Writing On A Clean SlateThere is still a chill in the air, but the snow is gone and the trees are blooming (which is probably why I am sneezing). The calendar says, "May," and my schedule says Intro to Sea Kayaking. If It's Friday (and it is), it must be lesson time.

I head for Madison in a few hours to teach my first class of this season. I worry about how cold the pond is and that beginners need to do wet exits but don't have dry suits. I want to be sure to take my time to cover each skill enough so that they can go off and practice on their own. I need to be sure to cover everything in the curriculum (imagine if they learned to roll but didn't have a forward stroke). Above all, with the cold water and all, I must keep them (and myself) safe.

We love this sport, and many of us love teaching it as much as participating in it. It is, however, a great responsibility, and those coming to learn deserve the best we can offer.

This little unpaid political announcement is my pep talk to myself as I come off the (winter) bench. It's time to get out there and into the game.

Paddle safe...
DS