|
|
Questions And Answers
If you've got any other enquires don't hesitate to contact us.
| |
| |
Question:
Is it safe? I have never gone sea kayaking before.
|
|
| |
| |
Answer:
You need no prior kayaking experience to do this trip, just a little bit of guts and common sense. The archipleago usually provide sheltered bays and passages if the conditions are windy. Be sensible and careful and you'll be fine. We use double as well as single kayaks. Doubles are incredibly stable and well suited for beginners and intermediates, while the singles require more skill. Singles are strictly for experienced kayakers.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
What about emergencies? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
We will give you a cell phone and the whole area has reception. If something happens civilisation is only a phone call away and you can be reached by boat taxi or the coast guard in up to 15 minutes . Luckily accidents are very rare in the archipelago and if any problems occur (e.g. broken or forgotten equipment, minor medical problems) contact us and we’ll do our best to sort it out for you.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
What about tides? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
There are no tides whatsoever in Saint Anna. The sea level stays the same, which means that you do not have to transport kayak & gear from the waterline and don’t have any times to consider. Also, there is no swell, because of all the islands breaking up wind & waves.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
Do I need to be fit? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
You do not have to be fit to go sea kayaking. It is really easy and you completely decide your own pace and how much distance you wish to cover. Sea kayaks are suprisingly quick with just a little effort. If you are paddling against the wind, the going will be a bit tougher. It can usually be avoided but not always. We'll teach you a little paddling technique so that you learn to use your back & shoulders instead of only your arm muscles when paddling.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
I don't know anything about navigation. Will i get lost? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
We'll teach you what you need to know, it's not that difficult, you just have to be attentive. One person in your group will be assigned navigator and we'll teach you a few tricks to stay on course. |
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
What are the weather conditions usually like? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
The weather in the archipelago changes often and quickly. We give you a cell phone and text you the weather report every morning. When you are out for a few days you are very likely to experience a couple of calm & sunny days and a couple of windy & overcast ones. Sometimes it rains of course, but it usually passes pretty quickly. We provide good water and wind proof clothing. Temperatures vary a LOT, a typical summer day can bring you 33 degrees and sunshine, or 17 degrees and rain, but mostly it stays around 20 – 28 degrees.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
Isn't Sweden supposed to be cold? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
That’s a myth. Ask any Swede and they’ll praise the Swedish summer as superior to anywhere else. It’s absolutely beautiful. Everything turns incredibly green & flowery. The light is fantastic and there is so much natural beauty. Swimming and sunbathing is at the top of the list , we just have to choose our days a bit more carefully than if you live further south.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
Is there a set paddling route? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
No, not at all. You choose completely where you wish to paddle and how far. There are a few different pick-up points so you do not start and finish at the same spot. When it’s time to go home, you just let us know let us know where & when using the provided cell phone. You will see that the wind direction will have a big say in what route you will be taking. We do advise you of a general plan though.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
Is there anywhere to re-stock supplies? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
No, not really. You should order all your food & bev from us in advance. (you pay cost price and we shop & pack it for you) There are a couple of small camp shops, but they have nothing fresh and a very limited assortment, so better to be organised and bring everything.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
Fresh water? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
We will supply fresh water that will last appr. half your trip and we will show you a few places where you can fill up on the way.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
Can we just put up camp anywhere? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
Yes. In Sweden we have something called "the right of public access",which among other things mean that you can camp wherever you want, as long as you are respectful to the area. You'll see that camping in the archipelago is something really natural in these surroundings.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
I have a GPS, What are the cordinates for Saint Anna? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
You will start your trip at ”Mon”:
Latitud 58,366739 or 58° 22' 0,26"
Longitud 16,827631 or 16° 49' 39,47"
A GPS is not neccesary at all, but if you already have one it’s a good place to get to play with it.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
What's the closest city, I'd like to check out the weather forecast? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
Check the weather for Söderköping (Soderkoping).
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
Any dangerous animals I should know about? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
St. Anna is very low in danger. We don’t have any dangerous animals at all. You might see a water snake or an adder, but they’ll keep their distance. Otherwise it’s just birds and the odd sheep or cow, so no worries on land or in the water. Sometimes there are ticks in high grasses and they can, even if it is very rare, carry and transmit TBE, which untreated can lead to lyme decease. We give you tweezers and info so that you know to remove a tick quickly since it has to be latched on for several days for anything to transmit.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
I’m continuing travelling afterwards and have a lot of gear. Is there anywhere I can store it? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
Whatever you don’t wanna bring paddling you can leave with us. You will get to re-pack your stuff into waterproof bags anyhow and leave your bags/backpacks behind.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
The Ryanair flight coming in is so early. Isn’t there a better flight? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
The best option is to fly in on the late flight the night before. Skavsta is a very small airport in the countryside, so you just take the local bus into Nyköping town (10 minutes) and stay at the very friendly hostel there (14 Pounds per person). For an awesome breakfast, just walk to the hotel nearby. We will come pick you up at the hostel in the morning.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
Is Sweden very expensive? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
Another myth. While Norway and Iceland are indeed very expensive, Sweden’s pretty similar to the UK. Food prices are about the same, while a beer in the pub is a bit more expensive. If you go to Stockholm, stay at a hostel and not a hotel. A hostel will cost you 20-25 Pounds a person in a private room, while a hotel is more like 75-100 Pounds per person. Just make sure you book it as far in advance as you can, hostels get fully booked early.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
How much does food normally cost per person? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
You will order everything in advance from a very comprehensive food list and pay cost price, same as in the supermarket. Food + mosquito repellent usually adds up to 30 – 55 Pounds per person depending on how lavish you wanna be. Alcohol comes on top of that, a 500 ml can of beer is about 1 Pound and a pretty nice bottle of wine 7 Pounds.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
What kind of kayaks do you use? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
Check them out:
Single kayak: http://www.tahemarine.com/?module=Product&id=31
-Even though the discription of this kayak says it’s ok for beginners, our experience is that anyone who isn’t very used to paddling find the singles very unstable. It’s very tough to paddle against the wind in a single. Please trust us on this one. We recommend using doubles instead.
Double kayak: http://www.tahemarine.com/?module=Product&id=9-This kayak is indeed extremely stable and suitable for beginners, intermediates but also experienced paddlers. We find double kayaks the absolute best suited for the conditions in Saint Anna. Paddling against the wind it’s a world of difference being two people instead of one, you move much faster in a double and you can also fit more gear.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Question:
Do your kayaks have rudders or skegs? |
|
| |
| |
Answer:
We use rudders on all our kayaks. They work really well for sticking to your course and make navigation easier. Because the water in the archipelago gets choppy rather than wavy, skegs instead of rudders are very impractical since the kayak ”slides around” a lot instead of going straight.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
"Sea kayaking in Saint Anna was an adventure in every sence of the word rather than following the same old beaten tourist trail. The landscape was incredible and not having a guide made it lots more fun! It was one of the best travel-
ling experiences I've had!" |
Mathew White (AUS)
early Sep 2005 |
|
