| A-B | C-F | G-I | J-K | L | M | N-Q | R | S | T | U-Z |
a) NAME:
Uliasz, Marek
b) CONTACT:
uliaszBOASfriiDOTcom
Mountain Wayfarer: http://www.frii.com/~uliasz/wayfarer/
Fort Collins, Colorado
c) KAYAKS (Owned or paddled):
currently in Colorado:
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
kayaking, sailing, boatbuiding, photography including Polaroid transfers and other alternative processes, newfoundland dogs; these interests including my scientific activity are somewhat represented on my web pages: http://www.frii.com/~uliasz/
f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
photography, sea navigation, different computer skills
h) MOST INTERESTING TRIP:
- paddling in Poland in the span of nearly 20 years: tracing remains of old water engineering structures (irrigation systems, aqueducts, water mills), comparing with old reports from literature and witnessing their destruction in most cases; I regret that I didn't have my current photographic equipment and skills to document all this.
- any paddling at sunrise
i) BIO:
44, married, scientist (meteorology, air pollution, computer modeling), came to Colorado from Poland in 1989. I started kayaking in 1970 in Sandomierz, a small town in Poland on the Vistula river, where nobody had seen a folding kayak before. I guess it was book influence (e.g.,"Poland-India by Kayak" by Korabiewicz). Then, there were many kayaking expeditions mostly with my brother Piotr, thousands of kilometers down and up rivers and across lakes, many kilometers of land portages, some favorite rivers: Czarna Hancza, Biebrza, Narew, Brda, Wda, Zbrzyca, Drawa, Drweca, Wel, Dunajec. It was one international trip: down the Dunabe river from Bratislava, Slovakia to Bucharest, Romania. I was also involved in sailing on the Baltic and North Sea. In Colorado, I do mostly day paddling - exploring Colorado and Wyoming lakes and planning some longer trips to larger water bodies in the southwest.
10th May 2002 - Al Vazquez
- NAME & CONTACT:
Vazquez, Al ( alvazquezBOASkayakguideDOTcom)
- VISION:
to have a single web site where paddlers can share information about Places to Paddle throughout the world in a permanent, useful, convenient repository. I dream that KayakGuide.com will grow to thousands of paddling routes for all types of paddling; flatwater, whitewater, surf, natural, urban, historical, etc. And I thank the Paddlewisers that have already helped build that dream.
- SPECIAL INTERESTS:
kayaking, sailing, fishing, snow skiing, environmental issues, scuba, hiking, business policy, customer service, information technology.
- SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Florida paddling. Business. Dealing with government. Spanish. Information technology such as the internet, computers, digital cameras, GPS, radios, etc. I have a B.S. from Caltech in electrical engineering and an MBA from Harvard.
- STRONG OPINIONS:
I value people that deal with others with respect, kindness and minimal prejudice. I've found that those who show arrogance or a know-it-all attitude always have something to hide (and it's usually deep pockets of ignorance). I'm concerned about global over-development and the bias of governments to help people pave things at will. We all need to be politically active to protect what's important for humanity. And I think the Marx Brothers, Milton Berle, the Three Stooges, Red Skelton, Bill Cosby and various casts of Saturday Night Live were all geniuses.
- 2 MOST INTERESTING TRIPS:
(All right, I like this format, but I couldn't keep it to just one.)
The very first kayak trip I took up the Eau Gallie River http://www.kayakguide.com/USA-EauGlRvr.htm in 1997 with my then 8 year old son in our Pamlico was such an adventure! It was just the two of us. We had to portage over a small, unexpected dam and saw so much wildlife. I knew then I was hooked on paddling.
Since then, my favorite paddle was Fisheating Creek http://www.kayakguide.com/Fisheatg.htm . Though this pristine, blackwater creek is only navigable during high water, it was the most visually diverse and beautiful place I've paddled.
- MORE STUFF:
I live on the east coast of Florida south of Cape Canaveral with my wife and two sons. I was born in Cuba, grew up in West Virgina, and have enjoyed nature and boats of all types all my life. We've traveled Europe and the Americas, but much of it BP (Before Paddling), so I'd like to go back.
-- Al Vazquez KayakGuide.com tm http://kayakguide.com Places to Paddle tm - Kayaking - Canoeing - Rafting -
a) NAME:
Veraghen, Catherine
b) CONTACT:
Email address: catherinBOASimagebuilderDOTcom
c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled):
New to the sport, so I have only one boat - a Perception Sealion
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Hiking, mountain biking, creating stuff I like to call art, home remodeling and construction, good beer, clean, secluded beaches, paddling calm water at sunrise/sunset.
g) STRONG OPINIONS:
I only recently figured out what a greenland paddle was, and I actually welcome moderate traffic on waterways because it makes me feel safer to be in company, so I guess I have nothing to feel strongly about yet. However, I'm new to this sport, so in time, I'm sure I'll come up with a rant:)!
h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
I find every trip thus far has presented new and interesting challenges and discoveries. Probably the most bizarre experience was on Lacamas Lake near Camas, Washington. The morning started out absolutely serene as I paddled along the length of the Lake into the small river that feeds it, passing silent fishermen in the fog. After a couple of hours, I returned to the main body of the Lake which was starting to see some boat traffic as the sun came out. Eventually, the lake became heavy with waterskiiers and jetskis, and since it's walled in by high hills, the sound echoed deafeningly. I paddled to a more secluded area full of lily pads, and came face to face with a heron perched on a deadhead. Here was this beautiful bird just sitting so calmly in the midst of the chaos. I think he and I were the only ones being quiet on the lake that day. Just when I thought it couldn't get more surreal, the nearby gun club began practicing at their target range, adding the almost constant ring of gunfire to the already nutty noise level. Still the heron sat on his log, and I sat next to him. It made me want to cry. I haven't paddled there since.
i) BIO (personal description):
Single, just turned 40 (and still not over it), one daughter, one big dog, one small cat who hates the big dog. I work as the creative director for a large game developer, designing and producing games for the PC and Playstation for a mostly younger audience (no blood and gore). I am originally from Michigan's UP, on the balmy south shore of Lake Superior, so I grew up very much a water person. Moving to the Pacific Northwest, I had to develop a relationship with the water out here - primarily rivers and ocean. I found kayaking to be a wonderful way to do just that, and I spend as much time as I can in my boat.
NAME:
VerHague, Dana
CONTACT:
sealion60BOASyahooDOTcom
KAYAKS:
sealion eclipse, swifty 3.1, and a jocassee, all roto's
SPECIAL INTERESTS:
most things physically demanding, (yes that too), walking, running, lifting, snowshoeing, high school sports, home projects
STRONG OPINIONS:
too many too list...
MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii's big island! AWESOME! When you paddle lake Erie most times you can understand why...
BIO:
Married 20 years, 2 teenage boys. Work for a local government as a water treatment technician, and USAF Reserves. Got into kayking by canoeing. It was a party trip where everyone got drunk on the river and I was more interested in the paddling, physical demands, beauty of the river, etc... Now my friends think I am insane for all the paddling I do....HOOKED!
a) NAME:
Volin, Bob Joan
b) CONTACT:
e-mails Bob {bobvolinBOASbestwebDOTnet }
Joan {volinjoBOASjunoDOTcom}
We live in the town of Cortlandt Manor, just outside of Peekskill, NY - about 7 minutes from the Hudson River
c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled) (boat names also, if you like):
Our first kayaks were roto-molded Daggers - Bob had a Seeker, Joan had an Edisto. We both have Romanys now - Bob's is blue, Joan's is yellow. We still have the Seeker, as a guest boat, but we sold the Edisto.
d) BOAT NAME & SERIAL NUMBER IF MARITIME RADIO OPERATOR:
It's never occurred to us to name our boats. But we each refer to the boats as "my boat" and "your boat." They don't find this confusing.
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
We used to have those. These days, though, our major interest seems to be kayaking. (Aside from each other, that is.)
f) SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE:
Bob: As a hospital-based speech pathologist and professor, I know a fair amount about speech production, perception and disorders. But these don't come up much in general conversation.
Joan: Ask me anything about the Code of Federal Regulations regarding Institutional Review Boards and the protection of human subjects in research. (I wouldn't expect that very many people would take me up on that offer.)
g) STRONG OPINIONS:
Bob: Regardless of their mission statements and avowed goals, the fundamental goal of all organizations (educational, medical, business, government) is self-perpetuation. Students, patients, customers and citizens are superfluous nuisances to the administrator. For an individual to be truly useful in the world, it is necessary to find a way to stay "in the trenches" and to avoid mind-numbing, functionless administrative "work." There is nothing funny about the Peter Principle....And don't get me started about politicians and what campaign financing does to government. (Aren't you sorry you asked?)
Joan: Right!
h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
We do most of our paddling on the Hudson River (from near Albany to the Narrows). We've paddled off the west cost of Sweden, off the New England coast, in the Florida Keys, and in Lake Superior. All were great. Most trips have been beautiful, some challenging. And some have been both. Some of the best paddles were instructional days. We can't decide on a 'best.'
i) BIO:
We came to paddling in our 50s, and expect to leave it kicking and screaming in our 80s or later. We've been married (to each other) for 30 years - we've known each other for 40 years - and can't remember life without one another. We feel very lucky that we got into kayaking together. (Can we take a poll? How many couples are out there who both paddle? Raise your hands.) We have two grown daughters, both out of the house and out of the state (but close enough to visit). We've had an assortment of cats over the years - we're down to one, now, and she's not too happy with our kayaking, because she gets left alone a lot.
4th January 2010 - John Waddington
a) NAME:
Waddington, John
b) CONTACT:
I live in South Eastern Ontario, Canada and my email address is jwaddingtonBOAScogecoDOTca
d) Boat name and serial number if maritime radio operator:
None.
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Computers, photography, woodworking, and of course kayaking and kayak making
f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
I'm a retired teacher. As a teacher I taught several subjects, but the last few years were almost completely science and computers.
g) STRONG OPINIONS:
nothing fanatical
h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
Gros Morne Park in Newfoundland
i)Short BIO (personal description):
I live along side of the St. Lawrence River in Eastern Ontario, Canada.
We have an active, if informal, paddling group here. Our club is a club
in name only. No fees, no leaders, no rules, just a group who get
together to paddle and sometimes for potluck dinners at someone's house
or on a nearby island. We paddle together on a weekly basis
May-September, and a few of us continue through the winter depending on
the ice conditions. There is a great range of skills and experience in
the group, which makes it interesting and is helpful for those just
starting out.
John
a) NAME:
Walker, Richard
From: "R. Walker" {rwwBOASmailboxDOTneosoftDOTcom }
Might as well make an entry for this I suppose.
I'm Richard Walker, from Houston, Texas. I paddle a Dagger Edisto with the "expedition" package, ie, a rudder. I paddle both on fresh and saltwater, from the urban Buffalo Bayou which runs through downtown Houston, to offshore in the near Gulf of Mexico. Have not taken my boat down any of the hill country rivers a few hours to the west, but hope to do that this year soon.
From the yak, I fish and do a little freediving, for a near complete blow-by-blow of my paddling experiences check out the link at the end of this message.
In real life, I'm a programmer for a small local company, doing both end user windows application work, and *nix programming and admin.
Richard Walker Houston, TX http://www.neosoft.com/~rww/kayak_log.html
21st November 2002 - Tom Weese
a) NAME:
Weese, Tom
b) Email address:
gadfly911BOASattbiDOTcom
My web site is http://www.geocities.com/totemwood2001/index.html
c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled):
Northwest Kayaks Pursuit, Pirouette /S,
d) Boat name and serial number if maritime radio operator:
KB8UZD Ham...
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Recovery from brain injury, kayaking, wood turning and wood carving
f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Much of what I had, has gone due to BI-but I am getting it
back...:)
h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
Navigation lesson at Gig Harbor-but all are interesting else
I would not do them. I'm a daytime paddler, with an
expedition kayak {g}
i) Short BIO (personal description):
I started kayaking with the Caspia in Michigan about 4 years ago I think-but wanted to take on Lake Michigan, and followed a Dr.'s advice and bought a Necky. Before I took on the Big Lake, I moved to Seattle area [now Bremerton] there I bought my Pursuit. Have taken a class with Nigel Foster [my first kayaking class] George Gronselth, and a couple of classes with Mik at Gig Harbor.
Unfortunately, a brain injury put a severe, uh... "cramp" in my style for the last 1.5 years. I am working on getting with a group, so that I can perhaps more safely ramp up to multi-day trips some day...
I am working at wood turning to help me get back some of my fine motor skills for now as my BI puts a kibosh on my previous employment [maintenance man at a Natural Gas Compressor Station]
I have hopes that wood turning may turn into some badly needed cash {G}
a) NAME:
Whilden, Kevin
b) Email address:
kwhildenBOASseanetDOTcom
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Paddling in storms and rough water. Searching out tide rips -- the bigger the better. Greenland paddle techniques. Surfing. And last but definitely not least, paddling whitewater rivers
f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
I have become quite expert at teaching whitewater kayaking. I teach a class for George Gronseth's Kayak Academy http://www.halcyon.com/kayak that is designed for sea kayakers who want to increase their skills dramatically by spending time in the river environment. We use sit-on-top whitewater boats which increase safety and comfort, and some more advanced students use normal closed deck kayaks.
h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
Without a doubt, the best kayak trip ever involved surfing the standing wave at Skookumchuk (BC) in the evening as the sun was setting. The reflection on the glassy water was like surfing on a sea of fire. I've also been the sea kayak guide for a special trip in concert with the Fremont Drum School in Seattle. The "Sea Kayak and Drum Retreat" is an amazing combination of kayaking in the Gulf Islands and afro-cuban percussion drumming. It's a lot of fun. If you're a drummer and a kayaker, send me an email :)
i) Short BIO (personal description):
Been kayaking for eight years. Taught whitewater for the last four. I spend most of my time on the river, but I love the sea and like to get out frequently for multi-day trips in the summer. I think a lot about designing my own boats, and will hopefully make it a reality in the next couple of years. Currently I do kayak reviews for Sea Kayaker (initials KW, of course), and I had my first full-length article published in this month's issue of Sea Kayaker. It's called "Overboard with electronics" and reviews chart plotting software as well as four GPS units. I had a lot of fun writing the article, and hope to contribute more in the future when time permits.
I just received my MS in Geology from the University of Washington, BS in Physics from UCSD. I am currently starting up a web based environmental news company. My company is called Your Planet Earth . Our focus is the promote the concept of sustainability and help make the move to a global sustainable society.
FEBRUARY's "Who We Are" ENTRY:
Good paddlewise folks,
I have been meaning to write this all week, but have been rather busy.
Quick stats... 27 years old, paddling for six years, BS physics, MS in geology (ALMOST). Paddle sea kayaks and whitewater up to class IV. Own a Pygmy Arctic Tern sea kayak, a Mega Jester Rio surf kayak, a Pyranha Storm rodeo kayak, and a New Wave Bigfoot squirt kayak.
I actually started kayaking in 1986 at my high school in Los Angeles. Five days of river paddling on the Kern River was enough to scare the dickens out of me. I didn't start paddling again until my junior year in college when the outdoor program I was working for bought four whitewater kayaks. My friends and I taught ourselves how to roll, and headed up to Kern to learn rivers. Another friend with one year experience got the three of us into a lot of trouble in some class IV on our second day on the water, and I learned a lot of respect for the river and the proper way to approach teaching rivers to others. All told, I probably have six years of paddling experience, with the most experience coming in the last three since I moved to the blessed state of Washington, with year round paddling on the rivers and the sea.
Coming to the University of Washington was a blessing as well, since I got heavily involved with the University Kayak Club. This is where I gained a lot of experience teaching others all facets of kayaking. The UKC also has been a great resource for friends and kindred spirits.
About a year after moving to Seattle, I joined the Wavelength list, where I soon became friends with George Gronseth. I remember he was getting flamed for his stance against rudders, and I stood up for him. I thought his ideas were so logical and intelligent, that it makes perfect sense that we get along well as friends and teachers. I have learned much from George. This is going to be my third season as the whitewater instructor for his school http://www.halcyon.com/kayak , and I am excited to incoporate new instructional concepts that I have developed over the winter. I think I have developed some skill at teaching whitewater, and it is something that I truly enjoy.
I tend to get kind of bored with paddling on flat water. I want my sea kayaking to have some wind and waves, although I am perfectly happy to put up with a little flatwater to spend a weekend camping in the wilderness with good friends. Sea kayaking is my preferrend way to get some quality camping time. I really enjoy paddling trips in the San Juans that combine strong currents with island camping.
Still, for all my interest in the sea, I find that rivers are the more powerful attraction. However, I do believe that too much emphasis is placed on the distinction between river and ocean kayaking. There is so much overlap in skills and knowledge, but there is not much overlap between the participants of each. There is much to learn from each, and I consider myself simply a kayaker, not a whitewater kayaker or a sea kayaker. One last thing before I get back to work. I am currently finishing a masters degree in geology at the University of Washington. My area of interest is periglacial geomorphology. I am also working part-time at the US Environmental Protection Agency, and I will be working there full time after graduation. At the EPA, I am a computer modeling expert, and I am currently working on a temperature model of the Columbia River. This model will be used to help make decisions regarding the management of the river and the protection of salmon.
Once I am out of school, I plan to devote some time to designing a surf kayak and a sea kayak, and also to writing an instructional book on kayaking.
Hope to see you out there on the water! Kevin Whilden
____________________________ / Kevin Whilden \ |Dept. of Geosciences | |University of Washington | |kwhildenBOASu.washington.edu| \____________________________/
a) NAME:
Wick, David
From: David Wick {dDOTwickBOASlarsenDOTcom } My name is David Wick, I am in my thirties and live in Saint Paul, MN. I came to sea kayaking recently when a friend, Patrick Maun also on this list, convinced me to make the investment and commitment. He sold me on the fact that sea kayaking is an ideal addition to my outdoor activities of hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, backpacking, canoeing and camping.
Now it has been two years since I purchased my used, fiberglass, Necky Arluk II. As I started sea kayaking in the wintertime in Minnesota my first experiences were in a swimming pool learning to get in and out of the kayak, roll and brace. Once I had a fairly good foundation in those techniques and was getting the hang of a roll the ice thawed and I went on my first trip down the Saint Croix River, I was immediately hooked. My kayak and I have now gone on many trips to Lake Superior mainly to the Apostle Islands and the North Shore. I have also explored the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Mississippi River and other smaller Midwestern rivers and lakes. I have done some paddling further afield in places such as Glacier National Park and around Corpus Christi and Padre Island National Seashore (with Ken Johnson whose gracious offer of showing the sites made for a wonderful week in the salt water for two of us from MN and two from IA). My most exotic trips were short excursions in Resurrection Bay and the Kenai Fjords in Alaska. I look forward to upcoming sea kayaking trips to the Florida Keys, Pictured Rocks, Voyagers National Park and Isle Royale.
As a recent convert to sea kayaking I have learned a lot in a few years and been exposed to a great variety of conditions such as wind, waves, currents, tides and cold water. Each time I go out I learn more and develop further. This list has been a big part of my education as a paddler as the issues, ideas, techniques, conversations and jokes all keep me thinking and broadening my knowledge.
I work as a Project Manager in a Design and Web Development company to support paddling and my other interests such as contemporary dance, choreography and improvisational performance and foreign language conversation and reading groups for French, German and Hungarian.
Happy paddling,
david wick dDOTwickBOASlarsenDOTcom
5th January 2010 - Natalie Wiest
CONTACT:
wiestnBOAStamugDOTedu OR natwiestBOAShal-pcDOTorg
KAYAKS:
Eddyline Falcon 16 sea kayak (composite); 3 whitewater kayaks, 4 canoes
SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Paddling anywhere there is water. Here in Texas there are 12 months of the year of paddleable weather, and many miles of rivers, lakes, bayous, and the Gulf of Mexico to float your boat. In process: a book about paddling in the Houston area. Surely it will come out in 2010??? Violinist with community orchestra. Girl Scouting, raising orchids and native plants, vegetable gardening, sewing, birding.
STRONG OPINION:
There is some aspect of paddling that is good for everyone.
BIO:
I am a librarian by trade who has been paddling for 40 years, starting out as a student at Penn State University in aluminum canoes, moving on to home-made fiberglass kayaks and lo, after all these years, to my Eddyline Falcon 16. Many miles of flatwater, whitewater (including slalom racing), swamps, lakes, rivers, saltwater have passed beneath the hull of my multiple craft. My most spectacular kayak expedition was to Glacier Bay, Alaska a few years ago. My brother Randy, who lives in Alaska, put me in the first sea kayak 20 years ago, putting in at Berners Bay (near Juneau) for a big open crossing in the icy water and the hopeful remark "you can roll, can't you?". Well, actually I can, although it works best in water above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. I didn't tell him that and fortunately I haven't had to test it in Alaska.
I have instructed Girl Scouts for canoeing; and will put Adventure Scouts on the water summer of 2010 to test a sea kayaking adventure camp right outside of Houston.
In the working world I'm the head librarian for Texas A&M University at Galveston, which has the Texas Maritime Academy as one of its components. Our campus sits right on the Galveston Channel with access to both Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. I'm active in the Houston Canoe Club and have a mini-Web page set up to guide people to some of the waterways in and around Houston. It's at http://www.tamug.edu/paddler .
See ya on the water!
Natalie
NAME:
Wijnen, Merijn
CONTACT:
merijnBOASmusicDOTdemonDOTnl , Homepage: http://www.music.demon.nl
KAYAKS (Owned or paddled) paddled:
Various combi's (years ago), a Pouch double foldable (my parent's, 20 years ago), Aquaterra Sea Lion. Now looking for a foldable, and still doubting between a Feathercraft Khat S and a K1...
BOAT NAME & CALL SIGN (IF RADIO OPERATOR):
Not yet applicable, but I will study for a licence
SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Foldables, (Sea) kayaking, playing viola, travelling, designing building and riding recumbent bicycles and model aeroplanes (not riding the latter, of course).
SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
physics, math, viola playing, making things
STRONG OPINIONS:
You shouln't have one, first listen....
MOST INTERESTING TRIP:
By kayak: Last summer I took a course and did two weeks cruising in Greece, near Skiathos. It was also my first real trip, and it defenitely converted me to sea kayaking (my girlfriend says I hardly talk about anything else since) By bike:Help, I can't decide, all of my many miles were great.
BIO:
I must be one of the younger ones here, being 31. I live in a rather waterless part of a very water-rich country. Currently employed as a physicist / designer I a product development institute (designing complex electro-mechanical apparatus) Before taking up paddling I have been heavily involved in recumbent bicycles. I build a couple of them (ehh, 8 really), and have ridden them al over Europe, and a bit in Australia. Cycling hollidays give the same kind of freedom as kayak touring: I love the feeling of being totally selfsupporting. Also I love going travelling, seeing sights and tasting other cultures.
In December I will go to Australia 6 weeks, and hope to do some paddling there. One of the far away projects is designing and building a sea kayak, but that has to wait until I can find enough indoor space to build a 5.5 meter boat.
******************************
Merijn Wijnen
Eindhoven
The Netherlands
******************************
Merijn Wijnen
The Netherlands
E-mail: Home: merijnBOASmusicDOTdemonDOTnl
Job: mDOTwijnenBOASindDOTtnoDOTnl
Web-site: http://www.music.demon.nl
From: wildwater {wildoatsBOASionetDOTnet }
I usually like to lurk but I guess I'll try a turn. This has been such a great thread, I can't resist. I grew up in Alaska and Montana and have been on my share of snow mobiles and dog sleds. Before I had children, I did a lot of cross country biking and quite a bit of back country hiking/backpacking. In winter I did a little bit of giant slalom and super g and was on the ski patrol a couple of years. Ever since I can remember, I've been into airplanes and boats and have done some stupid things in both but am lucky enough to be able to sit around the fire and tell you about it. I have since settled down into more conservative life-preserving practices. Since I still work in aviation, I try to take to the water or back country whenever I can. When I can't get in the water, I still like to ride my bike, hike, climb, or just camp out and look at birds. I'd been canoeing and rafting for years but didn't get into sea kayaking until I moved to Oklahoma. Yes, Oklahoma!! I was tired of trying to fight the wind in a canoe and so about 5 years ago I decided to try a sea kayak. The only problem was at the time there were no sea kayaks in Oklahoma. So I bought my first yak from NOC, a yellow Sea Lion, the Ceylon. The first time out, I knew it was right; it was like coming home. Know what I mean? Well I've had the boat on Lake Powell (several times) and on the Missouri (Gates of the Mountains in Montana) and on just about every good size splash of water around here and even ventured on a couple of rivers where sea yaks are *not* traditional. Usually it's just me and my cocker spaniel, Happy. She rides on the rear deck where I have rigged a foam pad for her. I've had to lean the boat severely a couple of times to get through a burble here or there and amazingly she'll stick with it. Sometimes she'll take a swim but usually she prefers to pose for the tourists. My favorite thing is to paddle and live out of the boat for a few days at a time. I wish I could do more of this.
a) NAME:
- Williams, Dave Phuket, Thailand
b) CONTACT:
- daveBOASpaddleasiaDOTcom ; http://paddleasia.com
c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled):
- Sea Lion, Challenge Plastic's Sea Quest and Breeze
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
- Birdwatching, mangroves, wild edible plants, survival skills, seamanship
f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
- Vast knowledge of the birds of Thailand and Laos. Pretty good working knowledge of the mangroves and common plants of Thailand and Laos.
g) STRONG OPINIONS:
- I believe that all paddlers should respect each other's disciplines. (We all stand to benefit from getting along.) (And, life's too short to spend time doing something you don't like... so don't!)
h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
- by far the Grand Canyon in '87. Fiji in '98 was very cool too. (Every time I go to Laos, I am amazed by the people. There are hundreds of children who come down to the river to greet us when we arrive at their villages. It's truly a country lost in time. We hope it stays that way. They seem so happy with the current way life goes on in the villages. Of course, the scenery is stunning too!)
I) BIO:
I was born in Roswell, New Mexico. My ship was destroyed in the landing, so I'm stuck here. I've lived in Tampa Florida, Kokomo Indiana, Oahu Hawaii, Hampton Virginia, and now Phuket Thailand.
I worked at Newport News Shipbuilding for 15 years until I woke up one day and realized that I was wasting my life doing something that I didn't believe in. Luckily, the USA lost one of its biggest enemies at that time - Russia. The shipyard was in the middle of a massive lay-off. So, I volunteered. I moved to Thailand shortly after that. I was majoring in Eastern Philosophy while I was at the shipyard. Unfortunately I had to quit school. I had a 4.0 average at the time.
I spent the first 15 years of my paddling career paddling serious whitewater, mostly in West Virginia. I've also paddled most of the rivers in Colorado and I've paddled the Grand Canyon in a squirt boat. I switched over to sea kayaking when I moved to Thailand. I love it! There's something magical about paddling in the sea with all of the wondrous marinelife surrounding you.
Life is good when you're doing what you love! I am very fortunate to have a very supportive family and plenty of great friends. I'm poorer than I've ever been, but I'm also happier than I ever been. I've finally figured out what's really important.
I just turned 44 years old. I started paddling on my 22nd birthday, so I've officially been paddling half of my life.
Cheers, Dave
a) NAME:
Wilson, Peyton
b) CONTACT:
gpwechoBOASjunoDOTcom
c) KAYAKS (Owned or paddled):
pirogue, OT 169, Overflow X, Sea Lion, Spectrum (shuttle vehicle = 1978 V W Bus)
d) BOAT NAME & CALL SIGN (IF RADIO OPERATOR):
Pea-Row
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
canoe-kayak camping (group & solo), hiking, motorcycles
f) SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE:
jack-of-all-trades, master of none
g) STRONG OPINIONS:
h) MOST INTERESTING TRIP:
the NEXT one !
i) BIO:
age 51; married w/ 3 daughters
FEBRUARY's "Who We Are" ENTRIES:
How ya'll are ?? Mardi Gras to you all !! I am age 51 and about the only thing I brag about now is "outliving" my first canoe ..the old aluminum Grumann. Lots of miles and many more smiles. Moved on to polyTripper style canoes; and then later on came short WW kayaks; and always there was the pirogue. I have used a friends touring kayak several times over the past 6 months and looks like I will add to my pile, yet again in the near future. Presently considering something in poly at over 16 feet and 23-24 inches wide...a nice 3 - 5 day camping boat for large inland lakes and large flatwater rivers and backwater would be nice. I have not yet outlived a couple Dutch ovens for gumbo, etoufee, jambalaya, sauce piquant, etc. My backyard river is the Ouachita and not too far away is the Atchafalaya Basin....and if you get the pronunciation right on either of those you are invited to supper. I enjoy the PaddleWise list and all that goes on there. Sounds like a good group to have a "get together" with. Ya'll come on down...we'll pass a good time, yeah !! This past weekend it was 78 deg F and I got sun-burned ...what a winter to paddle through !!!
Peyton
10th February 2004 - Robert Woodard
a) NAME:
Woodard, Robert
b) CONTACT:
woodardrBOASbigfootDOTcom
Web-site: http://www.kayaktrips.net/
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
- Paddling, web site
f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
- Network management, networking equipment, network engineering, Un*x - geek
stuff
g) STRONG OPINIONS:
- Nah. Well...maybe one or two...
h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
- So far taking my daughter out to Assateague Island to watch the ponies
swim. The Year I spent in Japan was a blast paddling along the coast, but I
don't dare let my daughter think that was more fun...
i) Short BIO (personal description):
- Working on my "second" career after 21 years in the US Air Force. Started
kayaking 1 Jan, 1999 with the maiden voyage of my Guillemot. I've bought
several other kayaks since then. Currently living in Northern Virginia.
2004 updated bio:
Starting into my sixth season, the fun hasn't worn off
yet. I guess I'm stuck with it. I'm hoping to pick up my BCU 4 star this
year, but only time will tell if I'm ready. The summer season will be filled
with training to stir things up a bit. The web site (www.kayaktrips.net)
seems to grow more popular every day since adding the kayak news section and
adding the geo mapping services. Stop by and tell me what you think!
Woody
http://www.kayaktrips.net/
a) NAME:
Zen, Mark
b) CONTACT:
seakayakerBOASdotzenDOTorg [have fun ;-] nobody will ever get it!!
(Editors note: the code for "@" and "." characters in the email are in capitals, the lower case "dot" is not a ".")
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
- Human Powered Travel, backpacking and bicycling to snowshoeing and xcountry skiing
f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
- Human Powered Travel, and a bit of computer geek, *nix type stuff
g) STRONG OPINIONS:
- a bunch, just ask!!
Ask a question and you're a fool for three minutes; do not ask a question and you're a fool for the rest of your life.
-- Chinese Proverb
When a man moves away from nature, his heart becomes hard.
-- Native American Proverb
A light heart lives long.
-- Irish Proverb
Say little but say it well.
-- Irish Proverb
Silence is also a form of speech.
-- West Africa Proverb
May the Lord grant me a sword and no need to use it.
-- Czech Proverb
h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
- mixed trip of canoes and kayaks, I paddled my sea kayak down the Gunnison River in western Colorado. Beautiful scenery. pictures on the Rocky Mountain Canoe Club's website. http://www.rockymountaincanoeclub.org and follow the links to the photos.
updated bio:
i'm another in the middle, at a ripe age of 40 ;-) i've lived on the east coast, and travelled the ocean on boats and ships up to an aircraft carrier [an when you're in hurricane hugo in the north atlantic, you still bob like a cork]. now i've lived most of my life in colorado, so i paddle lots of rivers, and a few large lakes, and some small ones.
i was previously an ACA certified canoe instructor, but my over-all specialty is "human powered travel" having riden a bicycle around the eastern us & canada, also xc skiing, snow shoeing, besides backpacking here in the rockies. i just started "sea kayaking" a few years ago, having purchased a plastic aquaterra spectrum from my dad. a couple years ago i bought a prijon yukon expedition, to play with in rough water. two years ago i bought a glass sea kayak from my dad, a seda viking. perfect for the easy river tours out here, plus i have a glass/kevlar solo touring canoe, and a good old gruman aluminum to lend friends!!
15 years ago i was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and now rarely paddle the canoe. occasionally the kayaks go out, but while previously i paddled 70-80 times a year a year for exercise, in 2001, i only paddled three times, all before memorial day. my RA put me in a wheelchair for most of 2001, now my health and fitness are coming back, so i hope to paddle more this year. i paddle mostly in the plastic boats, since i could "drop" them when i'm on my own, but i'd die if i dropped my kevlar canoe ;-)
while i can still enjoy non-impact sports, sea kayaking is the easiest one for me to "get away from it all." i support our local sea kayak club by hosting their website. http://www.rmskc.org thanks!!
mark
#------seakayaker[at]dotzen[dot]org-----/------------------------------ mark zen o__/ o_/| o_. po box 474 [\/ [__| [__\ ft. lupton, co 80621-0474 `\--------/--------/' (`----|-------\-') http://www.dotzen.org/folks/markz ~~/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~@~~~~~ #----------------------------------------------------------------------A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner. ~~ English Proverb
a) NAME:
Mary Zuschlag
b) CONTACT:
mzuschlagBOASattbiDOTcom
c) KAYAKS (Owned or paddled):
Current Designs Solstice GTS, grew up with a Klepper folding kayak
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Sea kayaking, rafting, skiing, hiking, photography, and diving
f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
biology, rafting and boat camping
g) STRONG OPINIONS:
You can't own too much gear!
h) MOST INTERESTING TRIP:
Kayak: Johnstone strait, Discovery Islands, Desolation sound, Kenai Fjords, Baja in 2002, Rowed: the Grand Canyon 3 times, also paddle rafted the Bio Bio in Chile and the Karnali in Nepal.
i) BIO:
I am a fanatical rafter who recently started sea kayaking. I was a white water kayaker for about 4 years, but switched to sea kayaking. My father owned a folding Klepper kayak so I grew up paddling boats on flat water. I am a newbie to seakayaking but I have been rowing rafts for about 18 years. I have severe Rheumatoid arthritis which sometimes makes life interesting and challenging. I am 48 and I love long trips in kayaks and rafts, also enjoy diving and a variety of outdoor adventures. I am a prolific reader, enjoy photography, and maintain a journal of my longer trips. I work for the US Forest Service so I have an extensive background in natural resource and conservation issues.
website: http://www.mzuschlag.com