Workshop: Online Tools for Paddling (with Joe Berkovitz)

In this workshop, we’ll explore (and in many cases use) a variety of websites and  smartphone/desktop apps that can help us do useful things as paddlers. Our goal is to look at how internet technology and digital devices can help us, while remaining clear-eyed about the costs, drawbacks and tradeoffs. Throughout there will be an emphasis on free or low-cost solutions.

The session will be held in the Meeting Room (rear of the store) at REI, 279 Salem St, Reading, MA.  Please sign up below

Topics covered include:

• Websites and apps for weather, sea, surf observations and predictions
• How to download, crop, combine, and print NOAA charts with magnetic grids
• GPS tracking, wayfinding, analysis and logging of paddles
• Beyond the VHF radio: communication on the water
• Creating your own online maps and guides in Google Maps and Earth
• Pooling our paddling knowledge in the cloud
• Discussion of upcoming changes in NOAA chart technology
• Organizing paddles with polls and spreadsheets in the cloud

Throughout the workshop, we’ll undertake group activities that use these tools in an authentic way to perform real-world tasks: create maps, plan trips, analyze weather, decide routes and more.

Note to attendees: please bring a laptop and/or smartphone. For laptops, the Chrome or Firefox browser is recommended as not all tools will work on other browsers.

(Slides will be published after the talk, so the raw information will be available to all. But if you don’t come, you’ll miss out on the problem-solving fun, and my occasionally entertaining delivery!)