I stand by my posts from April '18 (on pg 1 of this thread) though, now that I reread them, seem a bit muddled. Kate wasn’t on the Edisto, for example, though she was, I think, at the first Roundspring gathering and several thereafter. She (and Terry and Bob) were the proponents of the Ozarks as a central location. And they were right. Barb was the first of our group that I encountered upon arriving at that first Ozark gathering - we were both driving in and out of the several Roundspring group camps looking for the proper place to set camp.
I recently saw Sloopsailor for the first time in a long time at Terry’s visitation. I’ll soon be heading up to the Bois Brule for our annual memorial paddle for DuluthMoose. We’ve lost some very good friends over the years, but those happy memories of time spent paddling together are lasting. Though we’ve fallen out of contact for a while, I have recently corresponded with TexasLady, also. Paddlers generally are exceptionally nice people. It is a blessing to have known and to continue knowing all of you.
The folks who started this board have done a very good thing. We may have our differences - some of us are more serious about our specialties than others, but we all share a love of getting out in paddlecraft and we share a love of the water. That’s grounds enough to form a community.
I wish I had met Walt. While his posts overall were helpful and friendly, I remember when he put a rude misogynist in his place with a short but deeply sharp retort to said misogynist’s post.
Walt showed some spine, appropriately for the situation.
PJC, your last paragraph is exactly how I feel. I would expand “love of the water” to say “love of nature”.
Pikabike, you read my mind - that was exactly my first thought. For me, and I assume the vast majority of us, paddling is the “key to the kingdom” and a gateway to immersion in more natural settings.
But then I recalled a post from long ago, I think it was by Paddleboy - remember him? He worked for the park service out west somewhere as I recall and he once posted that he knew folks who would paddle a storm sewer if it had big enough rapids. Made me smile, that comment. Remembering that post I thought of some racers I’ve known and other paddlers I’ve known who religiously practice the runs at slalom whitewater parks. They’re awfully darned good at what they do, at least by my standards. They probably love nature, true enough, but I’m not certain that their primary motivation is natural encounters on most of their paddles. And they should certainly be considered as serious members of the paddling community… Just trying to be appropriately inclusive.
Remembering Walt - I can’t resist going a little long on this post. Its been a while since I’ve done that, you know…
Prior to that first Edisto gathering we were in the midst of some of those silly posts that NT so objected to… It was mostly Jill and Walt going on about IPONA (Inland Pirates of North America) but we all played along. A little tomfoolery isn’t such a bad thing really, or so we were feeling at the time.
So on that first trip we were paddling along doing the pirate spoof on the Edisto. Walt wanted to try my solo canoe (Blackhawk Starship). We swapped for a bit and I took the helm of his “Hisponola” SOT kayak. Walt was a big fellow and after paddling the Starship for a while he rightly came to the conclusion that it was undersized for him… He wanted to swap back. So for grins I told him that he had just loaned his boat to a pirate and would have to catch me to get it back. I took a few rapid strokes. Looking over my shoulder I saw Walt behind me hammering away at the paddle, throwing a wake that was big enough to cause breakers on shore. I recall having the distinct impression that I was about be run over by something akin to a side wheeler steam boat with the boiler stoked and about to blow. So I was letting the Hispanola coast down when I heard the call “Prepare to be boarded.” Looking over my shoulder I saw Walt with his feet on my gunnals leaping into the air arms outstretched like superman on take off… He blotted out the sun. His tricorner hat was flying just above him, He hit the stern of the kayak like a ton of lead, catapulting me backwards base over apex into the river. We both ended up in waist deep water laughing our butts off. (Though, as a northern boy, I recall at the time being distinctly aware that there were gators and vipers and such in the Edisto.) But that was Walt. Never a dull moment when paddling with him. There was always laughter. Alas there were all to few of those occasions. But the memories last forever. He was a joyful man.
Wildernessweb was too in a more thoughtful kind and helping way. His ear to ear smile was a joy to behold. And Duluth moose and Ginny … always the first to spot the rare bird or to identify the unfamiliar plant, no matter where they were. The took joy in nature like few I have ever met. There have been many fine people who were brought together by this board.
As was said in a River Runs Through It:
“In the end all things merge into one and a river runs through it. The river runs through rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless dew drops. Under the rocks are the words. Some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.” That was Walt’s favorite quote and I think we all have a pretty strong appreciation of it.
I’ve only been on here about a year.
I’m fairly new to kayaking, even newer to kayaking when it’s not fishing, and think that the amount of experience that can be learned from on here is amazing!
@texaslady said:
Some of the best parts of my life started here with the friends I met…and some of the saddest, with the losses of Walt, Darrell, and Terry.
Pikabike, you read my mind - that was exactly my first thought. For me, and I assume the vast majority of us, paddling is the “key to the kingdom” and a gateway to immersion in more natural settings.