"Can't We All Just Get Along?"

A few years ago: Me in my kayak, Vincent in his IK, and Tommy in his canoe–Could be a metaphor for the current social/political climate of the country these days. Different strokes for different folks. Don’t forget we’re all on the same river of life, Vive la difference!

yea but it depends which way you want the river to flow.

Unless tidal, rivers almost always flow one way…One can either go with the flow, or fight the tiring and oftentimes futile paddle-battle of going against the stream. (Think I heard this once on an old episode of Kung Fu;-)

Not a good metaphor. Nobody in the picture looks like they expect anyone else to paddle for them.

That is unless they need the help due to injury or other unforeseen circumstance. I have towed folks more than once, and helped those that couldn’t otherwise go load and unload their boats. For me that is just part of my obligation, and getting along together.

@pirateoverforty said:
Not a good metaphor. Nobody in the picture looks like they expect anyone else to paddle for them.

Point taken–I can attest that all three pictured are self-supporting rugged individualists, both on and off the water(including humble.self B)

@castoff said:
That is unless they need the help due to injury or other unforeseen circumstance. I have towed folks more than once, and helped those that couldn’t otherwise go load and unload their boats. For me that is just part of my obligation, and getting along together.

Well said. Even the best of us might need a little help sometimes…

They probably all paid for their own boats, too.

All my boats are trickle down…used! :wink:

Looks like Aziscohos… Not a river. Could be wrong but it looks like lake country in Maine. But yes… paddlng is paddling… Where’s the SUP?

@kayamedic said:
But yes… paddlng is paddling… Where’s the SUP?

…and the rowboat?

Will the peddlers be included? Or is that an unnatural :o act?

@kayamedic said:
Looks like Aziscohos… Not a river. Could be wrong but it looks like lake country in Maine. But yes… paddlng is paddling… Where’s the SUP?

@Guideboatguy said:

@kayamedic said:
But yes… paddlng is paddling… Where’s the SUP?

…and the rowboat?

It was the upper Delaware–And come to think of it, there WAS both SUPs and rowboats there that week(Just proves there’s room for all of in this silly ol’ world)…


Everybody gets along fine until somebody decides to make waves (wake). Then it’s paddles with paddles against the props (which isn’t a very long chase but you get the point). People will unfortunately always find a way to group together against others. Also, lots of people think they are entitled to something, like a ski boat pulling a skier past paddlers and leaving a wake of selfish entitlement. However, what if the ski boat was in an area of a river/bay/cove first? While obnoxious and irritating, also just different strokes, three little ones going in a circle really fast. Why should we get angry because we want to paddle by? Yes, it is considerate for them to slow down and share the waterway, but are we really entitled to that consideration if it is not a no wake zone? Maybe we should at least wait for the skier to fall and then paddle by, before we get upset like I’ve seen people do.

I used to have the same kind of issue on SUP in Florida. The waves by the pier were the best (often the only waves too), but if people were fishing I would stay clear, as they were there first, already enjoying the strokes of a spoon on a lure spinning through the water, well, actually just big lead weights. Other times I would get there before sunrise to enjoy the same slice of ocean myself with the stroke of my own [paddle], and by 7 o’clock I would have fisherman yelling and casting their huge weights at me. Sometimes they put holes in our boards. At least I got good at fiberglass patches… and at NOT surfing SUP by the pier.

Why can’t we all just get along??? Because people generally refuse to honestly try to understand things from another’s perspective, particularly if it radically disagrees with their personal entitlement. After all, you are entitled for the world to be the exact way YOU want it to be, regardless of how it makes other people feel.

spiritboat, that is a beautiful picture of how amazing the world can be, even if only for moments at a time.

@White Crown said:
spiritboat, that is a beautiful picture of how amazing the world can be, even if only for moments at a time.

It wasn’t as all bad as my topic title makes out. We did get along for a whole week paddling and camping together on the water–Not bad for (we had a fourth guy who took the picture)almost total strangers. And I wish we had an SUP along just to complete the picture! We’re somewhat good friends now and stay in touch from time to time. I guess it all comes down to if you want to understand another person’s perspective you should try walking a mile in his/her shoes first–Or paddling their particular craft a few miles :wink:

@White Crown said:
… and leaving a wake …

It often strikes me that wakes are just little educational opportunities. If you can’t handle that little surfing opportunity what are you going to do when the wind picks up and you’re miles from your destination? Complain? Embrace wakes, learn from them. Three or four waves and they’re over.

@Overstreet said:

@White Crown said:
… and leaving a wake …

It often strikes me that wakes are just little educational opportunities. If you can’t handle that little surfing opportunity what are you going to do when the wind picks up and you’re miles from your destination? Complain? Embrace wakes, learn from them. Three or four waves and they’re over.

wakes are great except when they start 8’ off my bow by a 30 power boat doing 35 mph. :s Person had a channel 300 yards wide. There was no getting along with me then. I even waved the paddle in the air in plenty of time for a slight course correction by the boat. I did unload a ton of profanity on the boat.

meh… Wakeboard boats are ballasted. They are for wakeboarding With five kids camps on the lake… the wakes are high and of course there is lots of stopping and starting cause learning 10 year olds fall over a lot.
Hull shape has a lot to do with it. Some of the old v hull designs made a heck of a wake. Lobster boats do to this day, Its in your best interest to learn to deal with their wakes in their territory cause paddle craft do NOT have the right of way over a commercial fishing vessel.

In January the Great Lakes had 10% ice cover.
In February the Great Lakes had 9% ice cover.
Now that it’s March, the Great Lakes have 20% ice cover.

I’d do a happy dance to see any boat wake (other than a USCG ice cutter’s).

I agree. We should all get along on the water. The Jet-Skiis though…they are annoying…