[Paddlewise] New guy.

     From what I've seen during the last 22 hours or so that I've been 
     lurking here, you've got an incredibly active and interesting group!  
     And, at Jackie's suggestion, I'll try to introduce myself.  Quickly.  
     Using the "my boat" technique as a vehicle.
     
     My boat is a somewhat customized Valley Canoe Products (VCP) Pintail, 
     a solid Brit-built 17+ foot play boat, low volume, easily turned, 
     rolled, and highly maneuverable, not a racer but certainly not 
     sluggish, and generally a kick to paddle while still looking great --- 
     in my opinion.  It is propelled with former two-by-six pine or cedar 
     boards in the Inuit style unless I'm in large surf, when a vintage 
     Lendal Archipelago is normally called into service.  But the Pintail 
     <likes> me to use the "q-tip" paddle, and, given the boat's West 
     Greenland design, it seems appropriate.  (My elbows and shoulders 
     appreciate indigenous paddles at the end of a long day, too.)  There's 
     little problem stuffing my 190 pounds into the 16" by 20" cockpit 
     coaming, even though VCP quals the boat at 145 pounds as "ideal" --- 
     but, having said that, my beef plus a couple of extra peanut butter 
     and jelly sanwiches in the bow and some bigger water turns the Pintail 
     into something of a squirt boat on occasion.  It's always a wet ride, 
     but it's a wonderful boat.
     
     My primary areas for paddling include the estuarine St. Mary's River 
     --- 130 yards from my office door --- and the other wonderful 
     tributaries of the tidal Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay, along 
     with the coastal Atlantic shores of Maryland and Delaware.  Virginia 
     Beach is another occasional treat, as is --- far less frequently --- 
     Monterey Bay and the Baja California beaches, where I took an early 
     and terrifying "beginners' clinic" with Ed Gillet.  Some limited 
     whitewater experience in raft, canoe and kayak on the Nantahala, the 
     Ocoee, and the beautiful Chatooga.  And a "trip of a lifetime" two 
     summers ago --- a 170 mile, two week run down the Tatsenshini and 
     Alsek Rivers in the Yukon, British Columbia, and Alaska.
     
     In addition to touring the incredible complex of tidal rivers and 
     creeks in the area, along with Bay transits and the not frequent rush 
     of Atlantic surfing, we do a lot of swim support activities in this 
     part of the Chesapeake, and a fair number of creek clean-up trips --- 
     some of my favorite kayak pastimes.  It's a nice place to paddle, and 
     offers year 'round paddling for the hardy.  That said, we have 
     jonquils coming into bloom in sheltered spots this week, and the 
     winter has been generally very mild.
     
     On a professional basis, I have a background in naval aviation 
     operations and safety, communications and navigation systems, and 
     spent a year in Viet Nam as a combat search and rescue pilot; as an 
     Aviation Safety Officer and accident investigator, I have a serious 
     appreciation for safety and for survival equipment, and am privileged 
     to work closely with the developers of the Navy's aircrew survival 
     gear and equipment.  Safety issues have always been important to me, 
     and my understanding is that they're important issues to this group, 
     as well.
     
     Looking forward to more of your message traffic!  Great so far.  
     Again, Jackie, thanks for putting this group together.  Really like 
     what you're trying to do.
     
     Jack "Joq" Martin
     
     
     
     
     
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