On my path

Prepping to rock and float around Kyushu

I'm about to be homeless in the best possible way. Not on the road, but on the coast. Not in a backpack nor on some sort of wheels, but in a kayak. The perfect mix between camping, exploring and endurance. 
The shores of Kyushu will be my new home.

The preparations for two months living outdoor has begun. I've spent one month's sallery on gear. The rest of my earnings is earmarked for supplies during my trip, backup and train tickets to the mountains afterwards. I've been packing and training specific kayak skills such as landing in the surf and rolling. I've translated points of interest on my japanese map. I'm finishing my time in Minamiizu with Masashisan and friends... As the sun shines and my excitement for the journey grows it causes a bit of melancholy too. Such is life. One chapter finishes, the next begins.

Half of my maps laid out for notes and translation

Keeping it simple is part of the freedom

My expedition is victim to my shilly-shally between distance and exploring. Two months gives me around 60 days. I foresee that I probably can't paddle for 20 days due to bad weather conditions. 40 days of 25 kilometers in average gives me 1000 kilometers. That should be enough to get all the way around Kyushu. Furthermore I anticipate that at first I'll be eager to explore, my body weaker and my camping setup and pack down slower. On that account I'll start paddling on the east coast which is said to be some of the most beautiful coastline in Japan. Lots of bays, islands and cities to explore. Protected from the big atlantic waves that the west coast is exposed to. The west coast will be the toughest. I'tt be farewell to beautiful sunsets and goodmorning to early sunrises. I hope to have build up some strenght and experience to get up extra early and really paddle some long distances here. 

This is how I keep it simple. I don't have anything planned beside emergency procedure and to keep in mind, that my time is limited in consideration of my definitive goal: To paddle all the way around Kyushu. The east coast gives me so many ways to paddle that I'll let the weather and people I meet on my path dictate the route. The westcoast is all about distance. 

Packing-wise I'm almost there.. just need two IKEA bags as my last equipment and then a test pack a kayak

A japanese tatami room is dedicated to my packing and a japanese ima (living room) is my workspace to translate my maps which are only in japanese. I've made my own footprint out of plastic mat and gaffatape from the local homestore. I've faced my own vanity and bought a thermarest compressive pillow to give myself better sleep. What I still have to do is to choose my kayak. I'm given three choices; Nimbus Solander, Nimbus Njak or Current Design Solstice. I'll test all three once I get to itoshima before choosing.

Cropped and taped up edges of a plastic mat to use as footprint

The choise is between Nimbus Solander or Current Design Solstice GT

Tracking my slipstream for statistics through the app Kayaklog

I'll be logging all my paddling through the app kayallog. Both it's interesting to keep track of my daily performance but overall I'd like to know how long I paddle in the end. If it's more or less than that magic 1000 km milestone. I'm bot bringing af GPS along, only my phone. From my phone I'll update a google maps with my distances too. Link will be available soon..

Support

My backbone of this trip consists of several parts beside my own willing to go on an adventure. The supporting parts are indispensable, crucial and critical for me. This journey is initiated by the opportunity of support. It's preparations are made with knowledge and experience from local kayak adventurers. And during my paddling I'm supported by Masashisan to whom I'll report my whereabouts and status. 

Masashi Takeda from www.the-surface.com

Thanks to Masashisan for training me skills of the kayak and a basic language package throughout the summer. Too, providing me paddle, tent, tons of knowledge, motivation, role model, hospitality.. I don't know where to end - any how, it's all deeply appreciated from my side and I don't really know how to thank you enough. 

Tetsuya Matsumoto from www.southernworks.com

Matsumotosan offered me support in terms of kayak and various equipment. This offer evolved into my journey around Kyushu, and thanks to him, I'll be kayaking some of the most beautful coastline in Japan. As he is positioned with his kayakguide- and mountainbikeguide business in Itoshima, Kyushu, he has knowledge and skills of kayak- and mountainbiking camp tours around Kyushu. Looking forward!

Without this support I wouldn't be able to make it. Thanks to both owners,  Tetsuya Matsumoto and Masashi Takeda. You're my fuel for this experience! Let me take this opportunity to recommend both companies as great touring companies. If you ever find yourself in Japan and want a kayak or mountainbik experience, these guys have their heart in the kayak- and outdoor experiences. You're in for a good time with the purest hospitality-goodwill I have ever met. Great inspiration for me, maybe the same for you? 

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