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From: Marinell Davis <marinell3_at_home.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] New Member
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 18:00:29 -0500
Hello from a recreational paddler in the Sarasota, Florida area who just
signed up on PaddleWise. 


I know a few of you including the infamous, SandyKayak.





Are any of you from the SW Gulf coast of FL?





Marinell












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From: John Fereira <jaf30_at_cornell.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] New Member
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 08:23:13 -0500
At 06:00 PM 11/20/01 -0500, Marinell Davis wrote:
>Hello from a recreational paddler in the Sarasota, Florida area who just
>signed up on PaddleWise.
>
>
>I know a few of you including the infamous, SandyKayak.

Welcome to the group Marinell.  I was one of the homeless paddlers from 
last February.  As it turns out, I'm going to be doing some paddling in 
Florida (near Pensacola) again in a couple of weeks.

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From: Marinell <marinell3_at_home.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] New Member
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 09:51:14 -0500
Please give us a trip report on your Pensacola Paddling.

Once a year, I go on a 1-2 week paddle trip with 2 friends.  The first year
we camped on the Dry Tortugas.  The second year, it was 6 days
floating/camping down the Suwannee from Fargo, GA.   This year we explored
the Springs of the Ocala National Forest (Work-in-progress website:
http://marinell.server101.com/ocala-nf/ ).   All in Florida.

We're looking at the Florida Panhandle and/or Big Bend area for next year.
I'm going to scout it out over the next few months.  A cabin/campground  in
the area of all the rivers may be home base.  Would love to hear your
suggestions on best rivers, etc.

I live in Sarasota, now, and have been exploring waters up and down the west
coast and interior of Florida.  I think I can give THE TOUR.  But, remember,
I'm a recreational paddler with slow boats (Old Town Loon, Perception Prism,
Pamlico).

Marinell

>
> Welcome to the group Marinell.  I was one of the homeless paddlers from
> last February.  As it turns out, I'm going to be doing some paddling in
> Florida (near Pensacola) again in a couple of weeks.
>
>


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From: Dave Gorjup <dgorjup_at_home.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] Newbie
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 16:43:07 -0500
Hi Y'all,
I'm a newbie. Been lurking for a couple months. I'm male, 53, divorced and 
live in Poquoson, Virginia at White House Cove just off the lower 
Chesapeake Bay. I moved back to this area (my hometown is nearby) back in 
July and bought a Dagger Cypress in August. I've been away from the water 
for almost 20 years but was involved in most every thing else water related 
before that; white watering, powerboating, lived on my Columbia 28 
sailboat, scuba and much, much more.

I primarily paddle the creeks and marshes around here for exercise and 
picture taking. We have the Plum Tree Wildlife Refuge here and literally 
hundreds of miles of marsh and creek shoreline to explore. It's a really 
great place, especially since I have a public boat ramp about 200 yards 
from home. The narrow and twisty creeks are the reason I bought the 13 foot 
Dagger.

I've worked in the computer industry for the last 20 or so years and my 
last job (in Atlanta) was IT manager for a manufacturing company. Currently 
I'm mostly relaxing and doing some freelance web development work. I may 
actually go back to work someday but I'm working hard to avoid it. :--)

Keep messaging, P'wisers. I'm learning a lot.
Dave Gorjup
Poquoson, Va.


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From: <Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Newbie
Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2001 09:01:31 -0500
> and 
> live in Poquoson, Virginia 
 bought a Dagger Cypress in August. 
> 
> I primarily paddle the creeks and marshes around here for 
> exercise and 
> picture taking. We have the Plum Tree Wildlife Refuge here 
> and literally 
> hundreds of miles of marsh and creek shoreline to explore. 
> It's a really 
> great place, 

Okay!  That's two of us from Poquoson now!  I met Dave at the put-in
near his home just after he bought his Dagger.  We've been trying to
hook-up and paddle, but due to my work, it hasn't happened yet  :-(  

Anyhow, welcome to P'Wise, Dave.  A great deal of what I've learned in
the past two years is a result of P'Wise threads.  It has been and will
continue to be a very valuable and fun forum for me, and I hope you will
experience the same.

By the way, Dave mentioned the many miles of creeks and marsh.....
"Poquoson" is an indian word meaning "Great Marsh".  We used to be an
island (just barely) until some of the creeks filled with sediment.
Consequently, Poquoson is a small (15,000 residents), isolated bastion
of "small town, USA"  surrounded by a region called "Hampton Roads" that
is home to about 1.2 million people.  Lots of neat places to explore if
you like protected water - just not at low tide (it's hard to do the
"gorilla walk" when the muck is elbow deep)! And once you've had enough
of Poquoson, there's still the whole Cheseapeake Bay and it's
tributaries! 

Rick - Poquoson, VA  

(air temps expected to reach a record high of 78 today, with water temps
in the mid 50's .... wishin I was retired too!!!!)  
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From: Marinell <marinell3_at_home.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] Bird watching by kayak
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 10:30:33 -0500
Audubon EagleWatch: The Florida Audubon Society runs statewide network of
volunteers to monitor bald eagles nests. Information gathered by the
volunteers is compiled and used in the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission.

Many of the eagles nest near the water in areas which are
impossible/difficult to reach by car, on foot, or most boats.  But we
kayakers can go where no one else can!  Soooo....I volunteered to spy on
eagle nests once every two weeks via kayak.  Last Sunday, we spotted 3 nests
and 8 bald eagles in the Sarasota area.  Hope my adoped eagles stay well and
healthy and provide me with some quiet time on the water.



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From: <Niilus_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Bird watching by kayak
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 16:04:02 EST
It was birding and bird photography (in part) that got me interested in 
kayaks.  I needed a platform to get closer to water birds.

Tony Niilus


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From: <JSpinner_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Bird watching by kayak
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 19:44:56 EST
In a message dated 11/21/01 4:06:41 PM, Niilus_at_aol.com writes:

<< It was birding and bird photography (in part) that got me interested in 
kayaks.  I needed a platform to get closer to water birds. >>

That was how we started but the one thing hard about kayaking is that it is 
hard to see much from the level we sit at if it is very far away. I have to 
be almost right on the ducks to KNOW what they are by field marks. I can 
guess from what should be there, how big they are, and so on but on wider 
water it is often just frustrating to get almost close enough. They know even 
if I just glide towards them. I can paddle VERY quietly and slowly but still 
<G>.
    On creeks and such it is MUCH better. I saw my first scarlet tanager from 
the water so I've been scouting every since. There really are a huge number 
of things you won't see any other way. We happened into a young family of 
beaver, mom and 3 kids, on a creek. The kids apparently did have the dive and 
swim down so we got quite a look while Mom tried to look menacing and drive 
us off. We allowed it and moved back far enough for her to go back to the 
kids and lead them away. It was very kool.
    Probably my best kayaking experience could have been from land but it 
wasn't. On my first club trip and saw a mating flight of a pair of bald 
eagles! Now, that is kool! I wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for my 
boat.

Joan
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From: Rob McLennan <rob_at_runout.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] New Member
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 10:34:16 -0500
If you've got a source for Prijon boats I would highly recommend trying the
Catalina. It's a bit smaller than the Seayak (a shade over 15', about 23"
wide) and a whole lot lighter (44 lbs. vs. 58 lbs.). Other advantages over
the Seayak: (1) it will most likely fit you better (it fits me great; I'm
5'9", 145lbs.), and (2) it handles much better. The Seayak, in my
experience, has a strong weathercocking tendency; the Catalina does not. The
smaller size and hard-chine hull make the Catalina very maneuverable while
still tracking well . . . I don't have a rudder on my Catalina and have
never felt I needed one.

The only downsides to the Catalina vs. the Seayak are the size (if you're
looking to pack in enough gear for multi-week trips) and the initial
stability (a bit lower in the Catalina -- the secondary stability is very
good in both boats).

Rob

>
> Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 13:44:00 -0400
> From: "Roger Lumb" <lumb_at_email.wcu.edu>
> Subject: [Paddlewise] New Member
>
> Hi-
> I just joined this group and after reading some of the discussions I'm not
sure this is the right forum for my questions, but here goes anyway:
> I have done quite a bit of time in a canoe and have been in recreational
kayaks but I want to get into sea kayaking along the Atlantic
coast...southeastern barrier islands and eventually Maine.  I am 5' 7" 135
lb and have looked at alot of sea kayaks.  Each dealer seems to think that
whatever they have on the shelf is perfect for me but I'm not so sure!  I
have seen a Seayak by Prijon and like its lines alot and am wondering if
this would be a good way to go.  Any advice would be appreciated.
> Roger Lumb
>
>
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