Happy New Year everyone!

Of course on this day, I'm thinking about the coming year.

I'm posting my kayaking goals for 2013, in no particular order, but I did try to make them measurable.

1. Get off the foot pegs
2. Find the ‘real’ edge of my boat (not just the one in my head) and get on it – this will involve improving my high brace sculling and getting wet
3. Purposefully put my boat in a standing wave and do not freak out and windmill paddle. Learn to be comfortable with the instability and overcome the disorientation.
4. Encourage a new paddler and teach a skill
5. BCU 3 Star
6. Paddle more than in 2012
7. Have fun and be safe!

What are your goals?

Cathy,

I like setting goals. However, mine are very much a work in progress, but here goes.....

1. Paddle more with you, Pru and Rob. (Highest priority!)

2. Eat more banana nut bread! (Yummy!)

3. Complete two kayak camping expeditions of five days or longer. (Hopefully one in Canada!)

4. Have more fun. (Pru made me say that!)

5. Locate one or two NSPN kayak camping beginners and mentor them. (Pru may have found them!)

6. Participate in structured learning to become a better trip planner. (Not sure where to find this!)

7. Attend classes to become a better paddler. (Much needed!)

Warren

Who is next??

Warren:

With all the trips you have done I seriously doubt more structured leaning is needed.

"Do not learn from the masters, learn as the masters learned."

Just keep planning and doing trips.

Ed Lawson

1) My most agressive goal to achieve will be BCU 4* Assessment by the end of the year

2) Perform at least one solo kayak camping trip of at least two nights

3) Participate on at least one expedition camping trip

4) Overcome my fears of the unknown and take advantages of the opportunities to learn when they are presented to me

5) Improve my boat handling and rescue skills in conditions

6) Look for a new boat that actually fits me properly

2013

1. Circumnavigate Mount Desert Island

2. Paddle Cape Breton Highlands NS

3. Return to The Brothers island in Great Waas and spend a day there

4. Camp on Halifix Island GWaas

5. Paddle from Lubec to Roque Bluffs

6. Return to Stonington and circumnavigate Isle Au Haut from Deer Island including Western Ear Island for the benefit of Blaine who is convinced that we never really did the circumnavigate because we didn't include this small Island.

Doug

Get off the foot pegs

Perhaps I don’t know what you mean. This is off topic, but there should be a leg push against the foot pedal (foot bar or whatever) to initiate each forward stroke. Without this push you’ll lose the power of your legs and hips, and you’ll end up with a very inefficient forward stroke.

- Leon

Perhaps I dont know what you mean. This is off topic, but there should be a leg push against the foot pedal (foot bar or whatever) to initiate each forward stroke. Without this push youll lose the power of your legs and hips, and youll end up with a very inefficient forward stroke.

- Leon

I think she is referring to foaming out her bulkhead. Personally, I don't like foot pegs in conventional sea kayaks.

Yes, this is off topic.

To get back on topic, I suppose I should add a skill to my goals mentioned above.

7. Master my storm roll on both sides with a euro paddle.

2013

1. At least 3 camping trips of 2 or more nights

2. Make the Jewell trip this year

3. Roll on both sides

4. BCU 3 star

5. Improve navigation skills and seamanship

6. Just like the tourist who when visiting NYC asked a man on the street how to get to Carnegie Hall, the response was, " Practice, practice, practice.".

2013

1) Retire so there's more time for paddling.

And in no particular order thereafter:

2) Learn to more reliably roll my new boat, which is, I have found is a lot harder to roll than my old one. (Pool sessions here I come!)

3) Learn a cowboy scramble rescue now that I have the new more stable boat. (Pool sessions here I come!)

3) Longer trips to new places. This must include Jonesport and may well include Canada.

4) Return trips to favorite places.

5) Help to ensure that those who expressed interest at the Xmas party in doing kayak camping this year (you know who you are!) actually follow through (see #'s 3 and 4 above).

6) Make sure that Warren keeps Having Fun on his priority list for trips (less of an issue now that he has learned more about this essential skill and is more comfortable in using it!).

7) Increase navigation skills.

8) Increase comfort in moving water.

9) Continue to enjoy my 3***'s and solidify the skills that went into getting it.

pru

I think she is referring to foaming out her bulkhead. Personally, I don't like foot pegs in conventional sea kayaks.

Yes, this is off topic.

Yes, that's what I was referring to. I have a BAD habit of standing really hard on the footpegs if I get into 'conditions' that make me nervous.

Interesting to see so many varied goals. I hope everyone has a year of successful goal reaching!

(i)Sell my Nordkapp LV and go and collect the Anas Acuta that a friend is holding for me;

(ii)Get back into kayak camping -- it has been <too> many years since I did this (strange work hours);

(iii)Get out more in fairly challenging conditions;

(iv)Get more distance under my belt every week during my season;

(v)Paddle every day once the water gets to about 60F!

All this would make me very happy!

oh, and one more for me, which Pintail reminded me of:

10) sell my tiderace xplore s - any takers out there?

11) sell my carbon kevlar valley avocet - ditto?

My goals:

1) Find the perfect surf kayak (light enough to carry, maneuverable, easy to roll, long enough to make the paddle out to the offshore break, not too many $$)

2) do something (anything) that will make Lorrie exclaim, "How did you do that? I want to do that!" Ah, those were the good old days; hard to find any such thing now!

3) Roll every time I paddle. Lots of rolls.

4) Learn rolls that will make Lorrie exclaim, "How did you do that? I want to do that!"

5) Lobby to make the homemade alcohol stove the official NSPN kayak-camping cookstove. One-pot cooking for all.

6) Go to Warren for camping advice!

i finnaly learnt how to roll right at the very end of the 2012 season, i learnt how to do a buuterfly roll and can most of the time do a standard greenland roll. My goal for 2013 is to perfect my roll i would like a rock solid standard greenland roll, and to learn a butterfly roll without a paddle. I would also like to perfect all the maneveurs I sort of learnt already but was to afraid to push to the limit for fear of flipping over. I want to finnaly become a solid level 3 or perhaps level 4 paddler.

now that iam out of my old huge 17ft boreal design inukshuk beginners kayak and into my new hand built skin on frame disco bay replica i should be able to push myslef further than ever.

i want to become a truly compitent capable paddler

Kate, thanks for giving me a good belly laugh! Glad I could inspire you to aspire to achieve awesome new feats. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1) You could go to Greenland to learn some new rolls and possibly win a gold star in the world championships,

2) You could just go paddle in Greenland.

3) You could return solo as you desire to see the whales and icebergs in Newfoundland in June.

4) You could surf those 4-5 foot waves where you could demonstrate successfully how to use those beautiful rolls.

As for me, here are my goals for the New Year:

1) Complete the ACA L3/L4 IDW with the ultimate goal of certification in the next year or two.

2) Begin 5* training (even better 5* training in Wales! More achieve able for this year in Boothbay, though).

3) Have at least one amazing camping expedition someplace interesting-location TBD...

4) Make friends with my new whitewater boat, surfing that local wave more frequently than having it be my own personal swimming hole...

Happy New Year everyone!

Of course on this day, I'm thinking about the coming year.

I'm posting my kayaking goals for 2013, in no particular order, but I did try to make them measurable.

1. Get off the foot pegs
2. Find the ‘real’ edge of my boat (not just the one in my head) and get on it – this will involve improving my high brace sculling and getting wet
3. Purposefully put my boat in a standing wave and do not freak out and windmill paddle. Learn to be comfortable with the instability and overcome the disorientation.
4. Encourage a new paddler and teach a skill
5. BCU 3 Star
6. Paddle more than in 2012
7. Have fun and be safe!

What are your goals?

Some inspiration for goal #3: Hurricane Riders -

Some inspiration for goal #3: Hurricane Riders -

Riding the wave is fun & stable. Once you drop off the wave you will see what's behind the wave as that is where the bracing really happens... (It's white water in a longer boat). River paddling is great cross training. You might look at the NH AMC WW school, many of us from NSPN have attended. http://www.nhamcpaddlers.org/events_schools/spring_school.php

-Jason

Riding the wave is fun & stable. Once you drop off the wave you will see what's behind the wave as that is where the bracing really happens... (It's white water in a longer boat). River paddling is great cross training. You might look at the NH AMC WW school, many of us from NSPN have attended. http://www.nhamcpaddlers.org/events_schools/spring_school.php

-Jason

Hmmmm - should go, have to think about it. Went over in Class IV rapids on a raft ride during a Dead River dam release. That's my only experience with whitewater and I should replace it with something good, but need to overcome the fear. Perhaps that should become my new #1 goal: Overcome the Fear

In chronological (hopefully) order

1. Fox Islands safari

2. Annual Jewell

3. Great Wass safari

4. Muscle Ridge annual

paddle more,

eat more,

smile more,

laugh more.

best

Phil

1. monstrously strong paddling. monstrously strong period. diet and the gym are going very well. i don't acknowledge "getting older" as a precept and graciously embrace "getting better" i don't want to be the same

paddler on my approach to middle age as i was at 25 - i will be better.

2. bag nights. very few nights camped out of my kayak at all in 2012. work, dogs, commitments...unacceptable excuses for 2013.

3. at least 2 self defined "epic" journeys. nothing to get the heart racing out of the chest maybe...just a couple where i look back and can say "huh...i did that." parameters will vary - i'll know them when i

encounter them.

4. embrace the journey and suck the joy right out of all of it. laugh, sweat, work, love and go to bed tired....some of that from little boats.

Mine ??? Pretty simple. Paddle up the coastline, down the coastline or way out into the waters, but always returning back to where I started ....... hopefully with the boat still intact. And anything good that happens in between, I will consider doggy treats for this old mongrel.

My goals are to continue to paddle with the folks who listed their goals - my goal is to paddle more with you. Other than that:

1. If I win the lottery, go to Wales or Ireland to paddle. Of course, I have to play the lottery first.

2. Pass Doug as I paddle the Bold Coast in the opposite direction from his - from the mouth of the Machias up to Lubec with the tide and, the wind at my back

3. Practice, practice, practice what I learned last year from Oscar C, Greg S, Dan S, and Carl L - mighty fine coaches. Also, Carl knows all the words to Alice's Restaurant - how impressive is that?

4. Play with the sheep on Brothers, camp on Halifax at a better site than last time, paddle with the whales, the seals and listen to the loons around Great Wass

5. Help Blaine feel better by circumnaviagting Isle of Haut again and make sure we do that little island this time.

6. Let Scott do all the cooking

7. No more hummus on camping trips but bring along a wee bit of scotch

8. Circumnavigate Mt. Desert Island

9. Cross to Vinal Haven - also paddle/camp around Swans Island

10. Pay close attention to the beauty of sunsets on the water and to full moon paddling

11. Still wanting to circumnavigate Prince Edward Island - maybe?

12. Try not to injury myself

Les

aka swearing ferret

My goals are to continue to paddle with the folks who listed their goals - my goal is to paddle more with you. Other than that:

9. Cross to Vinal Haven - also paddle/camp around Swans Island

Not part of Swan's, but if you get out that way, don't miss Frenchboro.

I sense more than a few have Vinalhaven on the mind as I do for 2013.

Ed Lawson

Okay, here goes, mind you this is after a few glasses of wine..

All of Phil's plus,

Jewell

+ 2 more camping trips

learn how to roll (yes, I know that has been on the list for more than one year...)

confident bracing and sculling

attend surf and Lake Chebaco (sp??) at least 3x each

continue with "Ladies Paddles" + perhaps a "Ladies Camping Trip"

I am sure there are more...