Comments on: The pleasure and the pain

By: pamf

pamf — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:18:41 +0000

Hi Gavin – We weren’t in that group, but we can be frequently spotted in the Toward vicinity. I think the container ships are all up Loch Striven now. Apparently 18 more are to join them – see http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2516917.0.troubled_waters.php .

Won’t be very scenic!

By: gavin

gavin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:53:39 +0000

thanks Pam, for the link that gives a small explanation into the 3 container ships…a pal an myself left Toward and cruised around them before heading off again….that was Jun 21 and we saw a group of paddlers as we left Toward, were you amongst them?

By: pamf

pamf — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:10:14 +0000

Hi Jeff – Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment. The elbow/wrist pain appears to have gone. I’ve experienced no discomfort since that episode, although I have been using my old Lendal Kinetic Touring crank shaft paddle, having loaned my Werner Cyprus paddle to a friend. Plus conditions have been very calm. Of course, I refuse to countenance that the Werner paddle could be causing a problem (too expensive!), but feel it relates more to my paddling style and rougher conditions. I think you may be right about the consistent relaxed grip. I’m also guilty of forgetting torso rotation on occasion. I like your idea about videoing and stretching too. Will give it a go. Thanks again. Pam

By: Jeff Fabiszewski

Jeff Fabiszewski — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:19:22 +0000

Hi Pam— How is the elbow pain? I too have experienced that exact type of pain paddling in heavy winds and chop. I video taped myself one day to recreate the pain and I have discovered that I am guilty of a few things. After eight hours of paddling I was flexing the wrists during some braces, and stern draws. The video also relieved that I did not have a consistent relaxed grip on the paddle in heavy winds and chop.

See if you can recreate your experience and record it on video.

My remedy before I paddle is to stretch / warm up my wrists before I paddle rough weather. I wear a paddling glove that has wrist support and does not constrict tendons. And I focus on paddling on a relaxed grip even when I am excited with what the water is doing. I also do the same wrist exercises that rock climbers do while I am at work. I sit at a desk and type a lot.

—I hope this helps, Jeff

By: pamf

pamf — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:10:32 +0000

Hi Dan – Wow, the power of the Interwebs! Indeed, we wish you both could have hung around longer so we could have ogled your kayaks – and chatted – some more They are very beautiful boats (I am a sucker for sparkly things). Glad to hear that you got safely around the island. The weather was a bit changeable and one had to be be brisk and take advantage of any lulls, so we quite understand.

It was nice to meet you. Perhaps we’ll bump into you on the water again some day. We’ll be sure to recognise you – as long as you don’t change kayaks!

By: Dan Thomas

Dan Thomas — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:17:33 +0000

Goodness – we’d never thought of our boats as being glam before. The glitter is just there to disguise the scratches, of which there are plenty. After we met I spent the rest of the day worrying that I’d been a bit abrupt with you. Normally I’m a sucker for bobbing around and chatting but that day I really wanted to get around the south end of Bute. I wanted to have the land between us and the forecast easterlies. The plan worked too, but we still had a lively sea the next day wherever the winds were funnelling through the low ground in the middle of the island.

I hope the wrists and elbows sort themselves out. These things usually do.

Dan