Re: [Paddlewise] are beginners allowed?

to scott and the list,

first of all, this is my last public post on this.   i don't want to start 
a tempest in a teapot or take up too much bandwidth.

scott wrote,

 >When Duane posted the invite to this trip he said,"this is a social paddle
for sea kayakers with intermediate skills." I ask you, Kathleen, just what
does that mean to you? >

i need to clarify.  my use of  the word "newbies" was  inaccurate.  i was 
distressed by your apparent frustration over paddlers less skilled than 
yourself; i got that it was advertised as an "intermediate" paddle, and 
used "newbies" to mean "less skilled" .  i should have been more clear and 
used  the latter nomenclature.

i am sure it was good that you were there.  i haven't heard a description 
before now of paddles with such a big group of people.  however, i went on 
a guided paddle  with 17 people, all beginners, and saw the potential for 
chaos.   there were 3 instructors, though, and one advanced/experienced 
paddler who assisted.  i am sure all were grateful for your assistance in 
launching, and though perhaps they didn't know it, would have benefited 
from your assistance in real trouble.

what i was really getting at in my post was, who of us is so great that we 
can  have no empathy for someone who also loves the sport (or field, or 
art) that we love? no one, i believe.   didn't you start somewhere, didn't 
we all?  i am a concert violinist....and i empathize with the beginners 
who, quite frankly, sound like crap.  on my bad days, i sound like crap to 
myself, though no one would percieve that but me or another concert 
violinist!!  but i know what they are going thru when they do things wrong 
or mess up.

and i guess i was just thinking of how much guts it takes me to go out 
there, not caring what others think, and what long months and even years of 
learning and experience i have ahead of me before i will even reach 
"intermediate".  and also i was thinking of how hurt my feelings would be 
if i knew others were making fun of me.

i have teenagers too and i take your point about not babying people. it's a 
skill to find the balance between spoon-feeding them and leaving them so 
alone they get discouraged.

anyway, as wes said the other day, peace, man,


kcd





kathleen comalli dillon~friend, mom, wife, musician, violinist, writer, 
ailurophile extraordinaire
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We can do no great things; we can only do small things with great 
love."-Mother Teresa~~"I find a lot of people like chubby 67-year-old 
girls."-Beverly Sills~~"I care not for a man's religion whose dog and cat 
are not the better for it."-Abraham Lincoln~~"Prepare to be 
assimila-----OOOOOoooooo, jelly donuts!"-Homer of Borg~~"I am Boris of 
Borg. Moose and Squirrel are irrelevant."~~


***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************