Re: [Paddlewise] Crossings in Fog

John Winters wrote:


> rescues. Not one session on weather prediction. Not one session on risk
> assessment. Not one session on group decision making. Not one session on
> personal skills evaluation. But if you want to learn to roll, we got lots.
>
> We are continually admonished to learn to roll and use certain rescue
> equipment and yet rarely does one say, "Learn how to stay out of trouble."

Well, I agree, that sounds like the sport has a problem.
I think I just felt, as an end user of the courses -- rather than a teacher --
that I have a very limited ability to take a course due to distance and weekend
work.  Thus, on the rare ocassion I take one, it is probably going to be to
learn a specific skill that is totally foreign to me, like rolling or bracing,
and that I am unlikely to figure out on my own.

Things like avoiding bad weather, knowing my ability level, navigation,
hypothermia, etc are things which I might pick up on my own over time --
especially since they are related to other life experiences and knowledge. If
there are other folks like me, then perhaps the demand for those courses is
relatively low.

But if I went to a big symposium -- I'd sure like to hear about those things
from the experts too.  Nothing beats learning from an experienced person --
whether in or out of a formal course or workshop.  By the way, another good
source of education for us slow learners is sales people in the shops.  I've
been impressed with their knowledge level as well as with their humility when
they didn't know things.  And I felt priviledged to be waited on by boat
designers a couple of times!

Peace,
Brian

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