I'm Mark Hunter, 46, living in La Canada, CA, just north of L.A. I mostly lurk on this list. I paddle a plastic sit-on-top in the Pacific, usually for fishing. I like kayaking and I like fishing, and the combination is just about heaven. I have been out every month of the year, and it's usually great. I do some deliberate surf launches and landings, and sometimes some accidental rock-garden work when I get too preoccupied with the fish, too close to shore. My Malibu Two is slow and exceedingly stable. I will probably get a faster S.O.T. this year (I know, there's no such thing as a fast S.O.T.). There's a beautful island, Catalina, offshore of L.A. The logistics of getting your own kayak over there, instead of renting, have always been tough. So I have decided to charter a large dive boat for a two-day trip in September. It's big enough to carry the thirty yaks that I'm planning for. Meals and bunks on the boat. Should be quite a scene - that many kayak anglers in one place will probably be outrageous. I originally subscribed to PaddleWise in the mode where you get individual e-mails for each submission. That quickly grew out of control, and I was considering unsubscribing, when the saintly Jackie came to my rescue and told me about getting the submissions in "digest" form (thanks, Jackie!). And that worked OK, for a while. Then winter came. And all those folks who were busy paddling in northern latitudes have apparently found a new hobby, as opposed to the two classic ones (drinking and dallying). The damned *digests* are coming seven hours apart now! *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Hi everyone, I'm one of the "old farts" in the sport. I'm 52 and started Kayaking about a year and a half ago. It was all my wife's fault. We had to stop at REI to return something and my wife had to use the ladies room right then. She parked me in one spot and said "Don't Move!". Well needless to say that was right next to the kayak display. She wouldn't let me buy one that day so I borrowed one from a friend of one of our sons and tried it. Then we rented a couple for a weekend and the next day went and bought 2 singles. This year we bought a tandem for those days that we can both decide to paddle in the same direction. I've seriously thought of putting a hinge in the middle so that the front and rear can go in different directions :) We prefer ocean paddling, although we do go out on lakes occasionally. Neither of us is an adrenaline junky so we try to avoid going out when there are small craft warnings or waves over 31/2 feet or so. Neither of us is into confined space or rolling so we opted for SOT boats and they have worked out just great for us. I originally thought that they couldn't be used in the winter, but a wetsuit or dry pants and dry jacket with layers for the really cold days here in Los Angeles let us go all year round. Steve Holtzman *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Hi everyone, I'm 53 and a "Petroleum Landman" by profession. I took my first Kayak lesson in November of 98. Took my first paddle several years earlier, 1991, I believe, in Bar Harbour, Ma. that was a tandom with a rudder. I knew nothing about the sport, "but it looked pretty cool." I have had lots of coastal experience in motor boats and sail. I started going out boating with my Dad when I was about 8 years old. I started SCUBA back in 1966 and have kept that sport up as well: NAUI & PADI Instructor certifications; IANTD Deep Diver, Advanced Nitrox. I've done scientific diving, deep (decompression) diving and mixed gas. I used to do a lot of flying: Commercial Multi-&-Single Engine Land, CFI, CFII; and former Air Taxi Part 135 pilot. I learned a bit about Navigation and weather during my 2000 hours PIC experience. Some mountain experience, mostly gulf coast and and some caribbean flight experience. I did enough mountain biking to loose some sensory nerves in my left (dominant) hand. It's been a couple of years since I've biked, and the feeling hasn't come back. When the feeling left, I quit the sport, trying to protect what sensation I have left. Actually it's "just the little finger" but, I liked that one too. Guess I've done about everything BUT paddle. But, Back to paddling: Back in November of 1998, I was a runner, and while training for a marathon, I injured my knee. Paddeling seemed to be a way to keep up some aerobic fitness, so, I walked into a local paddle shop and the story begins. I walked out of the kayak store with a handful of books and videos. The next weekend, I signed up for my first Kayak lesson...which was in a closed deck Dagger. As the lessons began, I was practicing the strokes the instructor was reviewing, adding the J-lean I had seen demonstrated in the video, when that backsweep "bit me." Plunk! It was sudden, unexpected, and cold. Now, upside down in the cold but calm lake water, I experienced my first wet exit. I came up and the instructor talked me back into the boat. I announced to her that "Gee. I got to practice rescues." She (Cathy of Southwest Paddle Sports) graciously corrected me: "No. You were practicing wet exits...I got to practice the rescues." The water, not being too cold in Texas that time of the year was bearable, and even though I was dressed in Cotton, I managed to dry off enough to finish the lessons and paddle around without getting too chilled. I took a local "ACA Coastal Kayaker Course" from David Trail, of Trail Expeditions, and later that spring, my wife and I visited Seattle to take Gronseth's 5 day course, as well as his surf course. (After about a 30-to-45 minute lesson, George taught me to roll. I'm still working on the roll, but I'm getting pretty consistent with it; in fact, I haven't had to make a wet exit since George taught me the secret; both onside and offside. I've got about 530 rolls so far, split rather evenly between on-side and off-side...a real milestone for me, which I am rather proud of.). This spring, I'm headed back to Gronseth's "Kayak Academy" to take the 3 day Crossover with Kevin W., and the Tidal Rapids Course with George Gronseth. Later this summer, I'm headed out to Alaska with Gronseth for his course on outer-coastal passages, in Sitka. (I plan on having 1000 practice rolls before this trip... if the shoulders hold out!) My wife (Debi) and I both paddle an Eddyline Falcon 18 and we primarily paddle the Texas Gulf Coast. I live in Houston, so Galveston Bay and the beach are about 45 minutes from home. August, incidentally, was hell. Paddling is very nice this time of year. YES! It's COOL...and there are more birds...YES! PS. The knee seems to be "coming back" after surgury this last August and I've started running again. ...only three miles this time, but I'm running! PPS: No Marathons in my future! ...unless I paddle 'em. Robert *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Hi All, I am a 45 year old computer geek in Midland Texas. Last year, after 20 years of bike riding as my main recreational activity, I decided that it might be good to add an activity that would help my upper body to compliment the bike riding, so a bike riding friend and I went out and each bought a Necky Looksha Sport. I immediately fell in love with the sport. The only problem is that paddling in west Texas can be quite a challenge. The closest lake is about an hours drive away. I have to drive 2 - 4 hours to really get to some nice size lakes. I only manage to get on the water every two to three weeks. Most of my paddling is day trips on small lakes, but I hope to do some 2-3 day kayak camping trips this year. Later, Cliff Cyphers *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:32:56 PDT