This is the Sea 2 | Appraisals
Just seen this, mind blowing just what can be done with a sea kayak. The emphasis is on surf action which make for the most exciting shots. Between the surfing are bits on some fantactic touring areas such as Newfoundland, Lofotan, Lake Michigan and Japan. There is also a half hour on the 1st all – female circumnavigation of Tasmania; for my money the best bit.
Owen, UK seakayak guidebook.
Arrived in the post this morning and can safely say it’s as inspiring to watch as the first one. Showcases sea kayaking in a very fresh, funky, new school way.
Cailean Mac
This long awaited DVD has finally arrived and it was really worth the wait. I can honestly say that I didn’t think that Justine’s first sea kayaking DVD, ‘This is the Sea’ could be bettered, but I was wrong! The editing and shots achieved using Justine’s deck mounted camera of the on water ‘action’ and scenery are just fantastic. Kevin sums the DVD up with his comment, ‘This DVD is simply stunning. It made me want to grab my paddle and get on the water’.
This short review will not begin to describe or do justice to the quality. Justine has managed to pack in superb footage of action packed extreme sea kayaking, demonstrated by some of the top kayakers in the world, on incredible fast moving water in North Wales, South Wales and California. This is contrasted with footage in more sedate conditions – the Lofoten Islands, Lake Michigan and amongst the ice bergs and whales of Newfoundland and amazing underwater footage of ‘Greenland’ rolling skills by Doug VanDoren. It also includes footage of the 6 month circumnavigation of Japan by Hadas Feldman and Jeff Allen and a 30 minute documentary of the first all-female circumnavigation of Tasmania.
A DVD that won’t stay in the cabinet for long and just great for that cold winter’s evening. When friends or newcomers to paddling want to know more about our sport and what we get up to in our sea kayak, just show them extracts from this DVD! Not only will it amaze them as to what can be achieved in a sea kayak, but it will also do no harm to your ‘street (water) cred’.
My last words – Thanks Justine and please don’t leave it too long before ‘This is the Sea three’ is released. Can’t wait!
Seapaddler.co.uk
Having watched it twice in two days, all I can say is that it’s blown me away. It has something for everyone – from the ordinary paddler wanting to get an insight into paddling conditions in locations they may not normally paddle in, to the white water paddler needing education in the ways of the sea paddler’s mentality.
Watching an 18ft sea boat being surfed in 18knt flows in Skookum is mindblowing. And not just held on the wave, but pirotted, twirled and anything else you can think of.
The big waters off Wales certainly offer some significant fun and the section where a mixed bag of paddlers from sea and white water backgrounds go out to play just proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that sea boating is certainly not the wimp option many ww paddlers may think it is.
But it’s not all action and fast water – there are moments of gentle reflection, moments where the unique experience of being at one with your chosen environment and at peace with the world are extrememly obvious.
Justine brings a novel perspective as well – while she’s clearly an extremely competent paddler, she doesn’t come across as a guru, just as an ordinary person who is doing some extraordinary things with a sea kayak. We get to see how hard it is to battle a head-wind, share her fear as she and her companions face some seriously big and scary conditions while rounding Tasmania and get an insight into the sheer joy of achieving what they acheived by doing so.
The camera work is astonishing – you are in the boat with her – being a cynic, I kept looking for the support boat with the camera crew but there isn’t one! All the photo work seems to have been done from the kayaks.
I’ve just finished reading the story of a couple of guys who rode round the world on motorcycles – (well, as far as you can taking into account the significant bodies of water to be crossed). Thats an amazing and exciting story in itself, but it’s necessary to understand that they had a significant support crew with them. While not in any way denigrating what they achieved, they had access to vehicles, local fixers and satellite phones if needed. While going round Tassie may not be on the same scale, one cannot help but wonder whether the combination of the difficulty, remoteness and sheer self reliance doesn’t make it a more significant challenge. Not least because it was just Justine and her two companions.
If you’ve not seen This is The Sea 2, you need to. It’s 90 mins of superb viewing, inspirational, moving and wonderfully put together. It may well turn out to be one of sea-kayaking’s classics.Oh, and there’s hardly a beard in sight. A great Christmas present. No forget that, it’s just a “must have”, irrespective of whether its a present, Christmas or otherwise.
Mike, UK Seakayak guidebook.co.uk