WHY NOT THE BEST?

[m***@mail.gov.nf.ca]

Why not the best kayakers here? Whitewater, the potential is limited..
Sea kayaking, no limits.

The Inuit lived/died by their kayaking. Not so for us. Because of
that, we'll never be as good.

That understood, who stands necessarily before us? The Brits? The
West Coast? I say no one.

The Northwest Atlantic is a harsh, wild place (murderous, this time of
year). Celebrate it.

Engage the sea. Level I or II or III or IV conditions. All good.
Paddle in your space.

But never accept that we will simply follow. We learn from others. We
make our own way.

I'm middle-aged. I will reach, sometimes achieve. The young should
strive. It's a good life.

[DAVEMAC]

Whitewater, the potential is limited???

Unfortunately that is the type of comment that will help ensure that
participation in and general knowledge of WW paddling in NF stays low.

We live in a very special place for WW and Ocean Paddling, something
that many take for granted.

I expect that as the experience level builds amongst local paddlers
you will see more people take a leading role in both doing and
teaching.

One thing to keep in mind is that most people here are recreational
paddlers and it is unfair to compare them to people who paddle for a
living. It seems that most of the time the paddlers we are exposed to
from away, i.e. who travel here or we read about in the magazines or
see in videos, are professional kayakers. I would expect that of the
people who work locally in the paddling industry there are several who
would rank highly in terms of skills and experience compared to just
about anywhere in the world and are actively trying to pass that on to
local paddlers.

I agree strongly that more young paddlers would be a big boost to the
sport. It's a life long activity full of new challenges and rewards,
a great sport to get involved in early.

Later

Dave Mac

[Alex McGruer]

Here is a thought.
On the ocean at least we rule.
Check out what we have in the photo of the month program.
Check out the folks that come here to paddle around ice bergs and
whales.
Stuff we do as a matter of course is National Geographic material.
Rough waters, Nigel Denis has some good shots from Cape Horn but Jamie
Lewis has better from Middle Cove. Tony Lee's scrap book is not world
class because it remains unmatched.
Wildlife, Sandy's first ocean paddle was amongst whales and porpoise.
Bioluminesance is a matter of fact not an exception if you paddle at
night. Seals playing or feeding are fairly common. Eagles, osprey,
puffin, turr, gannets and gulls are common as ,,, they are the norm.
6 and 8 foot swells are normal. larger happen, of course you want to
have a decent take out. I was out in that in Cape Broyle last summer
with some folks; swells about 8 feet: No problem.
Now what we don't have is congested water ways, canals, lines of docks
and slipways, barges blindly going this way and that, private docks
with no access for miles, rigid enforcement of inane laws.
Well we have all that and sewerage too: but it's confined to St.John's
harbour. Most of my friends prefer not to paddle much there, it's only
a small harbour.
I don't think we have to strive to be the best, what is the best
anyway?
What folks live a lifetime wishing to do we likely did last summer.
What did a new paddler (Sandy) do last summer? Paddled through caves,
lots of them: Paddled ice bergs, Paddled with whales, porpois, eagles
hovered over us and damned near nailed my boat with droppings in
Chance Cove. We have fished, surfed, bothered seals, night paddled in
bioluminesance, watched shooting stars from a kayak in a black bay,
paddled blind in fog (OK. sandy was only out in the mildest of fogs)
Followed compas bearings.
All this and we have not even had to camp.
When it comes to ocean paddling we have had greatness thrust on us.
This and I can only think of three ocean fatalities.
I would be out right now but it is about minus ,, Bloody cold.
Alex

[Squidink]

must be a boy (child) thing.
not sure why we're trying so hard to compete.
just do. smile. be thankful.
paddle on.

[b***@hotmail.com]

To quote Alex, "what is the best anyway"?

Just get out and paddle when you can...........not today though,
brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Time to wax the cross country skis and get out on the trails.
Brian

[TonyLee]

Post by b***@hotmail.com
To quote Alex, "what is the best anyway"?
Just get out and paddle when you can...........not today though,
brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Time to wax the cross country skis and get out on the trails.
Brian

bump