Hello Fall!

Well that went quick! It feels like only weeks ago a group of us were huddled on a ledge near Seawall for a cold wet lunch during this spring’s first 3-day course! Despite that nasty beginning, it’s been a lovely sunny paddling season, with great conditions. Though it certainly feels like we’ve taken a distinct turn towards Fall in the last couple weeks. Time to coax a few more ripe vegetables out of the hoop-house, load the wood-bin, and replace my busted neck gasket in preparation for cool-weather paddling!

This was an amazing season spent mostly in my home waters, and though I decided to travel a lot less than in previous years, it was great to welcome many of you back to the waters of Downeast Maine. I was also visited by groups and individuals from as far away as Ontario, the District of Columbia, and Texas. Many thanks to all of you for coming all this way, sharing in some great paddling, and, I hope, making worthwhile progress towards your kayaking goals.

While I’ll be spending much of my remaining paddling time this fall working with student-leaders from College of the Atlantic (and chasing any hurricane swell that we’re lucky enough to get this fall), I do want to share two remaining opportunities for ACA training and certification next month.
October 5th-7th, Todd Wright and I will be offering an ACA L3 Trip Leader Training and Assessment, out of the AMC cabin at Knubble Bay (Georgetown, ME). If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to take this course, or if you just want another excuse to do some beautiful fall paddling from a cozy and scenic off-grid cabin on the coast of Maine, please get in touch. We’ve just had a few spots open up.
Two weeks later I’ll be in Brooklyn, NY, offering an ACA L2 Instructor Certification Workshop, October 18th-20th. If you’re in need of an update, or are interested in doing some cool urban paddling and getting certified as an L2 Kayak Instructor, please let me know - I understand there are a couple spaces available in that course as well.

I expect you’ve all had some wonderful paddling adventures this season, and I hope you continue enjoying getting out on the water this fall. As always, I’d love to hear from you as you reflect on your progress this season and begin setting goals for next year. Fall is a good time to start nudging me towards offering the sort of adventures you’re interested in taking part in next season, so dream big and let me know where that’s taking you!

Finally, I’ll mention that I’ve got a few odds and ends in new-inventory that I’d be happy to clear out of my retail corner. I’m offering free shipping and 15% off on all of it. Northwater Sea Tec towbelts (set up the way I like them) and Paddle Britches; a couple composite WRSI Trident helmets (yep, the one’s I like); various Werner Shuna and Cyprus paddles ($15 shipping on these); Kokatat Knappster shorty top (size L); and Snapdragon EXP neoprene skirts (M and L tunnels, decks to fit Aries, Cetus, Delphin, etc). I’ve also got both sizes of Delphin and a Scorpio MV in the new, Corelite X construction (lighter, stronger) - I won’t ship those, but give me a holler for deal-pricing on in-stock boats.

Cheers! Nate