Huge fun in a rare waterfall off the Roseville Bridge

It’s funny how some of the best paddling days start off with low expectations. With Sydney being deluged with water and hit by waves of big blowy storms, I really didn’t expect much from the day’s paddle other than a hard slog into chop and wind, but needed to get out and test the new “Rock Garden Series” by Adanac Paddles. Luckily on arrival at The Spit we were at least greeted with glassy conditions across the murky stirred-up water.

With half of Team Fat Paddler unable to make the day’s paddle, I hooked up with Alan Jones and Tim Kennings for a run up to the Roseville Bridge. But as we took off up into Middle Harbour, we were met with a floating raft of debris washed into the Harbour from the flooding rains, that stretched as far as the eye could see.

Debris packing the surface of Middle Harbour tangling our kayaks

Cutting through the debris proved annoying, although it did yield a treasure trove of tennis balls, which we promptly scooped up to throw at each as we made our way through the mess. Like ice-breakers in Antarctica, we smashed our way through, only needing to reverse back out of tangled timber on a few occassions.

Once in Bantry Bay we met the Coffee Boat for a quick coffee in the pouring rain, before making our way west to the Roseville Bridge. As we travelled, we started to discover waterfalls gushing through the hills and into the Harbour, which we promptly paddled over to for closer inspection. These falls were beautiful, slicing through the hills and amongst the trees, but I was bummed that I couldn’t get a decent shot from the kayaks. Still, we photographed a few as we went.

Rushing water and oyster beds

More rushing water

Waterfalls hidden in the green bushland, seen from the oyster beds

Once we turned the corner into the Roseville marina area, we could see the Roseville bridge a kilometre in the distance and could just make out a series of waterfalls cascading off the bridge, with one big central waterfall in the bridge’s centre. Alan immediately joked that he was going through it, despite our protests that the water would be dirty from the bridge above. We all paddled down to the Bridge to get a good position to see Alan go through, but seeing him laughing wildly as he ducked under the rushing water like the Solo Man, we all decided to get in on the fun.

Alan's first run through the waterfall

Timbo follows with a dash under the shower

Fat Paddler wants a turn with his new Adanac Paddles!

Alan runs through again, giving us his best "Solo Man" impression

This day of ordinary weather was turning into a heap of fun, as we mucked about in the waterfalls laughing and giggling like kids. Of course we needed to get Alan’s hire boat back to Sydney Harbour Kayaks before it got too late, so we turned around and made our way back through the debris to The Spit.

The Adanac paddles proved brilliant (full review coming soon) and the day proved that no matter how gray the weather may look, when you’re paddling with friends there’s always a heap of good times to be had. Get out there, get wet and have fun! Cheers – FP

More fun that Disneyland!

Tags: adanac paddles, kayaks, paddling fun, waterfalls

Rock Garden Series by Adanac Paddles

After a week in snowy Chicago (brrr!), I’ve finally arrived back home in Sydney, with my new custom made Adanac Paddles. I’ve had these for a week but hadn’t opened them properly until tonight, to get my first close look at them.  And I must say, my first impressions are pretty good!

Travel tube, and Adanac paddles in their booties

Full-length and storm-length Greenland paddles

The initial thing I noticed was the incredible rich smell, no doubt owing to whatever secret treatment paddle-maker Jill Ellis has used to finish them off. The smell is mesmerising, as is the beauty of the matching paddles.

Then I noticed the pimped tips – Purple-Heart tips (an extremely hardy Sth American hardwood) with the Fat Paddler logo carved into them.

Pimped paddle tips!

The loom on these paddles is very different from my Aussie-made Greenland-style paddles, which tend to have a fairly small oval-shaped cross section. This feels lovely in the hand but may be a little weak. These Adanac Paddles however have a thick squared-off cross section with rounded corners and feel incredibly sturdy in the hand. I can’t wait to get them in the water tomorrow.

Paddles and paddle booties

Completed with a pair of “paddle booties”, this is the ultimate package for a rough paddle-abuser like myself. Called the “Rock Garden Series”, this new product set from Adanac Paddles looks to be the goods. Can’t wait to test them out whilst kayaking tomorrow! Cheers – FP

Tags: Adanac Greenland paddles, adanac paddles, greenland paddle, Jill Ellis

The Rock Garden series from Adanac Paddles, Canada

Despite our daily news being filled with stories of human suffering in all its forms, there are times when truly amazing things happen where incredible people give of themselves for the happiness of others. One such beautiful person is Jill Ellis of Adanac Paddles, a Canadian paddle-maker well known globally for the quality of her hand-carved Greenland paddles.  Jill has been an incredible support to me in terms of repair advice as I habitually abuse and break my Greenland paddles.

This abuse of my paddles inspired Jill to design and create a paddle-set specifically to handle such rough treatment. The set includes a full-sized Greenland paddle and a storm-paddle for in-close rock gardening, with both paddles tipped with the incredible South American hardwood, Purple Heart, for maximum tip strength.

The Rock Garden series - like twin Samurai Swords!

And then I received the following letter from Jill, asking me to test her latest creation and let her know what I think of them! To say I was shocked and surprised would be an understatement, especially since it appears there has been some collusion from my wife and paddler friends to make this happen! So now I have a week until I get to Chicago for a business meeting, and get my hands on this paddle set. It’s going to be the longest week ever! Cheers – FP

—————————————————————————————————————————–

Dear Sean,

I have gotten to know you, not only from the articles on your web sites, fatpaddler.com and greenlandpaddlers.com, but also from your tweets and the multitude of friends in common, both you and I have, on Twitter.

Through the Peeps, I have come to know that you are a very gentle, caring man, who is always paddling the extra mile to help raise money for children in need.

You also have to be the hardest person I know on paddles. Tips coming off, split blades etc due to the rock gardens you love to paddle through.

It would be my pleasure if you would test out my new line of “Rock Garden” paddles (www.rockgardenpaddles.com) and possibly write a review about them if you have the time. Both the Storm and the Regular paddles come with purple heart tips, and the complimentary paddle booties of course.

Storm paddles are also great for getting up close to rock walls, and picking your way through the rock gardens, where you don’t have the space to use your long paddle.

Through devious methods, I have been given your measurements so that these paddles are made to fit you.

When I heard on Twitter that you were going to be coming to Chicago, USA for work, I decided what an opportunity to get these paddles to you. I can say at this moment that the paddles are finished and the packing/travelling tube is almost complete.

I will be shipping the paddles out on Monday morning via courier to your head office in Chicago, where they will await your arrival.

Sean, we can’t have you out there raising money for kids, representing all of us Greenland paddlers, with bits and bobs of paddling equipment!

Just know that these paddles have a wee bit of everyone who knows you, and all us Peeps who root for you, through your ground crews’ tweets when you are out there paddling to raise money for charity.

We are all there, in these paddles you will be holding in your hands, so that you can draw strength from us to paddle your heart out.

Treat them well, keep them oiled and they will never fail you in what you do.

Have them blessed, so they can be extensions of your arms.

These paddles are to be USED, not pampered!

Enjoy, from all of us.

Jill
Adanac Paddles
www.adanacpaddles.com
Dover Centre, ON, Canada

Custom Purple Heart tips!

Tags: adanac paddles, greenland paddle, rock garden series, rock gardens