Paddling The Blue Podcast

#107 - Mark Spitzer - 7 months on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers

Mark Spitzer shares a detailed account of his 7 month canoe trip down the entire length of the Missouri River and continuing down the Mississippi.  He was joined by his dog, Groucho, who had some adventures of his own.  It’s a great story about the river and life change.
Learn:
Waterlogue (Buffalo Commons Press)
Lewis and Clark Expedition (Wikipedia)
The Lewis and Clark Companion: An Encyclopedic Guide to the Voyage of Discovery
Connect:
Mark Spitzer (Facebook)

#106 - Tom Daly - The first Ireland solo that almost got him kicked out of canoeing

Tom Daly completed the first solo Ireland circumnavigation by kayak in 1979. In today's episode, we talk about the adventure itself, the gear, the freedom, and how this trip almost got him kicked out of the sport.
It was a far different time. Certainly simpler than today’s social media fueled expeditions. It’s an interesting comparison. It doesn't make one better than the other…just different. And I think the Irish Canoe Union’s position is different on solos now too.
Following that solo, Tom has continued growth in sports to become one of the world’s most accomplished masters cyclists and ultra endurance cyclist, coach, and researcher on physiological adaptation to training in older athletes.
Thank you to Mike Conroy for helping make the connection with Tom Daly! 
Learn:
A Journey in 1979, by Tom Daly
St. Brenden the Navigator
Masters Cycling Coaching
Connect:
Tom Daly
 

#105 - Nicky and Kevin Mansell - Kayaking Jersey and the Channel Islands

Today we head out to Jersey.  For those in the USA, we’re not talking about the state of New Jersey, we’re talking about the Channel Islands. 
Every episode gives me something else to add to the bucket list. This island archipelago is teeming with paddling opportunities and Nicky and Kevin Mansell join today’s episode to share why every paddler should go to Jersey.   Caves, tide races, surf beaches, castles,  Martello towers, and more.  It's all in the Channel Islands!
Learn:
Channel Islands
Martello Towers
Jersey uncovered
Jersey Canoe Club
Disko Bay, Greenland
Connect:
Nicky
nicky@jerseyuncovered.com
Instagram: @nickymansell
X (Twitter): @nickym_nicky
Kevin
kevin@seapaddler.co.uk
Instagram: @sea.paddler
 

David Walsh - Oileain - Kayaking all the Irish islands

David Walsh is the force behind Oileain, the definitive guide to the islands of Ireland.  We will talk about his journey to catalog and detail each of the islands, which have been his favorites, which have been the hardest, and more.
Oileain.org (website soft-copy and purchase)
Oilean (Amazon)
 
 

#103 - Natalie Maderova and Michal Madera - UK, Ireland, and that time Freya broke a boat in Alaska

Natalie Maderova and Michal Madera join today's episode to share their simple yet effective philosophy on managing a big trip and they bring the credibility to back it up. They’ve circumnavigated Britain, Ireland, and paddled in Alaska with Freya Hoffmeister and we’ll touch on each of these during today’s episode. 
Enjoy today’s episode with Natalie and Michal!
Connect:
Sixknots.net
The Circumnavigation, 2012
The Northern Four, 2015
Alaska, 2018
Drop Seat Adventure, 2019
sixknots at hotmail dot com
 

#102 - Des Keaney - Rounding the Cape and beating retinal degeneration

Today I am joined by Des Keaney. Des was referred to me by Catriona Woods from episode 89. Des shares a trip around Cape Horn, a few of his favorite places in Ireland, and how he’s overcoming one of life's challenges to continue enjoying paddling.  His is a great story of perseverance. 
Learn:
Late Onset Retinal Degeneration
National Institutes of Health
University of Edinburgh
Connect:
Des Keaney

#101 - Nick Ray - Life Afloat in Scotland 365

Today’s episode features Nick Ray.
Many of us followed Nick on his 365 day Life Afloat journey around Scotland. It was a quest to find hope and joy in fully immersing himself in the trip and he did just that. We have a great chat about his motivation, his personal struggles with mental illness, and how paddling has helped him.  
Connect:
Life Afloat
X (formerly Twitter)
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Learn:
Strong Winds are Forecast: A solo, 1850 mile journey by sea kayak, to every lifeboat station around Scotland
Royal National Lifeboat Institute
 

#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