Learning to make parallel turns on cross country skis

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

 The ultimate turn that most cross country skiers aspire to is to make smooth rounded parallel turns on their cross country skis. If this is your goal then first learn to make skidded turns to the right and left. Note that classic skis (without fish scales or skins or too much grip wax) will work well and skating skis will also work. In the photos below I am using classic skis with the grip wax removed.  Work on steering the skis smoothly into a skidded turn and focus on keeping your skis parallel throughout  the turn. Once you can make skidded turns in each direction then try to combine them into a series of linked  turns as I show in the video below. Many people use a pole plant to trigger an unweighing of the skis which aids your ability to steer them into the next turn. Note in the first photo below that I am flexed at ankles, knees and hips and then  after the pole plant I will extend or rise up (unweight the ski) the skis through the top of the turn. I will gradually flex the joints again as I finish the turn.  Also as in all alpine turns remember to keep most of your weight on the outside ski and keep your arms out for balance. This will help in your ability to control your skis. See this video for more information about how to make parallel turns on cross country skis:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU4qJ8TxH2U&feature=youtu.be

 Thanks to our sponsors Auclair gloves and Infinity Ski Poles.

                                               Start your turn with a pole plant to trigger an unweighting of the skis 

                                                    

                                                                      Continue to steer your skis through the turn

Developing proper arm action for improving your free skate

By Keith and Heather Nicol

     Coordinating the correct arm action can really help your ability to free skate on cross country skis. As you can see in the photo below I am actively swinging my arms down the track. When I teach free skate I always tell my students that a good arm swing can create more momentum to be able to skate faster on their skis. But it not as easy as it looks...remember that you want coordinate swinging the right arm forward when you move onto your left ski and vice versa. All too often when I teach this I find that students sometimes want to swing their left arm while skating onto their left ski or right arm and right ski.  So instead think about the opposite arm and leg being coordinated together as you can see in the photo to the side. A good arm swing also helps you get up and over your glide ski as you can see with photo to the right. You want to glide with your toe, knee and nose aligned over the glide ski and a good arm swing really helps. Check out this video for more information on how to obtain a proper arm action for free skate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jigg7D929VU&feature=youtu.be

Thanks to our sponsors Auclair gloves and Infinity Ski Poles

 

 A good arm swing will help maintain your momentum down the track

Christmas lights at 19 Wing Comox are impressive

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

    A previous blog post this Christmas season dealt with festive lights at the Kingfisher Resort near Courtenay that are well worth checking out. Another impressive display can be found at Heritage Air Park at 19 Wing Comox. -next to the Glacier Gardens Ice Arena on Military Row. Volunteers have decked out the planes with lots of lights and it is also a chance to give some money or food items  to the Comox Valley Food Bank (until Dec 20).  We saw the display on the evening of Dec 17 and it was certainly a popular spot. There were many people viewing the display from their cars and others were walking along the fence to view the many planes covered in lights. If you do leave your car be sure to wear a mask and stay 2 meters from other groups. The display runs from 6 to 8 pm until the end of December except for the nights of Dec 24-26, 2020. Be sure to check it out!

 

A December kayak trip at Pt Holmes in Comox

 by Keith and Heather Nicol

We have never kayaked in December before so when Wednesday, Dec 9 forecasted sunny skies and 9 C we thought we should take advantage of it. But when dense fog started the day we thought we might have to cancel. But then fog began to break up at our house and the web cam for Pt Holmes showed no fog at that location so we set off at noon. When we arrived,  we were surprised to see 3 swimmers getting ready to head into the water. They all had wet suits and basically did laps back and forth just off shore.                                                        Black Turnstones let us get very close    We paddled toward Cape Lazo and since it was high tide (close to 5 meters) we knew most of the rocks that seals and birds like to hang out on would be covered but we did see a boulder covered in black turnstones that let us get very close to them . It was only when the kayak bumped the rock they were on did they take flight. Amazing!! We also saw some harlequin ducks along the way and a few seals but generally there wasn’t much bird or animal life that we encountered as we headed around Cape Lazo toward Kye Bay.                                                          A fog bank lingered offshre        We could see the remnants of the earlier fog lingering offshore so we didn’t get good views of the BC Mainland or Texada Island. But the weather was superb and the water basically flat calm as we paddled around into Kye Bay. We returned via the same route and at the take out encountered several more swimmers getting ready to take to the water. We hope to get in more winter paddling this season and fully recommend as a very covid 19 friendly activity. Be sure to check out the web cam before you head out so you can see the weather and wave conditions at the boat launch. It can be viewed at: http://www.pointholmesrecreation.ca/rampcam/. It is always interesting to see the variety of birds and other wildlife in this area and we look forward to our next kayak trip to Point Holmes.

Be sure to see the holiday light display at the Kingfisher Resort and Spa in the Comox Valley

 by Keith and Heather Nicol    

      For the second year the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa will be presenting its winter lights display in the Serenity Gardens. We missed it last year but had heard many good comments about it so we were determined to see it this year.  The winter lights display opened in November and is planned to  run until the end of January , 2021. The display features thousands of lights which form illuminated grasses, lighting up cherry blossom trees and glistening flowers and our favourite – 3 meter tall dandelions!  Interspersed around the light display are many intimate seating arrangements in front of gas fireplaces so you can comfortably sit out under the lights and stars.  The display is stunning and shouldn’t be missed!! 

                                           Heather enjoying the gas fireplace surrounded by lights

   But with Covid 19 pandemic guidelines for appropriate spacing of people, the Serenity Gardens will only be open to people who are guests of the resort. So you can drop into the Ocean 7 restaurant, have a bite to eat and then enjoy a walk through the gardens. Or you can time your Pacific Mist Spa appointment so that you can see the lights after the sun goes down. Lastly if you feel like a staycation you can book yourself in for night and have the lights and garden at your doorstep. Either way it brighten your day and put a smile on your face. For more information and to book a dining reservation, spa appointment or accommodation see:  https://www.kingfisherspa.com/  Congrats to the Kingfisher for putting so much effort into this holiday lighting presentation.

                                                             The 3 meter high dandelions were our favourite

Moon rise from Air Force Beach , Comox

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

    One of the disadvantages of living in the Comox- Courtenay area is that you don’t get a chance to see the sun dropping off into the horizon in the evening. Sunsets in this area can be nice as the setting sun undercuts any clouds that are in the area but a classic sunset can’t be seen due to the Beaufort Mountains. But we do have moon rises which come up over the Salish Sea and so we have taken to seeing the full moon rise whenever the weather cooperates. 2020 has been a very different year with the Covid 19 pandemic effecting  just about everything but one thing that it hasn’t changed is being able to watch a moon rise. Our favourite place to see the full moon rise is the Air Force Beach Parking area and this gives us a good view of the various Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast and the mountains of the BC mainland that lie behind.  

                                                                           April 2020 = Pink Full Moon

     Of course like the sun,  the full moon doesn’t always rise in the same place each month so the back drop to your views and pictures will always be different. As well the clouds are often different so this adds another variation to each month’s offering.  To find out the date of the full moon and where it will be in the sky check out this web site: https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/canada/comox. For newcomers to this area Air Force Beach take Kilmorley Road and be sure to drive past the turn off to Kin Beach.  Turn right on Air Force Beach Road and continue to the end.  See you for the next full moon and bring a tripod and telephoto lens for the best pictures. 

  

                                                 The Beaver Full Moon rising over Powell River - Nov 30 ,2020