René's old blog

Month: September 2007

  • Camping San Nicolò

    Camping San Nicolò

    —

    by

    René Seindal
    in

    I’m still stuck in Venice waiting for documents and credit cards so I can continue my journey. Naturally, it’s a downer being stuck somewhere when you expected to be somewhere else, but there are worse places to be stuck than on the Lido of Venice. I’m staying at the Camping San Nicolò at the northern…

  • Skim in Venice

    Skim in Venice

    —

    by

    René Seindal

    Here are some photos of the new Skim Distance in Venice and surroundings. The Skim Distance parked besides a very busy inner city canal. Paddling in front of the city just east of St. Mark’s Square. Parked on the side of the main canal at Murano. Paddling with Maria in the lagoon of Venice near…

  • Now bad weather too

    —

    by

    René Seindal

    When the last participants from Kajakhotellet’s tour to Venice left yesterday, most were complaining about returning to the gloomy weather of the cold North. We had brilliant weather all week, sunshine and temperatures of 25-30º C. Had they known how the weather would change. Right now I’m sitting in my underwear under a canopy at…

  • More bad omens

    —

    by

    René Seindal

    On my way down here I managed to lose just about every important document I have. I only had one credit card left. Incredibly I have managed to lose that as well. I kept it in a small plastic bag with lose change, but apparently the close contact with coins has worn down the magnetic…

  • Avatak paddles

    Avatak paddles

    —

    by

    René Seindal

    On our way down to Italy we passed by Varese near Milan to visit Nicola de Florio of Avatak Pagaie. Nicola had promised Wendy and me an Avatak paddle each for our journey, and he has kept his promise twice over. Our agreement was for a Greenland style paddle each, a take apart paddle for…

  • Less auspicuous start of journey

    —

    by

    René Seindal

    I started by three month journey in Italy by driving from Copenhagen to Venice on motorbike. On the way I passed Avatak Paddles in Varese to pick up a consignment for Kajakhotellet.dk and the paddles Nicola has made for Wendy and me. More on that later. I left Copenhagen on 9PM saturday and drove all…

  • The new Skim Distance

    The new Skim Distance

    —

    by

    René Seindal

    I had the new Skim Distance out for a short paddle today. The colours of the boat are beautiful, but the weather was a bit dark and cloudy. That’ll be better in Sicily and Sardinia 🙂 Each time I try the Distance, I’m surprised how manoeuvrable it is, in spite of its considerable length.

  • Sponsored by Skim Kayaks

    Sponsored by Skim Kayaks

    —

    by

    René Seindal
    in

    When I started looking for sponsors for the circumnavigation of Sardinia and Sicily with Wendy Killoran, Skim Kayaks in Sweden were the very first I contacted for support. I know their kayaks well from Kajakhotellet here in Copenhagen, where I have paddled both models, and quite a few of my friends have Skim kayaks and…

  • Escape Kayak Centre, Göteborg

    Escape Kayak Centre, Göteborg

    —

    by

    René Seindal
    in

    After the Stockenträffen in Orust, Sweden, Wendy and I went to Göteborg with Sara and Johan from Escape Kayak Centre. Wendy has agreed to do her Newfoundland presentation at Escape on Tuesday evening, so we had two whole days there. Dubside who had been touring southern Sweden with Escape in the weeks up to the…

  • Stockenträffen

    Stockenträffen

    —

    by

    René Seindal
    in

    Wendy and I are just back from the annual Stockenträffen in Sweden. We went there on Thursday afternoon with Freya Hoffmeister in her huge van. The weather forecast had promised force 5-6 winds and regular showers, but fortunately we only got the former. We had arranged for kayaks from Escape Kayak Centre in Gothenborg, but…