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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:39:02 -0800
The water in the lake in front of my house is way too hard for paddlling and
I'm running out of old magazines to read. Even the Internet doesn't have
nearly enough. But I know that there are paddlewisers who live in warmer
climes who are happily spending their time puttering about in small boats.
So why doncha tell us about it? Those of us who live in the land of hard
(very hard!) waters are counting on you all to give us some vicarious relief
from the cold. I promise to do my part come April or May but unless you all
want accounts of criss-country skiing in the Cascades, I suggest some of you
warm-weather habitants get busy!!!

:)
Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
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From: Melissa Reese <melissa_at_bonnyweeboaty.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:45:04 -0800
Hi Craig,

Monday, December 17, 2007, 9:39:02 PM, you wrote:

> I promise to do my part come April or May but unless you all want
> accounts of criss-country skiing in the Cascades, I suggest some of
> you warm-weather habitants get busy!!!

I live over here on the wet side of the state, so my water is always
liquid! :-)

I really wouldn't mind reading a few "skiing in the Cascades" stories,
so go ahead! Or, you could just take your most appropriate boat and do
this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3flztm1fF6s

Back to liquid water paddling...

I paddle several times a week (all seven days if I can get away with
it), but I don't write about it very often, though sometimes I do, and
I'm sure you've seen some of it here over the years. I did have a nice
paddle a couple days after that storm a couple weeks ago that knocked
out our electricity for a week, and while the winds had calmed down
almost completely, the surf and swell was still pretty impressive.
Once I got through the messy surf zone that went on forever, the big
swell was wonderful. While in the troughs, I could only see water all
around me, no sky. While on the crests, I could see all the way into
the Olympic mountains. The water was cold and refreshing, but not
frozen! :-)

-- 
Melissa
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From: Ari Saarto <asaarto_at_elisanet.fi>
subject: [Paddlewise] Foolishness, miscalculations and human mind (was: Wanted - Kayak Stories)
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 11:24:27 +0200
Hi,

I just read during a longish trip 'We Cannot Fail' by Geoff Powter  
(Robinson, London 2007; published also in US around 2006 by the  
Mountaineers books).

The back cover text boasts about 'the dark psychology of heroic  
adventure' and truly, Powter makes quite good profiles of more than  
10 (mostly) tragic adventurers.

Among others, included are well known Merriwether Lewis, John  
Franklin, Robert Falcon Scott and balloonist Solomon Andrie. The  
range of stories varies from North Pole to South Pole, from European  
Alps to Mt. Everest, from some ridiculous attempts to circumnavigate  
the globe by boat to extreme long distance solo flights in the 1930's.

It is a thought provoking read, though you might want to disagree  
with the writer sometimes. About twenty illustrations makes reading  
more entertaining, but I would have wanted to get even longer and  
more detailed descriptions and stories (only 245 pages).

Cheers,

Ari Saarto
- navigare necesse est -
tel. + 358 (0) 40 58 59 676
http://asaarto1.blogspot.com/



On 18. joulu 2007, at 07:39, Craig Jungers wrote:

> The water in the lake in front of my house is way too hard for  
> paddlling and
> I'm running out of old magazines to read. Even the Internet doesn't  
> have
> nearly enough. But I know that there are paddlewisers who live in  
> warmer
> climes who are happily spending their time puttering about in small  
> boats.
> So why doncha tell us about it? Those of us who live in the land of  
> hard
> (very hard!) waters are counting on you all to give us some  
> vicarious relief
> from the cold. I promise to do my part come April or May but unless  
> you all
> want accounts of criss-country skiing in the Cascades, I suggest  
> some of you
> warm-weather habitants get busy!!!
>
> :)
> Craig Jungers
> Moses Lake, WA
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Foolishness, miscalculations and human mind (was: Wanted - Kayak Stories)
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:53:04 -0800
I see the puppy is progressing nicely. :)

It's interesting to me that new paddlers have some things in common with
heroic adventurers.

Whenever the subject of paddling hazards comes up someone inevitably
mentions skills,  someone else mentions equipment and then another person
brings up judgement. While I agree that all of these are pertinent, I think
the problem becomes more of "you don't know what you don't know". And it
seems to me this applies to experts on an heroic adventure as well as to
inexperienced people facing only a slightly new (to them) hazard.

Judgement requires some idea of the hazard as it relates to you and your
skills and equipment. If you've never put yourself into such a position
before then how would you know the risks? Books like Matt Broze's about
deadly situations and the ongoing articles in the magazines and on the
Internet can all certainly be a source of the knowledge required for
"judgement". But there must be a lot of paddlers who don't expose themselves
to these sources; maybe because they never think of themselves as "sea
kayakers". And they aren't until they try to paddle around, say, Orcas
Island.

We've had some highly skilled paddlers comment that they think there is too
much emphasis placed on equipment rather than on skills. This may be so
especially in view of the simple fact that equipment ads make the magazines
go 'round. But I think that an emphasis on any one facet is a disservice.

Skills are critical but there are situations in which skills alone won't
save you. Equipment is important but equipment alone is not the answer.
Judgement is crucial because only with judgement can one size up a situation
and determine that he/she has neither the skills or the equipment to
continue. The problem with judgement is that it requires education in order
to work. Either experience (been in that situation before; don't want to do
it again) or education in the form of a story (read about that situation
before; don't want to do it myself).

In the case of an heroic adventure when no one has tried the feat before how
does the team determine what skills and equipment are necessary? People are
doing things today that would have been regarded as foolhardy a few decades
ago. Extreme skiing comes to mind where skills and euipment have combined to
allow athletes to do things that would have resulted in certain death
previously. So the team, with no prior knowledge, uses the knowledge they
*do* have and extrapolate that. Newbies may have no basis for that
extrapolation. They may be equally ignorant of skills and equipment and
therefore have no way of exercising judgement.

Instead of a triangle (skills, equipment, judgement) I think we have more of
a paralellogram (skills, equipment, education, judgement). I only use a
parallelogram because it has 4 sides but is not necessarily static in shape.

This is why I think paddlewise and other venues are so important as
discussion centers for educational purposes. And, of course, for fun too.

Thanks for the link. I hope the puppy outgrows his/her penchant for 1am
rambles or you are in trouble. <grin>


Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA





On Dec 18, 2007 1:24 AM, Ari Saarto <asaarto_at_elisanet.fi> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I just read during a longish trip 'We Cannot Fail' by Geoff Powter
> (Robinson, London 2007; published also in US around 2006 by the
> Mountaineers books).
>
> The back cover text boasts about 'the dark psychology of heroic
> adventure' and truly, Powter makes quite good profiles of more than
> 10 (mostly) tragic adventurers.
>
> Among others, included are well known Merriwether Lewis, John
> Franklin, Robert Falcon Scott and balloonist Solomon Andrie. The
> range of stories varies from North Pole to South Pole, from European
> Alps to Mt. Everest, from some ridiculous attempts to circumnavigate
> the globe by boat to extreme long distance solo flights in the 1930's.
>
> It is a thought provoking read, though you might want to disagree
> with the writer sometimes. About twenty illustrations makes reading
> more entertaining, but I would have wanted to get even longer and
> more detailed descriptions and stories (only 245 pages).
>
> Cheers,
>
> Ari Saarto
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From: Ari Saarto <asaarto_at_elisanet.fi>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Foolishness, miscalculations and human mind (was: Wanted - Kayak Stories)
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:07:17 +0200
Thanks Graig, for your long post and insight!

- I have been toying with the idea that Powter's categories in his  
book might be useful. Been paddling for 11 years now, and have seen  
quite a lot of people doing quite a funny, strange and sometimes  
dangerous things at sea.

Powter had three chapters (categories) describing 'the driving issues  
and forces behind the characters': the burdened, the bent and the  
lost. Though I think the category titles have quite a lot poetic  
freedom of expression, it is fascinating to read his stories and  
descriptions. How about if your fellow paddler becomes (or is) a  
risk? Or, sometimes, you?

The 'burdened' were 'haunted by the tremendous challenge to succeed,  
either from within or without'. - I have seen that, and witnessed the  
pressure. Sometimes I work hard to avoid this in myself.

'The bent were likely drawn to adventure and acted the way they did  
because of a deeply seated malignancy in their psychological make- 
up'. - Not familiar about this, but egocentric adventurers are not  
quite uncommon, aren't they? At worst this could be described as  
narcissistic or sociopathic character. Powter  spends few lines to  
ponder the thin line between self-absorved activity/constructive risk- 
taking and pure narcissism which can lead others into danger. I find  
the subject fascinating and have some doubts that I have met one or  
two people who do fit this category.

'The lost were people whose adventures ultimately had the same  
rudderless quality that their lives did, drifting sadly, frantically  
or naovely toward their unhappy conclusions'. -Again, quite familiar  
subject, though fortunately no tragic endings... at least as far as I  
know.

Not a misanthropist, but if I am paddling alone, at least I have  
chosen my company ;-)

Ari Saarto
- navigare necesse est -
tel. + 358 (0) 40 58 59 676
http://asaarto1.blogspot.com/


>
> This is why I think paddlewise and other venues are so important as
> discussion centers for educational purposes. And, of course, for  
> fun too.
>
> Thanks for the link. I hope the puppy outgrows his/her penchant for  
> 1am
> rambles or you are in trouble. <grin>
>
>
> Craig Jungers
> Moses Lake, WA
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Foolishness, miscalculations and human mind (was: Wanted - Kayak Stories)
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 08:49:01 -0800
On Dec 19, 2007 1:07 AM, Ari Saarto <asaarto_at_elisanet.fi> wrote:

>
>
> Powter had three chapters (categories) describing 'the driving issues
> and forces behind the characters': the burdened, the bent and the
> lost. Though I think the category titles have quite a lot poetic
> freedom of expression, it is fascinating to read his stories and
> descriptions. How about if your fellow paddler becomes (or is) a
> risk? Or, sometimes, you?


Powter's book seems to be fascinating from your reviews and obviously very
applicable to kayakers who are, I think, all adventurers of one stripe or
another.

I've seen his three categories in others and recognized tendencies in
myselfw. I think any of us could fall into one of his three tragic
categories but for fear. At least in my case a good dollop of fear has
tempered my spirit of adventure many times. It's often healthy to conquer
fear. But ignoring fear completely is not the same as conquering it.

Fear and judgement seem to me to be closely related but depend heavily on
one's frame of reference. Sometimes people can have multiple frames of
reference and not be able to separate one from another; this could lead to
tragedy.

An example of multiple frames of reference would be a person who often rides
a large ship or ferry but who also owns a small powerboat or sailboat AND
also kayaks or paddles. Standing on shore looking out at a waterway those
three frames of reference could be in conflict with each other. Looking at
the whitecaps of a Force 5 the kayaker might (wisely) wait for better
weather, the powerboater might think it's slightly rough, the sailboater
would think it looks challenging and the ferry rider would wonder what the
fuss was all about.

Just being both a white water paddler and a sea kayaker could confuse a
person's frame of reference. While it's unusual for a white water drop to
last miles and miles with no possibility of escape, that's not unusual for a
sea kayaker caught out in inclement weather. If one looks at a weather
report with a w/w paddler's eyes without thinking through the ramifications
a person might paddle off into unrecognized danger.

Consider the reverse where a sea kayaker looks at a river thinking perhaps
that the rapids would go on forever and not realizing that there is a quiet
pool at the base of the white water where one can relax and recover from the
5 minute drop. It's not surprising that the sea kayaker may be reluctant to
launch.

As I have gotten older - mostly through luck - I've adopted one mental idea
to keep me safe: I try not to be stupid. It seems simple, but it's not as
easy as it sounds.

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
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From: Mark Sanders <sandmarks_at_ca.rr.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:24:42 -0800
The best I could do on short notice:

http://www.sandmarks.net/KayakStory.html


Mark Sanders
www.sandmarks.net

-----Original Message-----
On Behalf Of Craig Jungers

The water in the lake in front of my house is way too hard for paddlling and
I'm running out of old magazines to read. Even the Internet doesn't have
nearly enough. But I know that there are paddlewisers who live in warmer
climes who are happily spending their time puttering about in small boats.
So why doncha tell us about it? Those of us who live in the land of hard
(very hard!) waters are counting on you all to give us some vicarious relief
from the cold. I promise to do my part come April or May but unless you all
want accounts of criss-country skiing in the Cascades, I suggest some of you
warm-weather habitants get busy!!!
***************************************************************************
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From: <rebyl_kayak_at_energysustained.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:29:50 +0000
G'day Craig,

I imagine half the paddling world is watching this couple and hoping they make it OK. Don't know how many of you are tracking them but they certainly have some stories to tell. Well worth a visit!

http://www.crossingtheditch.com.au/index.html 

All the best, PeterO
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From: The Housers <houser4_at_earthlink.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:57:50 -0800
Hey, don't forget to paddle some in SoCal.  Join the ckf.org email list at
http://ckf.org/email_list_rules.htmto see all of the planned events. Even
Rafael will vouch for us (he is our long-distance member).

Dave Houser


> [Original Message]
> From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
> To: Rafael Mier <silidriel_at_prodigy.net.mx>
> Cc: Paddlewise net <paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net>
> Date: 12/18/2007 5:58:21 PM
> Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
>
> On Dec 18, 2007 2:10 PM, Rafael Mier <silidriel_at_prodigy.net.mx> wrote:
>
> >
> > So I suggest that you break the winter in two and come down for a week
or
> > so
> > and paddle with us.
>
>
> That sounds like a good idea to me! A small kayak hotel in Veracruz sounds
> wonderful. I love Veracruz cuisine too.
>
> My wife and I had a baby while we were cruising the Sea of Cortez in 1977;
> one of the few blond-haired, blue-eyed baby boys born in the Pabellon
> Guadelup in Guaymas, Sonora. In high school a few years back he wanted to
> join a high school club that was open only to Latinos. There were somewhat
> surprised when he could offer documentary proof that he was a Latino. LOL
>
> I'm planning a kayak getaway in April and hope to get in some paddling as
I
> drive down the W. Coast of the USA on my way to meet my wife and family on
> their vacation at Disneyland. It sure would be fun to just keep on driving
> south. :)
>
> Thanks for the anecdote. Hard to imagine nice weather today (3 inches of
> snow this morning).
>
>
> Craig Jungers
> Moses Lake, WA
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From: Rafael Mier <silidriel_at_prodigy.net.mx>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:21:25 -0600
[Please remove all old content that is not pertinent to your reply
including old headers and footers.  It's list policy.... 
this post was modified to meet policy]

Now that you mention it, I have to agree. You find in SoCal better water
color, nicer surfing waves, lots more of wildlife, excellent paddlers and
unsurpassable friends. That is why I joined CKF org.

Veracruz on the other hand is a more folkloric place. People live in very
much unfinished cottages and keep practices of 50 years back, but the
atmosphere, the folk dances and music and marimba, the food, the northern
winds, the friendliness of people, the archeological sites, etc give a
special flavor that, to my mind, compensates for the underdevelopment.

I love to go to San Diego and the OC and Sta Barbara. I love the Sea of
Cortis, I love Veracruz and love also Cancun and the Mayan Coast. There is
its charm in Corpus with its always running surfable waves in the Bay, and I
love the Bayous in Louisiana, with its own French influence and fantastic
folklore and food. I am not that fond of the Seattle area because water is
always too cold there for my taste, even though I have good friends and my
teacher there.

Please don't ask me why I live in Queretaro, and to my own relief, I have a
little hut full of kayaks in the little lake 15 minutes away, following the
question "which is the best paddling lake?" the closest.

Best Regards,

Rafael
Mexico.


-----Mensaje original-----
De: The Housers [mailto:houser4_at_earthlink.net] 
Asunto: Re: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories

Hey, don't forget to paddle some in SoCal.  Join the ckf.org email list at
http://ckf.org/email_list_rules.htmto see all of the planned events. Even
Rafael will vouch for us (he is our long-distance member).
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From: Mark Arnold <mjamja_at_earthlink.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 23:00:33 -0600
Just because you asked so nicely I decided to brave the conditions so you would have something to read.

The day started with car battery removal and replacement after being temporarily stranded at the marina following yesterday's paddle.  Although it was getting later in the day, your plea had touched me and I decided I just had to go and paddle.

The air temp was in the mid 70's and the water temp was in the low 60's and the wind was right around 10 mph.
I paddled from the marina boat launch out through the breakwater entrance and then south over to the Emerald Beach Hotel and then returned in about 1hr.  I then paddled north inside the breakwater over to the Texas State Aquarium and finished the day with some short laps in the south end of the marina.  No dolphins today, but it was still a very nice paddle.

You can see the pics with descriptions at http://picasaweb.google.com/mjamja1/DecDowntown

I am heading out Thursday to see if I can get you some dolphin videos to watch.

Mark J. Arnold
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:51:25 -0800
I just want to say to all you nice folks that after seeing the photos of you
all paddling away in warm weather and sunshine I really feel like crap now.
Whose idea was this anyway... oh wait... it was my idea. Jeez.

There must be a pine tree around here somewhere.


Craig Jungers
Moses La... oh, who cares
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From: John H <seajohnkayak_at_yahoo.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories - tales of warmer climes...
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:35:44 -0800 (PST)
PaddleWise -
  i'll be off line 'til after the first of the year. 
  Back down to Florida Bay ... paddling.
  i'll give you my story when i return.
  There are pines in Florida.
  Best of the season to all.
  john

Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com> wrote:
  I just want to say to all you nice folks that after seeing the photos of you
all paddling away in warm weather and sunshine I really feel like crap now.
Whose idea was this anyway... oh wait... it was my idea. Jeez.

There must be a pine tree around here somewhere.


Craig Jungers
Moses La... oh, who cares


       
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From: Rafael Mier <silidriel_at_prodigy.net.mx>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:10:40 -0600
Craig wrote:


.....But I know that there are paddlewisers who live in warmer
climes who are happily spending their time puttering about in small boats.
So why doncha tell us about it? Those of us who live in the land of hard
(very hard!) waters are counting on you all to give us some vicarious relief
from the cold. -.........

Hi Craig,

Yes I have some story to tell. I live in Queritaro in the Continental Divide
in Mixico, and had to travel to Veracruz for business purposes and to work
some on the little kayaking hotel I have been building for some years now.

So I was caught with some time to do some surfing just before a strong cold
front with 40 knots winds and 50 gusts would hit.

It was nice 2 to 3 foot decent waves with moderate wind and I spent almost
too hours going back and forth, with my friend Josi, each in a Performa L.
He never capsized. I fell twice. BTW water is just right, not cold not warm.
Air temperature is on the 20 Celsius. The funny thing is that on my first
capsize, my head was on the wrong side and I had to pass it under the kayak
in between a small gap to the other side, feeling the sand obstacle. Done
that, my paddle was in awkward position so I made an attempt to roll just to
catch air and accommodate myself properly. Then a wave came in and made my
second attempt look as a breath taking exercise again, and when I was about
to make the final and good attempt, the Three Hands of God were there. Two
adults and two children came by and picked me up, put me on my feet and
stood holding the kayak in between waves and shore. I was telling them to
move sideways due to the obvious danger of a wave hitting them with the
kayak, but they appreciated my comments as those of somebody who is
incoherent and shocked from just having been saved from death.

So I just thanked them and got the water out of the kayak and went back to
the waves. Obviously in the guys mind there was something like "if he wants
to die let him #$%&/"

Anyway Josi and I made very good runs. We have a faulty run, though, since
we pick up the wave and we get accelerated so much that we leave the wave
behind and then the white water catches with us later on, with the necessary
side brace. Our aim now is to turn and stay with the tube as much as
possible.

My second fall was in deeper waters and I rolled OK, and made a point not to
capsize again, which I accomplished, even though wind and waves were
growing. This happened on Saturday.

Today, Tuesday I had an appointment with other kayakers by 8 AM, and they
did not show up in 20 minutes so I went alone to a 5 mile apart Island. At
half way there are some low reefs and after them the open waters were making
a nice soup with clapotis and some 1 to 3 feet swell, from the back right
quarter. It was a nice, mild shaky paddle and I reached the island alone.
Did some walking, had some energy bars and water and started back and half
way I met my friends. Temperature was fresh and just a shirt felt a little
cold but with strong paddling the cold would go away. 

This is one of the worst Winter days in Veracruz. It gets bad only every
four days when cold fronts come in and wind blows hard, but is time to
practice in places where waves form nice patterns.

So I suggest that you break the winter in two and come down for a week or so
and paddle with us.

Best Regards,
Rafael
Mexico
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:51:47 -0800
On Dec 18, 2007 2:10 PM, Rafael Mier <silidriel_at_prodigy.net.mx> wrote:

>
> So I suggest that you break the winter in two and come down for a week or
> so
> and paddle with us.


That sounds like a good idea to me! A small kayak hotel in Veracruz sounds
wonderful. I love Veracruz cuisine too.

My wife and I had a baby while we were cruising the Sea of Cortez in 1977;
one of the few blond-haired, blue-eyed baby boys born in the Pabellon
Guadelup in Guaymas, Sonora. In high school a few years back he wanted to
join a high school club that was open only to Latinos. There were somewhat
surprised when he could offer documentary proof that he was a Latino. LOL

I'm planning a kayak getaway in April and hope to get in some paddling as I
drive down the W. Coast of the USA on my way to meet my wife and family on
their vacation at Disneyland. It sure would be fun to just keep on driving
south. :)

Thanks for the anecdote. Hard to imagine nice weather today (3 inches of
snow this morning).


Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
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From: Dave Kruger <kdruger_at_pacifier.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories [Dave's Kayaking Mother Ship]
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:42:05 -0800
I back channeled this to Craig Jungers in response to his plea for 
something to roust him from his winter blahs.  It cheered him up.  the fact 
that my boat project got out of the garage cheered me up a lot more, 
believe me!

In any case, although a bit off topic, here are links to latest photos, and 
some text describing where I am at:

> Pretty big day.  Thanks to a bunch of rowdy old farts, we eased the boat down my sloping driveway onto its trailer ... safely.  BigBadBruce backed up the anchor; Ralph did photo duty; Coughlin told us what to do; Bob tied knots; Gary made sure they were OK;  Karl worked the jack and hosed bunks; I stood around, got nervous, and went to the bathroom frequently.
> 
> New photos begin here: http://www.pbase.com/bartenderdave/image/90298870/original
>  
> Boat is now in the shed with another guy's 26-footer.  We believe the progeny will be 22 footers.  I think I'm due stud fees.  [Whinny!]
> 
> Waiting on registration, insurance, etc. maybe some sea trials soon.

For those who may have missed this the first time I mentioned it, this boat 
is our "mother ship" to allow our aging joints to rest en route to 
protected bays, whereat we will assemble the two folding kayaks (Folbot 
Kodiak; Cooper) stored in the cabin, and gunkhole until we are tired, 
satisfied, or hungry!

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wanted - Kayak Stories [Dave's Kayaking Mother Ship]
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:18:37 -0800
On Dec 18, 2007 6:42 PM, Dave Kruger <kdruger_at_pacifier.com> wrote:

> I back channeled this to Craig Jungers in response to his plea for
> something to roust him from his winter blahs.  It cheered him up.  the
> fact
> that my boat project got out of the garage cheered me up a lot more,
> believe me!


It certainly did cheer me up!!! I'm now looking forward to more essays from
Dave as he uses his new kayaking mother ship for new adventures.


> In any case, although a bit off topic, here are links to latest photos,
> and
> some text describing where I am at:


I certainly hope that the moderator doesn't feel that kayaking via a mother
ship will produce anything to far off of the paddling theme. I know there 
are several of us who are in the advanced stages of getting a mother ship 
operation going to enhance our paddling fun. I believe that as long as 
the end result is kayaking, then posts about mother ships should be 
totally on topic.  

(moderator comment - motherships are fine 
so long as it stays non-commercial and maintains some paddling connection,
motherships are just a way to get to more interesting locations - I
consider the topic on par with asking/talking about cars - from a
moderating standpoint - some very relevent points, and great story potential,
but easy for some people to go astray. Periodic updates on the rebuild 
are worthwhile as others may be considering a rehab'ed mothership based on your 
"frugal" approach to this)

At any rate, for me the mother ship is a way of getting me farther afield
than I can by kayak  alone. While we can often reach exotic locales by car
and ferry the really fun places require more time (or money) than is often
available. A small, trailerable power boat seems to me to be the perfect
symbiot (is that word?) for kayaks.

I plan to have my 25-foot Carver Santa Cruz ready to go by spring for less
than $10,000 total outlay including electronics and kayak racks.... and
heater! Just how much less remains to be seen. So far I'm out $3500 plus
sales tax and registration fees of abut $400.

Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) is full of 1970s powerboats in the 21 to 26
foot range for less than $5000; often with fresh overhauls on engines and
outdrives. Almost all of these would be suitable for a personal mother ship
adaptation.


Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
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From: Carey Parks <carey_at_jimparksfamily.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] SPAM-LOW: Wanted - Kayak Stories
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:43:41 -0500
Hi Craig and everyone else too,

We in southwest Florida are just coming into our prime paddling and camping
season, so there's a lot going on. There's a good culture of trip reports.
Our "club" which is organized only slightly more than Paddlewise, is
basically a Yahoo group that coordinates paddles via Yahoo and posts reports
and photos as well.

As there are many others more active than I am, can I suggest you join or at
least read the messages etc. from our yahoo groups? If you find something
particularly interesting feel free to share it with the Paddlewisers
directly.

There are actually four Yahoo groups - SWFLPC, PCPCNaples, SWFLPCKFG and
MangroveNavy. Here's the breakdown - Southwest Florida Paddling Club is the
mother of all the above. As interest has grown we've started having more
trips both north and south, so for geographic convienence as well as
political clout, the group in Naples formed Paradise Coast Paddling Club of
Naples. We all consider ourselved one "club" but the southern faction has
chosed to organize more formally to achieve some of their local goals. The
other two groups are special interest sub-sets, KFG stands for Kayak Fishing
Group and the MangroveNavy came about to focus on kayak camping.

You can pretty much see all the trip reports in SWFLPC and PCPCNaples. There
will be duplicate posts as not everyone has elected to belong to both.

Please join - we have many members from other parts of the country and even
other countries who follow our adventures. Some come to paddle with us while
they are on vacation, which we do encourage.

Enjoy,

Carey
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From: John Kirk-Anderson <jka_at_netaccess.co.nz>
subject: [Paddlewise] Kayaking - crossover to other activities
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 21:43:26 +1300
I've just had one of those maqic paddles that got me thinking - a miracle in
its own right!

Nothing flash about the location or situation: The harbour in front of my
house I've paddled for years, in a choppy weather-tide just on sunset.

(Sorry Craig, the water here is warm enough to be in short sleeves!)

It was simply that I paddled "At one with the kayak", and seemed to use no
energy to surf, paddle and turn.

Once I noticed that I was using the water's dynamics properly, I started to
analyse my mindset, and realised that I was actually thinking about Jiu
Jitsu and Judo, martial arts that I started a couple of years ago. The
principles of using energy from another source, either water or an opponent,
to achieve the required goal, are similar in both paddling and some martial
arts.

Whether I was simply distracted enough to paddle without effort, or there
was a crossover from another activity I'm unsure, but it got me thinking
about the other things that we do in life that effect paddling. (I know,
paddling is life, the rest is detail!)

Many sports/activities have skills and motions that are similar, and I
wondered what other people had found useful or applied between them.

Hopefully not the fractures, sprains and bruises that I have have collected
from taking up combat arts in what I am told is my Middle Age!

Now all I have to do is relax more in the Dojo!

Cheers

JKA


-- 
John Kirk-Anderson
Banks Peninsula
NEW ZEALAND
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From: Jeff Bingham <kayakjef_at_bellsouth.net>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Kayaking - crossover to other activities
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 08:00:35 -0500
John Said

	It was simply that I paddled "At one with the kayak", and seemed to
use no energy to surf, paddle and turn.
	Once I noticed that I was using the water's dynamics properly, I
started to analyse my mindset, and realised that I was actually
thinking about Jiu Jitsu and Judo, martial arts that I started a
couple of years ago.
	The principles of using energy from another source, either water or
an 	opponent, to achieve the required goal, are similar in both paddling
and some martial arts.

John, I could not agree with you more. A few years ago I was investigating
as to whether or not I wanted to start Kung Fu and the instructor was
explaining how body dynamics and Wing Chun works in the exact same way I
explain how body dynamics and paddling works.
I now find myself incorporating the body dynamics of Kung Fu with my
paddling instruction in an effort to teach my students the best way to use
their body to transfer their energy to the boat and paddle.

Jeffrey Bingham /FLL
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From: Mark Sanders <sandmarks_at_ca.rr.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Kayaking - crossover to other activities
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 09:22:51 -0800
When I kayak on rice paper, I leave no trail!

-----Original Message-----
On Behalf Of Jeff Bingham


I now find myself incorporating the body dynamics of Kung Fu with my
paddling...
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From: Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Kayaking - crossover to other activities
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 09:47:36 -0800
Quoting John Kirk-Anderson <jka_at_netaccess.co.nz>:

> I've just had one of those maqic paddles that got me thinking - a miracle in
> its own right!
>
> Nothing flash about the location or situation: The harbour in front of my
> house I've paddled for years, in a choppy weather-tide just on sunset.
> It was simply that I paddled "At one with the kayak", and seemed to use no
> energy to surf, paddle and turn.
>
> Once I noticed that I was using the water's dynamics properly, I started to
> analyse my mindset, and realised that I was actually thinking about Jiu
> Jitsu and Judo, martial arts that I started a couple of years ago. The
> principles of using energy from another source, either water or an opponent,
> to achieve the required goal, are similar in both paddling and some martial
> arts.
>
> Whether I was simply distracted enough to paddle without effort, or there
> was a crossover from another activity I'm unsure, but it got me thinking
> about the other things that we do in life that effect paddling. (I know,
> paddling is life, the rest is detail!)
>
> John Kirk-Anderson

   On every paddle trip, I get tired after one minute of paddling. Then I take
   a thirty second rest. On my second attempt I usually enter a Zen-like phase
   where I don't feel much of anything except the wind in my face, moving water
   under the hull, and an exhilarating sense of freedom. Of course, the next
   day I may feel like twenty miles of bad road, but it's worth it to have a
   good adventure on the water.

   BRC
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From: Dave Kruger <kdruger_at_pacifier.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] [Zen] Kayaking - crossover to other activities
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 10:43:54 -0800
Bradford R. Crain wrote:

> On every paddle trip, I get tired after one minute of paddling. Then I 
> take a thirty second rest. On my second attempt I usually enter a
> Zen-like phase where I don't feel much of anything except the wind in my
> face, moving water under the hull, and an exhilarating sense of freedom.
> Of course, the next day I may feel like twenty miles of bad road, but
> it's worth it to have a good adventure on the water.

Sad to say, it ain't Zen or meditation or any of that.  It's just the 
endorphins kicking in, Brad ... natural opiate-like materials produced by 
exercise.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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From: Matt Broze <marinerkayaks_at_msn.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Kayaking - crossover to other activities
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:28:56 -0800
John Kirk-Anderson wrote:
<snip>>>>>>It was simply that I paddled "At one with the kayak", and seemed
to use no energy to surf, paddle and turn.
Once I noticed that I was using the water's dynamics properly, I started to
analyse my mindset, and realised that I was actually thinking about Jiu
Jitsu and Judo, martial arts that I started a couple of years ago. The
principles of using energy from another source, either water or an opponent,
to achieve the required goal, are similar in both paddling and some martial
arts.<<<<<<<<<

Bradford wrote:
>>>>>>>>On every paddle trip, I get tired after one minute of paddling. Then
I take a thirty second rest. On my second attempt I usually enter a Zen-like
phase where I don't feel much of anything except the wind in my face, moving
water under the hull, and an exhilarating sense of freedom.<snip>>>>>>>

Wow, Jiu Jitsu and Zen. And I always thought I was just lazy so wanted all
the help I could get. That's probably why I ride the lift up and mostly sit
way back in my ski boots (much like I'm in a rocking chair) during those
gravity powered descents.

Back when I was younger and more ambitious/competitive (and had fallen in
with a bad crowd of kayak racers) I too experienced a lot of muscle fatigue
during the first mile of a race. Sometimes my shoulders especially would
feel very tense and ache during the earlier parts of the race. I attributed
that to a quick lactic acid buildup in the muscles that needed some time to
dissipate. After that thought I wouldd try to paddle real hard for five
minutes or so about 15 minutes before the start of the race and then rest up
and dissipate the lactic acid during the rest before the start. That plan
worked like a charm. 
The other problem that Brad may be experiencing is that he started out
paying attention to his fatigue and then once he took his mind off himself
he wasn't so bothered by it. I also learned during my racing days that by
wearing headphones and listening to fast paced Rock and Roll music (Billy
Idol was my favorite for this) I could paddle to the beat and not notice the
pain (unless the music stopped). I theorized that this is probably the same
reason that soldiers march in formation. Maybe even marching to the beat of
a drum to induce that mindless "Zen-like" state.

Well, back to the void.
Matt Broze
www.marinerkayaks.com  
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Kayaking - crossover to other activities
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:22:47 -0800
On Dec 23, 2007 2:28 PM, Matt Broze <marinerkayaks_at_msn.com> wrote:

<snip>

After that thought I wouldd try to paddle real hard for five
> minutes or so about 15 minutes before the start of the race and then rest
> up
> and dissipate the lactic acid during the rest before the start. That plan
> worked like a charm.


Hmm... this is a good idea. I've had that same tired feeling early in a long
paddle that went away after 15 or 20 minutes. This technique might work if
one knew that there would be a hard paddle in current or wind.

Did you notice that a Mariner II won the Deception Pass Dash? Pam gave me
this news.


>
> Maybe even marching to the beat of
> a drum to induce that mindless "Zen-like" state.


My wife says that I have no problem putting myself into a mindless state. I
know I don't like paddling to music because I like to have my ears available
to listen for things like large boats coming up behind me. I have enough
problems hearing without creating more. But I can see that it would help in
a race where a paddler may not have to worry so much about boats running you
over. Unless, of course, you're in last place. <grin>

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
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From: <Pamvetdr_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Kayaking - crossover to other activities
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 22:57:56 EST
In a message dated 12/23/2007 6:27:24 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
crjungers_at_gmail.com writes:

Did you notice that a Mariner II won the Deception Pass Dash? Pam gave me
this news.

That was after the surf kayaks and such.  Link is at 
_http://www.seattleraftandkayak.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.display/product_id/153/index.cfm_ 
(http://www.seattleraftandkayak.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.display/product_i
d/153/index.cfm) 
 
                    Pam in Washington State



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