Okay, I'm going to expose myself for all to see (figuratively, so no need for barf bags). I've got two paddling quirks that I'll admit to, and I'm interested in hearing what some of your quirkiness might be. Here goes... I get a bit panicky when paddling under bridges - the smaller the bridge, the larger the discomfort. I don't know why, but I get creeped out hearing the cars passing above me, and I don't like getting close to the pillars or abutments, or whatever the concrete structures are called that are in the water holding the bridge up. The faster I can get through it, the better. Being "on" bridges is not a problem in the slightest, nor is being under them on dry land. But if I'm under one and in a boat, bad things go through my mind. Same sort of thing with tunnels. I can go through a tunnel in a car, on a bike or on foot and never think twice, but if I have to pass through a tunnel by boat, I'd just as soon turn around and go home. One water tunnel that comes to mind is the Paw Paw tunnel on the Potomac River way up in West Virginia. There is a man-made canal that runs parallel to the river, and goes for about 150ish miles. It's the C&O Canal Tow Path once used for commercial ventures in the 1800's (now part of the National Park system). The tunnel is a short-cut that goes through a mountain. Anyway, I'll go the long way around, thank you very much. Second, I don't like getting anywhere near big ships if I'm in a kayak or a motor boat. We've seen some pictures from P'Wisers of paddlers under the bow of battleships and so forth. Count me out! It gives me the chills to be on the water in a little craft that close to a big one. I can be "on" the big one, or I can be near it if I'm well above the water line. But, I can't be around the waterline of a big boat if I'm in a little boat. And bear in mind that I'm not talking about moving ships here - I'm talking about vessels at anchor. There you have it - I'm a freak! Now, what about the rest of you? Got any peculiarities that you'd care to share? Bear in mind that if nobody else shares, then I'm going to feel like a real idiot, so have a heart and help me out here! :-) Rick - from Poquoson (Algonquin Indian word meaning "Rick's a chicken") *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Oh yes, I do have one of those, in a way simular to Rick's. One big difference: I will NOT talk about it publicly. Shame keeps me from sharing it, knowing my quirk is totally illogical and unreasonal. Having a quirk does not make you chicken in my opinion. Being this honest about it makes you quite the contrary. It makes me a bit jealous, in fact. Do a little search of the internet on fear, anxiety and phobia and you'll find more then you ever could dream up. None of these fears are logical, a lot of them don't even remotely connect to any actual danger, like yours and mine. Therapy seems to have success in some cases, but in your case, I think you found an excellent solution by taking the long way to avoid a tunnel or big ship. Why do something you don't like? We are paddling for FUN, aren't we? Maybe we're not. Last year on Corsica, I paddled a handfull of seacaves. I found them scary, dark, hostile places. I imagined all kinds of monsters lurking in the dark and was always glad to get out of them. So why couldn't I resist to enter the next, and the next, and every bloody cave I could find? I guess I must be crazy. Sometimes, when paddling a safe, quiet lake in moonlight, there will be a tension that does not present itself as fear, but more as a feeling of excitement and mystery. The fear will make the experience more beautiful: It will convert a normal night into a fairytale. It may be a common, childish fear of the dark, but in this case it makes a trip worth my while. Happy fears, try to enjoy them whenever you can, Niels. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
This fear has been described before: "In an entirely different setting, early twentieth century Danish explorers found Greenland Eskimo hunters who suffered "kayak angst". While awaiting seals to hunt on a sunny day out on calm seas the afflicted would, out of the blue, have difficulty breathing, experience racing hearts and fear imminent death. The subjects would race back to land and flee into their igloos, some never emerging again." Reference: http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2001/december/panic.htm -----Original Message----- From: Niels Blaauw [mailto:niels.blaauw_at_wanadoo.nl] Oh yes, I do have one of those, in a way simular to Rick's. One big difference: I will NOT talk about it publicly. Shame keeps me from sharing it, knowing my quirk is totally illogical and unreasonal. Having a quirk does not make you chicken in my opinion. Being this honest about it makes you quite the contrary. It makes me a bit jealous, in fact. Do a little search of the internet on fear, anxiety and phobia and you'll find more then you ever could dream up. None of these fears are logical, a lot of them don't even remotely connect to any actual danger, like yours and mine. Therapy seems to have success in some cases, but in your case, I think you found an excellent solution by taking the long way to avoid a tunnel or big ship. Why do something you don't like? We are paddling for FUN, aren't we? Maybe we're not. Last year on Corsica, I paddled a handfull of seacaves. I found them scary, dark, hostile places. I imagined all kinds of monsters lurking in the dark and was always glad to get out of them. So why couldn't I resist to enter the next, and the next, and every bloody cave I could find? I guess I must be crazy. Sometimes, when paddling a safe, quiet lake in moonlight, there will be a tension that does not present itself as fear, but more as a feeling of excitement and mystery. The fear will make the experience more beautiful: It will convert a normal night into a fairytale. It may be a common, childish fear of the dark, but in this case it makes a trip worth my while. Happy fears, try to enjoy them whenever you can, Niels. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
It's not a paddling quirk, but I understand where you are coming from. I hate parking garages. Any place I have to drive my car underground, or under anotehr layer. I'll walk quite some distance to avoid them, I simply hate to be driving through them. As far as paddling goes, I think sea caves are neat, and enjoy paddling in them, but it always takes me a bit to get up the nerve. On land you can't pay me enough to go in a cave or mine. I simply won't do it. Sea caves are cool. So I guess it's sort of an "inverse" paddling quirk. Geoff *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> This fear has been described before: > "In an entirely different setting, early twentieth century Danish > explorers > found Greenland Eskimo hunters who suffered "kayak angst". While awaiting > seals to hunt on a sunny day out on calm seas the afflicted would, out of > the blue, have difficulty breathing, experience racing hearts and fear > imminent death. The subjects would race back to land and flee into their > igloos, some never emerging again." Wow! Interesting. But, I'm happy to add that in my case, it's not so much a huge fear and related panic attack as much as it just makes me very uncomfortable and I'd rather avoid it. It doesn't stop me from paddling, and it won't stop me if there is no avoiding it. But given alternatives, I'll elect to skip the water tunnels (no different than sea caves, really) and going under bridges. Hence, I call them quirks rather than fears. But, a little off topic, my wife crossed the bridge/tunnel going between Hampton and Norfolk to and from work almost every day for 10 years, then one day coming home, she had to pull over on the shoulder before reaching the bridge thinking that she was having a heart attack. It took her over an hour to feel like she could finish the drive. Turned out to be a panic attack, and for another year she had lots and lots and lots of trouble with that and only that particular tunnel. I had to go get her a few times and went back with a friend to get her car. She ended up quitting work and became a stay-at-home mom with our kids. I tease her that that was her plot all along, but I'm smart enough that I only tease her when the mood is right and she'll take it light heartedly. SEE! I HAVE LEARNED A THING OR TWO AFTER 17 YEARS OF MARRIAGE! AND IT'S THAT AT ONLY 110 LBS, SHE CAN STILL KICK MY 180 LB BUTT WHEN SHE WANTS TOO! :-) Rick *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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