We're excited to have kayak coach and Greenland paddling aficionado Ed Mann join us for our March meeting! Many of our members have begun to use the "skinny stick." You'll learn more about Greenland style paddling and an upcoming training weekend during Ed's presentation.
Ed holds an L4 ACA Open Water Instructor Certification and an ACA Traditional Skills Endorsement. Simply stated, he is a passionate Greenland kayaking devotee. Before moving to Florida, he was the President of the Jersey Shore Sea Kayak Association, a principal kayak instructor for the Jersey Paddler, and instructor of rolling at the inaugural Garden State Sea Kayak Symposium. He has mentored at other Greenlandic events, including the Delmarva Paddlers Retreat, Hudson River Greenland Festival, and TIPS. When he's not teaching, he is usually upside down in his kayak watching manatees while he rolls.
Ed coordinates an annual Greenland skills focused weekend called TRAQS, which stands for Traditional Qajaqers of the South. This year's TRAQS festival is scheduled for May 4-7 in Lake Placid. While rolling plays a prominent part in the schedule, there's much more being offered. The event encompasses strokes and maneuvering, rescues, navigation and marine radio use, the history and culture of Greenland paddling, morning yoga, fireside chats, and a moonlight paddle on Lake Placid. Greenland newbies and veterans alike will find sessions useful to their skill and experience levels. This event attracts excellent coaches from around the country and the student-to-trainer ratio is low so that learners can receive personalized attention. Our Zoom meeting with Ed Mann will begin at 7PM Monday, March 13th. Click on this link to join. We will mute participants initially, but open up the floor for questions and conversation after the presentation.