Past General Meetings (2026-2030)

OOPS General Meeting - February 25, 2026:  Science and Kayaking:  The Critter Edition

This was a hybrid meeting.  Here is the recording

The return of Tim Mattson, a retired kayak coach and scientist.  Out in the ocean sitting in our kayaks, we encounter a rich world of science.  Last time we met, the conversation was all about physics.  This time we’ll explore biology (and a bit of chemistry).  Along the way, we will encounter cats, dinoflagellates, whales, and other biological wonders.

Tim Mattson’s Bio:  I am a scientist (PhD theoretical chemistry). I retired in 2023 after a 40-year career in high performance computing supporting great research in geophysics, nuclear physics, molecular biology, theoretical chemistry, and more.

I am obsessed with kayaking.  I started paddling in 1997.  The goal was to bring balance to my life; to do things that didn’t happen on a computer.  Over time, I became quite good at kayaking.  How? I had help from excellent instructors (Steve Scherrer, Cindy Scherrer, and Karl Anderson), but mostly excellence emerged by working with groups of like-minded paddlers to figure this “kayaking stuff” out on our own.  Working with a community based largely in the South Puget Sound, we figured out how traditional paddling worked (we went on to found SSTIKS).   A good friend and I went to the coast almost every Sunday morning for over a year to figure out how to surf and survive paddling in rough coastal waters.   I learned group management and how to train kayaking leaders by working with the trip organizer team in OOPS.  

The point is … it takes a village to create an excellent paddler.  You need people to work with as you figure this kayaking stuff out.  This is why OOPS is so important.  Wherever you want to go with your paddling, chances are the “village” you need is inside OOPS.