By Johna Till Johnson
Vlad in his element: eminently capable!
In response to today’s daily prompt.
What does it mean to be “capable”? It’s more than having a set of skills that enable you to cope with a situation. It’s about knowing which of those skills to deploy, in which order. Knowing all the little nuances that affect the situation–and how to adapt and respond to those nuances.
It’s an understatement to say that Vlad was a capable paddler. That he was, and much more, too.
... kayaked the waters around New York for more than 15 years in his red Feathercraft folding kayak. He was originally from (the former) Czechoslovakia and lived in the U.K. and California before settling down in New York. He was a neuroscientist at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He died in 2016.
... is a kayaker and technology researcher at Nemertes Research. She's an erstwhile engineer, particle physicist, and science fiction writer. She was born in California and has lived in Italy, Norway, Hawaii, and a few other places. She currently resides in New York City.
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Wind Against Current 
Nice post.
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That’s a wonderful portrait of Vlad, Johna <3
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Thanks, Hanna! As I review photos I realize I’ve gotten so much better over the years. I’m still not any great shakes, but a shot that’s nicely framed, cropped, properly lit and in focus is way better than I used to accomplish… although this one has been processed by Vlad, so it has his special magic.
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A great shot, Johna. Some of it transfers. After you guys talked us through the plan to circ. Manhattan, on our way to scout the Battery from land, we encountered a transit cop (a nice guy). We mentioned what we were up to and his response was,
‘They let you do that!!”. Thanks again, Vlad.
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Ha! Vlad and I always maintained that the real reason you can paddle around New York City waterways is that, as typical New Yorkers, the authorities can’t agree on who is the Ultimate Authority or Top Dog. NYPD doesn’t want to give the Coast Guard the last word, Port Authority and NY State wants to weigh in–and as a result, nobody can agree who has the right to prohibit paddling, and it stays legal!
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We laugh about that, too!
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Nice photo ! I’m sure Vlad’s confidence in his capabilities were bolstered by having a sea mate such as yourself on watch :)
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Actually, he used to comment on how useful it was to have a human around to take pictures of. I remember trying to decide whether I was flattered or annoyed—now I realize he just meant it literally.
After having spent 10 days trying to take interesting pictures of a kayak-camping trip, I realize that not having another human (however photogenic or not) is a real liability, because the photos end up with a disappointing sameness. You really have to work hard to not have the classic kayak photo (pointy bow bisecting the horizon) in every other shot!
So while I know he loved me, I am equally confident he was happy to have the visual interest of a partner–and which was paramount, only he can say…. :-)
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Love the city skyline. Picture postcard. Keep pladdling 😊
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Will do, Mabel. Thanks enormously for posting!!
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A very good answer to the challenge!
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I miss Vlad through this post and I didn’t even know him. Very nicely done.
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YOU are eminently capable. Here you are, posting, and somehow getting through each day, though I imagine you wonder how you will continue. So I celebrate your capability!
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Totally capable! Great shot.
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