Paddling Club To Meet February 16

The Housatonic Valley Paddling Club will meet at 7 pm on Wednesday, February 16, at the Newtown CL&P Service Center on Barnabas Road.

This month’s meeting will feature guest speaker Gail Ferris, who specializes in paddling arctic waters. Her seminar is titled “Greenland, My Passion,” which will cover her last visit to Greenland in August 2003, and will focus on how she paddles in cold-water situations. She has been going to Greenland since 1992 off and on.

Her program will cover her solo kayak expedition from Upernavik to Kangersuatsiaq to Lakesefjorden to Opit, a forest at 72 degrees north of six foot high trees. Then she paddled behind the islands via the icecap and Upernavik Isfjord route to Aappilattoq to visit friends and interview elders who had extensive kayak and umiaq experience. Her return to Upernavik suddenly became a challenging journey.

Her discussion will be as a totally self sufficient solo kayak paddler: how she dressed, how she took care of herself as she camped out along the way, and the unique characteristics of the new folding kayak, Long Haul Mark I, which she specially waited for development and manufacture of for this trip.

Non-members are always welcome to join the club’s meetings. Anyone interested in learning about the club and its activities is encouraged to attend.

For more information call 203-263-3281 or check the website at www.HVPaddleClub.org.