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The Event Report for BASK March 2004 General Meeting
By: Dean McCully

We have a very full agenda for this month's meeting, and we are expecting a large crowd. So come early to get a good seat. The meeting will start around 6:45 pm.

On the Agenda:
Bask Officers Elections. See the current issue of Bay Currents for the slate of new officers. Also, nominations will be taken from the floor.

The Guest Speaker is Corey Freedman, who will be talking about building your own Baidarka

Safety Talk, on the Pt. Bonita Incident, with Ken M., Don B., John S. and others.

So don't be late.

Jesse Meyer
BASK VP

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Note: This event report does not necessarily reflect the opinions of EyeYak or any owners or subsidiaries. EyeYak is not related to any other club, organization, company, or anything anybody on this planet has ever heard of. And that's the truth. Your mileage may vary. Have a nice day.

FOOD! Don't we ALWAYS start this way? Dean's parents were visiting from Michigan. My dad baked 4 apple pies and 1 lemon meringue pie for the BASK meeting. YUM!	The auditorium fills....	Chris the Magnificant Chef (in the background). Glenn mingling in the foreground.
Chris ponders, "Dang, did I bring enough fruit cups?" Yup, Chris, you did a PERFECT job!	Jesse, natural leader.	The auditorium buzzes with excitement.
Penny reads an interesting email to the crowd.	Michael prepares to flash us. Well, not really, he's just practicing selling watches out of trenchcoats. Well, not really, he's just taking his shirt off because it's hot.	Penny takes the floor.
A happy bunch of campers -er-er- kayakers!	Rob (in the center) from Healing Waters (Healing Waters ) joined us to fill us in on Healing Waters' adventures.	John gets up to introduce the Rescue Talk.
KayaknKen takes the podium.	John privides graphic aids. MUCH better than we would have had if the Audio-Visual system would have been working....	The crowd is rapt. Or wrapped. Or, oh, whatever...
Penny asks pointed questions. (That's my mom and dad in the upper left.)	The crowd is hushed.	Maryly ponders.
Penny asks MORE pointed questions.	Questions from the audience.	MOre and more questions (notice how my parents are paying close attention. They do that, you know....)
The back of Rob from Healing Waters shirt.	The back of the room is still abuzz with eaters and minglers.	John does a MUCH better job than Powerpoint would have, huh?
Fred ponders.	Kayak Ken shows off his T-Shirt: "Kayak Ken's Kick Ass Kove!"	Yukkin it up!
Dave asks a pertinent question.	Heh, it's my Dad and Mom! They flew all the way from Michigan to see this month's BASK meeting.	The crowd is in awe as Ken spins his petrifying yarn. (I hope you'all take this the right way, and I mean no offense, but, GEEZ, there are some babes in this club, huh. No further comment! ;-)
The world famous Tsunami Ranger in the back, giving us moral support.	More pondering and rapt attention paying....	More questions from the floor. This is one info-packed presentation!!!!
The youngest BASKer (on the right) takes copious notes. With Crayons. REALLY! (That's my mom on the far left.)	Heh, whose toenails? Nice shade of red. (I know who the belong to, but I ain't telling. Take a guess. Winner gets a free pie from my dad. Oh, and Maryly doesn't get to guess....)	Now THERE's one rugged kayaker!
Heh, another rugged kayaker....	The "Out-The-Gate Rescue Committee" performing in the "Kayak Klub Rescue of the Century!" BASKers involved in the Out-The-Gate near-disaster team up to rescue a couple of invaluable club members from the Briney Deeps! Don't forget to see LaRhee's harrowing tale at LaRhee's Account of the Out-The-Gate Gang's Glorious Rescue .	This one has nothing to do with the BASK meeting. It's just a shameless plug for my Easter Kayak Party & BBK at Loch Lomand on Sunday
Everybody involved with the rescue got a chance to say something. Doerte went first, then passed the mic to John Littledave. No, Dave Littlejohn. Well, one of those guys, anyway ;-)		Dave reminds us that boats are replaceable, but lives are not. Thank goodness everybody walked away....
Fred gets a shot and reminds us that Ken and Don are still with us.	Jack reminds us that there were no individual "heroes" or glory hogs in the operation. Everybody did his/her part and put the needs of the group first.	Susan was humble and claimed that she was "merely" an observer. Yeah, sure, Susan. You were an integral part of the team....
Oh, Great. LaRhee has the microphone. We'll NEVER get outta here! Hah! LaRhee reminded us that she was a "Gate Virgin" but that, as she observed the rescue, she realized how lucky we all are to be paddling with a club that SO much has its "sh*t together" (her words). LaRhee reminds us that the rescue was planned effectively and executed flawlessly.	.....three hours later, LaRhee is STILL yakking. Something about brownie recipes or her cat or gosh knows what..... ;-)	Mike reminds me of my 7th grade gym teacher: rough, gruff, and full of nasty looks for those of us who forget to lather under our armpits.
Nah, Mike isn't rough at all: he's a creampuff of a good guy. Note the caption behind Mike: It Beats TV!" Mike turns to KayaknKen and demonstrates that BASK Beats TV. But, seriously, Ken reminds us that the Coast Guard could learn a thing or two from BASKer's efficiency at planning the rescue and recovery.	Ken thoroughly denies the rumor that he plans to sell his broken up boat. "Nope", he replies, "the boat WILL be repaired and WILL be back on the water again."	Penny tells us that we are, once again, all on a first name basis with the guys at the Coast Guard. It's time, Penny reminds us, to take a couple of extra plates of cookies to our Coast Guard friends. (She also told us that if we mention "BASK", there'll be no need for further introduction. She didn't tell us what would HAPPEN if we mentioned "BASK" to the CG guys, though ;-)
Penny, as always, quickly has the crowd in stitches. She tells the story of the Coast Guard Schipper who ran the Out the Gate BASK Rescue. The same CG Schipper also rescued the doctor and his daughter at the famous, nasty swim at Kirby Cove. Everybody in the room fell on the floor with laughter as Penny revealed that the schipper mentioned the article written by "that guy who who nicely summarized the nasty swimming incident." Of course, the "guy who wrote that article" was Ken, the same guy whom the CG schipper just fished out of the drink. The CG Schipper was blown away at the coincidence of it all.... As was the entire room as Penny told the tale.	Don said, and I quote, "The only reason I helped Ken is because he owes me Ten Bucks!" (REALLY REALLY REALLY! He SAID that! I have it on VIDEO! ;-)	Dave thanks Don for help in pulling some of the rest of us out of stinky situations.
Charles pays a tribute for organizers of safety and rescue tributes. All of the safety training is WORTH it. Charles also reminds the large Coaster Contingent in BASK to remember to firmly fasten their float bags to the bow and stern. Ken's boat wasn't quite a Cleopatra's needle, but it WAS the "Leaning Kayak of Pisa".	John S gets the mic and reminds us why we're in a (say the word) CLUB! He also reiterates the fact that his biggest contribution to BASK is that he brings the Coast Guard WITH him.	The "Out The Gate Rescue Gang" stands at attention as the rest of the room prepares to be recognized.
Everybody stands, raises their right hands, and....	...pats themselves FIRMLY on the back....	(Aren't you glad you used Dial. Don't you wish EVERYBODY did! ;-)
The new prez, Sue, gets a handpat from whomever is behind her.	BASK's ever stunning "Surf Chicken" tells of her daring do at rescuing stranded SOTers at Pt Diablo.	More SOT rescuers....
PETER! All the way from Amsterdam to accept an award for being the furthest traveller to attend a BASK safety talk....	Maryly is called to the front.....	...and accepts her award for being fantastic "2003 Member At Large".
That's my daddy, looking at the camera and hugging my mama in the back row.	Sue comes to the podium to accept the award for being the creator of extremely enterprising trips AND stepping forward to be the next BASK president...	....Sue Estey receives her award....
What, MORE awards? Joanne, the official BASK Nametagger and assistant to Rachel.	Pocket knives for everybody....	Our guest speaker for the evening: Corey Freedman, aka "Baidarka Boy", is here to present techiques for building your own Baidarka!
Corey is an EXPERT Baidarka Guy. See his schedule at California Canoe & Kayak	Corey shows off his 2000 year old technology. Just about literally 2000 years old. The materials change like crazy, but the basic design hasn't changed in a few millenia.	While Corey shows off his Baidarka, John rinses with same-era wine. (Aka 2 Buck Chuck ;-)
Corey demonstrates that, in spite of the fact that these Baidarkas LOOK flimsy, they can support a LOT of weight!	A LOT of weight and a horrendous amount of abuse as he whacks the hull with Greenland paddles.	Heh, that's my mom and dad. This is their first BASK meeting. My dad is the world famous pie maker....
The cockpit is as fancy as the rest of the boat. Check out the cord.	Heh, don't bite any ears, Ken! Especially Barbara's.	The Baidarka remains the center of attention.
Wasn't it Atlas who held the world on his shoulders? Well, Dave supports the back end of a Baidarka...	....while Jesse supports the front end.... Corey points out that the bown and stern are "weird shaped" for a reason. Take his class to find out why....	Corey points out that Baidarkas are EXTREMELY hard multi-chined boats and the keel forms an immensely effective keel when the weight of a paddler pushes against the water.
Rachel thanks Corey for his awesome presentation. Check CCK's website for Corey's next class.	Last but not least, Dave blows the Didgeridoo of Doom into the cockpit of the Baidarka, signalling the end of the March Version of the BASK General Meeting. See yahall next month....