No pix, better that way!

Took a kayak lesson today to learn edging and bracing and strokes. Took a swimming lesson too! One water bottle added to the quickmud bottom of Redwood City Harbor, but all else is still with me, other than my dignity. Humbling....but entertaining. At least I did learn a few things and had more hours in a full size sea kayak. But I still have no idea which one to purchase eventually, because it's abundantly clear to me what I have yet to learn. Ah well....

Toolin' Around Foster City

A drop dead gorgeous day on the lagoons! Warm to hot, just enough light breeze to keep cool, but not wind. MAG and I paddled about and met Stanley in his canoe. I was trying out my DIY panning motor on the Gopro. For a change, it didn't work well. Not sure that's about, but we'll see. And, yes, i do need to aim it higher! Meantime, the water was absolutely terrific.

Testing Out DIY Fast Panning Motor for Gopro

Inspired by some of the fabulous kayaking videos from Gnarlydognews.blogspot.com , I decided to try to rig up a fast 360 degree panning motor for my Gopro. He has some great shots where the camera pans in under a minute a full circle, so you start looking forward toward the bow, turn to see him paddling, then turn back to the bow. Unfortunately, all the DIY instructions I could find for cheap panning devices were for timelapse photos, that is, a full circle in an hour! Not for what I intended at all. After much searching I stumbled upon small music box movements that wind up (no batteries or wires to contend with), then turn back. Found one inexpensively and rigged up all sorts of mounts to make it work with my rig. It's not perfect, but for $15 worth of materials and a bit of head scratching, I have something that does the trick. See below (though an unglamorous shot of my overgrown, under-cared-for back yard.)