Re: [Paddlewise] "Sharing"??? No, it's *US*!!!

>   We *DO NOT* have some "right" to be here --regardless of what you
> see on the Jeep SUV ads on television. Let's  remember that it's impossible
> to paddle ANYWHERE without making an ecological impact. Waterfowl flee from
> kayaks when we're half a mile away. Sunday Dave and I were standing behind a
> grassy bank, fairly well concealed and perhaps three-quarters of a mile away
> from two eagles and other wildlife. A wide channel of water separated us.
> The animals all became aware of us and fled the area. 

Rights are legal constructs.  People have a right to kayak / travel
on navigable waterways [legal definition].  Thats just the way it
is.

I also wonder what kind of waterfowl you have that flee at a range
of close to 1000 yards.   Waterfowl of all sorts down here on the 
gulf coast routinely ignore boaters and people up till you get within
50 yards or so.  This isn't just kayakers, its jet skies, bass boats,
pontoon boats, etc.  In a kayak I can often get within 10 yards 
before they even bother to react, and even then its a "jee, I guess
I'll swim a few feet" as opposed to "alert! alert! flee!!!"  

I have to wonder what the heck yall did to make those animals
react at that distance.  Maybe pink or orange boats with neon
green paddling jackets???  Try wearing brown and grey.

> NO. . . it's not an oil spill, strip mining, hydro-electric dams, or
> whaling. But kayaking is hardly habitat friendly or ecologically nurturing.
> Getting past this denial is a first step toward recovery. 
> 
> Excuse me if this sounds like a flame. It's meant to sound like a
> nuclear warhead. "Ecotourism" is a god-damned oxymoron. 

Lets put it this way, you can have ecotourism in kayaks, or you
can have ecotourism in cruise ships and helicopters.  Choose your
poison.  Cause you aren't going to be able to eliminate ecotourism.
And you certainly aren't going to be able to ban boats on navigable
waterways, whether kayak or 400 hp inboard/outboard driven go-fasts.




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