Re: [Paddlewise] Who We Are

Well, 

I am turning 38, divorced 4 years ago and found myself having too much free 
time with nothing to do ;-)  met a friend who had an deep addiction to 
sea-kayaking and  during the first summer tried paddling 5 to 6 times. 

 My father had two boats when I was a kid, so that might have 
something to do why I do feel so comfortable at sea. Solitude, silence, feeling 
of learning and personal success felt sssoooooooooooooo nice...  after four 
summers I have found myself owning a double and a single (Nordkapp), plus 
lots of other gear. Got addicted, too. Seriously.

I do quite often weekend trips of 2 to 4 days along the Finnish coast, and I 
have now started regularly paddling some 650 miles per year - at least one or 
two of the trips lasting a week or two. A very serious part of my learning 
curve was the expedition of last summer: 400 kms/ 250 miles alone, from 
Helsinki to the Russian border and back. Mostly, my work as a photographer and 
a principal lecturer wears me down before summer, so when I do start hating 
people it is time to go alone to the sea ;-) 

I am not especially fond of all that tecnical stuff, so my greatest happiness 
is just to enjoy the mornings when the sun has risen here at 3.30 am and after 
a good cup of hot coffee I am starting the voyage through silent waters. 

Cheers,

Ari Saarto

"Home of the Traditional & Famous Scandinavian Skinny-dipping [TM]"
Finland - Europe
GSM +358 - 50 - 526 5892
fax. +358 - 3 - 828 2815
e-mail: asaarto_at_lpt.fi
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