Adventure With Purpose Summit 3/18/2011

I'll be giving a presentation on the subject of sponsorships and talking about my current film project "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" at the Adventures with Purpose Summit Friday, March 18th from 1:30-2:30pm PST. Should be a pretty cool event. If you're in the area, stop by and check it out. Details below:

ADVENTURE WITH PURPOSE 

To go…not simply “because it is there” but “to inspire change.”

Panel presentations from industry experts on:
• Building Online Communities
• Sponsorship
• Building Purpose in Outdoor Programs
• Marketing and Outreach
• Effective Fundraising

Summit will also include:
Adventure with Purpose Expo: Visit tables with information on the next season’s events, adventures, expeditions and gear.
Dates/Times: March 18, 2011
Summit: Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Expo: Friday, noon – 2 p.m.
Location: Mt. Hood Community College
26000 SE Stark St. Gresham, OR 97030

Registration for Summit and Expo:
Pre-registration required
For more information:
Visit: mhcc.edu/AWP
Call: 503-491-7235
E-mail: Workforce.training@mhcc.edu

Adventure – To go, not simply “because it is there” but “to inspire change.”
The Pacific Northwest offers some of the most spectacular mountains, trails, rivers and coastline in North America. This unique environment has created leading athletes and organizations in the outdoor industry. Today’s athletes and organizations are going beyond reaching summits, descending rivers, traversing continents and setting records. They are using events, adventures and expeditions to inspire change and raise support for charitable organizations, that influence positive change in a range of issues including health, the environment and human rights. Mt. Hood Community College presents the first summit exploring the community, collaboration and best practices for the emerging culture of adventures with purpose.

Who should attend:
• Social-, Environmental- and Health-related non-profit organizations
• Outdoor gear and clothing manufacturers
• Outdoor adventure guides, instructors and students
• Outdoor event planning agencies
• Print/Broadcast/Web Media
FUNDRAISING | AWARENESS | ADVOCACY | CHANGE

A Free One-Day Summit on Successful Outdoor Events, Adventures & Expeditions Supporting Charitable Organizations

ADVENTURE WITH PURPOSE FILM FESTIVAL
In cooperation with McMenamins Edgefield and Team River Runner, Mt. Hood Community College
presents the ADVENTURE WITH PURPOSE FILM FESTIVAL
LOCATION:
McMenamins, Edgefield
DATE/TIME:
Friday, March 18 from 7 to 9 p.m

I hope to see you there!

-Jason

Free Kayak Fishing Clinic

I will be giving a free clinic on "Saltwater Fishing and Crabbing from a Sea Kayak", Monday March 7th, at Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe from 7-8:30pm. We will discuss simple and inexpensive methods for catching fish and crab to supplement your fresh food intake on multi-day kayak trips. Hand line fishing & jigging is the focus. The Alder Creek shop is located at 200 NE Tomahawk Isl. Dr. in Portland, OR. Check out the Alder Creek website for directions, or give us a call at 503-285-0464 if you need additional information.

I hope to see you there!

-Jason

EXPEDITION ANNOUNCEMENT: "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"

I apologize for the lack of posts over the last two months. I've been hard at work on my biggest kayak fishing trip to date. After many moons of pitching and planning, we're finally ready to announce the details.

EXPEDITION ANNOUNCEMENT:

"Out of Sight, Out of Mind"
Gulf of Mexico Kayak Fishing Expedition

November-December 2011 

The dispersant released under water at the source of the Deep Water Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico has never been done, and the effects are unknown. Scientist have found enormous plumes of microscopic oil particles hundreds of feet below the surface. It's been shown that a small combo of dispersant and oil can alter DNA in creatures at the bottom of the food chain, which makes the effect an inheritable trait. This "toxic salad dressing" of crude oil, chemical dispersant, and sea water will work its way up the food chain, into all living organisms, and onto our tables. 1/3 of the seafood consumed in the US comes from the Gulf.

 

Our project, dubbed "Out of Sight, Out of Mind", (outofminds.com is under construction as we speak.) aims to see what effect this undersea dispersant has had on the wildlife. We will observe wildlife and collect samples where allowed with the least invasive sport fishing techniques possible. The key to sampling via kayak is that we can work the shallow estuaries, mangrove swamps, flats, and reefs that power boats cannot, as well as the deeper waters off shore. We can approach wildlife with a level of stealth unobtainable with any other craft, and we travel at a slow pace in order to get a more accurate sense of place.

Our title refers to the fact that somewhere underneath the surface, 4.9 million barrels of oil are still hiding out of sight, and the Gulf has slipped from peoples minds. The effects from this spill are long term and still not fully understood. We're looking for the "canary in the coal mine" fish; An indicator of the effects of the toxic salad dressing on life in the Gulf.

As we travel the Gulf Coast, we will document our experience through video and still imagery, interweaving interviews with local people, (sport & commercial fisherman, oil industry reps, sea kayakers, kayak fisherman, surfers, etc.), incredible scenery and wildlife (tarpon, snook, speckled trout, redfish, goliath grouper, bonefish, permit, gators, crocs, sea turtles, snakes, and 500,000 birds) as well as kayak surfing and fishing action with the goal of producing a documentary film of our experience. 

Beginning November 1^st, 2011, Chris Bensch, Shay Bickley, and I will spend a week in each of the following locations camping, touring, recording observational data, and fishing via sea kayaks (surfing when we can); Padre Island National Seashore (TX), Delta National Wildlife Refuge (LA), Gulf Islands National Seashore (MS), Everglades National Park (FL), and Key West NWR (FL). Along the way we will kayak the major industrial areas, including the Houston ship channel, Mobile Bay, and Pensacola to contrast the natural areas. 

Our end goal has many facets, but the overall mission is to promote the ecological importance and intrinsic value of the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the largest human caused, single-event ecological disaster in recorded history.

We'd like to thank those companies supporting our project so far:

Kokatat

Werner Paddles

Tiderace Sea Kayaks

Keen Footwear

Thule

We're still looking for businesses interested in supporting our project. Current opportunities exist for outdoor/active clothing, sunglasses, tents & sleeping bags, fly rods and reels, campers/trailers, and vehicles. If you or someone you know is interested in working with us, please contact me at jason@aldercreek.com


I will keep you posted on my kayak fishing antics here, but future posts specific to this project will appear at www.outofminds.com from now on. As soon as it goes live in the next couple of weeks , I'll announce it here first!


-Jason

Alaska Coho Fishing 2010

I made my second annual pilgrimage to South East Alaska in early October. This year I left the spinning gear at home and concentrated my efforts on the fly rod. Over the period of a weak I learned a great deal about tossing flies, and although I still have much to learn, I feel confident in my abilities to get the fly to the fish in most conditions now. 

We arrived at the little river on the coast shortly after a powerful windstorm had blown through. The storm surge combined with the largest tides of the year flooded the river drainage and limited our access to fishing. The big tides pushed saltwater to the highest reachable holes on the river. Instead of coho resting in the usual spots in the lower river, they were surfing right past to the tiny tributaries in the mountains without stopping.

Few fish holding meant the catching was slower than last year, but compared to salmon fishing in the lower 48, it was still top notch.

The slower fishing gave me an opportunity to get to know my friends a bit better and spend some time hiking and taking in my surroundings. Last year when the fishing was epic, I'm not sure if I saw anything except the river in front of me and fat coho on the end of my line. It was a nice change of pace and I came home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated rather than exhausted. The slow and simple pace of life- eat, drink, fish, sleep- really has me longing for an epic odyssey, and the gears are turning. A really big trip is in the works for 2011, I'll announce it here first as soon as it's official!

-Jason

Report: Lumpy Waters Symposium 2010

Just a quick report on Lumpy Waters 2010-

We had a great turn out, great weather, great ocean conditions, great friends and good times at this years symposium in Pacific City, OR. Skies were mostly sunny, temperatures in the 60's and winds light. Swell averaged about six feet for the weekend, which is quite lucky considering the following weekend swells over thirty-seven feet were measured at the buoy just off the cape at Pacific City.

I didn't manage any pictures of the "Coastal Kayak Fishing" classes I lead as my hands were full, but on Sunday we caught cutthroat, surf purch, greenling, and crab at Cascade Head. All said and done it was an excellent time had by all.

Here are a few pics from the afternoon I wasn't coaching. These are mostly from the "Fear to Fun in the Surf" class.

Quite a few of the pictures are of Shay learning to handle her boat in the soup and launch and land on the beach. It was really quite impressive to see how quickly her skills and understanding developed over the course of the weekend. The coaches at the symposium are truly world class and Shay's progression serves as a testament to their abilities. I know I am looking forward to next year!

-Jason