The sweet Greenland paddle...that darn near got away!

An extra-low tide, at Descanso Regional Park, on Gabriola Island.

Joan, innocently posing, with my new paddle. 

The next thing, she's launched and heading out to sea...with MY new paddle! 

Catching up - the paddle is back in sight...

...and now back in MY, warm little hands - finally!

So, maybe Joan should write this little review of my new Greenland paddle, since she had the first opportunity to use it! Sheesh. :) 

In a word, this paddle, created by Randy Millar at  VIPaddles in Nanaimo, is sweet. Life has been busy so I (we) didn't have a chance to give it its first test for almost two weeks. It sat, in our home, a veritable work of art, begging to be dipped into the salt water. Lightweight and made of dark, Western Red Cedar from Malcolm Island, it looks gorgeous. I opted for the two-piece, take-apart paddle as space is always at a premium and I also wanted the option of being able to "feather" it. That's the way I've always paddled - and without any wrist discomfort thus far. The perfectly fitted carbon-fibre ferrule permits feathering either way (Joan and I paddle "opposites"), or unfeathered. Choice is good.

We both found that, after many years of using the broader bladed, Euro-style paddle, the very first, (overly-enthusiastic) stroke was a little like pulling a hot knife through soft butter! ("Nice recovery brace, Joan." Haha.) It wasn't many strokes later, however, that the paddle felt right at home in our hands and in the water.

We remembered when we had Greenland paddles years ago, with our Nautiraid Expedition kayak, you felt like you could paddle all day. Indeed, this style of paddle, once you're moving, requires less physical effort than the Euro blade - a definite plus for long days on the water or multi-day trips. In a very short sprint from a "floating" stop, you'll certainly win with the Euro but once you're up to cruising speed, that's when you feel the difference in terms of effort required. The paddling style is also slightly different and, somehow, the Greenland paddle seems to actually encourage proper twisting of the torso, which ensures that the propulsive power is coming (as it should) from the "core" as opposed to simply the shoulders and the arms.

Paddle in hands and heading across the Salish Sea -
 to the mainland of Canada!
(Well, OK, that's a bit far for a day paddle.)

We were just out for about two and a half hours and, quite frankly, I (we) loved every stroke. The narrow blade functioned perfectly and felt clean and pristine. In our imaginations, the paddle provided a connection to the distant past, to the very earliest sea-going kayakers  - possibly 4000 years ago.

Back on shore and keeping the VIPaddle at close quarters.

Will I ever use my Euro paddle again? Of course. Joan and I both have graphite, Cadence "Medusa" paddles, a gift from some very special folks in Calgary. We treasure them. Again, it's nice to have choice. Having both a Euro and a Greenland, however, is like having your cake, and eating it too - it's pretty darn sweet! If you're looking for a beautifully made Greenland paddle, give Randy a call at VIPaddles, here on Vancouver Island (VI). You'll be glad you did.

Duncan.