Mark, Your saga is an illustrative object lesson in how not to conduct an "all comers" paddle. It bothers me quite a bit that someone with the native enthusiasm you have for paddling had such an experience. Even recognizing that we are only getting one side of the story, it is plain that the premise for such a group paddle was a mightily flawed one. There is no point in an extensive "lessons learned" analysis, for the lessons are ones which club managers and directors have faced over and over. On cold water, such as what the group faced, things can go sour in a hurry. For the leader not to require or seek definitive evidence of the competence and preparedness of paddlers for such a trip is nuts. The situation was one ripe for frustration and a confrontation such as what occurred. For guidelines used by the oldest, best established club in the Portland, OR area, Google up OOPS (aka Oregon Ocean Paddling Society). Their manifold requirements and delineation of trip ratings might serve as a useful matrix for the symposium organizers in future. I've been that trip leader, in situations similar to the one you faced, in the days when I was not so conservative in my paddling style. My epiphany occurred some 13-14 years ago, when I aborted a downriver trip on the Columbia in the face of deteriorating conditions ... but which were not apparent at the site where we bagged it. The folks on the trip were friends, relatives, and one or two hangers-on. A couple grumbled at having their trip "ruined." That experience was the nail in the coffin for me: I no longer lead all-comers trips. I only paddle with folks I know, or who are represented to me as competent by folks I know and trust. I regret what happened to you. I don't think you were the "goat" at all. Maybe you took a swim in conditions others might regard as easy. Stuff like that happens to everybody. It was a bad situation. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** 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 Sun Jan 11 2009 - 16:30:52 PST
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:31:31 PDT