Anyone going to the Rough Water Symposium in RI over Labor Day weekend?
I am thinking about going. If I do I would like to stay an extra day or two afterwards to do some paddling. Anyone planning to do the same?
Seems like a great place to paddle and if I make the trip up I want to make the most of it.
Matt
i’'ll be there
flying in from the west coast on the 29th to get my bearings, then flying out on the 4th. i can’t wait to get out there! i’ve been looking forward to this one since it was announced! if i can scrounge up a boat for the 3rd/4th i’ll be golden!
michael
.
I’m actually going to be in that area (Newport) that weekend. A short stayover on my way to Maine. Unfortunately, I’m not at a comfortable enough skill level to partake in the symposium, however I’m hoping to take a camera and snap a few nice shots if I’m ever close enough to the action.
I’d love to go
but I have to be up to school for sailing aug 17th
whoa…people are actually coming to RI
and not just as shopping/mansion drooling tourists???
wow!!!
i live on the opposite side of the state from where it will be held (okay-only 45-50 minutes drive) but will sadly not be there…prolly be out paddling tho…heres hoping for surf!!!-not like last Labor Day tho…that was 15-20 swells off of Pt. Judith lighthouse…
rob
michael -
if you need to arrange for a boat for the symposium, please let tom know or send me an email at rickstoehrerathotmaildotcom and i can help get you squared away.
i am one of the staff for the shindig.
back_packn
while it is a the “intermediate rough water symposium”, please understand that the level of skill required will be varied for the different venues…no ones talking about “bomb proof” rolls or anything like that…just a familiarity with safely executing your braces and if you have the beginnings of a roll, that’s great! have a familiarity and have done some rescues…that sort of thing. the idea is that no one wants to take the time to explain stem from stern or “you might do better if you weren’t holding your paddle upside down, sir” sorts of things that would otherwise hold other folks in the class back.
at the symposium we’ll be doing rock gardening, strokes in conditions, there are several surf venues and then some tidal stuff off of fishers island. there is a varied grab bag of places to go with a wide range of skills required.
so please don’t be too terribly intimidated by the words “rough water”. mostly, it’s going to just be fun - have a great group of people get together in some dynamic places with lots of opportunity to expand boundaries and paddle!
cone lickers
we call the tourists ‘cone lickers’.
to cruise thru any of the coastal towns and see the families wallerin’ around, mindlessly, draggin a handfull of kids and shopping bags (full of $20 tshirts with whales and lighthouses) all the while lickin’ the proverbial ice cream.
gotta luv summer.
steve
Tourons when they are in the surf…
money back
Any chances in getting the money back if the roughness of the water is not satisfactory? 
Can you define more specifically rough
water? Out here in the PNW a class called that would bring to mind 6 plus foot swell minium, 8 plus knot currents, whirlpools, overfalls, rips, dumping wavers, fog, and dodging 400 ft frieghters? I know it’s all realative, but what exactly are the range of conditions for RI rough water. Not being and ass, just want to know.
A little off-topic but…
here in N. Michigan we call them “cone suckers” or “fudgies.”
Gummers and raisins, if they’re old
OOPS, “senior citizens”–ask George Carlin what he thinks of euphemisms.
I’ve only heard the terms applied to southwestern desert tourists, but hey, they’d apply anywhere else, too.
We need a good term for cruise ship tourists. Talk about wallowing on land.
I’m going
Kayak is a mango colored Explorer LV, tent is a MSR Fusion 2. Car is a 1990 green Volvo 240wagon.
Stop by any one and say hi.
Lyn
Can’t do both so we’re doing Downeast
We were already committed to the Downeast Symposium by the time the MIKCo/NDK Rough Water Symposium was announced.
Besides, at our stage of development training to the new 4 Star syllabus and tidal work with Steve Maynard and Danny at Downeast will be valuable.
Being neither wealthy nor retired, we can’t do two symposiums within a week of each other. I hope Rough Water is as successful as Downeast was last year. I also hope that organizers can determine a way that paddlers can attend both next year.
Intermediate?
More info on this class here. http://www.maineislandkayak.com/symposium.html
I guess you’ll have to stay on the other coast to find “rough” conditions. 6 foot swells are 8 knt currents are pretty rare on most days in New England. Hell, I have been waiting for a 4 foot wave to show up on the bouys north of the cape for nearly 3 months. But you never know. Labor day could bring some pretty heavy surf.
Anyone Sticking Around???
Anyone sticking around afterwards to paddle for an additional day or two???
I would plan to camp in the nearby state park and do some additional paddling on Monday and maybe Tuesday. I figure that as long as I am there I might as well make the most of it.
Anyone else planning to do the same???
Monday maybe
but I’m driving with friends so it depends. We may want to get a head start back to the city avoid the inevitable traffic later in the day.
Lyn
I’m in…
Looks like a fun few days! I won’t be arriving until Friday early evening, though.
–Mark Pecot
The Race…
should be running at 4-knots at both ebb and flood at the time of the symposium…the rest depends on swell size and wind.