Passing It On.... With A Twist - Bluegrass Wildwater Association

Award Winning Newsletter of The Bluegrass Wildwater Association since 1976. Sept/Oct 2013
In this issue:
Passing It On... With A Twist
The Gauley Variance
Canoeist Completes 5,000 mile Canoe Trek
Something to Aspire to!
Off the Cuff: Comments From the Forum Worth Remembering
Eddylines of Interest
BWA Meeting Special program
with Lonnie Bedwell telling about his
trip thru the Grand Canyon!
See pg. 5
Passing It On....
With A Twist
B. J. Phillips
We are approaching Nantahala Falls. My friend is behind me and it is his first descent. I keep turning my head around to be sure he is on line and still upright- he is. Britt Lindstrom is behind him helping
make last second corrections. I bypass the traditional eddy at Truck Stop, but yell for him to try to slow
down some to decrease our momentum and approach the middle line (Line B) just river left of the top hole
while ‘hugging’ the current as close to that hole as possible. This is the easiest line for the Falls, and is the
Continued on pg. 3
Looking Ahead
Coming BWA Meetings
Second Tuesday of the Month, 7:30 pm
Bowlines is the Newsletter of the Bluegrass Wildwater
Association, POB 4231, Lexington Ky, 40504
BWA Monthly Meeting Meet & Eat
Club Officers 2012-2013
October: Meeting at Roosters
President
Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
Safety
Program
Newsletter
Cyber Communications
Conservation
Film Festival Coordinator
Russell Fork River Festival
Coordinator
Equipment Coordinator
At-Large Member
Membership Coordinator
Past President
124 Marketplace Dr
Lexington, KY 40503
(859) 449-7737
http://www.yelp.com/biz/roosters-lexington
Upcoming Program:
Stop the press, drop what you're doing, and please join us in
welcoming Lonnie Bedwell, who recently became the first
blind person to kayak the Grand Canyon, as our guest host!
ery special guest making a long trek down to Lexington to
share his experience as the first blind person to kayak the
Grand Canyon! We would like to invite all of you to come
meet Lonnie (if you haven't already) and hear about his
amazing journey! We've heard there may be some media
present, possibly WKYT channel 27, as well....whoa! Big
thanks to BJ and Adelessa for helping make this happen!
Clay Warren
Adelessa Harbour
Jeff Kirkner
Jacob Robinson
Tim Minor
Davy Lafferty
Don Spangler
Joe Wheatly
Peter Stutts
Bethany Overfeild
859-326-0602
859-230-1316
859-523-2730
859 608 5269
859-619-9495
859-576-2050
859-277-7314
859-361-0892
804-615-8909
859-519-5691
Steve Ruth
606-754-4348
William (BJ) Phillips 859-533-6722
Jeff Schetler
859-227-8820
Ali Blair
859-576-9409
Emily Grimes
Join in on the Fun!
Join the BWA! BWA Membership $20/individual; $25/Family year entitles
you to receive the newsletter,10% discounts at many local and out of state
outfitter shops, use of club equipment, discount at pool rolling sessions, a
listing in the BWA Handbook, a stream gauge guide, and web site with a
forum for member’s messages & a parking pass for the Elkhorn.
I am also excited to announce we are going to try a new
location for our monthly club meetings! After doing our due
diligence, the Steering Committee voted last night to choose
Rooster's, yes ROOSTER'S, as our meeting venue this
month. Rooster's is located on the corner of Man O' War and
Nicholasville Rd, in front of Wal-Mart.
Meetings are held at 7:30, the second Tuesday of each month at
location announced on our website: http://www.bluegrasswildwater.org
We would love for everyone who comes to give us some
feedback as to what you think about using this as our meeting place. I have attached a few pictures I took of their meeting room. It seats roughly 60 people comfortably, with a private bar and 3 high def TVs for potential A/V use. The manager is calling in an extra server just for us, so we will have 2
dedicated servers to feed you mangy mongrels. He said they
have several clubs, including a ski club and a Gold Wing
club, that use them for meetings...and he also advised me we
could have it the 2nd Tuesday of every month through the
foreseeable future if we so choose. I figure if they're good
enough for the Gold Winger's, then they hafta be a good fit
for us, right?! As usual, the meeting starts at 7:30, and if you
would like to have dinner there, please show up a little early.
I told the manager people may start showing up around 6:45
or so.
Submission of newsletter articles can be on CD (Mac or PC). Pictures can
be digital or ready to be scanned. Please include stamped envelope for
return. Preferred method: Files can also be e-mailed to: DonSpang@aol.
com
Enjoy this issue of Bowlines?
Check out Bowlines Online Archive with many
great issues going back to 1998!
Issue Archive:
http://www.surfky-bwa.org/html/bowlines_arcN.html
I look forward to seeing everybody either this weekend at our
BWA fall party or on Tuesday (or BOTH hopefully)!!!!
A must read for all members, our 30th Anniversary issue:
http://www.surfky-bwa.org/bowlines/BL30thAnnv_Aug06.pdf
Your humble prez, Clay
The BWA wishes to thank Canoe Kentucky & Phillip Gall’s for their support.
We urge you to patronize them for your outdoor needs.
http://www.benchmarkoutfitter.com/
http://www.canoeky.com/
2
line that my mentors taught me when they were
‘passing it on’ to me when I was a novice boater. I
hug the hole and start down the green tongue and
take one last look around and yell, “Paddle hard”. He
is still behind me on a perfect line. I hit the curler
wave at the base of the Falls and run it clean, and
he flips at that wave (Not unusual for most of us)
and does a textbook combat roll. He has run an
almost clean first descent.
people just beginning the sport and more advanced
paddling at higher skill levels. Also, a B.W.A. member, Adelessa Grace, has “Adventure” weekends
that does much the same for beginning paddlers.
Lonnie attended one of those in the fall of
2012 at the Russell Fork and, again, showed great
dedication acquiring the skills to be a paddler. Ron
Hunt, another combat veteran paddler, and Robert
Smith, a ‘local’ of the Elkhorn City area, helped me
work with Lonnie at that clinic. Both of them said it
was one of the greatest experiences of their kayaking, and personal, lives! Ron gave Lonnie a kayak
and much gear. Plus, Benchmark of Lexington
donated a new paddle (Thanks Benchmark and
Neil!), and Lonnie never turned back- HE WAS
HOOKED ON THE SPORT.
Some will say that there is nothing exceptional about this first descent and it is typical at
Nantahala Falls on a daily basis, but in this case it is
nothing short of remarkable. You see, my friend, my
paddling partner is 100% blind!
His name is Lonnie Bedwell and I met him
on a Team River Runner trip in 2012 in Montana at
an “Outta Sight” clinic. That trip was his introduction
to whitewater kayaking. We paddled the Yellowstone
River that flows out of Yellowstone National Park and
into a valley known locally as Paradise Valley, which
is appropriately named. It is a beautiful river valley
nestled among the mountains, hills, and the brilliant
blue of Montana’s ‘Big Sky’ country. We stay at the
ranch of Mike Story, who has allowed the participants of this trip to enjoy, and paddle, this scenic
area in Montana. I am a combat veteran and kayaking has become my passion and therapy for the
effects that war has on a person, and for the love of
the sport!
Between that fall session and the next time
we met to paddle together, with the help of a paddler in Indiana, Lonnie had perfected rolling on both
strong and weak sides.
During the summer of 2013 Lonnie once
again came to Lexington and we took off for
Tennessee/ North Carolina to do some ‘Southeast’
boating. Our first run was on the Lower Pigeon
(Class I/II). Lonnie nailed it and Robert Smith again
joined us as I paddled lead giving verbal guidance.
Lonnie did so well that I decided to skip the
Hiawassee and go straight to the Nantahala (This is
a ‘normal’ progression for Southeast boaters and
the same progression that my mentors led me). The
Nantahala is basically a Class II run with, of course,
Nanthala Falls (Class III) at the end. It is a kayaker’s paradise though, with the area virtually
designed for the river enthusiast. It was the site of
the World’s Free styling Championships in 2013.
For more advanced skill levels there are releases
on the Upper and Cascades periodically. You have
read about Lonnie’s first descent, but we tried various other lines and some resulted in carnage- but it
was good carnage. His bombproof roll and paddling
skills saved him from swims more than once and
led me to believe that he was ready for the Upper
Pigeon. We headed that way.
On this trip ‘sighted’ paddlers, such as I, are
paired up with totally or partially blind veterans and
we all learn the techniques and skills of paddling and
guiding our non-sighted brothers and sisters down
whitewater. This section of the Yellowstone is class I/
II.
We started out on a nearby lake to introduce
the non-sighted participants to a kayak, paddle
strokes, the ‘feel’ of being in a boat on water, wet
exits, bow rescues, and how to lead and follow verbal commands. Then we progressed to a class I section to actually lead and follow verbal commands
and ‘how to’ swim in current. Lonnie caught on quick
to bow rescues and was performing them with no
problem in moving water. The final step was a class
II section known as Yankee Jim Canyon. Although all
the non-sighted paddlers/veterans did phenomenal,
Lonnie Bedwell sort of stood out with his determination to attempt to learn this sport! We fast became
friends and agreed to meet again (He lives in
Indiana and I live in Lexington, Kentucky) and paddle together. We did!
The Upper Pigeon may be one of the best
‘secret’ Class II/III sections of whitewater in the
Southeast, and, in my opinion, is a great river to
‘step it up’ to bigger water and to learn to read and
run whitewater. It is a superb beginning intermediate run! The U.P., or Dirty Bird, as it is affectionately known locally, is challenging to paddlers stepping
up from Class II water. To be honest I was somewhat hesitant about us achieving an Upper Pigeon
run in such short time, but it was my highest,
although perhaps farfetched, goals of this trip. After
the Nanty I thought it was feasible.
I am a member of the Bluegrass Wildwater
Association (B.W.A.) and each year the B.W.A. holds
a spring clinic at the Russell Fork River on the
Kentucky/Virginia border to teach kayaking skills to
3
There were several paddlers now who wanted to paddle with Lonnie, and, by “happenstance”,
we ran into Lou Rudolph, a local paddling friend at
the put in. So we had plenty of safety. The kayaking
community ‘knew’ something special was going on! I
led, Britt Lindstrom was behind Lonnie, and a safety
net was spread up and down the river. Just a bunch
of ‘yakers’ having a good time on the river!
Lonnie runs Powerhouse rapid clean at the
put in. As we approach Lost Guide rapid he has ran
the river clean following verbal communication and
we go to mid river left following local outfitter Dave
Crawford of Rapid Expeditions line. Lonnie flips at
the hole/ wave at the bottom of the rapid but he
combat rolls to cheers. When we tell other kayakers/
rafters, at the eddy on river right, that Lonnie is
100% blind they looked stunned or ask, “How is that
possible?”
The next major is Double Reactionary. This
rapid is one of those confluences of currents that
intermingle in a relatively narrow slot with a strong
current from river left and a stronger current coming
in from the right of the rapid and they slam into each
other near mid river. The river right current being the
dominant creates a curler wave and becomes the
main channel current crossing from river right to river
left. It can be a tricky but fun rapid!
We take a line shown to me by Brent Austin
(B.W.A. Class V boater) that he calls, “A Class IV
move on a Class III rapid”. We skirt the holes and
negotiate the boogie water approaching the rapid
near river left, then cross over to mid river above the
rapid where the kayak almost comes to a stall, and
then the current along with some paddle strokes propels the kayak towards the ‘head’ of the curler of
Double Reactionary. We hit the curler and have a
swimmer- it is me!
I got turned around too much trying to assure
Lonnie is on line, miss the line, and drop off into a
pour over sideways, get window shaded, and try
repeated rolls to no avail- I pull! Lonnie stays on line
with Britt’s help, flips at the curler, and does a combat roll.
Sometimes leading and making verbal/visual
contact with a non-sighted boater is like walking a
tightrope where trying to keep them and yourself on
line is not always easy. Also, as we all know, whitewater has a way of humbling us at times. The safety
boaters gather myself, my boat, and my ego up and
4
we head into the final major rapid called Accelerator. Lonnie, and myself, and we didn’t take easy lines or
sneaks. We took on difficult lines, caught eddies with
We go into that rapid at mid river right where squirrelly water, and crashed through holes. With
that said, at the age of 62, I keep trying to expand
there is a tongue and follow the main current into a
my own paddling skills with creek runs on the Little
wave train that leads to slightly river left into where
and the “Greenbrier” section in the Southeast in the
the main current does an ‘s’ curve at the bottom of
the rapid. Lonnie gets off line slightly at the ‘s’ curve, beautiful Smokey Mountains this year with the help
of B.W.A. mentors and the kayaking community
but runs Accelerator clean.
‘passing it on’. I do these runs in an old school Wave
Sport Big EZ play/river runner. I am not ready to lie
On the last section of Class II boogie water
down YET or quit learning this sport that I love!
and surf spots we approach a fun boof, that, if hit
right, propels the kayak to cop a little air. Lonnie hits
Oh, I guess you may be wondering what
the boof perfect and we end the run of the Upper
“something bigger” may have been for kayaker
Pigeon laughing and yelling!
Lonnie Bedwell. Well, my friend, my kayak partner,
became the first non-sighted paddler in his own boat
Lonnie, once again, attends the Team River
to paddle the Colorado River section of the Grand
Runner ‘Outta Sight’ clinic in 2013 and Chip Sell, a
Canyon in late summer of 2013 with Team River
combat veteran Washington state paddler, asked
Runner.
him, “ Who have you been paddling with?” Lonnie
tells him and Chip thinks that he is ready for someAwesome stuff dudes! That is PASSING IT
thing bigger.
ON, with a twist!
At this time let me say that we challenged
Meet Lonnie Bedwell this Tuesday at Our BWA Meeting!
Hear about his amazing kayaking trip down the Colorado thru the Grand Canyon!
New BWA Meeting Location:
"Rooster's" corner of Man O' War & Nicholasville Rd, in front of Wal-Mart.
Meeting starts at Oct. 8@7:30... come a little early if you plan to eat.
5
The Gauley
Variances
Hanley Loller
There's something about the opening day of Gauley Season. I guess for me it harkens back to my raft
guiding days. There was always a lot of preparation in August leading up to Gauley Season. Actually there
was a lot of preparation starting in spring, but it kicked into high gear in August when the regular business
was starting to fall off. Training, gear, hiring extra people, guides would arrive from Colorado and New
England and all my far flung friends working for Appalachian Wildwaters on the Ocoee, Nolichucky, Cheat,
Upper Youghoigheny, Nantahala, French Broad, etc. would congregate at our New River outpost. With
them they would bring extra buses to haul the extra guests, along with massive equipment vehicles loaded
down with deflated rafts, pfd's and paddles. Every square foot of available space was occupied by a recreational migrant worker setting up a tent for the short, but lucrative season that we all loved so much.
Everybody would come together, there would be beer and stories and lots of anticipation. I guess that's
why when the air starts to get that slight dry, crisp late summer feel to it, I start getting a tiny flame of excited anticipation growing in my belly.
This year was no different, despite the awesome water that made the summer of 2013 a season for the
record books. Sometime in mid august I could barely stay focused on my work and I started making Gauley
plans. This year I wanted to do a four-day stretch, which is difficult for me to swing these days. Actually I
wanted to do a couple of them to take advantage of the higher releases, but you take what you can get and
I got a four-day stretch set up for opening weekend.
6
It started with one of my favorite days to be on
the Gauley, training day. The day before the opening
day of the official season, the Corps typically releases some extra water into the Gauley for the rafting
companies to do some training/refresher runs. This
isn't scheduled, so driving up to catch it is an act of
blind faith, but I had faith. Jeff Kirkner and I left
Lexington about 7:00 AM and drove straight to
Mason's Branch. When we got there I slipped on my
old *Class VI River Runners* staff shirt and went to
talk to the equipment drivers. Since Jeff and I were
solo, we needed a shuttle.
If you've never done the Gauley on an off day,
you don't know what you're missing. Differing water
levels really change the rapids on the Upper in particular. At 1500 the Upper G is creekier and more
technical, requiring more maneuvering. The drops
are steeper, there's a big hole in the bottom of second drop of Insignificant that is completely washed
out at release. Pillow has technicality that you'd
never guess at when it's running 2800, and a roostertail pinning rock that can easily get lost in the jumble, so watch where you're going. Lost paddle is
steeper and narrower, but just about as squirrelly
and Sweets Falls is definitely steeper, and taller. Add
to that the fall air, the afternoon sun, and not another
soul to be seen anywhere and you've got a day on
the river that you'll never forget. That's when I love
the Gauley best, when there's no one else around.
Jeff and I toasted a successful day at the water's
edge while we changed into our dry clothes at
Mason's Branch and watched the water recede.
The drivers confirmed that the Corps had
released 1800 CFS that morning (Jackpot!) but they
were cutting it back in about 15 minutes and that
they could not assist us with shuttle. There were
some other boaters there, but they were running
some kind of complicated two-day shuttle on the
lower and also could not help. We were just about to
drive to the dam and set up camp when we ran
acrose Tom Montgomery on his dirtbike. (Double
Jackpot!!!) Tom agreed to run our shuttle, parked his
bike and hopped in.
After getting back to the dam we got to experience the trickle of people showing up and setting up
camp. Watching the buildup for opening day helped
We ended up catching the Upper Gauley at
to whet our appetites for the coming full release. The
around 1500 CFS, chasing the end of the release so next day Jeff and I did a marathon all the way to
the water level varied some as they staged it back. It Swiss, and Jeff finally got to see the Upper at full
was Jeff's first run on the Upper (not counting our
release on his third run. We both rolled at Pillow then
180-300 CFS ELF summer run a few years back) so met up with several other boaters at Mason's includwe talked a lot about what was coming up and scout- ing Josh Frasier on his first ever Lower Gauley run,
ed Pillow and Iron Ring. We decided to walk Iron
which he styled. Jeff and I were sore and crampy at
Ring, neither one of us were really feeling it and
the takeout, but agreed it was well worth the extra
Channing's Cranny looked ugly at that level.
effort.
Everything else we ran and had a blast.
John Lawson
7
The rest of the weekend is a blur of welcoming
new arrivals, arranging shuttles, running the Gauley,
surfing big fluffy wave-holes, drinking beer and telling
lies. It was an epic weekend and a great chance to
get "dialed in". Like many of us, I boat somewhat
infrequently these days and need a couple of
warmup days to get my reflexes tuned up and my
brain properly aligned to the rhythm and power of the
water. Thus, a four-day opening weekend paddling
excursion was a great way to start Gauley season,
and it prepared me for what was to come next.
sounding Brandon Jett. I paraphrase, but it was
something like, "Um, hey man, just wanted to pick
your brain about this Lower Gauley thing, find out
what it's like at, like, eight or nine thousand or so,
'cause apparently they got massive rain up on the
Meadow last night and it's dumping some major CFS
in the Gauley or something..."
I was outside the building and away from my
computer when I got that message, and I was starting to get annoyed, so I called Brandon back and left
a voicemail message expressing my frustration that
people were freaking out over a little extra water regMy next outing on the Gauley was set for two
istering on the Belva Gauge. I was also probably
weeks later during GauleyFest. These days I rarely
get to connect to all those folks who used to congre- channeling some of the frustration I was feeling for
having missed the 5000 release. So, when I got back
gate at our New River Outpost to work Gauley
to my computer, I started to post a general missive to
Season, so GauleyFest is the next best thing.
whoever might be listening on the forum about how
Boaters of all types from all over come together at
the festival and I always bump into at least one per- to PROPERLY read the Gauley gauges, and in doing
so, I checked on them so I could reference the propson whom I haven't seen for years. Originally I had
planned on doing another Thursday through Sunday er readings...
paddling binge to take advantage of the very rare
scheduled extra flow day on Thursday (5000 CFS, a oh...
great level on the Lower and a challenging level on
the Upper). However, that fell through and I was
...well then...
stuck at work until Saturday. Hence, when I started
getting calls and texts on Friday morning at work, I
didn't know what was about to happen.
I started by leaving a new message for Brandon,
apologizing for my tone and questioning of his facts
The first one came in just before 9:00 AM, Tim
earlier, then I started re-writing my post. For those of
Shuler wanting to know if I'd seen the water levels
and what that meant for boating. Checking the Belva you that don't already know or who are reading this
years after the fact, the Meadow did get a frog-chokGauge quickly after a couple of exchanges I detering dump of rain the night before, but nobody realmined that Tim was forgetting that the Gauley had
ized it until it was too late. It didn't rain much at the
been releasing at the scheduled 5000 CFS the day
festival and the Corps turned the dam back to 2800,
before or hadn't realized that they were releasing
through the night and just turning down the water at but didn't anticipate a massive surge coming down
7:00 AM for the scheduled 2800 CFS release. Since the Meadow. Evidently it was moving fast and caught
up with the 5000 release, and by the time the Corps
Belva is 4 to 6 hours downstream from the dam, it
doesn't see the drop in water level until noon or so. caught on and turned the dam back to 1100, it was
really too late, the Meadow was shooting up like a
My initial reply was terse, indicating that he should
rocket and the Upper Gauley from Lost Paddle down
more carefully read my original posts about the
was churning at somewhere in the six to eight thouexpected water levels before firing off such quessand range. At this point, I started to worry about
tions. After that I got an inquiry from one of the
some of my buddies who had planned on hitting the
APEs, and then a voicemail from an uncertain
8
Lower that day. There's not much way to tell what's
going on upstream when you're putting on at Woods
Ferry. I started making calls and leaving messages.
The rest of the day was interspersed with
updates from the scene and sporadic gauge checks.
("Yep, it's still shooting up, holy crap!") I left about
five replies to my own post on the forum, further reinforcing the feeling that I was the only boater not at
the Gauley right them. It was the strangest experience, knowing roughly what was happening, watching the gauges, guessing what the situation was and
seriously considering whether there was any way for
me to ditch work and make a hell run to the put-in
before dark. Eventually I learned that the muddy
water had reached the put-in before the BWA contingent and that most of them had bailed, but that Jeff
Kirkner and Joe Wheatley had put on. Jeff, I knew,
was pulling from his experience of a trip we did in
the spring several years ago at 6750. My best estimate was that the water was in the seven to eight
thousand range. Things are bigger at that water
level, but most of the river is more open with just a
few key hazards to keep in mind. I hoped Jeff
remembered them.
Mash both Joe and Millard got a little overly focused
and didn't pull out of the wavetrain to the right in
time, resulting in some squirrel-dancing with the
hydraulics below, but no swims. We snuck left
around the hole at the bottom of Heaven's Gates,
even though others were running it with mixed success. From there on out we just bombed down one
big laughing, happy big brown wave train after another, occasionally pulling off to surf. Pure Screaming
Hell was pure bliss. Purgatory and Hell Hole still had
some kick, but less than usual and the wave train
through the center of the rapid extended another fifty
yards past what was usually the bottom. We finished
off the day with some more surfing and took off the
river practically glowing with the light of pure satisfaction. The Eventual call on the water level based
on the reading at Belva shortly after we took off was
approximately 4800 CFS.
Later that evening I got a call from a very happy
Jeff saying that it had been an epic and rewarding
day, and we shifted plans around to meet the next
day. Jeff's main emotional component appeared to
be disbelief that he and Joe had been the only ones
in the party who actually got on the Lower Gauley
that day. Just goes to show, a little experience can
take you a long way.
GauleyFest that evening was the usual ecstatic,
wonderous event that it always was, but this time it
felt different. In recent years, the festival has seemed
Saturday. Gauley Fest! The happiest Saturday in to overshadow the whitewater, and on that day the
my world. Denile and I got started early, but ran into water was having none of it. The NPFF booth rocked
MORE torrential rain on the way to WV, adding to the the house with Steve Fisher and his entourage helpuncertainty about the water level. I met up with Jeff, ing to promote it. We got some good deals, I got a
Joe, Phillip Cornette, Pat Attkisson and the esteemed creekboat that I'd been shopping for, and a good
time was had by all; but when I went to sleep that
traveller Millard Blakey. The water was still brown
and swift at the put in but there was no way to deter- night I wasn't thinking about the friends I'd bumped
into at the fest or my new boat, I was thinking about
mine what the water level really was. We were
the Gauley and wondering what the water level was
guessing between five and six thousand from the
going to be the next day.
best data available. Pat, after a few experimental
rolls in a new boat that he had never paddled before,
So, if there's a moral buried in all this mess, it's
decided that it just wasn't his day and the rest of us
probably that you shouldn't get too focused on just
peeled off into ender waves.
running the Gauley during Gauley Season at 2800
CFS. The Gauley is a beautiful and fantastic wonderIt had been several years since I'd seen the
Lower at a good stiff elevated water level, and it took land with lots of different faces, and most people only
know one of them. Get out and experience the
a little getting used to. Backender still had a pretty
Gauley in the Spring and Summer, or even over the
stiff kick and an extended wave train below it. At
Winter or late Fall when it's running at less predictKoontz's Flume, Five Boat Hole had predictably
shrunk and had a line of eager hole hogs waiting to able water levels. Not only will you discover a treasurf it, but the big waves above it hadn't washed out sure trove of exciting runs and probably have the
river all to yourself, but you'll have the experience
yet and despite the fact that I was pretty close to
dead-on my intended line, I still got an unintentional and knowledge that you need during Gauley season
when the water level varies. Believe me, it's well
big, soft, fluffy surf on the second wave. Too much
fluff to punch, should've been a little right. At Lower worth the effort.
9
Canoest Completes 5,000 Mile Canoe Trek
Minnesotan Bob Vollhaber traveld 5000 miles in 5 months, including taking a ridged canoe over
the Chilkoot Pass in April, canoeing up the Chandalar River, paddling 1000 miles of the Bering Sea
coast, and then up the Kvichak River.
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
Calvin Coolidge
Courtesy of Bob Vollhaber
More about Bob Vollhaber’s unsupported 5000 mile canoe
It has been 20 years since
adventure to, through, and around Alaska by paddle got to:
The Ultimate Canoe Challenge
http://beav-alaskaadventure.blogspot.com/
Here is another great adventure that took place in 19801983. Over the course of their 28,000-mile-plus trip, Verlen Kruger & Steve Landick paddled through or along the
borders of most of the states. BWA members would follow
news about the trip via Paddling magazines which had updates from them as they did their 3 year adventure.
The Canoe Challenge included two especially impressive
stretches: upstream on the entire Mississippi River and
upstream on the Colorado River all of the way through the
Grand Canyon. Let's see those who drop off
waterfalls nowadays try that method!
For the book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/
product/0595335799/ref=pe_172050_33187410_
email_1p_0_ti
10
Something to Aspire to!
Robert Milgate
A few weeks ago I made a forum post linking to video of the 2013 C1 slalom world championships. I suspect
that this led to our esteemed editor-in-chief's asking me to write a few lines on the pleasures of paddling C1. I
said I would try.
In short, I find paddling C boats endlessly
rewarding. I've tried kayaking, and enjoyed
it, but, as long as my knees and ankles hold
out, I'll stay on my knees, and away from
those double-paddles. For me it's just more
fun. I think that, if more people gave it a try,
many now paddling kayaks would find that
the challenge of the single paddle appeals to
them also.
I say challenge because I think that the idea
is possibly the key to the appeal of the single
blade. Challenge is a part of the appeal of
paddling whitewater in general. We start out
(generalizing from my first experiences) intrigued, excited, and a bit intimidated by the
power and the mystery of moving water. My
first clinic (in a kayak) was an adventure in
trepidation and, as various challenges were met, no small amount of exhilaration. With practice, one acquires
a better understanding of how the water, the boat, and the paddle interact, and an increased level of comfort
in water of a certain difficulty. The natural progression of challenge is to move to harder water. Harder usually
meaning some combination of more complicated paddling and more consequences for failing to paddle well.
We are all looking forward to stepping up our game.
11
Paddling with a single blade changes the shape of
the learning curve, stretching it out. Simply moving a
boat forward in slow current becomes a nuanced, and
frequently frustrating exercise. And there, in that frustration, is part of the pleasure. To make a C boat move
more or less as you want it to is a tier of challenge that
a K boater never has the pleasure of experiencing.
pleasure of refining technique, if two eddies, an attain
and a wave are an opportunity for an afternoon, consider the challenge and reward of the C boat, it might
bring you a smile.
This layer of challenge provides a different way to
step up, of taking as much pleasure from process
as from result. To me, in the boat, the difference
between a bad and good off-side peel-out is
immediately, viscerally obvious. A great off-side
peel-out is a deep, but personal, pleasure.
I'm not trying to say that kayaking doesn't
reward skill. I've sat in an eddy, waiting my turn
at a wave, and amongst all the wild scrambles
and windmilling someone will take one or two
well placed strokes and slide, almost magically
into a sweet spot, serene amidst the tumult.
A good paddler is a good paddler, regardless of
boat. But if you want to add challenge without increased consequence, consider the single blade.
And in particular, if you think you might enjoy the quiet
12
Off the Cuff
Comments from the Forum
Worth Remembering
aking I'd say any of these would be ideal for you...demo!
I think the Burn has more of a planing hull than the others,
August 14, 2013
Remix seems to be a good mix of planing and a bit of displacement. You are going from a very flat bottom Diesel,
I'm going to ask Santa for a new (or at least new to me)
boat for XMas and I want to try as many as I can this fall so the Burn might feel more comfy to you right off the bat.
so I can choose the best for my needs and paddling style Again...demo! NOC weekend, perhaps...
and you guys can help me narrow down my potential
Brandon
choices.
Re: What should I test drive?
Your weight falls at the tail end of the LL Remix 47 and
bottom end of the 59. You would want to try the the 59 for
sure, once you add gear and such it would be ideal. And
that way I can try it out...
[liquidlogickayaks.com]
Me: 5'0", 110#. I'm looking for a good all around boat.
I like everything from creeking to big water and want
something versatile. As much as I'd like a boat for every
occasion that's not financially realistic for me.
If you have a suggestion or, better yet, a boat in my size
I could borrow for a run or two that would be fantastic. I
already have a small Burn to use and can't wait to check
it out. I'd like to try out one of the new Diesel 60's as well
and whatever else you guys have in mind. The difficulty
for me is that, like clothes, nothing is ready made to fit
someone like me and outfitting a boat usually requires
foam and adhesives so if you have any recommendations
on how to circumvent that at least long enough for a test
drive that would be great.
Ali
I have removable hip pads you can borrow and a happy
seat. If you take those along with you on a demo weekend, that should help you fit into most smaller boats.
Happy boat hunting!
Oh, and for what you want (a good all-around boat) outside of the small Burn, and Diesel, I'd try out a Mamba.
And I think the new Jackson Karma looks interesting.
The new Mamba 7.6 says lower end of the weight limit
is 120...that seems high to me. You won't know until you
sit in it, might feel big or just right. I think there are older
models that have a lower weight limit.
[dagger.com]
Brandon
It seems to me that being lighter than the low end is not
an issue if a) you're not particularly interested in throwing
ends, etc. and b) you fit well in the boat and have good
control. If you are slipping around in the boat, that's no
good, but if you're a little light sometimes you glide over/
through stuff which would otherwise grab you. I might
be wrong about that, but that's what I've observed. On
the other hand, don't know if that means you'd also get
tossed around in big waves, or maybe that would happen
based on overall weight anyway.
OK engineers and others, tell me how I'm wrong.
Zina
love,
bethany
Liquid Logic Remix. Word on the street is it creeks, likes
big water, and everything in between. And what B said
above...Dagger Mamba and Pyranha Burn. They seem to
do a little bit of everything, even surf a bit. A lot of people
knock the "all-round" boats, but with your paddling style
and not wanting to focus on just one specific type of kay-
Good advice all around and largely mirroring what I would
say, except for the absence of the obvious choice (the
RPM)
Seriously though, all good advice, but your big problem is
that your weight puts you right at the top or bottom of the
weight range for most boats. You inhabit a very underserved demographic.
13
you. You're right in the middle of the weight range and
it's a creeky design with what appears to be good general
river running characteristics. Definitely give this one a
I'd look at the Dagger Mamba 7.6 even though you are 10 try. The Sidekick may be worth a look even though you're
near or over the top of the weight range. Same sort of
lbs under the minimum weight simply based on other's
experiences with it, but I suspect it's too big for you and deal, creeky general river runner. The Fun 1.5 is definitely
worth a look just for perspective. Max weight of 120 lbs
will be hole bait with you in it on bigger water. On the
and more playboat than river runner, it won't creek well
other hand, it is more creeky than some other choices
and might perform reasonably well on local steeps. Only and it may be a little squirrellier than what you're looking
for, but I think that a boat like that might make you look
one way to really find out.
at boating in a very different light. The Karma Small puts
The river running edition of the LL Remix is a pretty good you in the middle of the weight range, but it's more of a
pure creeker so it has a lot more volume than other boats
candidate for an all around boat. You fall right at the
that put you in the middle of their weight range. Definitely
bottom edge of the weight range for the 59, so it's worth
worth checking out. A pure creeker is still usually a good
a try. Honestly though, I'd consider the 47 as least long
all-around boat for everything except playboating. The
enough to get in one and see how you like it. It's actuZen 55 puts you near the top of the weight range for a
ally a kids/small adults boat and you are at the top of
general purpose river runner that could still probably
the weight range for it. Disadvantage there is potential
squirrellyness but it would be a boat that you could push handle moderate creeking quite well. Also, it doesn't
around more effectively and I see that as a big deficiency really have any edges to speak of so even if you're a bit
near the top of the weight curve, it's unlikely to be squirin your paddling up until now. Your boats tend to push
you around because they're too big for you. The potential relly or difficult to handle in big water.
for you to be able to drive this boat effectively may outLast, but not least, keep your eyes out for a used Dagweigh other considerations. It may not be the right boat
ger Piedra. They don't make them anymore, but it was
for you, but there's only one way to find out. Plus, you
a general river running boat designed for small adults. I
can get a new one for around $600, possibly less since
never paddled it, but I knew some small adults who did
they discontinued it at the beginning of this month.
and loved them. Just a thought.
One nobody's mentioned yet is the Dagger Axiom. This
is a more general purpose river runner. It could do some Hanley Loller
moderate creeking, but probably wouldn't be that good
Ali,
for steeper runs, but it has some big selling points. It
The Diesel 65 you currently paddle is supposed to be a
comes in a kids/small adults version, the 6.9, that you
good all around boat. Maybe you should be looking for a
are actually 10 lbs UNDER the top end of the weight
playboat for elkhorn runs.
range for; AND a small adults version, the 8.0 that you
are close to the MIDDLE of the weight range for (90 - 150
Joe W.
lbs). MSRP is $629 for the 6.9, but $1029 for the 8.0. As
with the Remix 47, I really think you should try these two
Ok Zina, I may be a software engineer, but here's my two
because of the potential for you to be able to effectively
drive your boat in a manner that you haven't been able to cents on the matter.
before.
My experience tells me that when you're in a boat that's
too big for you, it gets surfed around a lot more. By that I
The S Burn is worth considering. It definitely has some
creeky characteristics built into a decent all-purpose de- don't mean you end up in holes more, although you may,
sign, but you are still near the bottom of the weight range but that every wave with a little backwash on it tosses
for the S. Worth looking at, but I feel you are going to get you around and your boat drives you. You want your boat
to be proportionate to your body so that you can move/
better use out of a smaller design.
lean/turn it with your body effectively. A boat that's too
Jackson actually makes several boats that should be on big inhibits the boater's ability to effectively control their
boat.
your radar. They have by far the widest range of sizes
and kids/young adults boats including transitional boats.
Additionally, a boat that's too big is harder to roll because
The Jackson Little Hero may very well be the boat for
Bearing that in mind:
14
more of it (and you) sits further out of the water.
USNWC.org
In the end it's a very personal choice heavily colored by
paddling style, but in general I think that seeking out a
boat that is the right size for you will increase your performance dramatically.
Venus and I will go anytime if you want to join us on a trip
out there. I recommend taking off a Friday and heading
on down Thursday night so Friday and Saturday are open
for paddling.
Case in point, we've seen a sharp rise in the last couple
of years in new boaters, (mostly guys, often big guys)
showing up at roll session with the Remix XP9 or XP10.
The boat is too big for them and they have trouble making
it go where they want it to. Now, this is exacerbated by
some of the touring characteristics of the boat, but even
without that the length and volume work against them.
Philip
All that being said, I know you're at the lower edge or
under the weight range for your RPM and that you're very
comfortable in that boat. As I said, it's a very personal
choice and one person's experience differs greatly from
another. Still, I'll stand by my comments for general application.
P.S. According to the specs on the Dagger site the Axiom
6.9 should be just right for you. That is if you want a low
volume stern. These are the closest you can get to the
RPM design which I hear some like (Hanley, Chief ...)
And... the 6.9 size is only $629!
I plan on trying out one of these in my size next chance I
get.
NOC on the Nanty will allow you to demo for one hour
for free and they have all the manufacturers boats. Run a
few laps on the falls, hit some eddies and peel outs and
you should have a good idea how the boat feels. Half day
demos are $25.
Hanley Loller
[store.noc.com]
One last thing to add. The performance weight ranges
for genuine creekboats (IMHO) are generally rated a little
light because they're designed for steep creek performance where extra volume is desired to help avoid pins.
Consider that when looking at the top range on some of
these boats.
Brandon
NOC on the Nanty is where I have done all my demos. I
feel like falls laps are a great way to get a feel for a boat!
One minor downside IMO is that if you demo multiple
boats in a day, by the time you get to the last boat or two
you can easily be worn out from carrying back up to the
There you have it Ali. Join BWA Team Nomad...myself and put-in for all those laps. I found the fatigue can put bias
Mike W. are the newest members...come to the dark side... in how I feel about how a boat handles during the demo.
My advice would be give yourself a couple of days if you
You can play boat in them. Usually not intentionally, but
demo at the Nanty. That WW center deal sounds pretty
whatever.
sweet also, especially if you can demo more and carry
less!
Brandon
Hanley Loller
August 15, 2013
Ali,
The whitewater center in Charlotte has a wide range of
demo boats. Take your gear, pay them $25 for the day
pass and just $15 to demo and you can try every boat
they have. They have nearly the full line of Dagger, Liquid
Logic, and Wave Sport. Also, they have rafting, zip lines,
mountain biking, flatwater boating, and wide variety of
IPAs at the restaraunt overlooking the comp channel if
your boyfriend wants to go with you.
Derek
NOC is the deal then for demos - they used to be more
expensive than anyone $40+ as I recall for full day. Brit
and I have been working with Rock Creek Ocoee for our
demos. $20-25 there for full day - not the selection as
NOC but a better river for the testing.
There is not one boat that will do everything well IMO. If
you must have only one boat and you like to surf I would
definitely demo the Little Hero and my old Mamba 7.5.
The Mamba is not for sale, but you are welcome to try it
15
out. Both of these boats are decent creekers - the Hero
would be better at steeper creeking and surfing (full planing hull) but it will be hole bait to some degree (due to it's
shape and slower design) and the Mamba would be better
for punching big water waves holes. I took that Mamba on
my first ELF run of RFG. It was fine for that but the Little
Hero would have been better. The Sidekick was Brit's
boat for everything for years ... it's a great all around design, with only that one weakness.
If at all possible, I would consider a dedicated playboat
and creeker. I cant' really do tricks in it but much prefer
my All Star to surfing runs over the Mamba. Pearling
bows suck in surfing IMO, and a short playboat boat that
will keep the bow dry on a decent wave / hole is tons
more fun to me. I think the Remix would be fine for a beginner, or skilled boater as a river runner / big water boat
if that's all you were doing. But think it's not as good a
creeker as either the above boats and is a pearling surfer.
I used to have a Mamba 8 that was my big water boat.
However in recent years I've preferred to do big water in
my creeker so I sold it. I would also label the Axiom or
RPM or similar design as a river runner / big water / pearling surfer and never as a creeker. As an example you
could probably get one down our steep local runs or the
RFG at ELF, but it probably wouldn't be pretty!
I think the Stomper would feel big to you Ali, and its
heavier than the Nomad 8.1, which would also feel like a
tank, more than likely.
The comments on Jackson boats are good, they make
lots of small boats from pure players to creekers. You
have lots of options...
If you pay me a modest fee, I'll carry your demo boats up
and down the Nantahala Gorge.
love,
bethany
Good comments Wes. You may be right about the Mamba
vs the Little Hero. Despite the suggested weight range.
When I looked at them side by side, I discovered something I'd missed before.
Apparently, the Mamba 7.5 is a discontinued model. The
current smallest Mamba is the 7.6.
The 7.6 and the Little Hero have the same volume, 64 gallons, but the Mamba 7.5 is only 57 gallons, a very significant difference.
Strangely, the suggested weight range is the same for
both the 7.5 and 7.6.
Based on our recent demos I would strongly recommend
trying a Karma S. I have more demos to do but I was
totally impressed with this boat on the Upper / Middle
Ocoee. Brit and I demo'd a S and M. We swapped below
D Trouble. Though at the lower limit of the M at 150lbs,
she prefered it over the S even though she said it was a
bit harder to maneuver. More confidence inspiring in the
bigger water was the main benefit. She is also paddling a
Nomad 8.1 and we'll try a Stomper 80 along the way. Right
now it's a close call between the Nomad and Karma and
she has yet to paddle my Villain S (this weekend maybe).
For your weight however the Nomad 8.1, Stomper, and
Villain may all seem a little big. However you are near the
middle of the Karma S range - so try it for sure. Then next
year you can demo dedicated playboats
Wes
Brandon
Based on the broad appeal of the Mamba to a large and
diverse group of paddlers, I am going to strongly suggest
you check out Wes's Mamba 7.5. Seven gallons of flotation is a lot of difference from one boat to the next. Imagine seven empty gallon milk jugs with the tops screwed
on strapped to you as you float bodily downstream.
Also, as a discontinued model, you may have an easier
time finding a deal on one, although Mamba's are like
RPM's, the folks with them have a tendency to hang on to
them.
Hanley Loller
Like Brandon or someone else said - I was thinking the
7.5 had a lower weight range than the 7.6, but could be
mistaken. My ex GF Ana was a around 105 I think and she
fit well in the 7.5. Agree with Hanley that even the older
Mambas won't be easy to find - people tend to hang on to
them and I think people tend to know someone that wants
them when they are ready to sell so they are not advertised much. Like the Nomad, they are wildly popular for a
reason - they are solid designs. I would call a Mamba as
good as it gets for river running / big water and not too
bad for non-extreme creeking too. IMO 2 smaller sizes
of the Mamba (6.0, 6.5) would be a perfect design for
kids (petite adults) ... too bad they don't make them. One
added benefit of a popular design - it holds it's value!
16
Wes
On Dagger's website, the specs for the 7.5 and 7.6 say
they have the exact same weight range despite a seven
gallon difference in volume. Frankly, I think someone was
just asleep at the wheel when they were recording the
specs. Since there is no appreciable difference in design,
what other explanation could there be? Considering the
number of smaller folks who seem to love these boats,
I'm betting that the real, effective weight range is lower.
Hanley Loller
this. Not sure why they needed to do this, regular Mamba
would be fine for your use.
Brandon
August 19, 2013 10:42AM
I got to take the small Burn for a spin on the Pigeon this
weekend. It's a bit bigger in the bow than the Diesel and
got pushed around in big waves a bit more but was very
responsive and snapped in and out of eddies beautifully.
There's a fatal flaw in it for me though: the cockpit is very
long and I can't get my skirt on it by myself . I tried everything but just couldn't make it happen, very frustrating
that that could be a determining factor rather than boat
performance.
Wow! Thanks for all the input. I have a pretty hefty list of
boats to try out now and may not be able to get to all of
them. I was planning on spending some time in Bryson
Beautiful beefy day at the Pigeon (wish I'd have known
City soon, if I get down there I'll spend a couple of days
trying out boats. Bethany I'll give you beer and massages about the US National yesterday, we were right there!).
Thanks to Rick and Carlisle for keeping me company and
if you'll be my boat caddy.
helping me with my damn skirt! I'll likely be doing it again
next weekend with (hopefully) a Mamba 7.5.
Wes I'd love to borrow your Mamba 7.5 for a test drive.
Maybe this weekend?
Ali
Ali
Large cockpits are all the rage right now. If you're not into
The good folks at Benchmark might give ya heckuva deal getting a new skirt, I'd check out cockpit sizes before you
test drive. Here's a good site for that:
on a new Mamba...ask nicely...worked for me.
If I were to get another boat it would be a river runner,
http://www.skirtfit.com/
something Janna could mess around in and I could use
on big water...either the Remix or Mamba. The new outfitbethany
ting on the 2013 Daggers is awesome, I can't wait to get
my new Nomad out on the water. I think Liquid Logic
Can someone explain the weight range/gallons thing a bit
forced them to step up their game.
more? I fall in the middle of the weight range for the small
Karma and really want to try one but it is a 72 gallon boat,
I'm with you guys, not sure why the smallest Mamba's
that seems huge. How can such a big boat be made for
low weight limit is 120 lbs. Nomad 8.1 is 110 lbs. Wierd.
such a small person?
People definitely hold on to their Nomads and Mambas,
not many used ones out there for sale. GAF is next month
Ali
on the Nanty, weekend after Gauley Fest. Might be a
good weekend to go down and check out boats and other
If I may jump in...I'd like a better explanation on boat sizdeals.
ing also.
I had been looking for a boat for my wife to get into whiteBrandon
water (taking her rec boat in II+ started getting old) and
bought a diesel 65. SHe weighs about 135ish and is 5'9".
Looking at Dagger's site I see a Mamba and a Mamba
She fit the diesel weight wise, but her legs are longer so
Creeker. Anyone know the difference? Is there one?
she had to cram herself into it. We sold it so I began to
look for a creeker because she wanted more footroom.
Ali
Comparing the paddler weight to volume ratio blew my
mind on many of the boats. The Diesel was 65 gallons
only difference is the seat and step out pillar are from
and fit her weight range. A newer Jefe is 79 gallons and
the Nomad. Boat design is the same. More "structural
integrity", they say. Creeker is a little heavier because of also fit her weight range. I know creekers are built to have
17
more volume to help avoid pins, etc., but that's one huge
difference in the amount of boat one would have to push
around.
We settled on an older Jefe (73 gallons) because we got a
good deal on it. I've paddled it on the Nanty and a swollen
Tuck and it behaved beautifully on those rivers. Hopefully
it will get on the Pigeon and maybe my first time on the
Little to see if it is just as impressive on a "real" run...if
she lets me.
Endless Rivers has demos also. I ended up paddling with
someone who was renting a ducky form them and they
didn't charge me for demo or shuttle to the Wayah Road
put in and picked me up at the commersial takeout. I
don't know what their regular fee's are, though.
Kevin
Volume and weight range are not exactly corollary. Not
beyond a certain point, anyway. The short answer is that
you should be looking at weight range instead of volume,
and take the stated weight range as a general guideline.
No point in getting your bathroom scales certified or
anything.
The weight applied to a given design will determine how
deep the boat sits in the water. The more weight, the
deeper it sits. In order to access the features designed
into the shape of the hull, the waterline needs to be in the
right spot. Additional volume above the waterline does
not change the location of the waterline or the intended
weight range. Modern boats have been trending towards
more volume in the bow and the stern. The added volume
only comes into play when you dive into (and hopefully
over) holes and stuff. Keeps you ridin high. Sittin pretty,
so to speak.
Bart
August 26, 2013
Bart's comments were spot on IMO. Optimal boater
weight range for a boat is only partly affected by overall volume and comparing volume between river runners and creekers is pointless. I think the Mamba range
stayed the same because most if not all of the volume
was added above the seam line, so that would not significantly change the intended wt range. (The seam line
is an old school term as glass boats hulls / decks were
joined at the seam). Wt range is simply the mfg best
guess (or hopefully actually tested) at the weight the
boat will handle while performing as designed. If you are
significantly out side of this range, then how the water
engages the hull below the seam line will vary significantly enough that the mfg feels it will not handle as
intended. Some boats however may handle well for you
if you are at or just beyond the intended range and the
best way to find out is paddle to test the boat. Volume in
creekers is an issue because of the way they are used.
Volume in a creeker will affect how the boat resurfaces
after a big drop (bow volume/shape), unintentional hole
retentiveness (overall volume/length), and how it behaves
in big squirrely water (tail volume) in my experience. Hull
/ deck shape are also factors of course. BTW if you are
considering a Jackson design and are not sure about
sizing then some of their team members are very good
about answering questions on their website (bottom of
spec page for each boat) and perusing through the questions / answers will give you tons of info about sizing for
that particular design. Wish every mfg did this! Hanley's
comments about the water jugs is accurate, but when you
smooth that added volume out along the curves of a boat
deck it's not nearly as glaring a difference. If you see a
Mamba 7.5 and 7.6 side by side you will see what I mean.
I have not paddled the new design, but I imagine it would
make the new boat a little more creeker like in big water
/ drops than the older design. In easier water it probably
won't make much difference. You should also paddle a
7.6 as you may like it better than the 7.5 - particularly with
the new outfitting - it's awesome!
Brit is currently shopping for a new creeker as she's
outgrown her Punk Rocker. First I looked at websites get
optimal weight ranges, boat weight. Boat weight is a big
factor for Brit as she's not that strong and complains
about carrying a heavy boat. Acceleration in tight spots
is also affected by boat weight. After that I decided she
would test the Nomad 8.1 (already had one), my Villain
S, Karma S/M, and maybe the Stomper 80. So far it's a
tight race between the Nomad and Karma M. She has not
tried the Stomper yet but with so many folks going back
to Nomads from Stompers ... I'm wondering if we should
even bother? May ask if someone has an 80 lying around
she could test for a weekend. I'm also testing boats for
myself. I like my Villain S but really liked paddling that
Karma M on Upper Ocoee.
Wes
West Fork Tuck - trip report
August 12, 2013
Great day on the West Fork Tuck yesterday. Me, Chief, Rebecca were met by Mark Singleton, Denver, Suzie, Karen,
18
Arlan and Chief's friend, Johnny Utah for an awesome
day of boating on a brand new run for all of us but Mark
and Arlan. We broke into two groups at times because the
eddies were small before the big drops. Right off the bat
we were running what seemed like a 50 drop, the size of
Oceana, but without the Thing at the bottom. Trick is to
be left, lean forward to minimize compression risks. Chief
and I would have probably walked it if we had looked at
the drop itself. Glad we didn't though as it was cool. We
did learn afterwards that Sutton Bacon (NOC) recently
compressed a vertebrae there. Glad I didn't know that
beforehand too.
I was fine with the level we had, but just a little bit more
would be better. Having not seen it at 2.8, I really can't
comment though. At this level, it is a solid class IV run.
Higher might ramp it up a notch or two.
Brent
Tend to agree with Brent, more water would be okay, not
sure how much.
http://www.bluegrasswildwater.org/bwaforum/file.
php?5,file=452,filename=suzyj.JPG
Chief
Once we got into the inner gorge, we had several very
nice class IV rapids with holes to bust or dodge and a
long run out. Super cool stuff. We did have one portage,
but after getting to the bottom of the drop, realized that
there was a route through the tree that had fallen across,
so actually, there really were no portages on the section
of river we ran. We did not go to the very top where the
waterfall was. Mark told us that we would not be missing
much water, would miss the waterfall view and a lot of
portage around wood, so we went to an alternate put in
and it was sweet.
Heaven's Gate Underwater Spelunking Team
September 23, 2013
Yesterday, the raft I was in, and then about an hour later
the raft John L was in flipped in the nastiness at the bottom of Heaven's Gate. The higher flows made the hole
very aggressive and the current past it stronger. We both
went under an undercut rock downstream on the left. It
was a cave, big enough for a person to pass through (obviously) and exited about 15 feet downstream of the rock.
I ran into Johnny Reagan on Friday at the Nolichucky and
he came to the Tuck, but we just missed each other on
the river. We did hang out at the takeout for some beer,
etc. Glad to see that kid out of Friendsville and down here
in the South for a bit.
I was under the raft for a bit and when I came up I was
very disoriented. I turned and saw I was being swept
toward a rock and prepared to brace myself and push off
and around it, instead I was sucked under. Just before we
entered the rapid Tim had mentioned that about 10 years
ago he'd seen two swimmers go through the rock and
I would go do this again and it ranks up there with the
come out the other side. That was one of two thoughts
Cheoah as a run I would like to do multiple times a year
in my head for my journey, the hope that it was the same
when it is released. Right at or under 2 hours from Niprock and I was going to come out the other side, and
pur. This run is now in the staples of runs each year.
of course, what if I didn't. I could feel the sides of the
Many thanks to AW for negotiating this release with Duke crevasse as I passed through. I don't know how far I went
Power. Just another example of our AW dues at work for or how long I was in there but I eventually saw a circle
us.
of murky yellow light. I was hoping it was the sun and
not the one described by people who had died and been
Brent
resuscitated! It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
I popped up and Jeff towed me to shore where I had a reHow was the water level? There's been lots of internet
ally fantastically good cry.
chat lately about the release levels, some say the bump
up to 2.8' is perfect but others say its still bony outside of Huge thanks and all my love to the crew I was with that
that mini-gorge. Looks like a stunning place from the pics day. Jeff was at the right place and time to sweep me up
and vids I've seen, glad you got to check it out.
and tow me in, I don't think I could have swam anywhere
at that moment. Tim, Ann, and Millard made sure I kept
Brandon
warm and sane for the rest of the trip.
We had 2.5ish, and I would say 2.6 would have been bet- I'm not sure what I'm going to take away from this yet, it's
ter for some of the shoals. 2.8 would be very juicy in the
a lot to process. It's a reminder that we participate in what
inner gorge and might raise the difficulty level up in there. can be a dangerous sport even when you do things right
19
I thought they were hiding and riding it out. Next thing
I see is Ali emerge about 20 feet to the right of the raft,
you can't mistake that pink helmet with the spikey Mohawk, and of course the first thing I said was are you OK.
Ali
To which it was hard to hear what she was saying, but I
picked up that she went through the cave and thought
Ditto that. As I have said many times, Heaven's Gates
she was going to die. Well I'm pretty thick sometimes,
rapid is the one that really beefs up as the water level
but I picked up that she was in no condition to swim and
goes up on the Lower Gauley. That one and the hole at
just instructed her to grab the back of my boat and gently
the bottom of Canyon Doors in the right channel.
kick to keep her feet up and told her that we were ok and
Glad you're okay. Let's sit down and have a beer soon so that I was going to get her into the first eddy we could
I can hear the minute details. One thing I feel pretty sure find. I didn't know what to say, and learned over the years
of. Both Jeff and Joe probably ran left of the big gate rock to keep my mouth shut in situations were I typically will
say something stupid or inappropriate. Anyway, after a
on Sunday
few minutes and hugs, Ali was back. In the raft and down
river everyone went. It was something I wish to not expeHanley Loller
rience again.
Ali, Very glad to hear you are OK.
Jeff K
Was the rock you got sucked under the huge one on the
Chris, I don't think the left side of the Gate would be a
left side of the ginormous hole at the bottom (The heavproblem if you swam there. The hole besides the rock is
ens gate)? or was it one downstream of that?
what gets nasty at higher levels and most of the current
feed into a big rock jumble just left of center maybe 50
Chris H
yards downstream. I would assume any rock in the curOk, I'll give my account of the situation from my perspec- rent is undercut on the Gauley, but this one also has a
tive. I was off work Monday, which I needed for recovery crack between the rocks that siphons from right to left
through the rock. I've paddled through it a lower levels,
from a very fun weekend.
but it high water, it isn't where I would want to swim.
We let the raft go down heavens gate first. As I was
catching the eddy on river left, just to the front left of the Larry Cable
gate rock, I saw the grey bottom of the raft shoot up from
I just reviewed the video of Heavens Help You rapid on
the hole on the right side of the gate rock. I knew that
the Gauley River Rapids website. The rocks we are talkthey were all swimming because the raft appeared to be
completely upside down. I was the first down, so I quickly ing about are at video markers 55 seconds to about 1
proceeded to the eddy behind the left gate rock. I started minute in the video. The announcer even mentions swimcounting heads. I saw three swimmers below, and did not ming right of the rocks. Well at the elevated flows, those
rocks are not visible and that is what Ali swam under and
see the fourth. I couldn't identify the swimmers because
through. I will have to make sure and review this after a
of the shadow river left and I was in the sun. I noticed it
run at normal flows to make sure this is correct.
looked like someone was under the raft or in the water
just below the left side of the raft because there was a
Jeff K
paddle blade sticking up in the air just to the left of the
raft. The raft and paddle blade washed up on a rock that
I can't find any good video or photos of the rocks downwas basically completely under water that was 30 yards
stream of the gates or any other information on incidents
down stream of the left gate rock and a little river left. It
didn't look like much, but you could see the water pillow- there. I guess it's just not an issue at normal flows. As
ing up and swirling. The next thing I saw was the Paddle I said above it didn't look like much sticking out of the
water. It felt like a crevasse because I could feel rock on
blade looked like it got stuck and did a quick violent
shudder and then disappeared. I was slowly going toward either side of me as I went through it. Most of the rock
must have been submerged since I wasn't anywhere near
the raft that had washed over the boil to the right side
visible rock when I surfaced.
and kept going down. I was following waiting for someone to pop out from under the raft because that is where
in places you've been many times before. I feel grateful
and fortunate right now.
20
Jeff, I can't express how much I appreciate you towing
me in. I rarely lose myself but I think I was pretty much
in shock when you picked me up and I don't think I could
have done much for myself at that moment.
Ali
Larry, I'm pretty sure the rock that Ali encountered is the
big boulder upstream of the one you're talking about.
It's about halfway between the left gate rock and the two
big rocks with the crack between them that you can boat
through. It's not sticking up high out of the water at 2800
and it's just barely sticking up at 5000-ish. It's known to
have some kind of overhanging undercut piece to it. Several folks are known to have swum under/through there at
one time or another, but that's about all I know. I've seen
that rock at low water (about 1200) but that's been a long
time ago and I don't plan on doing the Lower at that level
ever again, so unless I can dig up the video I shot of that
trip....
Anyhow, I'm very glad everyone's okay. That area below
Heaven's Gates at that level is a mean swim without the
rock. The squirrel population in those currents is insane.
Swims coming off the left gate rock or out of the hole can
be very deep. Gives me the willies just thinking about it.
Yes, Jeff, you're right, and the rocks Larry is referring to
are visible just at the very end of that video clip on the
right edge of the screen.
Hanley Loller
September 25, 2013
That is pretty wild Ali. The River Goddess protected you.
Be sure to pay homage and she will continue to give you
safe passages. Damn that is a crazy swim. We all have
those eventually, so keep your karma balanced!
Brent
September 28, 2013
Glad to hear you're good to go Ali. I had a similarly scary
experience at lower mash, minus the underwater cave.
Stay frosty
Glad you popped out OK Ali! That wave - hole power
flipped me in my creeker on Sat and Brit skirted through
it unscathed on Sat / Sun. Usually rolling is a challenge
for me in that squirrelly water! I had a similar weird experience back in the day that taught me a valuable lesson
about the Gauley. I was in my Dancer (old school long
boat) and was boating down with Bob McDonough and
a gaggle of his posse of squirters. They were playing on
an eddy line river right somewhere ... think it was not far
above Sweets and I decided to eddy out across the river
to dump my boat. While trying to get out of my boat I
slipped off the rocky shore into waist deep water that was
slow current on the surface near swift current but below
the surface there was swift current that drew me immediately into a sieve between two rocks that were just under
the surface. I could see there was a crack a few inches
wide between them on top but there was a short tunnel
below that crack that I just fit through. I tried to fight from
going into it but the current was surprisingly strong! I
was glad to pop up a few feet downstream, embarrassed
at what had happened and hoping no one else witnessed
it. There are many stories of deaths / close calls on the
UG involving big and little sieves / undercuts - many
of which (like mine) probably go unreported. The LG is
thankfully much safer but the geology is the same so you
just can't be too careful anywhere on the Gauley! I remind
Brit every year that if she ends up in the water to just stay
in the main flow until she is certain it's safe to approach
shore - preferably on the back of someone's boat. Also
to never allow herself to wash into the face of any rock /
bolder and especially between any rock and the shore.
Wes
Wow, even that close to shore you can get into some serious trouble! Good advice on swimming. I usually have
a pretty good head when I'm in the water and try to 'go
with the flow' but, like you got caught in a strong current
funneling into an undercut. I was disoriented after getting
out from under the raft and didn't even see the rock until
I was right up on it. From Jeff's report it appears the raft
itself was in the same current. Plain old bad luck on my
part.
Ali
The problem is not that there are problems. It's expecting
otherwise and thinking having problems is a problem.
Theodore Rubin
September 29, 2013
21
Eddy Lines of Interest
lines issues. Should be complete by mid-August.
12.
Gear Coordinator—BJ—Not present
August 7, 2013
NPFF Coordinator—Bethany—2014 NPFF Strategy
Present:
Clay, Adelessa, Jacob, Jeff K, Ali, Bethany, 13.
meeting
took place in early August. Bethany is working on
Peter, Don, Brent
securing a guest host. A central focus is getting donation
Next meeting: General Club Meeting 08/13/2013 at
requests out early. We need volunteers for Gauley Fest.
7:30pm, AW Elkhorn Acres
14.
Member at Large—Jeff S.—Not present
Steering Committee Meeting Minutes
I.
1.
Call to Order
Meeting called to order by Clay at 7:44 pm
IV.
Unfinished Business
II. Reading of Minutes
1.
Elkhorn Acres – See Conservation Officer report.
1.
Previous month’s meeting minutes reviewed.
Moved (Adelessa), Second (Bethany) to accept previous
meetings minutes. Motion passed.
2.
Officer Club Dues Discount – Steering Committee
decided to end discussion on this issue and end discussion.
III.
Officer Reports
1.
President--Clay – The Summer party was a huge
success. Thanks to everyone who helped. Surprisingly, no
one was arrested!!
2.
Past President—Emily—not present, but she is
planning on having the Past President/BWA Reunion party
at the RFG in October. More info to come.
3.
Vice President—Adelessa—Working on the clinic.
Carson Island is up in the air currently. She is working on a
back-up plan. Brent discussed renting the pavilion at Ratliff
Hole. Brent also noted he is working on getting access to
Carson Island.
4.
Treasurer—Jeff K—Current balance is $6790. Jeff
reviewed the FY 2013-2014 budget. Current projected surplus is $1909.80. (See Attachement)
5.
Secretary—Jacob—Nothing to report.
6.
Safety Officer—Tom—Not present, but he is working on securing Pinnacle Pool for fall/winter roll sessions.
7.
Membership Coordinator—Ali—Membership dues
still rolling in. Parking passes have been mailed, and forum
access is restricted for past members who have yet to pay
2013-2014 dues.
8.
Conservation Officer—Peter—AW Elkhorn Acres
improvements discussed, and the group reviewed the original AW Elkhorn Acres plans. Peter would like to plan a club
work day to plant trees and complete general site maintenance. Tentative plan is to hold the work day sometime
in November or December 2013. Numerous improvement
ideas discussed with adding trees as the primary goal.
9.
Program Director—Dave—Not Present
10.
Web Master—Joe—Not Present
11.
Newsletter— Don—Working on the current Bow-
3.
Meeting Locations – The next Steering Committee
meeting will be held at Mi Ire Mon on Wednesday, September 4th. Jacob will contact them to ensure we have the
space reserved.
4.
Iron Man Louisville – Volunteers still needed for the
Iron Man in Louisville on August 24th and 25th. Adelessa
noted there are two separate posts on the forum regarding
this request. The following are the time slots available for
volunteer kayak support. 1. Saturday, August 24th from 7:30
am to 11:00 am 2. Sunday, August 25th from 6:00 am to
12:00 pm.
5.
BWA Sign for Events – Old business issue from
previous Officer Team. Adelessa brought up discussion from
pervious steering committee meetings to purchase a BWA
sign to use for special events. The ideal sign would be free
standing and easy to see. Adelessa volunteered to work on
getting quotes for said sign.
V.
New Business
1.
August General Club Meeting Location – Clay indicated he would like to hold the next General Club Meeting
at AW Elkhorn Acres given the last couple meetings high
turnout at AW Elkhorn Acres. Group discussion around a
back-up plan in case of rain and setting up the AV system
for the guest speaker. General agreement among the Steering Committee members to hold the August General Club
Meeting at AW Elkhorn Acres.
2.
Donation to Cruse, NC Volunteer Fire Department
– Clay brought up discussion to make a donation to the
Cruse, NC Volunteer Fire Department for their efforts in the
22
rescue and recovery of Scott Bradfield. Moved (Adelessa)
Second (Ali) to donate $150.00 to the Cruse, NC Volunteer
Fire Department on behalf of the BWA for their efforts in the
rescue and recovery of BWA member Scott Bradfield. Motion passed.
3.
Jondachi River Donations – Bethany raised discussion about the ongoing requests for donations to support
Matt Terry’s conservation efforts for the Jondachi River.
Discussion will continue at the next General Club Meeting.
VI.
Adjournment
1.
Moved (Adelessa) Second (Don) to adjourn meeting. Motion passed and meeting adjournment at 9:06 pm.
BWA Treasurer Report 8/7/2013
Total in the Bank 6258.32
Cash on Hand
291
Pay Pal 191.48
6740.8
HARD COSTS
PO Box -60
ACA Membership (Cinic Insurance) -125
Insurance to Pay from Clinic?
Parking Passes -150
Elkhorn Acres Parking
-200
BWA storage facility
-426
Wild Apricot Website
-650
Web Domain
-120
AW Club Dues -75
ACA Dues
-125
-1931
ALLOCATED MONEY
NPFF (Road Show Money)
AW Donation EA Gravel -500
-500
-1000
VARIABLE EXPENDITURES
Summer Club Party
-300
Red River Clean Up
-300
Fall Club Party -300
Roll Session Losses (cushion?)
-1000
Projected Outflow Total
Do we have any
-1900
-4831
August 2013 General Club Meeting Minutes
August 26, 2013
Present:
Approximately 45
Next meeting: Steering Committee Meeting 09/04/2013 at
7:30pm, Mi Ire Mon
Presentation given by Max Coulter and Emily Eaton from
the “Students Against the Bluegrass Pipeline.” How can the
BWA help? Sign the petition at moveon.org and like their
Facebook page.
I. Call to Order
1.
2.
lost
3.
Meeting called to order by Clay at 8:20pm
Moment of Silence in honor of BWA members we’ve
Introduction of new attendees
II. Reading of Minutes
1.
Previous month’s meeting minutes reviewed. Jeff K
(Moved), Ali (Second) to accept previous meetings minutes.
Motion passed with none opposed.
III.
Officer Reports
1.
President, Clay Warren – Thanks to Kris C. for taking care of the food at Scott Bradfield’s memorial service.
Thanks again to Jason P. for cooking tonight.
2.
Past President, Emily Grimes -- Not present
3.
Vice President, Adelessa Harbour — Not present
4.
Treasurer, Jeff Kirkner — $1900.00 surplus projected for fiscal year end. 2013-14 budget is complete and we
should have enough funds to operate until next July.
5.
Secretary, Jacob Robinson — Nothing to report
6.
Safety Officer, Tom Minor — Not present, noted that
Pinnacle pool is the plan for winter roll sessions.
7.
Membership Coordinator, Ali Blair — Need updated
addresses for late renewals. Contact Ali to get a parking
pass if you didn’t receive via mail. Additionally, she has BWA
stickers available as well.
8.
Conservation Officer, Peter Stutts — Not present
– Clay briefly discussed the ongoing improvement plans at
AW Elkhorn Acres.
9.
Program Director, Dave Lafferty — Not present
10.
Web Master, Joe Wheatley — Working on lapsed
memberships, currently at 62.
11.
Newsletter, Don Spangler – Newsletter will be out
soon. Clay thanked Don for all his hard work and dedication
on the Newsletter.
12.
Gear Coordinator, BJ Phelps — Not present
13.
NPFF Coordinator, Bethany Overfield – Nothing to
report
14.
Member at Large, Jeff Schetler — Not present
IV.
Unfinished Business
1.
AW Elkhorn Acres – Clay discussed the basic plans
for AW Elkhorn Acres. More info can be found on the Phorum. Peter is currently working on the plan.
2.
Meeting Locations – Still a work in progress. The
September General Club meeting will take place at AW Elk23
horn Acres and a grounds clean-up is planned. Please bring
trash bags, weed eaters, and mowers if possible.
3.
Officer Club Dues Discount – Discussion ended and
tabled indefinitely.
4.
Louisville Iron Man Volunteer Request – Volunteers
still needed for the upcoming Iron Man event in Louisville.
Details can be found on the Phorum. See Adelessa if you
are interested in volunteering.
5.
BWA Sign – Clay reviewed the recent discussion at
the August Steering Committee meeting regarding the purchase of a BWA sign to be used at club functions. Previous
officer team passed a motion to purchase said sign. Jason
P. has the info on the signs, and the price is $80.00 per sign.
Issue will be handled at the next Steering Committee meeting.
V.
New Business
1.
Cruso, North Carolina Volunteer Fire Department
Donation – Clay reviewed the approved motion from the
August Steering Committee meeting to donate $150.00 in
memory of Scott Bradfield to the Cruso, NC Volunteer Fire
Department in recognition of their efforts during the rescue
and recovery operation.
2.
Jondachi River Conservation Efforts – More details
to follow at the next General Club Meeting.
3.
Recent issues at the Forks of the Elkhorn Put-In
– Jason P. discussed the recent issues at the Forks of the
Elkhorn put in. Jason has spoken with the owner, along with
the son and daughter who manage the campground. Issues
have been resolved, and BWA members are encouraged to
take some extra time and talk to the owner if approached.
VI.
Announcements : None
VII.
Trip Reports: None
VIII.
Adjournment
1.
Jacob (Moved), Bob (Second) to adjourn. Motion
passed. Meeting adjournment at 9:50pm.
IX.
Guest Speaker
Presentation given by Alex DeSha from the Sierra Club.
September 2013 Steering Committee Minutes
Sept 2013, 2013
Big Props to Jeff Schetler for taking the minutes at this
meeting!!!
Officer Reports-7:42
President- nothing to report-“I really don’t have much to talk
about”
Past President-Club party will be Oct 5th at the Russell
Fork, The BWA will be providing Breakfast Saturday morning (Oct 5th), Bethany makes motion to allot $200 for Emily
to cook Breakfast for the Club, Clay seconds, all in favor
motion passes.
VP-Nothing to report
Secretary- Not present (nothing to report) Member at large
filling in
Treasurer (copy and pasted email)- Status on Treasury
funds remains the same as last meeting. Very little accounting activities have taken place. A few memberships came in,
but nothing to sway the books significantly. I need to know
when and where to send the $500 check that is earmarked
for AW Acres from previous meetings. Also, do we need to
send a check to ACA for Insurance for Spring clinic participants? Need to check with Jason to see where we stand
with the applications and where/when to send the check.
Who needs money? Thank you. Jeff K-- Treasurer
Safety officer-not present-Adelessa spoke for Tom-we are
good to go on the winter roll sessions at the Pinnacle Pool,
they will most likely be on Fridays again this year however
they will begin at 7:40 instead of 7:30 to allow swimmers
time to exit the pool
Membership Coordinator-we continue to get new memberships for the club & everyone at the meeting was “PLUM
TICKLED” about the influx in the new boaters and members. Clay makes a motion that he is plum tickled, Adelessa
seconds, and the motion passed unanimously
Conservation Officer-Discussed meeting at Elkhorn Acres
last week-a few updates on the property that were discussed included additional gravel on the entrance/exit road
with possible drainage , trees/bushes/rocks as barriers to
the river, the port o john being serviced more frequently, no
trash cans will be placed on the property. They are forming
a subcommittee and we have to trust that the subcommittee
will address the main concerns we all have. They also discussed property signs as well. (Adelessa made the suggestion to have an easement barrier on the property from the lot
to the river; the committee is working on that)
Vikings are giving a $600 contribution as well
Program Director-Not present
Web Master-Not Present
Newsletter-Not Present
Sept 4th 2013- 7:40pm-Meeting begins
Gear Coordinator- Transferred all gear to excel spreadsheet so that we have all gear documented. He discussed
the possibility of somehow putting this on the forum so that
anyone can see what gear we have, check it out, check it
back in, etc… We had a brief discussion about Lonnie being
the first blind person to paddle the entire Grand Canyon; we
also discussed trying to get him to speak at a club meeting.
Previous Meeting Minutes pass- all in favor
NPFF-Everything is going awesome so far and she is further
Sept Steering Committee Meeting
Attendees-Clay, Adelessa, Bethany, Emily, Ali, Jeff S, & BJ
24
ahead of schedule than she was last year this time. Sept
24th they are going to have a donor meeting and Clay said
he will have the Film Meeting at his house on the 24th.NPFF
will have a booth at Gauley Fest, she said she will man or
woman it but she may need to leave for the occasional restroom break. WE NEED DONATIONS for the NPFF, nothing
to small (within reason)
services (lawn mowing and such).
Past Pres
BWA party will be held the first weekend of
October. The BWA SC has given her $200 to cater breakfast on Saturday morning. This weekend will also be Scott
Bradfield’s memorial.
VP
Nada
Member at large-nothing to report
Unfinished Business-8:35pm-Discussed getting an A frame
sign for the club, we could use at club functions, Gauley
Fest, etc…
Treasurer
JK says “we have $”. Check coming from
Vikings. If you’re worried, there is a spreadsheet on the forum. Have around $1700 in the bank. We wont go bankrupt.
Secretary
Nada
Funny Comment of the night-Clay “Man I have got the slowest service ever here tonight” Just so happened our server Safety Very safe. Roll sessions start in January at the Pinnacle Pool again. The nights have not been decided upon
was right behind us, however Clay was talking about his
yet, but the start time will be pushed back from 7:30 to 7:45
phone service.
to allow the little fishies to get out of the pool, and out of our
way.
New Business-8:43-Discussed renting the pavilion at Rat
Hole the last weekend of Russell Fork season
Webmaster
Took ~40 people off the forum for not payEmily Grimes makes motion to adjourn-Clay seconds, all in ing dues
favor-8:58pm
NPFF Bethany is on the ball. Needs help getting stuff for
silent auction. Get some new blood in the silent auction.
September 2013 BWA Meeting Minutes
Start early. If you have ideas please post to forum.
September 24, 2013
By Emily Grimes (not secretary)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS!
8:04PM The wonderful President Clay Warren called the
Meeting locations, discussion still open, we welcome your
meeting to order
suggestions.
Thanks be to Joe Wheatly for your meat. And for bringing
the grill! And to everyone else who brought food, you made Curuso Fire Department will receive a $150 donation and a
thank you card from us in the next week for Scott’s search
the night delicious.
Thanks to Kris Cheney for helping out with Scott Bradfield’s and rescue.
funeral.
Jondachi River Conservation Efforts, please check that out.
Took a moment of silence to remember our friends who are A little bit goes a long way.
not with us anymore. May they rest in peace.
NEW BUSINESS!
Adelessa motioned accept minutes from past meeting, it
Next’s meetings program, Lonnie the blind veteran who ran
passed with flying colors except for a few nays that were
the Grand Canyon will tentatively be giving the presentation
requested to break up the monotony.
next month. Yee!
Clay announced that we had 22 minutes to hold the meetG Fest! What What! Huge BWA encampment next to 4-H
ing.
dining house (breakfast spot) right when you get in on the
Left, next to playground. Steve Fisher will be there to do
OFFICER REPORTS!
“joint” things
President
BWA will get together at the Gauley at Taw- Estill Co. and Irvine Parks & Recreation are building a boat
ney Farms. YT is bringing screen and sound system. Super ramp Adelessa has directions to the building of that if anyone is interested.
Chill. F**k the po-leis at Swiss. Camping there is $7.50/
night. We will be having an NPFF roadshow. Link to Tawney
There is a clean-up on Towne Branch on Sunday from 1-5 if
Farms and how to get there is posted on the forum.
anyone is not at the Gauley
Conservation Improvement to EA project-BWA has
Jason Powell will be accepting 6 packs all weekend.
donated $500 and the Vikings are donating $1500 to the
cause. Woop Woop! There will be 2 phases of this project,
TRIP REPORTS!
1. Gravel, parking, improve signage, and add a donation
box (ohms for the poor) 2. Planting, rocks to improve buffer
area between parking lot and stream. They hope to get this Nod to LBK for helping gorbies on the Elkhorn. Props. Leslie
Coble is a boss. She loves firing it up with Cynthia.
going by December 2013. Peter’s facial hair is on point,
thanks Peter. And everyone else in this project, you guys
are awesome. And also big thanks to Nathan for his cheap 8:44 PM ADJOURNED
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NPFF 2014
Howdy folks, it's time to start thinking about all things National Paddling Film Festival. In an effort to not wait to the last
minute to take care of anything this year I'm going to be really proactive about getting things organized.
There is an impressive cast of characters that step up to work tirelessly to pull this event off every year. Some of these
folks are plumb worn out. We need some new blood!
The first big push we'll have is securing items for our silent auction. This is our real money generator every year. The
more quality stuff we get, the more money we're able to give away. This push will start at the Gauley fest/late September
and continue right up until the event, which will be on February 21st and 22nd of 2014.
If you have any interest in helping out with the next NPFF, please holler at me either here, or shoot me an email: geogal
@gmail.com. We'll have our first planning meeting in September and I'll send a mass email out to all of those people who
want to get in on the NPFF gravy train.
Stay tuned to the web site: www.npff.org
Also stay tuned to the forum for some upcoming exciting NPFF announcements involving the guest host and some new
partnerships.
Bethany Overfield
BWA Meetings
Meetings held Second Tuesday of every month at 7:30 pm
To eat during the meeting come a little early so you can place your order before the meeting starts.
For up-to-date info on meetings always check http://www.bluegrasswildwater.org
Bluegrass Wildwater Association
PO Box 4231
Lexington, Ky. 40504
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