The first high pressure system of the season settled over Ireland during the last week and as most people were recovering from St. Patricks day celebrations or a late night watching the Aurora Borealis, myself and Helen Fairbairn were gearing up for a trip to one of Irelands most exposed headlands.Taking full advantage of the wind and swell conditions we headed out West to the Mullet Peninsula. 

Kokatat's repair service is like their drysuits legendary! If you have a Gore-Tex drysuit you can send it back to be serviced more or less indefinitely. They will go to work on it and magically return it to dry or near dry condition. I have used the service in the past, before I was Kokatat ambassador.  My suit was leaking but there was no obvious hole or cuts. They tested it and found hundreds of tiny pinholes caused by briars and gorse bushes while out scouting rivers. Unbelievably they sent it back to me with all the holes painstakingly patched and the suit nearly 100% dry, all for the nominal fee of $20. Kokatat suits may demand a high price but you are getting more than just a drysuit. You are getting the best customer and repair service in the industry.

Before this year you had to send your drysuit to their American factory. But luckily now they have a new service centre in the UK which will make the turn around much faster for E.U. customers.


Check out this little video about the service HERE

Or if you fancy fixing your suit up yourself take a look at these handy how to videos.

Wrist gasket replacement: HERE

Neck gasket replacement: HERE

The second week of January as snow began to fall here in Ireland I boarded a plane for Malta and some winter sunshine paddling.

The Shuna is Werners best selling high angle sea paddle and it is no wonder. The blade size is not to big but still has some bite. Built quality is as usual excellent from Werner and the paddles feel very robust but are still very light. In the water the catch is firm and the pull through the stroke is smooth with no flutter.

The shaft is split with Werners unique smart view system, which is very neat and effective but does limit you to one length and set feather angles. On some other spit systems you can have any feather and 10 cm of length adjustment which makes your paddles more versatile. 

I am currently using a set of Werner Shuna paddles for sea kayaking. So far I am really impressed with these paddles. 

My paddle stats:

Length: 215cm
Blades: Glass
Shaft: Carbon, Neutral bent, Split

During a recent Level 3 Sea Kayak Instructor training course I got the opportunity to visit Valentia Marine Radio Rescue Station. For sea goers Valentia is well known, as it is one of only three coast guard communication stations in Ireland and it is a referenced location used during weather forecasts for the south and west coast of Ireland.  For those unfamiliar, it is a small island off Co.Kerry on the south,west coast of Ireland.

The visit was a very informative experience and a great opportunity to learn first hand about the work the staff do and how we can interact with the coast guard as sea kayakers. Below is some useful advice they had for us.

I recently renewed my first aid certification and moved up to Remote Emergency Care Level 4. Coincidentally I also needed a new first aid kit. After the training I decided to build my own but soon realised that it was a lot of hassle and probably more expensive than an off the shelf kit.

After a bit of searching online I took a punt on the Lifesystems Mountain first aid kit. It arrived today and I have to say its very impressive. It is more compact than I thought it might be which is good. The quality and layout is excellent.  It is missing a few things I will add myself like a Sam splint, but for an off the shelf first aid kit it is great value and perfect for leading small to medium sized groups.  9/10

Here is my review of the Liquid Logic Remix 79. The Remix is without doubt one of the best and most overlooked boats on the market and for me it has the makings of a true classic.  After four years of paddling mine I feel its time to offer my opinion on this excellent boat.

I have been doing a good bit of training this winter. The weather is never that good for getting on the water so I have tried to mix it up as much as possible.  Regular running, MTB, road bike, Ergo and S & C sessions along with as much paddling as I can fit in has allowed me to get in some good volume from October to January. 

Here is a short video of some of it. Enjoy. 

There has been a lovely fresh set of Werner Powerhouse paddles sitting in the shed for the last couple of years. The only problem with them is they were feathered to be left handed and they actually belong to my sister. But she hasn't used them in ages and I have had my eye on them for a while as potential splits. So I decided I would do her a favour and cut them in half. I know how thoughtful of me.

Here are five of my favorite pieces of kit that I can't paddle without during the winter months.  This list is heavily influenced by flatwater kayaking as I am doing a lot of this at the moment.  Although I use these pieces of kit mainly for flatwater, they  also can be combined with other kit like my drysuit for whitewater and sea kayaking.  So whether you are planning a Devizes to Westminster campaign or just looking for the perfect gift for Christmas you might find something of interest below.

The Cesky Krumlov river marathon took place last month on the 11th of October in the Czech Republic. Myself, Tom Brennan, Peter Tallon and Bruno Halter made the trip from Ireland as well a a large contingent from Wild Water Kayak Club in Dublin.

The decision to go to the race was only made two weeks before hand after Tom posted on FB. A few quick messages and flights were booked.  We were offered K1's and K2's to hire for the race so the logistics were straight forward. Myself and Peter opted to paddle K2 and Tom went for a K1. 

We flew into Prague on Friday evening, picked up the hire car and hit the road for the 3 hour drive to Cesky Krumlov. Luckily Bruno had been to the race before and was in charge of navigation and driving. We arrived in Krumlov about 9pm and went for a look at the boats for the race the next morning.  Luckily we did as they needed some "attention"! 

The challenge- Complete a speed circumnavigation of Irelands biggest Island - Achill.

This is a challenge I have wanted to take on for a while. Its got it all when it comes to performance sea kayaking. Strong tidal streams, long exposed sections and a demanding distance for even the fittest paddler.