Category For Peer Review!

[+nfa]

Hi,

 

There is a new category in the peer review section of the Waymarking site.

 

The category is Canoe and Kayak Trips, and the text is shown below (with a couple of typos from the category online, which I will fix as soon as the category passes peer review):

 

Quick Description:

Waymarks in this category mark the beginning of a canoe or kayak trip.

 

Detailed Description:

Waymarks in this category will mark the starting point for a canoe or kayak trip...day-trips and overnighters are both acceptable.

 

Detailed information is the key to a great waymark in this category. Descriptions of parking, put-in, paddling conditions to be expected, wildlife and/or scenic features of note, and whether or not this is a looping trip or if you need to work out a shuttle to get back to your vehicle(s)...all of these will be a part of a waymark entry in this category.

 

In addition, uploading pictures and either picture of, or link to, a map of the area (from topozone.com or the like) will make the trip much easier for potential visitors to evaluate and (hopefully) visit.

 

I envision this category as a way to share a canoe or kayak trip that you have enjoyed, and would like other geocachers and waymarked to be able to experience.

 

Instructions for placing waymarks into this category:

Waymarks posted in this category need to include the following in order to be approved:

 

1) GPS Coordinates (of course...)

 

2) Parking info

 

3) Put-in info

 

4) Wildlife/scenic features of the trip

 

5) End of trip info (loop or shuttle type trip?)

 

6) Picture(s) and map of trip area

 

Instructions for logging visits to waymarks in this category:

Logging waymarks in this category requires a description of your canoe/kayak trip and pictures of you, your boat, and your GPS at some point during the trip.

 

I hope that you will vote "YEA" for this category, and send me your thoughts on it...or post to this thread.

 

Thanks,

 

Jamie - NFA

[+Jake39]

Just voted

 

...and consider some of the suggestions for variables like portage-camping-restrictions etc.

 

Good luck..you should have no problem getting it passed

 

;-)

[+nfa]

Hi Jake,

 

Thanks for the vote, and for the suggestions...those sound like good ideas...another one that someone sent me was a difficulty rating...any other suggestions are certainly welcome...these refinements can be put in place after the category passes peer review.

 

Jamie - NFA

Edited July 26, 2006 by NFA

[+TerryDad2]

I would recommend permit information as well

[+nfa]

Howdy,

 

The category failed to pass peer review the 1st time around, and then I went off to Maine for a week, but I'm back and have reworked the category based on feedback from the peer review voting as well as from comments here and some emails that I got...please tell me what you think...

 

Quick Description:

Waymarks in this category mark the parking coordinates for a canoe or kayak trip launching spot.

Detailed Description:

Waymarks in this category will mark the parking coordinates for a canoe or kayak trip launching spot...both day-trips and overnighters are acceptable.

 

Detailed information is the key to a great waymark in this category. Descriptions should include (where applicable):

 

1. parking/put-in information

2. paddling conditions to be expected (flatwater, whitewater, stream, lake, etc.)

3. difficulty of the trip (level of experience recommended)

4. length of trip (miles and/or time)

5. portages (number and length)

6. permits required (for boating, camping, fishing, etc.), and their costs

7. spots to camp or picnic that you recommend

8. wildlife and/or scenic features of note

9. whether this is a looping trip, or if you need to work out a shuttle to get back to your vehicle(s)

 

Clearly, it is possible to have different trips that start at the same spot, or to start and/or finish a trip in different places each time...this category is not designed or intended to mark all canoe/kayak trips in the world; it is simply a way to share a fun trip (with the given coordinates marking the parking spot for launching your canoe/kayak) with other waymarkers.

 

 

Instructions for placing waymarks into this category:

Waymarks posted in this category need to include the following in order to be approved:

 

1. GPS Coordinates to mark the parking coordinates for a canoe or kayak trip launching spot

2. parking/put-in/launching information

3. paddling conditions to be expected (flatwater, whitewater, stream, lake, etc.)

4. difficulty of the trip (level of experience recommended)

5. length of trip (miles and/or time)

6. portages (number/length/difficulty)

7. permits required (for boating, camping, fishing, etc.), and their costs

8. whether this is a looping trip (ie - if you end up paddling back to your vehicle), or if you need to work out a shuttle to get back to your vehicle(s)

 

Other information can optionally be included as needed, including (but not limited to):

 

1. spots to camp or picnic that you recommend

2. wildlife and/or scenic features of note

3. photos and/or additional maps of the area or trip that help to promote/explain the trip

 

Instructions for logging visits to waymarks in this category:

Logging waymarks in this category requires a picture of your boat and your GPS at the given parking/launching coordinates,and a brief description of your canoe/kayak trip.

 

Additional photos and information and/or suggestions for future waymarkers will be appreciated, but is not necessary.

 

Your Variables

Parking/put-in/launching information: Multi-line Textbox

Paddling conditions to be expected : Multi-line Textbox

Difficulty of the trip : Multi-line Textbox

Length of trip : Short Textbox

Portages : Multi-line Textbox

Permits required: Multi-line Textbox

Type of trip: Multi-line Textbox

Other information: Multi-line Textbox

 

Thanks for your help!!!

 

Jamie - NFA

[+Hikenutty]

Great job! The details that you've requested are great - especially for novice paddlers like me. Designating put-ins as the waymark, works well.

 

Thanks for your work! I hope to see a few novice level Washington state routes posted.

[+Ambrosia]

One of the things that I suggested were adding rafting and simple float trip put ins as well. It's basically the same, but I think that it should be added in the description.

[+nfa]

Hi Ambrosia,

 

I've thought about the rafting and float trip thing quite a bit, and think that I'm going to leave the category as is for a couple of reasons:

1. rafting trips could fit, but they are, in some ways and in some cases, different from canoe & kayak trips (often run by commercial outfits, and as such, less likely to be of as much use as waymarks as canoe/kayak trips)...I won't delete them from the waymark category if people add them, but they are not exactly the same thing
   
2. float trips are fundamentally different from canoe and kayak and rafting trips in that they aren't paddling trips...I like float trips, but they should probably be in a different waymark category than the trips waymarked here
   

I'm not doing this to exclude fun trips, but to keep the focus of the waymark category tight and accurate.

 

Jamie - NFA

Edited August 7, 2006 by NFA

[+Ambrosia]

Hi Ambrosia,

 

I've thought about the rafting and float trip thing quite a bit, and think that I'm going to leave the category as is for a couple of reasons:

1. rafting trips could fit, but they are, in some ways and in some cases, different from canoe & kayak trips (often run by commercial outfits, and as such, less likely to be of as much use as waymarks as canoe/kayak trips)...I won't delete them from the waymark category if people add them, but they are not exactly the same thing
   
2. float trips are fundamentally different from canoe and kayak and rafting trips in that they aren't paddling trips...I like float trips, but they should probably be in a different waymark category than the trips waymarked here
   

I'm not doing this to exclude fun trips, but to keep the focus of the waymark category tight and accurate.

 

Jamie - NFA

Hm, ok. I'm not sure if I agree with you, but I see that you've put a lot of thought into it, and that's all I ask! Thanks.

[+nfa]

This category is in the officer review stage, and will hopefully then go on to the peer review vote...

 

thanks,

 

Jamie - NFA