Bruce ... A little background on me; I spent my younger years on the Potomac, where those of us from the Great Slackwater area were called "River Rats." Twenty-two years in the Navy gave me a great respect and love for the sea. Twelve years in law enforcement got me into solo sea kayaking as a stress reliever. One of my favorite things, still, is a dawn solo-for-the-soul paddle. I have always loved nature. In response to your query on the increase in paddling by (who I believe you were inferring to as) non-"in" or recreational paddlers, there is plenty of room if we all respect nature and each other. I work for an outfitter in his store and as a guide. It is a commercial enterprise and, although we haven't found this "fortune" you mentioned, it is a viable business that also serves a positive ecological purpose. We play by the rules: Don't feed the animals, leave no sign, take only memories, etc. We make a concerted effort to educate the people as much as possible, encouraging them to identify animals, plants and pollution. Obviously, not everyone is out there to enjoy nature. But, I believe most are and certainly those who return time and time again to see different areas deserve the opportunity to do so. Some of our clients return to purchase their own boats, mostly recreational with a few serious sea kayakers, and most have learned to appreciate nature. Many are visitors or retired people that are not in a position to own, store or transport their own boats and we provide them an opportunity to participate in some of the real Florida. (Sorry, Ralph, not everyone can afford to bag it!) Is it getting crowded out there? Yes, especially those areas near parks along the waterways (which is where most of the rec. boaters end up.) That only seems inevitable out of shear population increase. Are some of them abusive and annoying? Sure, and it is our responsibility as "water people" to try and lead them in the right direction. Does the increase in kayakers, canoeists and recreational boaters detract from my use of the waterways? No. I abhor "elitism" and applaud "camaraderie." I may have less in common with a passing rec. boater, but I'll wave at him as readily as a sea kayaker. I also apologize for my long-windedness. p.s,: I use an SOT as a guide boat (oh, the shame of it!) Bob R. Creager Kayak Treks Sarasota, FL *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Sep 21 1999 - 20:13:22 PDT
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