G'day Paddlewise That was a thought provoking link Doug! Something I've found in sketching is how much more I learn to see. On advocacy. I've long thought that people who have the opportunity to visit a beautiful place have the potential to do a great service by describing it. This isn't to encourage visits and tourism but simply to create the appreciation for these places that just might help them survive or at least be a remembrance when they are lost. Regarding photographs, I think they are ideal as a way of recording activities, friends, techniques and trashings in the surf! Its a tougher proposition to recreate the spiritual or emotional response an environment might create. While memory is fallible it doesn't invade the moment and the greater freedom that comes with writing, painting, sketching or story telling come into their own. I've often wondered what it would be like to hear to hear some of the Paddlewise stories spoken aloud by the writers! Having said all that I was taken by two scenes Mark just posted. The title photo's to Cliff's of Nuaces and Homecoming. Thanks for the link Doug and thanks Mark for those photo's. All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
G'day Paddlewise That was a thought provoking link Doug! Something I've found in sketching is how much more I learn to see. On advocacy. I've long thought that people who have the opportunity to visit a beautiful place have the potential to do a great service by describing it. This isn't to encourage visits and tourism but simply to create the appreciation for these places that just might help them survive or at least be a remembrance when they are lost. Regarding photographs, I think they are ideal as a way of recording activities, friends, techniques and trashings in the surf! Its a tougher proposition to recreate the spiritual or emotional response an environment might create. While memory is fallible it doesn't invade the moment and the greater freedom that comes with writing, painting, sketching or story telling come into their own. I've often wondered what it would be like to hear to hear some of the Paddlewise stories spoken aloud by the writers! Having said all that I was taken by two scenes Mark just posted. The title photo's to Cliff's of Nuaces and Homecoming. Thanks for the link Doug and thanks Mark for those photo's. All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I'm one of those go-go paddlers - lots of miles in a day, keep it moving, cover a lot of distance, always wondering what's around the next corner (headland), looking for the next set of overfalls/race/hydraulic cauldron or navigational challenge. About the only time I "slow down" is when I spend intimate time in a tight rock garden. I rarely take pictures and certainly don't have the energy to sketch after landing, let alone any natural intrinsic abilities in the art department. However, a trip, as do our lives, pass by rather quickly and it can be difficult to commit to memory some of the wonderful images, sights, and sounds experienced during a paddle trip. We all know memory becomes selective over time, but how about purposely and proactively choosing those impressionable times? What I tend to do is once or twice a day on a long trip or even a short outing, is to just stop paddling suddenly, sit still, and let the images and overall experience permeate into my brain and memory while I observe some of the tiniest details, infinite natural patters, or even close my eyes and just listen and smell (while static bracing). I've done this on trips with other paddlers too; often, they will turn back, shouting, "What's wrong Doug, finally getting tired, eh?!" or "Can't keep up anymore!?" No, I'm burning the moment into my harddrive... I can still taste, smell, and hear the images from one of those "stop, look, listen and feel" moments from a few years ago about a mile off the Maquina Cliffs of Nootka Island: The cragy cliff face, the rumble of surf at the base, the diminishing dark-green of each receading tree-lined mountain range, the undulating swell, splashing whitecaps, seabirds soaring, the salty tang of sea air, the glistening sun-diamonds sparkling off the water, the roiling foam, and rogue Orca plying in the afternoon seas far from the prying eyes of tourist rift-raft. Okay, so basic west coast paddling in the afternoon on the open sea. But I don't need pictures or even my log book to relive these wonderful experiences, even if only certain moments. Doug Alderson describes his impression of one of those moments along the cliffs later in the text of the following article. But words never do justice either. Well, Dave Kruger may be one exception - that oddly irreverent, ocean inamarato who paints a fine sketch with words alone that seem to come from some place deep within his consolidated kayaker's mojo. http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/1998/am98nootka.php Having said all this, pictures, movies, sketches, and written words can never convey the ionized energy we paddlers soak in during those special moments in time along the coast in our respective places we hold dear to our hearts. Doug Lloyd > G'day Paddlewise > That was a thought provoking link Doug! > > Something I've found in sketching is how much more I learn to see. > On advocacy. I've long thought that people who have the opportunity to > visit a beautiful place have the potential to do a great service by > describing it. This isn't to encourage visits and tourism but simply to > create the appreciation for these places that just might help them survive > or at least be a remembrance when they are lost. > > Regarding photographs, I think they are ideal as a way of recording > activities, friends, techniques and trashings in the surf! Its a tougher > proposition to recreate the spiritual or emotional response an environment > might create. While memory is fallible it doesn't invade the moment and > the greater freedom that comes with writing, painting, sketching or story > telling come into their own. I've often wondered what it would be like to > hear to hear some of the Paddlewise stories spoken aloud by the writers! > > Having said all that I was taken by two scenes Mark just posted. The title > photo's to Cliff's of Nuaces and Homecoming. > Thanks for the link Doug and thanks Mark for those photo's. > > All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Folks, I've currently got Freya Hoffmeister, the "Lady in Black", in my lounge, writing her blog while she waits out a big swell before continuing on her attempt to circumnavigate New Zealand's South Island. She started well, with settled weather giving her a fast run down the northern east coast to Banks Peninsula. This included a 75 kilometre trip across Pegasus Bay that put her 30 kilometres off the coast. I met her at the start of that leg and she left in a flat grey dawn on a compass bearing into a drizzly day. She rounded the peninsula before being picked up by some of my friends, where she had a rest day. Back in the boat she was confronted by a southerly swell that limited her travels, and yesterday I picked her up at Taumutu, after a disappointing 33 kilometres. The eastern coastline here is exposed (Well, in truth nearly all our coastline is exposed!) and has many kilometres of steep beach, with a dumping surf. The swell should diminish over the next few days, and she hopes to be back on the water at dawn on Sunday. Her blog, Google her name and it comes up, is worth a look. This summer the waters will be busy as two other teams are also attempting the trip. Cheers JKA -- John Kirk-Anderson Banks Peninsula NEW ZEALAND *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Hi John, On Thursday, November 08, 2007, at 11:56:36 AM PST, you wrote: > I've currently got Freya Hoffmeister, the "Lady in Black", in my > lounge, writing her blog while she waits out a big swell before > continuing on her attempt to circumnavigate New Zealand's South > Island. Freya is my hero! :-) Please convey to her my best wishes for the happy continuation of her journey! In addition to admiring her adventures like this one, I've always been a great fan of her art with regards to her G-style and gymnastics inspired kayak handling/playing. Lucky you, to have her "captive" for a day or two! :-) -- Melissa *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Melissa, "Hi and thanks", from Freya. After she had a few days off while waiting for swells to decrease we took Freya out at dawn on Sunday, back to the place she had landed on Thursday. The surf had decreased but was still dumping on the steep shingle beach with the larger sets over two metres, easily enough to smash boats and bodies. We watched the surf for a while and Freya finally decided to launch with our help. After a bit of a battle with the surge we launched her into a low surf which she got through, with one high brace after being knocked half-over. She lost her speed in the set and the next wave was one of the biggest of the morning. I have no idea how she managed to get through it. Her kayak stood on end and the wave collapsed on top of her. Martin and I sprinted away from the area, expecting her smashed kayak to be flung out on top of us. After the carnage cleared she rose from the spray and calmly paddled away, stopping to give us a wave before continuing south. We were left shaking and gob-smacked, while some watching fishermen were still clapping. She made good progress and was met further south by another friend who camped with her before helping her launch again. Last night I had a call from her, sitting in "A meadow in the middle of nowhere", as she put it. Another long day, she is in good spirits and making good progress. She asked how big the surf was when she left, as she had her head down. She said it took her an hour to lose the adrenaline feeling from her legs! Paul Caffyn is going to meet her for a few days, but the forecast is for gales, so her paddling may come to a halt again for a while. Cheers JKA -- John Kirk-Anderson Banks Peninsula NEW ZEALAND on 9/11/07 09:35, Melissa Reese at melissa_at_bonnyweeboaty.net wrote: > Hi John, > > On Thursday, November 08, 2007, at 11:56:36 AM PST, you wrote: > >> I've currently got Freya Hoffmeister, the "Lady in Black", in my >> lounge, writing her blog while she waits out a big swell before >> continuing on her attempt to circumnavigate New Zealand's South >> Island. > > Freya is my hero! :-) Please convey to her my best wishes for the > happy continuation of her journey! > > In addition to admiring her adventures like this one, I've always been > a great fan of her art with regards to her G-style and gymnastics > inspired kayak handling/playing. > > Lucky you, to have her "captive" for a day or two! :-) *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
John, Please give Freya my best wishes for a safe an successful journey. She might also get a kick out of the fact that she was the inspiration for my last GP. When I needed to replace my last broken stick, I saw a picture of the paddle Don Beale made for her and I thought it was beautiful. Since I already was replacing a Beale paddle, it was very simple for me to ask Don to stain mine black as well. It gets a lot of comments from people seeing it for the first time and I always credit Freya's good taste for how nice mine looks. Steve Holtzman Southern California _____________ NOD32 EMON 2646 (20071108) information _____________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system http://www.eset.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/ ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:47 PDT