Thursday, June 26, 2008

Lots going on!


June has been a busy month, and its not over yet! Getting into my first real teaching assignments with the SKOAC "Basic Strokes and Rescues" class last week was a great experience. I enjoyed the class, the people, the day. Meeting new people, and taking a part in their first learning experiences is rewarding. This weekend is the "Intro to Lake Superior" group. Some of students who took the class earlier will be up on the lake this weekend, we'll do a crossing out to Basswood Island, spend the night, do some navigation clinics, and generally have some fun. But first I will be flying out to Newport Rhode Island on a work related trip, then return late Friday and drive up to the lake. Wish I could spend some time there! Only a mile from the coast, and I'll be in an airplane hanger the whole time!

Anyway .. Just a quick post to say I hadn't forgotten my blogging responsibilities .. the only place I have Internet these days is at work, so I need to get in early to do my computer stuff. Like I said .. lots going on!


Be back Monday.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Apostle Weekend



I'll have to add another "favorite" campsite to the list. Seven of us spent last weekend in the Apostles, both nights were at campsites I hadn't been to yet. I'd been to Stockton Island, but never camped there, and after some exploring through the woods to find the campsite we had originally signed up for, we discovered not only the long trek through the woods, but the mosquito's would be of biblical proportions. A quick phone call to the park service to switch campsites for the beach site was in order. A nice weekend on the islands with some good friends was what I really needed for a battery recharge.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Storm Rolls

Out paddling in the rain last night. It's really a peaceful time to be on the lake, the jet skis and speed boats all seem to disappear, you get the whole lake to play on. I didn't use the whole lake, but I did head out into areas that would normally be "danger zone" to a lone kayaker on a sunny weekend. The lakes are warming up quickly, the dry suit is no longer needed here in the city lakes, even a wet suit is going to be to much for a afternoon paddle. After a short workout paddle I spent some time working on rolls, the "storm roll" has been a hard one for me for a long time, after some coaching by Ron S over the weekend, I was able to hit it a couple times. Then last night it started working real well. Its odd how once you figure it out, it then seems so easy. So many things in life are like that, not just rolling. It's to bad so many of life's lessons aren't as easy to learn as a simple "storm roll".