Paddling The Blue Podcast

Today I have the pleasure of talking with Donal Dowd. We cover quite a few topics, including his love for Irish islands and lighthouses, 40+ years pioneering outdoor education, and the home of Ireland’s wallabies. Thank you to Jon Hynes ( episode #88 ) for making the connection with Donal.  At the Water's Edge Two Boats, B. Ferrell Dingle Publishing Services (info only) Tertulia Book Shop, Westpor...

Jon Dawkins received some advice from a friend that may surprise you that has led him to some of the best places on the outer coast of British Columbia as he explores the region one segment at a time. Along the way, he is also searching for a local legend affectionately named Kayak Bill. We’ll talk about all that in today’s episode. Connect: 3MeterSwell Facebook Instagram Resources: Looking for Ka...

Cristi Manea is someone you probably know, but whose name you probably haven’t heard.  Cristi started his paddling journey four years ago and in that time he has learned a lot from the online community and stepped up to build one of the largest online paddling communities in Facebook. We’ll talk today about how that process has made a Lownlee kayaker a happy kayaker. Connect: Solo Kayaking (Facebo...

Today I have the pleasure of talking with Eileen Murphy for a fascinating conversation. Eileen has led an incredible paddling career through many phases, from hitchhiking across Europe for slalom races, to marathon racing in Australia, to sea kayaking Ireland and beyond. So many great stories to share! Contact Eileen Shearwater Sea Kayaking Liffey Descent   Thanks again to our partners at Online S...

Conny Bell joins today’s episode of the Paddling the Blue podcast to talk about her 57-day circumnavigation of Lake Superior.  She shares her experience on this voyage of self-discovery, overcoming personal challenges, and describes how the lake changes as you make your way around.  It’s an inspiring tale that makes you want to start planning for your own trip.  Learn: Lake Superior map What are A...

Jim Kennedy is another legend in the Irish paddling world and he joins us today to talk about his racing days, his love for the Wild Atlantic Way, bioluminescence, seaweed, and how paddling keeps him grounded. Atlantic Sea Kayaking Wild Atlantic Way About West Cork Skibbereen Rowing Club

Today I am joined Amber Champion. Amber burst on to the paddling scene a few years ago and quickly ascended to become known as one of the top coaches in the Paddle Canada system. In this episode, she shares how a leaping squid, a lot of hard work, and a big helping of being a good human brought her from intern to owner.   Learn Blue Dog Kayaking Amazon Canoe Challenge Amber takes on the Amazon New...

Today I am joined by Alison French. Alison runs Sea Kayak Plockton in Scotland. Today we talk about finding your why, the reasons you should visit the Shiants, Alison’s famous flapjack, and more. Thank you to Nick Ray from episode #101 for introducing me to Alison. Learn: The Shiant Isles St. Kilda Mingulay Connect: Sea Kayak Plockton   James and Simon at onlineseakayaking.com continue to produce...

Today’s episode was recorded from the show floor at the annual Canoecopia show in Madison, Wisconsin. Billed as the world’s largest paddlesports expo, Canoecopia features more than 100,000 square feet of canoes, kayaks, kit, outfitters, everything you can imagine, plus more than 100 speakers on an incredible array of topics.  I am honored to be one of those speakers and it’s one of my favorite eve...

Today’s episode comes from the 29th annual Quiet Adventures Symposium in Lansing, MI. As paddlers, when we hear symposium we often think on-water education and experiences. This is different. It’s more like a trade show with a Great Lakes emphasis, but even if you’re not from Michigan, or even the USA, I am certain that you’ll find value in hearing from today’s guests. Our guests today include: An...

Ken Whiting is a former world champion whitewater kayaker, author, television host, and owner of Heliconia Press, one of the world’s leading media production companies in the outdoor and travel industry. You’ve seen Ken Whiting in the Facing Waves television program or his extensive and highly engaging YouTube presence, Paddle TV. Today you'll get to hear from him as he shares his story, what he l...

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...

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...

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 beache...

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)    

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 Circumnavi...

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

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...

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 gues...

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 fa...

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 Lear...

Mike Conroy joins us for today’s episode of the Paddling the Blue Podcast.  We’ll talk about his trips, but even more so we’ll talk about the deliberate process that Mike has mapped out to reach his goals. Get ready for a fun interview with an everyday paddler who has set his mind to a project and is making it happen.  Connect: Kayak Demelza 3 Capital Kayak Learn: Shamrock Loop Interactive Google...

Welcome to today’s episode of Paddling the Blue.  Today’s guest is Jack Hampton. Jack and friends paddled the Inside Passage with the goal of not only completing the trip, but to explore the lives of those living in the coastal margin communities along the way and how they are impacted by decisions made about their homeland. Connect: www.paddlingthemargins.com Instagram Supported by: Reed Chillche...

Welcome to today’s episode of Paddling the Blue.  Today’s guest is Rupert Kirkwood. Rupert goes by the name The Lone Kayaker.  You may have seen photos of some of his incredible sea life encounters and today we chat about those experiences, his motivation, and what led him to a life seeking beautiful creatures. Before we get to our chat with Rupert: James and Simon at onlineseakayaking.com continu...

Welcome to today’s episode of Paddling the Blue.  Today’s guest is David Johnston. David is an sea kayak instructor, guide, and one of the key architects for some of Paddle Canada’s programs.  We’ll talk about the development of Paddle Canada’s programs, the state of instruction, Georgian Bay, and the beauty of Lake Superior and we have a few laughs along the way. Before we get to our chat with Da...