Linkapalooza

In April , an Aussie kayaker was attacked by a shark, but the shark was more interested in the kayak than the kayaker. Michael Demasi's kayak was bitten by a six-metre great white, but Demasi, thinking only that he'd run up onto some rocks, bailed out in the water. "I didn't know it was a shark so I was relaxed enough to grab my sunnies as I bailed out," he said. "It wasn't until I came up from the water when I saw a big thing gnawing the kayak. It had brought its head out of the water to grab the kayak."
Luckily, the shark only had eyes, and teeth, for his kayak, and another kayaker was able to pull him away.
(story and photo here)

Here's a "Holy $#$%!" moment for you: Tao Berman kayaking down 40-foot waves in a surf kayak. Wow. Check out the video:


Kayaks From Spaaaaaaace!

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Or maybe Erie, Pennsylvania.

Finally, my neighbour installed a new pool in his back yard so that he can practice his kayak rolling.

I don't think I'll be joining him.

Linkapalooza

Wouldn't it be cool if you could ride a whale? Some dolphins around Hawaii think the same thing and have been hitching rides on humpbacks. Check out the video:



Speaking of whales, in an historic decision the Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that the federal minister of fisheries has no discretion when it comes to protecting the critical habitat of B.C.'s southern resident killer whales.

According to a report by the CBC, "The case stems from the plight of southern B.C.'s iconic marine mammal. At last count, there were 87 animals left in the southern orca population that lives in and around Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands. The group was listed as endangered under the Species at Risk Act in 2003. Fisheries and Oceans came up with a plan to protect the whales and their critical habitat, but left certain elements up to the discretion of the minister. The court said all elements of the plan must be enshrined in law. That would mean protecting chinook salmon, the whales' main food source, reducing underwater noise from boat, industrial and military activity and cleaning up toxic contamination in the whales' home ecosystem."
Unfortunately, the current federal regime has shown an alarming lack of respect for judicial decisions (or parliamentary rulings for that matter) that don't align with its narrow conservative ideology, so we shall see if the government embraces or ignores this decision. While I'm hopeful, past evidence suggests that that hope is misplaced as this report suggests that the Canadian government has failed to protect our country's marine biodiversity and has failed to meet national and international commitments to sustain marine biodiversity over many years.

Linkapalooza

Check this out...some surfers hit the waves at Bondi Beach decked out in TRON-styled wetsuits and surfboards.

But on the other hand, do sharks really need the extra help the lights will give them?

Of course, you don't to be surfing to see strange things on the water. Have you ever been kayaking out in the middle of nowhere when a dog has swam up to you? Check out this video:

Sadly, the story does not have a happy ending for the dog's owner.

This is Sean Morley playing in the big surf. He knows how to paddle fast; he recently held the record for fastest circumnavigation around Vancouver Island. Here, he gives tips on developing your forward stroke.

It turns out that everyone is working for the weekend -- even tornadoes. They and hailstorms occur at a rate of 20% below average on weekends, and 20% above average on work days. According to a recent study (as paraphrased by National Geographic), "This connection hints that pollution might help breed storms, the study authors say. That's because moisture gathers around specks of pollutants, which leads to more cloud droplets. Computer models suggest these droplets get lofted up to higher, colder air, leading to more plentiful and larger hail."
So there you go -- one less thing to worry about when out on your weekend paddle...

...although you may want to watch out for strange metal balls falling out of the sky.

Linkapalooza

This video is an example of kayaking (and surfing) too close to whales:


This clip proves that practice makes perfect. Or, you know, not:


Kayakers in Lake Okanagan should be careful. A Kelowna man believes he's filmed the legendary lake monster Ogopogo. But if you chose to go kayaking there, be on the look-out for other mythical creatures: unicorns, Bigfoot, and Bush's brain.


And this video should be the final word on Skeg v. Rudder:



Recently, a man completed the first inner tube crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. He drifted over 3000 miles in a little over six weeks. I read it on The Onion so it must be true, right?

Linkapalooza

-- Fear the Cyclops shark! Fear it!

-- Sometimes your adventure just doesn't go as planned. Form the Globe and Mail, here's the story of a fellow who embarks on his dream kayaking expedition, a three-week solo paddle down the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Unfortunately, his dream trip lasted just over an hour. Click here to check it out....and here to read his follow-up story.

-- There's a line from an old Rush song: "Sadder still to watch it die than never to have known it." When I had my bicycle accident almost five years ago, I was heart-broken thinking that I may have to give up this wonderful sport that I'd only just discovered. Luckily for me I was able to continue, but what would it be like to suffer an accident that caused your kayaking skills to quickly wane over a summer?

-- Ever wonder how fish communicate with each other? Turns out it might be by farting.
No, really.
According to an article from NatGeo, "This intriguing idea comes from scientists who discovered that herring create a mysterious underwater noise by farting. Researchers suspect herring hear the bubbles as they’re expelled, helping the fish form protective shoals at night. It’s the first ever study to suggest fish communicate by breaking wind."

-- The Hurricane Riders were riding their kayaks on the Skook recently. Check out their latest video below:


-- The Dash Point Pirate has an interview with Phoxx Ecks who earlier this year spent a month kayaking the northern coast of Vancouver Island with a skin-on-frame kayak, and no gear -- no tent, no sleeping bag, no PFD, and no food or water either -- on a "primitive expedition." Here's the trailer for the interview:


-- And this clip? Well, this is just plain cool: