[Paddlewise] Comments on Who We Are

I am really enjoying reading this series and hope to hear more. 
Something similar was done in the nyckayaker list two years or so ago. 
But it was organized like a questionnaire with items such as age, sex (I
wrote "plenty"), occupation, favorite places to paddle, etc.  I don't
have the list handy but anyway this free flow stuff is quite revealing.

But not totally so.  I know of one person who forgot to mention that she
paddles with a parrot on her shoulder.  Readers to my newsletter tend to
reveal a lot about themselves...that's how I know.  Another newsletter
reader on this list has named a dog after me but isn't saying anything
about that.

As for age, 64 is pretty young.  I know of two paddlers around here who
are on either side of 80.  One here in the Big Apple is either 79 or
just hitting 80 and the one down in the Chesapeake area is already 80. 
Sea kayaking and other touring paddling such as in canoes tends to
attract a more mature crowd, at least in age.  I don't think we are very
mature from what I see here on PaddleWise...we kinda are forever young
as our octagerians in NYC and C'Bay attest.

As for male/female statistics, I believe that something like 40 per cent
of sea kayakers are women; certainly they make up that and more of
newcomers.  Since the sport emphasis brains rather than brawn, it is a
natural for women.  Their lower center of gravity make them surer
paddlers and when learning to roll, they tend to use finesse rather than
muscle and so pick it up easier.

ralph diaz


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************