Kayaking trip to Rivö

July 31, 2010

I have spent too many days indoors this year but last week my friend Patric suggested that we just should do a short trip to Rivö in Goteborg Archipelago. It’s about one hour kayaking trip from the harbor to Rivö. Rivö has a population of 35 sheep, 4 horses and some Ravens.

We had really nice weather and a really good time.

We spotted two caribous today! Built in Marstrand.

The view from Rivö is excellent. A nice spot for dinner!

Geveskär  in the inlet to Goteborg.

The wild raspberries at Rivö was delicious! The Public Access in Sweden is great.

Day trips

July 18, 2010

I have been kayaking the last couple of days and mostly day trips in Goteborg. Not very long or advanced paddling but still very nice and relaxing.

Gabriella is taking her first strokes ever!

Lunchbreak at Eskilsholmen in the Goteborg Archipelago.

Tomas is his Rumour in Goteborg Archipelago

Annual kayaking trip to Valö

July 5, 2010

First day of my vacation and kayaking. The weekend could not start in a better way. Well, I prefer tailwind so the the gale from south wasn’t that nice for a start. Otherwise it was great. Every year in the beginning of July the Gothenburg Canoe Club is having an open paddling trip to Valö. It is getting more and more popular. This year it was about 60 attendants from a lot of places in the south of Sweden. It is a relaxed atmosphere and lot of fun. There wasn’t any special program this year except the mandatory barbecue on saturday night. This year the wind trigged our  playfulness.

I’m having a break behind a small light house, to avoid the headwind for a while, on my way to Valö.

Some of the kayaks at Valö.

A group of paddlers are heading out to the waves.

Some islets south of Valö was the playground this time.

Tomas is getting out through the break in his Rumour.

followed by Andreas in his Clapotis.

Johan and Tomas is having fun.

Tomas posing in front of the camera.

Johan is the designer and builder of Clapotis and Clapotis 2.0.

High brace

Anders bought a hull from Johan and designed the Clapotis lowrider. Great work! I want one!

On the leeward of Valö some practiced sculling and eskimo rolling.

Some was just having a good time.

Saturday night and the barbeque

It was really calm conditions on our way back to Goteborg

A video from Valöträffen

Kayaking in Stockholm City

June 29, 2010

Yesterday I went kayaking in Stockholm City with my friend Åsa. I have been working in Stockholm for a few days and we took the afternoon of and rented some kayaks at kajakkompaniet on the island of Kungsholms west side. Paddling in Stockhomm was really nice weather and the there were many kayakers and boats on the water. The cost was 225 SEK for 4 hours. They had about 12 kayaks of good rental standard.

We took the most paddled trip in Sweden, according to Fredrik at Kajakkompaniet, and circumnavigated Kungsholmen. It is fun to see the city from water level. You see lots of people, beautiful houseboats, nice buildnings including the Stockholm City Hall where the Nobel Prize Banquet is held. Here is more information about kayaking in Stockholm.

Åsa is paddling with the Stockholm City Hall in the background.

Karlbergs Palace

Kayaking trip

May 23, 2010

This weekend I went kayaking with my friends Patric and Martin. This was the first kayaking trip for Martin in seven years and he just did a trial trip then. At Hinsholmen we ran into Babs Lindman who has circumnavigated the south island of New Zeeland and also the coastline of Norway. Her company kajaktiv was having a demonstration day. I have met Babs a couple of times before when I did some courses in white water paddling and I have also joined kajaktiv to a white water trip in Norway two years ago. I can really recommend the courses and trips. The instructors are among the best white water kayakers in Sweden.  Babs is full of life and I really admire her strength, guts and sense of humor.

Babs jumped into my kayak and discovered that the silhoutte is low…

Patric is leaving Rivö in his fairly new Corsa.

After having a chat with Babs we started to paddle and went out to some islands west of the city. Patric stayed until afternoon and then headed back home. Martin and me continued for another 30 minutes.

Tent spot at Galterö

The conditions were perfect. Hardly no wind and really warm. We have had a really long winter that has affected the spring badly but now, just in a few days, it feels like summer. Even the night was warm.

Martin enjoyed the trip.

Some sheep is still sleeping in the early morning!

We stayed at the island of Galterö. Galterö has a nice fauna with heaps of different birds and also quite a few sheep . When we headed back home we had a nice tailwind helping us coming back home quickly. I think Martin ejoyed the trip. He fell in love with the kayak, the Clapotis, we borrowed from a friend. I wish there was a lower version of the Clapotis. That would be a real nice kayak.

Kayaking in the fog

April 8, 2010

The first kayak trip of the year went to the island of Valö. It is located in the south part of Göteborg Archipelago. Kayaking in Sweden has been a struggle this year. The winter has been really long and most parts of the coastline has been covered with ice. So it is a late premiere. It was a really windy paddling to Valö. Even if the distance is just 12 km I thought it was really hard. The trip back to Göteborg was really nice. A light breeze in the back and a nice fog that made the trip more adventurous.

Patric is having a rest, protected from the wind. When we left Göteborg is was sunny but it was just about to change…

Eric and Pia is having a rest on our way back to Göteborg

The best part of Valö is that we as members of the Göteborg Canoing Association have access to the lighthouse and the cabins. Some of the Cabins have a stove which makes the staying more comfortable. We had rain mixed with snow during sunday afternoon. Then it felt good that we had left the tents back home.

A video clip from the trip. Erik and Pia was already at Valö when we arrived.

Now I’m off for some cross country skiing in the mountains further north of Sweden.

Finally…

April 4, 2010

After almost 6 months is the waiting over. The first paddling trip this year is a fact. We started in Göteborg and headed south to the island of Valö. It was quite windy and it felt as the longest trip ever. I have not been a frequent visitor at my gym last winter. I will suffer tomorrow…

At Valö we met Pia and Erik. They started their trip yesterday. I’m glad we are staying indoor tonight. The mix of rain and snow feels cold.

More pics from the trip will be published when I get back home. The picture below is taken with my Iphone and the Hipstamatic app.

Indoor training

March 27, 2010

This winter has been extremely long in Sweden. I haven’t exeperienced such a long winter before. The lack of open water haven been troublesome for me and other kayakers. Well, some of the extreme kayakers have been kayaking in the inlet to Gothenburg but I’m not that extreme.

Stockholm City Hall. The ice is starting to break up even in Stockholm.

I’m working a couple of days in Stockholm every month. Stockholm offers excellent paddling but it is still cold. Outside the City Hall, where the Nobel Prize banquet is held, the ice is starting to break up. My plan is to paddle every now and then when I’m visiting Stockholm. Stockhom is normally really beautiful but today it was a cloudy grey day.

Carin is giving instructions to one of her customers

When I was in Stockholm I took the opportunity and joined Horisontkajak when they held an indoor course. The course was really good and they met the needs and expectations of the participants very well. I haven’t been practising my roll for a while. My goal with the course was to improve my underwater orientation and stress management. Carin had heaps of ideas of new underwater excerices. She prompted and guided me skillfully when I needed it. I learned a lot and I feel much more secure underwater after the course. Thx Carin!

Now I’m really eager to get into the water for some real paddling. Hopefully I will launch the kayak next week!

Kayaking in Stockholm Archipelago

August 3, 2009

I came home last night after a 7 day kayak trip to Stockholm archipelago together with two good friends, Patric and Carl Johan. Stockholm Archipelago is a great destination for seakayaking. We have had a really good trip with good weather conditions (tailwind and mostly sunny), a huge archipelago to discover, great paddling, lots of sea eagles and just great fun. This was my first trip to Stockholm archipelago and I must admit that it was a great experience. We went through the archipelago from the south to the north. We could easily spend another week discovering more fantastic spots. I’m organising a destination report and will publish it in the next coming days. Meanwhile here is a few pictures.

Carl Johan outside the island of Öja and the light house “Landsort”

The view from Stora Björn “Ursa Major”

Carl Johan getting close to the rocks

Patric outside the island of Svartlöga

Sunset from the tent at Stora Alskär

There are already some more pics and text at my other site in swedish, petersvensson.com

Rolling exercise

July 4, 2009

I have been practising rolling technique last weekend. I need to improve my technique, especially on my weak side. The hardest thing to me is to stay calm subsurfaced. To my help I had my friend Tomas who is an excellent roller.

Tomas starts to handroll

Tomas ending hand roll

Tomas is sculling in his Rumour

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