:30 AM and noon. Call 843/784-2249, or email swampchicks@aol.com, for reservations

At Harris Neck NWR, hayride tours will be offered on Saturday, October 16, from 10:00–11:30 AM and from 2:00-3:30 PM. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) staff and volunteers will serve as guides, providing information on the refuge’s history, wildlife, and management activities. Highlighting these tours will be interpretive presentations by Richard Kanaski, the FWS’ Southeast Regional Archeologist.

Also planned at Harris Neck NWR on Saturday, October 16 will be a special family program, “Meet Your Reptile Neighbors,” featuring an array of live snakes and turtles. FWS volunteer herpetologist, Dave Chafin will share his knowledge of Georgia reptiles, and help dispel ignorant beliefs such as “the only good snake is a dead snake!” This free reptile show is scheduled for 1:00-2:00 PM in the tent next to the refuge office.

President Theodore Roosevelt established the first National Wildlife Refuge in 1903, Pelican Island in Florida, to protect herons, egrets, and other colonial nesting birds from slaughter by market hunters. He established 50 more refuges during his presidency, nearly all to protect species threatened with extinction, such as the buffalo.

Today, that legacy has grown to 552 refuges, 37 wetland management districts covering 150 million acres in all 50 states and several territories.

Find your local wildlife refuge here..
http://www.fws.gov/southeast/refuges/refuges-by-state.html

Surf Kayak Nationals Coming Soon

Closing date for entries into the National Surf Kayak Championships is October 4th.
We hope to have 4 paddlers from Savannah taking part in this event at Cape Hatteras N.C.
Turn out is expected to better than normal for this ESKA competition, which have seen dwindling numbers over the past 5 years. This event will also act as the trial run for the World Championships taking place at the same venue next Fall.
SC&K will be there lending their support to East coast and U.S paddle surfing and we wish Joey Hall all the best with the organization of this important competition.

Surf Kayak Amelia.

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The SC&K instructional staff will be down in Florida this weekend teaching surfing classes. Two workshops spread over two days will focus on skills and comfort in the surf zone.
In Sea and Surf Kayaks, the curriculum will include predicting waves, wave assisted and shallow water rolling, swimmer rescues, deep water rescues and better boat control through better body awareness....in other words better paddling technique combined with a little bit of observation and awareness.


Surf is expected to be decent for the purpose at hand.
Onshore winds up to 15knts. Surf Kayaks on Saturday. Sea Kayaks on Sunday.
If you do not already have a reservation please do not come.
Mega and Tiderace Demos available.

Nice Russian Whitewater Vid

Some great boat cam footage, Yuri !

N.H Surf Kayak Camp & Sweet Sunday

Ben Lawry and Nigel Law teamed up once again to dish out there own brand of surf kayak instruction up on the New Hampshire coast this weekend.

The timing could not have been better as Hurricane Igor swirled around mid Atlantic and the multiple rocky headlands of the NH coast gave pristine point breaks at every bend. Surf increased over the weekend and culminated in outstanding conditions for Sunday.... A solid 4ft with a 15 second period gave the surf campers some head high set's on glassy seas. Everyone got to test their boats, skills and metal on what was a perfect Surfday.

When asked about what he thought of New England Nigel responded
"It's a lot like Old England, but better value."

Skill level was across the board with paddlers in SoT's, WW boats and surf kayaks.
We will be putting some video clips of the event together soon.

Ogeechee Audubon Meeting

Tonight.. Monday, Sept 20, at the JEA on Abercorn St. in Savannah.

SOAR WITH THE EAGLES
Speaker: Jim Ozier, Senior Wildlife Biologist and Program Manager, Nongame Conservation Section of the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources

Thirty years ago the bald eagle was on the fast path to extinction. This year the Georgia Department of Natural Resources documented 135 occupied nesting territories and 187 young fledged. Jim Ozier, Program Manager for Georgia DNR, leads this survey effort and will discuss both the Georgia nesting eagle population and the aerial and terrestrial survey techniques used to monitor them.

The program, free and open to all, will be held at 7:00 pm on the 2nd floor of the Savannah Jewish Education Alliance building, 5111 Abercorn Street, Savannah.

For further information call Beth Roth at (912)658-6136.

Surfs Up for the Weekend

Here comes Igor.
For only the second time in recorded history there are now two category 4 storms in the Atlantic.
Both storms are expected to reduce in intensity, but 25ft seas ahead of Igor should start a good ground swell rolling to shore later today. By the weekend, swell period (diagram on left) should be 14-16 seconds,with light onshore winds, giving us good, shoulder high sets. According to Captain Pat, Monday looks like the best day with winds turning off shore, cleaner conditions and Joes back at work.

Looks like Nigel will miss all the action as he is gone to NH to teach, wait for it, a surf class ! Oh brother! What a Joe!
Oh well, surf should stick around for the following weeks surf camp in Amelia, FL.
1926 was the last time we had two such big storms swirling in the ocean.

SoF Boat Ushers in Tactical Overland Adventure Squad

With the winding down of the 'Hi' season, our thoughts turn to the 'Off' season and how best to make use of this time period.
As our friends and customers know, during the winter we run a 'reduced to none' service depending on enthusiasm, weather, and finances.
This year, however, due to the departure of key team member Mr. Joey, we will be implementing our continually expanding bucket list of paddling adventures. The list, amassed after ten years of paddling to Little Tybee everyday, will be kicked off this winter. It was 10 years ago that we paddled down the Mississippi and into the Gulf to the Florida Keys. At the time we thought it was a good idea. Now, 10 years later we think it was a brilliant idea.

For many of the planned trips we will be using a folding kayak....a 2 man Expedition Nautiraid.

Neither a canoe or a kayak, and able to fit in the trunk of a taxi, we think the Naughty Raider the perfect vessel for several of the trips listed below.. especially since many of them are one way river trips. We will be writing about these adventures and posting photos on this blog. These adventures serve no other purpose than to satiate our desire to paddle the roads less traveled, to expose ourselves to other ideas and cultures, and to meet people we would otherwise not meet on the GA Coast. Our only sponsorship will come from each other. The gear we use will be of little consequence, unless of course, it fails.

We recently took the new tactical adventure craft on a test paddle on the lower
reaches of the Savannah River. The very well constructed kayak performed quite well, was very comfortable, and disassembled in under 15 minutes. Assembly time is expected to drop down to about the same. The next test paddle will be with a full load on the Savannah River. We will take the bus to Augusta and paddle back to Savannah.

The Bucket List of trips, in no particular order, including but not limited to, is as follows:

Trip down the River Thames, England. Probably Richmond to Greenwich.
Circumnavigation of Brownsea Island, England.
Circumnavigation of Manhattan Island, USA.
Night Trip Up the Girond Estuary to Bordeaux, France.
Trip down the Ganges River, India. Probably mid section Kanpur to Varanasi.
Trip along the Jurassic Coast, England.
Trip on the Inside Passage, Vancouver Island section, Canada.
Trip along the Maine Kayak Trail, USA.
Trip down the River Kwai, Thailand.
Fjords of Norway.
Trip down the Green River, Utah, USA.
Baja coast trip, Mexico
Day trip on Loch Ness, Scotland.
Plus a whole bunch of others that we will make up as we go.

Editors Note:
In order to facilitate this new section of SC&K we have had to cancel this years GA Coast Expedition. We will, however be scheduling a 9 Day Complete length of the Georgia Coast trip for November 2011.

Last Group R+R Session

Last Thursday evening was the last open Roll and Rescue session of the year.
After not attending this event for most of the season, it was great to see how much everybody's rolls had improved.
It had become more rolling and less rescue for sure.
Sunday morning sea kayak surf sessions will continue into the Fall.

Georgia Coast Paddling Trail.

The Coastal Regional Commission is preparing an official guide for a saltwater paddling trail that traverses the entire coast of Georgia.
This guide will provide a resource for paddlers to navigate the Georgia coast safely. Two meetings will be held to inform the public of the intent of the Coastal Georgia Blueway Plan and to receive comments on the proposed draft action plan.

The first meeting will be held on Thursday, September 2, 2010 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the John W. Stevens Wetlands Education Center located in the rear of the J.F. Gregory Park in Richmond Hill, Georgia.

The second meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Coastal Regional Commission office located at 127 F Street in Brunswick, Georgia.
Please consider attending one of these meetings so that your suggestions may be taken into consideration for the final plan.

From
David Dantzler
GIS Analyst
Coastal Regional Commission
127 F Street
Brunswick, GA 31520
(912) 262-2881

Pet Policy at Savannah Canoe

This year we have had a lot of interest in people wanting to bring their pets on trips.
As one time pet owners, we have tried to be accommodating of such requests and have had some rather interesting trips because of it.
We have put the following policy in place to suit all parties.

1/Small Rodents are permitted at their own risk.
If they exit the kayak during transit they will not be retrieved,
unless this can be done without slowing down or changing course.

2/Rodents over 10" are not permitted and will be reported to animal control.

3/Primates are not allowed to paddle solo and must be wearing secure underwear whilst on board.

4/Two Chimpanzees are not permitted to paddle tandem kayak together if they are mates. Some exceptions may apply.

5/Black Labs and Retrievers are definitely not permitted in any kayaks -
neither are cats or any other dogs for that matter.

These rules seem a bit harsh but they are there for good reason.

Thank You for your compliance.
The Management.

Kayaksurf.net

A nice mention from Luis of kayaksurf.net
http://www.kayaksurf.net/news.html
Obrigado Luis.

A Mega Bullitt Kind of Day

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The NE winds brought some welcome relief to the Georgia Coast this weekend, and along with it the swells from Hurricane Danielle. Tybee kite boarders were out in force in the Triangle.
Wind and swells are expected to stay around all week and into Labor Day weekend. We will be running surf demos and intermediate classes all week. Call to schedule a session.

Surf Report from Jim F.
Padddling a Mega Bullitt S.

"Went out Sat am and had some fun.
I caught a few very large waves that sent me rocketing across the green face so fast I skipped like a stone. I have never gone so fast in a kayak. I saw you out in long boats and tried to join up but received a beat down in the process. Ending up out of control and too close to the jetty made me run away. Me, Brent and a guy I know from Augusta surfed the early, better waves. It got uglier and crowded later. Too many swimmers and surfers to play safe so I packed it in around 11 am.

It would have been a shorter session without the Bullitt. The longer hull coupled with the tactics taught during your last surf class in FL allowed getting out to be allowed. I bumped my way over some seriously large bruising piles of foam that should have endo'ed me and sent me back to the beach dead tired. If I had still been in my old boat I would have gone home after 30 min."

Thanks for that Jim.
I was out earlier today in the Mega BX and had a similar time, although the wind strength had increased. These NE winds have bought a welcome relief.
We surfed the north end around the rock jetty. It provided a nice eddie and gave us some great rights.

Early Fall Mega Candy

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Ooh, how we love the smell of fresh made kayaks in the morning. Yes, another hot batch of scones from the Mega ovens showed up here yesterday.
And just in time for Hurricane Danielle as she makes an off shore pass.
Surf for the weekend looks super fine but not so clean at 5-6ft with a 15 sec period. On shore winds increasing thru the day..
Conditions like that suit any Mega surf kayak, but our current flavour of the month is the Mega Bullitt X.

Looking at the two HP Bullitt boats, they appear quite similar, but take another look and you'll see a slight difference. Although slimmer in the nose and tail, the big difference is really in the hull. Softer rails forward of the hips makes for a very forgiving re-entry and bags of rocker makes this boat super quick to change it's mind.
The Bullitt X is a ton of fun in all conditions and has a similar handling character to it's big brother, the IC Bullitt. If you are sick of getting a beating just to reach the line up and feeling the steady approach of old man timey, or just want a different style of surfing..this is the perfect boat.
The Bullitt S is the faster boat for sure, but the Bullitt-X is definitely the crazy
Joker of the pack.
Both the X and the S are very suited to east coast crud.
Demo these boats any time, but not his weekend, we are 'busy'.

Back From Tybee..

"After 8 days straight on the water, I'm feeling tired.
Eight days is not a record by far, I must be wearing out. It's been hot and heavy here for 9 plus weeks. Throw in a whole slough of visitors who would otherwise be vacationing in the Gulf, and it all adds up to quite a harvest.
No complaints. Paddling for a living is a lofty incarnation, a great promotion to be thoroughly apprecitative of . But it is hard work, being a guide that is.
Not 'hard' like moving furniture in NYC or fighting a counter insurgency in a feudal society...more like riding the mountain bus, on a mystery tour with the psychiatric ward.
Working with People is hard work, albeit infinitely interesting and rewarding.
Ultimately, being a guide is all about people.

It's too hot here to wear any clothes.
It's even too hot to wear a hat. Is a hat really a good thing to wear when it's hot ?

Sometimes I kayak naked, but nobody knows because of my skirt. The only time I can wear cloths is when I'm driving fast in the jeep in the pouring rain, returning from the beach. Then I can wear my Fanatic rain coat, but with the hood down. It's still way too hot to wear a hood, even without doors and windows in the rain at 50 mph.."

Editors note:
Since the writing of the above entry, the guide responsible has been fired.
All SC&K guides and instructors wear the appropriate attire at all times as specified by the Sea Kayakers Field Manual