Dear Paddlers and Friends, Thanksgiving, 2009
What a great year of paddling!!! Great trips in Casco Bay, a few multi day courses, and Tom got to spend 5 weeks in the field Downeast w Bates College’s Geology of the Coast of Maine (our 20th year) before dropping into our crazy summer of courses, trips and selling boats. The early rains kept the timid away in the early summer, but the adventurers amongst us were not put off. Some found out that even 2” of rain can make for a fun overnight.
Hurricane Bill during August gave GOM paddlers 15’ swells @ 18 seconds for a truly heroic Rocks and Ledges course on that Saturday - with a period only usual to the West coast! MIKCo finished up the last 7 weeks with two Fastracks off Peaks, a private seamanship course on Vinalhaven (we should all move there), attendance at Mark and Mel’s Downeast Symposium outside Bar Harbor, a quick stop at the Eastern Outdoor Reps Show in Sturbridge to talk about Nigel Dennis’s new ballistics grade composite cloth, and a final private 4 day into the Stonington Archipelago (with bad mosquitos during the windy days in late Sept...global warming or what?). Tom and a group of Univ of Rochester and Kodak engineers have continued development of a ballistics cloth we’ve been experimenting w for 2 months.
Despite the economy and two months of early season rain - your interests and enthusiasm made for a banner year for MIKCo trips, courses and NDK sales, which keeps us continuing with our working-for-our-island-lifestyle mode of operating. We are excited that our new method of stroke development in our Fastrack courses is well received, that we can still offer the Committed Coastal Paddler a working outline of their needed development over their next few years of paddling. We remain convinced of the value of our Rocks and Ledges exercises, and are looking forward to our NE Intermediate Rough Water Symposium in Pt Judith next June, 2010.
We are continuing to maintain MIKCo’s high level of professional advice, coaching and boat fitting for those interested in moving into higher levels of their paddling. And Joe and Sharoan continue their committed, hard work in providing a quality Intro to Sea Kayaking, solid trips, and premium corporate events to all those willing to commit to ferrying to our island for a Peak experience.
FYI for those interested in the-state-of-art-expedition sea kayak, Nigel Dennis’s new boats now all have a new removable and adjustable seat. Also know he’s gone back to a simpler and lighter composite skeg box. The new NDK Pilgram’s (second generation LVs) are being surprisingly well received by the smaller and mid size paddler – which doesn’t yet make sense to me, but it’s the comments received. Also please know that NDK now maintains a significant stock of new boats at Nigel’s New England warehouse so contact and ask your local dealer what is available. And we’re hopeful that our next Rough Water Symposium will introduce a remarkable new step in composite sea kayak manufacturing – at least as big as the introduction of carbon/kevlar sea kayaks…it’s a ballistics grade cloth that absorbs impacts, still in beta form so we’ve not proved our beliefs.
Anyrate, we hope you’ll keep in touch. Let us know your contact info if you want MIKCo to keep you informed of developments in your area of interest.
Good Journeys,
Tom Bergh