Re: [Paddlewise] FW: ACA meetings: Greenlan

Mattson, Timothy G wrote:

> Now wait a minute guys -- you're  putting words in my mouth and turning me
> into some sort of stuck up monster.  I appologize for bringing this up on
> the list, but given that many people out there  only know me from these
> postings, I must jump to my defence.
> 
> What I said was:
> 
>      "Only serious sea kayakers learn to roll  -- and these
>       people tend to become or already are advanced paddlers.
>       This makes sea kayak rolling by construction an advanced
>       technique".
> 
> I then went on to explain that in my opinion this was unfortunate and that
> rolling didin't need to be viewed as an advanced technique.
> 
> How can you possilby read that as implying that the only way to be a serious
> sea kayaker is if you learn how to roll?  Read the statement!!! It doesn't
> say "ALL serious kayakers roll".   I would NEVER suggest such a thing.  I
> know many people who are VERY serious about their sea kayaking who don't
> know  how  to roll.
> 
> Remember --  with email you don't get nuance of speach or body language.
> There is also a temporal disconnection between a statement and it replys.
> This means you must take pains to avoid reading more into a statement than
> is actually there.

You are absolutely right.  I was picking up on John's take and adding a
statement from someone else of about 6 years ago.  Lumping these
together, I came up with mine, which understandably you have reason to
object to.  So please accept my apologies.

However, I see that John's statement, probably more than mine, brought
out some other points of objection by Dan Volker:

Dan Volker wrote:
> 
> There are plenty of scuba divers who have been diving for over 10 years, who
> have never practiced an out of air emergency, and have no experience buddy
> breathing. Yet, they consider themselves good divers, who have never had a
> mishap.
> 
> There will always be plenty of these people, prepared for ideal conditions.
> 
>  Being GOOD at your sport, means being able to handle more than just,
> "IDEAL" conditions.
> 
> Weather is NOT always predictable. If you don't learn to roll well, you
> can't say you are as "good" or as "safe" a paddler as your "evil twin", who
> has a bulletproof roll, but is otherwise identical to you. Either you will
> be restricted to less possible paddling days per year, you will need to stay
> closer to shore, or you will need to paddle a sit on top.
> 
> Where am I wrong on this ?
> 

I dunno.  If you add a folding kayak to that last paragraph on choices,
it sounds okay to me!  :-) 

ralph

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Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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