Ikelos - Taking Dreams and Crafting Them Into Reality

I’ve moved up to the Ikelos paddle by Werner. Today was my first paddle with it. Ikelos is a very aggressive high angle paddle and it moves a lot of water! I feel like it is going to get a little getting used to. When I try to paddle with it with the same amount of pulling force I’m used to I tire myself out. It has such a large surface area that it gives a lot of resistance. A relaxed paddling pace with the Ikelos moves me faster than a steady work out pace with my Cyprus.

Like the Cyprus the Ikelos has a foam core. Very light and very buoyant. I didn’t try any rolls with it. However I have in the past rolled with the Corryvrecken a very close relative to the Ikelos and found it extremely easy to roll with. The only difference between the two is the foam core. The Corryvrecken doesn’t have the foam core. I think this paddle will really show its worth next time I am in Deception Pass. A really powerful paddle for bracing. rolling, and just plain taking control.

Like all Werner paddles I have tried the quality is wonderful. The shaft is super smooth, which I find very comfortable on longer paddles. I started originally with Aqua Bound paddles. Their shaft has just a bit of a rough texture to them. Barely noticeable on shorter paddles. However on a full day paddle it felt like it was digging into my skin.

To test out my new paddle I went for a short cruise along the Bellingham waterfront. I left from Fairhaven and traveled along the Taylor Dock. As I left I saw one of the Alaska State Ferries M/V Aurora tied up for service. The Aurora is one of the smaller ferries and I assume it is only here for service. The Alaska Ferry system leaves for Alaska from Bellingham and has a pretty nice terminal in Fairhaven. Often used for formal events it is especially nice at night. Bellingham has a long history of logging and coal mining all supported by the water. Growing up in this area the waterfront was filled with wood pilings left over from the old days.

A few years ago Bellingham cleaned this area up and created a “boardwalk” (actually made of cement not boards) that went across the water. Part of a trail system that connects miles and miles of wonderful trails. During the Bellingham Marathon this boardwalk was used as part of the course. Pretty impressive to see over 2000 runners running along this path. Recently a local coffee company added a coffee house at Boulevard Park. Clearly Bellingham has no shortage of coffee stands, but this one is pretty nice. It is a great place to sit back and enjoy the water. It is so close to the water I almost expect them to offer drive through service for paddlers soon. (let’s hope things don’t go that far). I also like that the city chose to give this space to a local coffee company rather than a take over the world coffee company like Starbucks. The weather was wonderful today. Flat calm water, no wind, with temperatures in the mid 40’s. Unfortunately M has been feeling a little under the weather lately so she wasn’t able to join me.

I don’t know what it was about me today, but everybody was waiving at me and saying hello. A few took photos. It’s not like there is a shortage of kayakers in this area so I shouldn’t have been that strange to see paddling along. Everybody was very nice except the little kid that was defending his beach along Boulevard Park. He had taken up cover behind a log and was shooting at me with a make believe gun fashioned from driftwood. Reminded me of myself as a kid. I loved playing cops and robbers, cowboys and indians, or any other war type game. Of course there was always the endless argument when the other kid would insist that he hadn’t been hit and refused to play dead.

Wow how did I get so far off topic. I guess that is what paddling does for me. Takes me to another place. A place away from work, bills, and other life stresses. Ain’t kayaking great.