Archive for the ‘Events & Symposia’ Category

Ziggy played for time, jiving us that we was voodoo
The kids was just crass. He was the nazz
With God given ass
He took it all too far, but boy could he play guitar
– bowie

So I got into this conversation the other day.  The topic was “Names”.  Do paddlers you read about in Sea Kayaker magazine inspire you to sign up for events or symposiums?  Would you go any way?  Maybe when you read that a certain paddler is going to coach it’s a great idea to attend to get instruction from the ‘masters’ so to speak.  But what if the ‘Name’ is only there to present and preside?   Should symposiums sort out the green M&Ms for  the latest person to paddle across Boyizitbig Bay, or should they save the bowl for a couple great coaches instead?   Read the rest of this entry »

Everybody gonna jump and shout
Everybody gonna sing it out
Everybody gonna dance around tonight
Well you can come on to my place if you want to
You can do anything you want to do…
-mccartney

I have to tell you, I really dislike events where the organizers spend too much time telling coaches and participates what sort of time they are having; “We had a great day, didn’t we!!?”, “What wonderful weather we had today!” (so far so good….), “Remember, the most important thing we should do today is have FUN!”, (Warning! Warning!) “Give yourselves all a round of applause!”  (There’s the wind up, here comes the pitch!) “Fun, great, fun, wonderful, fun, great, fun, weather, wonderful, fun, love, vendor, fun, sun, wonderful fun on a sticky bun fun!!!!”… (AND…. breath!)

You know what I’m on about!  While all this pep talking might be fine in small doses, I think everyone knows what sort of “time” they are having and telling them shouldn’t be necessary.  In fact when people start telling me what sort of time I’m having, I start to feel psychic beat down coming.   Read the rest of this entry »

It was almost 8pm when we heard the sound of our driveway gravel snapping and popping under our wheels after almost 8 hours on the road from Grand Marais.  This morning will be spent clearing out the gear, garbage and oder that can collect in your automobile after a few days at a sea kayaking symposium.  So for the moment let me just share some pictures from the 2010 Great Lakes Sea Kayaking Symposium & the wonderful landscapes & seascapes of the Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore region.  Click here for the slideshow.

Amazing weather here in Grand Marais on the shores of Lake Superior has made for a wonderful first day.  The picture above is of Gryphon (age 9) out by the GM lighthouse for the last night’s sunset paddle.  He and one other young person joined the group. Read the rest of this entry »

when I want to run away
I drive off in my car
but whichever way I go
I come back to the place you are
- gabriel

It’s almost 4 am and we’re just about out the door to drive up to Grand Marais, MI., on the south-eastern shore of Lake Superior.  We’ll be up there for the Great Lakes Sea Kayaking Symposium through the weekend.  Now here’s a hit… If you live in a world where it’s hard to get people moving in the morning… just tell them you are leaving at 4 am.. That way they prepare the day before.. (Like they should have in the first place..) I’ll do my best to post some updates from the event.. but for the moment, I am OUTTA HERE!

I was caught in the suction
By a face like a truncheon
I was down upon one knee
Stroking her vanity – e. costello

We’re back from the symposium at Door County here in Wisconsin.  We’ve only got a couple days of “down time” before we head back up to Grand Marais, MI for the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium. For the moment let me just share a few pictures of the best kayak art work I saw at Door.  This Valley Anas Acuta was at it’s base black or very, very, very dark blue with lots of purple and red glitter.  Lightning stripes were inlaid into the gelcoat.  I could be a fussy pain in the bum and critique the detailing but all in all this is a darn pretty boat!  Read the rest of this entry »

Life is just a bowl of cherries / Don’t take it serious / Life’s too mysterious
You work, You save,You worry so /But you can’t take your dough
When you go, go, go – gershwin

I’m heading out this morning to drive (About 5 hrs) to Door County for the annual Door County Sea Kayak Symposium.  Door County is more than just open water and lighthouses of course… they’ve also got this weird fixation with Cherries & Fish Boils