Almost none of us will have the chance to accomplish one of those record making firsts like "first to cross xxxx ", or "first to circumnavigate yyyy", or "first to paddle zzz miles in 24 hours". The number of available "firsts" is much less than it used to be. But it would not matter for me because even if you erased most of the ones already recorded, I would not be able to accomplish them anyway. However there are firsts that all of us can share. The first time in a kayak, the first trip out in a new kayak, the first roll, the first "I need clean underwear and I am not ever doing that again" moment in your kayak, and the first hand roll. Ok I am probably not going to get to share that last one what those who have done it. Of course there are also the firsts which are also lasts. The first time with a Greenland paddle could be your last time with a Euro. For many the first time with a Greenland Paddle is also the last time with a Greenland paddle. Likewise for many the first time on a surf-ski is also the last time on a surf-ski. Coincidentally the trial of a surf-ski often produces another first. That is the first time one says "There is no way my butt fits into that seat" without having any feelings that you butt is larger than normal. The first time in a nice touring kayak could be your last time in a rec kayak. A not so happy first time you drop your camera overboard is the last time you don't tether a camera to you in some fashion. The first time dolphins swim alongside your kayak within paddle reach is the last time you paddle that place without a prayer that it will happen again. Today I had one of those first time experiences. I made my first cell phone call from the kayak. I am not sure if this was a good first or a bad first. If it had been an emergency call for help I would have no doubt that it was a good thing. But this was just a call to check on an expected paddler who had not shown up at the launch site for one of our club trips. Normally this would have been done from the beach, but I had launched an hour earlier for some extra paddling time and did not want to go through and extra landing/launch cycle just to use the phone. Sitting in the kayak with two Greenland paddles on the deck and a cell phone to my ear was a jarring juxtaposition of the old and the new. Thank goodness I was not paddling a SOF kayak or I might have gone into some form of temporal vertigo. Is my karma tainted? Are the kayaking gods now just waiting for the chance to give that phone a good dunking? Are am I just finally joining the 21st century. Heck, at least I did not use it to call in a pizza order for when we landed. Mark J. Arnold *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On 9/28/07, Mark Arnold <mjamja_at_earthlink.net> wrote: <snip> > Today I had one of those first time experiences. I made my first cell > phone call from the kayak. I am not sure if this was a good first or a bad > first. Mark you are indeed a fortunate man. I take a cell phone with me on every kayak trip and on most of them someone calls me; usually for work. Because of my job as a network engineer and because people use networks 24/7/365 my cell phone can ring any time and if I want to service my customers (and get paid!) I better answer it. I've been called while playing in a tidal race along the eastern shore of Whidbey Island just south of Deception Pass (I had to eddy out); near Skamokawa I had to abort my paddling trip to get to a computer to solve a network issue (2 hours drive back to the in-laws computer); on Lake Washington; on Willapa Bay; and literally dozens of times on Moses Lake. Until recently I kept my cell phone in a handy little blue plastic case which broke 2 weeks ago. The phone rides in a zippered pocket of my dry top until I get a replacement. But I don't mind having to stop paddling to answer the cell phone. Because if I didn't have the cell phone I'd have to be near a telephone or in my office like back in the day. That cell phone has enabled me to work (and bill!!!) while holding my kayak in that eddy next to Whidbey Island. And after the call is over (and a note made to charge for 30 minutes minimum time) I eddied out and was back in the fun. God bless whoever invented cell phones!!! Craig Jungers Royal City, WA *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
If you'd like me to make you feel better, just consider two scenarios of cell phone use: 1. Talking on your cell phone all alone from your kayak to see if a fellow paddler is having some trouble. vs. 2. Gabbing on the stupid thing to your friends while in an elevator! If there was ANY cell phone karma in the world, there would be piles of cell phones at the bottom of every elevator shaft. I think your safe. One thing I do is I carry an old deactivated cell phone when I kayak. That way if it falls in the drink, it's no big loss. Deactivated phones can still call 911 if what I hear is right, so provides some form of communication in an emergency. Mark Sanders www.sandmarks.net -----Original Message----- Subject: [Paddlewise] A First Time Experience Is my karma tainted? Are the kayaking gods now just waiting for the chance to give that phone a good dunking? Are am I just finally joining the 21st century. Heck, at least I did not use it to call in a pizza order for when we landed. Mark J. Arnold *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
>Is my karma tainted? Are the kayaking gods now just waiting for the chance to give that phone a good >dunking? Are am I just finally joining the 21st century. Heck, at least I did not use it to call in a pizza >order for when we landed. Placing an order for a pizza is the greatest use for a cell phone and pretty much the only thing I do with mine! Mark Goff PS - You can spend too much money and get a handy little plastic dry bag that will make your phone float and protect it from the water - if you think you can ever bring yourself to phone from your boat again! ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com *************************************************************************** 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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