Small world

News travels fast. Not a few hours after I'd contacted the wonderful Peter Coates, Yukon 1000 organizer extraordinaire, to report that Dawn and I would have to pull out of 2009's race, that a reporter from CBC Yukon in Whitehorse called me for a radio interview on the reasons for our pulling out of the race.

Economy, economy, economy.

I haven't found a link if the interview did in fact air, but I have been enjoying listening to CBC Whitehorse, and particularly their Kiwi-like (thankfully, Centigrade) fascination with the weather. Hey, it's snowing up there!

UPDATE (0942 EST): Woo hoo! Just heard the interview on the radio. (Love the Internet.)

All unsigned: Yukon 1000

Our world's dire economy is hurting pretty well everyone, top up and bottom down--even those of us who sometimes have the luxury to dream about paddling the world's inaugural longest kayak race, the 2009 Yukon 1000.

I work in the not-for-profit world and raising money in this climate is far more of a challenge than normal. And smaller non-profits than ours and the communities they serve are hurting--badly.

So sadly, but not surprisingly, Dawn and my sponsor for the Yukon 1000, BubbaGirl, has had to shelve its support for our Yukon 1000 quest for another year.

Not a problem. These things happen. And BubbaGirl remains the fantastic supporter it is for the 2009 Everglades Challenge.

We paddle on!

All signed up: Yukon 1000

All confirmed. Dawn (aka SandyBottom) and I are all signed up for the inaugural 2009 Yukon 1000 Canoe and Kayak Race. July 20, next year, as Team BubbaGirl, we should be sitting in our already-rented Seaward Passat G3, Greenland paddles in hand, rearing to go.

If you've a few minutes to spare, it's worth catching up with discussions on the Yukon 1000 online forum, with interesting discussions on bears and guns and bear spray, etc. As a Kiwi, one has a natural aversion to guns, unless there's a possum breathing down one's neck, so this is all new territory for this US transplant.

BTW, if anyone knows of a good 2nd-hand Passat G3 for sale or longish rent (or sponsorship gift!), please let me know. We need a training boat!

Thanks to Peter Coates, race organizer, for the photo.

I must go down to the sea again...

You may remember a few blog posts back—if you've managed to hang out this long—that our 87-year-old father had sold his 32-foot keeler to my brother Rob, and had bought a 36-foot launch, Rising Star—the arthritis in his fingers made hanging on to the sheets just that wee bit too uncomfortable.

Well, he knew there was some rot in the flying bridge, and a deal was struck with the vendor accordingly. Now that the boat's up in a local boatbuilder's shed for repair, they've found the rot's travelled that wee bit further, down into the structure of the main cabin. Hence the rather well ventilated look the boat's showing at this time.

Knowing dad, he's chomping at the bit to get the dang thing repaired, sans flying bridge—extra windage anyway—and back out on the water for the summer.

I'll keep you posted on progress...

Nepali girls kayak

Here’s a project I love the story behind—something my sister Clio put me on to.

A small team of female raft guides and kayak instructors from around the world, including NZ, Sweden and the US, have come together to undertake a project in Nepal. The rafting and kayaking industry in Nepal is booming, which is great for the nation, however currently there is 0% Nepali women working in the industry as they are not given the same opportunities as the local Nepali men. And so the project is to set up a Nepali Girls Kayaking Club and to teach them how to paddle safely. The will also put these keen Nepali women through a comprehensive raft guide training programme in order to give them a helping hand and equal opportunities into the local rafting industry.

The plan is to take over from NZ, and elsewhere, a bunch of kayaks and equipment to kickstart the Nepali Girls kayaking Club into action. Sophie Hoskins and her NZ team of instructors needs as much support as they can get—and it’s great to see such notable companies as Kokatat and Icebreaker as sponsors. They are currently looking for any donations (and financial aid or second-hand white water kayaks and equipment are all a big help!).

The story resonates—in 1996, when I spent a few weeks tramping in Nepal with one of my idols Doug Scott, and his company, Community Action Treks, a handful of our sherpas were young women—we called them "sherpettes"—around 15 to 18-years-old. We were told that having this opportunity to work was huge for them—many of them had been "given" away as young brides from poor villages, who now found themselves living in squalor in Kathmandu, abused by older husbands. Working as sherpettes gave them new lives. You could tell that they were happy as they snuggled together at night, giggling and chatting away, from carrying loads over long days that were as heavy as the men's.

Namaste.

Wanted...

With world unemployment on a bit of a rise due to the current economic crisis, it's always good to see a bit more imagination coming to the fore when looking for new staff. (But I hasten to add that this blog is not becoming a political or economic commentary--particularly after such a hiatus--but I can't resist "commenting" that while I can vote in the upcoming NZ elections--even after not having lived there since 1989--I can't vote in the upcoming US elections, after having lived here for eight or so years, paying a good amount of taxes and being "legal" to boot.)

My brother Rob sent me the wanted ad above, placed in shop windows in Auckland.

Not a lot to do with kayaking I must admit, but a bit of levity in these troubling times, on the water or not, can't be a bad thing.

On a personal note, life's good albeit it extremely busy; the Wee One continues to amaze and delight at just over 17 months; the leaves are slowly turning colour, though the late summer days retain their warmth; and just occasionally I get out to paddle.

'Mornin'.

BubbaGirls paddle!

Well, I did get back from Albuquerque and the launch party for BubbaGirl - just that the new job at the Nasher Museum has gobbled up my life - it's week three in the new position, and I'm loving it.

So, what happened in Albuquerque? What a party! Founded by Mary Holsenbeck, nearly 200 women, and a few honorary men, turned up to hear just what BubbaGirl is all about and what the organization plans to achieve. I was humbled to be in the speaking company of Mercury 13 astronaut, Wally Funk, and historic motorcyle rider and up-and-coming actress, DJ Jones. In front of the welcoming crowd we talked about what makes us BubbaGirls, and how we hope to help other women of all ages and backgrounds "get into real life."

I detailed Dawn and my plans to compete in 2009's inaugural Yukon 1000 Canoe & Kayak Race. And it was officially revealed that BubbaGirl will be our title sponsor for the race.

Woohoo! We are now Team BubbaGirl!

More news to come!

Off with BUBBAGIRL

I fly to Albuquerque, NM, pre-sparrow fart tomorrow morning, courtesy of BubbaGirl, to help launch the organization's new personna. So if you're in that neck of the woods tomorrow evening, come along and join us. I'll be the chica revving up interest in SandyBottom's and my entry in the 2009 Yukon 1000.

Sailing away

I’ve jut finished reading Tania Aebi’s story of her 1985-1987 circumnavigation around the world on her 26 foot sloop, Varuna. The book’s called Maiden Voyage, and I couldn’t put it down. Fearing for his daughter’s teenage behaviour, Aebi’s father pretty much plops her in the boat at 18 years of age and shoves her off, hoping the experience will make a better person of her. It does, and after nearly two-and-half-years, she completes her voyage, learning celestial navigation along the way, how to raise a cat at sea, and the vagaries of a troublesome diesel.

Eight years earlier, in mid-1978, Barbara Cameron – my best friend and also a keen yachtie – and I sat in our high school history class and wrote out the list of equipment we’d need to do exactly the same trip, and to be the first women to sail non-stop around the world. Sadly, but greatly, the Kiwi Naomi James beat us to it, later that same year.

Aebi falls in love along the way, marrying her Olivier upon her return to New York. They adored each other.

I did a Google on her to find out what she’s up to now. Still sailing, she’s currently on a Pacific Ocean voyage with her two sons, 13 and 16 years old. But sadly it seems the love affair ended some time ago rather acrimoniously. Still, while love may end, thankfully the quest for adventure stays strong, and now she’s sharing that with her family. Her current trip log makes for good reading... and itchy feet.

PLB in action

Like me, you're probably keen on reading any story related to the use - particularly successful use - of a personal locater beacon (PLB).

I subscribe to Stephen Regenold's The Gear Junkie, a daily and weekly blog e-news devoted to new outdoors gear (though I'm yet to win the weekly give away!). Regenold recently posted a Q&A article detailing a mountaineering incident in early June in which a PLB was employed. One of the involved climbers, Bill Becher, a writer from southern California, had the ACR MicroFix PLB unit in his pack, though he never expected to use it. But while descending from Mt. Gilbert near Bishop, Calif., in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Becher’s friend and climbing partner fell and broke his leg. They were several miles from civilization with no good options.

An interesting lesson learned from the incident, which can neatly be related back to kayaking, is that the PLB isn’t that precise and you need some way to signal rescuers. Becher says that the helicopter had difficulty spotting them until they saw him waving his red parka.

So don't forget to carry that signal mirror and some flares with you!