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8 months ago my wife Rikke (who is Danish) let me know that the family (including me) were going on a holiday to Denmark in Europe in June, as about 8 relatives celebrate their birthdays that month. I love going to Denmark, but trying to paddle there is always a battle and requires special travel arrangements, borrowing boats and so on...
 Unfriendly shores? Note the rocks. Coming ashore at Bornholm
So I had to start thinking - how was I going to be able to paddle those 3 weeks? First problem is getting a ski because they don't paddle skis in Denmark - just kayaks and sea kayaks! I contacted Keith Fenn to see if he could provide a solution. He suggested getting in touch with Thomas Wetiz, the Northern Europe agent for Fenn Kayaks.
Thomas kindly offered a ski for me from his May shipment of Fenn skis from South Africa (and for Johan Skärskog from neighbouring Sweden who paddled a ski for the first time in the Perth World Cup 2007 while holidaying in Australia and got hooked on the sport! Hopefully we will see more of Johan on the world scene in the future and more Swedes once he has shown off his new ski to the locals). Thomas also kindly transported the skis up to the north of Germany so we could pick them up more easily (still an 8 hour round trip from Denmark....but that's another story) THANK YOU THOMAS! So if you are looking for a Fenn ski, contact Thomas you will not be disappointed with his service!
Did I mention that the ski I got was the new Fenn Mako Elite... I was very much looking forward to paddling this beast for the first time!!
First stop Bornholm
Bornholm is a Danish island off the Swedish coast around 250km south-east of DK. There is not a lot to do on this Island apart from relax, paddle and go for walks with the family... oh and visit the odd Danish castle ruins from the year 1200!!
 Castle dating from 1200 - being restored? About time!
I had a few days of rather calm weather so I just went for the standard 1 hr or 10 km paddle and no down winds at all, but good for breaking in the new Fenn Mako Elite. To my surprise I didn't need any foam in the seat of the Elite as the paddling position felt perfect!!
The weather changed and we got 23knot winds but unfortunately they blew straight in. I did a few 20min out, hard back with the runs sessions.....still not the right wind direction but fun anyway!! Had a maximum speed of 26kph during this session...not bad?
Did I mention the water is f..... cold at 12 degrees??
 Ash Nesbit completing double-back flip to land in his cockpit...
Downwinds at Roervig
Roervig is in the north west of Sealand in DK....I have paddled there before many years ago on a spec ski, borrowed from a Danish mate: Torsten Tranum Jensen. Those who know Torsten would have guessed that his leg length is about 10cm too long for me!! But I did get a good downwind run on it. Torsten finished 6th in the K1 1000m final in the Sydney 2000 Olympics...this guy can paddle and he's not bad on a ski either, be great to see him do some ocean racing??!! So I was looking forward to paddling a ski that fits at Roervig.
I had a nice gentle paddle the first day we were there...yes another 10km float, from the beach side around into the harbour at Roervig. Caught a few small waves (ripples), but had some fun in any case!! I was also happy the water was back to a nice 20 degrees after the ball freezing of 12 in Bornholm, an amazing variation in water temperatures in such a small country!! Then I checked the weather forecast... You beauty big downwinds to come!! It took some time to work out 12m/s is good - "do the maths".
 The forecast - 12m/s  The route
Run 1: Tuesday Havnebyen Odden to Roervig
- Wind 12 metres per Second (24-26 knots)
- Distance 24km, wind near perfect downwind just missing the swell!!
- Top speed 30kmh average speed 16kph.
- Great fun run, my actual run line followed more along the coast, about 1km outside the headland 75% along the course.
- Fenn Elite performed great I was able to hold some very tight lines, and the ski had the handling of my Millennium (great) but more stable.
Run 2: Wednesday Sjaellands Odde to Roervig -
- Wind Stronger 13 metres per second (they got it wrong)
- Distance 29km; wind near perfect downwind again no swell to speak off.
- Top speed 29kmh average speed 16.5kmh, a good average speed but no big big runs to be had...sad - thought I might get a 32??!!
- It was that windy that most of the runs had the tops blow off, so in fact better conditions the day before!!
- Fenn Elite performed really well again....have to say I was worried - if I came off the ski it would be gone during this run, so I played with caution at times to make sure there was no swimming!!
- It took me around 10 - 15min to paddle out into the runs from the start!! A very rocky entry into the water....lucky it was flat calm....see no swell in the pictures!!
- It was lonely out there but I did see a dolphin....love seeing Dolphins I never get tired of seeing them in the wild!!
 Downwind start - note pebble beach
 The finish
 Ash & family enjoying the wind...
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