View from the cockpit on a four-day kayak trip from Queparo to Dhermi on the Ionian coast of Albania.
This photo was taken by Flickr user outdooralbania and is licensed under Creative Commons.
Bomber Gear Bomb Dry Suit Review
Since reinventing itself for the 2012 paddling season, Bomber Gear has released an array of apparel to keep paddlers warm, dry and protected.
The coming 2013 paddling season will see the anticipated release of their Bomb Dry Suit. First impressions leave us thinking it’ll live up to it’s name.
The suit is reinforced with armor where it’s needed and feels more heavy duty than anything else we’ve seen on the market. Reinforced shoulder panels, seat, knees shins and elbows have us thinking about cold spring creeking.
Bomber gear has double-stiched, taped and patched the wrist and neck gaskets and guarantees dryness. It’ll take some thrashing before we know for sure, but on first examination, it sure looks like a blowout is unlikely. The rubberized double tunnel accommodates a skirt and is adjustable with familiar velcro tabs.
It’s a rear entry suit with a TiZip closure is horizontal across the shoulders. For its inaugural year, the suit will come with a front pee-zip for dudes (and talented ladies). Demand will undoubtedly determine whether a drop seat version will be released in the future.
The Bomb also looks about as stylish as one could hope to be in a head-to-toe nylon onesie. It also seems to offer a slightly trimmer fit than the other more fashion-forward suits out there, a plus for cockpit comfort and more agility if (and when) we end up swimming.
It has a middle-of-the-road price tag for what certainly feels like a top-performance suit. The heavy-duty materials will likely affect breathability and the finishing puts protection at the forefront at the cost of light weight. Keep these trade-offs in mind: This is a suit for those who want to push the limits in tougher conditions.
bombergear.com | MSRP: $899
Daily Photo: The Alsek
The Alsek originates somewhere in the St. Elias Mountains deep in glacier country, way up north in the Yukon. If you’re wiling away your winter, dreaming of a warm-water destination, the Alsek averages 37°F in the summer time.
Beats frozen.
This photo was a contest entry in the 2012 Canadian Heritage Rivers Photo Contest by Claudia Schwab.
Think your image could be a Rapid Media Whitewater Daily Photo? Submit it to [email protected].
Weekly Whitewater News, February 28, 2013
The Southeast’s Premier April Whitewater Festival
April 12-14 will see the 4th Annual Tallulah Fest, when boaters will celebrate the release of the class IV-V whitewater, 1,000-foot-deep, Tallulah Gorge in Georgia. Join paddlers for live music, film showings, a photo and video contest and to raise money for American Whitewater. With a $15 all-weekend admission, nearby car camping and one helluva party, it’ll be tough to pass up. For more info visit www.bbbpaddling.com.
(Photo Courtesy Tallulah Fest www.bbbpaddling.com)
Hooligans blamed for Whitewater course vandalism.
The Chilliwack Times reported that a dozen gates were slashed down on the local slalom course at Tamihi Rapids on the Chilliwack River last week. A half dozen of the gates, maintained by not-for-profit Chilliwack Centre of Excellence, had just been repaired the previous weekend after another case of vandalism and some wear-and-tear issues.
Read the full story here.
(Photo: Lisa Morry for the Chilliwack Times)
Judge declares landowner can’t deny paddler access.
In the Adirondacks this week, a canoeist won a court case that challenged the right of paddlers to cross private land connecting two wilderness lakes, the Adirondack Explorer reported. The landowner had been placing cables across a stream connecting the two waterways to block paddlers. The ruling also stated that paddlers have the right to make a 500-foot portage across the private land. This offers paddlers facing access issues hope. According to the judge, navigable waterways, even those only accessible by recreational craft must be publicly accessible under New York State law. Read more here.
(Photo: Phill Brown of the Adirondack Explorer) Have a whitewater news story you’d like to share? Email it to [email protected].
Perception Essence Kayak Review
When people say the Perception Essence 17.0 Airalite is a “good looking boat”—as they inevitably do—they’re likely referring to the sexy lines of the long, slender bow. For it’s here that the Essence reveals its designers’ intentions to prolong the transition from bow to midsection to make for the finest possible entry lines.
The Essence is a sharp contrast to rough water designs that carry more volume in the ends for buoyancy in waves. Crafted by long-time Confluence Watersports boat designer Bob McDonough to be a friendly, high-performance tourer, it has a sporty feel and excellent capacity and speed for its length. This is achieved by the tapered bow and the Swede form shape, with the widest point rear of the midsection like a racing kayak.
The stern is stockier than the bow—a nod to packability. In McDonough’s words, “You’ve got to carry the volume somewhere.”
The result is capacity for long trips combined with excellent efficiency that is refreshing to find in a plastic boat. The Airalite we tested is the lighter, thermoformed version but the Essence also comes in more affordable poly, and both options are available in a 16.5 length for smaller paddlers.
A limited rocker plus the tapered bow’s emphasis on knifing the water equals strong tracking and minimal weathercocking. There’s perhaps less need for the skeg than for the optional rudder, which novices might appreciate for easier turning.
The hull under the cockpit is a shallower V than other popular British-style 17-footers like Confluence’s Wilderness Systems Tempest 170 and the NDK Explorer. It’s also about an inch wider and the chine is slightly softer, resulting in greater initial stability and more smooth, predictable edging.
For this new top-end touring boat, Perception has taken a winning British formula and expertly honed it to be a tad more welcoming to a wide range of paddlers and uses. And, dare we say, a little faster and more spacious.
With a distance swimmer’s heart for the straight and narrow, the Essence is perhaps not your first choice for a day in the surf. However, like the touring edition of a high-end sports sedan, this kayak is perfectly capable of dialing up the adrenaline and having some fun if opportunity booms. Which, in our books, is the definition of the perfect tripping kayak.
Rudder Ready
In addition to the standard hydrofoil-shaped skeg and easy adjusting SlideLock foot braces, the essence comes rudder-ready with a mounting bracket on the stern and routings for cables.
Handy Hatches
The essence includes a 10-inch bow hatch, 8-inch day hatch and an oversized stern hatch, all with tight-fitting Kajak-Sport rubber lids.
Comfort Outfitting
Perception touts its Zone EXP Seating System as “expedition grade.” It includes a long, padded seat bottom with adjustable height to promote circulation on extended outings, and adjustable padded thigh braces. A long, spacious cockpit accommodates tall paddlers.
Perception Essence 17.0 Airalite Specs
Length: 17 ft
Width: 23 in
Weight: 50 lbs
Max. load rating: 350 lbs
Price: $2,299 US / $2,409 CDN
www.perceptionkayaks.com
This article originally appeared in Adventure Kayak, Spring 2011. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
UPDATE: The Airalite lay-up is no longer available from Perception, but the Essence 16.5 and 17.0 are still available in polyethylene, retailing for $1,299 US.
Bartram Canoe Trail Destination
This canoeing destination piece originally appeared in the ACA section of Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.
The Bartram Canoe Trail resides on Durbin Creek in Jacksonville, FL. Created over 25 years ago, it is now maintained by Eric Bersinger and Josh Woods—two dedicated paddlers, members of the St. Johns Riverkeeper organization and founders of the Durbin Creek Wilderness Society. Bersinger and Woods have committed themselves to preserving the ecological and historical integrity of this scenic waterway so that it may be enjoyed by all. The Bartram Canoe Trail is on the westernmost part of the Julington-Durbin Creek Preserve, accessible from Race Track Road. This nine-mile trail is rich with biodiversity including rare Centennial Cypresses lining the shores and bald eagle, osprey, wading birds and songbirds frequenting the area. Bersinger says, “I defy anyone to show me a more beautiful area to kayak in Northeast Florida.”
The Bartram Trail Canoe Park continues to improve the trail with floating campsites, hiking trails, trash receptacles, information kiosks, and more. For more information about the Bartram Canoe Trail and restoration efforts, visit http://bartramcanoetrail.blogspot.com.
This article appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Early Summer 2012.
Deschutes Paddling Trail Destination
This canoeing destination piece originally appeared in the ACA section of Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.
The Deschutes Paddle Trail is an ACA Recommended Water Trail that includes the navigable sections of the Deschutes River and Little Deschutes River in Deschutes County, along with nine of the largest Cascades lakes in the county.
The river portion of the Deschutes Paddle Trail includes:
• 26 miles of the Little Deschutes River, from LaPine to the river’s junction with the Deschutes River near Sunriver.
• 95 miles of the Deschutes River, from Wickiup Reservoir in the south to Lower Bridge in the north, which is the last take-out before leaving Deschutes County.
Although the Deschutes Paddle Trail has sections that everyone can safely enjoy, the levels of difficulty include everything from placid easy sections (class I) to very difficult (and dangerous) sections (class V) that are for experts only. Be sure to consult ACA Safety information to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the section of the Deschutes that you are planning on paddling.
Because the Deschutes River is the source of water for agricultural irrigation in Central Oregon, its flow levels are seasonal. Consult the Bend Paddle Trail Alliance for maps or to check seasonal flows before planning your trip.
See www.deschutespaddletrail.info/index.html or www.bendpaddletrailalliance.org for more information.
This article appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Early Summer 2012.
Autauga Creek Canoe Trail Destination
This canoeing destination piece originally appeared in the ACA section of Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.
In July 2011, citizens of Prattville, Alabama, began a community effort to clean up and improve the aesthetics and navigability of the Autauga Creek Canoe Trail.
Fallen trees were blocking the creek, which were cut and repositioned to provide safe passage for canoes and unsightly debris including trash, old tires and other items were removed. Hundreds of hours of labor have been contributed by the Autauga Creek Improvement Committee over the past 16 months.
The headwaters of Autauga Creek begin more than 13 miles above the historical Daniel Pratt Mill Dam located in downtown Prattville. The clean-up efforts were initially concentrated on the four miles of creek between the dam and the take-out point at the canoe trail park. Although this part of the creek flows primarily through the city, its high, vegetated banks and dense tree cover give it the appearance of a wilderness experience. Now, the canoe trail is clear from the dam to the Alabama River. Paddling activities on the creek have dramatically increased as a result of adding four new informational kiosks. Artwork and interpretive information was printed and mounted. The signs immediately attracted the attention of nearby pedestrians who began reading the material and examining the canoe trail map.
The Autauga Creek Improvement Committee received ACA’s L.L. Bean Club Fostered Club Grant in 2012 and just recently finished these improvements.
This article appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Spring 2013.
Petzl Nao Headlamp Review
This gear review of the Petzl Nao headlamp originally appeared in Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.
Petzl’s reactive lighting automatically adjusts this headlamp’s brightness and beam pattern according to whether you need light close or far away. The rechargeable NAO headlamp adapts its two high power LEDs instantly and automatically to the lighting needs for greater comfort, fewer manual interventions and longer battery life. An optional belt kit allows the rechargeable battery to be moved to the belt to reduce the weight worn on the head, or to keep it warm in winter
$175 | www.petzl.com
This article appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Spring 2013.
Tierra Del Fuego Trailer
Cackletv.com
Watch the trailer from acclaimed filmmaker Justine Curgenven’s new sea kayaking DVD, This is the Sea 5. Curgenven won the Best Sea Kayaking Film award at the 2013 Reel Paddling Film Festival for the DVD’s headline film, Tierra Del Fuego, the story of her and partner Barry Shaw’s circumnavigation of the treacherous, awesome island at the bottom of South America.
To discover more amazing paddling films, and learn where the Reel Paddling Film Festival is playing near you, visit www.reelpaddlingfilmfestival.com.
