Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Feb 7, 2012, 6:33 am
It was with mixed feelings that I saw fellow Team Fat Paddler member Burnsie drive away with his new boat – a boat that was once my main ride. As my red Valley Aquanaut RM HV disappeared down the road, I reflected on all the fun I’d had in her. From the disastrous first paddle
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Feb 2, 2012, 6:08 am
In my time as a paddler I’ve watched with interest the rise in popularity of Stand Up Paddleboarding, a paddling pastime that generally involves a long wide surfboard and a single bladed paddle as tall as it’s paddler. It looks a lot like surfing, except that if there’s no surf, your SUP rider...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 31, 2012, 7:49 am
The start of 2012 has been surreal. I’ve gone from tentatively sitting on a surf ski for the first time, barely able to stay on in completely glassy waters, to rolling up to a surf ski race on Botany Bay four weeks later with a  secret hope that I stay on at least long enough
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 26, 2012, 5:29 pm
On a wet, cloudy summer’s day (!!) Team Fat Paddler and a bunch of other paddlers arrived at Sydney’s Botany Bay for the third race of the Summer Series. For many, it was a fast affair in relatively benign conditions, but for a few of us (myself included) it was simply about trying to race
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 23, 2012, 6:07 am
Australia Day represents many different things for Australians, and we all have our own way of celebrating living in this beautiful country. Whether it’s a picnic in the park, a concert in the city or a BBQ on the beach with family. Sun, good food, family and friends are important! Sydneysiders ...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 16, 2012, 7:45 am
I am currently training harder than I have ever trained before – multiple workouts a day, lots of cardio, full body exercises with kettle bells and as much time on the water as possible. I’ve trained hard before of course – trained hard for rugby, trained hard for competitive Judo, and of cour...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 9, 2012, 2:06 am
Every now and then you come across a paddler that you see enormous potential in. I watch a lot of content streaming through social media and a certain paddler has been catching my eye for a while, a young Greenland paddler from British Columbia, James Manke. What’s even more surprising is how new ...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 8, 2012, 6:10 pm
Surfski training continued this weekend with a 22km paddle on the mostly-calm waters of Middle Harbour here in Sydney. With a 6am start, I was joined by Dez Blanchfield (BlastPaddlers.com) on a Stellar SEL surfski, Nat (SydneySurfski.com) on his Think Evo II and the Riddler (Team Fat Paddler) in his...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 7, 2012, 7:10 am
Back in March of 2011 those scallywags of the US west coast, the Tsunami Rangers, issued a challenge to find, scale and take a photo at the peak of “Neptune’s Castle“, a rocky islet somewhere on the Californian coast. Some twenty years earlier the Tsunami Rangers had done the same and hadn’t...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 6, 2012, 3:46 pm
My old friend Nat, fellow Team Fat Paddler and blogger of Sydneysurfski.com fame, dropped around the other day with his family  to spend a day of fun with us. We’d planned on an early morning paddle the next morning and decided to lay out the two surfskis we’re using side by side for comparison...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 5, 2012, 7:43 pm
On a recent paddle on my loaner Stellar SR I had a first-time experience of falling off the ski. My re-entry was awful and fortunately I had another paddler there to help a touch, but it worried me that I didn’t quite know how to get back on. So I turned to Team Fat Paddler
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 3, 2012, 7:03 am
I had the pleasure of catching up with Tom Nicholson of Elver Paddles this past week, who was in town catching up with family for Christmas. Tom recently slaved over my new Aleut paddle and also made the Greenland paddle I used for the 2009 Hawkesbury Canoe Classic – two beautiful and functional t...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jan 1, 2012, 5:52 am
As we embrace the start of 2012, I thought it time to look back on what has been a truly incredible year for Fat Paddling. January 2011 The year started with a deadline, with the final manuscript of what was to become The Fat Paddler due into my publisher in the first week of the
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Dec 28, 2011, 4:31 pm
A visitor from the UK gave us the perfect excuse to head out to Sydney’s beautiful Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park for an early morning paddle. With Grumm and his Father-in-Law Keith in my Wenonah Minnesota II canoe, the Riddler in my Aquanaut sea kayak and me in the Stellar SR surfski, we looked...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Dec 27, 2011, 4:45 pm
With next year’s challenge looming in the background, it’s been time to switch my paddling from playing in the rocks to surfski training. This flavour of paddling is almost completely different from the yakking I’m used to, and time in a ski is critical. Fortunately the good folks at Slipstrea...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Nov 1, 2011, 7:50 am
Last weekend Team Fat Paddler sent down a team of four to compete in the first race of the 6-race Summer Series, being held at Balmoral. Still somewhat tired from the previous week’s Hawkesbury Canoe Classic, we went simply for the fun of being on the water with lots of folks, and in fact arrived
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Oct 30, 2011, 2:39 am
With ten paddlers, nine boats, and twenty landcrew, Team Fat Paddler certainly made their presence felt at this years Hawkesbury Canoe Classic. The fun of a bigger group and the incredible team spirit became immediately apparent as the large crew pushed their paddlers down the river. It was clearly ...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Oct 27, 2011, 9:21 am

Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Oct 26, 2011, 7:46 am
Summer is upon us and those folks at Blast Paddlers are about to launch their new multi-discipline race schedule, the 2011 Summer Series. This great race series is comprised of 6 races over 6 months, with categories for skis, OCs, SUPs and kayaks – pretty much something for everyone. Here’s the ...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Oct 20, 2011, 8:17 am
With the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic just days away, I spent this evening preparing the race canoe with stickers – name stickers, sponsor stickers and so on. When I finished  I stood back and admired the Barracuda Wenonah Minnesota II – long, smooth, glittering and light – a truly magnificent ca...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Oct 19, 2011, 1:33 am
It’s that amazing feeling before something big. That feeling in your gut that’s a mixture of  fear and anxiety, offset by a healthy dose of straight up excitement. Such is the feeling in the days before a big event, an event like this weekend’s Hawkesbury Canoe Classic. I’ve been feeling it...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Oct 12, 2011, 8:21 am
On my recent trip to Canada and the USA, I was fortunate enough to stop over in the city of Los Angeles for day between flights. I was able to contact local paddler Blake Lane who put on a paddle for me with his crew from the So Cal Sea Kayaking group, supplying boat (P&H
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Oct 10, 2011, 3:50 pm
For Team Fat Paddler the morning started before 4am, as Benno (TFP Adelaide), Mike and I loaded boats and set off on the 3 hour drive to the Southern Highlands. There we were meeting up with my canoe partner Travis from Paddle and Portage Canoes for a trek to the Shoalhaven Gorge, considered one of
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Oct 7, 2011, 8:02 am
Back in 2009 when I first set a goal to do the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic, it was a very personal journey. Since that time my journey has expanded to take in others, leading to the creation of Team Fat Paddler, a group of friends who embrace the core principles of inclusion, fun and charity. Together
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Oct 4, 2011, 6:50 am
When I first started the Fat Paddler journey back in 2009, I read a book titled “Crossing the Ditch“, the story of two young Sydney men who became the first and so far only people to successfully paddle from Australia to New Zealand, a distance of over 3000km. The book resonated with me more tha...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Oct 2, 2011, 5:37 pm
Water is a brilliant thing. Not only does it make paddling possible, it also has ways of changing the landscape and adding new dynamic features. Here in Australia water is a valuable commodity and most of our paddling is done under dry warm conditions which is great. But every now and then we get a
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Sep 30, 2011, 12:55 am
Grab Life By The Shaft Tour Part 1 – Algonquin Canada It was amazing to see the difference 6 months makes to the seasons in Canada. When I was last in Ontario, it was cold, snowing, and frankly, pretty painful. The scenery looked the same everywhere – white, cold and bleak. Having now returned a...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Sep 28, 2011, 2:54 am
With the 111km Hawkesbury Canoe Classic now only 4 weeks away, the need to train has become somewhat more urgent. Having been away overseas hasn’t helped either, so when the opportunity arose I wasn’t going to let a little rain get in the way. That being said, “a little” rain turned into “...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Sep 17, 2011, 1:33 am
If you’ve noticed I’ve been a little slack with my posts of late it’s because I’ve spent this past week traveling and paddling through Canada and the USA.  I’ve got a number of cool stories to share once I get back, but in the meantime I wanted to show you this great video of a
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Sep 9, 2011, 12:48 pm
I received this lovely review of my book today from US paddler Moulton Avery. He doesn’t have his own website but wanted to share his thoughts on the book, so I thought I’d publish it here. Thanks Moulton! Cheers, FP The Fat Paddler is just excellent; it’s a great, inspirational read, and I hi...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Sep 5, 2011, 8:45 am
Ever since I decided to take on the 2010 Hawkesbury Canoe Classic in a canoe, people have thought me mad. Why would any sane person decide to do a 111km ultra-marathon in something as wide and slow as a canoe? Why would anyone add several hours to such a painful challenge, on purpose? Why not
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Sep 1, 2011, 9:40 am
The Sydney International Boat Show was particularly special this year. Not only did I get to launch my book The Fat Paddler with daily stage appearances, I was also asked to enter a team into an amazing event where apprentice boat-builders have to build and then race their own boats. Basically every...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Aug 28, 2011, 9:13 am
Recently I had my first taste of white water on the Kangaroo River, a few hours drive south of Sydney. My guide and instructor for the day was Team Fat Paddler member Travis from Paddle & Portage Canoes, my paddling partner for this year’s Hawkesbury Canoe Classic. Whilst I was looking to run the ...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Aug 24, 2011, 8:29 am
On a hot Canadian Summer’s day (you heard me, HOT!), two Canadian members of Team Fat Paddler stepped up to the plate to achieve a number of firsts. This was the first time a woman had represented TFP (go Midshipwoman Sammy!), the first time TFP had competed in an officially sanctioned event outsi...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Aug 22, 2011, 4:44 pm
Three friends, three completely different boats, but one shared goal… white water fun! Full story in a few days, but here’s the video of our fun running a river in the Southern Highlands after a week of rain. Enjoy! Cheers – FP UPDATE! Just another little video, this time a short blooper reel ...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Aug 18, 2011, 4:09 am
As a paddler I feel incredibly close to our watery environments and the marine life that inhabit them, and a particular fondness for our Cetacean cousins.  So I was quite excited to hear about a new movie coming out from Canada which details the true story of an orphaned orca that breaks all the ru...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Aug 15, 2011, 10:36 am
The skies were dark and threatened rain as Lt Nat and I set off for an early morning paddle to Manly via Gelo Cliffs. As we paddled out from The Spit you couldn’t imagine a stranger pairing, with Nat in his 18′ ocean ski, and me in my 10′ whitewater boat! Despite the obvious difference
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Aug 12, 2011, 10:56 am
Due to speaking and press commitments, I took a week or so off work to launch my book, The Fat Paddler. Fortunately most days had a window of opportunity for some fun, and I chose to use that daily time to get out on the water. For the first few days I took my new
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Aug 10, 2011, 7:46 am
The five principles of Team Fat Paddler (Adventure, Charity, Friendship, Tolerance, Humour) are values that easily translate anywhere in the world. With that in mind, it was only a matter of time before the team expanded its membership around the globe, especially as existing members stretch outward...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Aug 8, 2011, 8:04 am
The past week has a been an absolute whirlpool of speaking engagements, book signings, press commitments and a little bit of paddling as I officially launched the book I’ve worked on for the past year. It’s been both crazy and a little terrifying as I finally expose my inner thoughts and short-c...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Aug 1, 2011, 7:17 pm
Team Fat Paddler met early at The Spit for a paddle and a sticky at my new whitewater boat, the Liquidlogic Remix FP10. Cmdr Grumm and Lt Nat were keen for some distance training upstream, whilst Lt Burnsie and I were keen for some rougher water, so we split the team in two and went
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jul 28, 2011, 9:28 am
With a huge low pressure system sitting off Australia’s east coast, temperatures plummeted, rain poured down and the ocean swell jacked up to a massive 6 metres. Daily weather warnings advised everyone to stay away from the water as the conditions reached seriously dangerous levels. Then after a w...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jul 25, 2011, 9:04 am
As I’ve found myself drawn to dynamic ocean whitewater, my boat needs have started to change as my paddling shifts from medium distance exploration to short bursts of speed and adrenalin in amongst the surf and rocks. My current tupperware sea kayak is quite good for the rough stuff but at 18 feet...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jul 18, 2011, 6:19 pm
The Tsunami Rangers are well know for their crazy antics in big surf, wild rock gardens and surfing in caves. This band of renegade paddlers spent many a year playing along the west coast of the US and become renown for smashing boats and big wave surfing. I have an inclination towards coastal explo...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jul 14, 2011, 9:58 am
At the beginning of the year I was lucky enough to travel to Canada where I picked up a number of canoe paddles from the man who makes them himself, Mike Ramsey of Badger Paddles. In my package were four paddles – a custom Sliver in cherry, a custom Tripper in cherry and two small
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jul 12, 2011, 2:24 am
Some time back I met a great couple of Aussie canoe fans online and hooked up for a paddle on the flooded Colo River (where we were involved in a horse rescue). These boys love their canoes, and whitewater in particular, spending much of their time hunting whitewater runs through the hills and mount...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jul 8, 2011, 9:13 pm
Sydney’s weather today – ocean swell up to 3 metres, westerly gale force winds, coastal warnings for “large swell breaking dangerously onshore”. These conditions are dangerous and will keep many paddlers at home, but for some this would look like a recipe for fun and excitement. The Tsunami ...
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jul 7, 2011, 9:35 am
Everyone knows the Fat Paddler is an Aussie, but few know that his roots are far more Celtic with a fair bit of Irish, English and Welsh in his blood. In fact, my mother is so Welsh that she was actually born in her Grandfather’s pub in Bangor, Wales! So with those bloodlines, I felt
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jul 3, 2011, 7:11 am
A small contingent of Team Fat Paddler gathered at the The Spit to see off one of the team’s most popular members, Lt Cmdr Gelo. After a year paddling canoes and kayaks with us, the Greek-born Gelo has had to return to Europe to take care of some family matters, leaving behind a country he
Comment - Like

Sean S. posted an article on Fat Paddler | A Big Man's Journey - Jul 1, 2011, 10:35 am
Last week the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic officially opened for registration and the lads from Team Fat Paddler quickly signed up. Many of them have yet to have a decent night paddle so we thought we’d get out for one up Middle Harbour. The night contained plenty of laughter, a coffee stop, and paddl...
Comment - Like