Re: [Paddlewise] Safety and Novices

In a message dated 1/14/00 10:17:24 AM, LedJube_at_aol.com writes:

<<  Doug, I've enjoyed you postings very much and hope they continue ad 
nauseum.  If you feel the need to warn some of us, go for it, it's your 
right.  I hope you'll continue to amuse and amaze us.  I plan to be an expert 
coastal kayaker someday, but until then, I'll study the teachings of 
PaddleWise as I refine my judgment and perfect my skills. >>

Me too. 
    You lead me to trust you and to WANT to list to you. I can't say that 
about some others, who seem to have an attitude that challenges others to 
follow them. I hope that with the leadership. advise and guidance of you and 
others of your experience and wisdom, to become an experienced paddler. I'm 
not even close yet.
    I spent about 15 years working on understanding what wisdom is. I can 
define it for myself now but it is hard to communicate the dynamic nature of 
my vision. For me wisdom is the intersection of experience and understanding. 
What you wrote is paddling wisdom. It is where the body knows how to react 
before the intellect understands the situation. Yet the mind knows it safe 
limits and what challenges to accept. That is a 3-D knowledge of paddling.
    I have this desire to have that level of paddling knowledge. I keep doing 
"it" (everything), over and over so my body knows more than my mind. I work 
to "do" it rather than understand the process. Understanding comes with the 
doing of it. I have that with my horses. I don't need to "know" what to do 
because I must do it even before my intellect can engage. 
    I have gained so much over the past 9 months of paddling. I did my first 
"unintended" wet exit into the Potomac a couple of weeks ago and was so 
pleased that I wasn't scared and that when asked if I still had my paddle 
that I hadn't even thought about the paddle but it was right there in my 
hand. I had practiced enough to not even have to think about keeping it in my 
hand. I made her and she stays with me!
    I have done as advised and stayed in fairly safe conditions so the 600+ mi
les I've paddled is as much the repetition as anything else. I have gone out 
in some winds but  honestly, I didn't do anything that pushed my skills very 
far yet. I've been into endurance and rhythm, though I'd like to go a lot 
farther.
    I have been so impressed with this group and CPA. I have learned so much 
from what you and other people here have offered. Even the "what is not the 
best idea to get  into" stories have been very helpful in making choices. 
Keep it up and don't let the nay sayers get you down.
Joan Spinner
   * * *
Paddling the Chesapeake Bay watershed
In a red, CD Breeze or
a yellow/white Dagger Meridian SK

     
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