Re: [Paddlewise] West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium in Port Townsend

Kathea and Ken wrote:
> 
>     Did any of you attend the West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium in Port Townsend
> last weekend?  I was there, and the attendance was pitiful.

Might I venture to state the reasons why I did not decide to go this
year, as opposed to last.

1)  Cost.  I think $60 per a day is a little much, in addition to a
ferry ride and somewhat long drive.  I don't really understand their
reason for charging people who are there to shop for a boat to buy, or
try out accessories or check out new gear.  Last year, since I was
shopping for a boat, $240+ I considered money well spent.

2)  Mysterious schedule.  There didn't seem to be any reason why they
couldn't put together a tentative schedule a few months before the
convention, listing names, events, and times so I could plan to go see
what I really was interested in.  Not all of us can come for three
days.  Last year, I had a list of the scheduled events and I reached a
decision to go based on it.

For Saturday, this I what I was interested in:
	"A Lightharded Look at Expeditions"
	"Vancouver Island Paddling Destinations"
	"North to Baffin Island"
	"Paddling in Vietnam"
	"Fiords of West Greenland"
However, I had no way of knowing if these were scheduled early or late,
or during the same times.

3)  Poor on-the-water instruction.  I didn't like last year's
on-the-water classes, which were fairly chaotic, crowded, and the
sign-up was poorly thought-out.  People who came in on Friday signed up
and took most of the spots before those of us on Saturday, and then of
course there were lots of no-shows anyway.

4)  I thought I'd be seeing a lot of the same stuff as last year.

5)  I'd rather be paddling, which is what I did.  I had a good time in
the San Juans for four days and enjoyed the last of our mild September
weather.


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