I've enjoyed reading the bios of my fellow Paddleweisenheimers; now it's my turn. I'm 54, so I guess you can count me among the old farts. Over the years, I've worked as an industrial photographer, electronics technician, and contract technical writer. For the last four years I have been writing user guides and online help for a manufacturer of modems and network communications equipment. My first boat was a Butterfly-class 12-foot scow that I bought when I was 24. I used to sail it on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which is how I lost any fear of capsizing that I might have had. Several years later, I had to sell it to pay the rent. By the time I could afford to replace it, I had started backpacking, so I bought a We-no-nah canoe instead, and spent the next ten years exploring nearby lakes, rivers, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. In 1988 I went on my first sea kayaking trip, in Lake Superior's Apostle Islands. I was immediately hooked, and the following spring, before the ice had left the lakes, I bought a yellow Aquaterra Sea Lion. Since then I have owned in succession a red Wilderness Systems Sealution and my current kayak, a white Romany Explorer. About five or six years ago, after seeing a demonstration by George Gronseth at the Inland Sea Symposium, I made my first Greenland paddle. The first trip I used it on was in the Broken Group on the west coast of Vancouver Island, where I broached on a wave and would have capsized if it had not been for a low brace that came out of nowhere. It was this experience that convinced me of the importance of skills for safe kayaking and led me to initiating a series of Wednesday evening paddle and practice sessions on Lake Calhoun and developing not one, but several, braces and rolls on both sides. I haven't used my Wind Swift paddle since I made my first Greenland paddle. I am currently teaching a Greenland paddle-making class in Saint Paul for Paddle Masters and the Boat-House. I also wrote an article on how to make a Greenland paddle for the Minnesota Canoe Association's HUT! magazine, which is currently on the Paddlewise Web site. I have almost finished a revised version that I expect to post in the next few weeks. (Among other things, it will be better-formatted and -illustrated.) Like many northern sea kayakers, I enjoy winter sports. Over the last 20 years, I've led well over 50 cross-country ski, winter camping, canoe, and sea kayak trips, mostly for the North Star Ski Touring Club. I have also served four years on the boards of the NSSTC and the Single Sierrans as newsletter editor. I am married to fellow sea kayaker Linda Campbell, who is currently secretary of the Minnesota Canoe Association. Linda is 51, and a native of England. When we met, she was paddling a solo canoe. Six weeks after she went on a beginners sea kayak trip that I led, we decided to get married. (My first successful roll with a Greenland paddle and our first kiss were on the same evening at Lake Calhoun -- ten days before my fiftieth birthday.) She now has her own white Romany, has a roll on one side, and is working on her offside roll. Our honeymoon was a 60-mile, week-long trip in the Boundary Waters, where we were visited by a moose one night and heard wolves the next. We paddle mostly on city lakes, local rivers, and Lake Superior, but we hope to also kayak on the ocean some day. Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I usually like to lurk but I guess I'll try a turn. This has been such a great thread, I can't resist. I'm just getting started at 45. I grew up in Alaska and Montana and have been on my share of snow mobiles and dog sleds. Before I had children, I did a lot of cross country biking and quite a bit of back country hiking/backpacking. In winter I did a little bit of giant slalom and super g and was on the ski patrol a couple of years. Ever since I can remember, I've been into airplanes and boats and have done some stupid things in both but am lucky enough to be able to sit around the fire and tell you about it. I have since settled down into more conservative life-preserving practices. Since I still work in aviation, I try to take to the water or back country whenever I can. When I can't get in the water, I still like to ride my bike, hike, or just camp out and look at birds. I'd been canoeing and rafting for years but didn't get into sea kayaking until I moved to Oklahoma. Yes, Oklahoma!! I was tired of trying to fight the wind in a canoe and decided to try a sea kayak. The only problem was at the time there were no sea kayaks in Oklahoma. So I bought my first yak from NOC, a yellow Sea Lion, the Ceylon. The first time out, I knew it was right; it was like coming home. Know what I mean? Well I've had the boat on Lake Powell (several times) and on the Missouri (Gates of the Mountains in Montana) and on just about every good size splash of water around here and even ventured on a couple of rivers where sea yaks are *not* traditional. Usually it's just me and my cocker spaniel, Happy. She rides on the rear deck where I have rigged a foam pad for her. I've had to lean the boat severely a couple of times to get through a burble here or there and amazingly she'll stick with it. Sometimes she'll take a swim but usually she prefers to pose for the tourists. My favorite thing is to paddle and live out of the boat for a few days at a time. I wish I could do more of this. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
One of the three New Zealanders (only 3?) on the list. First went to sea at the age of 4 and worked my way down from 100+ foot vessels until at the age of 12 or 13 took command of my own, a 7'6" pramm dinghy - rowing. Read how to it was possible to sail to windward so rigged it and taught myself to sail. First paddled a kayak (once) about that time. Worked upwards to a Flying Dutchman which I cruised and raced (very little). Crewed (raced) keelers up to 35'. Decided kayaking would be a good way of getting on the water quickly and into interesting places, was shown some plans that someone at work had used, modified them to a sea kayak (Coastal) and built one for my daughter's 10th birthday in 1983. Went off and cycle toured California and decided when I got back I'd better build one for myself. First multi- day trip was with a club group that first summer and then went off solo for a week. Lack of other paddlers at that time resulted in mostly solo paddling in the summers, rest of the year was cycle touring. Two years later I mounted an expedition to D'Urville Island, one of the original reasons for taking up sea kayaking. The original kayaks were followed by the "big" boat (Seaward), designed a few years before but built in the winter of 1991, 4 being built together and ultimately going into glass production (got one free in lieu of royalties). The double (Encore) was designed and used on the circumnavigation of Fiji (Vanua Levu) in 1994 and for numerous trips with beginners and visitors to this country. >From all the touring paddling I wrote the "Sea Kayakers Guide to Tasman Bay and the Malborough Sounds". My partner's kayak (Mac50) was designed and started after the Mist but finished first (by a long way). The latest, the Mist class, 16 kg, very quick, and that's before it even gets in the water.... All the kayaks are wood except the glass Seaward. Six of them hanging in the rafters in the garage. The fun of sea kayaking is all the gadgets one can dream up and build when not paddling and the sailing background, as someone else pointed out, probably has something to do with not wanting to be under a kayak. Work (what's that?), electronics - build, design, service. Alex (where it is still summer) -- ---------------------------------------------------- Alex Ferguson a.ferguson_at_chem.canterbury.ac.nz Electronics Workshop, Chem Dept, Univ of Canterbury Christchurch, New Zealand *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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