Beyond The Eddy Line podcast

The Yukon River Quest is the longest paddling race in the world.Its 715 km (444-mile) journey from Whitehorse to Dawson City, tracing routes shaped by the Klondike Gold Rush. Racers come from around the globe, competing in categories ranging from solo paddlers to eight-person canoe teams.My guest, Patricia (Pat) Jones, has taken on this challenge 3 times, completing the race twice and finishing second in the women’s category both times. In this episode, she shares the story of the race she didn’t finish and what it truly takes, physically, mentally, and emotionally, to face one of the most demanding river races on Earth.Registration to the race close on May 13 2026https://www.yukonriverquest.com/

We constantly face the tension between curiosity and comfort. When do we step outside our comfort zone? Explore or exploit? Are you a technical or a tactical paddler?Today’s guest is deeply interested in how paddlers make decisions.Finn Steiner, co-owner of Skills, is based in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island, BC. A highly experienced kayak instructor and guide, Finn shares his perspective on the explore vs. exploit paradox and how it plays out on the water.“Sea kayaking sits right in the middle of that relationship between instinct and analysis,” he says.https://skils.ca/our-team/

Thomas Bechmann from the island of Fyn in Denmark, moved to Greenland for a year to gain experience paddling one of the most remote stretches of the Greenlandic coast. He paddled for 2 months, about 1600 kilometers from Assissut to Sisimiut. In this episode, he shares lessons from his solo expedition: What to do when the wind pulls you under the ice, why walruses are wary of white paddles, what happens when polar bears miss their ride on drifting ice, and even what to do with leftover caribou. This is a raw Arctic experience for kayakers.During his expedition, Thomas listened to the same love song every day. We end this episode with that song. With gratitude to Rasmus Lyberth Greenlandic singer for allowing us to share his beautiful song “Asanaqigavit” - Because I love you .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPWifJcqZGs

Designed and built in the heart of the Inside Passage on Quadra Island, BC, "Nimbus Paddles" shaped by the waters they’re meant to paddle. This boutique paddle maker owned by Rob Bender, and Damon Stapinsky.In this episode, Rob joins me to explore how paddling styles have evolved, how to match a paddle to the paddler and their style of paddling, and the question many paddlers face: is the paddle we want always the paddle we actually need?

How do you turn goals into real progress on the water?In this episode, Mike Gilbert returns to talk about paddler development and the power of intentional practice. With more than 15 years as a sea kayak guide and instructor, and nearly half that time serving as President of Paddle Canada, where he helped shape and develop national training programs.In this episode he shares what it really takes to improve as a paddler, how to practice with purpose.#seakayaking#paddlecanada

“The Tiny Little Needle” known as Deception Pass in Washington, will truly test your technique and your connection to the boat.In this episode, Chessy Knight breaks down the magic and mechanics of Deception Pass. Along a constantly shifting eddy line wedged between the rip current and the boiling water lies a dynamic playground for skilled paddlers.Chessy shares how she plays in giant whirlpools instead of fighting them, and offers practical tips for moving confidently through powerful, ever changing water.You can find her short movie about Deception Pass here below.This conversation is all about precision, flow, and learning to feel at home in the chaos of moving water.#chessyknight#MasikRolling#deceptionpass#kayakingindynamic

If the sound of current flooding -in excites you and the word “narrows” sparks visions of big possibilities, this episode is for you.Meet "The Swell Pirates". Five young skilled paddlers who came together to push their limits and support one another in dynamic water. Their favorite playgrounds include Surge Narrows, Okisollo Channel’s standing wave, and Ucluelet. My guest, Caelin Harris, explains what it takes both physically and mentally to build skills, gain confidence, and learn how to "thrive rather than just survive".www.youtube.com/@SwellPirates

Susan Marie Conrad is a long distance adventure kayaker who solo paddled the Inside Passage twice!Each expedition: Nearly 2,000 km in 78 days.Susan followed her hero, Audrey Sutherland who paddled this route 3 times, last one when she was 82 years old. What an inspirational story.In this episode, Susan shares how her relationship with nature looks like the “Beauty and the Beast” . From waiting through the night to see if the tide would claim her tent, to a close encounter with a mother grizzly and all the fabulous view and wild life in between .If you enjoy stories of self-reliance, respect for nature, and what is truly means to travel beyond the eddyline, this episode is for you.More info about Susan and the books she wrote can be found here: https://www.susanmarieconrad.com/

Happy new year Paddlers! In the third part of my conversation with J.F. Marleau, we explore what it means to live as sustainably as possible. He shares how fishing, foraging, hunting, and harvesting have become an essential part of his life.He also explains key considerations for fishing while kayaking and his best recipe for cooked seaweed. This episode brings the conversation full circle, grounding expedition paddling in respect for place, resources, and self-reliance.Kayak fishing course and trips: https://skils.ca/kayak-fishing/

In this episode I’m joined by J.F. Marleau, co-owner of SKILS https://skils.ca/ on Vancouver Island, now semi-retired after more than two decades of teaching and leading paddlers on big, advanced expeditions.J.F. has spent over 20 years teaching coursed and taking paddlers into remote, powerful environments, pushing limits and embracing the realities of true wilderness travel. In this conversation he shares stories from some of his most extreme expeditions like Haida Gwaii and Antarctica where you’re no longer at the top of the food chain—and why that challenge keeps calling him back. *This is the first of a 3 part conversation I recorded with J.F. who, at the time (December 2025), was on lighthouse relief duty at Nootka Island adding an extra layer of perspective from one of the most remote stretches of the BC coast.

In our very first episode, we’re joined by Spencer Jones — a rough-water sea kayaker known throughout the paddling community for pushing boundaries in some of the most powerful tidal conditions on the planet.Spencer has become especially recognized for his feats at Skookumchuck Narrows in British Columbia, Canada — a world-class tidal rapid where, during the biggest tides of the year, a massive standing wave forms.Paddling Skookumchuck demands precision, confidence, and deep respect for the ocean’s power, and Spencer has built a reputation for meeting that challenge head-on.*Follow the podcast for upcoming episodes