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John, Thank you for the info. Looks like great cookware! John, could you email me - wjosh51 at yahoo dot com? Hope at ask you about PWS. Taking it up a few more notches to Naked Island and beyond. Warren

Thank you Suz and Jason for your insights! Although my two pots did the trick for the 12 day Alaska trip, I want to see if I can step it up a notch or two. (Yes, I was able to prepare a yummy chocolate fondue with my two pots!) Ideally, I would have three different size pots and one fry pan that all nest together and also hold my cup and bowl. They would all work well with my Whisperlite stove and pack easily inside the 8" hatch. And the search is on......... Warren

Josko, Did you find the WFR class helpful? Any need to use your knowledge during your recent trip? Hopefully, no bear maulings to repair! I understand the program has an option to test for certification. Did you test? Warren

Josko, What kind of bear did you see? I assume it was a black bear. Warren

Jason, Thank you for the info on the pots above. What kind and how many pots do you use when cooking group meals? I have been using the MSR Base 2 pot set from REI. (see link below) The pots work well, but always looking for improvements to my process. Warren http://www.rei.com/product/783950/msr-base-2-pot-set

Josko, I would guess burning is the best alternative when is it not practical to pack it out. I would value any insights from our community. In Alaska we did not discover any trash within the center sections of Prince William Sound. Amazing when you think about it! We did discover some trash as we got closer to Whittier and the end of our journey. At that point we chose to pack it out. I will say at one camp site we discovered inappropriate poop management which required corrective actions. Need I say more? Warren

Hey Josko, welcome back! As you craft your trip report, I would value any insights you gathered regarding group dynamics and team building activities. I would guess you started with a diverse group of paddlers and had the challenge of building a solid team to complete your journey. What kind of group activities were required and how did those activities help you? I will greatly enjoy reading your trip report! Thanks, Warren

Thank you Lorrie! I agree thorough trip planning and risk identification are essential duties for any guide and need to be addressed on every trip. In many ways my ongoing relationship with Mother Nature has taught me those skills. Those will always be valuable lessons learned. This year I needed to find a solution to a different risk factor. There is an old saying within the sea kayaking community that our greatest risk can be who we choose to paddle with on any group trip. I know paddling solo eliminates the risk, but I had chosen to eliminate that option very early in my journey. My path into Guide training was my way of searching for the solution. During my training, a solution that closely aligned with my nature was discovered. I then field tested the discovery in Alaska. It worked and now I need to test the reliability during a 2015 trip back to Alaska. In essence I discovered a leader is one who works with the paddlers she/he is given on any trip. The test is to initiate a transition to a collection of leaders with varying skills who work as a team to strengthen each other. So team building skills which promote high levels of communication and a culture of caring are essential. I do acknowledge this approach takes time and is best suited to longer trips. Those longer trips are usually when those skills are most needed. Clearly, I see myself not as a guide, but as a “leader” within a team of “leaders” who explore and camp in some of the most amazing areas of the world. Warren

Today I completed the registration process to attend this class in January. Registrations are now being accepted. If this opportunity aligns with your journey, you might consider completing the registration process. Feel free to contact me if questions arise. Be safe, Warren

Gary, Count me in! Warren

Pru, As always, a great report and great photos! I am sorry I missed out on this trip. I particularly enjoyed seeing paddlers who were not in dry suits! OMG, I have not yet paddled this year without a dry suit. I really do need to get out on the water and have some fun in short sleeves and a bathing suit! Warren

Nate, Thank you very much for your kind words. Your training was just what I needed to prepare me for the guide exam and to be a contributing member of the Alaska trip. I will forever be in your debt. Warren

Well done! The best part was sharing your accomplishment with each other! Warren

NSPN Community, I am hoping to connect with any other paddlers who have already taken a 9 day Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training program as offered by Solo. I am also seeking any paddlers who plan to take a WFR program in 2015. I am registering for a WFR program taught by Solo and held over 9 day at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell campus from January 2 to 10, 2015 and held at the Campus Recreation Center. The following link will connect you to Rachel Ivwesen, Coordinator of Outdoor Programs. http://www.uml.edu/CampusRecreation/Outdoor-Adventure/Instructional-Programs.aspx As I work toward developing a competency in group safety and guide related skills, this seemed to be a logical next step. As a paddling team member in Alaska, I hope to have the skills to be the go-to person when health and wellness issues surface. Of course if that does not happen, I should at least be able to hand out a few sleep aids and ear plugs! Warren

I am in! Staying at the Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA. Will bring my bear hang gear to protect the food from the bears! Arriving after work on Thursday, then paddling on Friday and Saturday only. Driving home on Sunday. Work obligations dictate this arrangement. Warren

Dave, thank you for your kind words and I do not plan to initiate a kayak guide service. I now realize my motives in seeking the guide license might need clarification. I suspect there are many gentle readers who do not know me and may be thinking to themselves, did he really pursue the guide license just for the wicked cool patch and sticker? The answer is NO! I do hope other NSPN paddlers will consider obtaining their guide license and maybe an explanation of my journey may help them decide. First off, I really like paddling off the coast of Maine and I have always had great respect for the Maine guides who help paddlers of all skill levels get to enjoy paddling. The guides I have known are knowledgeable, respectful, skillful and customer-oriented. Above all I see them as guides who clearly understand group safety. Last April I made the decision to seek greater knowledge specifically regarding group safety. I enrolled in a six day Maine Guide training course scheduled in May. During the class I discovered Maine Guide training does focus on group safety. The course clearly exceeded my expectations. I acquired a great deal of new knowledge that would guide me on any group trip, not just group trips off the coast of Maine. That realization was driven home during my recent Alaska trip. The Alaska trip was the longest paddling trip I have ever completed. It was also very much “off the grid” where safety was our greatest concern. More specifically group safety both on land and on the water was paramount. The training I received in May served me well in Alaska. More importantly the guide training and the Alaska trip showed me a different approach to group trips. During my paddling trips off the coast of Maine over the last couple year we have always focused on safety. However, they often felt like a collection of individuals who have gathered as a group to paddle and camp together. On the Alaska trip the focus felt very different. It felt like a team that would work together through daily activities to keep each other safe. The well worn phrase, “The Team is the Strength” kept echoing in my mind. My guide training helped me embrace this approach more easily. I now realize the mind-set was strengthened daily via our common shared activities. A process I have not done during my Maine camping trips since the environment does not demand that approach. I believe if you are driven to seek longer trips, and if those trips take place in a wilderness-like environment, your guide training may help you function more effectively as a team member. Of course if that does not happen, at least you have a wicked cool patch and sticker! Warren

Thank you all for your kind wishes. Yes Cathy and Rob, it was all about the patch and sticker! Interestingly enough they are now blue in color! See pic below. The description on the Maine Guide Supply web site as listed below addresses the new color. "The blue Maine Guide Patch is for those specialties that are totally water-based. This means that if you are a Registered Maine Guide for Sea Kayaking, Tidewater Fishing, or Whitewater Rafting you are entitled to wear this new patch or the traditional red/green." Warren

Pru, Thank you for your kind words. I need to pass along a thank you to Nate Hanson and Michael Daugherty of Pinniped Kayak (http://www.pinnipedkayak.com/) for teaching me what I needed to know during their six day training class last May. I also owe a thank you to Ryan Collins of Paddler’s Realm (http://paddlersrealm.com/) for helping me see that Maine Guide skills are relevant and translatable to Alaska. Now all I want to do is go on several camping trips off the coast of Maine with our great paddling buddies. Warren

Leon, I will be able to carve out some time next weekend to try the experiment. This weekend is all family cookouts. I will get back to you! Warren

Hey Jason, How would you like to look over your shoulder and see this guy looking at you?! Warren

Leong, It might be helpful to know, the Standard On-Board Console of my KayakPro SpeedStroke has the ability to collect and display the "Power Output in Cal/J" as well as the Stroke Rate, Heart Rate, etc. You can then connect the console to PC Software such as, "eMonitorPro 2" and "KayakPro VirtualRace" and others. By the way the developer of the product, who I believe is Grayson Bourne, and I spoke on the telephone several times during the purchase process. He is very knowledgable and helpful. I can tell you I use it every week and it was extremely helpful to me in preparing for my recent trip in Alaska. I always paddle high angle and before training I would feel fatigue in my torso. My training began in October of 2013. During the six weeks leading up to my flight to Anchorage, I was up to training seven days per week for two hours per day. My body went thru a significant change in form and function. I am now back down to training four times per week for two hours per day just because I love being on the SpeedStroke. In many ways it is like being in my kayak. Warren

NSPN Community, David and I are excited about our participation in the Gould Barn event. Feel free to jump in with any requests! Some of the topics which I think you might find helpful if planning to paddle in Alaska are: 1. How did you handle your clothing plan both on and off the water knowing you would encourter great variations from the glacial fiords and the other sections of the PWS and a lot of rain. 2. How does poop management differ in PWS from Maine camp sites. 3. Describe your bug management program. 4. Did you have a travel logistics plan and if so, can you share. 5. Can you describe your water collection methods. 6. How did you manage not be eaten by a bear? 7. What are some of the health and wellness issues you planned for and addressed during the trip. 8. How does one successfully navigate the group interactions of a team on expedition? 9. Expedition travel can be intense living. Any suggestions on what worked well for you? 10. Can you talk about the rental boats, paddles and any other available gear? That was just 10 ideas that came to mind. I know there are many more. Feel free to list any you have since we want this to be helpful to you. Warren

Hi Gary, Please count me in! I will PM you today. Warren P.S. I need to practice my bear hangs!

David, Your report is superb. It fills in all the blanks and enriches our attempt to help the NSPN community gain a deeper understanding of PWS. Thank you for your kind words regarding my efforts, you were so good to work with and together we gained the knowledge we needed. We thrived in Alaska. I do hope you will accompany me next summer as I return to PWS and begin exploring a whole new section. I know we can enlist both Ryan and Beth to join us. Actually, I could not imagine a trip without them. Ryan is a superb escort/guide and Beth has such a deep understanding of plants, animals and the geology of PWS. Besides they are now very good friends! On the last day of our trip, Ryan pulled me aside and said next year seeing a tidewater glacier will be our first order of business. To help complete our team, I suspect we might need one or two NSPN paddlers to join us next year for another 12 day trip. If we help them gain the knowledge they need, I suspect they will be ready to seek approval from Ryan. As always, Ryan will determine the final team membership. I see opportunities beginning in September where the curriculum will include erecting tarps, bear hangs and planning/execution of group meals. We have so much knowledge to share. David, as you know, I have fallen in love with Alaska and PWS in particular. I am counting the days when I can return to Prince William Sound, a kayaker's paradise! Warren

Suz, Yes, I was at ground zero three years ago. It is said when a goal is important to you, you will find a way to get it done. Paddling in Alaska was important to me. I discovered Alaska can be a land of extremes. The weather can be big, the carnivores can be big and the insect swarms can be big. I know many paddlers can go to Alaska and survive. NSPN paddlers can do better. We can go and thrive. To achieve that goal we need the collective intelligence of each other. I do hope we can meet at a location to be determined and begin the knowledge transfer. I believe Alaska has a way of changing people who are ready to hear the message. I was ready to listen. Warren