Interview: Peter Tranter

Photos: as stated

Jeff is a sea kayaker, British Canoeing coach and International Sea Kayak Guide Association guide. He was born in North London in 1962 and joined the army in 1978 as a boy soldier, leaving in 1987 and moved to Cornwall in 1988/89 to study traditional boatbuilding and to be near the sea. Jeff stopped paddling and pursued sailing for a few years but in the late 90s got back into sea paddling, setting up in business in 2003. Jeff has been working as a professional guide/coach ever since.

Main photo: The making of a Canon advert in northern Norway. Photo: Lee Kirby

An interview with… Jeff Allen
THE expedition paddler

How does kayaking on the ocean give you particular satisfaction?
I feel happiest when I am on the ocean, especially where the ocean meets the land, this has a particular appeal to me. You can feel the raw vitality of water, energized by the wind and shaping the land, it’s a timeless action and never fails to leave me feeling totally invigorated, truly energized. A sea kayak, apart from being such an evocative looking craft, is also the perfect vehicle to explore this environment.

What draws you to long and difficult adventure expeditions?
It’s part challenge/adventure but in the bigger part for me it is about the journey, I like the changes that come over me when I am on a journey. For the first few days there are big adjustments taking place, comfort, exposure, energy, letting go of land things, etc. However, after a few days everything starts to come into focus. There are so many distractions in life, on an expedition, especially in remote areas, the foundation level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs comes keenly into focus, where your main concerns of clean air, food, water and protection come into play. As the journey progresses you take on a meditation in motion, journeys like this offer you the opportunity to not only explore coastlines but also to explore yourself, you can spend time in reflection.

When preparing for a long expedition in challenging conditions – what are the qualities you look for in a fellow team mate kayaker?
It is definitely more pleasurable if you like one another but that doesn’t have to be the case, however, you do need to have respect and a good degree of tolerance. Tolerance is made far easier if you can establish shared goals at the start of the venture. So to bullet point my answer I would say:

• tolerance;
• shared goals;
• solid basic personal skills;
• previous experience and
• humour.

Do you have any favourite conditions for paddling or are you happy with whatever Mother Nature bowls your way on the day?
I am happy as it comes, but that’s not to say that I don’t enjoy a following sea and wind, especially when the tide is with me.

What’s the one favourite piece of camping kit you couldn’t do without?
I’ve accumulated a lot of stuff over the years and because I paddle in a range of environments, that’s hard to say. On a practical level my sleeping system is pretty important to me. The relationship you develop with a good sleeping bag and mat is certainly more important now than when I was younger. I would say my favourite piece of equipment is however, a Kuksa, which is a small wooden mug, hand carved by the Sami of Northern Scandinavia. I got mine from a Sami Camp after rounding Nordkap so has sentimental value too. That and a good camp knife, one that I can use for filleting fish, splitting wood or sparking life into a fire.

Has one particular expedition left its mark upon you, physically or mentally?
The Japan circumnavigation was and is still, the expedition by which I judge all others by. It was about 5,000 miles long, had numerous lessons in store for both myself and my paddling partner, Hadas Feldman, from Israel. I experienced so many physical, mental and dare I say, spiritual changes on that journey. However, the one that left its biggest physical and mental impact was the speed circumnavigation of Ireland, that was a lot of physical pain, in both the build up in training and in the delivery. We were knocking out some very big mile days and spending long hours in the kayak on a day-to-day basis and all of that takes its toll. Afterwards the bones in my hands hurt for months and the outer toes on both of my feet remained numb for weeks afterwards, I lost more than a stone in less than three weeks. We called the expedition ‘into the wind’ and afterwards Lizzie, my wife, said that the wind had literally gotten beneath my skin, making me quite difficult to be around.

Mental wellness is of particular interest for you – how did that come about?
When I left the military I was certainly in a state of confusion, anxiety and emotional suffering, this manifested itself in various ways. PTSD wasn’t recognized or spoken about then, but on subsequent research that is probably the label I would have been tagged with. I don’t like labels, but in this case, if I had had a greater understanding of my condition, I would have been able to do something about my situation. It wasn’t really until I started to spend more and more time on the ocean that I started to reflect and analyze my past life experiences, being in nature and on the ocean was a form of healing I think, although I didn’t realize that at the time.

Since then I have paddled with a lot of ex-service personnel who have been diagnosed with PTSD and others suffering from various mental health issues and have witnessed over and over again, just how beneficial engaging with nature is to the positive human spirit.

Have you changed as a person as a result of your expeditions?
Yes, I believe so and for me these changes are positive. I have grown to appreciate my own company and am quite happy left alone to operate in my own little bubble. I certainly appreciate the wilderness more than I ever did before, certainly before I got into exploring the coastal environment and my connection to it, is at a deep personal intimate level.

I feel at home in remote areas and I am happiest, far from the madding crowd, these changes are probably a curse to others however, after all, my love of doing what I do, takes me away from family and home. Often, then when I do return home, I disrupt the rhythm that has been established in my absence. I can also be irritable and unsettled when I return from a trip, especially if it has been a longer personal expedition rather than a commercial trip. My focus on a personal trip is about me and the goal, on a commercial trip it’s all about my clients.

Of the many things you do, which one makes your heart beat the fastest?
Right now it is sailing and swimming. Sea kayaking still makes my heart sing but now I am also exploring other ways to go further afield and to share activities on and in the water.

You are now left to concentrate on Expedition Paddler – how’s it going?
I’m not in a rush to establish Expedition Paddler and I certainly don’t want to just replicate what I first created in my previous business. I am now in the process of developing new wilderness expeditions and course content to best represent what I have to offer the community, I have always prided myself with being original. I’ve never copied the crowd and have always tried to be creative, that way I understand what I deliver intimately and when I deliver it, it is with a passion.

All of my paddling enterprise has been developed and delivered with passion. I am starting to combine some of my expeditions with an expedition support/delivery yacht and to that end have recently purchased a steel sailing yacht, pretty much capable of sailing anywhere I choose to go, so the aim is to reach even further afield in my expeditions.

What’s the most enjoyable encounter with wildlife that you’ve had?
I have been exceptionally lucky with wildlife and its hard to choose a favourite. Lizzie and I were almost engulfed once by two feeding Humpback whales in Arctic Norway and I have been followed by some fairly large sharks of the meat eating kind before. However, I think my most moving experience was having two juvenile dolphin swim beside me, playing around the cockpit and bow wave of my kayak, for what seemed like hours, whilst two very large battle scarred matriarchs watched me from just a few feet beyond my paddle stroke.

They weren’t threatening in anyway but I could feel who was in control.
Once, with Hadas, we paddled into a bubble net of Blue Fin Tuna in Northern Hokkaido. Dolphins and shark were shooting beneath us and we really were stuck in the middle of the food chain and I once had a dolphin leap over me as I punched out through the surf zone. As I say too many experiences to mention here but the young dolphins were certainly my most magical.

If you could capture just one ‘feel good’ moment in your time on the ocean – which would it be and why?
I would say it was whilst paddling down the Pacific Coast of Japan, we were on our last night of the expedition and to seaward there was an electrical storm arcing out on the ocean. The energy was intense and we had elected to paddle at night because of thick fog and numerous fishing boats flying around in the day. The experience was tinged with a sadness that you feel as something unique is about to end.

We had spent six months together living from our kayaks and navigating our way through numerous challenges and I was sad it was coming to a close, but then the sadness was penetrated by the realization that nothing was ending, it was in fact just the beginning and that right there, right then, I was exactly where I was meant to be, doing exactly what I was meant to do, and everything felt just perfect.

After all your years on the ocean, what still scares you on a paddle?
Landing through big surf on an unknown beach is pretty scary, I think once you get hurt by something that has absolutely no knowledge that you’re even there, especially an area devoid of others, you start to pay it endless respect, but it also excites me, fear does make you feel more alive.

I’m a paddler and going on vacation, where would you recommend?
Northern Norway. If you’re an experienced kayaker, fly into Tromso, hire a kayak from my friend Bjorn and explore those Northern Islands, If your not so experienced come with me and I will show you some incredible views that will take your breath away.

What’s the one location you haven’t paddled that would be on your bucket list?
Greenland is next, I am hoping to sail there next year from Cornwall and paddle the east Coast of Greenland and then sail on to Northern Norway, ending in Tromso.

Is there any issue that stops you sleeping at night?
I’ve been known to sleep through most things and I have nothing that keeps me awake at night, except stitches in my lower abdomen right now.

What advice would you give your younger self?
Be patient, follow your dreams, learn to breathe properly, meditate more and stay active, eat well and drink more water.

What things in life are still a mystery to you?
Humanity is a mystery to me, we have the capacity for the greatest good and yet also the greatest bad and yet as a race we more often veer towards the negative, I think the further we remove ourselves from the natural world, the worse things will get, we live in a society that is governed by finance, protected by credit cards and double glazing, and we need big changes in our society and in what we as a society consider to hold true value.

If you were God for a day, what changes would you make to the world?
I’d make the Earth flat and balance it on the back of a turtle. I’d also return to the days of sail and oar, the days before plastic and diesel, although I’m sure that has its downside too.

Quickies

If you could paddle with anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be?
Neptune

Pick two celebrities to be your parents…
Popeye & Olive Oyl

Which one sportsman or woman has inspired you?
Muhammad Ali, or Bill Tilman if you include mountaineers

Are you a bathroom/shower singer and if so what do you sing?
Yes, Wandering Star by Lee Marvin

Name one film star you would love to get naughty with?
Betty Boop

Favourite film?
Captains Courageous (the 1937 original)

Cats or dogs?
Big slobbery dogs

Facebook or Twitter?
Instagram

An ideal night out for you is?
Dry campsite, good campfire, moonlight, good company, whisky and a surf launch next day

What one luxury item would you take with you on a desert island?
A yacht

What’s in your fridge right now?
Salmon, venison, hummus, oat milk, cheese, salad, chocolate, butter and eggs

If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?
Omelette or salmon

Who are your kayaking buddies?
Harry, Ed, Jim, Hef, Rod, Tom and Rich

What’s the most boring question you are often asked?
Is this your car?

Finally, any final shout outs?
Mike Webb at Rockpool, one of the most honest and genuine guys in the business, Lendal Paddles, Kokatat, the boys at System X Nick and Ant, finally Bjorn and Tore, my northern brothers……

Many thanks Jeff for all of your help on this – I really appreciate it.