Ok, I haven’t mention any prep so far. And that is because it all feels a little bit like a windwirl of thoughts and ideas. All the gear that I’m taking with me is very standard: basic kayaking kit, safety gear, navigation kit, camping kit – nothing unusual in comparison to what I usually carry with me on a multi-day trip. At the same time I can’t shake off the feeling I am forgetting something, or rather, I haven’t thought of something yet! It’s my first kayaking trip of such duration and paddling solo means that I can’t depend on someone else remembering the thing that I forgot… any ideas what that might me? 😀
As any adventure of this kind, it starts well before we hit the road. So this post is not only about the prep but also about the hiccups in the prep process.
Kayak
The thought was there but the final decision about pursuing the idea of circumnavigating Sicily came when it turned out that I can get my boat shipped to Sicily. It cuts the costs a little bit and enables me to paddle a boat that suits my needs and size, Aquarius Sea Lion LV. Suddenly I went from scrolling through Mediterranean in Google Maps, to actually planning a month long paddle. From one second to another the idea change from an abstract thought to an actual, doable plan. I am doing it! I’m not sure how exactly, but I am!
Drysuit
Funny story. I’ve been waiting for my new drysuit to arrive…and for the 3rd time they have sent the wrong one. I lack words to describe the feeling I had when I realize that I have to send it back again….meaning I won’t have a drysuit for the expedition…
Luckily my boyfriend just got himself a new one, so I can use his. It’s obviously a man’s drysuit, so no dropseat, just the pee zip in the front. In addition to all the prep I now need to learn how to use a she-wee 😀
Temperatures…
It still makes sense to paddle in a drysuit in Sicily in February, unless we have such a weird winter like this one now. Currently the temperatures jump from 10 to 20’C so there is a fair chance I will have to constantly negotiate between cold water exposure in a wetsuit and a heatstroke in a drysuit. What to do, I’m taking both.
Maps
One would like to plan everything in advance having a nice paper map, to make notes, plan the landing spots, look at possible hazards. What surprised me though is at it is not that easy to get a good paper maps of Sicily, with a good scale and clear coastline. Online and offline stores haven’t been to helpful, and even though I have both maps and charts online, I do prefer the physical thing. Thankfully Francesco from Maremotu Sicily Outdoors has been an absolute star and have been helping me along the way, also in the maps department. Even though I haven’t planned as much as I wished there is hope I’ll know where I’m going ;). Thanks Francesco! 🙂
Kayak to be continued
Turns out getting kayak over to Sicily isn’t as easy as my courier initially thought. So for a second there, there was a chance it won’t arrive to Catania. I must admit, it made me feel a little bit uneasy, can’t really paddle far without one. Thankfully Aquarius is an exceptionally helpful company and managed to find an alternative for the transport and saved the day. Kayak is on it way as I write this. Bartek, you are amazing!
Currently I’m on my way to Catania and I am still waiting for something to pop up very last minute, but hey, it’s all about the adventure, isn’t it? If it was going to be easy, I wouldn’t be doing it at all. And once again I realize how much easier live is with a little bit (or a bigger bit) of help from others. Thank you for your support, you guys are awesome!
What’s next?
Stay tuned for more updates. Next couple of days in Sicily are all about the final prep and getting some local knowledge. Let the fun begin!
