Sea Kayak The Philippines: The Palawan Experience

Paddling Palawan

Sea Kayaking in the Philippines

by: Tim Morch

Photo: timmorch.com

An incredibly clear, multi-hued blue sea dotted with dozens of islands distracted me from my attempt to assemble my Feathercraft Wisper XP kayak.  My eyes kept scanning Bacuit Bay, just outside El Nido, on the northwest end of Palawan Island.  Striking karst formations that typify the landscape displayed an endless series of limestone cliffs leaping from the sea to extraordinary heights. My eyes darted from a frame assembly to a nearby island and back.

Located between the Sulu Sea to the southeast and the South China Sea to the northwest, Palawan is the southern most province in the Philippines.  Palawan consists of more than 1700 islands, nearly 25% of the 7,107 islands that comprise one of the largest archipelagos in the world.  It was designated a fish and wildlife sanctuary in 1967, protecting the sea as well as the virgin jungle that covers the island, making it an outdoor paradise.

Photo: timmorch.com

I had my boat together soon enough, keen to experience nirvana first hand.  After a few day trips to stretch the muscles and get comfortable, my paddling partner, Ian, and myself loaded all necessities for a short expedition south to Port Barton.

We set off across the bay with a rolling 6 ft. swell and strong wind blowing on the starboard beam. The “amihan” is a northeast trade wind that blows from mid-December until mid-April.  As we were to learn, it can get powerful for weeks on end.  A few km across Bacuit Bay, we paddled into sheltered water behind Antalula Island. A small sand beach tucked into the west side looked like a potential campsite, especially as we were hoping to watch sunset.  But it was still early, so we decided to continue.

Photo: timmorch.com

On a chart or GPS it is easy to identify the beaches and they all look enticing.  Unless there is a good sized village, there tends to be no marking on most islands.  It also excludes resorts.  Rounding Pangalusian Island, we discovered a major resort under construction. With 600 labourers working 3 shifts, 24 hours a day, this was clearly not the place to stay.

Across the strait lay a beach dotted by a few bamboo homes and we paddled that way.  We beached and were greeted by Roy, a construction contractor living in the area since 1987. Roy was full of information, including a key piece of data that eluded us thus far: Palawan was under a Signal 1 typhoon warning.  Roy recommended we stay inside his storm shelter and we accepted gladly, hanging our Hennessy Hammocks in a sturdy mangrove frame wrapped in a tarp.  That night saw some strong wind gusts and heavy rains, but by the following morning, it appeared that all was well.  Roy told us the storm was 420km offshore, so we set out believing the storm had passed.

Photo: timmorch.com

The waves were rolling around 10 feet as we rounded the headland and paddled south to the the town of Liminancong which lay at the northern end of the Endeavour Strait.  For the next couple of hours, the water became calm and we glided the strait heading south to the mouth of Malampaya Sound. 

Malampaya Sound was once known as the fish-basket of the Philippines.  Today, although there is an incredible variety of species, the numbers are low.  Twenty-nine resident Irrawaddy dolphins patrol the narrow sound that stretches over 20km inland.  

Photo: timmorch.com

Camp that night was an abandoned resort where we watched the clouds roll in and the wind start up.   It is important to watch not only the high tide reading on your GPS, but the most recent high tide indicator on the beach.  I always set camp well above and it turned out to be an especially good thing that night.  The rain was biblical and the wind topped out around 100kph.  The following morning, we learned that Roy had not informed us the direction Tropical Typhoon Sendong was offshore.  Turned out it was 430 km east and actually passed overhead hours before.

We took a day off to let the ocean regain some sense.  The winds were all over the past 24 hours and, as a result, the waves were as well.  The mouth of Malampaya Sound is full of rocks and small islets.  To get out, you must pass between a small group of islets and a rocky point.  I watched the local boats (bancas) make the transit through some challenging seas and followed their path.  The sea got really wild for an adrenaline-filled kilometre.  To the right, a series of jagged rocks poked out in a chaotic half-barrier that set the ocean askew.  Crazy currents and irrational waves went in every direction.  The island lay 150 meters to the left and the waves that did get past the teeth busy sending a large rebounding wave to add to the soup bowl.  Quite a ride!

Photo: timmorch.com

Breaking through the challenging channel, we settled into the massive rollers that ran down the west coast.  For the next 5km there was nowhere to beach as the coast is sharp rock.  We worked our way around the corner into a gorgeous protected bay and made camp in a perfect lagoon.  This was a boat access only beach, as there were no roads that lead there.

The wind came on early the next morning and we worked straight into it until we got to the lee of a point.  Rounding the point, we again fought the headwind into the bay, ultimately reaching the village of Binga.  A local family living across from where we beached let us hang our hammocks in their yard and use the lovely fresh water that was piped down from Mount Capoas.  Mount Capoas is the highest mountain in northern Palawan.  It springs from the ocean to an impressive 1131m.  In this area, one is always in the shadow of Capoas.

Photo: timmorch.com

Filipinos are very friendly.  Everyone in the Philippines speaks English, so it takes communication out of the equation.  Our new friend John was young, educated and spoke English extremely well.  Like everyone from Binga, he was intimate with the sea.  Unlike the others, he was studying to apply to the Navy.  With John’s assistance, we enjoyed a few cold Red Horse Extra Strong beers and ate fresh barbequed tuna.

The next morning, the entire village was on hand to watch us load our kayaks, climb in and break out through the surf.  I am not sure who got more entertainment: them watching us or us watching them!

Photo: timmorch.com

The remaining couple of days the heading was due south to Port Barton.  The wind was coming over the island and we hung in the lee of sand beaches with rolling hills covered in "cugen" grass in the background.  Occasionally, we would round a rocky point or outcropping to arrive at another beach.  Alimanguan and San Vicente are the only two towns of any size on this part of the coast and we paddled into each to have a look and grab supplies.

As with every expedition, the critical factor is water.  I carried up to 22 litres of water at any time.  Regardless, every opportunity missed to top-up on water is an opportunity wasted.  In Palawan, it seemed that even the tiniest village had a shop selling water, so there was no problem.  There were also several streams rolling off mountains to be boiled or treated along the way.

Just north of Port Barton, we stumbled on a Canadian who owned a chunk of secluded beach with camping.  No roosters, no dogs and no noise were enough to entice us to stay for Christmas and New Year's.  Regrettably, my paddling partner was injured at this time falling from a rock and had to end his trip.  I disassembled my kayak and took the bus back to El Nido for another excursion around the Bacuit archipelago.

Photo: timmorch.com

Photo: timmorch.com

 Check out some of the video footage:

CURRENTS: Norway

By: Mike McKay

Heading to Norway, I kept my expectations in check as far as goals for the trip or rivers I was hoping to run.  I knew there was a lot of whitewater, that it was generally hard and that the area is known as a paddling mecca.

I didn’t go with any video project in mind, though I hoped to capture a few cool action sequences and perhaps some scenic shots.  Leading up to the trip, I had been very busy working on the R3: Rescue for River Runners project as well as a project for H2O Performance Paddles.  As such, I was looking forward to putting down the tripod and camera for a few weeks and enjoying a vacation. So, I was just looking forward to running some hard whitewater and enjoying the trip.

Enjoying some fun Norway whitewater on the Upper Myrkdal.

Photo by: Steve Arns

Like any paddling destination, Norway has its logistical challenges: from weather and river levels to simply arranging shuttle and getting proper river beta. Sometimes, it seems you need a vacation from a paddling vacation!

As far as Norway goes, a rather exceptional snow pack this year, and a melt that had just hit its peak led to flooded rivers on our arrival – as with any paddling trip, luck of the draw.

We started the trip in Voss to coincide with the ExtremeVeko 2012.  This is a festival that runs events in 12l adventure sports.  For this reason, athletes from around the world  descended on Voss for a week of competition, festivities, and enjoying the area.

As a kayaker, it was awesome to watch some of the biggest names in whitewater in action:  Evan Garcia, Sam Sutton, Eric Deguil, and many more.

Eric Deguil charging to the finish line and a win on the Branset.

Luckily for the event, the Brandset – the river on which 2/3 of the races were held – maintained a good flow for the downhill extreme race and the team race.

Evan Garcia at the crux of the Brandset Race

In the past year, I have started to follow our sport in a similar way in which I tracked baseball and hockey stats growing up.  My ability to do so is in part thanks to the work being done by the AWP and via social media.  These allow me to follow events around the world and to track individual paddlers.

While I was there, I decided to race the Brandset Extreme Downhill event. All started well and I was happy with my lines UNTIL I beached up on some rocks and had to scrape my way down, costing me at least 20 seconds and all chances a good finish  time.  Though that was disappointing, I was excited just to have participated in such a high level event.

Unfortunately many of the other local rivers were far too high for ordinary mortals to run safely.  There are exceptions:  Evan, Fred, & Aniol from the Bomb Flow crew were killing everything in sight.

Aniol Serrasolses with style on the Teigdal double drop.

A crew of Kiwis rallying down the Upper Brandset.

Photo: Steve Arns

Regardless of water levels, with so many rivers around, we always found something to run:  Jordal, Upper Myrkdal, Tiegdal, Strandal, Steindal, and a few more.  All fun and a little extra juicy due to high flows.  A big thanks goes out to Canadian Voss local and amazing source of beta:  Mark Basso.  As well, a big thanks to Mark and Evelyn for their great hospitality while in Voss.

Mark Basso on the Teigdal.

Photo: Steve Arns

Mikkel St Jean Duncan with a nice boof stroke on the Upper Jordal.

Photo: Steve Arns

Veko was a exciting event to be part of and I am glad I was there to experience it.  The town of Voss is a beautiful town in a setting that feels like it belongs in a Tolkein novel.

From Voss, we headed to Sjoa, where we found more high water levels.

Sjoa boasts a kayak camp just outside of town on the Sjoa River, the site of a national slalom championship in years past.  I have to say this place was amazing and had a great vibe with the paddlers staying there and the incredible hospitality of Isabel.  After the high water challenges, and not to mention a soaked tent from the constant rain in the Voss area, I was excited to recharge at this incredible location.

We were able to get on multiple sections of the Sjoa including a highlight, the Amot Gorge.  As well we hit the Ula, and the upper and lower Jori (the lower was in flood and we ran the 17km section in under an hour.  Also a highlight for our group).

Adrian Kiernan on the Upper Jori. (High flows)

With many members of our crew’s time in Norway coming to an end, we decided to head back to Voss in hopes that the levels had dropped such that we could get on some sections that we had not hit.  We were welcomed with hot sunshine – a sign that our hopes would not be met due to snow melt.  Fortunately we still had the Strandal and my favourite, the Brandset.  We were able to knock out a couple more days of fun paddling before making the trip back to Bergen and, ultimately, home.

Steve Arns on the Teigdal.

Photo: Mike McKay

Here is the story I wrote for Canoe & Kayak Magazine on the Brandseth Race:

Each year, many of the world’s best kayakers descend upon Voss, Norway, to take part in ExtremSportVeko. 2012 was no exception. With dry, low-water conditions across much of the West, plus the inclusion of the festival week’s marquee kayak event, the Extreme Downhill Race, as a point-earning race in the 2012 AWP World Series of Whitewater, it seemed that Voss was the place to be. And unlike California’s High Sierra or the Central Rockies, there was no shortage of water in Voss. Norway had a rather exceptional snow pack this year, and a melt that was just hitting its peak led to flooded rivers upon our arrival. With reports of burly rivers and stout drops, the question for competitors was how they would fare on the Brandsetelvi during the downriver race.

The race also benefited from the momentum of the series, coming off the well-executed and -attended second stage in Idaho for the first-ever North Fork Championship. With the Voss race as Stage 3 of six, the stakes were high for those looking to take home the top spot, as a top finish could nicely contribute toward a top (or at least higher) ranking in the AWP point standings.

The Brandseth, like many of the other rivers in the Voss area, was experiencing higher than normal flows during the last week in June, leading up to the race. This led to talk of a rowdy race during the nightly gatherings at the Veko festival grounds. However, levels came into a normal range within days before the race. In fact, race day proved to be a touch on the low side. That certainly didn’t deter the local crowd from gathering in great numbers to watch the race, especially given the gorgeous, sunny day. A team race, in which teams of three charged down the much steeper Upper Brandseth to the finish line of the individual race, followed the Downhill.

Michele Ramazza took third in the race.

With crystal-blue water, clean drops and easy access, the Brandseth couldn’t be a better stage for an exciting spectator event. Certainly, the many eager Veko spectators showing up to the river to soak up the sun and gather by the crux of the Downhill race—a 7-meter steep slide/waterfall—were not disappointed.

The Downhill Extreme Race format was as follows: To advance to the second round, you had to either hit the top 15 for the men or the top 5 for the women. In both categories, the finals were stacked with many familiar international names. Last year’s overall series champion, France’s Eric Deguil, won the race, followed in second by New Zealand’s Sam Sutton, with Italy’s Michele Ramazza in third. Evan Garcia followed closely in fourth as North America’s top finisher, followed by Canadian Mikkel St. Jean-Duncan in 22nd, and Fred Norquist in 26th. After three stages, Garcia holds the top spot with 80 points, followed by Kiwi Wilz Martin in second with 65.5, and U.S. paddler Darren Albright in third with 55.5, as the tour moves to the Stage 4 stop at the Devils Extreme Race, Sept. 1 in the Czech Republic, followed by a stage in Austria before wrapping up Nov. 3 at North Carolina’s Green Race.

What I took away from the Voss stage, is that as a spectator (Yes, I did not make it to the second round), I felt a definite sense of excitement watching some of the best creek-racers in the world vie for the top spot. To me, this is what the AWP point series represents: a sense of excitement to follow competition in the sport that I love. While it is clearly in the early stages of development, these races are being shared via social media at a faster rate, thus allowing fans to follow the sport much like they would follow other more established sports. This can only mean good things for creek racing as an addition to global whitewater. Who knows, maybe 2012 will prove to go down as the year of the creek race.

Mikkel on the super fun slide on the Store Ula.

Some footage taken of Evan Garcia on Double Drop.  A very stylish clip:



Best Line Entry – EVAN GARCIA (USA) – Double Drop – Norway from Rider of the Year Awards on Vimeo.

Big thanks goes out to Jackson Kayak (Emily & Tara specifically) for all the support on this trip in helping me get my kayak situation sorted out smoothly.  As well, thanks to Timo and Valerie for the help as well.  Another big thanks goes out to Bomber Gear for sorting out my gear situation before leaving.  Great things to say about the dry top as well as the neoprene leggings (which are kind of my favourite piece of gear right now).  I was able to paddle in shorts the whole time in (cold) Norway because of these pants.

Most of all, a huge thanks goes out to my local dealer – Ottawa Paddle Shack.  They have been so supportive of Five2Nine’s projects from the very start and I’m proud to partner with this outstanding group of people.

Gear list:

Bomber Gear Bomb Long Sleeve Drytop

Jackson Villain S

Sweet Wanderer

Werner Powerhouse

Bomber Gear Hydrogen Neoprene Pants

Bomber Gear Bombnation Shorts

FiveTen Canyoneer Boots

Astral Green Jacket

6 Steps to Moving Past Class 3 With Confidence

By: Mike McKay

I've been running harder whitewater for  about 5 years now.  In the fall of 2007, I made the conscious decision that I wanted to start pushing the limits past running class 3 and 4.  Since that time I have exceeded even my own expectations with where I took my paddling. I have been to many countries and run some of the hardest whitewater the world has to offer, and I have paddled with some of the best in the world. 

Prior to that, I lived in an area that had very little to offer in terms of paddling.  Making the move to the Ottawa area gave me a better opportunity to start exploring the rivers in Quebec and New York and to build on my skills as a river runner.  So here they are:

1. Finding the right crew:  The first step is either finding a crew that will guide you through some harder runs or paddle with a crew that has similar goals as you do. 

I was fortunate to find a crew in my area that was running harder rivers.  They were welcoming and supportive in me gaining experience with the type of whitewater I wanted to be running. As a bonus, they've become great friends!!

2.  Work at it:  I recognized that I had to work to become a class 4/5 paddler, which is important to recognize! 

Paddle lots and change up your style all the time.  Challenge new lines on your local runs even if they are completely easy.  Hit eddies, make ferries, etc.

While I could run my local runs with ease, I recognized that there was a big world of hard whitewater that I wanted to paddle.  There is a lot involved with running harder rivers;  beta, leadership, safety, experience, etc.

Practice boofing off easier drops. Try different angles

The guidance of a strong crew can help you through the initial stages of this.  However, I feel these are all skills that need to be developed.

Scout, set safety, and be aggressive when you are in the comfort zone.  This will get you running bigger rapids and gaining better experience.

3.  Continually Reassess:  I made a conscious effort to continually steps back and work on skills.  There is no shame in this -  there are times in your paddling that you may not be able to charge hard and that is when it is important to step back to work on the small stuff.  Not everybody can run class 5 all the time.  It is very physical and mentally draining.

I have made many trips to our local class 2 slalom course to do just that.  While it may not get the heart pumping full of adrenaline, it does develop fitness and strong paddling skills.  This translates directly to better class 5 lines like you wouldn't believe.

Slides can be tricky. Once you get it they are so fun.

4.  Set Goals:  I continually set goals for myself.  For example I have had seasons when I want to be more technical or more aggressive or faster.  Every season it is different and it helps me focus on where I am going at that particular time.

Rocks can be your friend. Take advantage of them.

5.  Try new things:  For example, paddle with a heavy boat.  This will prepare you for expedition paddling.  Try hiking your second lap rather than shuttling.  This will prepare you for long hikes into rivers or out.   Try different kayaks, long boats, short boats, slalom, etc.  It all builds on one another in the long-run.   If you are the strongest in your crew, paddle with people who will push you harder. If you tend to be the weaker one in your crew, try leading newer boaters down the river and practicing your leadership skills. 

Bigger drops require patience for your strokes

6.  Charge:  This can apply differently to everybody.  However, if you are in the zone, keep the fire burning.  If you see a line that you think you can do (and there is safety) go for it.  Don't always walk rapids if the rest of the group is doing so. 

This season I have paddled in Norway for my first time during Voss extreme week.  I was in the company of some of the best in the world past and present.   In a situation like this it is easy to reflect on yourself in a negative light.  However, I have taken it as an opportunity to come home and work harder so that next big trip, I am even stronger.  

A full face helmet can give you more confidence to run harder drops.

As I type this I am finishing up my 18th lap of the Gull River.  For my area there isn't a better place for me to be to work on my river running skills.  For the past two days I have been working on paddling, challenging lines, making moves and fitness.  From here I am going to to the Seven Sisters of the Rouge River to do the same and after that the Raquette River in Colton NY.   Each a little harder than the last.

There's no greater time to practise your skills than on hot summer days and remember to have fun and enjoy being in the great outdoors!

Quebec Spring - Roadtrip

Quebec Spring

by: Phillip Kompass

What a paddling season this has turned out to be.  From NY breaking up in early March, to the rains that have kept local stuff low running, we have had a solid 2.5 month paddling season, and it isn't done yet.

Home of beautiful women, tasty casse-croute and unbelievable whitewater, each spring I try to get myself and a crew into the Mauricie / Portneuf / Jacques Cartier area in and around Quebec City as much as we can.  The river there run the gamut from continuous long boulder gardens to pool drop park and huck, to granite slides.  It is a wonderland and honestly offers amazing paddling opportunities for any paddling ability.

The ZEC roads are usually passable in a regular car.  There is loads of free, quality camping to be had, and you still have a great sense of exploration.

Earlier in May, we rallied a crew to get into the Neilson River north of the town of St Raymond (paddling paradise by the way).  The Nielson easily ranks on my top 10 list of best rivers ever paddled.  I have something like 70+ rapids along its 14 km length.  There is next to no flatwater, mostly solid read-and-run class IV with a few class V rapids sprinkled in.  The online resources in Quebec put the runnable range between 7 and 30.   Personally, I have never been below 35 and have run it as high as 75.  All of these levels offer something different, and are really good quality.  Ive never done it at 7, but I have heard reports from people running it around 15 and they absolutely loved it.

Anyway, the pictures are terrible, but it was 2 degrees with a mix of rain, snow sleet and high winds. Welcome to creek boating in Canada...

The next day we headed over to the Blanche River in the town of Riviere A Pierre.  Cool little town where they  quarry and mill granite slabs.  Really cool granite porches, picnic tables, polished granite decks, houses.... you name it.  Head into the hills above the community, and somehow you are transformed into the high Sierra's of California.  There are a few choices, but the Blanche is my favourite.  Big, beautiful, runnable slides.  This run has finicky water levels, and no gauge.  As an guesstimate, I would target hitting the Blanche when the Neilson is around 30 - 50.

We had a good crew, and ran every rapid that day including the Blind Date line (Boydo fired it) and "Energizer" aka "Le Zed" which is among the largest drops of my kayaking career.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures.

Gear List:

Sweet Wanderer

Werner Powerhouse

Stohlquist Descent jacket with Level 6 tether

NRS Toaster Mitts

Kokatat Drytop

Currents v2_5: The Grand Canyon

Check out the latest episode of CURRENTS!

Currents v2_5: The Grand Canyon from Five2Nine on Vimeo.

Petawawa Spring Trip Report

Petawawa Spring 

by: Philip Kompass

Its been an unusual year this year.  Like most places, we had a pretty warm winter up in the Valley.  We ended the year with a decent but below average snowpack, and we went into winter with pretty wet ground, so despite the less than stellar snowfall, the spring hasn't been too bad.

The gauges started to climb back in early-March and didn't look back for two full weeks, pushing the level on the Petawawa to near record highs.  For those folks out there that haven't paddled the Town section at boomin' flow, it is a short, but wild ride.  Not really any harder than at low flows, and to be honest, far less chance of injury.  Big crashing waves, and enormous pillows and holes are the order of the day.  Every rapid goes, and goes well, but for sure they can be intimidating.

By my count, I consider high water to start around 3.5 on the gauge (http://www.wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/graph/graph_e.html?stn=02KB001).  The photos from high water were at 4.15.  That is about 2 feet more water, and the difference between 140 cms and 350 cms.  Good times for sure.

==

April 6 - The level has been falling now for a week or two and we are at typical spring levels, albeit 2 weeks ahead of schedule.  After getting skunked on Quebec City due to cold water drying up the flows, we rallied a big crew to go into the ever classic, always enjoyable Upper Petawawa. This river is solid gold.  It makes for a beautiful day of boating on comfortable class IV.  There are tougher options for the more daring, and some simple sneaks for those who just want a day outside.

With the hike in, pretty much snow free, we shouldered our boats for the 4km hike in, and spent another 2 hours picking away at some fine fine whitewater.

If you haven't been in to the Upper Pet, check www.LiquidLore.com (http://www.liquidlore.com/ontario/upperpet/) for the details, but make an effort to get in when the gauge (see above) is above 3.0.  For ages an ages people ran this river are really low flows, late in the spring.  My sincere advice is to go early, avoid the bugs, and get a lap in on high water.  It is one of the best runs in the province and worth the effort it takes to get there.

I didn't grab pictures from everything, but enjoy what I shot, and get in there yourself to see what it is really like.

The rain has been falling lately which is helping the level plateau.  Good stuff for an extended spring and decent levels for the OPS Hell Or High Water (www.HOHW.ca)