[Paddlewise] The PaddleWise Mingle

I am sorry to see that some people feel that there is something
exclusionary about the one being planned by the Northeast clan of the
PaddleWise family.  Joan Volin is right in her two observations:

1.  The original thought was some grand national or international bash. 
But lots of logistics mitigate against that and what seems to have
emerged, with the Northeast taking the lead, are regional ones.

2.  Everyone, absolutely everyone, is invited.  The reason for holding
it over Memorial Day weekend was that the water and air temperatures
would be pleasant in these parts and that people from other parts could
travel here if they wish for a long weekend or work it into other
vacation or business plans, although we certainly have a large enough
contingent of paddlers from the list that reside in this area who want
to meet.  The 3-days of paddling offer some of the best of urban or near
urban paddling with a mix of some natural beauty thrown in as well.

It is important to stress that there is nothing official about these
paddle plans.  I deliberately am calling it a Mingle to give the flavor
of what is going on, i.e. paddlers who happen to be on PaddleWise and
want to see the face behind the email address (people's messages pretty
much reveal the person) can socialize and paddle together as they wish. 
The trips are just suggested ones with no real leader; Joan and I are
facilitators dealing with the logistics of currents, put-ins, storage,
sleeping arrangements, eating plans, etc.

This is not a PaddleWise Symposium or anything else officially
PaddleWise.  PaddleWise is just an electronic list.  It has no body or
headquarters or anything.  Jackie has arranged the listserver but it
should not occur any liability because people on it happened to  want to
get together and mingle and certain other members are facilitating this
with some detailing of logistics and suggestions.

The logo is in the same vein.  Wearing it is just a way of
identification with the good sense that PaddleWise represents in terms
of paddling wisely.  I think it is something to have if you are paddling
and run into someone else with it and then can find out who that person
is.  It is also a way of propagating the basic wisdom of PaddleWise.  If
paddlers see it and ask about it, they may visit the website and then
join the list where they may learn and contribute something.  The more
good sense paddlers are on the list and impart their good sense and the
more that people who are striving to be more sensible can read
PaddleWise, the more the entire paddling community will benefit.

I have heard over and over again from people on this list how reading it
helped them identify gear and technique they need to be wiser paddlers. 
It has also pointed to places to paddle and other opportunities as well.
The message is getting out and in that sense, PaddleWise has been
successful far beyond the dreams of those of us who championed it in the
beginning when Jackie came up with the idea and put the effort into
making it a reality.

Like Joan, I hope the clans in other regions do something similar.  It
is a great way to meet fellow PaddleWisers.  I know it is happening
constantly with me.  I am particularly noisy on PaddleWise and also am
getting around to places where I am speaking or manning booths and am
wearing a name tag.  I can't begin to count the number of people who
have come up and said they like what I write on PaddleWise.  I take that
as a compliment but what I do is very much what many others do with big
streams of insights and contributions to PaddleWise or occasional ones. 
But two PaddleWisers can pass each other at a launch site and not know
that the other fellow or gal is someone they have heard comment on
something and appreciated that message.  The PW Mingles and the PW logo
will help in making the connections easier.

I am going out to San Francisco this coming weekend for a Folding Kayak
Weekend being organized by BASK, the Bay Area Sea Kayakers.  It is a
great opportunity for me to meet about a dozen people whose names I have
seen over the years.  In a way PaddleWise helped create the opportunity
for this weekend.  Casey Walker who is on PaddleWise contacted me last
year about paddling to the Statue while visiting with in-laws here.  I
set it up, and met him for a brief moment when he was taking out from
the trip (which he glwoingly wrote up in the BASK newsletter or
listserver). He then came up with the idea of the BASK Folding Kayak
weekend and organized it.  Without PaddleWise that connection probably
would not have been made.   I have made scores of other direct contacts
in the same way.  The PW Mingle will no doubt make more for a group of
us.

Again, this is not exclusionary, it is not official.  It is just a
get-together of paddlers who are like-minded in the sense they just want
to be more savvy about paddling.

ralph diaz

-- 
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Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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