Behind the scenes - Organisation Zeekamp Vlieland 2007

The first batch of NKB-syllabi, ready to post to the participants of "Zeekamp Vlieland"

Blogging is getting a bit behind lately. Perhaps I should look upon the guilty feelings about this as a warning. In some ways blogging comes close to an addiction (or an obsession ?) that takes quit a lot of time ;-( Don’t bother, as long as it’s rewarding and gives pleasure, and it doesn’t disturb normal social life to much, there is nothing wrong with a little addiction;-)

Is there normal social life, for someone heavily infected by the virus of seakayaking? This hobby begins quit innocent with some extra hours fun on the water, but soon it reaches a stage where day in day out there is some contact concerning kayaking.
Contact-moments like this come to a climax during the organisation of a seakayak event. At this moment I am busy (together with Paul and Sien) with the 2007 edition of the NKB Vlielandkamp. Besides creating a kayak-related program of clinics and tours for groups of kayakers of all levels (from beginner to advanced) the organisation concerns more logistic things like registration, transport, camping, meals, financial stuff and so on. Last week the syllabi had to be updated, printed and divided and sent to participants in time. All these little activities create together a lot of work. Luckily there are enthousiast helpers that make NKB events like this (besides the Vlielandkamp in September: Spiekeroog and Anglesey in May, Zeeland in July) possible every year. But I do realise the work that accompanies these events is close to the limit you can ask a volunteer. The events are reaching a point where the organisation is almost a professional job. I think “we” (I am speaking on personal terms, but with “we” I mean the NKB) should soon take action and evaluate the organisation of the events in order to try to change things a bit and to get some more professional support for our volunteers. Said that, I once more want to say that all the people “behind the scenes” (like Govert, Bram, Axel, Sien, Paul and Reinout) are doing a great job in making the events possible again this year!