simon osborne

2007-02-18T21:49:00.000Z

SEA KAYAKING CORNWALL

To save me writing everything twice please visit the Sea Kayaking Cornwall blog
Thanks Simon

First course for SKC completed

2006-10-08T17:26:00.000Z

Well my first course for Sea Kayaking Cornwall is completed. As you can see by Davids face below the bit of rain on the sunday afternoon didnt put him off. On the first morning we had perfect blue skies and a calm sea. The balance exercise went well with no splashes to be seen. Thanks to Pete, Steve and David my first course was a joy to work on and i am now really looking forward to the years ahead teaching and exploring the cornish coast.

NDK Dealers Meet

2006-09-27T09:46:00.000Z

The NDK Dealers meet is the time of the year when Nigel Dennis invites all of his dealers around the world to come to wales and use the kayaks in the environment they were designed for. Well yesterday saw perfect conditions at Penryn Mawr. I cant remember a day with so many kayaks out of the water.
There will be more photgraphs after we have all recovered with a full review of the week with details of all of the new developments from Nigel Dennis Kayaks.

West Coast sea and surf

2006-08-23T11:47:00.000Z

Over the weekend I led a Sea and Surf weekend on the West Coast of Ireland for Deep Blue Sea Kayaking. We headed to Lahinch, County Clare for our base. We were blessed with ideal conditions. On Sat morning we circumnavigated Mutton Island in lumpy conditions. There were a few wide eyes around the exposed west side as the tide tumbled the tops of the Atlantic rollers. The beautiful crecent shaped Doughmore beach offered a 2 foot swell and enabled the group to put there skills learnt on the east coast into real practice.

The weather on the sunday was perfect for an attack on the tallest cliffs in Europe, the Cliffs of Moher. The clouds hung from the cliff tops and gave us a moody specticle to admire. We even managed a slightly slippy landing right under the highest part of the cliff line.

I want to thank the group for being so enthusiastic and really getting stuck into it! The West has soo much more of this to offer. Keep it up!

Flying south for the winter

2006-07-27T13:10:00.000Z

I have recently agreed to go into business with Jeff Allen down in Cornwall and build on his existing sea kayaking business. We hope to start things rolling in September and have everything set up by the spring. So please watch this space for developments!

I have been busy over the past few weeks working and playing. The other day I explored Ireland`s Eye, a small island 20min north of Dublin. I was amazed at the specticle of the Gannets balancing on the towering stack. There are not many capital cities in the world that allow you to be in Three knots of tide floating past dramatic coastline looking at an incredible diversity of wildlife. I will be sad to leave this area in September but still have a while to make the most of it.

Circumnavigation of Iceland

2006-06-15T12:07:00.000Z

During my time working at Terra Santa Kayaks in Israel i had the pleasure of working with Rotem. A few days ago she set off on an attempt to become the first person to complete a SOLO circumnavigation of Iceland. Rotem is a quiet and shy idividual with firery determination, and no doubt is focused on the challenge ahead of her. This will be her greatest challenge to date and we are all very much behind her all the way.

You can follow her progress by clicking here.

Rotem,

Good luck I know you can do it. Just take it a day at a time. My thoughts are with you daily.

Go for it Girl!!!!

Love and best wishes Simon

Symposium paddling

2006-06-06T10:35:00.000Z

It is the time of year when the northern Hemisphere is on kayaking overdrive. At present there is a symposium happenning nearly every weekend. The photo above is from the Nigel Dennis Kayaks Symposium that happens every May. It is usually the first of the year kicking off the season. The NDK symposium is an Intermediate-Advanced event with lots of rough water classes.

A good list of the symposiums throughout the year can be found on kayakwisconsin.net. This is not the complete list but gives you some ideas. It is incredible that there is a network of sea kayakers to support all of these events. It just shows how strong the industry has become.

Easky Social

2006-06-05T19:34:00.000Z

I have been to easky a few time in the past and there has always been surf. As above! Unfortunatly yesterday was flat calm. However, again it is demonstrated that kayaking is quite often not actually about the kayaking. There were over 100 kayakers from all corners of Ireland squeezed into one field by the break. Many new friends were made over a guiness or two, followed by a sound and music spectacle on the castle. Everyone was there to kayak but no one seemed to upset by the calm seas and hot weather! I love that kayakers generally dont take their sport too seriously and enjoy the lifestyle it forces on you.

New Terra Santa Website

2006-06-02T22:10:00.000Z

New website

When people think of Israel they have a vision of bad things they see on the news. In the times I visited it couldnt have been more different. The country has so much to offer and there really is nothing like kayaking on the dead sea. 400meters below sea level with the salt drying into crystals on your deck as you paddle through the dense oily water.

During January and Feburary I worked out in Israel mainly teaching white water and surf. I first visited Terra Santa in 2003 and was surprised by the frequency and quality of the surf for the mediteranean. If you would like to see some video of myself and Phil in playboats surfing click here. I was also able to discover the river Jordan and the white water it had to offer. Terra santa also offer expeditions in Greece which is like paddling in heaven. I wont say any more and will let the photographs speak for themselves.

Looking at their site brings back many fond memories. Surfing in just a pair of shorts then strolling up the beach to the cafe for a beer and resting in the sun to recover from a tireing session. Please note the beer was after paddling not during or before!!!

Variety is the spice of life

2006-06-01T11:59:00.000Z

After the heat wave in the US I was expecting to have to wrap up in all my gear for the evening session. Fortunatly the air was crisp and warm with clear blue skies. It is days like this that it really dawns on you that kayaking is so varied. I have been on the water for the last 20 years and I am still finding new environments to paddle in. From the cool fresh water of the Great Lakes to the open sea with tides and seals.

Kayaking for me is most of the time not about the physical kayak and making it do what i want but much more about the place that i am floating in it. I now see it as a reason to visit new places and meet new people. Half of the towns and countries i have been to i would never have had a reason to visit had it not have been for kayaking.

As you can see by the photographs quite the perfect evening to get people hooked on sea kayaking. How can you not get drawn in by seals playing with your end toggles and the wind dropping to create a sea of glass as the sun sets.

Derrick wrote an incredible blog yesterday that hit me hard when i read it (www.kayakwisconsin.net) . He took away with him a side of the lecture that i rearly get to hear. Thank you for putting that in text and you certainly know how to write well. He is very much right about this journey that sea kayaking has taken me on so far. I just wonder where it will take me next.....

West Michigan Sea Kayak Symposium

2006-05-31T11:48:00.000Z

THANKS EVERYONE

What an event!! Before I say anything about what went on i just want to say a huge thanks to all of the organisers and to everyone that attended. The symposium surprised me in so many ways. The main thing that jumps out at me is how friendly everyone was and how the group really got to know each other over the weekend. On the saturday night i gave my lecture in the lakeside cabin to about 200 people. On the sunday night Betsy Bay and Pocket Change played some amazing tunes. I think that everyone was strutting their stuff on the floor at some point.

Thanks to certain individuals the idea of dollar dances was brought up to raise money for kayaking for cancer. Now i came across some intemidating conditions on my way around ireland, but give me the waves over a flashing strobe duck taped to my head anyday. On a serious note thanks to everyone who put the dancing together as we managed to raise $1100 in total. Raising this much money means alot to me and the weekend will be one i will never ever forget. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as i did.

If you want to see a full report of the event with more photos take a look at www.kayakwisconsin.net

Even though i did get beaten by Adriene in the speed rolling competition you cant say i wasnt trying hard. Well done Adriene 11 paddle rolls in 20 sec
Simon

Well i am back home in Dublin now and have to run out the door to run an improvers evening.
Agian thanks everyone and i hope to see you all soon.

Wisconsin Paddling

2006-05-25T22:13:00.000Z

This could be a start of a new age. I am blogging, whatever that means!!! Having taken off the water early yesterday I sat in the Motel room in Bayfield Wisconsin and asked Derrick Mayoleth " How do you make a website?" One hour later this was created. Derrick, whom runs www.kayakwisconsin.net has been showing me the delights of the Apostle Islands before we head over to the West Michigan Symposium. I will be giving a lecture on Kayaking For Cancer and teaching some classes. I am looking forward to the event but not the 3am start in the morning to get there.