PatE Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Attending yesterday's meeting and the post-meeting paddle solidified all the reasons I took up this sport and have the desire to put effort into becoming an active member of this club.While it's true that there are "the big boys" (as was discussed) who like to boast of the rocks and 6' waves they conquered, there are also many who enjoy the quiet beauty the sport has to offer; paddling in a hazy sunshine, watching the low clouds of fog roll in around the trees on shore, seeing and hearing wildlife on shore, and as we witnessed yesterday, occasionally on the deck of another sea kayak! So don't be intimidated if you fall into the latter group. There is plenty of room for both!I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of yesterday's paddle and will continue to appreciate the advice, support and paddling companionship offered by this club. And I also learned a few more things: Think/plan ahead. ALWAYS BRING FOOD! Just because you're not hungry at 7:00 in the morning, doesn't mean you won't be ravenous come 1:00 out on the water! And just because it's overcast and rainy at put-in time, doesn't mean you won't long for your Maui Jim's and sunscreen later in the day as the sun breaks through! "Pinkies" Up! Can't put a death grip on that paddle shaft with your pinkies up!Layer properly. So when you get warm you can peel a layer or two off the top without having to strip down to your skivvies first!Enjoy and appreciate. When paddling in such a quiet craft, sometimes you'll get to witness things you would never see otherwise. I am still in awe over watching the baby seal napping on the deck of another sea kayak we encountered. This was a sport that I've wanted to try for a long time. I finally did this year and absolutely fell in love with it, as I knew I would. Now to try to tame all of those "gotta have's" and quit spending money!Thanks to all who were there yesterday for contributing to what I hope is one of many fabulous days on the water!PatEdited to add:Well so much for curbing the "gotta have's"; I just went to Country Canoeist in Dunbarton, NH. VERY nice folks, who are retiring next month and will be turning their business over to new ownership. In the meantime they are selling their inventory at some really good discounts! They still have a good selection of boats and lots of accessories. I picked up a Kokatat Gore-Tex womens drysuit (with rear relief zipper) at a price that I don't think I would find anywhere else. They still have a couple more left. I also picked up a few more gadgets. I wish I'd found this place sooner!I look at it this way: I now have invested so much $$$ that I can never get out of this sport! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Hi, Pat:Glad you enjoyed yourself! Just one small point... the event you describe (below) is ~not~ an everyday occurrence on NSPN or anybody's paddles. In fact, I've never heard of it.>I am still in awe over watching the baby seal >napping on the deck of another sea kayak we encountred. I'm still in awe too! What a shame there was no camera in either group.--David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatE Posted June 28, 2004 Author Share Posted June 28, 2004 Yup, I wish it happened every day, but I truly consider this sighting as a once-in-a-lifetime! I have decided that from now on I am going to start bringing my cell phone (which has a digital camera in it) with me in a little Pelican box I bought today. Good to have for both possible uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Gwynn Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Now I really feel stupid...first of all I forgot to bring my camera (I always have it), now...I just realized that I did have my cell phone, and it does have a camera. DOH!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Cool!!! Who was paddling the seal? (er, I mean that in a PC way... whose boat?)--b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Someone from ERBA was paddling the chosen boat. It looked like one of their trip leaders. We were near them on Essex Bay and one of their group paddled over asking if we had a camera. They also invited us to come look, which we all did. It was really remarkable. The cute little critter was not at all fazed by the attention and hubub of numerous kayaks paddling by for a looksee. S/he just raided her head, said "ho hum" and then laid it back down on the deck for a snooze. Definitely not a people-averse seal.Apparently, it had first swum around their whole group sniffing out everybody's boat, and then selected the one, and just hopped up. The ERBA leaders called the aquarium, and while we were there, word came back. Apparently this is the time of year that the pups leave mom and go out on their own. There had already been several calls that day from the area about seals, though it was not clear that any others involved spontaneous adoption. (Yes, the chosen paddler was female!) --David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaBass Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Oh , ! The “Big Boys” who like to BOAST ! of the “ROCKS” and “WAVES” they “CONQUERED”….shame on them for their preference for that kind of physical paddling and double shame on them for their unrestrained impulse to share it with other padders.Was this the sentiment that emerged at the club’s meeting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 This was not the overall sentiment at the meeting. There was a comment made that when the trip reports ONLY reflect the challenging or scary paddles where crazy rock play and BIG waves are reported, it makes new people think that is all NSPN does. Suz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatE Posted June 28, 2004 Author Share Posted June 28, 2004 >This was not the overall sentiment at the meeting. There was >a comment made that when the trip reports ONLY reflect the >challenging or scary paddles where crazy rock play and BIG >waves are reported, it makes new people think that is all >NSPN does. >>Suz It was the sentiment of the meeting nor did I intend to make it sound that way. "Cliques are for kids." The feeling was that some of the newer, or less experienced, paddlers, or those who do not partake in the more challenging aspects might not care to share their experiences as they don't have enough "testosterone" to be interesting or worthy of telling. And this simply is not or should not be the case.Oh, and BTW, I do enjoy hearing the "big boys" stories. It gives me something to aspire to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Someone told me of being in a kayak when the water began to bubble. Knowing what was going, he furiously paddled away from the bubbles. Whales use bubbles to corral their prey then drive up and out of the water gathering the prey on their baleens. I aspire to see a whale rise out of the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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