chargelife » Kids in Kayaks

Race Hard, Play Harder: Tuesday Night SUP Races

Heather — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:12:34 +0000

When we launched the Tuesday night SUP races at Lake Padden, starting just a week ago, we knew it’d take a shape and life of its own. We wanted to purposely avoid setting any too-strict rules or guidelines about the race course, length, start time, location, or any other factors that might alter the arc of what the thing was meant to become.

Now, after only 2 sessions out on Padden, the shape is forming. And although the “race” component is definitely there, it’s really playing a supporting role to the larger, more heavily-attended “Family Fun Fest” that takes place mostly after the race is over.

Tonight, for example, it was kids, kids, and more kids on boards with mom and dad, standing up, laying down, sitting, kneeling, on their own going upwind, across and back down. It was moms and dads acting like kids, swapping this board for that, paddle for paddle, going out in groups, breaking off and trying their own thing. It was a beach scene with games of catch, waist-deep wading, ducks waddling by, all under the unbelievably warm and beautiful Bellingham summer (finally!) sunshine!!!

More than once I found myself talking to someone on the beach while we watched the scene thrive all around us, and we just kind of broke out giggling at the sheer awesomeness of the atmosphere. Beautiful, athletic, young and old, big and small smiling people having the kind of fun others travel across entire continents to experience, in our own backyard, for FREE.

We’ll look back on this time, this particular summer, and talk about the good ol’ days when it was all rootsy and had the kind of vibe you just can’t find anymore. It’s really, really NOT something you want to miss. Come down and check it out and paddle. Bring your kids, or a friend, or your dog. I promise, you will smile HUGE!

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See you on the water!

Heather, Brandon and Hayden

The Wee – 4

Heather — Sun, 16 May 2010 01:41:51 +0000

I didn’t know it at the time, but, back in the early 70′s my destiny as a paddler was sealed with summers on Lake Tahoe paddling the Wee - 4. Today, Hayden was all smiles as he took his maiden voyage in the historic Christensen family canoe. Although, I am pretty sure his fate as a paddler was sealed long ago!!!

Tomorrow we are back to race pace as we head up to Deep Cove to help Team USA defend their title in Part II of the THINK International Challenge!!!

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POSTED BY: Heather

See you on the water!

Heather, Brandon and Hayden

Racing In Our Living Room… 2010 Lake Whatcom Classic

Heather — Sun, 02 May 2010 04:44:17 +0000

Heather and I train on Lake Whatcom about 80% of the time. It’s five minutes from our house and honestly: we just love paddling there. If Bellingham Bay is our front yard then Lake Whatcom is our living room. It’s sooo comfy and familiar.

So when the 13-mile Lake Whatcom Classic rolls around each spring, it’s a given that we’re going to be out there mixing it up with the locals and the rest of the NW paddling and rowing tribe.

The weather today was perfect for hard racing: cool in the low 50’s, low ceiling hanging below the hilltops and beautifully boxing in the long, narrow lake, no rain and no blaring sunshine. Perfect and fast.

Racing the Classic has been, for me, full of all kinds of mini adventures.

I’ve drafted and been drafted by every class of boat in the race.
I’ve clacked bow to stern and paddle blades and shaved enough carbon off my wing to make a sailboat mast.
I’ve bonked hard and could barely make the finish line, with Heather in the bow pulling us along with all her might.
After today, I can add that I’ve had the paddle knocked right out of my hand by a fellow racer right next to me.

And for the 2^nd time in our history of racing the Classic, Heather and I brought home double blue ribbons. I held off a pair of tandem skis piloted by Morris and Debbie Arthur in one and Shaun Sullivan and Larry Goolsby in the other, and Joost Zeegers in his Mako, to finish 1^st High Performance Kayak, (3^rd overall behind powerhouse uber-rowers Anne Browning and Nicole Sylvester in a 2X shell, and super-duper-uber-K1 racer Ian MacKenzie in his K1. (Ian, what the _____? You’re a fricking freek, man!)

Heather toughed out the miles basically alone, grabbing just a couple short drafts and finishing first female surfskier (HPK) in 1 hour 49 minutes and change.

Aside from being one of our very favorite races and in our living room at that, the Classic is a critical barometer to measure Ski to Sea readiness. By the looks of it, the locals have been hitting it hard this year and are going to be peaking just in time for the main event on May 31. Should be a fast, fast field this year, so if you’re racing in the S2S, be sure to bring your A-game! You’ll need it!

After the awards and frankfurter feast, we meandered over to the kayak symposium and boat sale, and were STOKED to score Hayden his next kayak: A Sterling Donalson Mini-Yak formerly owned by young Holly Groves. I’d built one of these same boats for my friend Stryker Scales in Lanikai, Hawaii, and have had my sights set on one for Hayden as he nears growing out of his first boat, the 4’10” stitch and glue I’d built and given him on the day he was born. We’re super excited to get him out in the Mini-Yak this summer, so a big Thanks to the Groves family for selling it to us! And congratulations, Hayden!

Be sure to check out the full results of the Lake Whatcom Classic!!!

And check out Michael Lampi’s photography of the Classic.

POSTED BY: Brandon

See you on the Water!

Heather, Brandon and Hayden

Happy Spring: Toddlers, Kayaks, and Sun!!!

Heather — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:44:00 +0000

Today, under a big blue sky, warm sun and cool breeze we celebrated the coming of the first day of spring with a family paddle and picnic on Lake Padden in Bellingham.

Hayden did most of the paddling, while I coached him on his wing paddle technique.

A picture of Brandon, our motor in the stern!

Happy Spring and Happy Adventuring!

Brandon, Heather and Hayden

Kayaks for Kids….

Heather — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:10:00 +0000

Question:
Brandon, My name is Skip, I met your wife at the AM/PM beaches the other day. The kayak that you built for the kids is great. She said that you had made plans for the boat and I was curious about getting a set. What size child would you say the boat is built for? I have a niece that is two although I guess that she will be three by the time the weather is warm again. Thanks, Skip

Hayden giving Ashby some paddling tips at AM Beach in Sudden Valley

Answer:
Hi Skip,
Thanks for your e-mail! I’m flattered that you’d want to build a boat similar to Hayden’s. It’s cool that it resonated with you.
That said, Hayden’s boat is really sized as a person’s first boat, from 0 to 2 years old. I’ve seen some slightly bigger kids try to get in it, and it’s just a little small for them. If your niece is going to be 3 before she’s using it, she’ll have outgrown it by then.
I’ve had a number of requests from people to design and make available a kit for the next size up, and it won’t be long until Hayden’s ready for that himself. It MAY be something I could get to this winter when real estate slows down a bit. I’m certainly open to it.
For right now, I would point you towards Yostwerks kayaks. The owner of this site, Tom Yost, has designed a whole fleet of skin boats, and makes the plans available online for free. There are step by step slideshows taking you through the whole construction process. Here’s a link to some photos of his kids boat, the Sea Flea. http://www.yostwerks.com/RomainSeaFlea.html I’ll be building one of these for Hayden soon enough.
You may have to e-mail Tom Yost for the link to these plans. I couldn’t readily find it on the site, and he may’ve moved it or pulled it down, etc. There are a lot of these out on the water, though, so it’s fully legit. You can easily add the outrigger type float like Hayden’s boat has… of course you can add that to any boat. Best of luck with your project, Skip. And as you’re building this or any boat, in any medium of construction, I highly recommend Nick Schade’s boat builder’s discussion forum. You can ask any question and have a slew of intelligent answers within minutes, usually. Here’s the link: http://www.kayakforum.com/KayakBuilding/index.shtml

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~
Heather, Brandon and Hayden

Baker Lake Camping Trip

Heather — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:43:00 +0000

After our Lummi circumnavigation, I gave my surfski a few days off, loaded our stand-up paddle board and plastic sit-on top kayak and gear for car camping – and joined seventeen 6 -10 year-olds and their Mom’s camping on Baker Lake.

Located near Concrete, WA, and only 1 hour and 15 minutes from our Sudden Valley home, Baker Lake is a gem for adventurers of all kinds. A hiker can take the 14-mile Baker Lake Trail that follows the eastern shore of the length of the lake for a day hike or backpacking trip… or for a slightly different perspective you could do the same from a kayak! A out-and-back by foot, or circumnavigation by kayak would be a great work-out for the hearty! Or, there is always the Baker Lake 50 K for the ultra runners!

Car camping in one of the ½ dozen forest service campgrounds on the west side of the lake offers a great base camp for limitless adventure opportunities. We stayed at Horseshoe Cove Campground for our three-day adventure. While Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan rose above the lake in the distance offering gorgeous views, and inspiration for a variety of nearby day hikes, we focused on quality beach and play time for this excursion!

Hayden scouting out his new home.

The booster seat on the ground – not a good idea.

The Stand-Up Paddle Board was a hit with the kids!

Our tough Pacific Norwest kids weren’t phased by the somewhat rainy and blustery weekend!

It was unanimous, whether it be for exploring, exercising or a boat the kids could paddle, we named the Ocean Kayak Sprinter the best multi-purpose sit-on-top kayak.

On one paddle we found an osprey nest on a snag in the lake.

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As soon as the tent dries, we are off to the Columbia River Gorge for the Gorge Outrigger Races.

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, brandon and Hayden

5th Annual Dan Harris Challenge

Heather — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:16:00 +0000

It felt more like a Saturday morning surf session with the gang than a race. In fact, as I paddled into 3-foot wind waves and 10 – 15 knot winds… I kept wondering, “Why didn’t we put in at Larrabee?”

The nearly 10-mile Dan Harris Challenge was, for me, not only fun, but a good test of my fitness. I had a solid race. It wasn’t my fastest, but it was steady.

I have been asked over the past year, “How has motherhood affected your racing?” As I sat sucking up the post-race sun, and watching Hayden play with his good friends Maddy, Abby, Nora and Zach – the children of our closest friends – it was all quite clear. I live and breathe racing and fitness and adventure. Brandon has supported me fully in helping me create a training schedule and watching Hayden during those times.

But, it is Hayden and his sweet innocent love of exploring a world that is brand new to him; it is him that truly defines me. And the pre-Hayden bonds we had with our friends have now become as tight as if we were one big family.

I would love to say that racing and training has been easy, that I just need to set aside the time. But that would be a lie. It is hard. After a day of chasing around a very energetic little boy, followed by a night of being up every 2 or 3 hours to nurse, it takes a lot of motivation to hit the water for an early morning paddle. It is even harder to make it a good, hard workout. And, I am plain tired! Even after a 3.4-mileWednesday Night Race… I need a recovery day!

In the bigger picture, though, it is those same Wednesday Night Races, seeing Hayden run off with a posse of ‘future paddlers of Bellingham’ to play on the playground… and seeing that same little posse smiling with pride as their Mommies and Daddies cross the finish line… that makes all seem perfect in the universe.

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Baja Road Trip VI: Camping with a less-than-year-old baby

Heather — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:56:00 +0000

How is it camping on the Baja beaches with a less-than-year-old baby?

It’s literally wonderful … as in full of wonder… a total awareness-amplifier.
The birds, the sand, the sea life, the people… everything is an exciting new curiosity. Everything is something to point out or touch or taste. If it were just Brandon and I, we would miss 99% of what Hayden has taught us and shown us this trip.
But day to day life is like juggling or plate-spinning… 24-hours a day. If one of us wants to go for a 2-hour paddle, or climb out of the tent to go for a pee in the night, or just grab a drink from the cooler… the key phrase is “Can you watch the boy?” At least one of us is always “on”, which can be exhausting!
We have, however, discovered a few key items and ‘structural concepts’ that have made Hayden a happy camper! The biggest being that babies – or at least baby Hayden – loves routine. When we were driving to new camps and new destinations every day or couple days, we found Hayden was tossing and turning and what we call ‘sleep crawling’ in the night. He grew anxious any time we got near the van, screamed in protest if he was put in his car seat, and needed Mommy nearby for security ALL the time!
Once we started setting camp for a week at a time or more, our happy, easy going little boy returned. He is on a 3-meal a day schedule and has a regular bedtime and morning routine. He sleeps well, only waking up to nurse. And, to our great relief, when we put him in the car seat for day trips, he happily babbles and amuses himself the entire drive!
In addition, there are some items that, time and again, we are so grateful to have! Some we brought, some we discovered and picked up along the way.

Here are our Top 10 Camping-with-a- 9 – 12 month-old MUST Haves:

1. Mini Kayak – Not only does Hayden love to be towed around in his kayak on the water, he can spend hours climbing around on it on shore. And, an added benefit is that if there are other young families on the beach, they are immediately drawn to the little kayak. Hayden has made lots of new friends this way!

Here, Hayden shows his new friend, Faulker, a correct Forward Stroke technique…

and discusses properly outfitting the cockpit of your kayak.

2. Pack-N-Play – Sometimes we need to contain Hayden somewhere he can’t get into any trouble for a few minutes. He can amuse himself in his Pack –N – Play for about 30 minutes – long enough for one of to do something like prepare a meal.
3. A BIG tent – Before we left home, we bought a 7 x 12-foot tent. There is plenty of room for all of us, our clothes bags, toys, books, and the Pack-N-Play! Or, during the day, sometimes we clear it out and use it as a giant rec room for Hayden!
4. A 2-month supply of Cheerios – One of Hayden’s favorite pastimes is eating Cheerios one-by-one and feeding them to Mama and Papa. They are definite lifesavers in a pinch, like when Hayden is melting down towards the end of a long drive. I have not seen them in any of the markets down here yet, so I’m glad we brought plenty from home. Above, Hayden proudly shows off his special ‘O container.

Below, Hayden shares a Cheerio with Mama.
5. ERGO Baby carrier (Let’s Mama wear Hayden front or back like a backpack) – Hayden and I walk… A LOT! He is often up by 5:00AM, ready to play. To keep him from waking up the neighbors, I load him up and we go exploring. Also, grocery shopping, packing the van, hiking, doing dishes, nursing… I would be lost without the carrier! Hayden, sleeping in the ERGO on my back while I enjoy the view of Bahia de Conceptcion.

6. Tub – We bought a little $2 dish tub, just big enough for Hayden to take a bath in. We warm the water with our solar sun shower, then dump it into the tub. Hayden loves playing with his toys in the bath!
7. Diapers and wipes from home – Hayden’s little bottom is important to us! We brought a brand of diapers from home we knew worked and
that didn’t give him diaper rash.
8. Safety 1st Folding Booster Seat and extra beach chair – We have all our meals together, and having Hayden in his booster seat, the tray filled with finger foods, is just precious. We also bring the booster seat to social functions or to restaurants so he can eat in style! Hayden’s, like Mama and Papa, LOVEs to eat and gets giddy when we put him in his booster seat!

9. A First Aid and Toiletry kit from home – Good sunscreen, teething medicine, his little toothbrush, nail clippers, baby Tylenol, shampoo, Q-tips, … it feels good to know you have what you need when you need it.
10. Flap Happy and iPlay sun hats – they have been awesome! They stay on in the wind (if Hayden doesn’t rip them off himself just for fun!) and cover his ears and neck.

It wasn’t hard paring down the list to come up with these essentials. Hayden uses them every day and they’ve added to the enjoyment of the trip immeasurably. If we were to do this trip again, every one of these Top 10 items would be coming along!

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

"I CAN KAYAK" Kids Camp

Heather — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:16:00 +0000

“I CAN KAYAK” and Elakah Expeditions present “I CAN KAYAK” Kids Camp 2008!

“I CAN KAYAK” Kids Camp is a five-day sea kayak camp we started last summer, with the support of Elakah Expeditions. Through skills practice, games, and team building exercises, students learn how to paddle and manuever kayaks, understand the parts of a kayak and how they work, how to self-rescue and wet exit, and how to make smart on-the-water judgements, and communicate on the water with simple whistle, hand and paddle signals.

Skills Practice

Team Work

Paddling both singles and doubles

Learning Kayak Nomenclature and understanding kayaks inside and out

On day one students are given the pieces of this specially built MiniYak and are given the instructions to reconstruct the pieces into a kayak that you can paddle on the lake. In this exercise, which is a always a favorite, students learn kayak nomemclature and get a hands-on understanding of kayaks inside and out.

And, we always have lots of fun!

Stay tuned… we have plans to keeps building “I CAN KAYAK“!!!

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure!

Heather, Brandon and Hayden

Elakah Kids Sea Kayak Camp

Heather — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 23:01:00 +0000

ELAKAH’s 5-Day KIDS IN KAYAKS Sea Kayak Camp

Photogallery

Bold Brandon, Ready Reed, Kool Kyler, Great Greg, Ferrit Garrett, Lily Ladybug, Daring Danika, Excellent Eddie, Happy Heather, Kayak Katie, Energetic Emily, Hoppy Holly, Krazy Kat, Smart Sarah and (not shown) Respectful Rebecca.

Sea Kayaking……

Self Rescues and Assisted Rescues…..

Building the MiniYak….

Team Building and Dryland Games….

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An intro to whitewater kayaks…

New Friends……

Congratulations to the First Ever Elakah Kids Sea Kayak Camp Graduates!!!

To learn more about Elakah, go to http://www.elakah.com/

To learn more about the MiniYak, a locally made kids sized boat, contact Sterling of Sterlings Kayaks and Fiberglass 360-398-2410

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather and Brandon