#123 - Finding your Coastal Spirit paddling Mediterranean & UK Waters with Roger Chandler

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Welcome to Paddling the Blue. With each episode, we talk with guests from the

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Great Lakes and around the globe who are doing cool things related to sea kayaking.

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I'm your host. My name is John Chase, and let's get started paddling the blue.

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Welcome to today's episode of Paddling the Blue.

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Roger Chandler is today's guest, and we'll cover a lot of warm and cool water in this episode.

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Roger's a coach and guide from Anglesey with a wealth of paddling experiences

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in beautiful places, and today we'll focus on some of those places in the the

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Mediterranean and the UK.

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Before we get to Roger, James and Simon at OnlineSeaKyking.com continue to produce

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great content to help you evolve as a paddler and as a coach.

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today's episode with roger chandler welcome roger

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thanks for joining me today thanks john thanks for having

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me on yes i appreciate you taking the opportunity here

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so you are in an angle c

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correct that's great all right well so

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tell us a little little bit about uh why paddling for you

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yeah good starting question it

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goes way back to my

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uh my parents and my mum was originally from the

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lake district cumbria hence there's a fair

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bit of water up there in the lake district and basically

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used to be there about three four times a year do a

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little bit of walking and mum and

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dad's a couple of glass fiber boats and we went on me and my brother occasionally

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dad would come out and that was the first sort of real sense of exploration

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really and there was a couple of nice sort of almost like lagoons on particularly lake coniston.

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That just allowed us that bit of freedom so i think there was an element of

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freedom and exploration interesting so how did how did the the love of paddling

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continue to grow from there,

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I was out with my dad and brother and I was getting to that point in my life

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where it wasn't so cool to be on holiday with your parents.

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And basically my brother, a couple of years younger, joined the club with dad

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and I didn't really know a lot about what they were doing, but they were going

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away to paddle a bit more white water, moving water.

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And my brother capsized on this slate

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purposely i found out later and as

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i paddled towards him i had no idea

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how i was going to rescue him or what to do he he

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popped up he did this role and it

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was like a black magic thing it was like hang on a

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minute how'd you do that and so it was quite

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an interesting link for me because then

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it was like my younger brothers doing something that i've

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got no idea of so it sort of started like

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that and I grew up in Ilford in

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Essex and Barking and Dagenham Canoe Club

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was where I learned to roll and we went

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away to North Wales I joined the kayak polo

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team and probably the first time I got involved in a

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team sport in that sense I'd seem to have two left

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feet as as a young person growing up so

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football didn't really sort of hit the spot for

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me but um I really did get into and

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embrace race kayak polo and then i found from that

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my paddling on white water really improved

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and i think partly because it's very contact sport

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so my role developed because i learned the hand to hand role but also i think

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importantly the decision making you know when you've got the ball in your hand

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you have to think about where am i going to feed that next what's my next move

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so i think that really helped me with white water so kayak polo that's something

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that doesn't really have a following here in the US?

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Does it have a strong following in your home area?

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An element. It's never really taken off, so to speak.

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But I think we were just really fortunate. We had good access to a pool. We had boats.

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And it was a wonderful, wonderful game, really.

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And I think, as I say, it really supported my white ball pattern in those early days.

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And, you know, if it was five a side, it was a contact. So if someone had the

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ball, you're able to push them.

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And so if you didn't have a roll and you came out your boat,

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the game still continued.

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You know, but that team was one person down.

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So, yeah. yeah so out of

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curiosity from the from the time that you discovered that your

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younger brother could roll his boat how long

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did it take you to develop that skill oh good

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question i'm not sure but there was a certain passion that

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uh yeah it was possibly something like six

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months it didn't come particularly easy but i

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had a really good coach and i think some

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of that perhaps has stayed with me you know he

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he actually got me sat in

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the shallow end of a swimming pool with a

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length of it was only about a two meter piece of rope and

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he said can you tie a figure eight knots and i

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said yeah yeah yeah i climbed and he

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said what i'd like you to do is tie it sat on the bottom of

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the shallow end and so he was if you

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like really working my with my psychology and focus

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to actually be really calm underwater doing

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a task before we even started to look at

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rolling very interesting approach so now

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that grew into into a life of coaching pretty pretty much i i started off as

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a plumber or work for a builder and then you know in 19 i think it was probably

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88 i actually I actually went to the West Coast, California.

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On one of these summer camps, and I was there for three months,

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and I was really fortunate that I got a very good camp.

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It was a little bit south, well, 18 miles south of Santa Cruz,

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so we were quite close to the coast, but we were quite close to,

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well, it felt like a couple of hours drive, probably longer,

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but the Van Taylor Wilderness, Big Sur, where we do a three-day camp.

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Hike and we'd sleep on the tarps and

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that side of things so 10-day camps and that was

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partly me sort of beginning to think could I really

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do what I love which is the white water kayaking

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at that time could I do that as a job in

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some form or other and I was very fortunate in 1990 when

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I got offered a job

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as a plumber for the county council and my dad was very

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much that's a good job you've got

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a van and you go to have a pension and all those things

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and i also got a job with with out

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of bounds up in cumbria nestale and my mum

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was very much along the side of well you've got your sitting in guilds so you've

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got some qualifications in plumbing and that background but this seems like

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a really wonderful opportunity to move forwards i was very fortunate because

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i didn't really know the difference at the time between other companies

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that did activities just for activities sake,

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whereas the out of bound was very much that personal development and team development.

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I think that was a really fortunate opportunity for me as I moved forward with

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a state within for just under three years and then contracted back for a couple

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of summers while I was at university.

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And so at what point did you stop the plumbing trade?

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Pretty much when and when i went

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for the job at out-of-bound estelle and i yeah

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i think it was one of those working for a builder i

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enjoyed being outdoors so i can see so many links in some ways and i really

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from a coaching perspective i'd love to see even just the smallest piece of

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progress you know that that could mean something to that person but i really used to enjoy you know

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finishing a bathroom for example having removed the bathroom and

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put a new bathroom in and seeing the smile on that

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person's face you know and and you've you've assisted

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them achieving what they wanted in the bathroom if that will make sense and

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interestingly i i didn't work again in that field and to be honest even even

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where i am now i'd probably rather call a plumber plumber in and have a go at it myself.

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So that's led you on some wonderful adventures. And so tell us a little bit about Sicily.

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I'm not quite sure how it really came about.

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I had an opportunity, I think it was back in 2010, in the April of.

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To run a British canoeing sea kite leader course, a four-star it was then called,

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for a small group of Sicilian paddlers.

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Got a feeling two may have came from mainland Italy to join the course,

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but I'm not quite sure how that all got established in the first place.

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So it was quite challenging from my perspective because I was in an unknown

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island. I wasn't quite sure how the language was going to work.

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As it happens, one of the guys had exceptional English as well as another language.

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But I hadn't really thought about the impact of that translating on occasions.

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Technically, I think we could have done with another day just to have gone through

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the syllabus and the various aspects of the award.

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But that was sort of me working and learning in in another environment but i really enjoyed,

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and loved that sort of warm sunshine and the

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little bars where you could get an arancini or

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you know an ice cream and i hadn't realized

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how significant ice cream gelato was

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in sicily and italy and that side so there

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was there was an element of feeling oh this is a nice warm

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holiday day as well as working somewhere different in a different place and

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taking in the wonderful science as you do as it blow away so how did you uh

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how did you find the translation process working and did did kayak transcend

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the language it worked well it just meant times.

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There had to be a slight pause as as the

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the client looked to the other

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client who was translating for for me

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in that sense and then i could do a demonstration and

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then it was translated so it was quite a

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lot of initial of how we're going to do this more effectively and

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then bit by bit you know we were able to do some of the skills in calm water

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and then we were able to put them into that more dynamic zone and that was quite

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quite a part of the challenge as well the course was finding suitable conditions where I was very much.

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Reliance on francesco and a couple of his

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colleagues to you know right this

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is what i need to find do you think this area might be

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suitable or i might it might it be a

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bit too rough so yes it's it's one thing knowing an island where i live at the

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moment and generally you can say i think it's going to be like this but then

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when you're actually in a position where you're relying upon someone else to

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assist you in that sort of decision making so to speak Yeah,

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I imagine that not being able to speak the language and having to find a different way to communicate,

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that has to change your coaching. And how did that improve your coaching over time?

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It's an interesting one. I think you become very observant of facial cues and

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thinking, just posing that question, is everyone all right by that?

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And I tend to use quite a lot of thumbs up, simply as we're moving into more

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dynamic water, is everyone okay?

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And we talk about a thermometer here, whereas, you know, thumbs right up and that's fantastic.

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If it's at 90 degrees, it's like, well, I'm okay, but basically I'm not sure

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how long I'll be able to sustain this.

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And then the thumb down, I'm really big on, if someone doesn't take the hand

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off the paddle, then it's also an indicator.

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They're probably in a very stressed or stretched zone.

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So those little cues that.

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Can say quite a lot in quite a short period of time. So I think some of that

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nonverbal stuff can be really useful.

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Interesting. The thermometer. I've not used that before.

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You said it better than I did.

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So now you did a circumnavigation of Sicily. Was it on that trip?

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No, it was following the October and basically being invited out to the Olian Islands.

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And Francesco and Gianfranco had organised it and it was a symposium and Barry

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Shaw was there and Justine Kaganban and Turner Wilson and Cherry.

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Two Canadians that teach Greenlandic rolling.

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And so we had a wonderful time.

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I think it was on Volcano, the island

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we started on and then basically after a few

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days following some skills and rolling and

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and other techniques and sessions there

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was an opportunity to paddle across to lippery and

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then stromboli as well and stromboli was very dramatic

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because the volcano was was

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active and so you could see the lava sort of spilling off the side and i think

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it was as it was even that evening or one of the evenings you know you could

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see it actually coming down into the sea and the steam and you know quite dramatic

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we we did have a walk john franco,

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took us up to close to the crater and that was quite something as well really

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so there was there was fine food as the mediterranean provides in that sense

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so wonderful food and then the sea kayaking and beautiful warm seas and temperatures

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and then the dramatic sort of volcano.

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Experience at the end of it all yeah that's definitely a

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different a different piece of landscape that we've

00:14:41.185 --> 00:14:44.085
not experienced here yet on uh on paddling

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the blue so yes and i think

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i think i was really fortunate really because you know

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following the the april it it really

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put it in my mind about well as i'm already going to be out there this could

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be a really good opportunity to and have a go at paddling around Mediterranean's

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biggest island and one that I hoped would be nice and sunny and quite calm for

00:15:10.105 --> 00:15:13.105
a large part of it. It wasn't as calm as I hoped it to be.

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The winds had picked up at different points and places, which then stirred up

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quite a significant sea.

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What I hadn't really appreciated is that, as in many island aspects, aspects.

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The coastal areas are their initial transport from a little boat to a harbour,

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so the actual coastline is quite a busy coastline, whereas the interior was

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developed later on, if that makes sense.

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What was the paddling like there and the coastline?

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It was attractive in places, and then there was other points and places where

00:15:48.165 --> 00:15:51.845
you You had a stretch of hotels and you had quite a long sandy beach.

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So as with most trips, you get a little bit of the highs and that stunning wow.

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And then there was just that sort of lower aspect to it, really.

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It was like it was a stretch of sand beach that just needed to be paddled along

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and then thinking about, OK, where are we going to get off from this point in place?

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Can we access a particular harbour or do we need to see if we can get around

00:16:18.385 --> 00:16:21.105
the corner into a bay and sheltered headland,

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and basically there is a term where I think it was around about October that

00:16:28.025 --> 00:16:29.305
people don't paddle on the sea

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anymore so people weren't necessarily expecting to see a couple of Brits.

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On the sea paddling into a harbour and in a way that was the other side it was

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a real shame I can't speak Italian because it would have been nice to have engaged

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in those conversations with a few folks we met along the way.

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So they stopped paddling in October?

00:16:50.505 --> 00:16:56.545
Yeah, I think the term is maré closom, you know, the sea is closed.

00:16:57.865 --> 00:17:03.705
So it's largely because, as I found out, my research hadn't been particularly

00:17:03.705 --> 00:17:07.645
deep in that sense that they just get significantly more storms.

00:17:07.645 --> 00:17:14.245
And we were sort of on the verge of that time where yes we get some nice sunshine

00:17:14.245 --> 00:17:15.905
and things are settled to actually

00:17:15.905 --> 00:17:19.565
get a few significant storms rolling in where the sea's going to be uh.

00:17:20.944 --> 00:17:23.704
Bigger than it would normally be and so there were a couple of

00:17:23.704 --> 00:17:27.124
days where we we sought along these

00:17:27.124 --> 00:17:30.744
sandy stretches hotels where we could actually carry

00:17:30.744 --> 00:17:34.524
our boats into at least the porch area or by

00:17:34.524 --> 00:17:37.344
the hotel and then booked a room for the night just

00:17:37.344 --> 00:17:40.664
so we could weather out a storm but it was a different sort

00:17:40.664 --> 00:17:45.224
of introduction to uh multi-day expeditioning with

00:17:45.224 --> 00:17:49.444
a nice pizza at the the end of the day so it's

00:17:49.444 --> 00:17:52.384
interesting though that you know october comes and and

00:17:52.384 --> 00:17:55.264
they're putting the boats away and like ah there's storms and in the

00:17:55.264 --> 00:17:58.804
uk you're getting the boats out and going hey great there's storms yeah

00:17:58.804 --> 00:18:04.404
yeah it's a different side of things isn't it were you able to camp most of

00:18:04.404 --> 00:18:09.964
the time there or was it mostly hotels yeah it was mainly camping okay we were

00:18:09.964 --> 00:18:14.684
quite fortunate for that but um we there was a couple of times where we couldn't

00:18:14.684 --> 00:18:15.844
find anywhere particularly.

00:18:17.204 --> 00:18:20.104
Secluded and it felt like we were backing on to the

00:18:20.104 --> 00:18:22.904
wall you know that was between the sea and the

00:18:22.904 --> 00:18:25.804
and the house's garden if that makes sense so

00:18:25.804 --> 00:18:29.044
it was a case that we we'd carry the

00:18:29.044 --> 00:18:31.744
boats up above the lovely thing about it you know it's

00:18:31.744 --> 00:18:35.664
very little tidal movement so unlike in the uk where you're trying to work out

00:18:35.664 --> 00:18:40.464
where is the high water mark we didn't have too far to carry only if the sea

00:18:40.464 --> 00:18:45.104
was running and the wind was perhaps pushing pushing the surf the water up the

00:18:45.104 --> 00:18:50.744
beach so and then it wasn't until uh sort of later on the evening that we put the tent up and,

00:18:51.324 --> 00:18:55.404
settled into the night and then on the water early on to get the journey started

00:18:55.404 --> 00:18:57.424
so despite the presence of hotels

00:18:57.424 --> 00:19:01.844
and population and all were there good points where it just felt wild,

00:19:02.684 --> 00:19:09.964
yes there were some lovely spots particularly if remembering now on the uh north

00:19:09.964 --> 00:19:16.144
west and part of that coastline as you come round.

00:19:17.802 --> 00:19:22.642
Was lovely and you know as you change your direction you know you're in that really,

00:19:23.422 --> 00:19:26.482
settled sort of area and you're thinking it'd be really nice

00:19:26.482 --> 00:19:29.522
to be able to stay for a couple

00:19:29.522 --> 00:19:32.322
of days here but then when the weather's nice and settled you

00:19:32.322 --> 00:19:35.062
think right okay well we can put some ground and we can

00:19:35.062 --> 00:19:37.782
put some water behind us and coastline behind us and

00:19:37.782 --> 00:19:40.682
moving on through yeah speaking of uh of warm

00:19:40.682 --> 00:19:43.322
water and you had also mentioned another name a

00:19:43.322 --> 00:19:46.322
few minutes ago barry shah you and barry

00:19:46.322 --> 00:19:49.082
somewhat recently did a trip to mallorca and

00:19:49.082 --> 00:19:52.282
minorca yes that was a fantastic

00:19:52.282 --> 00:19:55.802
one really and it evolved over i

00:19:55.802 --> 00:19:59.202
think we're eating a pizza as well and i do

00:19:59.202 --> 00:20:02.702
eat more than just pizza by the way all the good adventures start with the pizza

00:20:02.702 --> 00:20:10.442
i guess and we were talking about doing something earlier in the season before

00:20:10.442 --> 00:20:15.902
we both started getting too busy and And we focused on the Mediterranean and

00:20:15.902 --> 00:20:19.162
we wondered whether we could do something where,

00:20:19.262 --> 00:20:25.422
you know, we drove down from Anglesey, got the ferry across the English Channel

00:20:25.422 --> 00:20:30.742
and drove through France and Spain and then got the ferry out to Mallorca.

00:20:30.922 --> 00:20:34.622
And I've got a friend that lives in Mallorca. So it was a case of,

00:20:34.662 --> 00:20:36.662
well, we've got somewhere to stay once we get there.

00:20:36.662 --> 00:20:40.022
There and so yeah that evolved into

00:20:40.022 --> 00:20:43.002
considering or let's let's see if we can do Mallorca first

00:20:43.002 --> 00:20:45.942
and if we've got a good good enough time then

00:20:45.942 --> 00:20:48.642
maybe we'll go across Penorca and then if we've got a really

00:20:48.642 --> 00:20:51.682
good time maybe we can take in Ibiza so it's

00:20:51.682 --> 00:20:54.802
sort of the three bear three islands basically

00:20:54.802 --> 00:20:58.022
and it was it

00:20:58.022 --> 00:21:01.242
was fun you know it was we had a great drive down and

00:21:01.242 --> 00:21:04.242
once we got onto some yorker finding shops to

00:21:04.242 --> 00:21:06.962
you know get your food get yourself sorted and then

00:21:06.962 --> 00:21:09.902
decide on where we go to start had a

00:21:09.902 --> 00:21:13.902
chat with a friend we stayed with him for a couple of nights and and then we

00:21:13.902 --> 00:21:23.522
set off and we went in a clockwise direction the uh the tramontana mountains

00:21:23.522 --> 00:21:29.142
the range across i believe it's the the northwest of the island is pretty stunning you know very.

00:21:29.402 --> 00:21:32.962
Vertical clips and you

00:21:32.962 --> 00:21:36.862
know we had we had a wonderful time again there was an element of we

00:21:36.862 --> 00:21:44.782
found out later that technically new yorker there's no wild camping so you could

00:21:44.782 --> 00:21:51.642
be fined and asked to move to move on if if you were discovered so we were quite

00:21:51.642 --> 00:21:54.882
discreet and again Again, a bit like with Sicily,

00:21:54.902 --> 00:21:59.882
you know, not necessarily putting the tents up until dusk was beginning to come about.

00:22:01.002 --> 00:22:05.582
Whereas the difference with Menorca, you're allowed to bivvy.

00:22:06.582 --> 00:22:13.642
So using a tarp and saloons, they basically see a tent as a more permanent sort of structure.

00:22:15.003 --> 00:22:20.503
And Sea Kayak Mallorca was very helpful. They provided a map for us that gave

00:22:20.503 --> 00:22:25.103
indication of the beaches that seemed to be more acceptable,

00:22:25.303 --> 00:22:29.323
and those that were definitely don't go and camp there because there's a hotel

00:22:29.323 --> 00:22:32.443
in the back and the people get a little bit upset.

00:22:32.743 --> 00:22:37.303
So it was quite interesting, the different cultures of both islands.

00:22:37.823 --> 00:22:42.923
Now Mallorca, what's the distance there? About 180 kilometers.

00:22:43.963 --> 00:22:47.563
For the circumnavigation? yeah around Manuka so

00:22:47.563 --> 00:22:50.643
we did that in four days and I think it

00:22:50.643 --> 00:22:53.403
was about 280 around Mallorca and we

00:22:53.403 --> 00:22:56.763
did that in about seven days we had one day off where

00:22:56.763 --> 00:22:59.923
we were thinking that we'd be fine moving

00:22:59.923 --> 00:23:02.683
along the coast with the wind on our backs and

00:23:02.683 --> 00:23:06.203
the sea and basically after about 45 minutes

00:23:06.203 --> 00:23:09.463
we decided to partly backtrack that we

00:23:09.463 --> 00:23:12.483
had a fairly committing headland coming up on Mallorca on

00:23:12.483 --> 00:23:15.643
the north coast and we decided that um might be

00:23:15.643 --> 00:23:18.643
good to avoid that one and check it out on the following day

00:23:18.643 --> 00:23:22.143
so yeah we had a day off there but um monorca

00:23:22.143 --> 00:23:27.723
really got under my skin and i think it was the following year i went back and

00:23:27.723 --> 00:23:32.183
explored a bit more so yeah lovely set of islands but particularly monorca was

00:23:32.183 --> 00:23:39.263
really got a lovely feeling to it so what was the landscape there like Very cliffy, rocky,

00:23:39.483 --> 00:23:41.803
broken wild on the north coast.

00:23:42.563 --> 00:23:47.323
And then on the south coast, I could imagine it'd be my worst night ever in

00:23:47.323 --> 00:23:51.723
the season, like from a really rammed with tourists, I'd imagine.

00:23:51.903 --> 00:23:56.463
But thankfully, because we were in that sort of April time, it was only just

00:23:56.463 --> 00:24:01.883
about opening up and the sea, interestingly, was still quite cool.

00:24:02.023 --> 00:24:05.043
And we had the sun to sort of really warm it up. Whereas when.

00:24:06.460 --> 00:24:10.900
I came back the second time, it was in October, so the sea was incredibly warm

00:24:10.900 --> 00:24:14.860
and, you know, a bit like a tepid, straight, warm bath.

00:24:15.300 --> 00:24:20.840
So what made either Mallorca or Menorca so special for you?

00:24:20.840 --> 00:24:26.540
I think it was sharing something, you know, with a buddy and actually having

00:24:26.540 --> 00:24:33.500
that adventure and bringing that, you know, from the initial start and thinking about it to,

00:24:33.600 --> 00:24:36.900
well, let's have a go at this and let's see how that plays out.

00:24:36.900 --> 00:24:43.340
And uh you know as we we were paddling around minorca because we were covering the ground well,

00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:47.440
we decided to do an open crossing from minorca

00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:51.740
back to majorca and in some ways i think we're really fortunate because it was

00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:58.860
you know in that sort of 2016 and my belief is that things have got a bit stricter

00:24:58.860 --> 00:25:03.060
now that that would be really frowned upon and probably you wouldn't be allowed

00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:05.020
to do that open crossing.

00:25:05.960 --> 00:25:10.440
So yes, it does feel that in some ways that we were in the right place at the

00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:13.220
right time and to be able to share that together was great.

00:25:13.800 --> 00:25:17.720
So interesting, the Coast Guard would come and stop you from doing that crossing, you think?

00:25:18.260 --> 00:25:26.020
That's my understanding. There's a few aspects to remember it in Sicily that

00:25:26.020 --> 00:25:31.160
basically you're only allowed to paddle so many meters.

00:25:31.160 --> 00:25:34.000
You know i think it's two to five hundred

00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:37.040
meters offshore at certain points and places i'd

00:25:37.040 --> 00:25:40.060
need to check that out but i think you know you are limited on

00:25:40.060 --> 00:25:42.980
how far you are allowed to be offshore so an

00:25:42.980 --> 00:25:47.140
open crossing would be frowned upon unless you had a safety belt with you interesting

00:25:47.140 --> 00:25:50.700
now is that because of a heavy tourist population and they're just afraid that

00:25:50.700 --> 00:25:54.920
people without the skills knowledge abilities and the proper equipment would

00:25:54.920 --> 00:25:59.220
get into trouble i think it probably would be you you know, just so that they've

00:25:59.220 --> 00:26:00.700
got something manageable and, and.

00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:04.919
It would be interesting now with, you know, various, you know,

00:26:04.939 --> 00:26:10.759
people migrating and the different troubles that particularly sort of around

00:26:10.759 --> 00:26:17.059
parts of Turkey and that side that perhaps create even further challenges for

00:26:17.059 --> 00:26:18.759
countries and governments.

00:26:19.139 --> 00:26:22.499
So Turkey, you mentioned that as well, and you've paddled Turkey.

00:26:23.059 --> 00:26:27.239
Yes, it was very, very sort of reef earlier on.

00:26:27.239 --> 00:26:30.019
It was one of those when with my company i

00:26:30.019 --> 00:26:33.119
was beginning to try and think of sort of different areas and

00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:35.859
you know at the same time and it was one of the things that really

00:26:35.859 --> 00:26:38.939
drew me to the mediterranean it felt like you know

00:26:38.939 --> 00:26:42.179
you was having a holiday as well as doing something exciting

00:26:42.179 --> 00:26:45.759
and wanting to share that with other people and

00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:48.999
so an area called cash i haven't done

00:26:48.999 --> 00:26:52.119
a little bit research you know there was a tour operator there

00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:54.959
and they were happy for us to

00:26:54.959 --> 00:26:58.479
rent boats off them and it

00:26:58.479 --> 00:27:02.959
was a lovely village you know I remember really quite significantly

00:27:02.959 --> 00:27:06.359
seeing the dogs and the cats sort

00:27:06.359 --> 00:27:09.399
of walking down the streets almost side by side you

00:27:09.399 --> 00:27:12.099
know and apparently when people go to

00:27:12.099 --> 00:27:15.059
work they would open their front door or

00:27:15.059 --> 00:27:17.839
their back door and let their dog out or the cat out

00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:23.319
for the whole day you know it was almost like that that's how the dog managed

00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:28.399
itself so there were a few strays but at the same time there seemed to be this

00:27:28.399 --> 00:27:36.839
really relaxed relationship with the cats and dogs and the paddling was quite stunning because of the.

00:27:37.339 --> 00:27:40.619
History was was along

00:27:40.619 --> 00:27:43.779
the shoreline but also on calm days

00:27:43.779 --> 00:27:46.699
you could see the clarity you you felt like

00:27:46.699 --> 00:27:51.039
you were paddling across a sunken village existed

00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:53.859
you know thousands of years before so it'd be

00:27:53.859 --> 00:27:56.999
interesting whether or not this you know

00:27:56.999 --> 00:28:00.879
those areas are still paddleable we we

00:28:00.879 --> 00:28:03.979
were in just good discussions with the company after

00:28:03.979 --> 00:28:06.839
our sort of recce and check-in of

00:28:06.839 --> 00:28:12.619
the air and thinking this could be suitable and they were really up for collaborating

00:28:12.619 --> 00:28:18.259
working together and we did have a date set but then sadly about four months

00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:24.199
before the courses due to start but because we were looking at late September, October time.

00:28:25.581 --> 00:28:28.541
Flight prices really increased you know

00:28:28.541 --> 00:28:31.301
i think they went beyond double price because it

00:28:31.301 --> 00:28:34.221
was out of the season and they were having to i guess

00:28:34.221 --> 00:28:37.141
charter more expensive flights to to

00:28:37.141 --> 00:28:40.001
allow people to come into those areas so we actually had to cancel the

00:28:40.001 --> 00:28:42.681
course have you have you thought about doing that one

00:28:42.681 --> 00:28:45.681
again no and it's an interesting one

00:28:45.681 --> 00:28:48.641
because one of the things that that

00:28:48.641 --> 00:28:51.581
that really you know went through my mind

00:28:51.581 --> 00:28:54.801
was bit by bit I've been

00:28:54.801 --> 00:28:57.441
trying to reduce my sort of

00:28:57.441 --> 00:29:00.441
flying and thinking about how

00:29:00.441 --> 00:29:03.741
can I still share ventures and and

00:29:03.741 --> 00:29:06.701
it's almost like rather than pop into the Mediterranean

00:29:06.701 --> 00:29:09.601
each year if I save up two years can

00:29:09.601 --> 00:29:12.401
I do I feel better about going to

00:29:12.401 --> 00:29:16.041
Greenland or do I feel better about going to Lofoten or Canada

00:29:16.041 --> 00:29:19.201
so I'm trying to reduce that carbon footprint

00:29:19.201 --> 00:29:22.101
in that sense and hence it's one of the reasons why

00:29:22.101 --> 00:29:25.541
my company goes to spread you know this year

00:29:25.541 --> 00:29:29.281
we did three trips on the out hebrides one

00:29:29.281 --> 00:29:32.421
was on a tall ship that we charted to st

00:29:32.421 --> 00:29:35.261
kilda and since 2016 i've been

00:29:35.261 --> 00:29:40.341
going to shetland each year so the out hebrides and shetland you can get to

00:29:40.341 --> 00:29:47.601
via via a boat it's a day boat you know a day's crossing to get from scottish

00:29:47.601 --> 00:29:53.481
mainland to of the Outer Hebrides and it's an overnight crossing from Aberdeen to Shetland.

00:29:54.523 --> 00:30:00.023
Yeah, so lots of warm water paddling. Talked about Majorca, Menorca, Turkey, Sicily.

00:30:00.283 --> 00:30:05.783
But yeah, let's transition to the UK and to some of the areas in your home water.

00:30:05.883 --> 00:30:09.283
So you mentioned St. Kilda. Tell us a little bit more about that and the tall ship experience.

00:30:10.163 --> 00:30:15.363
Yeah, I was asked a couple of years ago by a friend, colleague on Orkney,

00:30:15.503 --> 00:30:23.383
Christian, whether I would go in with him on gathering clients for a tall ship experience.

00:30:24.523 --> 00:30:30.063
And I've always been careful about my outlays and how I'll go about that.

00:30:30.223 --> 00:30:32.663
And it just felt like a bit of a commitment.

00:30:33.403 --> 00:30:36.963
So at that point in place, I said, no, but I wish you all the best.

00:30:39.003 --> 00:30:44.083
And funny enough, about two, three years ago, my partner basically was talking

00:30:44.083 --> 00:30:47.003
about she'd love to go to St Kilda. And I said, yeah, it'd be wonderful, wouldn't it?

00:30:47.423 --> 00:30:51.583
And she said, well, if you don't put something on, I'll go with another company.

00:30:53.103 --> 00:30:58.063
So it was one of those okay well let's explore this let's see where we are with

00:30:58.063 --> 00:31:04.763
this and basically i contacted the company and we had a chat and discussion

00:31:04.763 --> 00:31:09.583
and the potential was there and he was just incredibly relaxed he said there's

00:31:09.583 --> 00:31:11.123
no need for deposits you know just,

00:31:11.803 --> 00:31:14.663
let's let's see see how you go over the next eight months

00:31:14.663 --> 00:31:17.463
or so and getting a group together and then we'll go from there

00:31:17.463 --> 00:31:20.663
so put it out to a tight group of

00:31:20.663 --> 00:31:23.583
coastal spirit clients and couldn't believe

00:31:23.583 --> 00:31:26.443
the interest i think within 30 hours i'd sold 10

00:31:26.443 --> 00:31:31.103
places and this may we

00:31:31.103 --> 00:31:34.263
went and we were just very fortunate we

00:31:34.263 --> 00:31:37.183
you know it's 140 miles from the island of barra

00:31:37.183 --> 00:31:40.443
and so that's at least you know

00:31:40.443 --> 00:31:43.283
a day a day and a bit to get

00:31:43.283 --> 00:31:46.963
there so the traveling is is you know something itself

00:31:46.963 --> 00:31:49.683
but traveling on a tall ship on the way out we did

00:31:49.683 --> 00:31:53.023
use use some motor and a bit of sail but on

00:31:53.023 --> 00:31:55.763
the way back it was a false both at

00:31:55.763 --> 00:32:02.343
false five gusting six occasionally seven blue sky we sailed all the way and

00:32:02.343 --> 00:32:06.723
so it wasn't just the the sea kayaking actually at the St Kilda which feels

00:32:06.723 --> 00:32:12.283
like the edge of the world and seeing one of the biggest Gannic colonies and

00:32:12.283 --> 00:32:15.643
puffin populations that truly,

00:32:15.823 --> 00:32:17.303
really exist.

00:32:17.743 --> 00:32:21.663
And I do believe it's a double UNESCO World Heritage Site.

00:32:23.097 --> 00:32:26.237
It was quite stunning, really, and to have done it in a classic style where

00:32:26.237 --> 00:32:31.777
we slept on the boat, we ate on the boat, and the sea cats were attached to

00:32:31.777 --> 00:32:34.077
the roof of the tour ship.

00:32:34.357 --> 00:32:37.197
That sounds like a spectacular way to travel.

00:32:37.677 --> 00:32:41.677
It was pretty memorable, and the wonderful thing is literally just two days

00:32:41.677 --> 00:32:47.357
ago, we sold, it took a little bit longer this year. People are a bit more familiar with that, I guess.

00:32:47.517 --> 00:32:51.557
We just sold the 10 places for next June. so it's

00:32:51.557 --> 00:32:54.337
it's become quite a classic really and just

00:32:54.337 --> 00:32:58.297
a wonderful way to travel and i think we were just really fortunate you know

00:32:58.297 --> 00:33:03.737
the skipper was incredibly knowledgeable and just really wanted to share his

00:33:03.737 --> 00:33:07.957
knowledge and if you wanted to have a go on the helm you're welcome to and if

00:33:07.957 --> 00:33:13.157
you wanted to help trim the sails you could do with instruction the first mate not only was

00:33:13.257 --> 00:33:15.777
an exceptionally good sailor.

00:33:16.017 --> 00:33:20.677
She's a professional folk violin player. So one of the evenings she got a violin

00:33:20.677 --> 00:33:23.857
out and, you know, some wonderful melodies.

00:33:23.977 --> 00:33:30.237
And the second mate could play guitar and he previously had owned a restaurant.

00:33:30.657 --> 00:33:35.437
So the first night we had something like, I think it was curried monkfish,

00:33:35.597 --> 00:33:36.817
you know, which is wonderful.

00:33:37.317 --> 00:33:39.797
Well, this trip just keeps getting better. Yeah.

00:33:41.377 --> 00:33:45.017
It was just something else. Every time you turn around, it sounds like there's

00:33:45.017 --> 00:33:50.017
a new experience, whether it's the amazing paddling and the Gannet and Puffin

00:33:50.017 --> 00:33:55.257
colonies or a violin player and guitar and a chef and everything else.

00:33:55.397 --> 00:33:59.317
Now, was it a mothership kind of trip where you stayed on the ship as well?

00:33:59.957 --> 00:34:05.397
Yes, that's totally it, John. The boat, we had cabins, two to a cabin,

00:34:05.497 --> 00:34:10.337
and there was a shower either end of the dorm part of the boat.

00:34:10.517 --> 00:34:12.417
And so you could have a shower each day.

00:34:12.757 --> 00:34:17.677
If you wanted to and you could literally read your book,

00:34:18.776 --> 00:34:25.356
and watch from the window if you wanted to. And I think we had two and a half days paddling there.

00:34:26.476 --> 00:34:29.916
And certainly on one of the days, someone chose to do the morning,

00:34:29.976 --> 00:34:33.676
but in the afternoon chose not to go sea kayaking.

00:34:33.736 --> 00:34:38.716
But we had the actual tall ship shadowed us, so they could still be part of it.

00:34:38.796 --> 00:34:41.996
And as it happened, they saw a minke whale.

00:34:42.196 --> 00:34:46.976
We didn't because we were so low down in perspective to where they were.

00:34:46.976 --> 00:34:49.856
So it was one of those that i really got

00:34:49.856 --> 00:34:53.056
um so to thank for uh encouraging me

00:34:53.056 --> 00:34:56.176
in her mischievous way of exploring another

00:34:56.176 --> 00:35:01.236
option and originally i guess christian for putting that initial out idea in

00:35:01.236 --> 00:35:07.516
my mind and yeah it's it's just a wonderful way to travel but it's it's one

00:35:07.516 --> 00:35:12.156
of those where you know you you feel like you're gaining two experiences in

00:35:12.156 --> 00:35:15.136
one you know at the At the end of the day, we had a go.

00:35:15.316 --> 00:35:19.236
We wore full body harnesses and we climbed the rigging like,

00:35:19.296 --> 00:35:24.116
yeah, a long time ago. So how do you top that one?

00:35:25.576 --> 00:35:29.616
Yes, exactly. I think it probably is the top one in that sense.

00:35:29.736 --> 00:35:35.796
You know, I've been fortunate to have been able to go to Greenland twice and

00:35:35.796 --> 00:35:39.416
the first time was with Olly Sanders. We went...

00:35:40.400 --> 00:35:43.100
For 20 days self-contained and the second time i

00:35:43.100 --> 00:35:45.940
worked for another company and we did

00:35:45.940 --> 00:35:49.040
two 12-day trips but in

00:35:49.040 --> 00:35:51.940
some ways yes you know wonderful icebergs and

00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:56.080
whales and just being in those wild places yet you

00:35:56.080 --> 00:35:59.300
know sailing out on a tall ship to outer islands

00:35:59.300 --> 00:36:02.460
that we've got amazing history and the wildlife

00:36:02.460 --> 00:36:05.440
that's part and place to it all it's really hard

00:36:05.440 --> 00:36:08.720
i think it's possibly one of those that with some

00:36:08.720 --> 00:36:11.700
creativity could be equaled but i think sometimes

00:36:11.700 --> 00:36:14.900
those wonderful experiences that really sort

00:36:14.900 --> 00:36:18.820
of stir your soul and for me it brings

00:36:18.820 --> 00:36:21.500
brings me back to why i love what i

00:36:21.500 --> 00:36:24.460
do you know i feel this weekend for.

00:36:24.460 --> 00:36:28.420
Example i've got a surf and tide race course on and you

00:36:28.420 --> 00:36:31.560
know having those skills to be able to manage those

00:36:31.560 --> 00:36:34.200
environments means that you can go on

00:36:34.200 --> 00:36:37.480
these wonderful adventures and they have more

00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:40.780
sense of enjoyment and fun because you've got that skill

00:36:40.780 --> 00:36:43.700
bank whereas if you didn't put that training

00:36:43.700 --> 00:36:46.860
and preparation in maybe that dynamic water

00:36:46.860 --> 00:36:50.380
would be stressful and actually anxiety increasing

00:36:50.380 --> 00:36:53.500
rather than fun and enjoyable and being

00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:57.020
able to sit and watch the puffins or the gannets diving sure yeah

00:36:57.020 --> 00:37:00.040
if you're at your personal limit or above that personal limit

00:37:00.040 --> 00:37:03.160
you're not going to enjoy the experience whereas if you've

00:37:03.160 --> 00:37:06.080
got this skill and then some some headroom above

00:37:06.080 --> 00:37:10.120
that and you can really soak it all in and so saint

00:37:10.120 --> 00:37:13.080
killed is just another question there it seems

00:37:13.080 --> 00:37:17.040
like that one there's it's it's become a much more popular area is it becoming

00:37:17.040 --> 00:37:22.820
too popular yeah good question it's it's from what i understand it's managed

00:37:22.820 --> 00:37:31.960
so when we we had to radio to as a team of people that live on the island i manage that sort of,

00:37:32.500 --> 00:37:39.900
throughput of people i guess and basically because i think we were out of bird flu.

00:37:41.000 --> 00:37:43.840
But basically there was a pad that we had to walk

00:37:43.840 --> 00:37:46.900
across that had some form of disinfectant in

00:37:46.900 --> 00:37:49.600
as we came onto the island but it

00:37:49.600 --> 00:37:54.100
is one of those where perhaps once upon a time you know maybe five six years

00:37:54.100 --> 00:37:58.540
ago you could have been anchored in the bay and you'd be the only boat you know

00:37:58.540 --> 00:38:07.460
there was at least three other yachts one of the evenings and there were two maybe four two,

00:38:07.580 --> 00:38:10.240
three, anyway there was a couple of other rigs.

00:38:12.502 --> 00:38:15.562
Bus people out you know just for the day which you

00:38:15.562 --> 00:38:18.242
know must be pretty bone shaking on the

00:38:18.242 --> 00:38:21.482
journey out and back because they'd be properly

00:38:21.482 --> 00:38:24.562
motoring to get out there but there was also a

00:38:24.562 --> 00:38:27.502
smaller end of a tour ship but basically there

00:38:27.502 --> 00:38:30.702
was a tour ship anchored in the bay and that

00:38:30.702 --> 00:38:34.382
was a couple of motorized you

00:38:34.382 --> 00:38:37.922
know rigid inflatable boats ribs taking clients

00:38:37.922 --> 00:38:40.802
ashore and having a chat with the warden

00:38:40.802 --> 00:38:43.702
so you know i i think they're managing

00:38:43.702 --> 00:38:47.582
it but i i know there's discussions

00:38:47.582 --> 00:38:50.662
i think throughout at the moment i was only hearing yesterday

00:38:50.662 --> 00:38:53.882
discussions about these areas that have you

00:38:53.882 --> 00:38:59.862
know intensity you know we have in in wales for example mount snowdon which

00:38:59.862 --> 00:39:05.822
the parking just isn't suitable for the amount of people that go to the mountain

00:39:05.822 --> 00:39:11.542
and they try and different solutions to try and make it accessible but also sustainable.

00:39:12.062 --> 00:39:17.142
I know each place has its own personality and every place that you've paddled

00:39:17.142 --> 00:39:21.542
has is special in some way shape or form but of the places that you've paddled

00:39:21.542 --> 00:39:26.622
aside from your home waters, favorite place that you've been and why?

00:39:26.922 --> 00:39:30.382
I think it would have to be something like Duncansby

00:39:30.382 --> 00:39:33.262
Head on the north east of

00:39:33.262 --> 00:39:36.402
Scotland it's it's a headland depending which

00:39:36.402 --> 00:39:39.302
way you're coming around it it's just after the Pentland Fir

00:39:39.302 --> 00:39:43.322
or just before the Pentland Fir and the

00:39:43.322 --> 00:39:46.242
first time I paddled around it I had the privilege to

00:39:46.242 --> 00:39:49.382
work with three women one was from Wales and

00:39:49.382 --> 00:39:52.522
South Wales and two were from Switzerland and

00:39:52.522 --> 00:39:55.422
it was on the roof of Britain or the roof of Scotland

00:39:55.422 --> 00:39:58.782
and we were

00:39:58.782 --> 00:40:01.802
paddling through the Pentland to go around

00:40:01.802 --> 00:40:05.362
duncansby head and we were

00:40:05.362 --> 00:40:08.202
late in the tide so as we got there it was

00:40:08.202 --> 00:40:13.002
too fast you know it on on maximum spring which we were getting close to it

00:40:13.002 --> 00:40:17.202
went would go at eight knots so we had about four knots of flow against us so

00:40:17.202 --> 00:40:21.442
we landed we backtracked a little bit and landed and walked up to the headland

00:40:21.442 --> 00:40:26.362
and i could see the set of islands the albany islands which i've never seen

00:40:26.482 --> 00:40:29.362
before and I believe there's something like 80

00:40:29.362 --> 00:40:32.362
islands so it was quite a special area seeing

00:40:32.362 --> 00:40:36.422
that and I do remember looking over the side of the cliffs at Duncanterby Head

00:40:36.422 --> 00:40:40.322
and then looking down that east coast and I think there was something really

00:40:40.322 --> 00:40:46.202
special about that we're heading in a general east direction but once we get

00:40:46.202 --> 00:40:49.582
onto the east coast now we're going south towards Inverness.

00:40:51.563 --> 00:40:54.483
The beauty and i think it was a mixture of the calm

00:40:54.483 --> 00:40:57.423
as well and there was a sea stack

00:40:57.423 --> 00:41:00.203
there was a needle there was an arch there was a

00:41:00.203 --> 00:41:03.023
cave and the the cliffs just seemed

00:41:03.023 --> 00:41:05.823
to go on it was just very vertical and colorful

00:41:05.823 --> 00:41:08.623
and it was also the smell of the

00:41:08.623 --> 00:41:11.583
seabirds it was the the noise of

00:41:11.583 --> 00:41:14.583
the seabirds it was just really quite moving quite stunning

00:41:14.583 --> 00:41:17.663
and while we're up there we could see hang

00:41:17.663 --> 00:41:20.483
a minute it looked like the the current had actually

00:41:20.483 --> 00:41:23.223
changed direction so we went back to the

00:41:23.223 --> 00:41:26.283
boats and we thought we'd give it another go we managed to

00:41:26.283 --> 00:41:29.343
already hop up that part of the coastline so we managed to

00:41:29.343 --> 00:41:34.783
push on and then use the tide um later on to get further on so it's yeah quite

00:41:34.783 --> 00:41:39.703
a special place really thunkans be here yeah all those things that combine together

00:41:39.703 --> 00:41:43.943
to make that a special experience is interesting it's not always just the water

00:41:43.943 --> 00:41:46.923
itself but it's It's just all the other things that combine.

00:41:47.483 --> 00:41:48.583
Yeah, totally, totally.

00:41:49.343 --> 00:41:51.843
Roof of Britain, what is that? What does that encompass?

00:41:52.923 --> 00:41:59.063
In its true sense, you could start in Fort William Car Pack,

00:41:59.363 --> 00:42:02.183
which is what ended up doing in the end.

00:42:02.683 --> 00:42:08.843
And basically, it's tend to be done in a clockwise, but you could go in anti-clockwise direction.

00:42:10.323 --> 00:42:13.703
So paddling out of Car Pack to the Sound of Mole,

00:42:13.703 --> 00:42:17.483
moving up the sound of mole arda merck and point basically

00:42:17.483 --> 00:42:20.443
heading heading north from there to paddle around

00:42:20.443 --> 00:42:24.043
cape wrath onto the the top of the scottish

00:42:24.043 --> 00:42:27.323
northern coastline there moving along straty point

00:42:27.323 --> 00:42:30.123
dunnett heads through the

00:42:30.123 --> 00:42:32.943
pentland firth and duncansby heads the

00:42:32.943 --> 00:42:35.983
corner there then heading down the east coast which

00:42:35.983 --> 00:42:39.143
again the east coast i think is is really very wonderful

00:42:39.143 --> 00:42:41.783
it's very dramatic in a

00:42:41.783 --> 00:42:44.483
different sort of way it doesn't look so stunning as the

00:42:44.483 --> 00:42:47.443
west coast but the cliffs are big the arches

00:42:47.443 --> 00:42:50.323
are outstanding and the bird life's always

00:42:50.323 --> 00:42:53.383
felt more intense than than on

00:42:53.383 --> 00:42:56.243
the west coast maybe it's a bit more spread out on the

00:42:56.243 --> 00:43:00.043
west coast and there's only a few opportunities on the east and working

00:43:00.043 --> 00:43:03.363
your way down to inverness and then basically paddling

00:43:03.363 --> 00:43:06.703
down and the great glen to complete the

00:43:06.703 --> 00:43:09.703
loop and the thing i liked about starting in corpac

00:43:09.703 --> 00:43:12.583
is on certainly on one occasion i had

00:43:12.583 --> 00:43:17.963
the opportunity to do it four times as a one month commercial trip was such

00:43:17.963 --> 00:43:23.723
starting car pack call back sorry then finishing in inverness so the salty version

00:43:23.723 --> 00:43:30.563
of the roof of britain the roof of scotland had been done whereas on two other

00:43:30.643 --> 00:43:32.343
occasions we managed, we had

00:43:32.343 --> 00:43:35.943
time to actually go down the Great Glen and actually complete the loop.

00:43:36.163 --> 00:43:41.603
Whereas on the fourth time we did it, we got stuck before Cape Wrath and we

00:43:41.603 --> 00:43:46.023
were stuck for over a week and the forecast didn't look like it was going to

00:43:46.023 --> 00:43:50.883
ease off and all I could see was time ticking away. So we made the decision to leave.

00:43:52.004 --> 00:43:55.884
Stop the trip where it was go and get the vans from inverness and

00:43:55.884 --> 00:43:59.464
then do day paddles and i was pleased that we

00:43:59.464 --> 00:44:02.324
were able to actually get round cape graph going the other

00:44:02.324 --> 00:44:05.384
direction two days later but as a day paddle

00:44:05.384 --> 00:44:09.004
with lighter boats which took some of the risk off um

00:44:09.004 --> 00:44:12.424
with doing rescues if at all needed and

00:44:12.424 --> 00:44:16.044
you know lighter boats are much easier to manage and we'd

00:44:16.044 --> 00:44:18.964
manage to do a paddle through dunnet head and

00:44:18.964 --> 00:44:21.704
round the bentham firth as well as we

00:44:21.704 --> 00:44:24.624
paddled along so i think we did do a

00:44:24.624 --> 00:44:30.004
two-day trip on the east coast so yeah it was something about going around something

00:44:30.004 --> 00:44:34.864
which has always attracted me in that sense i think it's gives you a clear start

00:44:34.864 --> 00:44:40.804
and and a clear finish and logistically often it's it's easier yeah something

00:44:40.804 --> 00:44:42.504
about you're right Great. Going around things.

00:44:42.624 --> 00:44:44.904
Paddlers like to paddle around things. Yeah.

00:44:46.724 --> 00:44:51.484
So you do these guided experiences and your coaching programs through Coastal

00:44:51.484 --> 00:44:53.264
Spirit. Tell us a little bit about Coastal Spirit.

00:44:53.884 --> 00:45:02.504
Yes. Coastal Spirit started in 2007 and it was after me attempting to get jobs in North Wales.

00:45:02.824 --> 00:45:08.624
And I'd previously been working 10 years for the local education authority in

00:45:08.624 --> 00:45:15.264
the Forest of Dean. and I basically had become more management-y type focused.

00:45:15.344 --> 00:45:21.824
I was managing budgets and staffing and logistics and that side and I hadn't

00:45:21.824 --> 00:45:27.324
got the two jobs that I'd applied for here because I hadn't kept those skills

00:45:27.324 --> 00:45:28.704
so current in their opinion.

00:45:29.424 --> 00:45:33.424
And basically it was one of those where it was like, well, actually if we want

00:45:33.424 --> 00:45:36.124
to make this move, I wonder if I could start a company.

00:45:36.124 --> 00:45:41.044
And back in 2007, there wasn't so many companies around in, in,

00:45:41.044 --> 00:45:48.064
in Anglesea, North Wales, and at the time I started, I offered rock climbing,

00:45:48.184 --> 00:45:50.084
single and multi-pitch as well as hill walking.

00:45:50.264 --> 00:45:55.484
And after about a year and a half, the sea kayaking in Anglesea had really taken off. And,

00:45:56.191 --> 00:46:01.051
And I had to change the company a little bit, just focusing on the sea kayaking.

00:46:01.391 --> 00:46:05.511
And I was just really fortunate that at the time, you know, we were thinking,

00:46:05.531 --> 00:46:07.711
do we go to Pembrokeshire and start there?

00:46:07.851 --> 00:46:10.671
Or do we go to Anglesey? I'm really pleased that we went to Anglesey.

00:46:11.771 --> 00:46:16.671
It's significantly more accessible, which does mean someone can fly into Manchester

00:46:16.671 --> 00:46:24.271
or Liverpool and actually get a train or a cab to Anglesey.

00:46:24.271 --> 00:46:27.491
Or you know people get ferries from

00:46:27.491 --> 00:46:30.311
from europe and then do the

00:46:30.311 --> 00:46:33.551
drive across to anglesea so in the big picture someone

00:46:33.551 --> 00:46:37.691
can be sort of even west coast london so although geographically

00:46:37.691 --> 00:46:40.611
pembrokeshire is closer because of the roads

00:46:40.611 --> 00:46:43.431
and the connections actually anglesea is much easier to

00:46:43.431 --> 00:46:48.351
get to and being an island generally speaking you

00:46:48.351 --> 00:46:51.871
know that there's an area where you you can find some shelter if

00:46:51.871 --> 00:46:55.031
the winds are blowing pretty strong and the seas sea states

00:46:55.031 --> 00:46:58.091
up so it does mean that it's

00:46:58.091 --> 00:47:01.431
less likely to cancel course or postpone the course how many

00:47:01.431 --> 00:47:07.271
programs do you lead through coastal spirit each year oh i'm doing less now

00:47:07.271 --> 00:47:15.471
as i approach 60 next year my my aim is to two weeks on two weeks off but i

00:47:15.471 --> 00:47:19.191
think once upon a time it was pretty much you know every.

00:47:19.251 --> 00:47:22.351
Weekend there'd be a course on and then basically

00:47:22.351 --> 00:47:25.411
during the week most most courses were two

00:47:25.411 --> 00:47:28.391
days except for the leader training courses the

00:47:28.391 --> 00:47:31.371
british canoeing ones and whether that be module or advanced

00:47:31.371 --> 00:47:36.491
they would be five days but you'd only perhaps run three maybe four of those

00:47:36.491 --> 00:47:41.531
each year and then it was thinking through you know when when we had more time

00:47:41.531 --> 00:47:47.071
to ponder thinking well actually if someone's coming for a weekend course there's

00:47:47.071 --> 00:47:49.811
a lot of people on the road on on a Friday night. There's a lot of people on

00:47:49.811 --> 00:47:50.871
the road on the Sunday night.

00:47:51.231 --> 00:47:55.011
I wonder if, you know, went towards a four day model and.

00:47:56.515 --> 00:47:59.995
Know which could be friday to monday to

00:47:59.995 --> 00:48:04.195
trying to a reduce hopefully that

00:48:04.195 --> 00:48:07.215
traffic aspect but also hopefully they'll

00:48:07.215 --> 00:48:11.535
gain more from a four-day course because we'll get a mixture of conditions during

00:48:11.535 --> 00:48:16.255
those four days whereas if it's windy on two days generally you know the the

00:48:16.255 --> 00:48:20.755
third day would be calmer or something like that so it was trying to play with

00:48:20.755 --> 00:48:27.055
different ideas and set up so So when I started the four-day courses following 2020,

00:48:27.835 --> 00:48:31.735
it worked really, really well. People bought into that idea.

00:48:32.055 --> 00:48:37.155
And it also meant then I would more clearly had three days off and I found,

00:48:37.235 --> 00:48:41.095
you know, as I've got older, I've just needed more time, particularly if it's

00:48:41.095 --> 00:48:46.135
been a windy course and if it's been working in that sort of dynamic,

00:48:46.295 --> 00:48:50.595
you know, arena and more towards the top end, advanced paddlers,

00:48:50.595 --> 00:48:55.655
and having to really sort of play that well and just knowing that the body just

00:48:55.655 --> 00:49:00.595
needs more time to recover and so that people get a good experience and can

00:49:00.595 --> 00:49:02.655
leave with a smile on their faces.

00:49:02.955 --> 00:49:05.075
How can listeners connect with you?

00:49:05.515 --> 00:49:10.275
They can connect with me via coastalsprit.com on my website.

00:49:10.395 --> 00:49:18.375
I do the Facebook company posts and also Roger Chandler on Facebook as well.

00:49:18.495 --> 00:49:21.355
Well, we'll make sure we add those to the show notes so folks

00:49:21.355 --> 00:49:24.335
can get in touch with you in touch with you so i appreciate

00:49:24.335 --> 00:49:27.095
the opportunity to to talk with you and learn about all

00:49:27.095 --> 00:49:30.515
these warm water areas as well as the uh the wonderful cool cooler

00:49:30.515 --> 00:49:33.315
water areas of the uk i do have

00:49:33.315 --> 00:49:36.055
one final question for you and it's a question that we ask all of

00:49:36.055 --> 00:49:38.775
our guests here on the show and that is who else would you like to hear

00:49:38.775 --> 00:49:41.855
as a future guest on paddling the blue i'd put

00:49:41.855 --> 00:49:45.835
james stevenson forwards why james we started

00:49:45.835 --> 00:49:48.755
our our companies although we didn't know of each other at the time

00:49:48.755 --> 00:49:52.915
back in 2007 so uh whereas

00:49:52.915 --> 00:49:55.995
at the time i i know that from my perspective

00:49:55.995 --> 00:49:58.855
i thought oh there's not so many paddlers then i learned of james had

00:49:58.855 --> 00:50:03.315
started in the similar aspect through me initially but um as we got to know

00:50:03.315 --> 00:50:08.175
each other we got on well and yeah he's a lovely guy and i think what him and

00:50:08.175 --> 00:50:12.235
simon had done with online sea kayaking is fantastic excellent well definitely

00:50:12.235 --> 00:50:15.635
get in touch with james and as you mentioned he He and Simon have been great

00:50:15.635 --> 00:50:18.435
supporters of the show as well. So we appreciate that support.

00:50:18.915 --> 00:50:22.695
And again, I appreciate the time with you and appreciate learning from you and

00:50:22.695 --> 00:50:25.435
look forward to the opportunity to meet again in the future.

00:50:25.975 --> 00:50:28.315
Thanks so much, John. Thanks for your time as well. Thank you.

00:50:29.968 --> 00:50:33.308
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00:50:33.308 --> 00:50:36.888
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00:50:41.528 --> 00:50:45.328
The concept and exercises in this book have helped me become a better paddler,

00:50:45.448 --> 00:50:47.048
and they can make a difference for you, too.

00:50:47.168 --> 00:50:50.968
The exercises in the book can help you reduce tension in your shoulders and

00:50:50.968 --> 00:50:54.748
low back, use the power of your torso to create leverage and use less energy

00:50:54.748 --> 00:50:58.708
with each stroke, Use force generated from your lower body to make your paddling

00:50:58.708 --> 00:50:59.588
strokes more efficient.

00:50:59.928 --> 00:51:03.508
Have the endurance to handle long days in the boat. Drive through the toughest

00:51:03.508 --> 00:51:06.868
waves or white water. Protect your body against common paddling injuries.

00:51:07.108 --> 00:51:10.188
And while you're at it, you might even lose a few pounds. And who wouldn't mind

00:51:10.188 --> 00:51:14.568
that? So visit paddlingexercises.com to get the book and companion DVD.

00:51:15.448 --> 00:51:18.828
It's always a pleasure to talk to fun paddlers about beautiful places.

00:51:19.188 --> 00:51:22.768
Roger brings some great experiences and new places that we haven't talked about

00:51:22.768 --> 00:51:26.468
before in the show. Of all those places around the world, it's interesting that

00:51:26.468 --> 00:51:28.268
his favorite is Duncan's Behead.

00:51:28.468 --> 00:51:32.668
In relative terms, not too far from his home waters. It just proves that adventure

00:51:32.668 --> 00:51:34.648
doesn't have to be very far away to be memorable.

00:51:35.008 --> 00:51:38.648
It's fun to think about those far-off places, but make sure you're appreciating

00:51:38.648 --> 00:51:40.528
all those great adventures in your own backyard.

00:51:41.108 --> 00:51:44.228
Connect with Roger and learn more about his Mallorca and Menorca trip,

00:51:44.448 --> 00:51:49.728
a collection of Coastal Spirits YouTube videos, how you might be able to join one of those St.

00:51:49.768 --> 00:51:53.588
Kilda experiences, and more, by visiting the show notes for this episode,

00:51:53.668 --> 00:51:59.228
number 123, at www.paddlingtheblue.com slash 123.

00:52:00.068 --> 00:52:04.768
You'll also find all past episodes and their show notes, as well as links to our great partners.

00:52:05.348 --> 00:52:09.648
Thanks again to our partners at OnlineSeaCoyoking.com for extending a special offer to you.

00:52:10.068 --> 00:52:14.808
Visit OnlineSeaCoyoking.com and to the code PTB Podcast to check out and get

00:52:14.808 --> 00:52:17.968
10% off just for being a member of the Paddling the Blue community.

00:52:18.588 --> 00:52:22.008
Until next time, thanks again for listening, and I look forward to bringing

00:52:22.008 --> 00:52:24.208
you the next episode of Paddling the Blue.

00:52:24.928 --> 00:52:28.468
Thank you for listening to Paddling the Blue. You can subscribe to Paddling

00:52:28.468 --> 00:52:33.608
the Blue on Apple Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

00:52:33.948 --> 00:52:36.948
Please take the time to leave us a five-star review on Apple Music.

00:52:37.068 --> 00:52:38.748
We truly appreciate the support.

00:52:38.928 --> 00:52:42.108
And you can find the show notes for this episode and other episodes,

00:52:42.308 --> 00:52:47.868
along with replays of past episodes, contact information, and more at paddlingtheblue.com.

00:52:48.108 --> 00:52:51.248
Until next time, I hope you get out, and paddle the blue.

00:52:51.440 --> 00:52:57.532
Music.