GGSKS 2014

I measure the success of GGSKS by the amount of fun I have and I had a ton of fun this year.  So I guess that makes the 2014 event very successful.  At least by my standards.

GGSKS is a subset of the sea paddling community and a damn fine one.  Sean Morley and I receive lots of feedback (positive and negative) and probably way too much praise.  But, here's the reality.  If you enjoy the event, you can't blame us.  Blame the community.  All we do is lay the foundation for GGSKS and everyone else adds to it until something beautiful has been formed.  We're just facilitators.

The value of this event goes well beyond any hard skills you'll learn.  It's also about connecting with other people that paddle.  It's about having a good time, laughing, smiling, cheering each other on.  There's a positive energy in the air and all you need to do is embrace it to become a better paddler.  I think that great paddlers must first be great people and I met lots of great people this year.  I made some lasting connections and I can't wait to see how it will impact my life.

This year we had 190 people attend the event as students, coaches, staff, media & volunteers.  We came from California, Florida, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, New York, Montana, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, South Carolina, Minnesota, Nevada, Virginia, mainland Mexico, Baja California, Scotland, Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia.  14 states and 4 countries.  That's pretty rad.

Don't listen to me describe what it was like, just watch the film by Marty Perry.

Relaxing in Loreto

As many trips do, this one had a goal.  It wasn't clear, but it clearly involved spending time on myself & resetting for a major change.  I recently left my job in search of something more meaningful and more fulfilling, and a trip to Baja seemed a good starting point.  So far I'm feeling way more 'in touch' with myself and am taking the time to listen to my body.  I'm sleeping well, getting up early and my thoughts are more clear.  More than I even realized, I really needed this trip for personal growth over anything else.  I'm relaxed and stress free!

The drive down was quite remarkable due to the scenery, the company and the two fun-filled sup surf sessions along the way.  I'm on this trip with Ginni Callahan, the owner/operator of Sea Kayak Baja Mexico, to help get the company up and running for the season.  SKBM is the only Nigel Dennis Expedition Center & BCU Center in Mexico and they're experiencing growth after 6 years of operation.  After laying low in San Diego for a week getting work done and visiting friends, we started the 1,000 mile trek down the peninsula and pulled into Loreto three days later.

2013 Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium

Three weeks have passed since the 2013 Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium in the San Francisco Bay Area.  The vibe was right-on this year with a healthy mix of personality, positive attitudes, a relaxed atmosphere & abundant sunshine.  It was a great place to make friends and do some paddling.  

After a brief period of contemplation, we've decided to do it all again in 2014.  My goal next year is definitely to spend much, much more time on the water.  Maybe even do some coaching!  I want to give a huge 'thank you' to the many sponsors, volunteers, staff, coaches & participants that came out for the celebration.    

photo by Roberto Gutierrez

photo by Roberto Gutierrez

photo by Roberto Gutierrez

The morning drive to the launch.  photo by Roberto Gutierrez

photo by Roberto Gutierrez

photo by Roberto Gutierrez

Love this classic bridge shot.  photo by Roberto Gutierrez

2012 Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium

The fourth annual Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium ran from February 16-22 and was a success thanks to the mild, sunny weather and overall highly positive attitudes.  While the format was largely the same as years past, with full-day courses and focused on instruction, it felt more refined compared to years past.  As the event manager and co-founder, It was relieving to see that our hard work and feedback-inspired modifications paid off.  Now that the stress is gone and another year is to rest, we'll begin working on 2013.  Feedback is already pouring in and after a well-deserved rest, we'll get right back to work very soon.  Just as we made changes for 2012, we'll make more for 2013.  All we can do is attempt to make the event better and better each year.  


The funny thing about GGSKS, for me, is that my perspective of the event is entirely different than everyone else's.  I rarely get to paddle, in fact I've paddled a total of 1 day in the four years this event has been held.  It consisted of about 3 hours on the water the last day of 2011.  Because I'm not in the cockpit I miss much of what makes the event so special.  I hear the stories of glory and disaster, I get pieces here and there.  I look at the pictures and fill-in what I missed.  To me, I can measure the success by the amount of smiling I see at the launch, the number of people meeting new friends, the old friendships rekindled and the new participants telling me about their experiences.

Starting as an intermediate to advanced level sea paddling instructional based event, it has actually become more than that.  The curriculum is still focused on paddling of course, but the event has taken on a new element all on its own.  It's a social gathering in and of itself.  It's a link between the Northwest paddlers in Canada, Washington and Oregon and the paddlers of California North and South.  It's a chance to see your friends, meet people you've only chatted with online and connect with new people on a personal level.  It's social networking at its best and paddling is the common bond.  

Friday Pics
Saturday Pics
Sunday Pics

GGSKS

I recently put together a short video to help promote the Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium in February.  This was my first time playing with video.  Although it's super time consuming, it is really fun and quite challenging.


  

Lumpy Waters in Oregon

I recently travelled to Pacific City, Oregon with Bryant Burkhardt and Sean Morley,  two other California Canoe & Kayak instructors.  The three of us were coaching at Lumpy Waters, a terrific sea paddling event catering to different levels of boaters.  Without a doubt, anyone who is passionate about sea kayaking and training should go to this event next year.  No matter what drives you there - the class offerings, the coach lineup or just the overall experience - it's worth the trip.  

The event begins Friday afternoon allowing everyone the morning off to free paddle, to drive in or just to sleep in.  Friday came and went with lots of boating and some incredible Incident Management on the part of some instructors.  Saturday brought decent weather and beautiful ocean conditions and I'd estimate around 100 students in attendance.  Sunday was more of the same with nice paddling weather and conditions.  This was one of the first events I've attended as a coach.  I travel to lots of events, but often as a volunteer, student or organizer.  It was nice to attend from a different perspective and learn some things.  I've definitely come away with some new ideas for GGSKS this February.  I also got to spend some valuable time working on my coaching skills and observing top coaches at work.  

Symposiums in general are really exciting to me.  They are such a good place to learn, to fine-tune and to advance your skills in good company.  I got my first serious taste of the sea at a symposium and it kick-started my training.   For paddlers new to symposiums, though, I think it is important they step back and take in the whole experience, not just the on-water courses.  The social aspect is huge at symposia and meeting other paddlers and coaches is very easy.  It's in these social settings that we often talk shop and discuss other events, trips, concepts, teaching styles and more.  Think of it as a meeting of the minds - for sea kayakers.  If you're interested in learning more, check out The Golden Gate Sea Kayaking Symposium in San Francisco in February or The Southwest Kayak Symposium in San Diego in March.