Worst online company I have ever dealt with - CITIWIDE (rant warning!)

As a kayaker and a cyclist, I buy a lot of my gear online, and 99% of my online experiences are great.  That was until I came across an online shop that sells electronics and specifically camera gear - known as CITIWIDE (http://www.citiwide-online.com/).

After purchasing a NIKON AW100 waterproof camera from Citiwide, I started having issues within the first few weeks of using the camera (the camera would not open its shutter intermittently when you turn it on - i.e. envisage black pictures).  I thought it might be an incompatibility with the memory card so tried a few different options, but it would start working again each time I thought about returning it.

This went on for a few weeks before it started to over expose the photos.  I knew I needed to return the camera so started proceedings and contacted Citiwide.  I filled out the appropriate paperwork, took photo's of the camera as I couldn't find the serial number and sent this off to Citiwide asking if they would honour their warranty.

They emailed back and instructed me to send them the camera at my expense.  To cut a long story short, they said because there was no serial number sticker on the camera they wouldn't warranty it and sent the camera back to me, leaving me with a six week old camera that is useless and me out of pocket.

I'm not sure who is a fault here, Citiwide or Nikon for having a serial number which is a sticker on an underwater camera....seems like a fail proof get out of jail free card when it comes to providing a warranty on the products you sell.

Sufficient to say, I would never use this company again!

Well that was cathartic! Now to balance the post, I have some positive warranty stories as well.

Firstly, I broke my split Werner Ikelos (I'm not the first and won't be the last unfortunately).  Werner came to the party and replaced the joining components.  After some more use I broke the paddle again in the same spot - this is a paddle I had been using since 2010.  Werner (via Rosco Canoes -  http://www.roscocanoes.com.au/) suggested the solution was to replace the paddle with a new one with no out of pocket expenses.

Another supplier who I use frequently is Expedition Kayaks (http://www.expeditionkayaks.com/).  As a cyclist I have a bit of leg drive when I'm paddling and this caused the floating seat in my Nordkapp to break (a known issue with this design).  I told they boys from Expedition Kayaks what had happened and sent a photo and within a week my new seat arrived with some instructions how to install and get around this problem occurring again.

Done with my rant - off for a paddle!

Time for a new boat?

I have spent the past few years paddling a Valley Nordkapp.  It is a beautiful boat which has allowed me to undertake expeditions that most people only ever dream of doing.

From chasing small runners in the bay to sliding across the face of 6 meter waves 100 kms off the Australian coast, this has been my boat of choice.  Until recently, this boat was considered a fast touring boat, with a natural hull speed of around 7.5 to 8 km/hr on flat water.

The need for speed has seen new designs entering the sea kayaking market and now we are seeing a selection of boats that are incorporating aspects of ski designs with the traditional sea kayak, allowing for a more ergonomic and efficient paddling position.

The trouble I am having is that my paddling mates are making this transition which means that I am flogging myself to keep up with average paddling speeds over 9 and 10 km/hr.  Once you start pushing your boat past its natural hull speed you are expending a lot more effort for each minor increase in speed (law of diminishing returns!)

Whilst I love paddling a skeg boat, I am considering moving with the times and purchasing a boat with a rudder.  The main reason for this is when I am paddling an expedition laden skeg boat, the worse the sea state and longer the paddling leg, the more wear and tear on your body.  So for myself, I go with the rule of thumb now that up to 40 kms is fine in a skeg boat, but in excess of 40 kms I am starting to feel the effects of edging and correctional strokes and this could be counteracted by the use of a rudder which allows my energy to be concentrated on forward strokes.

The other consideration is space.  The Nordkapp has taught me the fine art of minimalist camping and creative packing.  Such fine lines and skeg box have to have some downside and packing volume is what you loose.  Having undertaken a 19 day remote expedition out of this boat I know it can be done, but the weight of that kit was too heavy for the Nordkapp to carry comfortably and had the boats sitting too low in the water, extending the water line of the boat and making it paddle like a barge.

So the current options in this part of the world seem to be Taran Rockpool and the Pace 17 Tiderace.  The Taran seems to have an edge on boat speed in rougher downwind conditions giving a more exciting ride, with the Pace 17 being a little bit more conservative and stable.

Whatever my final decision, I don't think I'll be looking for a new home for my Nordkapp!

Picture above was taken in 2010 on the first sea kayaking expedition to the Capricornia Cays, looking north from Lady Musgrave Island - we all paddled Valley Nordkapps given their expedition credentials.

Old Women (Mudjimba) Island

Old Women Island is a well known surf and fishing spot a kilometer off the Sunshine Coast.  The island itself is surrounded by rock platforms and rock reefs, and is home to around 2000 wedge-tail shearwater nests, commonly known as mutton birds.

Apparently the island was leased from around 1940, and you can see the remains of various buildings on the island.  On its day, this is one of the best reef breaks on the East Coast.  The swell wraps around both sides of the island and you can surf into an on-coming wave on the western side of the island.  Its not often you can get airborne in a 5 meter sea kayak, but this is the spot to try!

Access to the island is via a rock platform on the north-western side of the island - only rocks and more rocks!  The waves wrap around the island so you need to get your timing right, coming in on the back of the set and getting into the rock lagoon before the next set cleans you up on the rocks.  Not recommended for days with large swell and you only have access from half to full tide.  The white water behind Rowdy is where the two waves are meeting and you don't get swell much smaller than the conditions today.

The mutton birds have recently finished hatching their young and only the weak and dead remain as they continue on their migration. More and more of these birds are washing up on our beaches and there are concerns about the overall numbers of these birds diminishing.

Access to the top of the hills is restricted by a forest of prickly pear and the lower slopes are a mine field of mutton bird nests - so tread carefully and avoid the island when the birds are nesting.

Bring your snorkeling gear along as the on calm days the water visibility is great and the reef has a lot to offer.


Old Women Island - Nov 2013 from Paul Wilton on Vimeo.