The UK Sea Kayak Guidebook

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Thursday 15 September 2005 . . .

From the Desperate Measures Website : "Valley, makers of the UK's finest sea kayaks are undergoing a bit of a brand relaunch. Together with updated manufacturing techniques at their Nottingham factory, they have launched several new models for 2006. We're particularly excited about the Nordkapp LV, Aquanaut Club and of course the Rush!" - take a look at the DM site for more, where you'll also find a link to a .PDF with Valley's 2006 catalogue - very interesting, especially as it includes a poly version of the Nordkapp, and also mentions the "Nordkapp Classic" - - -

(Thanks to Luke for the link via the Forum).

Tuesday 13 September 2005 . . .

Right - New Trip Report from the SCA Solway Trip in August - a lovely couple of days on the Solway Coast, in Dumfries & Galloway.

» Looking at Andrew Cleland's photoset from the Uist Symposium, it looks to have been a great (albeit windy) Symposium! (Well, looking at the pic of a certain flattened Vango anyway). Has anyone got more pics, or a report that they'd like contribute?

» Kari-Tek are running a Free Prize Draw to win £100 worth of Reed Chillcheater clothing - - - They've also started the Kayak Byre (well, it is a rural area) - they say "This is South West Scotland's newest kayak and accessories showroom. Here you will be able to see Kari-Tek products, Nigel Dennis Kayaks, Reed Chillcheater clothing and lots of other accessories under one roof. You can visit at any time, just give us a call first."

» OK, so it's not a sea-boat, but at 5.5kgs it's light! Michael Storer sent me a link to his site detailing the building of a balsa wood open canoe - take a look - a potential material for a sea boat? Thanks Michael.

» "The stark reality of having no wheelchair and nothing but my arms to drag myself around the rocky beach was glaring at me". Sea Kayaker mag has a wonderful on-line article on paddling in Alaska - and if you've not seen it yet, take a look at Wavelength's August/September issue, also on-line.

» Need a boat repaired? Anywhere near Anglesey? A.P.E Fabrications tell me they do kayak repairs! Do you know of others? Please tell me.

» If you ever go across the sea to Ireland - - The Irish Sea Kayaking Association's 2005 Symposium is 4 - 6 November 2005 - details here or contact Mary Butler, the organiser, on marytbutler at hotmail dot com.

Have you got pictures, a trip report or something you'd like to add to UKSKGB? Got a link for the Almanac? Your contribution is very welcome! Got an event you want front-paged here? This mail link will get it to me.

Above - rock threading on the Solway

Thursday, 25 August 2005 . . .

Dates for the diary - the SW Canoe Show, 1 October in Exeter and the SCA's "Paddle 2005", 29/30 October in Perth. The SCA Site now has a neat Events Calendar which includes details of SCA Sea Trips as well as events like Paddle 2005

Monday, 22 August 2005 . . .

NEW LINKS in the Almanac - -

The "Over The Side Rescue" from Sea Kayaker Magazine (Pic: SK Mag)

Roll failed? Need to get back in the boat? Use the "Over the Side Rescue" outlined in Sea Kayaker Magazine. A lot safer and easier than trying to come up between the boats, especially in a big sea.

Need to improve your roll? Click here for some pointers from GORP.

If Sailing Kayaks or Folding Kayaks are your thing, take a look at Folding Kayak.org for some wonderful ideas on just what can be done with these craft.

Being Footlose one day, and having had a sudden Windfall I thought I'd Cut and Run and spend the Slush Fund! The result of all that left me Groggy and certainly Under the Weather so I decided to Toe the Line and Start Over With a Clean Slate! All terms in common use, all from a Nautical Background. Click the link to discover just how much of our language originates from the days of sail.

Baffled by the Shipping Forecast? Just what does "veering" mean? And how slight is a "slight" sea state? Take a look at this new article on Understanding the Shipping and Inshore Waters Forecasts, with MSI, Beaufort Scale and terms explained. It also has Sea Area and Inshore Waters maps, MSI Broadcast Times and links to the Coast Guard for Operating Areas and CG contacts.

For the GPS users who'd like to have some overlays of contour maps - click here for useful material - thanks to Guy Austin for the link.

And finally - you'll have heard of Justine Curgenven ("This is the Sea") - check her blog - some good pics, write-ups and links.

Coming Soon - the Report from the SCA Solway Trip - grand weather, wonderful scenery and good company on the Solway.

Wednesday, 17 August 2005 . . .

Two new Trip Reports from the Mallaig / Arisaig area in this update - I had a couple of good days in Loch Nevis at the beginning of August, and Alistair Rose and his friend Robin enjoyed what looks to be 5 great days paddling around the Small Isles last September. Enjoy.

Loch Nevis - a panorama of the view across the loch to Inverie

Small Isles - Rhum lies silhouetted against the skyline

Important News: Thanks to Mark and Steve, we should now have the SHINY, NEW ukseakayakguidebook.co.uk link working properly! That means the Sea Site now has it's very own domain name! There has been lots of "techy" work in the background to get things reorganised and although we've tried to check that all the links work, and all the articles have their images and that the backgrounds and layouts are as they should be, inevitably there may be bugs. If you find any broken links, layouts that don't mirror the site style, or missing images, can you mail me with details please?

Have you got pictures, a trip report or something you'd like to add to UKSKGB? Your contribution is welcome! This mail link will get it to me.

Thanks - MikeB - UKSKGB Ed.