hopefloats Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Volunteers and ideas wanted! We are presently planning NSPN's Tenth Anniversary Solistice Paddle & Party and we need your help, ideas and sense of adventure!!! The current draft so far is: • It will be held on Sunday, June 22nd, rain or shine. • There will be T-shirts to commemorate the event, production is in progress! • There will be various level paddling excursions like the standard event has always had...with a twist! We'd like the paddling groups to meet after paddling at Riverhead beach for "kayak follies!" fun competitions & relays for prizes! (see attached photo for inspiration!) • Then we pack up the gear and switch into potluck-BBQ-mode under the pavillions at Deveraux Beach (nothing needs perfecting there!!! we do it so well!!!) We are hereby calling for volunteers to contribute any info they may have collected for kayak fun in the past, or brainstorm new kayak games to be played that day.... They can be fun learning excersizes you've learned going for your coaching certifications, (do I hear rubber chickens? ) or silly stuff like the photo attached! I believe there's a free-floating dock in that area too, if someone needs to "get out and MC the mayhem!" Please take all levels of ability in consideration! (That could just mean assisting with caution-tape-finish lines or something, for more complicated competitions.) The key is to get everyone laughing and participating! I have also heard that there have been kayak-trip-scavenger-hunts planned for events in the past that ended up being rained out... If you might be playing with initiating a paddling trip that day, we need those volunteers too, and if you are inspired to plan a scavenger hunt or "native knowledge triva quiz" for the trip too, that would also be welcomed! Please send your ideas or volunteer to help us get this party off the ground! Email me at heidi@nspn.org. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJ Carey Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Hi Heidi, I have lots of stupid kayak games rattling around, some are dry, some are wet, and some actually help with specific kayak skills! One suggestion is to try and beg, borrow, or steal a bull horn or loud haler. It makes "organizing" the on water games a lot less stressful on peoples voices. Let me know if you eed some suggestions. Galen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopefloats Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 I actually have a small battery powered megaphone...marketed to sports fans for hollering in the stands... that I used pretty successfully for land-based games at a family reunion...just not sure how it'll do if it got wet, but its a start! Send me anything you've got! I'd love ideas! ...especially from those more experienced at kayaking & passing on kayak skills than I am! Thanks Galen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Relay race Paddle up to a stationary kayak Using only your hands and the decklines on the stationary boat circle the kayak Paddle back to the start Team obstacle course (credit to Rick Craingle) Paddle to the Dogbar jetty Carry boat (tandem) or boats over the jetty Return to the start Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 geo-kayak-o. Offshoot of canoe-o (on-water orienteering), combined with geocaching. Set up "controls" (waypoints) at shore (stonewall, monument, street sign) or sea (fixed vessel, pier, nun, can, etc). Participants program waypoints into their GPS, set off on different start times, following a desired loop course (CW or CCW). At each waypoint (control) participants collect information to verify their visit to the control (What # on this aid to navigation? What color shutters on this house? What tall feature at the end of this pier?). Obviously no charts allowed, course should be small (6 or fewer controls), verification of waypoint entry, ?teams of 2, one CW, the other CCW, timed event, prizes. Just an idea-probably too complicated to set up. Simpler option is just kayak-o, using copies of nautical charts. Though I'm not local enough to set this up, I'd be happy to give advice to anyone who might think this is a fun idea/event. Stupid (KISS) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopefloats Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 bob budd's idea is perfect for beach-type any-level team relays after the different level trips all re-converge at the beach.... gyork's idea may be a perfect modification for the L3+ trip... rather than go somewhere, do this activity (and other similarly skilled ones) to test specific advanced skills... ...all aspects of the traditional event can be new adventures! All brainstorming is great & welcomed, and we can figure out which audiences will get the most out of them later! Thanks so much, keep 'em coming!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Crouse Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Towing or tug o' war contest Any kind of rolling contest - # of rolls, slowest roll, rolling with something other than a paddle (ie: a hat, a radio, a rubber chicken) etc.... Rescue contest - fastest T rescue Sponge Tag - have to hit the back deck of kayak with a wet sponge (DON'T HIT THE PADDLER!) Rescue bag throw - distance and accuracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathyfoley Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Volunteers and ideas wanted! We are presently planning NSPN's Tenth Anniversary Solistice Paddle & Party and we need your help, ideas and sense of adventure!!! The current draft so far is: • It will be held on Sunday, June 22nd, rain or shine. • There will be T-shirts to commemorate the event, production is in progress! • There will be various level paddling excursions like the standard event has always had...with a twist! We'd like the paddling groups to meet after paddling at Riverhead beach for "kayak follies!" fun competitions & relays for prizes! (see attached photo for inspiration!) • Then we pack up the gear and switch into potluck-BBQ-mode under the pavillions at Deveraux Beach (nothing needs perfecting there!!! we do it so well!!!) We are hereby calling for volunteers to contribute any info they may have collected for kayak fun in the past, or brainstorm new kayak games to be played that day.... They can be fun learning excersizes you've learned going for your coaching certifications, (do I hear rubber chickens? ) or silly stuff like the photo attached! I believe there's a free-floating dock in that area too, if someone needs to "get out and MC the mayhem!" Please take all levels of ability in consideration! (That could just mean assisting with caution-tape-finish lines or something, for more complicated competitions.) The key is to get everyone laughing and participating! I have also heard that there have been kayak-trip-scavenger-hunts planned for events in the past that ended up being rained out... If you might be playing with initiating a paddling trip that day, we need those volunteers too, and if you are inspired to plan a scavenger hunt or "native knowledge triva quiz" for the trip too, that would also be welcomed! Please send your ideas or volunteer to help us get this party off the ground! Email me at heidi@nspn.org. Swim with your kayak race - Particpants capsize, do not exit the boat, swim with kayak to finish line.....maybe 10 yds. Swim with your paddle race - no boats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopefloats Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Team obstacle course (credit to Rick Craingle) Bob - what are some ideas for the obstacles? ...does that go with the dogbar example, or its own item... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Prizes for best: rescue kit, first-aid kit, storm kit, gizmo, boat modification, etc. ?A way to share ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 ...what are some ideas for the obstacles?... Any participant should visit the jetty in Gloucester Harbour to understand the task before them. The jetty is the obstacle and would be a difficult but doable exercise, probably more than some would wish to engage in. It was suggested during leader training when I took it. Aside from teamwork the participants would get practice in landing and launching at a less than ideal spot. If running a relay around kayaks the participants should be held to touching every inch of the stationary kayaks. The most successful participants would need to at one end and swing their boats around the end. Towing should incorporate hooking and unhooking. Perhaps having teams where one drops off the back and paddles to the front to tie in and tow at predetermined points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Millar Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Isn't the Solstice Paddle in Marblehead? Are you suggesting Dogbar jetty in Gloucester as an example of an obstacle, perhaps? Or am I just confused? Deb M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Isn't the Solstice Paddle in Marblehead? All that has been mentioned so far is the pigout at Devereaux Beach, which is in Marblehead. No reason something couldn't start elsewhere. Are you suggesting Dogbar jetty in Gloucester as an example of an obstacle, perhaps? Yes and no. The race could end at Marblehead. Not many other obstacles from there I'd admit. Still going over the jetty would add a certain challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccarlson Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Sideways race... drawstrokes Figure of Eight Race... both forward and reverse All-in rescue race... teams of 4. First team to have everyone in dry boats wins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.