English Summary
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Finland is located between Sweden and Russia, at 60 -> 70 N,
19 - > 32 E. Population 5.5 M, languages Finnish and Swedish ( 5% ).
You get by speaking English in most places.
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With a GNP/Capita of 37.500 USD/Year we ranked next to GB in 2005.
We have space, 16 persons/sq km, 41 /sq.mile says we rank 201st
out of the 239 countries of the world.
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Our club SKK, "Sipoon Kanoottiklubi" HQ is at 60 15 34 N, 25 14 17 E
by the Gulf of Finland, 25 km East of Helsinki, the Capital of Finland.
SKK had 288 members by the end of 2009.
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We paddle for Fun and Recreation and welcome paddlers from
other countries.
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In our logo some recognize a kayaker.
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.Finlands kayaking season begins with first open water.By the Gulf of Finland, around May 1st.With 1/3 of Finland North of the Arctic Circle in the North weeks later..In Finland we have the "TALKO", a custom to invite friends for tasksthat requires many hands..To connect to floating jetty to firm ground we have to move thebridge from winter storage ( out of reach of the ice).Calls for a TALKO.Followed by good eats and drinks. |
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..A small river, the "Sipoon joki" runs by our HQ.The tradition to "uncork" the "Sipoon joki" says paddle some25 Km ( 13 Nautical Miles ) along the river as soon it hasshed its ice.. The river is mostly placid, no drops of any classification,but strainers and other obstacles add interest.This year ( 2010 ) some participants flipped.In a water with icefloes. |
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.Over the years we have tried to help physically impairedfriends on the water..Among our 280 memebers we find craftsmen of manytrades.Glenn built a contraption to help kayakers withimpaired control of their legs into their kayaks..Amazing thing - it worked. |
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During the warm season - say June 20 - to September 1
in the South, Finlands location above 60 North provides us
with daylight of more than 12 hours.
Longer days in the North.
At the same time the water temperature is bearable.
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A boon to Finland is the "Everymans right", you are allowed
to camp almost anywhere.
Combined with some 60.000 lakes and about the same number of
islands along a 1300 Km ( 700 Nm ) coast from the Russian to the
Swedish border it's a pretty good country for kayakers.
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In the summer of 2009 Tom and Tove paddled Finlands
South coast, some 575 km ( 310 Nm ).
Here Tove at sunset by their Marskaer Camp, on an uninhabited(?)
island roughly midway of the trip.
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Freya Hoffmeister 2007 teaches the Eskimo Roll in the Babyswim pool
we sometimes are allowed to use
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Out of 43 pupils 42 learnt the Greenland Paddle Eskimo Roll in
a 1/2 hour lesson each.
Ravishing Freya is some teacher!
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