The last three days have kept me busy from early morning till the wee hours as much as I wanted to get on my computer and share what was going on, I couldn’t keep my eyes open at the end of the day long enough to get anything posted.
The 2010 Sweetwater Kayak Symposium was a rousing success. With people coming together from all over the state and country to paddle and have a good time.
The 2010 Sweetwater Kayak Symposium was a rousing success. With people coming together from all over the state and country to paddle and have a good time.
I let him sign my boat but he wouldn't let me sign his leg.
On Friday people started to arrive from all over the state some were taking classes that day while others simply came in a day early to get settled in. While the coaches and students went out on the water the rest of the staff and volunteers put on the finishing touches for symposium preparations. I came over to help out in whatever way I could be it filling in on a class, moving boats, or hanging banners. I explained to Russell that I was up for anything even washing dishes if that’s what needed to be done. Apparently he took that sentiment to heart when he found me and asked if I’d mind fixing the toilet in the store that picked this busy weekend to give him trouble. A quick run to Lowes for a new flush valve and a few good pulls with a plunger solved the problem. Afterward I helped out with a few more things then found a quiet corner to put the finishing touches on my slide show.
It isn't all kayaking
The Bananna Boat Bar next door to the shop was the selected venue for end of the day off the water festivities. We feasted on Lasagna and afterward fired up the projector to share some of our adventures. First up was Kirsten (wife of famous Nigel Foster) who shared her artist’s perspective of many of the exotic paddling destinations she and Nigel have paddled. Afterward I took the stage and told a few of the many stories and showed a bunch of the pictures from the trip so far. Being my first ever slide show I was worried that I’d bore the audience. I did run a bit longer than I’d planned but the show seemed to be well received. What was great for me to see several of the people I’d met and stayed with along the route in attendance at the slide show. It truly is a small community in the paddling world after all.
The weather was a challenge when things got started on Saturday morning with rain and wind pushing people into dry suits and whatever other gear they could find to stay dry and warm. I dodged the rain while working in a storage building trying to diagnose and fix a mystery leak in the rear hatch in a kayak. By the time lunch was laid out the skies parted and it turned into a beautiful sunny day. Having not been on the water for a few days I jumped at the chance to go out for a short jaunt on a stand up board. I’d only ever done standup in San Diego in relatively deep water. Here in the shallow mangrove channels there was a never ending array of fish and bottom features that you can’t see while seated in a kayak but can while standing on a board. It made a quick run through familiar terrain seem like a completely new experience. I also took advantage of a quiet moment to demo a kit built skin on frame kayak that was a fun boat to paddle.
My boat repairs on Saturday didn’t solve the problem so on Sunday I took the kayak in question out in the sun where I could take a closer look and I believe I found the source of the problem. While I worked on that boat I took advantage of the warm dry day and laid my Ikkuma out on the kayak stands to do some work on that boat as well. Over the last couple months of travel I’d begun to drag thin spots on the keel strip so I laid on an additional layer to further protect the hull from further damage. Later in the day as things started to wind down we began the process of wrapping things up and saying farewell to friends as they loaded their boats and headed home.
Hey Neil, I traded your truck for a faster ride
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