Our Gear

Navigation and Safety gear :
PFDs: Extrasport (c) Pro creeker (Extrasport)
Paddle float
Towing system
Satellite Phone (Iridum)
PLB
VHF
Rifle
Various Cord / Rope
Multi Tool and repair kit
GPS x 2
Deck compass x2
hand held compass x2
barometer
Maps with water proof cases
Survival Kit and First aid

Photographic equipment:
D-SLR camera: Cannon EOS 400D with 18-200mm OS lenses
Digital Water proof small camera (Pentax optio 6)
Video Camera (Panasonic)
Spares batteries
Extra memory card, Back up Memory stick and Data copier
Solar Panels

Clothing and Camping gear
Tent: K2 eureka 4 season, geodesic dome tent (Eureka!)
sleeping bags
sleeping mats (thermarest)
Gore-Tex Dry suit (Kokatat)
Fleece and Thermal Underwear and tops
Gloves and poggies
Shoes and water proof socks
Warm hats
Sunglasses
Personal stuff
Dry bags
Cooking equipment
Fuel (95% Alcohol)
Fishing Gear

Our paddles

A bad paddle on a long trip can be compared to a stone in a hiker's boot.

We've had the opportunity to experience many paddles of a number of the major brands.

We are long time users of Lendal paddles and eventually we both decided to choose the Lendal Kinetic Touring S as our primary paddle.

We chose the light carbon model with bent shaft with the "VariLok" joint which facilitates both variation of the full range of feathering angles and also some flexibility in the overall paddle length which will allow us to optimize the paddle characteristics during the trip as we get familiar with the kayaks.

The 4 piece version is also very convenient for flights. The slightly smaller area of the "S" model is intended to result in less strain during long days of paddling. We will also be taking along our existing "full size" Lendal Kinetic Touring paddles as backups.

We are happy to have Lendal as a sponsor and appreciate their enthusiastic support.

Future postings: Safety and communications gear, Camping, Photographic equipment

Equipment: The Kayaks

Optimistic Paddler with his gear (Harel Ofir, Alaska, 2005)

A significant part of the preparation for our trip centers around the equipment. While there is no doubt that the most important component of the enjoyment and safety of the trip is our attitude and judgment, the right choice of equipment is also critical in ensuring a smooth and pleasurable trip.

In isolated areas there is generally no option to replace a forgotten or defective item so careful planning is essential. We intend on a number of postings covering our choice of equipment, hoping that this may be useful to other paddlers in the planning of their trips. We would also be happy to receive any feedback that our readers may care to submit.


The Kayaks
Among the most important items are the kayak and the paddles. Back home we are happy owners of NDK Explorer and NDK Greenlander kayaks.
In previous expeditions, Kobi mainly used the NDK Explorer while Alan mostly opted for the logistic independence afforded by Feathercraft folding kayaks.
Due to the remoteness of the region and limited possibilities of transporting kayaks, we were initially considering also using Feathercraft kayaks for this trip. While this choice would have afforded maximum route flexibility, we were concerned about transport logistics and costs since we have 6 flights just to the starting point.
When we learnt of the possibility using almost new Prijon Seayak that could be delivered to our starting location, we decided to adopt this option. While this Seayak is a bit slower and has hatches that are probably less sealed than the kayaks we normally use, we consider these as fairly minor drawbacks. Our trip is mainly of an exploratory nature and not a race to cover a predefined distance in a minimal time. We will compensate for the lack of day hatches by using low profile deck bags.
Prijon seayak are made of High Performance Thermoplast Polyethylene so they should be very durable on the ice and rocky shore.

Nanook Of The North and his Kayak

This an fantastic scene from the classic film "Nanook of the North" by Robert Flaherty. The film was shot in 1922 and documents the life of Nanook, an Inuit hunter and his family as they struggle to survive in the harsh conditions of the arctic region. "Nanook of the North" is considered to be the first documentary ever made and is a truly joyous film experience