Does the Wet Suit You? Did you know that the noun for a group of Penguins on land is called a ‘waddle’ and a group at sea is called a ‘raft’? I was looking for the right noun for the song and looked on the web to find a penguin expert. As it turned out, I got this guy on his cell phone just as he was getting off a jet from a conference in South America. You guessed it, a penguin conference where they had actually just decided upon the appropriate noun for penguins on land, sea and birthing ‘rookerie’. Karmachanics.
I wanted to script a song that approximated what typically happens when people go on their first commercial river rafting trip. As a veteran guide, I see this all the time. The guys come in all bravado and their girlfriends are willing to go along but a bit more reserved. As a part of any well conducted river trip, there’s always the mandatory safety briefing or orientation in which people learn the basic ‘how to’ rules and to follow the guides’ direction and safety procedures. When they learn the actual risks involved up to and including the possibility of death, the atmosphere changes dramatically from ‘bravado’ to cautious curiosity. Once they’ve put on the wet suits, life jackets, helmets and loaded into the raft it’s a bit late to turn back and the adventure begins! Of course after about 10 minutes on the water they start to realize that we actually have a great deal of control over the boat and this could shape up to be a ton of fun. Camaraderie and bravado ensue. Does the wet suit you?
I stole the title of this song fair and square from a book written by NW kayaker and author Whit Deschner :-).