B

Please take any reviews from any publication with a grain of salt. Knowing the writers of several of the "REVIEWS", and knowing that they were asked to review gear because they were friends of the editor and not even "seakayakers" makes a major difference. I look for real experience when someone starts running their mouths about gear. Listen to those that train, practice, and use this stuff frequently in conditions. Quick deployment is a must. Reliability is also important. The line being ripped from the bag is a bad thing as has happened to me with an older NW system.

I do own a NW Seatec bag and have made modifications to my liking. In most situations that I've needed it, a short tow(15-20ft) is most practical. You can get in and out quickly. Although it's not a widemouth bag, I do miss my Salamander Pro Keelhauler with modifications.

My 2 cent,

BB

A huge thanks to Hiedi for shaming me into coming back for the 10th anniversary paddle/bash. I had a great time paddling with old and new friends alike. Boy, have you all gotten tame

Hiedi, thank you for putting together a great event. Like Kevin said, it takes volunteers like you to keep NSPN alive and thriving.

BB

Paddle with a few of the Old Gaard of NSPN's really early days. We won't kill you so take a day off from work and come paddle with us.

Monday 11am - Lanes Cove Gloucester to Rockport and back.

Tuesday 10am Nahant Beach(south end) to Tinkers Island in Marblehead and back

Call me @ 2063210011 with ??

Bob B.

I'm here! Sign me up for the L3 and skills afterwards. Paddling the next few days with friends from the Old Gaard. I'm looking to make it to Chabaco on Thursday night.

Catching up on sleep today at Riverhead Beach in M-head. Boy do I miss this area.

BB. 206-321-0011

Oh Christopher, stop whining. Look at all the woman you've met kayaking. Besides, You've now got Alex to abuse for a bit in my place. He's one of my wonder boys that needs a good beating from time to time to keep him grounded. You know, big headed.

Alex's experience ranges from narly 8-10 ft surf to 8+ knot currents and has strong command of strokes and braces and a scabbard of rolls. He does have a problem staying upright though. His attention tends to be draw to the bottom to look at sea life. He should have taken up diving. He's the only person I know that paddles with a dive mask on his head. Just weird I say.

And Christopher, the person you should be blaming is Joel. He's the guy that sold you all that shit. Well, I did sell you the Rip under alcohol induced conditions, but that another story altogether.

BB

206-321-0011

BB

206-321-0011

BB

how long are you back for, bob?

i've got an old pfd that'll fit you and depending, you may not need to rent anything.

Hey Rick

June 18th-24th with a rental car. I sent out a message to some of the Old Gaard to do some paddling and would love to join some of the more experienced guys I haven't paddled with for some fun. I don't want to get stuck doing lower level stuff and babysitting. I do enough of that now out here.

Whata you got?

Coming back to the Northshore in mid June and need to rent or borrow a boat and all gear. I'll bring my wetsuit, paddling jacket, and helmet.

Does anyone know where I can rent......

A T170 or any standard NDK with foam seat or HV. Any mid to larger volume Valley with the newer seat. Any of the newer (166+) Capellas. It's the seats that I have issue with, but I can paddle anything. Need a sprayskirt to fit deck and XL tube.

A Werner Ikelos or Cypress in any length is preferable.

Any XL + PFD works

FYI. I no longer beat the crap out of boats so it will be safe. I am looking to do some surfing and playing, but I will be a good boy.

Bob B

Hey all

I'll be coming back east for the week of 6/18-24th and am looking to reconnect with some friends I no longer have contact info for. Can someone please contact them and have them call me at 206-321-0011.

Rick Crangle

Jed Luby

Bob Baldridge

I had a commitment, but some of my students went to DP for a little playtime last Friday. Nice standing waves started at about 4 knots and flattened out as the current sped up. Check out the video.

http://www.vsocial.com/video/?d=195891

http://www.vsocial.com/video/?d=195877

http://www.vsocial.com/video/?d=195882

A quote from Adam that I just wanted to bring back for you to read if you are new to NSPN.

"In the best organizations, "what goes around comes around", and what goes around only goes around faster if what's given is given openly, freely, and often."

Just want to bring this back to the front. Please don't forget what NSPN is all about. Keep the spirit alive and pay it forward my friends.

BB

Adam

Call me at 206-321-0011 and I'll hook you up with my buddy Don Kiesling, Tsunami Ranger, surf ski designer, national Surf Ski Champ and all around great guy who's here in Seattle.

BB

Anyone surfski?

Most of the research I've done reveals that surf skiers' notions of safety are far different than those of sea kayakers.

To wit: in South Africa, the use of cellphones for SAR calls is actively promoted, as is running fast downwind in the largest waves and highest winds possible. There's also an active racing series with lots of sponsorship and prize money.

From what I can see, there's not a lot of published protocols on solo and group surfski rescues, which seems odd, given how often surfskiers venture into condtions that would pin many sea kayakers to the beach.

And yet they do so in boats so much more tender and athletically demanding than sea kayaks.

Thanks,

Adam

paddlingtravelers.blogspot.com

Nice. I especially liked the GP being used with the WW boat and SOF playing in the surf. How long and hard did he play I wonder. Shows neither GP nor SOF are limited use toys. The good old C to S roll. Works every time.

Ed Lawson

Me and John were there early and got the best conditions. He was pretty tired by the time the others showed up and I got the camera out. The SOF is ready for a new skin after a year of busy paddling. It's all stretched out at the knees. He does everything in it. It's his only boat.

http://www.vsocial.com/video/?d=179519

These conditions were after the tide began to recede. I was in my boat for the better conditions having fun so no pictures were taken unfortunately.

Hey Karen! It's been way too long since we've paddled together.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that I'll be here this summer. My job is going away and I've applied to several NGOs so that may take me out of country,0but nothing is for sure. Worst case is that I'll hook you up with my gang out here.

All my best,

B

I don't know how tall your friend is but he's welcome to borrow my Romany 16 and a graphite camano paddle.

Karen Gladstone

drkglad@yahoo.com

Another one of my students is spending the upcoming week at MIT and would like to paddle with the fabled crew from NSPN. Alex has just completed his first full season of paddling after losing last year to a blown shoulder. He absolutely kicked ass this year. He has spent time with me in heavy westcoast surf and did great. I really wish you all would take him out next Saturday. He has a drysuit with him but needs a boat, paddle, PFD, etc. He is still learnng, but I'm sure he' deal with anything you want to do

Please call me if you can take him out and can gat him equipped. 2063210011

BBi

Hi folks. Are integrated hoods on drysuits just water collectors when not worn? I'm bidding on a new Expedition K'tat with hood and am not sure if it's an asset. Thanks for advice, and have a warm and safe Thanksgiving.

I love mine! Here in the NW it's great to have the hood year round. When not in use I keep it tucked under my PFD to keep the water from pooling. I use it everywhere except the river due to it coming out from under the PFD at high flows making it a snag hazard. I do use it in Deception Pass at levels maxing at 8+ knots without any problems. I also own a Ktat Tech Tour Jacket with hood. As Rick suggested, a baseball cap and a hood make a great combo. It so nice to keep that wind off you neck when it's cold and wet outside.

BB

Be gentle. She's actually only a student of a student and has just been on a few trips with me, but not tested. It was too soon to scare her off.

I am posting under private trips this NSPN tradition. Please check that out.

Also, one of founder Bob Burnett's students will be visiting from Seattle Thanksgiving weekend (with her drysuit) and would love to paddle. If someone is doing a beginner trip please let me know so I can hook her up with you. I have a boat/skirt/pfd/paddle to loan her.

Liz

Christopher

We humored you then as they do now. Some things in life just don't change.

Love, B

OK, OK, OK -- I'm still here and breathing a little more easily after the move to Fishtown. So, even I am fallible (occasionally) and acknowledge that I should have used "grammarian" (thanks, Ernie); but Ed is also correct: grammatist might have sufficed.

If anyone thinks, just because we are concerned primarily with sea-kayaking here, that spelling and English usage are unimportant, then I believe such a person to be woefully misguided (yes) and part of the cause for the sad and general decline in present-day standards. Our language is a razor-sharp tool with the potential for high accuracy -- don't forget that! The founder of this website never took me to task for such tongue-in-cheek comments, so why now, all these years later? I care very much about language and shall not desist.

Sooz-annie, I cannot attend tomorrow, due to work, or I should have liked to have been present -- to contribute my little bit!

See you all later!

Arriving a Bowman Bay was a bit of a surprise as every other car in

the parking lot had kayaks on it and the lot was full. "Are there that

many "slackers" on the SRKAlumn list?" I thought to myself.

A tri-club kayak rendezvous was well underway as well as the crew from

OA being on-site for a corporate gig. We unloaded and dressed, and

waited for Darrell and possibly Jon Berry to show. At shove off time

they showed of course, take your lashings Darrell and Jon. We waited

for them even though they told us to shove off, so what was coming

wasn't really their fault.

AHH, 130pm ish and were finally getting underway on this amazingly

pretty day. Out and around Deception Island in a small swell and then

down the chute through Canoe Pass with around 2 knots of current. A

nice easy ride, but not as much as I hoped to push us along due to our

delay.

A short stop for a stretch and a pee on Whidbey Island and then to Hope

Island we went. Lunch at Hope with Whende' amazing cookies as dessert.

With the max ebb in Deception Pass nearing quickly we shoved off at just after 4pm and

used the flow to quickly carry us towards the Pass. Whoops! Darrel

forgot his watch on Hope and has to go back. Jon followed him as a

wing man not wanting him to be lonely.

The core group of slackers arriving at just after 5pm, shot through

the Pass with only a few SQUEALS from the slackers behind me. "Just

stay behind me and keep paddling" I commanded. Down the chute, over

a couple of 2 foot standing waves, and through the boils and

whirlpools that makes Deception fun, they were free to relax again. Be

proud of yourselves, you just came through DP at 4+ knots you

slackers. Timing is everything!

Rand carried the group back to the put-in while I waited at the Pass

for Darrell and Jon to catch up. Boys will be boys, as Darrell and

John come shooting through and dove into the eddy behind Pass Island.

It's play time for Darrell as he peels out into the 5 knot current for some

ferrying followed by Jon. I told them I was headed back to the put-in

now that I knew they were GTG and peeled out into the main flow

looking back to see swim practice ensuing. 2 tiring days for Darrell I

guess as John threw him back into his boat. I waited for them to catch

up and paddled back to Bowman Bay together.

The penalty for swimming in DP is 10 rolls which Darrell struggled with at first, but polished on the last 6.

Until the next time,

The Slackers

Elise

Alex

Cathy

Whende

Slacker Support

Darrell

John

Rand

BB

Hey Bob, bring a good rope ... I need another workout!

Have boat, will tow.

Leon

Leon

I'll bring the extra heavy shit for you since we'll be going for a new record for Leon "The Machine".

What's the old one? 7 paddlers in tow?

June 21, 2008 falls on a Saturday - a perfect time for the 10th anniversary paddle & party.

Liz

Sounds like a plan!!!!!!!!!!!

Any plans for a party next summer? I'd love to come and abuse my friends.