Latest updates from our preparation and experiences.
Best laid plans ..... The last few weeks before departure didn't follow the productive training rhythm of previous weeks and months. Sub-optimal at best but that expeditions for you. Adapt, persevere and move forward! Find out here what happened.
### Devices, Power Banks & a Charging System That Actually Works
No one app does everything a sea kayaker needs. This blog introduces the pros/cons of some apps (there are more) and how this can feed into a decision making system. Refer also to Blog 9 - Passage Planning
Here's the sheet I use to plan and evaluate each day, aiding my decision making.
Spain, surf, mistakes, and the shift from “can I do it?” to “should I do it?”
Fitness, fatigue, and the shift from chasing performance to building durability.
There’s a temptation, when planning something like **Britain by Kayak**, to look for the *perfect* bit of kit. It doesn’t exist. What matters is something far more important: **a system with no single point of failure.**
I’m preparing for Britain by Kayak 2026, a long sea-kayak expedition where success depends on durability, resilience, and repeatability, not necessarily achieving peak fitness. After pushing too hard in autumn 2025 — leading to illness, injury, and a sustained HRV crash — I reset my approach. I now use a deliberately simple logging system (daily metrics plus weekly Garmin screenshots) and a sceptical training audit to assess risk, not justify effort. Technology, in the form of AI, supports the process, but restraint and honest judgement are hopefully guiding my decisions as I prepare.
My planned approach to nutrition for my multi-month expedition: Britain by Kayak 2026: - I intend to use a hybrid, fat-adapted strategy: fat as my base fuel, carbs used strategically, and protein prioritised for recovery. - My goal is metabolic flexibility: switching between fat and carbs depending on what the day demands. - I'll use fast carbs mainly during or after hard work, not as constant background food. - I may sometimes use time-restricted eating as a tool, but never at the expense of warmth, recovery, or safety. - I'll plan for real-world food availability, not idealised diets. - I'll prioritise gut health, fibre, and immune resilience because illness is a bigger threat than hunger. - My main rule: don't underfuel.
