Many folks have read my “Zen of sculling” post and I’ve got a lot of good feed back. Thank you for that. However, as we all know there are many much wiser folks than I out there. (many, many, many, many. . . .) So if I can share something from a Greenland style kayaking champion I’m going to shut up and let him do the talking.

Greg Stamer is from Orlando Florida and in 2000 and 2002 he participated in two Greenland National Kayaking Championships, winning two gold and two bronze medals. In fact in both events Greg earned the most points in the individual rolling event for his age group. One of the cool things about Greg is that his rolling skills are self-taught, having spent a good amount of time learning from books and videos. Keep this in mind when you’re feeling out of the loop because you can’t make all the symposiums or find good instructors in your area.

A few days ago at Pnet there was a discussion about rolling and Greg jumped in to talk about how the Greenland Inuit originally taught the side-scull before the roll as a natural progression to the roll. As I mentioned in my earlier post when you have a good scull down, rolling becomes a flexible and fluid motion. Not something that just happens in a “sweep and a yank”. (I’m sure there’s the set up for a good British joke in there somewhere. What do you get when you cross . . . ) But that got me thinking about how exactly did the Inuit teach side sculling? Did they just stand there and hold the paddle like we tend to do now? Did they have you “roll” into it? I wondered. So A quick email and a couple days later, now we know that learning the side scull is really just learning the balance brace. Well, almost! In time we come to see that everything, sculling, rolling, bracing etc., is not a bunch of strokes, but the blending of fluid motions.

With that in mind here’s some pointers from Greg Stamer. . . Thanks Greg!!

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The steps for side sculling are:

1) Rotate in the seat, so that you are sitting somewhat on the side of the seat.

2) Twist your torso strongly — you want your back to be flat on the water.

3) Capsize — as soon as your body hits the water, arch your back and put all pressure on the low leg (closest to the water). This leg will be straight and the other leg does nothing.

4) Keep your head immersed for buoyancy. You should be looking straight up with only your eyes, nose and mouth above the water.

5) This is all about finding a balance position. If you get it right you don’t even need to use the paddle. You do need to arch your back and/or push with your legs to keep the kayak as flat on the water as possible. If the kayak is sitting on its side or more, then it will simply push your body under the water as it falls on top of you.

-GS
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Here is another good thread from the Greenland Forum – http://www.qajaqusa.org/cgi-bin/GreenlandTechniqueForum_config.pl/noframes/read/833
For More info on Greg Stamer go to http://www.qajaqusa.org/QUSA/bio_greg.html
Also you can see him in Justine’s Video “This Is The Sea” at http://www.cackletv.com/
Send Them To Greenland – http://www.sendthemtogreenland.com/

Here is my ‘beginners’ post on sculling if you missed it – http://www.kayakwisconsin.net/2005/08/zen-of-sculling.html

Oooh, that’s right – Cold Play

“Epiblog”

Ok, I sit down to write about yesterday feeling a bit pressurized as Sam Crowley had taken time to tell everyone at the I.C.E. about my website. I wish I could offer something enlightening or for that matter remember all the names as well as I can remember the faces. But as those who know me have come to recognize, I tend to often be slightly off in my own little dementia. From there I can only write down where my brain was going and often I’ve found it travels it’s own crazy path. .

Pass To Play

At 5 am on a rainy and foggy day you are alone. At 5 am even the dog doesn’t bother to get up to keep you company. The cat on the other hand is happy to chase you around demanding food. Puttering around the house getting ready to leave for the last day of the ACA I.C.E. I felt like Vincent Price gathering up stakes for another day of killing vampires. In this case I was gathering up repair kits, first aid, dry suit, extra warm clothes and all the other little do-dads I may need for the day. I’m pretty mindful that if you’re going to hang with new instructors for a day you need to have all your “I’s” dotted. When I had finally carried my last load out through the darkness to the jeep, I returned to the kitchen and took a few minutes to just sit in the silence and contemplate all the nothingness of the morning. Sipping coffee at the table before the birds start to sing you truly are the “Last Man on Earth“.

At 6 am the Fog turns violet. The cars passing by in the other lane are lifeless animated lights that come out of nowhere just to disappear seconds later like a scene from Close Encounters. Because my brain has a ‘thing’ for moody drama, I put on a Cold Play cd and let the world warp around me in a high-speed Dali-esque landscape for the next hour and a half. The swirling fog and melting landscape flew by in a timeless wash until the urban landscape of Milwaukee rose out of the fog. Suddenly life in oils had to be put aside so I could navigate.

Thankfully John Browning is a detail guy and his directions were concise and took me quickly to the marina. The little parking ticket booth was still boarded up so I avoided having to figure out how to pay the parking fee with only plastic in my wallet. (Or so I thought at the time.) One other lone red & black kayak was being loaded as I parked next to the water. Bits and pieces of various crafts stood out of the fog and again tugged at my imagination as I shut off the truck and set to the task of unloading my warhorse. After a few minutes conversation with the owner of the other boat, a flood of kayaks was unleashed over the hill and the parking lot was full of questions and laughter mixed with the banging and clanking of gear. The final day was upon us.

I hadn’t seen Sam in a year but he looked exactly as I remembered him from my I.C.E. as he walked over to chat about the day. My task was to be an “extra set of eyes”. Something I was happy to do even if my glasses kept fogging up! I was looking forward to assisting with the exam without having to “prove” myself. Sam quoted Nigel Dennis who said once something to the effect of ” don’t tell me your certification. What have you done since then?”. Returning to the I.C.E. I could not help but rewind through all the experiences I had had since I was tested last year. I remembered being newly certified then running off to California to have Shawna Franklin quickly show me how far I had to go. I thought of Kayak surfing in Pacific fog, then coming back to be involved in my first real rescue in the cold December waters off of Two Rivers. The day my kayak was smashed against the break wall by confused 5 footers. A day of slipping through Great Lakes icebergs with JB. Flashbacks of Justine Curgenven flying by me as I was still finding my footings in the waves off North Manitou Island. Watching Ken Fink padding in those same waves like it was a lazy Sunday afternoon. I heard Richard Kocher telling jokes on the beach as the sunset sank in the water behind him. I thought about each symposium I had worked and all the many faces. Keith, Lori, Doug and so many others. The crazy Black Parrot crew dancing with their paddles to music I could’nt hear. I remembered standing next to great instructors feeling like an imposter as we introduced classes. Then being on my own on Lake Superior teaching braces and sweeps. Teaching at Rutabaga in the same water where I took my first kayak class. Then in whoosh here we are back in Milwaukee. One year down.

Now gathering on the concrete walls of this urban landing were many new faces and some very familiar ones. If any of them were as nervous as I was in their place it did not show. Everyone seemed confident and jovial as we slipped out into the fog.

This last day of the I.C.E. is taken up with scenarios as I had mentioned in a previous post. Each candidate is put though a little play where they are in charge as things start falling apart around them. Each scenario is chosen by the Instructor Trainers to ferret out little elements of the students character. Someone shy and less assertive for instance may be put in a situation where they need to be assertive and decisive in their leadership. Will they be able to keep their classes safe? Will they rise up to control the situation? This is where you try to get the answers. The downside or fun side depending on how you look at it, is that most scenarios are pretty trumped up. In real life you almost never face that multiple break downs you see here. I could only laugh or feel empathy for the poor candidates going crazy with groups of un-cooperative students. At the same time you could also see lights going on as people saw situations in a new light or unimagined issues come to their attention. One of the best things in the world is to see a person awaken to a new thought or concept. You can almost see the light blaze from their eyes. Which in this case we needed under the fog and dark clouds of the day. The hours passed quickly as people fell out of their boats, instructors yelled and giggled, rollers lifted and sank, and passers by checked to see if all was ok. (Nice to see you again, Cindy) Then in no time we were paddling back toward a shrouded opening in the break wall.

As we returned around the heaped stone wall the rolling Jell-O seas calmed quickly behind it’s protection, everyone in their own way was realizing the exam was over. They had done what they could. People were tired but exhilarated, relived and proud, introspective, yet talkative. 3 days of testing comes to it’s end in this short paddle through a maze of moored sailboats and bouncing buoys. Now they only needed to load boats and wait. Wait until their name was called and they could walk over for their short chat with the Instructor Trainers. Now they would hear how they did, what level they certified at, and what they needed to do to move forward if they chose to do so. You have to feel a little sorry for the one at the end of the list who waits a hour for this final “judgment”. You see each person walk over to a bench just out of earshot. You see lips moving and expressions changing interspersed with occasional loud or nervous laughter. Then they return. Some tell you how they did, some choose not to share. Then the next walks over. Then the next, until your name is called. Then comes the long drive home. For one candidate this meant St. Louis.

Now the fun starts. What will everyone do with their shiny new ACA certifications? Where will the go with it? Thing is, the ACA certification means a lot to some and nothing to others. Certification does not mean you are a great kayaker. Or sometimes even a good one. What it does mean is that an effort to be a good TEACHER was put forth. Skills were taught and witnessed by other more experienced instructors and they felt the candidate could teach and “such and such” a level in “such and such” situations. To steal the concept from Sam, in some ways certification is really a “pass to play”. Regardless of previous skills, now is when some of these new folks will start moving forward and gaining experience. Some becoming truly great instructors and teachers. Doors will open. Opportunities to teach will come along. But each individual will have to find their place, prioritize their time, and seek out opportunities & experiences. Next year they will see October approching and think about their I.C.E. and reflect upon the year before. What stories will they tell? And where will they go next? Sitting down at this computer I’m asking myself those same questions.

Congratulations to all the brand new 2005 Certified ACA Instructors! And personally, to Nydia, Dick, & Elizabeth. Thanks to Sam & John for letting me sit in.

But I’m warning you,
don’t ever do those crazy, messed up things that you do
If you ever do, I promise you
I’l be the first to crucify you
Now it’s time to prove that you’ve come back here to rebuild. – Bare Naked Ladies

One topic that has been very popular in my journal has been the information and photos about the seat repair and up-grade in my Explorer. So this post is for us NDK Owners. . .

Hey let’s be honest, we are all aware of the quality control problems we’ve seen over the years. However things are actually looking up (really). By example, recently Simon over at NDK posted a nice long response regarding changes they have made in their seats. I think a lot of us may be wishing we could wind back the clock and have waited for the improvements. The single biggest change that stands out to me is that the seats are now packed in high-density foam. This is something you can emulate fairly easily at home. (many of us have) I found spray-foam insulation does this nicely. The point is to keep the seat from twisting and putting pressure on the hangers. Cost of this home remedy is under $2. Other folks I know have just cut and glued bits of mini-cell under the seat as well. Either choice is much cheaper than replacing a broken seat. They have also enlarged the hangers to give them more glassing area. Great! Anyone who has re-glassed the NDK seats have seen what an issue this can be. It was pretty darn difficult to get enough glass over the flange to make it feel secure. I had mine re-glassed and it broke again within a year. The obvious question has always been why don’t they just make the seat part cockpit rim? This seems to work well for Valley. Well, the argument is that a wider seat allows for better leg positions which is better for control in rough water. I’m thinking that may be a moot point with 80% of NDK owners here in the states. We don’t often get the chance to paddle in conditions like those in Anglesey. But then we drive cars here designed for the autobahn when we can only go 65mph!

On the other side of things the big wide cushy seat is pretty popular here as you know. Maybe someday they will offer a standard and a “RW” (rough water) option. Then they could create a standard model that would be lighter with a hybrid Valley/Wilderness Systems seat and such, then offer the RW version with wider hung seat, skeg rope (no wire), standard keel strip, various re-enforcements, and heaver lay-up. Personally I want an “RW” version Explorer with an ocean cockpit to boot!

Not a lot of people use the NDK forum and that’s too bad. The forum is a great place to interact directly with them. Just providing an open forum is a brave step for any company to take as it is. As a web developer myself, I know most companies to do not want their customers to have an open forum. They often fear the negative comments will hurt them. I’ve heard before, “Why would I give someone a place to slam my product on my website?”. Maybe, but then it also gives the company direct understanding of customer issues. It also shows customers you actually care. (If you are quick to address questions & comments) Often angry customers will find somewhere to post anyway and give the manufacturers no option to confront them, just look at Epinions or Amazon as an example. I’m happy to see NDK open a dialogue. It’s certainly a hopeful sign. Now it’s up to the customers to make use of the board to share the good and bad experiences they’ve had with their boats. I’m sure thousands of NDK owners around the world have a lot of experience to share.

My NDK Seat Repair Gallery – http://www.kayakwisconsin.net/NDK-seat-replacement.html
Previous Post Regarding Seat Replacement – http://www.kayakwisconsin.net/2005/08/watership-down.html

NDK Forum – http://www.nigeldenniskayaks.com/forums/
NDK Homepage – http://www.nigeldenniskayaks.com/index.shtml

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Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends – Greenday

After letting loose with another atrocious pun, Groucho looked right into the camera and said “hey, they can’t all be funny. . .” So with that in mind . . .

A fighter pilot has to keep track of every dot on the radar. If a warning light is coming on and garbled radio transmissions are also screaming for attention he can’t tell the enemy pilots to take a time out. Somehow you have to manage the mini-crisis’ while staying alive AND accomplishing your main objective all at the same time. This weekend some regional sea kayakers are going to jump into the cockpit for their 3 day ICE assessment culminating on Sunday with scenarios off the shores of Milwaukee on Lake Michigan. This year I will have the privilege of sitting in and watching the last day of the ICE from my own cockpit with the luxury of not being assessed. Having done my ACA assessment last year and seeing a few miles under my keel since then I really feel a lot of empathy for this year’s candidates. I was lucky enough to meet and work with a few of them over the summer and wish them all the best. I’m excited to be able to be there to watch them take this final step toward their certifications.

Personally I was bloody nervous the whole week before. The tough part of assesment is not really about skills, but more about pulling out those skills under watching eyes. If you can work under the spotlight you’ll be fine. On Sunday, the last day of the ICE you will be put through trial by scenario. Where situations are put upon you in such a way as to test your judgment more so than your skill level. For 99% of candidates this is not a hard thing, the anticipation is worse than the test. The balance of the scenarios tend to test to your inner skills and not your paddling prowess. It’s about the ability to baby sit a group and to keep them safe. If you can do this within a dynamic environment you’ll be fine. Keep in mind this is about “instructor” certification, which entails more than just your own personal paddling skills.

Instructors often use the phrase “herding cats” when they talk about group management. You as the lead instructor have to be aware of each individual. Often students, if not fully engaged in a particular moment in your class will begin to drift and fiddle. As an instructor you can manage this a bit. I always hated that teacher who would ask you a question just because they thought you were drifting. I’m not sure that is the right answer for kayaking classes, however you should be aware at least in the periphery of who is engaged and who may be getting distracted. A common “real world” scenario may be something like this;

You were working on low braces with the class and one student was having particular problems. You take a moment to go over to them to give them a few moments personal time. Another student starts playing with their forward stroke just because they feel board with the brace. Then while your talking you fail to notice that this student has drifted a distance from the group and out of your direct line of site. Then you hear the splash! You stop what your doing and look around to see them some 20 yards away. So then you quickly paddle over to see if they are ok. Half way there, someone else in the class is fussing and has their PFD half off when they suddenly go over as well. They are with the rest of the group now 15 yards behind you. . And now you???? What could you have done to avoided this little escapade?

The trick is often not to get so caught up in what you are doing that you don’t notice the world around you. When thinking about scenarios it’s easy to get caught up in the “big bomb”. However it’s often a death of a thousand cuts that gets you.

Good Luck!