NDK Rescue Society
Published December 10, 2005 | 
Yeah, I’m a sucker for 3 legged dogs. So. . I don’t go to the pound unless I plan to take someone home. Well, that’s all fine and good; FOR DOGS. But you just can’t stay away from the kayak shop can you? It’s even worse when they know you have a weakness for Nigel Dennis Kayaks. Now, I won’t use the word “Huckster”, and I won’t mention any names (Kimbler) but sometimes they see me coming. (insert big smile here)
Suddenly we’re being whisked off to the back lot to see this poor old NDK Greenlander. The poor yellow thing was upside-down on the rack showing all it’s years of war wounds. Grey patches broke up what used to be fine black seams. We rolled it over and could see the years scratched into it’s surface and duct tape covering the holes where a tow system used to be mounted on the back deck. Poor, poor baby. What could we do, but drive the jeep through the fences and bring her home.
The NDK Greenlander is just over 17 1/2 feet long with a single hard chine hull & Ocean Cockpit. The Greenlander was designed with the traditional Greenland Kayak in mind. It even has that odd pointy tail that you see on some historic Greenland boats. Interestingly NDK has actually sold Greenlanders back to Fisherman in Greenland! Cool! *
*This unsolicited advertisement has been brought to you by me. The opinion that the Greenlander is just over 17 1/2 feet long and has an ocean cockpit is mine, and in no way necessarily represents the views of NDK, it’s staff, legal department, or people who happen to be walking by their production facilities. In fact there is a distinct possibility that the Greenlander, This Blog, and the world itself does not really exist. But again this speculation is only the opinion of the author who may or may not exist.
Now to be fair, I may have walked away, but being that it was Mary’s Birthday and she was feeling such pity for the abandoned kayak waif, I really didn’t have a choice. In addition the unwanted baby had been traded in for a shiny new Valley Q-Boat!!!
So after jimmying the lock on the jeep (Yep, I locked the keys in the car) we were back off home. Mary quickly grabbed some gear from the house, and we were on the road again and on our way to Lake Columbia.
Just as the last bits of red sank to the west and the lights of the Columbia power plant came on, Mary launched out into the heated lake. The steam was rising in thick blue-grey swirls as the warmth of the water rose into the 12 degree air. 
She took our new charge gently though it’s paces and let it know we were going to be friends. After a few minutes when the last of the light had gone, we carried the old boat back up through the snow and loaded her back on the jeep for the ride home. By then we were both frozen, our fingers burning from the cold. No boat had ever come home to us without seeing water it’s first day, and we weren’t going to break that tradition.
Welcome home little Greenlander. You’re going to be safe and cared for here at the NDK Rescue society. (Donation’s welcome!!)
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6 Responses to NDK Rescue Society
Trade you one slightly used “mini tide race” for a heated lake…
Thomas
I am so glad that boat has finally found a home. Ever since it came into Rutabaga it’s been tempting me but I’m without means to add another NDK hull to my fleet. See you on the water.
Jon Stackpole
Hey Thomas, I think I’d take you up on that!! I hope the house is included!
Hi John,
I know what you mean. I’ll going to have to work a bit harder myself this month, just to get it paid off.
lol, that’s hilarious. congrats on the new boat! The Greenlander is a nice boat. I’ve paddled Chad’s a few times and it is a fast kayak.
I’ll be interested to see if you can do any of the forward recovery rolls in it. That combing is really high up front.
I have been looking for a used Greenlander with skeg for some time. Love that round cockpit and lines.
Scott