I was reading the NY Times this morning and was taken by a phrase that appeared in an interview with the author of a new book, "In The Heart of The Sea." The book is about the crew of the whaling ship Essex, which was sunk by a whale, and served as inspiration for Herman Melville's Moby Dick. The author, Nathanial Philbrick, during the course of the NY Times interview said "There is nothing better than the sea in ridding you of the illusion of mastery." Not to denigrate our efforts toward mastery of the sea with elaborate syllabus of technique and rating systems under the umbrella of certifying organizations on both sides of the Atlantic, but I believe this is something to bear in mind. I was pleasantly struck by someone describing the superb goings-on last weekend here in Peekskill, NY in which Atlantic Kayak Tours brought 10 of the top BCU coaches together with several scores of students. The person said that beginners, advanced paddlers and coaches alik all acted as students. This displayed a healthy attitude and respect. I know sometimes a little knowledge and mastery can lead to arrogance. I have seen this among some fledging paddlers who have learned bracing and a decent roll. They take on the airs of masters of their environment the way an inline skater may feel he or she is in control on pathways and sidewalks. They don't really understand what Mr. Philbrick is saying in paragraph two above. Even those BCU coaches who come as close as one possibly can to being "masters" of the sea understand that the sea is really the master. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Ralph D wrote: >I was reading the NY Times this morning and was taken by a phrase that >appeared in an interview with the author of a new book, "In The Heart of >The Sea." The book is about the crew of the whaling ship Essex, which >was sunk by a whale, and served as inspiration for Herman Melville's >Moby Dick. [snippage] I'm reading this book now. It's an excellent read. Highly recommended. >I know sometimes a little knowledge and mastery can lead to arrogance. >I have seen this among some fledging paddlers who have learned bracing >and a decent roll. They take on the airs of masters of their >environment the way an inline skater may feel he or she is in control on >pathways and sidewalks. They don't really understand what Mr. Philbrick >is saying in paragraph two above. Even those BCU coaches who come as >close as one possibly can to being "masters" of the sea understand that >the sea is really the master. Nice thought. I remember coming across an old Irish fisherman's saying -- it may have been in Chris Duff's book that I read it, or it may have been that I read it while in Ireland, I can't remember. The closest I can remember it (as translated) is something like this: "Those who do not fear the sea are likely to drown. But we do fear the sea, and we only drown sometimes." Same basic idea, I think. The idea of mastering nature, it seems to me, emerged with the mercantile and industrial revolutions and developed with them (ie, it's relatively "new"). It strikes me as an archaic, 19th Century notion (resisted by many even then), and one that has led to many bad things (including the near destruction of much of the planet). Certainly today it is a foolish notion, and one that should die an undignified death as we (hopefully) evolve toward a sense of existing within the natural environment, and being humbled by it . . . and beholden to it. . . . Mark *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
As I just happen to have "On Celtic Tides" on my desk..... The quote referred to is; "A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drowned for he will be going out on a day he shouldn't. But we do be afraid of the sea and we do only be drowned now and again." In his talk about solo paddling Chris indicated, though not is so many words, that he lives by that motto. If he is the least bit uncomfortable about going out that day he stays on the beach. Despite my recent post about my Squam Lake escapade I agree with that idea. (The truth be told, I was never uncomfortable about my situation on Squam Lake.) Mike -- Paddling along through fog so thick that only one's thoughts are visible, your reverie is abruptly shattered by the ancient cry of a great blue heron as she lifts uncertainly from the brilliant blue of a mussel-shell beach witnessed only by the brooding, wet spruce....your passage home seems as much back through time as it does through space. Mark H Hunt *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I went to Chris' slide show presentation about his trip at the 1999 CanoeCopia in Madison, WI. Very interesting and inspirational. I was amazed that he navigated with an ordinary road map of Ireland. He used that very same map in his presentation. I am reading "Undaunted Courage" by Steve Ambrose right now, the true story of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Fantastic! -Bob Matter Hammond, Indiana Michael R Noyes wrote: > > As I just happen to have "On Celtic Tides" on my desk..... > The quote referred to is; > "A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drowned for he will be > going out on a day he shouldn't. But we do be afraid of the sea and we > do only be drowned now and again." > In his talk about solo paddling Chris indicated, though not is so > many words, that he lives by that motto. If he is the least bit > uncomfortable about going out that day he stays on the beach. Despite > my recent post about my Squam Lake escapade I agree with that idea. > (The truth be told, I was never uncomfortable about my situation on > Squam Lake.) > > Mike *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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