the paddler tattler

THE PADDLER TATTLER
VOLUME 47, ISSUE 11 ~ NOVEMBER 2014
Newsletter of the Tennessee Valley Canoe Club
LIFE’S A TRIP! BRING A PADDLE!
Charli Kern tears through the waves at Powerhouse
towards a strong finish in the Ocoee Race. She was one of
over 150 paddlers who competed in this year’s race on
Saturday, October 11th.
In addition to racing, Charli also represented Blackfly
Canoes and the Boof Sisters at Women, Whiskey, and
Whitewater the evening prior to the race.
Read more about these two events starting on Page 5.
(Photo: Crystal Main)
Inside this Issue
Calendar
2
Trip Reports
12
November Events
3
First Aid by Larry
14
Editor & President
4
NRS Feature
15
Ocoee Race
5
Getting a Grip
17
Women, Whiskey,
and Whitewater
8
Sea Kayaks &
Overnighters
19
NOVEMBER 2014
SUN
October 26
MON TUES WED
27
28
29
THU
30
FRI
31
Boo Run
SAT
Nov 1
19th Annual
Green River
Race
Tallulah &
Cheoah
Releases
2
3
Tallulah
Release
9
5
6
7
8
Outdoor
Chattanooga
Roll Practice
@ SAU
10
Etowah River
Tallulah
Release
11
12
Outdoor
Chattanooga
Roll Practice
@ SAU
TVCC Board
Meeting
17
18
19
20
21
22
24
25
26
27
28
29
Tallulah
Release
16
4
13
14
15
Tallulah
Release
Tallulah
Release
23/30
Thanksgiving
Day
See Page 3 for Events in Detail
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
2
Nov. Events in Detail...
ALL PADDLING TRIPS ARE WEATHER AND WATER
DEPENDENT. IT IS MANDATORY THAT TRIP LEADERS
BE NOTIFIED BY PHONE BY THE WEDNESDAY PRIOR
TO THE TRIP IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND. THIS WILL
ALLOW THE TRIP LEADER TO NOTIFY YOU OF ANY
CHANGES MADE.
Most events are detailed on the calendar section of
the TVCC Website.
Contact the trip leader for specific training trip
meeting times.
(WW = Whitewater; S = Sea Kayak; C = Club Event;
ON = Overnight Canoe Camping)
October 25th—Nickajack Bluffs (S). 10am. Meet at
the Shellmound Ramp at Nickajack Lake for a 3
hour paddle.
stretch of the Etowah River near Dahlonega, GA.
We will put on at the Hwy. 9 bridge below
Dawsonville and paddle nine miles to Kelly Bridge
Rd., camping out along the way. Most of this
stretch runs through the scenic Dawson Forest
Wildlife Management Area, with some Class I
shoals but no difficult rapids. Participants should
be prepared for cold water/weather. For details,
contact Jamie Wendt at 912-270-2842 or email
jwendt@epbfi.com.
November 12th—Board Meeting (C). 6:30pm,
Downtown YMCA Teen Room. All members are
welcome to attend—see what your board is up to!
Dinner and drinks to follow.
Save the Date
TVCC Annual Christmas Party will be Saturday,
December 13th.
October 25th—ACA Dixie Division Meeting. 10am,
Webster Baptist Church, Sylva, NC. All ACA
members and those interested in joining are
invited to attend.
October 26th—Ocoee Boo Run (WW). Celebrate the
last Ocoee release of the season in the Halloween
Spirit. Meeting time TBA.
November 1st—19th Annual Green Race. 12pm.
Green River Narrows. Watch the best of the best
compete in the Ultimate Southeastern Steep
Creek Race Experience! Psst...I heard some
TVCCers might be competing this year!
November 4th & 11th—Outdoor Chattanooga Roll
Practice (WW). 7-8 or 8-9pm. Southern Adventist
University Hulsey Wellness Center. $2 fee to use
the pool, $10 for non-members for roll practice.
For full listing of dates and details, see page 11.
November 8th-9th—Etowah River Overnighter
(ON). This will be an easy camping run on a short
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
3
From the Editor
President’s Corner
By Meryl Stark, Newsletter Editor
By Ashley Teel, Vice President
Even though
there really
isn't a true offseason in
paddling, the
transition from
October to
November
definitely
represents a
change. It is a
time to reflect
on the summer,
and look
towards the
creeking
adventures that await in the months to come--after the
infamous "No Water November," of course.
As we move into
November, I would
like to reflect on
October and
challenge everyone
to start thinking
about next year.
The past month was
busy for TVCC with
river clean ups, new
events, and
breaking records
that we could not imagine. All of these are signs of how the
club is expanding and the caliber of people in our organization.
In order to continue to support the growth we are seeing as a
club, I ask everyone to think about in the upcoming year how
YOU can give back. Is it giving up a day of paddling to volunteer
at the Ocoee Race, is it donating a skill set like painting or
photography for the Paddle School Auction, or is it supporting
a training trip or mentoring someone who needs that extra
push to progress forward? Whatever you can give back to the
club, we will need it this coming year to ensure that we
maintain the amazing group that we have become! If you have
any ideas or questions, as always feel free to reach out to me!
In addition to my boating goals, it's also a time for me to reflect
on the last 9 months of working on The Paddler Tattler. After
trying to keep my head above water in the ever-recirculating
hydraulic of promoting and then recapping summer club
events, I've finally been flushed out and have a chance to
breathe. Ok, I've forcing it a bit too much with that analogy, but
I couldn't resist.
That being said, now that there's a bit of a break in the action,
look for some exciting changes coming in the next few months
in both design and content.
Most importantly, for those design geeks out there, I will be
switching from Microsoft Publisher to Adobe InDesign.
Whether or not this means anything to you, you'll see a fresher
layout and some new features - I don't want to give it all away
now, but get excited! Not being constrained by a printed
publication opens up a new set of possibilities for The Paddler
Tattler. One of our newer members, Stephanie Whiting, has
offered her professional graphic design expertise to help with
layout. (If you need any graphic design work, check out her
business, Boho Studio.) I’m already looking forward to the
December issue.
In addition to regular features, like Trip Reports from the Yahoo
Group and the River Restaurant Review, I'd like to see more
member involvement in content, and the only way for that to
SYOTR!
Ashley
happen is with your help.
If you see a paddling article that you would like to see
republished, feel free to send it to me. If you have a story,
skills, or advice that you would like to share with TVCC's
membership, write it up and send it in! And, even better, if you
have an idea for a recurring feature (monthly, bi-monthly,
quarterly, or even occasionally), I'd love to hear it!
Happy reading and paddling!
Meryl
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
4
6th Annual Ocoee Race!
Sponsored by World Kayak; Benefiting First Descents & Team River Runner
By Meryl Stark
Congratulations to all who participated and gave their all
in the 2014 Ocoee Race! This year, we had 174 race
starts, which equated to around 150 people, since some
people competed in 2, or even 3 classes! This is definitely
a new record for the race.
Beyond the traditional race classes, we also had Bellyaks,
SUPs, and Revolutions participating!
Jen Maxwell and a dedicated team of volunteers worked
tirelessly to make sure the event ran smoothly. A HUGE
thank you goes out to everyone, especially the safety
team, led by LaDawn Wolfe. Our fearless (and attentive)
rope rangers included Spence Lycan, Brian Swafford, Chris
Selby, Bruce Foster, Justin Quillen, JD Keener, Kristin
Evans, Deborah Webb, Angela Wood, Lisa Lemza, and
Cathy Cusick.
Building on the success of the race day, the After Party
was also quite an event. Racers, volunteers, and revelers
gathered at the OAR Pavilion to enjoy beer, awards, and
live music.
“First Descents offers young adult cancer
fighters and survivors a free outdoor
adventure experience designed to
empower them to climb, paddle and surf
beyond their diagnosis, defy their cancer,
reclaim their lives and connect with
others doing the same.”
For more information, visit http://firstdescents.org.
Racers line up on the ramp and in the eddy and wait patiently to
start. Between the number of racers and raft trips, it took
almost 4 hours to release everyone.
With the proceeds from the raffle (there were some
fantastic prizes), the party raised over $1000 for two
charities, Team River Runner and First Descents.
Combined with TVCC’s $1000 donation, each of these
organizations was able to receive a donation of $1024.50
for their respective causes.
Thanks go to Tarver Distributing for donating some of the
beverages, as well as Walden’s Ridge Whitewater and
others for generously donating the raffle prizes. Raw Dog
performed live music, and Matt Jones DJ’ed for the rest of
the evening.
Complete results from the Ocoee Race can be found
online at: http://tvccpaddler.com/ocoee-river-raceresults/. Rachel Moses’ photos of the racers can be
viewed and purchased at: http://
ocoeerace.shootproof.com/event/887300.
Team River Runner aims “to create an
environment of healthy adventure for
healing active duty and veteran service
members through paddle sports.” TRR
provides boats, gear, instruction,
transportation, etc. for participants and
volunteers through the generosity of
donors and subsidies from providers.
Team River Runner has local chapters in Chattanooga and
Atlanta. For more information, visit www.teamriverrunner.org.
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
5
Ocoee Race 2014 Results
Overall Winners
1. Chris Hipgrave—29:31
2. David Levitt—29:43
3. Harrison Rea—29:49
LaDawn
Wolfe gives
the safety
talk to the
large group
prior to the
race.
Winners by Class
Bellyak
1. Adam Masters—39:10
2. Melissa Bertenthal—46:22
3. Ian Geisen—49:35
Dynamic Duo Kayak
3. Kat Levitt (Short Boat)
—33:31
1. David Levitt & Sam Voigt—31:37
2. Zach Fraysier & Kate Fraysier—
32:12
Junior Mens’
3. Sam Voigt & Chad Christopher—
32:34
1. Max Haworth—33:41
Eliot Berz, Men’s Long Boat winner, crosses the start line
as Meryl Stark calls out the start time.
2. Devon Wainer—35:28
3. Oliver Yowell—36:19
Elite Mens’ Long Boat
1. Chris Hipgrave—29:31
Mens’ Long Boat
2. David Levitt—29:43
1. Eliot Berz—30:15
3. Hunt Jennings—29:50
2. Zach Fraizer—30:23
Elite Mens’ Short Boat
3. Robert Waldron—
30:48
1. David Levitt—31:47
2. Wade Harrison—32:45
Mens’ Short Boat
3. Joe Gudger—32:58
1. Micah Cox—33:37
2. Alex Morton—33:43
Elite Womens’ (Short &
Long)
1. Adriene Levknecht—31:00
3. Harrison Rea—33:44
Courtney Brown diligently records bib numbers, boat
types, and start times for each of the 174 race entries.
2. Kat Levitt (Long Boat)—31:59
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
6
(right) Scooter
Burkhart
celebrates after
finishing.
(far right)
Tandem team
Shawn Malone
and Ryan
Glasser.
OC1 Classic
1. Nathan Zumwolt—37:57
Womens’ Long
Boat
2. Shawn Malone—41:20
1. Tera Wilson—32:09
3. Jerrod Jones—42:54
2. Mary Katherine
Fields—32:27
OC1 Plastic
3. Christine Warren—
32:56
1. Sabrina Barm—37:35
2. Kyle “Scooter” Burkart—38:08
3. Alex Vargas—39:20
OC2
1. Nathan Zumwolt & Bob
Wiggins—39:25
2. Sabrina Barm & Amanda
McDaniel—42:35
Womens’ Short
Boat
Alex Morton slams into the raft at the finish line!
1. Christine Warren—
34:32
2. Morgan Wright—
36:01
3. Crystal Jean Haynes—
38:05
3. Shawn Malone & Ryan
Glasser—44:41
Revolution
1. Patrick Hansen & Patrick
Rowe—41:05
2. Sally Edwards & Jeff
Richards—41:45
3. Eric Centurioni & Andy
Yaughn—Equipment
Malfunction, DNF
(above) Medals and Steins are ready for the winners.
Ben Friberg represents the SUP class
on the rapids.
(below) Racers gather around the computer to view
results.
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
7
Women, Whiskey, and Whitewater
By Alyce Wellons
On Friday, October 10th, the women of the paddling community
gathered to drink whiskey and talk whitewater! After eating,
visiting, and drinking (yes, whiskey and whatever libation you
brought yourself), we settled into our camp chairs for the
evening. There was a panel of four women paddlers and the
format was an informal moderator question and answer, with
crowd comments free-flowing! The panel included: Adrienne
Levknecht from Liquid Logic, Emily Shanblatt from Confluence
Watersports, Kat Levitt from Jackson Kayak, and Charli Kern
from Blackfly Canoes and the Boof Sisters. These women
graciously gave their time and shared their experiences and
insights with us.
Attendees listen intently while the Charli, Adrienne, Emily,
and Kat share paddling stories and advice.
us took something away that evening…be it hearing about cool
rivers, drinking whiskey, getting a friendship bracelet (thank you
Ms. Be!), or being together with women paddlers talking about
what it is like to be woman in the sport…I feel sure we all left
with a little magical feeling in our hearts, excited, inspired, and
bonded, and ready for our next adventure. And also with the
knowledge that there is a sisterhood out there and we are all a
part of it.
Thank you to TVCC, Rebecca Hendrix, Ashley Teel, and Jen
Maxwell for your continued efforts in supporting and inspiring
the whitewater community. You women, as well as all the
women out there who have been paddling for years and also
Whitewater women socialize and enjoy a variety of whiskey
those just starting out and finding their way…we are all she-roes.
beverages before the formal part of the event.
Thank you to Confluence
for being interested in
For the record, we, as female paddlers, enjoy diversity in our
women’s specific paddling
paddling groups. For me, the men I have paddled with have
needs. There were big
always been encouraging and never pushed me beyond what I
poster papers on the wall
felt were my limits of safety. And while I pride myself on
for us to write in free flow
handling my own gear, that extra pair of hands lifting my boat
form our wish list for
onto my car at the end of the day is always nice, be it a man or
paddling gear and clothes!
women! The world would be boring if we were all the same. This It was fun to have someone
event was not about excluding men, but having an evening for
really want to know what
women to talk openly with each other about what it is like to be we want and need. Thanks
a female in our sport.
to Kelly O’Brien from
SheLovesTheKayak for
The questions ranged from favorite rivers to most dangerous
coming to sell everyone
situations to goals for the future. And of course, there were
Boobs & Boofs swag, and of
stories, insights, and experiences in being a woman paddler.
Lisa Lemza asks a question to the
Some of the discussions were funny and light, while some were course thank you to Rock
women on the panel.
more serious and moving. I am sure that each and every one of
Continued on next page
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
8
Thanks to Our Event &
Race Sponsors
Ocoee Race & Afterparty
Continued from last page
Creek Ocoee for allowing us to take over your store for the
evening!
Looking forward to seeing all my girls out on the rivers, having
fun and making history!
“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs thru it.”
Norman Maclean
Tarver
Distributing
See you on the river!
Ocoee Race T-Shirts
For Sale
Women, Whiskey, and Whitewater
You can now order t-shirts from the 2014 Ocoee Race
online. Shirts can even be personalized for you if you
were in the race. The t-shirts are Sport Gray and they
come in sizes Small- XXXLarge.
You can order online at www.pdperformancedesigns.com. If you have any questions,
email Rebecca Richards at
imageapparel4u@gmail.com.
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
9
Tennessee River Rescue
By Jim Ledbetter, Conservation Chair
to learn about and work towards making the Creek better
A big turnout to the 26th Annual Tennessee River Rescue made because of our efforts. Anyone is welcome to join us at Wally’s
the event a huge success. Each year hundreds of volunteers turn in East Ridge at noon on the fourth Wednesday of each month.
No dues, no commitments, no membership required. Always a
out on the First Saturday in October to pull trash out of a large
lot of interesting topics and activities, and usually a guest
number of streams around the Chattanooga area. This year we
had 24 zones, with each zone having a zone captain and its own speaker discussing issues concerning the creek.
dumpsters to deposit the tires and trash collected from their
But back to the clean-up. For the last few years we have been
elected area. Well over 800 individuals turned out this year,
concentrating on a 2 1/2 mile section of the West Chickamauga
spread all the way from above Soddy Daisy to the Shellmound
recreation area on Nickajack Lake. Cleveland volunteers worked Creek which connects with the South Chick at Camp Jordan in
East Ridge. Due to a number of unique factors, this section of
around Mouse Creek and folks in Collegedale cleaned along
creek is ideal for novice paddlers to have a safe, easily
Wolftever Creek. There were two zones on the North
Chickamauga Creek and a group of scuba divers in Chickamauga accessible, remote-feeling paddling experience very near urban
Chattanooga. Due to the meandering of the creek, the put-in
Lake.
and take out are within a few hundred yards of each other, with
a pleasant paved walking track between the two. Thanks to the
Lyndhurst Foundation, two well designed and landscaped canoe
launches have been installed at Camp Jordan for paddlers to
have easier, more pleasant access to the creeks. Plans are in
place for changing and restroom facilities to be built in the
future and easier driving access to the launches. More discussion
about public access launches will be saved for future discussions.
54 volunteers actually signed in to help at Camp Jordan that
morning. Ruthie Fleming and Beth Johnson helped get people
signed in and oriented. Outdoor Chattanooga and McCallie
School each brought 8 canoes to be used, and several other
canoes, and a few kayaks showed up for the effort. The weather
Volunteers
was perfect and the water relatively low, which worked out just
in canoes
right for finding and
haul bags
removing tires and
of trash
other debris that lay
and tires
on the bottom of the
out of the
creek. In all, we
creek.
removed 64 tires from
the creek along with
lots of bags of
Having grown up in Brainerd and playing in the South
assorted trash. There
Chickamauga Creek a lot in my youth, I have chosen to look after were a few large truck
the "South Chick Zone". Over the last 20 years I have worked
or tractor tires, some
with a group called the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway
of which still had
Alliance who's motto is "We Speak for the Creek", advocating for metal rims, that had
A small subset of the trash recovered
conservation, recreation, public access and all things "Healthy"
to be left because of
from the South Chickamauga Creek.
for the creek. It is a delightful mix of private citizens and public
their weight and size.
officials from Tennessee and North Georgia that meet monthly
Continued on next page
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
10
Continued from last page
It is quite a sight to see when you have a canoe loaded with
several tires and a steel drum balanced on top.
I counted 22 TVCC members helping at this zone, yet I am sure
we had members helping on the North Chick and other favored
waterways. While some may have trouble getting over the
"Yuck" factor, cleaning up our waterways is a great way to build
your river karma and to receive a well deserved feeling of
satisfaction. Thanks to all that make this effort an annual
success.
One of many large tires found during the cleanup.
Outdoor Chattanooga Winter Roll Practice
Admission to the pool is $2, and roll class is $10/person for nonmembers. Non-members must provide their own gear. Outdoor
Chattanooga annual membership are $75/individual or
$125/family. First session is free for new participants.
Boats and gear should be dropped off at the door at the back
side of the Hulsey Wellness Center, to the right of the track, next
to the heating and air units. Outdoor Chattanooga staff will bring
your boat to the pool. Your kayak must be clean in order to bring
Fall/Winter Roll and Kayak Skills practice will take place on select it into the pool.
Tuesdays at Southern Adventist University’s Hulsey Wellness
Note: Southern Adventist’s dress code emphasizes modesty and
Center. There are two sessions—7pm and 8pm. Anticipate only cleanliness. Please wear modest workout and pool apparel,
being in the water for one session; if it is busy, the pool gets
including one-piece swimsuits.
crowded quickly.
Hulsey Wellness Center
4870 University Drive
 November 4th, 11th
Collegedale, TN 37315
 December 9th
https://www.southern.edu/wellness/Pages/default.aspx
 January 13th



February 3rd, 10th
March 3rd
April 7th, 14th
For more information, contact Outdoor Chattanooga. 423-6436888 or info@outdoorchattanooga.com
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
11
Trip Report Tall Tales
I once ran a drop *this* big!
T
Upper Yough (9/23)
world wind of action, we got flushed off and pushed towards the
right side of the falls and down towards the hole. We successful
By Ashley Teel
ran National Falls rafted up, without a flip or even hang time in
the hole! Of course, the crowd that has gathered there is yelling
In September, I had the privilege to go on a weeklong paddling
and cheering. Once we have collected Don and all rested for a
trip. We paddled three rivers in the seven days and all were new
bit, we move on down river.
runs for me. Out of all the runs on this trip, I knew the Upper
Yough was going to be the one to push my skill level the most.
At about half way down the run, in a rapid called Powerful
This river is truly unlike anything I have paddled; it is a Class IV,
Popper, again I make the mistake of leaning away from a rock
scenic, technical, boulder garden. With a crew of nine including and have the paddle ripped from my hands. Now in my eight
our guide for the day, Charlie, we put on and started the two
years of paddling this has never happened to me. I panicked,
miles of flat water paddle that you must complete before you
pulled my skirt, of course feeling silly to find help right on top of
reach the rapids. Once the rapids start though, there are not
me when I was out of my boat. After a quick dump and go, we
many breaks for the next seven miles.
went on to tackle the remaining four miles of river.
Paddlers love carnage stories, so I’ll skip ahead to the first rapid,
Bastard, which gave me a run for my money. In missing a must
make left to right move, I ended up running left through a series
of pour overs, rocks and holes. I managed to pick a line through
the mank, until I caught the edge of pour over and flipped. While
upside down and through poor roll attempts, I took a beating in
my boat until I ran out of air. I finally pulled and found Rob to be
right there, he stayed in front of me talking to me, while my boat
and I rode down through the bottom half of the rapid. At what I
thought was the end of this swim, I suddenly dropped over a
pour over and was under and staying under. I was being
recirc’ed and realizing balling up was not going to flush me out, I
found myself going to my training to find a way to get myself
flushed. I popped out, pushed my boat into an eddy, which was
somehow right there, and swam. Thanks to the river gods, my
paddle happened to be in the same eddy! After telling everyone
I was ok, with a tap on the head because I was out of breathe
and could not speak, I collected myself mentally and on we
went.
So now comes in Don’s last month mention of “dangers of
paddling with a pretty woman.” We enter into a rapid called
Triple Drop and it ends in National Falls. At the bottom of the
first drop, I lean away from the rock and of course flip. While
missing my rolls, I see Charlie, so I go for a last ditch buddy
rescue. I’m up and have Brandon and Charlie on either side of
me and no paddle. They have rafted me up through the next
drop. Charlie throws his paddle to me and Brandon, Brandon has
Charlie’s and his paddles in one hand and is holding onto me
with the other. We end up broached on a rock splitting National
Falls trying to get free without breaking being rafted up. In a
The rest of the run was quick paced; I was tired, Don wasn’t
feeling well, the water level was dropping and we knew we
needed to get off. When we got to the two mile Class II and less
paddle out, Charlie and Brandon congratulated me for
completing the run and all I can remember is how tired I was. I
have never been so tired on a run in my life. The Upper Yough
pushed my skill level beyond anything else I had run. I can also
say that it made me realize where I have grown to in my
paddling skills and what I am capable of. The Upper Yough is
Ashley rafts down National Falls on a different run of the
Upper Yough during her WV week.
Continued on next page
THE PADDLER TATTLER
12
NOVEMBER 2014
Continued from last page
now a river I want to go back and tackle with confidence and
endurance.
Rock Island Fact and Fiction (10/2)
By Mack O’Rear
Fiction: "It is just a play wave.”
Fact: There are hiking trails, swimming holes, sea kayaking
though a huge canyon, boat ramp to the best rookie practice
spot in Tennessee, camp sites, log cabins, class III routes under
water falls and canyons, world class fishing for Walleye an 20 lb.
Muskie, and more.
Fiction: The wave will rip your arm off.
Stop me if you've heard this river story before. Dogpaddle loses
paddle on river, hopes for return.
That scenario happened on the Ocoee on July 4th, the stick was
returned 7 weeks later.
This time I decided to lose my blue hand paddles when putting
on below Tellico's Baby Falls. Sat there awaiting their return,
hoping the eddy currents would circulate them back to my
needy paws. Nope. Those puppies are free ranging it, having a
go in the free flow.
Borrowed Brandon K's 3 part back-up paddle, then celebrated by
swimming out of funnel rapid just downstream of Bald River
bridge.
Brandon got back his stick (Thanks!) and I got another story of
humility with humidity.
Fact: 2 generator releases are for the advanced and hard core.
There are many 1 generator releases when the play wave is way
more forgiving than Hell Hole with no power house waiting for
you. You can surf all day and eddy out under a cave beneath a
huge water fall. All fluffy and sweet.
Fiction: Its way off in Middle Tennessee
Fact: Ocoee is 52 miles from my house. Rock Island is 68 miles.
16 miles and 15 minutes longer drive. BUT the drive is
spectacular through the Sequatchie Valley and up the
Cumberland Plateau with very light traffic and scenery to kill for.
No swarm of tourist and motorcyclist, raft busses, red lights or
traffic jams.
Other perks: There is no shuttle involved. Everybody can car
pool in one care. Your paddling buddy that is always 20 minute
late can be waited on in the river rather than twiddling you
thumbs in a parking lot. People in your group can stay all day or
leave whenever they get the urge. Many times your paddling
buddies for the day are The Jackson Family, their staff and
professional team.
When to go: TVA posts the next day's schedule for Great Falls
Dam about 4:00 eastern time.
Who will take you: I am retired and will go to Rock Island any
day of the week. As you can tell, I kinda like it.
http://vimeo.com/98291279
Dogpaddles (10/17)
By Spence Lycan
Thank You To Our
Volunteers!
By Taylor Watson
I want to thank all of you who volunteered for the various
Community Events. Both triathlons were well covered and safety
was our main job. The Girl Scout Raft Race was a great success,
thanks to you. I am going to combine all the lists in one: Ben and
Beth Johnson, Nancy and Jim Knowles, Eric and Ruth Fleming,
Lynn Dorsey, Buck Meyer, Chris Potter, Tim Reynolds, Pat Carver,
Jamie Wendt, Kristin Evans, Jennifer Whitlock, Brian Swafford,
Mike Shillinger, Doug Coran, Carolyn Rand, Ellen Moye, Spence
Lycan, Celeste Ellison, Jeff Hutchins, Terry Hoye, John Hubbard,
Phyllis Williams, Gail Lyons, Gary Petty, Gary and Judy Petty, Judy
Norton, Daisy Blanton, Lois Newton, George Berlow, Bill and Teri
Zur. I hope I didn't leave anyone out or misspell a name. These
events could not be held without TVCC. Please pat yourselves on
the back for a job well done. I hope to see you all again next year
and perhaps I will be able to join you on the water.
Love, Momma T.
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
13
First Aid with Larry
By Larry Boothby
Some of you I know, and many, I’m sure, I don’t. My name is
Larry Boothby and I live and work in Memphis. I've been a
firefighter/paramedic with the City of Memphis Fire Department
for the last 16 years. After talking to Meryl, I agreed to write a
little something every month for the newsletter. This is NOT
intended to make anyone an expert in field medicine. It will
expose you to some of the basic ideas behind first aid and how
to deal with one of us getting injured on a paddling trip.
The biggest thing to remember if you are faced with a medical
emergency is to not get yourself hurt too. If you are injured you
can’t help anybody. Do what you have to do, but be safe and
smart about it. Second is don’t panic. None of this is rocket
science. At its most basic, emergency medicine can be boiled
down to a simple expression. Air goes in and out, and blood
goes round and round. Any deviation from that is bad, and we
need to deal with it! It may be something as simple as slapping
a bandage on a cut or something a little more involved, like
doing CPR.
Speaking of CPR, if you haven’t had a class, you need to take
one. You can find online courses at: http://www.heart.org/
HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/CPR_UCM_001118_SubHomePage.jsp
The American Heart Association has both "compression only"
training and full CPR training. The "compression only" training is
easy and can be learned simply by watching the video on the
AHA web site. For our purposes I recommend that you take a full
CPR class. If we are going to be doing CPR on the river, it is
generally going to be on a drowning victim, and you need to
know how to properly open an airway and do rescue breathing.
Usually on a paddling trip there are a couple of people who
know CPR. This isn’t good enough. EVERYBODY needs to take a
class. The more people who can help the better. CPR is easy to
learn, but to do it is physically demanding. Compressions need
to be HARD AND FAST!!!! At least 100 compressions per minute.
If you hum the disco tune “Staying Alive”, that will give you the
correct rhythm. Research has shown that after about 2-3min of
doing compressions, most people start to rapidly loose
effectiveness. That means a new rescuer needs to rotate in and
give a break. Even when I’m at work, I don’t let my guys go more
than 3 minutes before I swap the compression person. You may
be in a situation on the river where help is a long way out, so
you will be doing compressions for quite a while before 911 gets
there so have some help. You’re gonna need it.
I hope this helps motivate you to get a class. Until next
month...SYOTR!
Hands only CPR:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/HandsOnlyCPR/
Hands-Only-CPR_UCM_440559_SubHomePage.jsp
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
14
We’ve Come a Long, Long Way, Baby
This article was originally published by NRS on their “Duct Tape
Diaries” blog on April 27, 2014. Link to original article. Thanks
again to NRS for permission to republish their content.
Look closely — you might see a piece of equipment often
modeled by a Lycan among us. (Oh, and it’s a PFD, not a life
jacket.)
By Clyde Nicely, NRS E-News Editor
All the life jackets we carry are U.S. Coast Guard Approved.
In Making Sure Your PFD is Safe, we explain how extensive the
testing is to earn that certification. This testing goes a long way
toward assuring that any jacket you choose will do its job to
keep you safe while you’re on the water.
We’re fortunate to
have so many jackets
After seeing a girl
to choose from.
get her “horse
Whether you’re
collar” Type II vest
kayaking on rivers or
pulled over her head
the ocean, rafting,
as she “maytagged”
fishing, canoeing, SUP
boarding, sailing or
in a hole, I began
enjoying any other
looking for
watersport, there’s a
alternatives.
life jacket that’s
perfect for you. And
they’re comfortable! Pick one that fits you well and you can
wear it all day, no problem. There’s just no
excuse for not wearing one. As we pointed
out in Let’s Stop Senseless Loss of Life, all
those lame excuses for not wearing yours
are just that – lame excuses.
looking for alternatives.
My criteria: a good secure fit,
durability and lots of flotation. I
looked around but didn’t find it.
However, the boating
magazines of the day carried
ads for Wildwater Designs, a
company owned by Charlie
Walbridge. Charlie is an
internationally recognized
whitewater safety expert,
coauthor of the
pioneering Whitewater Rescue
Manual and one of the original
inductees in the Whitewater
Hall of Fame.
Complete instructions for
making your own life jacket.
One of the products Charlie
©Wildwater Designs
carried was the Hi-Float Life
Vest Kit. That’s right… I said “Kit”. A sew-it-yourself life jacket kit.
It contained precut panels of burly nylon fabric, strips of soft
buoyant foam, a heavy-duty zipper, nylon thread, and complete
instructions. I don’t remember how many pounds of flotation
were advertised, but it was well up in the 20s. Charlie later sold
the design to Extrasport. The current Extrasport Swiftwater
Ranger Rescue Jacket is a child of the Hi-Float, and it has design
flotation of 24-27 pounds, depending on size.
It wasn’t always this way. When I started
boating back in the mid-70s, the jacket
selection was much more limited.
Minor confession time – I’m not much of a
swimmer. Growing up, we moved once or
twice a year as my dad followed
construction. Just never did get the practice.
I’ve learned a bit since, but I’m still poor at it.
After seeing a girl get her “horse collar” Type
II vest pulled off over her head as she
“maytagged” in a hole and watching a
buddy’s big old Type I “Mae West” come
undone and up around his ears, I began
Hi-Float Life Vest. “Look, Ma, no
Coast Guard label!” ©Ashley
Grittner
I was sold and bought my kit in early 1980.
$24.50 – still have the receipt. Now, I didn’t
know how to run a sewing machine, but I
wanted to sew it myself. Luckily, my wife was
an excellent seamstress, and she coached me
through the process. End result – a tough,
snug-fitting, high-flotation jacket! You could
fold up the portion below the waist tie to
make it more compact, or wear it down full
length. At some point, I added a leg strap, and
that made it perfect.
That jacket kept me floating high and saved my
bacon lots of times, down hundreds and
hundreds of river miles. The only reason I quit
wearing it was because the zipper finally
failed. In 2004, as he often does, Charlie came
to NRS to put on a swiftwater rescue clinic for
Continued on next page
THE PADDLER TATTLER
15
NOVEMBER 2014
Continued from last page
us. I brought out the jacket to show him.
When I explained why I’d quit using it, I think
he thought I was trying to get it warrantied!
p.s.
Here’s a fun section out of the Life Vest Kit
instructions:
Note: Some people have complained that
these life vests trap water. If yours does, you
can allow for drainage in this way. Get a
nail, a candle, and a pair of pliers. Light the
candle, grasp the nail with the pliers, and
heat it until it is quite hot. Use the nail to
punch holes in the bottom of each foam
compartment. The heat will seal the edges
I got that look one time at the Grand Canyon.
of the hole.
She had a gun, so I showed her one of my
spares and they let me get on the water.
Luckily, I never had to punch holes.
Then, I stuffed the spare back in the load and
put on my Hi-Float.
Well, today we’re lucky. We can buy any
number of great-fitting, great-performing,
ready-made life jackets right off the rack.
They’ll all have the U.S. Coast Guard
Approved label inside, and the river ranger
won’t look at you like you’re from Mars.
Boat Often, Boat Safe, and don’t let me catch
you not wearing your life jacket!
Posing at some forgotten place
and time. You gotta admit it’s a
badass looking jacket. ©Clyde
Nicely
—Clyde
River Restaurant Recipe: DIY Sherpa
By Larry Boothby
Anyone who has paddled the Nanty with me knows I love the
Sherpa rice at the River’s End. Since I live in Memphis and can't
get out there very often, I made it a mission to find the recipe.
Here it is for all of you that want to try something awesome.
I found this searching the net:
4 c. boiling water
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. barley
1/2 c. lentils
1 1/2 c. brown rice
Add salt to boiling water. Stir in grains and lentils. Cover tightly.
Reduce heat to low/simmer. Do not lift lid for 30 minutes! Test
for doneness by tasting.
Sauce for Sherpa Rice:
2 c. soy sauce – I use low sodium
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. powdered ginger
Or use 4 cloves minced garlic and 1/2 inch piece of minced
ginger root.
Mix ingredients well. Marinade rice mixture with sauce for 1
hour before serving.
I do my own version with fuzzy logic in a rice cooker. If you have
one, you can make it this way.
Using the rice cooker cup:
1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 (liquid measuring) cup Soy (adjust for your own taste)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
chicken stock to the brown rice 2 cup line.
Cook using the normal brown rice setting on your machine.
I have a Zojirushi machine and use short grain brown rice. It
tends to be stickier, so I add a little chicken stock at the end. I
like serve with grilled chicken and garnish with some shredded
cheese.
Enjoy!
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
16
Getting a Grip
Conquering Fear and Refocusing for Success
From Lydia Cardinal at H2o Dreams: The following post was written by friend and fellow paddler Nell Steed. She
reflects honestly on what pushed her toward a breaking point of not wanting to kayak anymore, and how taking
some time for herself helped her get a grip on her fears and set new precedents when moving downstream. Thank
you for sharing your experiences, Nell!
You can find the original article on the H2o Dreams website here: http://www.whitewaterdreams.com/archives/5736
By Nell Steed
It was the first time that I didn’t want to be in my kayak
anymore. I had reached a breaking point with my paddling. I’d
been paddling for over a year and was always trying to fit
kayaking into every spare moment. But after two mentally awful
days on the river, I was fed up.
much larger than they are and you are simply reacting rather
than planning strokes. I was dropping the wrong edge on eddy
lines, falling off drops instead of boofing them, and felt shaky
going through simple wave trains. I took off the river early that
day. I was in tears I was so frustrated with myself.
I’ll admit that my definition of an “awful day” on the river is
different. I had paddled two days in a row and had no swims, no
near-death experiences, and not even a single upside-down
event. But despite having dry-hair days these had been mentally
exhausting days on the river that ended in tears and terror.
Photo: Juliet Kastorff
Photo: Conor Dowling
The stage was set like this: I had been traveling for various
reasons for 3 weeks and hadn’t had the chance to get in my
kayak once during this time. I was already anticipating feeling
shaky when I got back into my boat and attempted to plan
something easy and familiar to paddle for my first day back. But
then, of course, it started raining. I ended up setting on a river
that was reaching the upper levels of my comfort zone. With the
rain this river was also higher than I had ever done it before. But
I had an excellent support group, an amazing guide, and decided
that I was ok with being challenged.
Unfortunately my nerves got me from the start. Everything was
coming at me so fast that my mind couldn’t keep up. It felt like
being a beginner kayaker all over again, when the waves seem
The next day I made another poor decision. I had told myself
that I needed to paddle something that (1) I knew well and (2)
this river was at a normal water level. I felt that, after the
previous day, I needed a day of calm, comfortable paddling in
order to “get my groove back” so to speak. But of course, it had
rained again and there was nothing that was running at a normal
water level. I chose to paddle anyway. The river was an easier
section but was running much higher than I had ever done it.
Again I felt overwhelmed from the start. I started walking every
rapid that I could and just tried to get to the take-out without
incident. While driving shuttle I again found myself in tears.
Kayaking is something that I love, yet I had just spent 4 hours
being scared, frustrated, and just dying to get off the water.
At this point I felt like I didn’t want to be in my kayak anymore.
The shock of feeling this way prompted me to take action. I
called Chris, told him what I was going through, and asked for
his help getting comfortable on the water again. While my idea
had been to go back to the basics and review things like paddle
stroke technique, Chris had something else in mind. He asked
me to lead him and Lydia down a section of river that I knew
well. Putting me out in in front forced me to see the river in a
new light. I had to be confident about describing lines,
committing to those lines myself, and executing what I had
Continued on next page
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
17
Continued from last page
level. At my intermediate
described. I planned ahead, slowed down the pace, and thought ability level, I needed to
about the group instead of my own anxieties.
break things up. I could
only realize this after the
This exercise allowed me to realize a few things about myself
fact, but this now helps me
and my paddling. I’m hoping to share the lessons I learned from
manage my fear on future
this experience:
runs.
1.If it’s not working, change something.
It may be a different pace,
After one bad paddling day I committed myself to another
a different group, different
Photo: Nick Fiedler
similar day despite knowing that it was likely a bad idea. I knew weather, or a different
that I needed to change something, yet I failed to do so. I
river, but figuring out what you need to get through a headallowed outside pressures to put me back into the same
game issue is the first and most important step to fixing it.
position. I knew that I needed a calm day of paddling and that
Surrounding yourself with good paddlers and paddling friends
something needed to change. I believe that my head game
that will help you figure out what you need is also key. Someone
would have been better off in the long run if I had simply not
like Chris, who has years of experience in teaching not only
paddled. With both the mental and physical aspects of kayaking,
kayaking skills but also teaching others how to deal with the
recognizing and fixing a problem early will always be better than
mental aspect of kayaking, was instrumental in getting me past
waiting too long and letting a bad day or bad habit become a big
my moment of crisis.
problem.
3.Then do what YOU need to do.
I’ll admit that I’m a perfectionist, so with that comes a fear of
failure. When I see others that I perceive as of a similar ability
level on a certain river, I convince myself that there is something
wrong with me if that river scares me. If someone tells me that
I’m ready for a specific run but I don’t feel ready, I feel like I’ve
failed in some way.
Photo: Conor Dowling
2.Figure out what you need.
When I was scared I was not able to rationally think through
what it was that had made these days overwhelming. After my
day with Chris, however, I realized that the fast pace of paddling
had largely contributed to my fear factor. On those high water
days my group had gone extremely fast, catching very few
eddies. As a beginner it was easier to paddle straight
downstream and just punch through waves, but now I had
gotten used to catching eddies, river-scouting features, and
deciding on a next move from there. When I started to pass up
eddies the river became much more intimidating. At an earlier
stage of paddling someone may need to just paddle hard
downstream, and later someone may need to slow things down
and break it up. It all has to do with style, preference, and ability
Listen to other’s advice if you are having trouble figuring out
what the issue at hand is. I listened to Chris’s advice about
slowing the river down and catching more eddies. But when I
knew what the issue was (needing a calm and easy day of
paddling) I let other’s expectations of me influence my
decisions. I ended up having two awful days on the river and still
haven’t gotten all of my confidence back.
If you need to push yourself and challenge your skills to get
through a head-game issue, that’s what you should do. If you
are like me and needed to take a step back sometimes, that’s
what you should do. So, as we’ve all been told in kayaking
before, listen to your
gut. Do what you need
to do. Only you can
know what you need
to make yourself into
a better kayaker.
Lacing the line at
Bridal Veil!
Photo: Katie Deen
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
18
Sea Kayaking: Scouting the West Chickamauga
By Eric Fleming
made it a lot easier by not having to get out of our boats, but
there are two major log jams that require scrambling up the
bank and portaging around.
On Monday October 20th Eric Burnett and I did a scouting trip
on the West Chickamauga Creek from the O’Charley’s in Ft. O to
Camp Jordan in East Ridge.
The first log jam is where the creek runs next to the Drag Strip
and the second runs through a field with horses and short grass.
We met at Camp Jordan at 10am, planning to put Eric B.’s boat
If we could get permission from the land owners we could get
on my truck and leave his at the take out ramp.
there by land.
Our first obstacle was that the parking lot to the ramp was
I regret not taking any photos of the pile of huge tractor tires
closed as they were moving fill dirt from CJ to the new Bass Pro
that have been pushed over the bank and are on the bank and in
Shop site. It’s in a flood plain, and so the land has to be built up
the creek about 0.25 miles upstream from Shipp’s RV on the
and in order to prevent more flooding somewhere else they are
other side of the creek. If I had to do it over I would have gotten
lowering the high area at CJ and using that dirt to build up the
out and seen whose property it was.
site. We had to find another exit point upstream a bit at the
bridge. A byproduct of that deal is that we will be getting
This is no doubt where those huge tires that we were pulling out
bathrooms at the ramp. I love it when a plan comes together!
of the creek at Camp Jordan on the River Rescue last month are
coming from. It will be a lot easier to remove them there than
Eric B. has a great phone app which showed us mileage and
after they wash downstream.
time, and it would have been 5.25 hours and 9 miles if we’d
taken out at the CJ ramp. Pretty slow going.
I think we should concentrate on getting the first section opened
up to encourage people to use it initially, as the second section
We put on at 10:30 am and had to limbo under a few trees
will be a much bigger job.
before coming to a massive log jam. We went up and over, but I
think by moving driftwood we could have opened up a passage I’d love to hear from anyone who has any suggestions, or is
behind the root ball if we had the time.
willing to help clear some tree sections so paddlers can get past.
There is very little trash in the creek or along the banks. With
some effort we can open up another great creek to paddle.
The Lyndhurst Foundation has taken the initiative and built the
ramps at great expense so that paddlers have access to the
creek. The next step is to make the creek useable so that
everyone can enjoy it.
It’s just another step in Chattanooga’s progress on improving
the outdoors for all of us. Awesome.
Doing the limbo under the one of the logs.
It took just under two hours to get to the Dietz road ramp. If we
could get in there and unclog the driftwood at the log jam and
cut a few four foot sections out of low trees it would be a great
club paddle. It’s a beautiful creek.
The section from the Dietz Road ramp to CJ is also a lovely creek
with lots of wildlife, mallard ducks and turtles in particular, but
they’re pretty skittish and didn’t let us get very close.
There were several places where some tree cutting would have
Taking some out of boat time to explore the obstacles.
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
19
Overnighter Report: Lake Hartwell
By Carolyn Rand
ones I've stayed at in a long
time. We camped on an
This trip, led by
hourglass shaped island
Richard Warner,
with wooded areas on the 2
was supposed to
ends (perfect for private
be on Lake
tent sites), and an open
Jocassee, but the
sandbar in the narrow
rules have
middle (perfect for cooking
changed on
and a beautiful view of the
camping sites
lake around a campfire). We
and thanks to
camped under clear skies,
Stacy, who went there a couple of weeks before we were
which made for wonderful
supposed to, we learned that in order to bring a large group, we
star gazing, and we saw
would have to go through an outfitter. That wouldn’t have been
quite a few shooting stars.
so bad because they haul all your gear to the camping site and
The temps were perfect also. Not too hot or cold for paddling in
back for you, as well as give you a huge tour of the lake that you
the day, and cool enough at night that you could use your
couldn't possibly do on your own. She said it was beautiful. Next
sleeping bag and be nice and cozy inside. I wish all our trips were
year we will try that.
Not knowing the full extent of the outfitter experience, we
headed to Lake Hartwell which had no camping restrictions, and
was not far to paddle with all our gear in our boats along with
one huge dog named Stagger Lee. We had a fairly equal
representation of canoes and sea kayaks on this trip.
Although Google Maps said that it only took 3 hours and 10
minutes to get there, I couldn't seem to get there or get home (2
different routes) in less than 5 hours. Of course, we had 3
women and a dog in a truck who liked to stop a lot and were
having lots of fun. We stopped at Bull Sluice on the Chattooga
and spent some time there on the way home. And on the way
there, we got lost in Atlanta. Anyway, we finally got there and
took off across
the lake. Our
paddle was
only a couple
of miles and
the weather
was very
cooperative.
I'm definitely
going back to
visit our camp
site again. It
was one of the
most beautiful
Continued on next page
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
20
2014 Florida Sea Kayak and Canoe Overnighter
By Carolyn Rand
The schedule is:
This year we will be going back to some of our familiar best
loved streams we’ve done in the past, but staying at a much
nicer campground. Start thinking about next year now though,
because Pat Carver says she knows some new places she could
lead us to in the future that are further south and maybe
warmer. I would welcome that.
December 27—Drive down and get set up.
This year we will be staying at the Care Free RV Campground in
Homosassa, FL. It is a very nice camp ground with full hookup
camp sites, heated pool, warm game room and pavilion for
meeting as a group. There are campsites, Cabins (get one fast if
you want it; limited) or stay at a nearby hotel with all the
luxuries.
Address and phone of the campground:
December 28—Paddle Homosassa River accessible from the
campground and explore. By not going far away this day, It will
allow stragglers to come in a day late and still be able to paddle
that day. We have never paddled this river, so there will be lots
of new inlets and springs to see. Anyone want to do another
shrimp boil this evening? That was fun and yummy last year!
December 29—Three Sisters Springs/Hunter Springs. Swim with
the manatees.
December 30—Rainbow Springs. Bring your bathing suit.
December 31—Wicki Wachee River. Everyone fell in love with
this river last year. Crystal clear aqua water, Easy but moving
right along fun. Don’t forget to bring your cameras on this one.
Eat out together somewhere on the way back and then usher in
the New Year relaxing by our camp fire..
Carefree RV Resort
10200 W. Fishbowl Drive
Homosassa, FL 34448
January 1—Drive home or stay another day and paddle way out
352 628-2928
http://www.carefreervresorts.com/rv-parks/florida/homosassa- on the Chassahowitzka River where it meets the ocean. Get
salty! And drive home whenever you want to.
river/
Make your reservations now for a campsite or cabin.
Let Ben Johnson know if you are interested in coming at
johnsonbbd3@aol.com or 423-593-5565.
Continued from last page
like that.
Our last overnighter trip of this year is the Etowah River on
November 8-9, led by Jamie Wendt and Pat Carver. I hope all of
you will give an overnighter a try – it does wonders for the soul.
2014 Sea Kayak Schedule
All dates and places are subject to change. All paddles are 
in TN unless otherwise noted. C indicates a current, but

not more than Class I Rapids. S indicates a one-way trip
requiring a shuttle. Check your email the night before a

trip for any changes. All paddles are rain or shine.
Unless Trip Leader is specified, contact Eric Fleming for
details: 598eric@gmail.com

Nov. 1st—Ross’s Landing. 10am. Eric.
Dec. 13th—Christmas Party. 6pm, Pot House on the
TN River Gorge. Contact Jen Maxwell for details.
Dec. 27th-Jan. 1—Yearly FL Week. Canoes, Sea
Kayaks, Duckies, and Sit-on-Tops. Contact: Ben
Johnson: johnsonbbd3@aol.com for details.
Oct. 25th—Nickajack Bluffs. 10am, Shellmound Ramp.
Eric.
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
21
Boundary Waters August 2015: Save the Date!
By Ed Park & Carolyn Rand
Note: Ed Park has volunteered to lead a boundary waters trip for
the overnight group next summer: August 8-17th, 2015.
TVCC expedition trip to Boundary Waters Canoe Area,
Minnesota and Canada border. Max size of group is 15, however,
the rules for camping at a single camp site are nine. If more than
9 sign up, the party will split up for nightly camping. Most camps
are in the vicinity of other camps.
The BWCA-Quetico Wilderness has remained unchanged
through the centuries. Paddle and portage from lake-to-lake and
explore the same routes that the Chippewa Indians and FrenchCanadian Voyageurs traveled years ago. Hear the echoing call of
the loon, the splash of a beaver tail, the howling of wolves, the
sound of a paddle as it rhythmically dips into the water.
Photograph wildlife that includes moose, deer, bald eagles,
beaver, otter, and loons. Fish for walleye, northern pike, lake
trout, and scrappy small mouth bass. As you sit at your campfire,
turning crisp fish fillets in the fry pan, you realize that you’re in
the midst of a virtual fisherman’s paradise.
pounds packed (the food pack). One paddler will carry alone the
boat, one the food pack, and all others the personal gear.
Everyone carries paddles and life jackets, except the boatman.
Each canoe will be packed similarly. One food pack will be the
food for 6 people generally. If 6 are in a group, there will be only
one food pack, 12 people 2 food packs. It works out that 3 to a
boat crosses a portage in one pass, has one food pack and two
boats. That is 3 hearty people to do the heaviest carrying across
a portage in a set of 6. Personal gear packs usually weigh 40
pounds (gear for 3 paddlers).
Contact Ed Park for much more information at
eparkseven@yahoo.com. Ed has been part of 6 trips to the
BWCA and Quetico Wilderness. The auto trip to the area is 2
days one way. Important gear will be rented from an Outfitter.
Search for Boundary Waters Canoe Area and read details of the
park and things you might be interested in doing. Outstanding
anglers welcome.
Special notes from Ed Park: While traveling on portaged waters,
the size of the party working together is of utmost importance.
Parties that take many trips to cross a portage enjoy the canoe
wilderness much less. It is paramount to cross a portage once.
This means there are 3 to a boat, the boat is 18’, and the gear is
specially packed for the ability of the traveler to carry his/her
part. All gear will be packed in Duluth bags, supplied by the
outfitter. Duluth bags come in 4 sizes, and some weigh up to 90
2014 Canoe Overnighter Schedule

Oct. 26th—Boo Run. Ocoee River. Arrange for own
raft and buddies.

Nov 8th-9th—Etowah River. Dawson Forest tract
between Hwy. 9 below Dawsonville to Kelly Ridge
Road. Contact Jamie Wendt: jwendt@epbfi.com.

Dec. 13th—Christmas Party. Contact Jen Maxwell for
details.

Dec. 27th-Jan. 1—Yearly FL Week. Canoes, Sea
Kayaks, Duckies, and Sit-on-Tops. Contact: Ben
Johnson: johnsonbbd3@aol.com for details.
Etowah River, Nov. 8-9. This will be an easy camping run
on a short stretch of the Etowah River near Dahlonega,
GA. We will put on at the Hwy. 9 bridge below Dawsonville
and paddle nine miles to Kelly Bridge Rd., camping out
along the way. Most of this stretch runs through the scenic
Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area, with some
Class I shoals but no difficult rapids. Participants should be
prepared for cold water/weather.
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
22
Lookout Wild Film Festival: Accepting Entries
By Andy Johns
Submissions for 3rd annual Lookout Wild Film Festival open June 13
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Looking to continue the
momentum from an outstanding 2014 festival, the
Lookout Wild Film Festival board of directors is excited to
open submissions for LWFF 2015.
For the 2015 festival, which will be held in March at the
historic Chattanooga Choo Choo, the board and screening
team are looking for films that tell stories about wild
places and the people they inspire.
Filmmakers can submit their projects through the
“Submit” link at lookoutfilmfestival.org or through a
variety of online platforms including FilmFreeway.com
and festhome.com.
Selected films will screen at the 2015 LWFF and/or Outdoor Chattanooga’s monthly winter film series “Camp Chair
Cinema.”
Already, the board has identified about 40 films worthy of consideration including topics such as free diving, ice
climbing, antique bicycles, dam removal and nude snow skiing.
“It’s always exciting for the board and the screening team to get our first look at the films,” says festival director Andy
Johns. “Each time you push play, you never know where the filmmakers are going to take you. We’re thrilled to bring
the best outdoor adventure and conservation films in the world to Chattanooga.”
Submission fees increase after the early bird deadline on August 1, and the final deadline will be Jan. 5, 2015.
Building on success
LWFF 2014 exceeded expectations quadrupling the attendance from 350 audience members in 2013 to 1,400.
For 2014, the board received 140 submissions from around the world. Of those, the LWFF team selected 34 films to
show at the festival, held in March. Selections included a wide variety of outdoor adventure films including kayaking
the Congo River, snorkeling in the Smoky Mountains, water conservation in Georgia, mountain climbing in Antarctica,
fly fishing in Virginia and mountain biking in the Alps.
“The filmmakers have set the bar pretty high for themselves,” says board member Sam Silvey, of Silvey+Huffaker
Creative. “I can’t wait to see what’s coming in next.”
Beyond the stunning locations, the 2014 selections told incredible stories, such as a skier’s recovery from terrible
injury, a man reflecting on his 50-plus years of scuba diving, the fight against dams in South America and one man’s
struggle to ride in New York City’s bike lanes.
“If you look at the LWFF films from 2013 and 2014, you see not just beautiful images, but great characters and stories,”
says board member Christina Holmes. “For anybody thinking of submitting for 2015, that would be my biggest tip: tell
us a good story.”
Lookout Wild Film Festival, Inc. is an independent Tennessee non-profit. For more information email
info@lookoutfilmfestival.org or visit www.lookoutfilmfestival.org.
*
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THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
23
Boats & Gear for Sale
TVCC Logo Knives
Perception Dancer—$300.
Dancer Kayak for sale in very good condition. Stored
under covering with cockpit cover in place. $300 OBO.
Contact Judy, 423-338-3897.
Missed your chance to buy a TVCC Logo Knife at previous
events? We still have plenty left!
Knives are $15, and will be for sale at club events.
Contact Debby McRae with questions
(treasurer@tvccpaddler.com).
THE PADDLER TATTLER
NOVEMBER 2014
24
Tennessee Valley Canoe Club • P.O. Box 11582 • Chattanooga, TN 37401
www.tvccpaddler.com
2014-2015 TVCC OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
Don Fletcher
president@tvccpaddler.com
VICE PRESIDENT
Ashley Teel
vp@tvccpaddler.com
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT
LaDawn Wolfe
assistantvp@tvccpaddler.com
TREASURER
Debby McRae
treasurer@tvccpaddler.com
SECRETARY
John Hubbard
secretary@tvccpaddler.com
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Meryl Stark
editor@tvccpaddler.com
WEBMASTER
Teri Zur
webmaster@tvccpaddler.com
RIVER CONSERVATION CHAIR
Jim Ledbetter
conservation@tvccpaddler.com
SAFETY CHAIRPERSON
Mike Shillinger
safety@tvccpaddler.com
CRUISE MASTER I, CLASS II/III
Spence “Dogpaddle” Lycan
CM1@tvccpaddler.com
CRUISE MASTER II, CLASS III/IV
Brandon Koch
CM2@tvccpaddler.com
CRUISE MASTER III, OVERNIGHTERS
Ben Johnson & Carolyn Rand
CM3@tvccpaddler.com
CRUISE MASTER IV, NON-PADDLING
Jen Maxwell & Rebecca Hendrix
CM4@tvccpaddler.com
CRUISE MASTER V, SEA KAYAK
Eric Fleming
CM5@tvccpaddler.com
Our Mission:
The Tennessee Valley Canoe Club brings together those interested
in canoeing, kayaking, and related activities; increases the
knowledge, safety, and appreciation of paddle sports for those who
are interested; and supports conservation and preservation of
recreational waterways. Membership is open to persons of all ages.
Both families and singles are welcome.
The club’s activities include:
 Whitewater& flat water kayak and canoe training.
 Whitewater& flat water river trips for all skill levels.
 Water safety & rescue training.
 Extended canoe & camping trips.
 Annual & monthly meetings.
 Community service!
TVCC Yahoo Group… All club members are invited to join the
club’s online paddling forum. The Yahoo Group is a great place to find out
about paddling trips in addition to those posted in the newsletter, post pictures and trip reports of your latest adventures, or just find someone to go
paddle with.
The only requirement for the forum is active membership in the club. To join,
go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tvcc/ and click on “Join This Group”.
Please be patient and allow a few days for the page administrator to respond
and accept your membership. Send an email to the group moderator at tvccsubscribe@yahoogroups.com with your name. See you on the river!
Sea Kayaker email list… The TVCC Flatwater Flotilla uses
an email contact list to send out information about upcoming events. To be
added to this list, please send an email the TVCC Sea Kayak Cruise Master at
598eric@gmail.com.
The Paddler Tattler Advertising
The deadline for ad copy is the 20th of each month. The ad must be
prepaid and can either be submitted electronically or in print. Please
contact the editor about pricing for advertising in The Paddler Tattler at
editor@tvccpaddler.com.
Past issues of the Paddler Tattler can be accessed online at:
http://tinyurl.com/tvccpastnewsletters.
The Paddler Tattler is the newsletter for the Tennessee Valley Canoe Club. The Paddler
Tattler invites submissions of articles, trip reports, “Video of the Month”, and any other news
or information of interest to the paddling community . Submit an electronic copy no later
than the 20th of each month to the newsletter editor at editor@tvccpaddles.com.
Submissions may be edited.