High Tension Wave, Gatineau River

I do not enjoy writing, which is for the most part why this blog has been so sparse in the last few years.  Let us take a look at what went wrong.  

 When I first started a blog back in like 2008/2009 (anyone even remember sethskayakblog.blogspot ???) having a blog was how kayakers got news, how they let people know about recent trips they had been on, new products that were coming out, or recently released and what was good or bad about them.  I remember sitting in university classes skimming through a regular rotation of frequently updated blogs from all over the world.  Seeing recent trips and exotic kayak locations from around the globe.  Once I started doing my own adventuring, travel, trips, competitions etc it seemed super logical to start a blog of my own.  It was a way for me to share my experiences and give info to others when I had something to give.  Although at the time I was the outlier of my university class, all of whom participated in some kind of outdoor sport or activity regularly, I was the only one who took the time to share what I was doing in that way.  One lecturer even mentioned off handly in a final semester lecture that he thought it was narcissistic, which maybe is true but I was just grateful he had taken a second to look at it.  Either way at the time that was the medium for kayakers to share what they were doing.  

The paradigm shift started happening as I was leaving university and Facebook was taking off, it streamlined the process of sharing what you were doing and connected people more effectively, plus you didn't need to write as much, which I was stoked on.  That I would say was the start of turning point for this blog, and when update frequency started to drop.  Then came Instagram and an even more distilled way to share info and photos on adventures came to be.  This also dovetailed better with my enjoyment for taking photos.  And again blog frequency lessened.  Although there was still the odd post trip report and post event photo dump but again, the opportunity to write less was too appealing.  

Fast forward to present day and after putting out at least one new YouTube video every week (some weeks way more), I am finally feeling like I am starting to get my feet under me in this medium of communication, and honestly I like it way more.  Sharing visuals with people (who have the time to watch and I know that not everybody does) is the closest people can get to doing some of the cooler stuff that I get to do, and also a really satisfying way for me to share knowledge and teaching tips with people who otherwise might miss out or not be able to progress their kayaking as much or as quickly.  Combined with Podcasting, a medium which I am still getting to grips with but generally speaking really enjoying the process. I finally think that I have a way to share what I am doing, travel, adventures, trips and competitions with people which I actually enjoy, as oppose to feeling like I had to write it down to share it.  It also has the advantage that people are able to consume them whilst driving/working out/cleaning etc and I think that is neat.   

And honestly I prefer that, I prefer not to write too much or at all if possible. But then I get to wondering, what about if YouTube goes away?  What about Podcasts go away?  What about if Instagram gets bought out and shut down? What then? What if they all shut down tomorrow and all that was left was this blog?  I feel like the future of social media, and therefore the future of being able to easily share thoughts and information on my adventures is inherently tied to these mediums.  Is that a good thing? I like sharing what is happening on my trips and adventures with people, I know I am fortunate and get to go to places and paddle rivers that others only dream about.  In a world free of Youtube and Instagram of course I would still be out there doing these things anyway (because I love doing them), but those people who have been following along, living the adventures vicariously (maybe eve some since the sethskayakblog.blogspot days) would have one less thing to brighten their day.  Now I definitely sound narcissistic!

Anyway what I am getting at is I would prefer to keep doing the YouTube thing, and keep doing the Podcast thing.  But even though I hate writing, I am gonna try and start doing this blog thing again, just incase there comes a day when people don't spend half their lives on instagram and are interested in seeing some kayaking adventures.  Maybe I will get into it eventually. Maybe.  

Unknown Kayaker, Rouge River, Seven Sisters Section, Quebec, Canada Dane Jackson, Corner Wave, Ottawa River, Canada Quinton Kennedy and James Metcalfe, Mini Bus Wave, Ottawa River, Canada Selfie, Corner Wave, Ottawa River, Canada