Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.08.2008, Side 37

REYKJAVÍK GRAPEVINE | ISSUE 11—2008 | 37
continues. The sport got a big boost, new kayakers flocked
to the rivers and heaps of river action events organised..He
tells me that around 2004 the sport experienced a decline
and hasn’t really seen any real renewal since, so it’s left to the
group of the hard-core ones to keep the sport alive.
PARADISE ISLAND fOR PADDLERS
Kayaking is not a sport you jump into and become an export
in no time. It takes time, stamina and a lot of swimming in
the ice-cold water to get a grip on it. But for those willing to
put in some effort, Iceland’s nature is a true heaven. You only
need to imagine the country’s landscape for a second to see
the endless possibilities.
“Iceland has an enormous amount of waterfalls and of
course plenty of rivers. If all conditions are in top, which they
always are in May and June, Iceland is a paradise for kayak-
ers,” Jón Heiðar says but adds that the season can last much
longer, from around Easter and just about as long in the win-
ter the kayakers can stand the cold.
For the past ten years, Jón Heiðar and his friends have
toured the country, searching for new rivers and chances to
run the first descent. “There still is heaps left to explore,” he
says and continues: “A big part of the fun is the actual trip
and the search for the undiscovered. To take a road-trip for
two weeks in good company, hike up a mountain and sud-
denly find a crazy waterfall is the biggest thrill. We found
one of the most powerful rivers in Iceland by incidence for
example. On Holtavörðuheiði of all places.”
Jón Heiðar and his fellow kayakers have also used their
spare time escaping Iceland to tackle rivers in foreign coun-
tries, mostly in Nepal. “Kayaking is a brilliant sport if you
want to see the world. You get to experience countries and
cultures in a totally different way. When we are in Nepal for
example, we go to places the normal traveller will probably
never visit. You paddle maybe a 100 km path through tiny vil-
lages off the beaten track where tourists have maybe never
been before.”
He was once a struggling beginner who had to “eat a
lot of shit” so to say and looking back he recalls many critical
moments. “The most dangerous thing about being new to the
sport is that often you don’t know any better and there is little
instructions to be found. A couple of years back, a friend of
ours was dropping down a waterfall and ended behind it.
He disappeared for like fifteen minutes. Everyone thought
he was dead. He was stuck in a cave behind the waterfall
and as he tried to get out the stream kept pushing him back.
Suddenly he washed up on the right side, lucky to be alive.
This happened because we didn’t know any better.”
Whitewater kayaking is sport anyone can enjoy and
everyone can find a river of taste. It’s up to you to decide
how far you want to push your limit. Jón Heiðar says he
would love to see more kayakers come in to the sport. His
advice to newcomers is to contact Kayakklúbburinn but they
host practices for beginner and can rent out all the gear. As
there obviously is no lack of water and the country’s endless
creeks will continue to make it a playground for kayakers
ther's nothing stopping. So quit reading, borrow some gear
and discover your paddling potential. For more info see:
www.kayakklubburinn.com and www.adventures.is.
thoSe crazy kayakerS Sure are extreme!
a Big part of the fun is the aCtuaL trip
anD the searCh for the unDisCovereD.
to taKe a roaD-trip for two weeKs in
gooD CoMpany, hiKe up a Mountain anD
suDDenLy finD a Crazy waterfaLL is the
Biggest thriLL.
V í k i n
Reykjavik
Maritime Museum
V í k i n
Grandagarði 8 - 101 Reykjavík
Tel: 517 9400
Open daily from 11am to 5pm
Closed Mondays
w w w . s j o m i n j a s a f n . i s
L i v i n g M u s e u m b y t h e S e a