WeatherMap
| Commodore's Corner |
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In August 1979, I was looking forward to my freshman year in high school, Jimmy Carter was the President, and 52 Americans were being held hostage in Iran. I was driving with friends up to play around with some inner tubes at some "cool place" on the Delaware River. I was in the back of a 1972 Dodge pickup, Credence could be heard from the radio. I threw the open window, and it was hot. This was the first of many trips to Skinners Falls, a place I remember to be as wild as Woodstock. I also remember watching these characters helping boaters get themselves back together after getting trashed in their shinny aluminum canoes. I returned some years later to kayak the same great rapid and saw the same people still rescuing distressed boaters. I became curious about who they were, asked some questions of a NPS ranger, who turned out to be Mr. Weber, and the rest is history. The NCSP got into my system and I find great pride in being the Commodore of the NCSP on its 30th anniversary. Looking back on the work of the NCSP during the past 30 years is awe inspiring. The number of people giving countless unpaid hours, the money spent on gear, the training and responsibility we take on is impressive to say the least. This is the core to the success of the NCSP, its people and their unselfish willingness to give back to the paddling community. Our society has become less friendly in the past 30 years. It may be increased selfishness brought on by a consumer driven society, the change in fluidity of communities with the ease of transportation, but what ever the cause the paddling community remains a beacon of cooperation and community. Paddlers have been, and I hope will continue to be, very helpful and supportive on the rivers we paddle. We have all helped a new paddler take the correct line, given half a sandwich to the person who forgot their lunch, or given a ride back to the put-in to someone we just met. The NCSP embraces this mindset of helping; we put our own safety at risk to rescue a boater we never knew. Personally, a season has not gone by that I haven't said to myself, "If I wasn't there, they wouldn't have made it".
Thirty year anniversaries are a time to look back at accomplishments and to assess where we are going. We can all look back with a great amount of pride; we've done a hell of a job! One of my proudest statements I make to fellow paddlers is, "I'm a member of the National Canoe Safety Patrol". This reputation also carries with it the responsibility to carry on the commitment to the paddling community and the service we provide. I am excited and proud of where we are going. Here's to the next 30 years! |