Kayaking to Valö, Sweden

June 28, 2009

Valö is located in the archipelago of Göteborg. It is appox 2 – 2,5 hours of paddling south from Saltholmen. There has been a light house on Valö since 1885. Since 2000 there is a yearly kayak meeting at Valö, Valöträffen, in late June or early July. The Gothenburg Canoe Club (Göteborgs kanotförening – GKF) the organizer of the meeting. GKF has the privilage to be responsible of the light house buildnings at Valö. Members of GKF has access to the buildings all around the year.

Valö in the warm summer evening

This year the Valöträffen gathered about 60 participants. There is no program announced in advance. Different activites is planned during the weekend depending on the weather conditions and also the motivation of the participants. Some kayakers paddle to Tistlarna, some are refining the rolling and rescue technique and some is just having a good time and relax. This year there was a botanist who had an excursion around the island. It was very interesting. Valö has a varying and impressive amount of flowers.

Rune is paddling in his hunter

Pia and Erik is performing a synchronized roll

Teresia is having a rest after practising some rolling technique

Some stayed ashore all day

Erik is rolling outside the lighthouse of Valö

On sunday there was a botanical excursion on Valö

A beautiful flower, havent got a clue of the name!

Afternoon paddling

June 13, 2009

As a kayaker in Göteborg I try to catch every opportunity to paddle. When Lars from the Paddling Magazine, Paddling, called me and asked if I had some spare time to paddle I quit work early. Lars was on a road trip in the south of Sweden. We went kayaking for a couple of hours in the archipelago of Göteborg. Johan Linder also turned up to join us.

Johan and Lars outside Eskilsholmen

Johan is having an apple

Extreme seakayaking with Tsunami Rangers

June 5, 2009

OK, Tsunami Rangers is not based in Scandinavia and I have never done anything like this. It’s complete madness but it’s also very entertaining. I’m glad to watch it at home. The Tsunami Rangers are a dozen members of an ocean adventure kayaking team located near San Francisco. Formed in 1984, the Tsunami Rangers have evolved from a coordinated team to a close-knit tribe united not by blood but by spirit. The Tsunami Rangers live for kayaking adventure on the ocean. Hopefully there will be a new film out soon.