[Paddlewise] Group Dynamics (was:Gender Defender (was KP))

--- Doug Lloyd <dlloyd_at_telus.net> wrote:

> Melissa said:
> 
> >>Add my apologies to Kasia to this list.  And Jackie, I agree with
> you
> - -more women [being naturally the superior paddling gender], should
> speak often and freely here (eek! <Melissa dons her stylishly cut,
> nicely colored flame-proof wetsuit> ;-)>>
> 
> Melissa touches on a subject that I've been doing a lot of thinking
> about lately: The differences (or lack of differences) between male
> and
> female paddlers. I realize Melissa's comment above about female
> superiority is in jest (okay, maybe it isn't :-)), but it does
> provide a
> springboard for me to dive into "the battle of the sexes" issue, as
> it
> pertains to paddling.
> 

Yes Doug, I was typing in jest (no really, I was!).  

I too, enjoyed the La Nina article, and felt the approach to let the
least confident person in each situation have the final word on go/no
go questions to be an eminently sound one - no matter the gender mix of
the group.  I think that other men on this list have already shown
their appreciation for such an arrangement, showing that it's not just
a gender-based approach.  The concept of having no particular *leader*
is however, judging from my experience, more likely to happen amongst
women than men.  *More likely* being important to point out though, as
I'm sure there are many men who would share this philosophy (I know a
few who do).  

Unfortunately, I've also seen and/or been involved with groups in which
this approach wasn't taken, and know how lucky they/we were to have all
come back in one piece.

Of course, even a group with a *designated leader* must follow this
principle, in my opinion.  In situations where a guide is taking out a
group of people with varying levels of experience and skill, the least
comfortable/experienced/skilled is the one all other members of the
group, including the guide, must base their safety decisions upon.

Even the safety of paddling in numbers can be quickly nullified by a
sudden, unexpected change in weather/sea condition, leaving everyone
essentially to fend for themselves (I've experienced this, and it's not
always pretty).  Not taking into consideration the abilities and
concerns of the least comfortable in a group could lead to tragic
consequences.

Sure, pushing the envelope in certain situations is an important way to
build one's skills, experience the joys of paddling, and to enhance
one's spiritual horizons.  However, when the stakes are high, as it can
be when paddling exposed coastlines like the west coast of Vancouver
Island, as in the La Nina Expedition, one must know the limits of when
to stop pushing.  Of course, to set out on such a journey as those
women did, they had better already be rather well experienced enough to
handle the unexpected on occasion - as I'm sure they were. 

Melissa

   



Get Yahoo! Mail – Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************