[Paddlewise] First trips of the year

Hello all - 

My first paddling of 1999 was last weekend, just a little 3 miler 
up and down my local coast, Casco Bay, in a little bit of chop.  
It was a gray, cold, windy day - but it was invigorating just to be 
out on the water.  Tried out my new Greenland paddle for the 
first time and liked it enormously.  As I have never learned how 
to paddle feathered, not *such* a big adjustment -- indeed, a 
pleasure.....

Second trip of the year was today, another 3 miles up and 
down someone else's coast (Harpswell Neck).  It was a sunny, 
cold, windy afternoon.  Forecast was for winds to be lessening 
in the afternoon, but winds were, in fact, rising from 10 to 20 
knots.  Did we turn around and go home?  No, we did not, even 
though the boats were nearly blown out of our hands when we 
were lifting them off the car.  Sitting still in the boat, or paddling 
lightly, facing the wind, you moved backwards.   So it was 
perhaps more of a workout than I had in mind, but fun 
nonetheless.  It felt good to taste salt spray again.

I find I am enjoying the Greenland paddle more each time I use 
it - it's easy, it's light, I like the feel of it in my hands, I like 
holding the end of the paddle to do a sweep.....it just makes me 
happy to use it, and to look at it......I guess I've found my 
paddle!

Happy paddling,

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