@RikJohnson said:
I have since learned to NEVER trust what someone tells me and to test them BEFORE a trip.
I told each that I’d have to see them on a day trip first and not one showed up for even the pre-trip meeting.
This has been my experience as well. Everyone wants to get out and do the BIG ADVENTURE! But no few want to put in the time and effort getting ready for it.
@tdaniel said:
skill or ability in fellow paddlers isn’t on the top of my list for potential paddling partners-
I do need folks to show up, willingness to help with shuttles is a big plus, and most importantly the feeling that we are looking out for each other- in it together. I guess I like folks that are passionate about paddling regardless of their ability.
I used to think this way before I learned what most of these people are like (read above). I’m happy to teach what I know and help others develop skills. However, when I’m going out paddling for an hour, day or week(s), I’m not at all interested in baby sitting.
I once worked with a ww paddler who planned a lot of multi-day trips, and claimed the only way he could get people to commit, was to get a deposit out of them. If anyone bailed, he kept their deposit money, and put it towards trip expenses.
I’m usually not a proponent for certifications, but as far as experience levels and going on a trip with strangers, I can see how they’d be beneficial. Especially with coastal stuff where there isn’t a ww type rating for difficulty.
I’m usually out to just have fun paddling and enjoy myself, but I figure there’s a convergence between being skilled at paddling and navigating challenging water, and acquisition of certifications. Leading a group of strangers is a whole other level, but making certain they have a similar skill set, stamina, and expectations would make things easier.
My experience with taking others along is that it almost never works and it’s a grind feeling responsible for them when it gets bumpy. Recently I did paddle with another guy who was going anyway, so I thought that he must have some idea what he was getting into. I didn’t want to come off as an authority on the area, so I just let him head out and I followed along.
I knew that it was getting about that time of the afternoon when the wind would come up and had a pretty good idea about what conditions would be on the way back. He handled the preliminary stuff, so I didn’t say anything. When we rounded the island we had paddled out to, there it was and it was pretty messy. I new what we were looking at was not the worst of it. He didn’t seem concerned except to comment that it was kind of rough.
Anyway, we set out and I thought maybe he would follow me, but he didn’t. I tried to keep an eye on him when I could, but soon I noticed he had set a different course and it wasn’t taking heed of the tide. His route was going to double the distance, but he would gain some speed by not opposing the tide. My route put me at about a 45 degree angle to the tide, but it was a straight shot and it kept most of the waves on my front quarter; they would be on his beam.
Very quickly, I lost sight of him and to be honest, I was more interested in what was ahead of me. There were some particular tide race areas to deal with where I knew the waves would get wild and by then I had reached a point where it was time to turn directly into the waves and push it up a bit to get back some of the ground I had given to the tide.
When I pulled into a somewhat sheltered area, I quickly began to scan the area where I thought the other fellow might be and there was nothing, but waves. At this point I was just about to request some power boaters to run out there and see if they could locate the guy, but all of a sudden to my relief, there he was about a half mile away and he had also reached calmer water.
It was getting late, so I took off for the launch site, confident that the other guy would be fine. He had launched from a different site, so that was the last I saw of him. I thought I might run into him again someday, because he earlier had said that he paddles there from time to time. I wish I had gotten his phone number.
I’ve been paddling for 5 decades. I’m a beginner in whitewater, intermediate in open seas, and advanced in flatwater. I’ve never died doing it so as the saying goes - what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. Oh, and I paddle an elite surfski. Not bad for a guy with ahead of gray hair.
@DrowningDave said:
I’ve been paddling for 5 decades. I’m a beginner in whitewater, intermediate in open seas, and advanced in flatwater. I’ve never died doing it so as the saying goes - what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. Oh, and I paddle an elite surfski. Not bad for a guy with ahead of gray hair.
I paddle 3 different boats on a regular basis, my choice is dependent on weather, temps and location. In my kayak, I consider myself a very good intermediate paddler, I can easily paddle long distances at good speed. In my canoe and surf ski i am a solid intermediate paddler.
