Comments on: Oysters http://www.kayakquixotica.com/2005/02/28/oysters/ Tilting At Waves Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:23:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Anonymous http://www.kayakquixotica.com/2005/02/28/oysters/comment-page-1/#comment-139 Anonymous Tue, 11 Oct 2005 05:41:00 +0000 http://cheesestate.com/quixotica/?p=23#comment-139 Hey, you have a great blog here! <br/><br/>I have a <a HREF="http://www.designdogwear.com" REL="nofollow">coat dog shampoos white</a> site. It pretty much covers ##Coats for Dogs## related stuff.<br/><br/>Come and check it out if you get time. Hey, you have a great blog here!

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kayakquixotica.com/2005/02/28/oysters/comment-page-1/#comment-138 Anonymous Mon, 10 Oct 2005 09:51:00 +0000 http://cheesestate.com/quixotica/?p=23#comment-138 Hey, you have a great blog here! I'm definitely going to bookmark you!<br/><br/>I have a <a HREF="http://www.designerdoggiewear.com" REL="nofollow">**Dog Coats**</a> site/. It pretty much covers the sale of custom made dog coats.<br/><br/>Come and check it out if you get time :-) Hey, you have a great blog here! I’m definitely going to bookmark you!

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]]> By: Quit Smoking http://www.kayakquixotica.com/2005/02/28/oysters/comment-page-1/#comment-137 Quit Smoking Sun, 09 Oct 2005 10:17:00 +0000 http://cheesestate.com/quixotica/?p=23#comment-137 Hello fellow fisherman,<br/><br/>Did you know that 16% of the U.S. population goes fishing at least 16 days a year?<br/><br/>Did you also know that over 75% of the nations fishermen do not fish during "prime time"; fish feeding hours?<br/><br/>Those precious few moments before twilight can be absolutely magical. Even up until 11pm at night, the largest predators of any species feed ravenously.<br/><br/>Don't believe me? Check out Daniel Eggertsen's story, and a picture of a couple of his catches here : <a HREF="http://www.ebooks-marketplace.com/fishing.html" REL="nofollow">"Evening Secrets plus more"</a><br/><br/>I want you to do me a favor and try it out so I can see what you think of it, and if it works for you as well as it did for me.<br/><br/>You will be one of the first to try it out.<br/><br/>Gone Fishin',<br/><br/>Neil Hello fellow fisherman,

Did you know that 16% of the U.S. population goes fishing at least 16 days a year?

Did you also know that over 75% of the nations fishermen do not fish during “prime time”; fish feeding hours?

Those precious few moments before twilight can be absolutely magical. Even up until 11pm at night, the largest predators of any species feed ravenously.

Don’t believe me? Check out Daniel Eggertsen’s story, and a picture of a couple of his catches here : “Evening Secrets plus more”

I want you to do me a favor and try it out so I can see what you think of it, and if it works for you as well as it did for me.

You will be one of the first to try it out.

Gone Fishin’,

Neil

]]> By: Quit Smoking http://www.kayakquixotica.com/2005/02/28/oysters/comment-page-1/#comment-136 Quit Smoking Sun, 09 Oct 2005 02:00:00 +0000 http://cheesestate.com/quixotica/?p=23#comment-136 Hello fellow fisherman,<br/><br/>Did you know that 16% of the U.S. population goes fishing at least 16 days a year?<br/><br/>Did you also know that over 75% of the nations fishermen do not fish during "prime time"; fish feeding hours?<br/><br/>Those precious few moments before twilight can be absolutely magical. Even up until 11pm at night, the largest predators of any species feed ravenously.<br/><br/>Don't believe me? Check out Daniel Eggertsen's story, and a picture of a couple of his catches here : <a HREF="http://www.ebooks-marketplace.com/fishing.html" REL="nofollow">"Evening Secrets plus more"</a><br/><br/>I want you to do me a favor and try it out so I can see what you think of it, and if it works for you as well as it did for me.<br/><br/>You will be one of the first to try it out.<br/><br/>Gone Fishin',<br/><br/>Neil Hello fellow fisherman,

Did you know that 16% of the U.S. population goes fishing at least 16 days a year?

Did you also know that over 75% of the nations fishermen do not fish during “prime time”; fish feeding hours?

Those precious few moments before twilight can be absolutely magical. Even up until 11pm at night, the largest predators of any species feed ravenously.

Don’t believe me? Check out Daniel Eggertsen’s story, and a picture of a couple of his catches here : “Evening Secrets plus more”

I want you to do me a favor and try it out so I can see what you think of it, and if it works for you as well as it did for me.

You will be one of the first to try it out.

Gone Fishin’,

Neil

]]> By: derrick http://www.kayakquixotica.com/2005/02/28/oysters/comment-page-1/#comment-6 derrick Tue, 01 Mar 2005 17:13:00 +0000 http://cheesestate.com/quixotica/?p=23#comment-6 You know, it's pretty tough picking and instructor. Being Certified by the ACA or BCU is a good start. But many great instructors are not certified. And there are some really bad certified instructors. In fact many of my favorite instructors were not certified. They were just talented teachers. The downside is that you never know that until you take the class. I guess I would be asking (if they don't tell you) about experience. Where have they have paddled, taught, guided before. Do they have first aid certifications? If not is there someone close by with first aid training? What is the instructor to student ratio? Normally we think 1 instructor to every 5 or 6 students. But personally I like one to 4 or less if possible.<br /><br />At the start of a class that I instruct I always have a little round table where we all talk about our experiences and goals. So we all (including me) take time to talk about our experience and what we want out of the day. Then I can try to target bits of the class to what each student is hoping for and address it right off when someone is just aiming too high. That way we get off to a good start.<br /><br />Just note that you should not come out of a class feeling stupid. If you do, it's time to shop for a new teacher. :) You should leave a class feeling like you have work to do, but also feeling that it's possible and you are capable of achieving your goals.<br /><br />Regarding gear, we have 17 foot boats so even with all of our gear Mary and I could fit a 2 week camping trip in there too. It just takes creative packing. At minimum recreational paddlers should have PFD, Pump, Paddle float, basic first aid kit, signaling device (whistle & mirror), dry clothing to change into if you swim, snacks & water. Again the pump and paddle float won't help until you know how to use them. If you tend to get cold, then neoprene gloves are a good choice too.<br /><br />The video I recommended has nothing to do with learning. It's just fun. Learning from video when you are first starting out can be really depressing. It seems too confusing and too full of "rules". I think you will find videos more helpful once you have actually had an intro class and been out and played around in your boat a bit. So before you actually get in your boat I would rather have you "inspired". :) (and maybe a little scared)<br /><br />I have the Paddling Wisconsin books too. They are good books but the focus a bit much on rivers and not so much on lakes. You will have to come up and paddle Mirror Lake near the Dells. there are some beautiful areas there.<br /><br />If you are anywhere near Milwaukee you could contact John Browning for instruction as well. He is the guy you see in my Lake Michigan february pictures. He is a very good instructor. His website is www.wildernessconnection.com.<br /><br />I know you will probably go out in May. But I have to tell you (especially in this forum) that it's not safe for beginners. Tell you what, before you go out, go swimming in the lake first. Stay in the water for around 15 minutes. If you still feel like paddling after you swim in it then at least you know what you could be in for. Whatever you do DON'T use your spray skirts until you have lessons in wet exits. <br /><br />Again I would really think about some dry gear. A dry jacket at the very least is a good choice for anyone regardless of what they plan to do. Personally I will wear my drysuit into June. Then I will wear a wetsuit until almost the end of June. Then I have two or two and a half months where I were 1mm hydroskins (check NRS). Then it's back to the wetsuit in September and Drysuit in October.<br /><br />If you can't tell, I am a safety-first kind of person. But once you cover your basis you can have a lot of fun. You know, it’s pretty tough picking and instructor. Being Certified by the ACA or BCU is a good start. But many great instructors are not certified. And there are some really bad certified instructors. In fact many of my favorite instructors were not certified. They were just talented teachers. The downside is that you never know that until you take the class. I guess I would be asking (if they don’t tell you) about experience. Where have they have paddled, taught, guided before. Do they have first aid certifications? If not is there someone close by with first aid training? What is the instructor to student ratio? Normally we think 1 instructor to every 5 or 6 students. But personally I like one to 4 or less if possible.

At the start of a class that I instruct I always have a little round table where we all talk about our experiences and goals. So we all (including me) take time to talk about our experience and what we want out of the day. Then I can try to target bits of the class to what each student is hoping for and address it right off when someone is just aiming too high. That way we get off to a good start.

Just note that you should not come out of a class feeling stupid. If you do, it’s time to shop for a new teacher. :) You should leave a class feeling like you have work to do, but also feeling that it’s possible and you are capable of achieving your goals.

Regarding gear, we have 17 foot boats so even with all of our gear Mary and I could fit a 2 week camping trip in there too. It just takes creative packing. At minimum recreational paddlers should have PFD, Pump, Paddle float, basic first aid kit, signaling device (whistle & mirror), dry clothing to change into if you swim, snacks & water. Again the pump and paddle float won’t help until you know how to use them. If you tend to get cold, then neoprene gloves are a good choice too.

The video I recommended has nothing to do with learning. It’s just fun. Learning from video when you are first starting out can be really depressing. It seems too confusing and too full of “rules”. I think you will find videos more helpful once you have actually had an intro class and been out and played around in your boat a bit. So before you actually get in your boat I would rather have you “inspired”. :) (and maybe a little scared)

I have the Paddling Wisconsin books too. They are good books but the focus a bit much on rivers and not so much on lakes. You will have to come up and paddle Mirror Lake near the Dells. there are some beautiful areas there.

If you are anywhere near Milwaukee you could contact John Browning for instruction as well. He is the guy you see in my Lake Michigan february pictures. He is a very good instructor. His website is http://www.wildernessconnection.com.

I know you will probably go out in May. But I have to tell you (especially in this forum) that it’s not safe for beginners. Tell you what, before you go out, go swimming in the lake first. Stay in the water for around 15 minutes. If you still feel like paddling after you swim in it then at least you know what you could be in for. Whatever you do DON’T use your spray skirts until you have lessons in wet exits.

Again I would really think about some dry gear. A dry jacket at the very least is a good choice for anyone regardless of what they plan to do. Personally I will wear my drysuit into June. Then I will wear a wetsuit until almost the end of June. Then I have two or two and a half months where I were 1mm hydroskins (check NRS). Then it’s back to the wetsuit in September and Drysuit in October.

If you can’t tell, I am a safety-first kind of person. But once you cover your basis you can have a lot of fun.

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