2011 Reel Paddling Film Festival

Having been a kayak angler for some time now, I've found a brotherhood of others who share my affection for the sport.  Predictably so.  What I didn't expect is to also find a kinship with other non-fishing kayakers.  Whether it be touring, whitewater, or fishing, whenever I see another kayak in transit, I scope out the ride and nod or wave, kinda like people on motorcycles.  I like to think it's the love of the paddle that carries through the different genres.

So when Wayne Brady reminded me that the 2011 Reel Paddling Film Festival was in Richmond last night, I used up a precious kitchen pass, and had to check it out.  It was at the new Blue Ridge Mountain Sports store which I've been wanting to visit anyway.  I got there a few minutes late, but was told I didn't miss much.  It was fascinating to watch and listen to a whole other world of kayaking.  They have their own insiders language like how us kayak anglers have ours.  My wife likes to roll her eyes and asks me to speak like a normal person when get excited and start using acronyms and other yak fishing terms.  It gets pretty bad if I mix in the local terms too.  "RVA to HRBT, to the CBBT, in my OK trident, stopped at OE2, fiddlers, tried over the tubes, damn toads, need that paper togzilla... got mullet?"  Word up, my homies.

Anyway, I would say my favorite was Kayak Kevin's award winning "Kayak Fishing the Chesapeake Bay", which I make a quick appearance in (had to throw that in there), but having seen it several times already, I wanted to note a few others.

-Book of Legends-

-The Halo Effect-

At one point during the show, Wayne turns to me and says...  "and people think we're crazy!"
Hats off to our brothers of the whitewater.  You all are freakin' nuts.

Check out all the other winners of the 2011 Reel Paddling Film Festival.