Join certified instructor Helen Wilson for Yoga for Paddlers (suitable for any level).

Helen will be leading early moring sessions at the Marin Headlands Hostel, downstairs in the yoga studio, from 6.15-7.00am.

Yoga is a great way to wake up the body, mind and spirit for a day on the water. Bring a yoga mat or towel and wear comfortable clothing.

Helen and Mark will be releasing a new DVD in May called “Yoga for Outdoor People.” The DVD will have three yoga sessions that have an emphasis on kayaking and rock climbing. For more information go to Helen & Mark’s website, Greenland or Bust.

New for GGSKS 2013, we are inviting entries for a sea kayaking video competition. The winner will receive the incredible GoPro HD3 camera donated by GoPro.

The competition is open to all Symposium participants (but not instructors).

All you need to do is produce a (maximum 5 minute) sea kayaking video, upload it on You Tube, Vimeo or another video sharing website and send us the link. We will select the top 5 which will be screened at the GGSKS party on Friday night. Award winning film-maker Justine Curgenven will then judge the best film and award the prize.

The video does not necessarily have to be action-packed, but should share your passion for sea kayaking. The closing date for entries is Monday, January 21st 2013. Here is a great example by Kim Grandfield of Sunrise Mountain Sports.

Send your entries to admin@ggsks.com

Good luck!!!

presents an evening with

Justine Curgenven

Friday evening at GGSKS 2013 will feature a Q&A session with Justine Curgenven, who has the most famous laugh in kayaking!

Cackle TV produces award winning seakayaking and adventure films which are available for purchase on DVD. The company was set up in 2001 by Justine Curgenven to combine her professional television background with her love of kayaking and the outdoors.

Justine has successfully pioneered a new genre in seakayaking films – the inspirational ‘This is the Sea’ series features talented paddlers, some of the world’s most beautiful paddling destinations and cutting edge expeditions. The films are shot with a kayak mounted camera system which captures warts-and-all action in the most challenging rough water. Her aim – through films and her website – is to inspire everyone to escape from everyday life, and get out on the water.

Justine thrives on expeditions – both as an explorer and an adventure filmmaker. She has 10 years experience of filming kayaking and mountaineering expeditions. Her documentaries have aired on the BBC and National Geographic Channel and won multiple awards at Film Festivals including “Banff Mountain Film Festival”, “Kendal Mountain Film Festival” and the “Reel Paddling Film
Festival”.

You can read about some of her past expeditions here.

• SARDINIA
  – In April 2009 Justine and Barry Shaw kayaked 900 km around Sardinia. The
  Italian island is the second largest in the Mediterranean, after Sicily, and is
  famed for it’s rugged coastline, warm climate, strong winds, beautiful beaches
  and being fought over for centuries by different cultures. It also contains 70%
  of Italian military bases.
• NEW
  ZEALAND – In January 2008, Justine Curgenven and Barry Shaw paddled
  2,400km around the South Island of New Zealand. Surf, surf and surf are the main
  dangers, along with remote uninhabited coastline & strong winds. See the
  award winning documentary on “This is the Sea 4″.
• HAIDA
  GWAII ( The Queen Charlotte Islands) – In 2007, Justine Curgenven,
  Shawna Franklin & Leon Somme paddled 500 miles around this remote and
  beautiful island chain in British Columbia, encountering dozens of whales, hot
  springs, standing totem poles, 3 metre swells & miles of remote uninhabited
  coastline. See footage of this expedition in “This is the Sea 4″.
• The
  North Face TASMANIA Circumnavigation – In Nov and Dec 2004, Trys
  Morris, Gemma Rawlings and Justine became the first all female team to
  circumnavigate Tasmania. They coped with 3 storey-high swells, long portages
  over sand bars and relentless headwinds to complete the 1350km journey in 37
  days. ‘See a 30 min documentary of this expedition on ‘This is the Sea 2′.
• KAMCHATKA
  – In July 2003, Justine, Hadas Feldman and novice Russian paddler Alexey
  Sitnokov successfully completed a 650km sea kayak journey up the Pacific coast
  of Kamchatka in remote Siberia. Highlights included intimidating surf,
  brown bears, and being taken away on a tank. ‘see a 16 minute documentary of
  this expedition on ‘This is the Sea 1′. Also look out for an hour long program
  about the journey on the National Geographic series, “Total Adventure”.
• GREENLAND
  – Justine filmed 5 British women skiing into the Schweizerland mountains and
  climbing new rock routes. National Geographic produced a 30 minute documentary
  about the adventure.

Justine will also be judging a Sea Kayak video competition sponsored by GoPro. The best 5 minute movie submitted will win a GoPro HD3 camera! More information on this to follow…

We are delighted to announce that the makers of the film ‘Ikkatsu – The Roadless Coast’, Ken Campbell and Steve Weileman will be our keynote speakers on Saturday night. Presented by Sea Kayaker magazine, this will be the first opportunity to see this film in the Bay Area and to talk with Ken and Steve about the project. This event will be at the Presidio Yacht Club and includes a dinner option and is only open to Symposium attendees.

Ikkatsu – movie trailer from Steve Weileman on Vimeo.

The Ikkatsu Project is dedicated to exploration, education and advocacy in the service of the ocean. One of the most severe threats to the marine environment is the problem of debris, much of it plastic that is fouling our coastlines as well as wreaking havoc with aquatic life in the open sea. The film Ikkatsu: The Roadless Coast, examines the effects of the Japanese tsunami of March 2011, and the associated debris that was introduced to the environment, along with the larger issue of plastics in our oceans.

The 2013 Ikkatsu Expedition is scheduled for July, when team members will once again use kayaks to explore the shores of Augustine Island, Alaska, conducting beach debris surveys and monitoring sea birds for ingested plastic. More information on the Ikkatsu Project, including updates on film showings and other public events, can be found at: www.ikkatsuproject.org

and at www.facebook.com/TheIkkatsuProject

Here are Ken and Steve’s bios:

Ken Campbell is a paddle sports instructor with expedition experience in Washington, California, British Columbia and Newfoundland. In addition to authoring several books on Pacific Northwest kayaking, he is a long-time presenter at symposia and clinics throughout the region. With the Ikkatsu Project, Ken has turned his efforts to environmental issues that affect our oceans, focusing on increasing awareness of the dangers to our fragile shorelines and finding ways that they can be protected.

Steve Weileman is a former ACA instructor and professional wilderness guide who has turned his focus to advocating for the environment. After years of paddling distant coasts from Alaska to Newfoundland, Steve’s interest in photography led to the publication of his first book of photos, The Forgotten Shore: A Photographic Journey Through Alaska’s Snug Harbor Cannery. With Ikkatsu: The Roadless Coast, he has made the leap to film and continues to use his work to support environmental education and understanding.

You can read about the project in the January edition of Sea Kayaker magazine.

We have made some changes to the event this year to help us focus on bringing you the very best sea kayak symposium. We are not offering accommodation at the Marin Headlands Hostel to attendees although this option is still available to you by booking directly with the Hostel. This will save you money and has allowed us to REDUCE THE COST of the symposium by $25.

We will be offering dinner at the Presidio Yacht Club on Friday and Saturday evening that will include keynote speaker presentations. More details on those coming soon!

Once again we have the best coaching line-up including Nick Cunliffe,  Justine Curgenven and Barry Shaw from the UK. We have added some new classes such as ‘Rock Gardening in Whitewater Kayaks’ and ‘Introduction to Surf Skis’, and kept many of your favorites including ‘Advanced Boat Control Master Class’ and three levels of Rock Garden Class for Sea Kayaks.

As always, class sizes are stritcly limited to ensure you get the best quality instruction, stay safe and have the most fun. So if you want your first choice classes don’t delay and sign up right away.

Help us celebrate our 5th year and join the party!

Here is a video by Alex Matthews. Thanks for sharing Alex!

Alex Matthews Sea Kayaking San Francisco 2012 from Alex Matthews on Vimeo.

Dominick Lemarie

Those of you who attended GGSKS 2012 will have seen Dominick Lemarie shooting from on land and on and even in the water.

His work is now available for viewing and purchasing at: Dominick Lemarie Photography.

Please support Dominick’s work as one of the leading paddlesports photographers in the world by buying your favorite(s).

Photo by Dominick Lemarie

Thanks to Sea Kayaker Magazine, we have a fascinating program for Saturday evening at GGSKS 2012.

VENUE: Bayside Elementary School, 630 Nevada St, Sausalito, CA 94965

Map for Bayside Elementary School

 DATE: Saturday February 18th 2012

TIME: Doors open at 7.00pm

COST: Free to Symposium attendees, $10 at the door for everyone else.

PROGRAM:

• 7.00pm    Doors open, raffle tickets and books available for sale
• 7.20pm    Tribute to Eric Soares
• 7.30pm    Karen Carlson, Boater Outreach Specialist, Seabird Protection Network, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
• 7.45pm    Tracy Corbin, Membership Coordinator, San Francisco Baykeeper
• 8.00pm    Jon Turk. Presented by Sea Kayaker magazine
• 9.30pm    GGSKS raffle in support of the Marine Mammal Center. Top prize: P&H Delphin Surf!

Steve Wilson rocks!

Steve Wilson has been singing since he could talk. One of his earliest memories is of his father spinning 45’s of “The Big Rock Candy Mountain” with a toy spinning in the middle of the turntable. His mother was tolerant of his singing but not his non-stop whistling. Steve picked up the guitar at nine following in his older brothers footsteps. The sixties came along full of music and poetry, ripe for a young want to be songwriter. Steve met his wife (Alice) 35 years ago, sweeping her off her feet with a song. These days Steve performs all around Southern California.

Steve started sea kayaking in 1999. Steve could not let a single wave go when surfing (even if it was a big shore break). The Ocean soon gave Steve his first good lesson (big shore break bad/ kayak repair easy). He’s been called “Hull Cracker” ever since. Steve enjoys all aspects of sea kayaking.

Steve once paddled 26 hours without landing or sleeping, accompanying paddling buddy (Duane Strosaker) on  75 nautical miles of his epic 101 mile/ 36 hour paddle. Steve has circumnavigated three of the Channel Islands. Catalina is his favorite destination. Steve has circumnavigated Catalina 4 times and made the crossing ten times. Steve can be found up and down the coast of Southern California, from San Diego to Gaviota, playing with his friends in the surf, rock gardens, and running the coast.

Steve will be performing songs from his first CD, appropriately named “Hull-Cracker” and they will be available to buy.

Click here view a video of Steve performing Last Rider at the Buffalo Inn.

• 2nd session of Advanced Boat Control Master Class ADDED on Friday, Feb 17
• 2nd session of Advanced Rock Gardening ADDED Sunday, Feb 19
• Bay Journey REMOVED on Friday, Feb 17
• BCU 3* Assessment REMOVED on Sunday, Feb 19