It's a sad, sad story. A very depressing one in which it sounds like the DPR was just pretty much disrespecting him and his program by not communicating with him in the first place. I hope they can come to an agreement and bring him back to do these tours...

My fiance and I were supposed to go on their night tour last year but we never got around to doing it. If the progrm ends, I will be highly disappointed that we did not get out to do the wafting...

We used to take our students wafting, until an episode in summer of 2007 when River Dave started riffing continuously about "orientals" and their propensity to eat anything, and blamed them for the decline of turtles in the Eno. This did not go over well with the Asian students in our group, and we decided not to go back. Our program manager attempted to convey her reason for this decision to him via email, but the exchange was not a pleasant one.

Reading his comments in your article about his weeding-out process, I'm reminded again of my thoughts from 2007, namely that this is not necessarily a person I wanted representing Durham to visitors from elsewhere.

this comment -
"because it is a way to screen out those who are not good candidates for wafting - the overweight, restless children, certain types of elderly or handicapped who can't paddle, those fearful of snakes and spiders who can cause panic and pandemonium among the group at just the sight of such a creature, those that consume alcohol, the party crowd and those who are out for just a "boat ride" and not environmental education. these folks have the potential of severely disrupting a wafting group and would compromise the safety, integrity and the quality of environmental education that we offer."

sums up why the city should let this guy go. I thought that the city was inclusive, not exclusive with their programs. Shouldn't we be trying to educate people who have supposed fears about nature so that their fears are overcome or at least reduced. I would be willing to bet that the city doesn't exclude people on their nature programs based on age, weight, or "fears". I guess that you need to be a fit, calm, nature lover, to go on his trips. Well that rules out 65-70% of Durham at least. Great job of helping people experience nature River Dave.

My other concern is about those generalizations of Asian eating anything and more specifically the turtles in the river, therefore causing the drop in turtle numbers. What kind of statement is that? What does he blame the Mexicans for, the Blacks. Inflamatory statements like that show a low level of sensitivity, surprising considering how River Dave claims he is so sensitive.

I think that River Dave should just do what he is best suited for and become a psychic. I mean if you can tell someone's weight just by hearing their voice over the phone you must have a special ability. The guys at the state fair get to look at people when they guess the weight, they got nothing on Dave.

I hope that the city gets rid of this exclusive program and brings in a program that allows a wider variety of people to experience the beauty of the Eno River. There must be another contractor or paddle group that is more inclusive.

with my years of experience, i can tell how big a jerk someone is just by reading their egotistical postings on a blog!

This guy comes across as:
racist (Orientals have eaten all the turtles out of the Eno? What's next: African-Americans will eat all the hens out of your backyard?);
prejudiced against the disabled;
a know-it-all;
a pouter and a whiner; and
an e.e. cummings wannabe (Use capital letters! This isn't poetry class!).

Someone in state parks told me that they wouldn't allow an outsider to conduct such a program in their parks, as they have trained staff (with better manners, one would hope) to provide this service. Mr. Owen should be careful what he wishes for (state control of West Point)--he may just get it. The state wouldn't let him beat up on them the way he's beaten up on the city.

Maybe it's time to let "riverdave" float on downstream. Durham can do better.

By River Dave's criteria, would he have allowed Margaret Nygard on a wafting trip?

It is very simple. Dave Owens is an intolerant elitist and has an extremist approach to environmentalism. He really does not want to encourage the majority of the public to participate in nature activities and conservation. He would like to make West Point his own private Walden Pond.

Gee - thanks everyone! but wafting is not for everyone. my screening is for safety. the fact is, drunks have disrupted our trips, the overweight have damaged our boats, restless children have frustrated and infuriated other participants, some elderly and handicapped have felt cramped and uncomfortable in an inflatable boat. without screening, such a program could at best provide a "boat ride," at worst a safety hazard. if the DPR or NCSP wants to offer "boat" rides to the public, i wish them good luck!

as for the "size" of wafter's, i have noted a shocking trend growing over my nineteen years of wafting, and that is that the citizens of durham are inflating in size. our boats have weight limits, beyond which we cannot carry folks safely. like i said, wafting is not for everyone. hiking the banks of the eno is probably a preferred way of exploring and enjoying the river for many - including restless children.

as for "orientals" ravaging turtles, i never for one moment claimed that was happening on the eno river. but it is happening in other larger rivers in n.c and our state legislature has had to pass new laws in recent years to curtail it. i have nothing against "orientals." if you read my bio i consider myself and "orientalist." it is interesting that the march issue of national geographic arrived yesterday with a story on the conservation page called "Turtles in Hot Water." The article describes how the native turtle populations of china have been decimated and now the chinese have "turned to the turtle-rich waters of the United States" to keep it on their menu. Every ethnic group has its environmental sins. I don't have to mention america's long list which are self evident and in our faces. But the employees from IBM who who were offended by my insights, and other chinese as well, need to face up to their responsibility on this important particular issue ...

dear upacreek ... in terms of handling a two hour river trip on a millpond, yes, after 19 years and 40,000 wafters of all ages and backgrounds (ages 7 weeks old through 92 years), i have evolved and fine tuned this particular river program so that it runs fairly smoothly and efficiently. as stated above, it is not for everyone for safety reasons and it is not for everyone for philosophical or stylistic reasons either. i state clearly in my essays on my website my perspective on nature and the environment so that anyone signing up for my program knows pretty much what they were getting into. most come away quite satisfied, a few are elated and a few are not happy. i only claim to offer one perspective. there are many others. but in terms of my particular program at west point park, it has done well because i have paid close attention to the details and learned through trial and error what works and what doesn't.

i'd be eager to see someone do a better job, keep everyone safe, and make it work financially for them as well ... riverdave

Dave,
I, too, was initially sympathetic to you, and upset by the city's action. However, I was turned off by your description of the interaction, and your defense in this comment thread. Your comment that you can tell someone's weight over the phone was very offensive.

Having read a few of the essays on your website, it is obvious that you are very knowledgeable about the area's ecology, and I am sorry that the city is losing a valuable resource.

However, I cannot support someone that uses city property to run such an exclusive program. You should not use public resources to run a program that denies service to a large portion of the public. If you feel that you cannot run the program you wish and be inclusive, you must provide your own office space, your own insurance.

Judging from your comments, you are very proud of your record with the Wafting program. You state that you would be eager to see someone else do a better job, but I suspect sarcasm. It seems you would be eager to see someone try and fail, thereby proving you invaluable. I hope your ego is not keeping you from a workable compromise with the city, depriving the residents of the area of a fascinating and educational outdoor experience.

You state Dave that you would like to see someone else succeed financially as you have, well nobody else is going to be given the advantage that you have had. The city has covered you for all these years. You should be thankful, but instead when told you must provide insurance like the rest of the contractors it's cry to the media time. Lame, you could have just tried to work out all the details with the city instead of saying you don't like this so you are going to quit.

Michael Oehler, comparing wafting to aggressive aerobic activity is laughable. The section of the Eno that is used for wafting is a lake, it is dammed up, no real current. It doesn't take much to be able to paddle that section. Then you defend Dave being able to keep drunks out of his program, what is your point? As you state no program allows drunks to participate. Now if Dave has the ability to discern over the phone who is going to come to his program drunk just by hearing their voice, he is truely a psychic. Finally Michael, I doubt that Dave is the only one with a great knowledge of the flora, fauna, and cycles of the Eno River basin, but my guess is that the others who have this base also have the tact to not generalize about ethnic groups when talking about environmental issues.

Dave, even if you were just making a generalized statement about orientals eating turtle from North American rivers, did you talk about the environmental problems that whites have caused, or blacks ,latinos, anyone else who has ever cause an environmental impact? If not then you should understand why you offended people.

I think the biggest threat to the environment is the self righteous environmentalist who judges others and makes nature seem like something so delicate that you have to walk barefoot, wearing organic hemp clothes, chanting "the earth is our mother, we must take care of her" just to be able to go out into the forest. But then again do you really want people who use air conditioners, or watch TV, or even use a refrigerator (yeah I heard you on the story going on about refrigerators), trying to interact with nature? There is no way they can have the deep connection needed to experience nature the proper way.

Dave
I have a bigger concern than your wafting program. I googled your name and came up with a bunch of postings. Here are a few things that came up: Black Meadow Ridge, Friends of the West Point, transfer of city land to the state and Schoolhouse of Wonder. It seems that you and your wife have your sticky fingers in everything at West Point on the Eno Park.

Everyone needs to know who you really are and what you are about. And your ethnically disrespectful post has done a great job at shining a light on that.

The people of Durham need to start questioning what your intentions are with the park.
What has made you such a self-righteous man? Why do you think that you can make changes that only better your life? This is not the way that someone who is part of Friends of West Point should be thinking or acting, or someone who is doing a program at West Point. Dave, we have found you out, you are the problem.

thanks enrique for you comment. so let me ask you, is it wrong in this month's issue of national geographic magazine to speak of china's "appetite" for turtle and for american conservationists to call their harvest "unsustainable?" the online edition says, "So voracious is China's appetite for turtle that it has all but eradicated its own turtle population before turning to the export market." the magazine goes on to treat various conservation issues all over the globe, including those that we are grappling with in the USA of our making and blundering.

and yes, i am quite openly involved in the movement to protect black meadow ridge. and i hope that you are too! ... riverdave

Why is this about anything other than a person running a business on public property without liability insurance? Any public entity would have to do what the city is doing. Dave is probably getting more accommodation than other municipalities would offer--use our liability insurance if you can follow out rules.

Dave, I think that it is important to question why many of the turtles on the Eno are disappearing. I also find it poignant to wonder why your opinion or any other insensitive comment that you have made is being brought up during a program that the Department of Parks and Recreation promotes. On their website it says that,

"Durham Parks and Recreation provides opportunities for our community to Play More! We strive to make our programs, services, and facilities accessible for all individuals and families, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, national origin or ability level."

Whether your turtle quandary is a fact or not, you need to ask yourself if you could potentially be offending someone with your words. And you have!
The Eno River has no opinions to how people look. It doesn't care if people are fat or skinny, tall or short, black or white. Nature is something to be experienced no matter who you are.

Also it seems the city has been a great ally to you. They have listened to all your rants in all different subjects that you have brought up (land transfer and wafting). Furthermore they are working with you to meet your needs but but when the city decides to do something different that doesn't fit your needs, you can't make the changes with ease.

I am not going to apologize for being harsh, I feel like there are a lot of things going on here that people are just not willing to open their eyes to. What are your true intentions with the park? Are you trying to make a fuss over something that is considered "the rule" (like getting your own insurance)? If your program is so important, do you think that die hard wafters are going to care if you have a pod for a few months to work out of?

part two:

8. and for those who have responded critically to my personal style as leader of wafting expeditions, i say the following. environmental education is a most serious business, the consequences of which are tremendous if we are to avert the destruction of our planet. this is a very heavy subject.
as a teacher of this material, i often use humor as a method to reach the public, especially to alleviate the heaviness of the issue of human caused climate change. i learned this from my experiences with other outdoor guides that i have listened to in my travels around the world. it could be that on occasion, someone for some personal reason will not understand or take my humor well and then miss my point altogether - as did the chinese lady from ibm who wrote in. the fact is, through the years i have taken thousands of asians wafting - local residents, visitors (i took an entire group of the world’s top nuclear physicists several years ago who were in town for a conference at duke and most of them were asian and showed up for wafting in business suits !#@?), international asian student groups, chinese church congregations and entire extended families of chinese, korean and japanese.
i usually bring up the turtle issue with them and they are eager to talk about it. i have learned many fascinating details about their turtle eating tradition. i regret that the ibm lady was offended. all i can say is that for one reason or another, some people are more sensitive to certain issues than others. but i do have a master’s degree in cross-cultural communication and have lived in asia many years myself, learned an asian language fluently, and generally know what i am getting into when i share on these subjects. and i always make it a point to be self critical first, in order to be fair and to set the stage for any criticism that i may need to direct towards others.

9. wafting the eno is my program. i have a particular perspective on nature and what i understand to be the important issues of environmental education today. i make no claim it is an exhaustive perspective. it can’t be, as i am just one person and have experienced only a infinitesimally small corner of the universe. i have had my mentors in nature study and experience and now pass this heritage on to wafters. most participants in my program tell me that they come away enriched. in fact, since there is so little monetary compensation in this work for me ($13 X 2000 participants a year minus 15% to dpr), the fuel that runs this program is all the positive feedback that i get from participants. despite it’s low pay back monetarily, wafting has provided me with a great pay back of positive feedback as i hear all the wonderful stories of how wafting has deepened the commitment to their life in nature and helped many heal from the modern epidemic sickness of nature deficit disorder.

but again, this is my and partner’s unique program. even if someone shows up without reading my web site comments and finds my presentation and style rub them the wrong way, instead of being “offended,” i am hoping the mature will learn from perspectives different than their own. i myself often put myself with those who share different views than mine so that i am challenged in a new way.

i have refused to run a diluted, always politically correct, common denominator river program, or what i would call a “boat ride.” instead i offer a uniquely tailored experience that challenges and often pushes peoples’ boundaries. if dpr or ncsp want to run watered down “boat rides” at west point park in order to satisfy and pacify everybody from all backgrounds, and heavily subsidize it so that it doesn’t cost the public a fortune - then so be it. but i’m moving on to a unique land-based program that will not require an office or equipment. neither will there be weight limitations!

thanks kevin davis, and to all those who have respectfully participated in this thread - riverdave

Daaaaave

So lets start with the fact that the "wafts" you use have a 400lb weight limit. I do not believe that you have an abundance of people over 400lbs who are wanting to get into your programs. So screening people for weight... really? If you are claiming that your "wafts" will be damaged by someone under the specified weight limit then I think that is an issue you should take up with Sevylor and perhaps you shouldn't be selling them on your website.

Secondly, one of the best ways for people with lower body disabilities and/or balance affecting disabilities to get into kayaking is to use an inflatable kayak. So perhaps you have missed an opportunity to provide a service to an under served segment of our community based entirely on your pre concieved ideas about the abilities of others.

And lastly, as someone who has encountered you around town many times through the years, I would say that your greatest barrier is your ego. I have seen you speak down to people in so many situations when it was uncalled for. I only bring this up because I believe that you honestly want to have a positive effect on the world but are holding yourself back. Please be honest with yourself on this matter.

Dave
I was checking out your website and noticed you use the .org domain. Are you a non-profit organization? This is a misleading use of the domain. It seems that your problem with city had to do with the potential of less profits. Are you donating all the profits to help improve West Point on the Eno? Do you think you are not running a business? You do exchange your service for money ...right? This disconnect maybe why you are so inflexible and dont believe you need to compromise. You are a business not a church....preacher man

Folks, thanks everyone for the comments on this thread. I think the ground that can be productively covered, has been covered; and with that, I'm making the call to close discussion on this thread.

If folks have new perspectives pertinent to the issues themselves, feel free to email them to me at info -AT- bullcityrising.com and I'll consider them for posting; I've made the same offer to Dave Owen by email.

While this thread has veered to the ad hominem a couple of times, I thank everyone who's shared their thoughts, and I thank Dave for taking the time for posting his perspective as well.