The first course I ever attended for aspiring kayakers (sea kayaking in this case) was given by two volunteer ocean kayak association club members who gave of their time freely and liberally to the students who attended their courses. The first session was held in a classroom near the pool. One of the coaches was a well-known-in-Victoria lawyer (a really nice, flawlessly elegant orator) and a crusty, foul-mouthed former deep-sea fisherman who had witnessed more than his fair share of grief off the coast of BC and Alaska. It was an amusing alliance to witness at times, but the two men effectively communicated the realities of the sea. in no uncertain terms. The only thing profitable going on was the thoroughly informative, often gritty information we were given. While we did continue on through the course eventually graduating from pool sessions to sheltered water and then out to open water paddling, the first two things we learned in that classroom that first day (those many years ago for me now), were the hard facts on drowning and hypothermia. First impressions can stick with you for a lifetime. Doug Lloyd Victoria BC Peter T said: > "And the one piece of equipment that many people really don't spend > enough time learning to use is the kayak paddle! And the body that > operates it." > So do you think any training course for kayakers should start by > emphasising paddling fitness and paddle skills? *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Mar 23 2007 - 21:48:01 PDT
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