BOARDSTARS
A showcase for the photography of Arne Gutmann

Woa, Freaky Friday has moved to Monday.

Or any other day really. We are in some wild times for most of the world yet here, in my little bubble of a community not dissimilar to Whistler as it rolls on like a modern throw back. Though more secluded and less accessible. Which, I guess works in our favour as an attractant.

The beauty is breathtaking. The sunsets captivating and with everything else nature can give us is here. With being latitude consciense. Zone 8 they say. Weather tolerability level. I like the one where you look out a window.

Surprisingly I find myself laughing at my situation and state, it can always get worse. And the place I reside the same. So far we have been lucky here with but a few. Time could of course change that.

So for the moment I will grab my board and my dreams and head out on the water cruising my cares away. I hope you can as well.

Surf on everyone.

My local lake.

Happy New Year and all the best to us all!

Another year slips by as unceremoniously as a popped pimple.

Not the best description one would generally use to describe the passing of another year but, it would be an appropriate phrase to categorize the passing year.

So, lets do that and squeeze the shit outta 2023 and welcome 2024 with a renewed layer of anti pimple cream and move on and forage ahead.

Clean skinned and fresh faced.
Ready to tackle any impurities and inconsistencys alike.

I know that for me its about moving on and having some fortitude for the upcoming battles of 2024.

Lets put up a good stiff lip and make this the best one ever.

I wish everyone the best and me we look after our little blue marble with intent that we have never had before and care of genuine humans.

ps Lets hope there is not to much snow on my lake this year.

@fanaticnorthamerica @fanaticsupinternational

A great season with the most whales I have ever encountered!

What a wonderful season it has been.
I have seen and been close to so many whales this year that it made my heart sing.
It really is wonderful to be so close to such gentle giants.
Someone asked me if I ever get afraid when they come near me.
I respond with, I think they are more afraid of me than I of them.
Proper caution has to be exercised but the reality is they dont really care about us and generally, dont want anything to do with us minus maybe a little bit of curiousity.
I love my time on the water and appreciate my engagements with them.
Thank you to all the whales.
Have a great winter and cant wait to see you next summer.
Safe travels.

Ps if you look closely to the photo you can see a whale in the distance.

Stoked to do another first, I believe.

Very excited to announce another first in the sup touring world out here in BC. I am quite sure I have become the first person to circumnavigate Denman and Hornby Islands in one go.

On deciding a route, starting at Comox’s Little River Ferry Terminal I would head south to skirt the inside, west of Denman Island. I hoped to sleep somewhere on the lower part of Denmans most south.

After paddling 33k fighting wind, waves, lightning and thunder I found what seemed like a great place to pull in for the night. You see if the trees are not spaced just right or the orientation slightly askew makes what looks like a good spot uninhabitable. I actually started looking for a place since about 32k.

Finally setting on the location I came to shore as the sun was nearly gone. I quickly set up my hammock and tarp. I ate simply and cold. I slept great and probably a little too long. It is so wonderful just lying in my hammock.

I headed south and around the bottom portion of the island. The wind started to pick up as I was half way through. I put my head down and went. I knew it would be the most challenging of the 3 days. I just had to do it. Simple.

I faced some turbulent waters in between the islands as well as the east side of Denman. I worked my way north till I found what was the perfect spot. I had hope for a spot on Sandy Island north of Denman but something wasnt right and I decided against it.

Wise choice as when I got Up the shore was farther away from the possible spot that I smiled thinking about my decision. Great night of rest after another 40 plus k day.

A fantastic mornig saw me leave a little later again as it was soooo nice.

I made the last twenty k without drama or issue and got some nice shots as the weather calmed for me.

I enjoyed the paddle and beside a bit of hardship it was great and I slept like a rug.

105k, 2 and a half days.

#sup #standuppaddleboarding, @fanaticsupnorthamerica, @fanaticsupinternational, @ryderseyewear, @sotooutdoors, @thesouthsidediner,

mmm

Longest 2 days paddling ever. For me that is.

Everything was planned, orgainized and confirmed. All weather reports presented the opportunity I needed as it was a big one. The biggest two day paddle adventure I have done to date. Between 105-110k. 50k or thereabouts per day.

The idea was to not only circumnavigate Goat Island on Powell Lake but to go bottom to top then back again while going around the island and, saying hi to the missus and friends on a friends house on the lake.

Well, human ingenuity and forecasting failed me. As soon as I took off from the beach at the Shingle Mill I could feel the wind increasing and starting to push me along. By the time I got to Cassiar Island I was flying.

I flew all the way down the south shores of Goat Island. Past Fiddle Head Point and the west most point of Goat Island. After catching some glides that had me step way back on my fully loaded board I made my way north.

After the short distance that was crossing the east side of Goat I decided it was too early to head in so I headed up further. And further. Finally come to the islands I thought were habitable for hammocks were not. It was getting late and I had to set up and get to bed so, I slung my hammock up in the old post frame of a shack the loggers must have used when it was crappy weather. It was 5 inch diameter posts that were framed simply. The only roof or walls left were remanants o tyvek and tarp. Bits in corners that hadnt rotted away like the other 95%.

The small group of trees behind me braced me from the onslaught of wind that buffeted me till 4 am. Which concerned me greatly because I knew I had to travel in the direction of where the wind was blowing from. Upwind. Most athletes least favourite hindrance.

I slammed a little taco I made and one beer and hit the hay!

I awoke to calm winds! I hurried myself to strike the site and get it on. I knew it would be a long day! Friday was 54.37k and my calculations had me pegged at at least 50k home, but, mostly upwind, fully kitted board. I didnt drink hardly any of the beer I brought so I had some extra dead weight that was really unneeded.

The first 15k were good, actually nice. Though I was weary and apprehensive. The wind let fought me many times before. This could be 30k head on and I knew it.

Sure enough going around the top of Goat Island the wind came at me, hard. Really hard. For a paddle boarder to look at their gps and it read 1.3k then you know you are in a losing battle that will fatigue you and beat you. I did about a k of it before I saw the task ahead and that I would not have relief from the winds furry for at least 3k.

I choose to go on my knees and quicken up my stroke rate. It feels cool to paddle that fast unfortunately this time was out of need and there was no humour in the air. All bizness.

Even when I got to north side of the island the wind still hit me hard and kept my pace slower than. I put my head down and went on. Travelling slowly down the north shores of Goat Island and heading by Olsens Landing which, is where was near to where I was supposed to go. But, there was no way I would cross that water and then take a break and then start up again not knowing if the wind would die down.

I kept going. I passed the house and waved silently to no seeing friend. I sighed and plugged on. Passing the area and moving more south I got hit with constant wind in the upper twenty and low thirtys.

It was a slog to say the least. I got a bit of respite from the bays most northerly bits as I looked further for more of them before I had to head down the channel between Island and mainland. The narrowest section.

After crossing the most north west point I decided to cross the water and try to get a bit of protection from the shore of the west side as I made a break for Cassiar. It was tough going across and up through the channel. The waves and wind were testing me. My gps died at 18k and I was easly double that and then I had at least another 10k more down the main body of Powell Lake.

The wind and waves were holding me up against the ropes but I pushed on as they made my board dance in the chaotic conditions. Finally passing the shores of the west coast and making my way had me fight arguably the worst conditions. The wind stayed the same nasty intensity but the waves had more power and were a little bigger.

I fought on. I had to get home and I was withing a distant eyesight of home. Roughly 15k. I passed the widest section and tried my best to hug bays but all the deflections made that gruelling as well. I reached Cassiar Island and the hope was real. So was the wind and waves. I tried my best and pushed on. Head down and bent too it.

Finally with approximately 5k as I was getting seriously depleted I called out and said, Come on now, can I get a bit of a break please? And within a short matter of time the winds died and the waves lost their intensity. I still hugged the shore from less consistent gusts. I plugged on and happy.

I finally got to the beach at 9:40pm. I left at 7:20am so that made it 12.5hrs of paddling. The distance when I went home and calculated it as well as I could was 51k which would make the whole trip 105k. It was a total of 21 hours of paddling and roughly 16000 calories and 63000 paddle strokes. Probably a bit more with that section on my knees.

I am very proud to have made that successfully and relatively safe.

Awesome.

#sup, #standuppaddleboarding, #suptouring, @Fanaticsup, @fanaticnorthamerica, #ryderseyewear, @sotooutdoors, @thesouthsidediner, #lookpal,

Quick visit to America.

I am very lucky to represent one of the biggest names in water sports companies in the world as one of their North American Ambassadors. Hence my trip to Hood River, Oregon.

Being with them for a year makes me so proud that I cant help sharing my joy.

They are Fanatic. A name you might think is completely appropriate for me. Which, I think is true.

They are one of the longest producing water sports manufacturers of Windsurf, Sup, Foil, Wing and other water sport toys/tools.

I will try my best this year to elevate them within my sphere of social postings and hope you like what you see.

I would like to thank Jason and the other members of the team that welcome me and support me.

Thank you!!

The sun is shinning.

Well, it seems as though winter is slowly loosening its grip on us and we can get ready for sun time. The much needed rays will lift us to celebrate and rejoice.
The joy of summer is around the corner and the kids are already getting excited about the prospect of having yet another summer off.
Lucky buggers. hahaha.
Lets all get ready by doing our workout routines and eating right that we may take advantage of the longer days filled with frolicking and horsing around.
Get ready kids. It will be here sooner than you think.

It may be cold outside but, dress warm and have fun.

Even though its cold and rainy now doesn’t mean you cant have fun.
Dress warm and get out there no matter what you do.
Obviously some sports take a little more thought in regards to clothing but that does not mean you cant enjoy your time in the winter months in the north.
I love the cool air and clean smells of the winter, the snow capped peaks with everything hiding under its blanket.
Dont get me wrong I love summer but lets not lock ourselves away for the winter months lamenting the disappearing mild months.
Go, have fun whatever it is.

A cold day collecting slush. mmmmmm

Loving the Coast life and not looking back.

Now first I am not going to poo-poo where I just came from, Whistler. I will just say that our recent move was one of change and the need for that.

Living in Whistler for 26 years were some of the most ridiculously fantastic times of my life that were filled with great friends and legendary experiences. All manner of sports were played and all sorts of fun were had.

Art was nourished, created and celebrated during my time there.

There can not be enough said about my time there and what I accomplished during my tenure there.

That all changed the last few years as I fell in love with paddle boarding and all its disciplines. I started learning, racing and touring. Everything would come in to place during the spring,summer and fall, but, it would disintegrate in to the slop of winter when the snow came.

I was able to paddle for some time on the local rivers and bits of unfrozen lakes that had not accepted the ravages of winters ice. My frustration grew as the drive to Squamish was not only taking its toll on our poor car, pocket book and my time.

After a few years of discussing this with my partner we decided to do the do and move. We originally looked at Sechelt but once we saw the prices we realized we could not afford it. So….

Here we are now loving our new environ and denizens all the while exploring the bounty here.

I/we cant wait to share more experiences and adventures as the journey continues. Thanks for sticking around.

On the edge of Hernando Island. I became the first person to solo navigate the circumference of that island and Mittlenatch, 42k.

A great thanks to Fanatic Sup for welcoming me to their family.

I am so excited to announce my recent appointment of ambassador for Fanatic Sup. To say anything else but gratitude would be an understatement. Fanatic is a legendary company that has been around since 1981! Their boards and all their products are top notch and built in the same facilities as other top boards.

The model I am riding for the majority of my training is the Blitz, 14×25.5. I also have the Ray Air Premium for touring and some lake days. The Blitz handles all conditions favourably. From ocean mayhem to calm lake days. Upwinding, Quartering, Downwinding, Island crossings are all comfortably managed with the Blitz. With the current width on my Blitz at 25.5 it is surprisingly stable. The secondary stability is also quite comforting.

The Ray Air Premium is a fantastically lively and playful for a 13.6 inflatable touring board. Not to the point of being challenging. Looking forward to loading it up shortly for some winter sup camping.

Ray Air Enduro and me in Hood River.