Leesylvania to Mallows Bay

So, I am late posting about this trip. There is not much to say. It was an 10.7 mile round trip paddle to Mallows Bay and back form Leesylvania State Park, VA.

The Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay

So, here is the track and some photos of the trip.

The certification crisis. Is certification necessary?

We all know that the popularity of sea kayaking and expedition kayaking is waning. There is much debate about why this is happening. And like everyone else, I have my theories and opinions. First is elitists and safety wonks that populate the clubs and believe they are the only one that know how to kayak. The second is the rampant growth and push towards certification. Or maybe the ease and low entry of SUP.

I believe that there is much you need to learn as you advance to open water kayaking. I have always been the kind of guy who jumps in with both feet and will learn what I need to know through experience. I believe that most kayakers should learn this way. In my opinion this kind of learning will stick with you. Experiential learning is one of the best forms and I don't mean see then do method of teaching. Get a boat, life vest and paddle and go for it. That is how the first kayakers did it.

Now don't get me wrong certification is not a bad thing in and of itself. But just to kayak you do not need certification. I became an instructor for a good reason, my wife wanted me to do it. With assessments based on a standard scale you can judge if a person should be capable of a given paddle. Yet, there are clubs that have there own courses and if you take their course then you are golden whether you actually absorbed the knowledge or not. So maybe a standardized assessment is not a bad thing. Hard call.

If you paddle in a reservoir or a calm lake or a slow moving stream, chances are you do not need classes and certification. Now this is assuming you are not a dumb ass and use common sense. Lets face it, you can not protect people from themselves.

So, I was going somewhere with this. Now where was I going?

Oh, I remember. Elitists and safety wonks and certification. With clubs you meet all kinds of people and like any group there are those that can do, those that talk, those that judge and then there are the people having fun. It just appears that in these clubs there are a vocal few that think they know all about safety and they set stupid rules and basically drive the fun people away. It happens in all groups not just kayaking.

With our club my standard for people is, be able to get in your boat have an idea of how to paddle straight and wear your PFD properly at all times on the water. Now lets paddle and see the wildlife. If the leader and assistants have some assisted rescue skills and you lead with common sense it will be a safe fun trip. Some clubs harp on wearing a spray deck. Really? I am not taking a club paddle into 2 foot waves, that is for vetted peer paddles.

Lets not get bogged down with rules that don't make sense. The first group I paddled with had a must have list of equipment to paddle with them, including a throw bag, for flat water paddles.

Lost my way again. Can't keep my train of thought from derailing.

People want to paddle with other people. So, they join clubs and are met with elitists and rules that make no sense so they quit the sport. Or they are told they need this class or that class and quit. All they really need is a kayak, paddle, PFD and water appropriate clothing. The rest will come. If they enjoy what they are doing they will want to learn and improve or just stay at the level they are and enjoy the water. And both are acceptable paths as far as I am concerned.

So, in conclusion don't be a safety wonk and don't push the certification nonsense. People will learn at their pace in the way they choose and to an extent they choose. Wow, that was a long road to say so little.

Certification is not killing the sport. The business of certification might. Forcing certification to buy or rent a kayak will kill it. I think like everything else the over obsessed safety culture has created a generation of risk adverse people. That my have contributed to the decline. And the elitists and safety wonks are taking the fun out of it. Not all perceived dangers are valid dangers. Lets let people enjoy kayaking and learn as they go. Don't push certification or enforce rules and equipment requirements that are just not needed.

Oh wait.... I was at an end. OK, I am stopping now.