Dowd's passion for sea kayaking,
and his determination to protect the sport and maintain its freedom
from restrictive regulations, forms the fundamental share of his
focus these days. Education through experience and the sharing
of information, he believes, are the keys to the healthy survival
of the sport. While sea kayaking has been a lifelong pursuit for
Dowd, he says, "My learning
curve now is as steep as it has ever been." Even now, he
doesn't think of himself as an expert: "If you think you're
an expert, you've got an attitude problem." While sea kayakers can achieve a degree of competence through
the acquisition of skills, Dowd believes attitude and judgement
are the real keys to safe paddling. "Both can be taught,"
says Dowd, "but they are much harder to assess."
Because
he believes skills alone are not a true measure of a paddler's
competence on the water, Dowd is concerned when the emphasis in
training focuses on skills simply because they are easier to assess.
Trends toward the certification of guides and instructors also
concern Dowd. In the latest edition of his book, he writes: "Indeed,
a sense of misplaced confidence frequently develops among those
who have been certified to teach or guide, since curriculum content
often replaces real experience."
Certification can expand
from the industry to the consumer, as it has done in SCUBA diving.
He continues: "If we are not vigilant, I can foresee a time
when you will need to be certified in order to rent or buy a kayak."Dowd is presently working on a video series on seamanship for
kayakers. In his opinion, educating paddlers is critical to maintaining
the freedom sea kayakers now enjoy. "The regulation of sea
kayaking would limit its appeal and freedoms," he says. "Kayaking
is all about freedom."
Born and raised in Australia, adventure writer Jeff Lancaster
has published stories in GQ, Men's Health and Conde Nast Traveller.
He lives in Southern California with his wife and daughter. |
