Paddling The Blue Podcast

#100 - West Hansen - Arctic Cowboys Kayak the Northwest Passage

Today’s episode marks a significant milestone to Paddling the Blue with episode #100. Our first episode released in February 2020 and we’ve come to you every two weeks since and we’ve had more than 120,000 listens from 103 countries.  
Thank you to every guest who has generously shared their experiences. Thank you to you for listening and for reaching out to tell us how you were inspired by a guest, giving your suggestions, and your support.  Because of you, we have had the opportunity to talk with guests across the globe about paddling on every continent. Thank you!
There are so many more stories to share with you and we are excited for the next 100 episodes! 
Today’s guest is West Hansen. West and the four person team, The Arctic Cowboys, came together to be the first team to paddle the entire length of the Northwest Passage by kayak in a single season. It’s a tale that takes us from Baffin Bay to the Beaufort Sea while dodging icebergs, massive ocean waves, and killer Corgi puppies. Team members include West Hansen, Jeff Wueste, Eileen Visser, and Mark Agnew.
Before we get to our chat with West:
We are grateful to everyone who has supported the show financially. If you would like to help, please visit our website at www.paddlingtheblue.com and click the Buy Me a Coffee icon. Every little bit helps offset the cost of the show and keep the stories coming.  
James and Simon at onlineseakayaking.com continue to produce great content to help you evolve as a paddler, and as a coach.   Everything from basic strokes and safety to paddling in tides, surfing, coaching, documentaries, it’s all in one place. If you’re not already a subscriber to Onlineseakayaking.com, here’s your opportunity to get started. Visit onlineseakayaking.com and use the coupon code PTBPODCAST at checkout and you’ll get 10% off up to 12 months of your subscription investment. 
Enjoy today’s episode with West Hansen!
Learn:
The Arctic Cowboys (including route map)
Running the Amazon, by Joe Kane
Amazon Source to Sea, by West Hansen
Amazon Woman: Facing ears, chasing dreams, and a quest to kayak the world's largest river from source to sea, by Darcy Gaechter
 
Connect:
Westhansen.com
 

#99 - Katie Carr - Moderate Becoming Good Later Kayaking the Shipping Forecast with Toby

Katie Carr joins today's episode of the Paddling the Blue podcast. Katie recently released the book "Moderate Becoming Good Later" about her brother Toby’s quest to paddle all the areas of what’s known as the shipping forecast.   We have a great conversation about her experience writing the book, Toby’s love for paddling and life, and how paddling the shipping forecast is bringing her closer to family.
Get your copy of Moderate Becoming Good Later
Connect:
Katie Annice Carr (website)
Instagram
Twitter/X
Learn:
BBC 4 Shipping Forecast
Attention All Shipping: A Journey Around the Shipping Forecast by Charlie Connelly
Fanconi Anemia
The Churchill Fellowship
 
 
 
Purchases made through links on this page may include affiliate links and generate income to help pay show expenses. 

#98 - Esther Wheeler - Around the next bend with an accidental racer

Esther Wheeler is a driven endurance athlete, or as she calls herself, an accidental athlete. Today we will get a fascinating glimpse into the mind of an endurance athlete and how she manages herself before, during, and after the event. There are some great lessons that we can apply across different paddling disciplines and life in general, even if we’re not racing.
Connect:
Instagram
Twitter
Learn:
Tower Hamlets
Lane Cove River Kayakers
Pacific Dragons Outrigger and Dragonboat club
Yukon River Quest
Canadian Death Race
Barkley Marathons
 
 

#97 - Mike Conroy - Mikey Kayaks Cornwall and Ireland

Mike Conroy joins us for today’s episode of the Paddling the Blue Podcast.  We’ll talk about his trips, but even more so we’ll talk about the deliberate process that Mike has mapped out to reach his goals. Get ready for a fun interview with an everyday paddler who has set his mind to a project and is making it happen. 
Connect:
Kayak Demelza
3 Capital Kayak
Learn:
Shamrock Loop Interactive Google Map
Blasket Islands
St. Petrocs
Surfers Against Sewage
The Wombles
Anglesey Sea Kayak Symposium
Performance Sea Kayak
 

#96 -Jack Hampton - Paddling the Margins

Welcome to today’s episode of Paddling the Blue. 
Today’s guest is Jack Hampton. Jack and friends paddled the Inside Passage with the goal of not only completing the trip, but to explore the lives of those living in the coastal margin communities along the way and how they are impacted by decisions made about their homeland.
Connect:
www.paddlingthemargins.com
Instagram
Supported by:
Reed Chillcheater
Nautiraid
Dakota Lithium

#95 - Rupert Kirkwood - Kayaking eye to eye with whales in England

Welcome to today’s episode of Paddling the Blue. 
Today’s guest is Rupert Kirkwood. Rupert goes by the name The Lone Kayaker.  You may have seen photos of some of his incredible sea life encounters and today we chat about those experiences, his motivation, and what led him to a life seeking beautiful creatures.
Before we get to our chat with Rupert:
James and Simon at onlineseakayaking.com continue to produce great content to help you evolve as a paddler, and as a coach.   Everything from basic strokes and safety to paddling in tides, surfing, coaching, documentaries, it’s all in one place. If you’re not already a subscriber to Onlineseakayaking.com, here’s your opportunity to get started. Visit onlineseakayaking.com and use the coupon code PTBPODCAST at checkout and you’ll get 10% off up to 12 months of your subscription investment. 
Level Six continues as a great supporter of Paddling the Blue and we have a special offer just for you. If you would like to pick up some great Level Six drywear or other kit, visit their website at levelsix.com and use the coupon code PTBPODCAST at checkout for 10% off your order.  
Enjoy today’s episode with Rupert Kirkwood!
Connect:
The Lone Kayaker - Rupert's Wild World of Water. As Seen from A Kayak

#94 - David Johnston - Paddle Canada Georgian Bay and Lake Superior

Welcome to today’s episode of Paddling the Blue. 
Today’s guest is David Johnston. David is an sea kayak instructor, guide, and one of the key architects for some of Paddle Canada’s programs.  We’ll talk about the development of Paddle Canada’s programs, the state of instruction, Georgian Bay, and the beauty of Lake Superior and we have a few laughs along the way.
Before we get to our chat with David:
James and Simon at onlineseakayaking.com continue to produce great content to help you evolve as a paddler, and as a coach.   If you’re not already a subscriber to Onlineseakayaking.com, here’s your opportunity to get started. Visit onlineseakayaking.com and use the coupon code PTBPODCAST at checkout and you’ll get 10% off up to 12 months of your subscription investment. 
Level Six continues as a great supporter of Paddling the Blue and we have a special offer just for you. If you would like to pick up some great Level Six drywear or other kit, visit their website at levelsix.com and use the coupon code PTBPODCAST at checkout for 10% off your order.  
Enjoy today’s episode with David Johnston.
Connect:
SeaKayakInstructor.com

#93 - Brian Wilson - Blazing Paddles and Dances with Waves

Brian Wilson is the author of Blazing Paddles, a Scottish Coastal Odyssey where he shares his trip around the country, and Dances with Waves, about his journey around Ireland. Brian shares some of the fun folklore, stories of the people he met along the way, and a really creepy situation he found himself in.
Connect:
Birlinn Books
Email
Books:
Blazing paddles
Dances with Waves
 

#92 - Denis Dwyer - Louisiana to Alaska’s Prince William Sound and the Inside Passage

Today’s guest is Dennis Dwyer.
Dennis has made several trips to Alaska, having driven from Louisiana to Alaska first in 1987. Dennis has written books on paddling Prince William Sound and the Inside Passage as well as running a popular online group dedicated to Inside Passage paddlers. 
Connect:
Inside Passage Sea Kayakers
Facebook
Learn:
Alone in the Passage: An Explorer's Guide to Sea Kayaking on the Inside Passage
Alone in the Sound: An Explorer's Guide to the Sea Kayaking Alaska's Prince William Sound
Point to Point: Exploring the Inside Passage by Sea Kayak
Tactics for Long Distance Sea Kayaking
The Wild Coast: Volume 2: A Kayaking, Hiking, and Recreational Guide for the North and Central B.C. Coast
Kayaking the Inside Passage: A Paddler's Guide from Puget Sound, Washington, to Glacier Bay, Alaska
NOAA Chart Locator

#91 - Renata Chlumska-Circumnavigating the USA by kayak and bike

Today’s guest is Renata Chlumska. She is a legendary professional adventurer who brings an incredible history, having reached the Seven Summits, the highest points on each continent. Today she joins us to talk about another expedition that doesn’t involve high peaks, but one with great personal meaning to her.
Join us as Renata describes paddling and biking 11,300 miles over 439 days covering 32 states to circumnavigate the continental US by kayak and bicycle. 
Connect:
RenataChlumska.com
Learn:
Seven Summits (Wikipedia)
Renata Chlumska | TEDx | Seeking New Thrills
Ultimate High by Goran Kropp