An enjoyable Qayaq meeting at Stokkøya

Monday, August 22, 2011, 9 comments

Panorama, shot by Bernt Johnsen with an Android phone and a Photaf-app (white-balance and contrast slightly adjusted )

Landed in Trondheim in rain, drove together with the organizer the approx 120 km to Stokkøya in rain, put the tents up in rain – and chose a civilized dinner indoor at the Sjøsentret over outdoor cooking ;-)

Tuesday afternoon rain

But the morning broke with sun and blue skies, and this was to continue during the week.

The weather for the week

Stokkøya is a remote island with farms, sheep and a fantastic beach – and an exiting new project: Stokkøya Sjøsenter (Stokkøya Sea Center) – an appreciated beach restaurant reminding of exotic paradises and a hotel with a few rooms built into the beach slope and every room with direct access to the beach and designed by art students from the Trondheim Institute of technology. Ambitious, courageous and very nice.

The beach restaurant...

The hotel, an art project, built into the slope, invisible from the landside. The exterior decorations are marine signal flags.

I was invited to talk about kayak design and teach classes in Greenland style paddling and rolling, while Dubside handled the advanced rolling classes. Two days were devoted to classes, the two next to touring in the archipelago and entertainment.

Paddling class (Photo: Bernt Johnsen)

Film photographer from Norwegian TV filming Dubside and a rolling class

A kayak building contest was the main event on one evening: in an hour and half, two teams of three would build a kayak from some wooden strips, duct tape and a few meters of plastic wrap, paddle this contraption round a buoy – three paddlers in relay – and finally roll it. The teams happened to be Norway against the rest of the world – i e a Danish-Swedish team versus a Norwegian (the result of some crude joking about the skills of the nationalities ;-) The outcome of the competition was, as one Norwegian spectator put it: the Norwegian team took an honorable second place, while the Danish-Swedish team finished second last...

Göran and Lisa from Njord in Östersund and myself managed to put together a very successful kayak: a low, well-balanced and fast craft that took an overwhelming victory in the race. Lisa, Torleif and Christian paddled. The Norwegian umiak-like craft was tippy and tracked badly and was two minutes behind. Both kayak was rolled without any problems. But with a Norwegian judge, we won by just one point – blatantly unfair ;-)

...some strips, plastic wrap, duct tape, a Leatherman multitool and 90 minutes (photo: Bernt Johnsen)

Hard work and deep concentration: I am cutting ribs parts, Göran tests the comfort and Lisa tapes the stem. Jean is the cool spectator. (photo: Bernt Johnsen)

90 minutes later (photo: Bernt Johnsen)

Christian up to speed at the last leg, while the Norwegian craft left limps back to switch paddler. (photo: Bernt Johnsen)

The winning team, builders and paddlers: Göran, Lisa, me, Torleif and Christian (photo: Bernt Johnsen)

On the beach were many well-built and beautiful SOF:s, a few Black Pearls – among them Jarle Birkeland´s, now beautifully repaired with a new black foredeck, and some more or less Greenlandic composite kayaks (Tahe, Arrow). Unfortunately there had been a logistic misunderstanding, so the Seapearl, Black Pearls and Qanik from Seabird Designs did not make it in time.

Jarles Black Pearl (right) – unfortunately no pictures of the new foredeck (my mistake)

On saturday night Pernille, Christian and Mia treated us to a formidable rolling demo – most of the Greenlandic competition rolls and a few spectacular show rolls.

A last evening dinner in the beach restaurant with mussels and wine was a perfect ending.

...while dusk descended outside

Many thanks to the organizers –Trondhjems Kajakk-klubb , Prosjekt Inuit and Mia, Bernt and Torleif – for a well planned and well executed arrangement – and not the least the impressive managing of the weather.

Some more pics:

Ragnar prepares the rope stand...

...and Dubside instructs in the use

Life in the camp between activities: Mia, Christian and Pernille

Incredible nights

Small farms here and there among the hills

Hosnasand – a fantastic beach...

...with white seashell sand and crystal clear waters

More Photos on Bernt Johnsens gallery