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Blazing the Trail: Connecting Washington State and Alaska

Photo: Sander Jain
Blazing the Trail: Connecting Washington State and Alaska

The numbers are staggering: an estimated 27,000 kilometers (16,750 miles) of coastline; 1,500 potential sites, including launch points, rest stops and camp sites; 10 paddling clubs and two official trails already open with a combined total of 179 sites. The British Columbia Marine Trail Network (BCMTN) has arrived.

Born nearly 20 years ago in the tidal mind of West Coast kayak pioneer and author of Kayak Routes of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Peter McGee, the BCMTN vision has been a long time coming. In the early 1990s, McGee envisioned a marine trail that would connect paddle strokes from Washington to Alaska. McGee’s ambitious project foresaw increasing pressures on popular and critical kayaking campsites and rest stops from both private land interests and heavy industry, and had the goal of mapping and securing permanent access for paddlers up the entire coast.

After a flurry of activity, including a mid-coast survey and the creation of a campsite at Valdes Island’s Blackberry Point, as well as a rest stop and toilet on Saltspring Island’s Musgrave Point, the association lost steam and by the late 1990s the BCMTN vision began to blur.

Nearly 15 years later, with pressure mounting on popular paddling sites, mainly by private landholders, the movement reawoke with new energy and support from the B.C. Government’s Recreational Sites and Trails program.

Parksville’s Stephanie Meinke is the president of the BCMTN Association and has been working hard with a small army of volunteers to identify, ground-proof and begin adding the sites to the growing list of official B.C. Marine Trails Recreation Sites.

“Campsites vary,” explains Meinke.“Most do not need any form of booking as they are completely undeveloped wilderness sites. Other sites in parks may require a fee and may have pre- booking options, such as those in the Gulf Islands National Marine Park Reserve. We will be adding some commercial campsites and even strategically located B&Bs and resorts shortly.”

“We are continuing to identify prospective new sites to propose to Recreation Sites and Trails B.C.,” says Meinke, “concentrating on the rest of the Vancouver Island coastline and adjoining islands for now. We are also developing our website to become a comprehensive first stop for information on the B.C. Marine Trails Network and its sites.”

The B.C. Marine Trails Network website and online interactive map launched this spring at bcmarinetrails.org. With detailed satellite imagery and info on access, water availability and marine hazards, the map offers paddlers a glimpse into the grandiose scheme of creating the world’s longest marine trail.

And the association never rests. Due to the scope of the initiative, they anticipate the com- pletion of the trail to take several years. The seemingly endless work of installing signage for access and launch sites, filling in the existing network of sites and, finally, expanding the BCMTN north to Alaska is ongoing.

Dave Quinn is a wildlife biologist, guide and writer based in Kimberley, British Columbia. 

This article on protected coastline was published in the Summer 2012 issue of Adventure Kayak magazine.This article first appeared in the Summer 2012 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. For more great content, subscribe to Adventure Kayak’s print and digital editions here.

Where Are All the Young People Paddling?

Photo: flickr.com/umnak
Where Are All the Young People Paddling?

I’m right here. I’ve been a sea kayak guide since I was 19 (I’m 23 now) but I wonder where are the other paddlers my age. Most of the people I instruct are twice my age.

It seems as though the sea kayaking crowd is older and it’s whitewater that attracts younger, adrenaline-seekers. Perhaps this stems from the fact that often, people who get into sea kayaking are looking for a relaxing activity. Drifting quietly across a placid stretch of water sounds calming for many parents, but for their kids this might just mean being bored to tears.

I learned to kayak 
in a bubble—a knowledge bubble. All I knew
is what I had been
taught in a few pool
sessions and figured
out on my own. My
transition into guiding
was the big bang of my
paddling career and
the beginning of the
expansion of my skills.
Suddenly, there was so
much out there for me
to discover. I learned of
the Tsunami Rangers and watched all of the This is the Sea movies; there was Dubside, Maligiaq and QajaqUSA; I visited symposiums and joined the ACA. I rolled and surfed, went on expeditions and taught, and I did it all from the same kayak. The more I learned about the paddling world the more I realized that it’s impossible to define the kayaking experience as simply as most people do.

Sea kayaking needs to be seen as exciting and challenging, requiring us to let go of the stereotypical notions of flat water and sunrises 

The view that kayaking should be purely about slowing down is too cut and dry, in my opinion. I get shudders from many sea kayakers when I explain what being back-endered in surf is like, yet nothing but praise from my whitewater paddling friends. To get younger people into the sport, it needs to be seen as exciting and challenging, requiring us to let go of the stereotypical notions of flat water and sunrises, and accept the multiple facets of sea kayaking.

I choose not to look at sea kayaking as any one of these aspects but as a means to having fun, no matter what that may imply. That’s what gets me excited about kayaking—it is whatever I want to make it. You can be young or old, an expert or a novice, Euro or Greenland, enjoy the rough and tumble world of surf and rock gardens or the quiet Zen of glowing sunsets and still be a happy paddler. Many even find an adrenaline rush and Zen in the same moment. When we choose to look at kayaking in this light, stereotypes disappear.

The challenge is trying something new. Trying different boats, paddles, partners and routes. Sea kayaking doesn’t have to fit any- one’s archetype, nor should it. We run the risk of letting the paddling world stagnate by having too many rules, stereotypes and expectations. Try a Greenland paddle in a surf ski or a wing paddle in a skin-on-frame. Try a playboat or an SUP. Find your own balance of adrenaline and Zen.

Tim Gallaway is an ACA level 4 instructor, a Greenland-style paddler, expedition sea kayaker, whitewater paddler, kayak guide and freshly graduated engineer. 

This article on bringing new people to the sport of kayaking was published in the Summer 2012 issue of Adventure Kayak magazine.This article first appeared in the Summer 2012 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. For more great content, subscribe to Adventure Kayak’s print and digital editions here.

Best Designated Canoe Routes

Dodd Lake on the Powell Forest Canoe Route. Photo: Ziemak Trzesicki
Canoe route in Powell Forest.

This canoe trips article originally appeared in Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.

Water trails, blueways, canoe routes…whatever you call them, designated routes with facilities for paddlers are cropping up on waterways across the country. Presently, there are more than 150 water trails throughout the U.S. alone, with more in the works. Last year, as part of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, the U.S. Department of the Interior designated two rivers in each state for blueway status, giving local groups direct access to federal planning resources.

POWELL FOREST CANOE ROUTE, British Columbia

What’s a former timber town to do when the logging industry goes away? On B.C.’s Sunshine Coast, residents and ex loggers in Powell River have taken the future into their own hands, redeveloping their forest and lake system for the benefit of canoe enthusiasts everywhere. This five-day, 57-kilometer water trail traces a semi-circle through eight lakes, featuring soaring mountain scenery, lush coastal forest, well-equipped campsites and five portages en route. www.trailpeak.com/trail-Powell-Forest-Canoe-Route- near-Powell-River-BC-241 or www.canoeingbc.com/canoeroute.html

JEFFERSON RIVER WATER TRAIL, Montana

Two hundred and seven years ago, while on expedition to map the West and reach the Pacific, Meriweather Lewis and William Clark paddled dugout canoes up the Jefferson with a crew of 31 aided by a 16-year-old Shoshone female tracker/ translator named Sacagawea. Today, members of the Lewis and Clark Heritage Foundation are working to develop a six-day canoe trail on the Jeff from Twin Bridges to Three Forks at the Missouri River headwaters, passing through the Tobacco Root Mountains en route. At present, primitive camping is permitted on gravel bars below the high water mark. www.jeffersonriver.org

ROOT RIVER WATER TRAIL, Minnesota

The 80-mile Root River Water Trail runs from Preston on the South Branch to the Lower Mississippi Wildlife Refuge. Attractive campsites along the way make it easy to enjoy a relaxing multi-day trip with opportunities to stop and explore a variety of riverside villages. The route is also flanked by a paved bike path for its entire length, making a paddle and pedal trip a fun and environmentally friendly shuttle option. www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/rootriver/more.html

THOUSAND ISLANDS WATER TRAIL, Ontario

Rumrunners used the back bays and hid- den channels of the lower St. Lawrence River islands to hide from the law during U.S. prohibition. Now, those same hiding places are part of the 1000 Islands Water Trail. The trail’s nine short routes are accessible for day tripping, or link them together for an extended paddle between Brockville and the historic fort city of Kingston. Combine sections six through eight for a terrific weekend trip, staying at scenic St. Lawrence Islands National Park campsites, seeing the Ironsides heron colony, stopping off at Boldt Castle and viewing the petroglyphs at Tar Island. www.paddle1000.com

DELAWARE RIVER WATER TRAIL, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania

The Delaware River stretches 326 miles from the Catskill Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. The upper section is a Blue Ribbon trout stream and provides some challenging whitewater, with public access and private camping facilities from Hancock to Port Jervis. The middle section from Milford through to Kittatinny passes through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area with facilities for paddlers and campers. www.delrivgreenway.org

 

This article originally appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Early Summer 2012. Download our freeiPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.

Old Town Saranac 160 Canoe Review

Old Town Saranac Canoe

A review of the Old Town Saranac recreational canoe from Canoeroots & Family Camping magazine.

Designed for affordable family fun with a narrowed shape and slightly lowered seats, the Saranac paddles better than most recreational canoes. A center bench seat perfect for smaller passengers with a hatch-accessed storage compartment, plus molded-in rod and cup holders, adds convenience and versatility.

 

A VIDEO REVIEW OF THE OLD TOWN SARANAC RECREATIONAL CANOE

 

OLD TOWN SARANAC 160 SPECS

LENGTH: 16′
WIDTH: 37″
MATERIAL: Thermoformed Polyethylene
WEIGHT: 89 LBS
MAX CAPACITY: 800-850 LBS
MSRP: $699

 

This article originally appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Early Summer 2012. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.

Nova Craft Teddy Canoe Review

Nova Craft Teddy Canoe

A review of the Nova Craft Teddy recreational canoe from Canoeroots & Family Camping magazine.

At 12 feet, the Teddy is specifically designed for young paddlers. A scaled-down version of the famous Bob Special, the Teddy is suitable for paddling tandem or solo. It performs like a standard size canoe but with less effort for smaller paddlers. It maneuvers easily and tracks well without compromising the space needed for a multi-day trip.

 

 

NOVA CRAFT TEDDY CANOE SPECS 

LENGTH: 12’
WIDTH: 34”
MATERIAL: Aramid Lite / Blue / Steel / Spectra / Aramid / Royalex Lite / Fiberglass
WEIGHT 29–47
MAX CAPACITY: 490 LBS

MSRP: $1,059 / $1,299 (Fiberglass / Royalex Lite)

www.novacraft.com

This article originally appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Early Summer 2012. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.

Top Notch Dry Tops

Day on the river or expedition, these dry tops are up to the challenge. (Photo: Dan Caldwell)
Top Notch Dry Tops

NRS REVOLUTION

As soon as we got our hands on this dry top, we knew it was expedition-grade. The hefty 400-denier body and Cordura elbow patches provide protection from creek beds, canyon walls and over- growth on portages. Redesigned for 2012, the Revolution is equipped with a standard neoprene collar and a
Velcro, neoprene and nylon tunnel.
Not so standard are the liquid-sealed
seams. Rather than just using seam
tape to seal the jacket, NRS has applied liquid rubber sealant to the seams and gaskets for extra leak-proof insurance. High Sign: So heavy duty you may never wear it out. Low Sign: Heavyweight protection means, well, heavy weight. www.nrsweb.com • $330

 

Bomber Gear BOMB LONG SLEEVE

Bomber Gear splashes back onto the whitewater scene with a new line
of dry gear including this flagship
dry top. We found the Bomb’s highly water resistant, Sub-screen
treated neoprene cuffs protected
the wrist gaskets and improved fit,
helping the sleeves stay put on our
wrists. The sticky neoprene outer
tunnel did a great job saving us from
the crop top effect of bracing and rolling. The
inner liner is a light and silky Tricot waterproof-
breathable nylon that doesn’t bunch or chafe
against bare skin. High Sign: Bomber Gear’s gaskets aren’t glued; they’re chemically fused for longer-lasting protection. Low Sign: No elbow or forearm reinforcement may lead to premature wear. www.bombergear.com • $390

 

Kokatat ROGUE

The lightest of the tops we tested,
 Kokatat’s high-performance expedition
top offers an ideal mix of protection
where you need it with breathability
where you want it. High wear areas
like the shoulders, elbows and fore-
arms are Cordura-reinforced, while 
the side panels are made of ultra-
breathable Gore-Tex XCR. Attention
to details like a key lanyard in the
self-draining chest pocket and a taste
ful reflective logo make this one classy jacket. High Sign: Unsurpassed fit that feels tough without any unwanted bulk. Low Sign: No imported beer for an entire season to afford this one. www.kokatat.com • $425

 

This story originally appeared on page 25 of the Early Summer 2012 issue of Rapid magazine. Read the entire issue here.

Recovering a Runaway Boat

Watch out! (Photo: Ryan Creary)
Recovering a Runaway Boat

When it comes to dealing with a runaway boat, think physics. I’m not talking about the space-time continuum, but simple energy and force. A boat full of water is out of control: mass × force = life of its own. You can’t change the force of the river, but you can change the mass of the boat. An authoritative boat-over-boat to dump the water takes just 10 seconds—practice is key, which is why kayak instructors have this on lockdown. Flip the boat onto your deck, rock it back and forth just once and then flip and fire it off into the nearest eddy. This works on all but the juiciest of rivers.

Tethered towing has fallen out of favor un- less the river is pretty mellow (do you really want to be tied to that sea anchor?) but you still have to get the water out first.

The last option is the bow plow, but all you can reasonably expect is to direct the energy, rather than control it. Again, think physics: set the swamped boat on a ferry angle and make the river do the work. Your job is to bump and prod it to keep the angle. If you’re downstream, you can try ramming your bow into the open cockpit and then working it to shore. Beware, though, heavy boats have a life of their own.

 

This story originally appeared on page 23 of the Early Summer 2012 issue of Rapid magazine. Read the entire issue here.

Tips to Strengthen your Offside

Improving your offside requires commitment. (Photo: Beth Kennedy)

Devote some time to practice and you’ll realize there is no such thing as offside. Use these not-so-secret Jedi training tips to improve your offside skills. Commitment to using the stroke is half the battle…Do or do not, there is no try. 

FLATWATER DRILL

Starting on your onside, begin paddling in a circle with your paddle to the inside of the turn. Once you’ve developed some momentum and rhythm, switch to your offside to form a second circle in the opposite direction. Maintain a consistent circle to your offside.

If your boat starts to carve towards your onside, switch back to this side and get yourself reset on your figure of eight. Maintaining a steady, consistent tilt to the inside of your turns, or the side you’re paddling on is key.

Circles to the offside are easier when they are smaller. As you get more comfortable with the stroke, practice enlarging your circle by lessening your tilt and lengthening your stroke. 

OFFSIDE TIPS

  • Lean forward. Use a sitting-up motion to generate power from your lower body. Because your arms are crossed, it’s difficult to generate much power from them. Think about planting your paddle and moving the boat to the paddle with your lower body.
  • Prevent the paddle from hitting the side of the boat. If the paddle is close to the boat or right against it, the blade tends to get stuck under the hull, making things feel a bit tippy.
  • Develop a range of motion on your offside by reaching out and extending your body.
  • Keep your paddle in the water the whole time. Use an underwater slice recovery to bring your paddle forward for the propulsion phase of your stroke. Think about pulling the bow toward the paddle while slicing your paddle through the water—this will help you control 
the arc of your turn and keep you moving in a consistent circle on flatwater.
  • Keep your weight low and on your seat. Avoid shifting too much weight to your knees. This will prevent your bow from pearling, which often causes the whole boat to wobble and makes it difficult to hold a consistent edge. By keeping your weight centered on the saddle, you maintain stability and a steady edge.
  • Make smooth, purposeful transitions from your offside to your onside and vice versa.
  • A good way to get comfortable side surfing offside is to enter the hole on your offside. Choose a hole that is so small you’d normally pass it by for surfing and approach it from your offside. To improve your comfort further, force yourself to exit towards your offside whenever you’re surfing a hole.

 

This story originally appeared on page 21 of the Early Summer 2012 issue of Rapid magazine. Read the entire issue here.

Making Waves for the Worlds

Rebuilding the river bed. (Photo: Endless River Adventures)
Making Waves for the Worlds

In April 2011, the International Canoe Federation chose the Nantahala River Gorge as the site of the 2013 World Freestyle Kayaking Championships. Tucked away in western North Carolina, this whitewater epicenter has played host to slalom and wildwater competitions for years, but 2013 will be the first time in over 20 years the community has hosted an international event of these proportions.

The dam-controlled Nantahala won the honors of hosting the 2013 Worlds because of its guaranteed water releases, which allow organizers, not the river, to dictate the event’s timing. When high water brought additional cfs to the 2011 Worlds in Plattling, Germany, paddling was delayed. Nantahala organizers looked to avoid similar disruptions.

Because of the venue’s susceptibility to rock shifting and washout, it was decided that the feature, already a favorite of the locals, needed some work.

Andrew Holcombe, Nantahala local and Dagger Kayaks team manager, was one of the first to speak up for the event, “The construction of a permanent play spot on the Nantahala River has the potential to turn the area into a great freestyle destination.”

When construction began on the Nantahala last November, many river purists cringed at the sight of backhoes in the water, wing dams, sand bags and diverted river channels. Avid local boater and river guide, Bill Baxter, was chosen as contractor for the project and assured onlookers that, despite appearances, proper measures were taken. Due to water management and permits from a multitude of federal agencies, Baxter was given less than 30 days to work his magic.

“Being an old kayaker and a builder who respects nature myself, I can understand why there has been some negative feedback on messing with the river,” says Baxter. “This is natural, but my job is to see that the end product will look like it’s always been there and be a huge boost to freestyle kayaking. I might even try surfing it.”

The grand opening of the Freestyle Wave was held in December 2011, but the finished product remains a work in progress. There have already been two tweaks to the feature and a third is scheduled for this spring. While the engineering continues on the wave itself, the community is working to create an event worthy of international status by September 2013.

“Whitewater recreation is not only an important part of the local economy,” says event coordinator Zuzana Vanha. “It is important to much of the community on a more personal level.”

According to Joe Jacobi, CEO of USA Canoe/Kayak, the governing body for whitewater sports in America, everyone stands to gain from the main event.

“Bringing the freestyle championships to the Gorge is a double opportunity,” he says. “The event could revitalize the Nantahala Gorge, the country’s cradle of whitewater competition; and at the same time, it could raise the profile of whitewater freestyle for North American audiences.”

 

This story originally appeared on page 19 of the Early Summer 2012 issue of Rapid magazine. Read the entire issue here.

The River Why

Enlightenment on the river. (Photo: Maxi Kniewasser)
The River Why

My favorite book was recently adapted into a movie. But don’t bother seeing it, the Hollywood hacks butchered an iconic river book into a predictable love story—the wrong kind of love story, as in, not love of rivers.

David James Duncan’s 1984 classic The River Why was handed to me by a guide from another rafting company on the scout above Cataract Canyon’s Number 5 rapid. The worn pages spoke to me as they had to the many guides who’d read it before.

A quick look at the book makes you think it is about fishing, but it’s not. It’s about rivers, coming of age and looking for the meaning of life. Yes, there is some fishing, but don’t let that get in the way. Gus Orviston, the main character, hermits up in a remote Oregon valley to sort out his life, and one day, hiking high above his adopted fishing stream, he sees the river’s course scrawled across the valley. To his surprise, in a sort of cursive river writing, he plainly sees the river’s path spells the word “why”.

River guiding is a form of purgatory. It is somewhere between inferno and paradise; suffering and enlightening. In return for spending time in beautiful places, pulled by the current, one gets long days and responsibility disproportionate to the pay, a lack of everyday conveniences, and having to deal with clients. From my experience, these folks fall into a 10:1:1 ratio. For every 10 somewhat anonymous nice clients, there is one individual that is totally amazing and one total pain in the ass.

The trying trips are when this ratio is weighted on the back end. The strange trips are when the ratio is 0:5:5 and there are only five people in the raft.

I had such a trip in the Green River’s Canyon of Lodore. My boat included a 250-pound, heavily medicated manic depressive firefighter; a young woman just released from six months in the hospital on suicide watch; a 60-year-old woman with 20 percent vision; the female owner of a Charleston strip club; and the manager of an army boot factory inGeorgia. One fell asleep in the raft several times a day, one couldn’t be trusted to go beyond eyesight and one didn’t have any eyesight. The strip club owner was exceptionally coarse and the last was exactly as you’d expect of an army boot factory manager. They were a rag tag breakfast club, individually annoying and exceedingly exhausting.

At the time, pure suffering; in retrospect, enlightening. Taken as a group, I wouldn’t have traded them for anything. It turned on its head what I thought river guiding was all about.

David James Duncan is such a writer that the reader is pretty sure The River Why is his life story (that is, until one reads his novel The Brothers K and thinks that, too, must be his life story). It is funny and intimate, the type of narrative that makes you feel like you are inside the story. Gus thinks that this river that spells “why” is taunting him to find the meaning of life, until he slowly realizes it is not asking, but telling him, Why. “This,” writes Duncan, with what I imagine to be a wide sweep of the arms to include the river and all it touches, “all of this, is why.”

The challenges of rafting moderate whitewater seemed pretty inconsequential compared to the life histories of the cards in my raft. I was mature enough to realize that guiding was not all about me; until then, however, I did believe it was all about the rapids, the challenge, the hash marks on the map. But a blind lady giggling with surprise as we crashed waves, a suicidal girl finding the courage to try guiding the raft through an easy rapid, a strip club owner asking if it’s okay to say the Lord’s Prayer at sunrise… For these folks, it wasn’t about the rapids, but about the river, the current of life, carrying them downstream.

My 0:5:5 made me realize that this, all of this, is why.

 

This story originally appeared on page 18 of the Early Summer 2012 issue of Rapid magazine. Read the entire issue here.