Out with one year, and on to the next!
Hey there paddlers!
Although we are already well into 2016, I'm just getting around to sending this Thank You note to all of you for such a great 2015 season at Pinniped Kayak. It was a thrill to spend time on the water with so many of you, from the first weekend of May right through mid-November! Courses ranged from first-experiences in a kayak to honing skills in the awesome conditions that visited our coastline during the late fall. We put about 300 kayaks on the water for instruction last year, with participants from as far away as South Korea, and paddlers aged 12 to . . . well, let's just say some folks who really made me hope that I can remain as strong as they have! We also had help from a variety of excellent instructors including Todd Wright, Michael Daugherty, Mark Schoon, Rebecca Daugherty, and Chris Audet. Many thanks to each of them for pitching in!
In addition to our range of skills classes and leadership trainings, we added ACA Instructor Development courses to Pinniped Kayak's offerings last fall, and those of you who are interested in developing the skills to teach paddlesport can look forward to more of these ACA programs in the upcoming season.
The best part of the 2015 season for me was definitely the amount of time I was able to spend working long-term with a number of you. I saw paddlers develop confidence and finesse over the course of many months, overcome barriers that they felt had been holding them back, and achieve goals that seemed ambitious to them at the outset of the season. I found it extremely rewarding to see paddlers dedicating so much to their kayaking - and I was grateful that each of you allowed me to be a part of your big season. Above all, it was great to get to know you better, and have a blast together on the water!
I'd love to hear about your personal paddling goals for 2016, wherever they might lead you. Also, if there are certain trainings or trips that you'd like Pinniped Kayak to offer, now is a great time to weigh in. I'm currently working on next year's schedule, so it's easy for me to include just the sort of programs you're interested in. Send me an email or give a call to have a chat about it.
Thanks again, and I'll see you on the water in a few short months!
- Nate