Kayakbuilding at Delmarva Paddlers Retreat 2023 part II

The story goes on.  Almost one week home, now. I would like to still share some thoughts on this project.

Slowly, things turn to normal. But I think things will never turn completely normal. I feel so completely relaxed, as I have never been in my adult life before. I have been very tired also – going to sleep at 9 in the evening, and waking up at 5 in the morning (ready to paddle?). 

My tiredness, I guess has especially to do with the last weeks paddling. I calculated my average day’s paddle the last 3 weeks of the journey to be above 55 km. per day. According to competent long distance and competition paddlers, an average day’s paddle should not exceed much more than 40 km. If you wish to be go on for weeks and weeks. I also dropped 5 kilos of weight. I had not much to lose in the first place.  

But all in all everything is very satisfying. My total paddle distance was 3063 km. in 73 days – about 42 km a day. Pretty much the same as other expeditions of equal duration have had.

On Friday, I could not resist the temptation to take my baidarka to the nearby lake, and paddle my usual 20 km. trip around an island there. The kayak was empty, not that it matters much. I paddled this distance focused, but without great effort (not much pulse) in 2,5 hours. Nearly one hour faster than before my journey!!! The average speed was 7,9 km/hour. Before the great journey, my average speed would be 6,8 or so.  

The weather was as good as it can be this time of the year!

On Thursday I talked to Bao Quoc. He told me that he wanted to build his own baidarka this winter, and finish his part of the journey from Kristianssund to the Swedish border next summer. I agreed on having a baidarka building workshop this winter from 7.-15. of January. This workshop will be open to anyone interested.