1. Blog a lot!
Verdict: Complete!
2. Paddle a lot!
- Bay of Islands, New Zealand (15 km)
- Kenepuru Sound, New Zealand (40 km)
- Fiordland National Park, New Zealand (21 km)
- Rotterdam Centrum, Netherlands (10 km)
- Stellendam, North Sea, Netherlands (20 km)
- Ijssel River, Netherlands (45 km)
- Ionian Islands, Greece (58 km)
- Linschoten, Netherlands (18 km)
- Ameland, Wadden Sea, Netherlands (22 km) including a new lake in Friesland - does that count for 2?
- Lake Geneva, Switzerland (5 km)
Additional distance covered in non-new locations: 20+ ~8 km + 10 km + 4*8? = ~70 km
Total distance so far: ~324 km (probably a bit more). I think I will manage to paddle in ~2 additional new locations this year, and the distance goal should not be an issue given trips that are already on the calendar!
Verdict: On track! / basically complete
3. Do a couple open coast paddles!
Verdict: Complete!
4. Refresh my Greenland paddling & rolling skills
Verdict: No progress, but hopeful
5. Find my paddling community
Some specific updates:
- I joined many group trips this summer, including a couple overnight trips. It was a blast! In my experience, this is the best way to get to know fellow club members well.
- I volunteered to be the new secretary of the club. There was a vacancy, and I saw a chance to use some of my skills/hobbies (writing/organizing) at the same time as chiseling a spot for myself in the club. This has immediately led to me getting to know many other members. Somehow, once you get an official label like "secretary," people spontaneously strike up conversations with you at the club, and don't inadvertently treat you as a newbie. As an introvert, that's been a really nice development!
- I taught an introduction to kayaking course, getting to know 3 new members quite well.
- Getting know know members of RCC, the club next door.
- Partly because of my new role as secretary, I've been diligent about attending pretty much all club meetings (brainstorms), where I've learned a lot more about the inner workings of the club.
Verdict: Going well, can always improve!
6. Write a few more Water Nerd posts.
Verdict: Not on track, but that's alright?
7. Name my new boat!
Complete (and growing) list of potential names (my favorite names in bold):
- Bigger Purple
- Purple Humongous
- Purple Hugo
- Lila Pause (after a purple candy bar made by Milka, and Lila means Lilac in Dutch)
- Purp 2.0
- Polly
- Various flower names: Daisy, Iris, Lilac
- Freya
- Lucy (thanks EP)
- Mystic Merlin
- Cheshire Cat
- UK-inspired names: Norbert, Barnaby, Felix, Hamish, Seamus, Rupert, Clyde
- Groot Paars (equivalent of Big Purple in Dutch)
- Deep Purple (after the English rock band)
- Purplicious (after a children's book)
- Purple Pioneer (I like this, though there's a kayaking brand called Pioneer that makes ugly kayaks...)
- New Purple (Thanks Jeff!)
Verdict: Not on track