Meetup Group For Introductory Trips

[rfolster]

After years of internal conversations about attracting new paddlers to North Shore Paddlers Network, and providing trips and events for them, we have arrived at the point to create the North Shore Paddlers Meetup group that will offer Level 1 (short duration, strictly flat water) and Level 2 (slightly longer, "ocean introduction") trips for those who are interested in learning about, or just starting out with, sea kayaking in a club setting.  The goal of this venture is to provide a point of contact for new and potential sea kayakers to find NSPN through a large activity-based platform in ways that our website just can't provide, and Meetup is an excellent avenue for that.  Here are some key points to understand with the new Meetup group:

• Existing North Shore Paddlers Network website and message board will not change in any way
• Typical club activity will remain on the message board and/or calendar and will continue to operate as usual
• Memberships to the club and the Meetup group are separate and not interchangeable - Meetup membership will be free
• Designated Meetup trip organizers will be specifically prepared to design trips and manage participants for Meetup events
• Trips and skills sessions on North Shore Paddlers Meetup are strictly Level 1 and Level 2 only
• Level 1 trips will be more "meet-and-greet" style for people to see and understand sea kayaks
• Level 2 trips will allow for brief introductions to mild ocean conditions, such as current and waves
• Both levels of trips will allow organizers to introduce participants to paddling in a club environment (cooperative trips)
• Skill sessions will be focused on the basics needed to start sea kayaking, such as wet exits or forward stroke fundamentals
• Meetup group members can go on as many trips and events as they want with no pressure to join NSPN if they don't want to

A lot of thought and hard work has gone into the creation of this group, and we see it as a positive addition to our continuing efforts to provide community outreach and safety education.  If you would like to be involved with planning and organizing trips for this group, please contact me for details.