Iceland 2011

From left to right; nigel foster, Dan Skinstad, Riaan Manser, Geoff Hunter

In August 2011 Nigel and Geoff met in Iceland with Riaan Manser and Dan Skinstad. Riaan and Dan, close to completing their circumnavigation of Iceland by tandem kayak, had returned to Isafjord to repair their rudder. It was the perfect opportunity for the four to meet and paddle together. It was the first time in many years that Geoff and Nigel had been together.

The kayaks? Riaan and Dan had a spare kayak in Iceland in case of accident, carried by their on-land film crew. Both kayaks were sit-on-top touring skis, with a token wave-guard over the feet. A coaming made it possible to wear a spray-deck, but it appeared the team did not, favoring the ability to quickly jump onto kayak from the water... or off it, and keeping warmer using dry-suits. It was a very different style of kayaking to the early Vynecks that had cockpits so small the only way Nigel could get his legs in was to kneel on the seat facing the stern to corkscrew into position. The reverse movement was the only way he could exit.

Riaan and Dan finished their trip on 3rd September where they began, at Husavik. They are the first to circumnavigate Iceland by tandem kayak. Congratulations from Geoff and from me!

Learn more of Riaan and Dan's adventure at http://www.riaanmanser.com/pages/iceland.php

Dan, with Geoff and Riaan ahead.

local kayaker and our helper Halldór Sveinbjörnsson

Riaan at Safari Isafirdi clubhouse.

from left, Nigel, Geoff, Dan, Riaan.