Not Necessarily Evil


Waterlines columnist (and former Adventure Kayak editor) Tim Shuff roasted kayak- ing in the Summer/Fall 2013 issue’s Rock the Boat (“Necessary Evil,” www.rapidmedia. com/0121). “Paddling used to be as primal a need as food or sleep—now it fits into my life about as conveniently as polo or skydiving,” Shuff lamented, citing life in the city, an ocean-averse partner and two small children for his change of heart. Tim’s trials struck a chord with readers, who rallied to offer advice, hope and some gentle scolding. “It is all about balance. Leaving the wife for two weeks is like dancing with your female friends at your wedding. Not the smartest move,” offered Michel on Rapidmedia.com. Added Eben Gay, “My wife isn’t interested in kayaking but she is happy to send me off for half-day trips. It bleeds off my tension, making me easier to get along with, and gives her some time to herself. You don’t get the same thrill that you get from kayak camping, but everything’s a trade-off.” Dispelling myths to the contrary, KaptajnKaper posted, “There is life after kids, not to worry...” Father of a six- and an eight-year-old, Bill Mart wrote from Calgary, Alberta, “Kayaking is a tool for us to get outside and build our family bonds. Everyone has his own boat. The best advice I can give to any parent is to take your kids outside and just play with them.”


Point taken, turn to page 40 for Shuff’s roundabout return to paddling. Not Dinosaurs, Either


In the 2014 Paddling Buyer’s Guide, Neil Schulman also stirred the pot with a call to reinvent paddling clubs (Rock the Boat, www.rapidmedia.com/0122). “Paddling clubs are dinosaurs,” he wrote. “Their stereotype is that of a fusty group watching slide- shows about paddling, while not actually getting on the water all that much… clubs occupy the nether- world between professional instruction and friends going out for a paddle, with the benefits of neither.” Barbara Brown, trip coordinator for the Canoe Cruisers Association, disagreed, inviting Schulman and any other doubters to join her club in Washing- ton, D.C. “We are alive and well with an active and vibrant membership,” she wrote. “We lead dozens of wonderful, well-attended trips a year and are considered a leader in conservation. It saddens me


Events


A new year, a new season of spring shows and symposia. Join the Adventure Kayak team on March 4 for the world premiere of the Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour (www.reelpaddlingfilmfestival.com) in Toronto. Jumpstart your skills at the Sweet- water Symposium in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida (February 21–23, www.sweetwa- terkayaks.wordpress.com/symposium), or go early for ACA and BCU instruction from February 16–21.


O 30 E www.fogh.ca


901 Oxford Street 416.251.0384 or 1.800.342.FOGH


In March, we head to Canoecopia in stately Madison, Wisconsin (March 7–9, www.ca- noecopia.com) for the world’s largest paddlesports consumer event. If you’re on the East Coast, catch us in Somerset, New Jersey, for the Paddlesport 2014 trade show (March 28–30, www.jerseypaddler.com/paddlesport-2014). Aspiring racers should check out the family friendly Battle on the Bayou in Ocean Springs, Mississippi (March 29, www. battleonthebayou.com).


YEARS


Turn to Launch on page 32 to get stoked for paddling Florida’s Nature Coast, and then sign yourself up for the second annual Suwannee River Paddling Festival near Live Oak, Florida (April 4–6, www.paddleflorida.org/festival.html). History and adventure come together in Charleston, South Carolina, at the East Coast Paddlesport & Outdoor Festival (April 11–13, www.charlestoncountyparks.com/outdoorfest). For more spring events, visit www.rapidmedia.com.


CORRECTION


The Summer/Fall 2013 cover of Adventure Kayak depicted a tent erected on Strawberry Island in Washington’s San Juan Islands. Camping on the island is prohibited; only day use is permitted. Photographer Gary Luhm was just napping.


FIND US: editor@adventurekayakmag.com | www.adventurekayakmag.com www.facebook.com/adventurekayakmagazine | www.twitter.com/advkayakmag www.adventurekayaktv.com


14 | ADVENTURE KAYAK Currents


Rock the Boat


SCOTTISH CLUBS ARE BETTER AND IT REALLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BAGPIPES, HAGGIS, KILTS OR SHEEP


It’s the height of the paddling season and I’m chomping at the bit. I check the calendar of a local paddling club and find…nothing. Zilch. Naught. Nada. By contrast, a casual social media group has four paddles scheduled—all beginner flatwater. Paddling clubs are dinosaurs. Their stereotype is that of a fusty


group watching slideshows about paddling, while not actually getting on the water all that much. They’ll cite cumbersome pro- cedures, declining participation and tempest-in-a-teapot internal politics. Caught between the devil of liability and a sea of seat-of- the-pants social media invites, paddling clubs occupy the neth- erworld between professional instruction and friends going out for a paddle, with the benefits of neither. It’s time to re-envision paddling clubs. It’s time to become Scottish. I Googled my old paddling club from when I lived on Scot-


land’s east coast. They offer two weekly pool sessions, river trips, weekly surf sessions, kayak polo and slalom tams, two formal balls and they take over a local pub twice a week. They supply the gear, just bring lunch and your “paddling costume.” This, in a town of 17,000 souls, compared to my current home of 2.2 million. At their best, paddling clubs play three functions. They gener-


ate new paddlers, connect existing paddlers to other paddlers and disciplines, and build a social bond. Social media formats like Meetup.com work for novice-friendly


paddles, but become problematic when they venture beyond easy trips. Their spontaneous nature seldom vets skills properly, putting too much pressure on organizers. Unlike clubs, casual get-togeth- ers can’t insure their leaders or subsidize skill development. Pad- dlers will grow out of them if they aspire to more than flatwater.


32 CURRENTS || Annual 2014 Even formal clubs, which often succeed at turning new pad-


dlers into more frequent or better paddlers, usually fail at attract- ing new recruits. If we want the sport to grow, this is precisely what we need. In Scotland, with no gear, the fact that all I needed to provide was a sandwich allowed me to participate in a sport I couldn’t afford. Two decades later, I’m still thoroughly addicted— to paddling, not sandwiches. North American clubs could mimic this initiation by establish-


ing a fleet of boats and gear, partnering with paddling shops to provide storage, bulk rentals and instruction—things shops do already. Like clubs, shops have a direct interest in getting the vast numbers of hikers, cyclists, fitness enthusiasts and skiers to add paddling to their quiver. My city has three separate clubs, one each for sea kayakers,


whitewater canoeists and whitewater kayakers. Each has its own vibe, but it means paying multiple dues to join all or missing out on experiences. Paddling clubs should merge, or at least collabo- rate. The multi-disciplinary Scottish club gave me a chance to paddle whitewater, ocean, surf, and play polo, as well as meet people passionate about each. Combining also offers economies of scale on storage, classes, equipment and insurance. Let’s take a cue from the Scots. Let’s trade our spray skirts for


kilts, speak in thick brogues and make our clubs what they should be: the epicenter of paddling culture. Neil Schulman lives in Portland, Oregon, and is a regular contrib-


utor to Adventure Kayak. He first paddled whitewater on the Tay River in Scotland many years ago. After a long swim, he ended up borrowing a paddling costume.


PADDLING BUYER’S GUIDE | 3


if [Schulman’s] statements turn future paddlers away from joining paddling organizations.” Join the discussion on Adventure Kayak’s Facebook page.


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ILLUSTRATION: LORENZO DEL BIANCO


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