Big Ds Kayaking Journal

Braden River 12/26/10

2010-12-28T18:26:00.010-05:00

We met at Linger Lodge and headed upstream.

Here's Chad.

And Marie and Kurt.

This is the view we saw of Kurt most often during the morning. He finds a lot of birds. I'll bet he was great playing "Where's Waldo?"

After a wonderful lunch at the Lodge, we headed back out. It felt a bit colder.

So Marie dressed warmly.

After a short while, the sun came out brighter and it felt much warmer.

It is getting warmer and prettier.

And, it even turned sparkling.

Then, as often happens, it was getting late and time to head home.

After a fulfilling day on the water and in the lodge.

Weeki Wachee River December 23, 2010

2010-12-28T15:55:00.021-05:00

Adrian at the beginning.

Dan with Adrian after her pre-lunch swim.

Dan SR. and Joe enjoy lunch. And then we are off to paddle downstream and find some manatees.

Whoopie! We found some at hospital hole.

Joe appears to be saying goodbye to you all.

Paddling with Manatees: Crystal River - December 4, 2010

2010-12-06T18:22:00.117-05:00

Click on any photo to see a larger version of it.

A small group of us got together to enjoy a beautiful day looking for manatee and interesting places to paddle.

We were looking, looking, looking for them.

They seem to think they found some . . .

Then we decided to look for them at Three Sisters Springs before they left for the day.

So we headed back to Hunter Spring for lunch.

After which we saw a few manatee eating grass that was floating on the surface.

And then across the bay to a pristine area much different than where we had been.

Where we encouraged others to lead for a while. (Seems like Karen saw where Maureen was heading and decided to start drinking.)

And, with one last look at the wonderful day we had at Kings Bay we packed up with lots of memories . . . and these photos.

Weeki Wachee River November 14, 2010

2010-11-16T11:50:00.011-05:00

We had a fantastic day on the beautiful Weeki Wachee River. Even paddling that river about 100 times I cannot remember a prettier day. The weather was awesome and some of the trees were putting on a colorful show. And, of course, the river was clear as can be and even held manatees for our viewing. We want to thank Brian Mortakis and John Hussey for sending in photos.

We put in at the Weeki Wachee River State Park canoe rental named Paddling Adventures. As usual, the folks there were wonderful and took great care of us.

Here is a photo looking down Brian and Sandy's kayaks at the put-in. And, no, I have no idea what Brian was doing on his knees just before or after taking this photo.

The photographers were having such a great paddle they must have forgotten to take photos on the river. Most of the photos are from lunch.

Here we see Lady D unpacking lunch from a kayak.

And then setting things out - just so. Or was that so-so?

I mentioned not having photos of the river itself. Heck, I think everyone must have been mighty hungry, because we again see a pile of boats that look like people were in a hurry and following each other much too closely.

It is a truly fine place for lunch as these photos attest.

Did someone say 2 manatees were swimming past?

By the way, Rogers Park now has a year-round $5 parking fee with a pay station installed.

The Green River Race

2010-11-10T08:19:00.032-05:00

(Click on any photo to see it enlarged.)

The race is in North Carolina about half way between Columbus and Hendersonville. Viewers park on both sides of Big Hungry Road taking up both shoulders for over a mile and a half. So, of course you have to walk to the trail head before embarking on the hike into the gorge. Some people, Big D included, were already huffing and puffing.

I drew this yellow-orange line on a Google Earth image guessing where the trail was.

Notice the 28773 on photo? Is that the zip code you would use if you lived in a tree there?

Most of the way in was downhill and pretty easy, taking about 40 minutes to get to the “good” part – the mountain goat part. I found it easiest to sit on a rock or root, dangle my feet down until they found something solid to stand on, and proceed rock by rock or root by limb.

Climbing Down

Did I say this section was steep?

Then we finally got to the river.

The crowd was spread along The Gorilla rapid.

Some racers rejoiced at their elapsed time for the race.

Some were just glad they made it.

A new rule for next year may be “No Tailgating”. But that is not what happened here.

As the racers finished the race they parked their kayaks and joined the crowd to cheer on the rest of the racers.

I hope no one that parked that way is a valet when not paddling.

But, the kayaks were not all in just one pile.
Some didn’t even make it to the parking lot.

One by one the racers got back to their boats and still had more Class IV and V rapids to traverse to get to their take-out.

Except for one chap whose hull had a large rip in the bottom. Their field fix was just not good enough . So he carried it all the way out.

There were still challenges ahead for each including the risk of being pinned.

This chap struggled for a while before someone came to help him get unpinned.

Here’s just one fun spot on the way to their take-out. A nice little drop below The Gorilla.

I started the climb back out of the gorge with thoughts, memories, and plans.

I plan to go back next spring to smell the flowers along the climb back out. It seemed like my nose was only 9 to 12 inches from the earth for over 100 yards of the steep part of the climb. So in the spring I’d be able to smell the flowers without needing to bend over.

Maybe I’ll bring some Husky sled dogs to pull my fanny up this hill.

Some racers are in really good shape. Remember that fellow that drug his kayak out of the gorge. He passed me while I was on this section.

The hike back out took some nearly 2 hours.
Still, I’ll definitely be back for the race next year,
when I hope to find . . .

My Favorite View - Of The Race, too.

By the way, this is Suzanne Warren, of Hendersonville, NC, who plays Lisa in the new white water movie, “Raven Fork”. I'm sure you will recognize her when you see the movie.

I can’t wait to see it.

Here is someone else's video.

Calusa Blueway Festival

2010-09-15T15:40:00.006-04:00

Big Ds will be teaching 2 classes and presenting our show PrecisionMania© at this year's Calusa Blueway Festival. Here's our schedule.

Saturday, October 30 @ Lover's Key State Park
We should be there all day with events at:
- 10:30 am FUNdamentals of Foundation Strokes
- 1:30 pm Edging, Bracing, Recoveries, and Sculling

Sunday, October 31 @ the San Carlos RV Park and Island Resort
We expect to be there all day and performing at:
- 4:00 pm PrecisionMania©

To see their full schedule click on the title above.

Blog Events Returning Soon

2010-09-15T15:00:00.000-04:00

Wow! Sorry that this blog has been so dormant for a few months. I'm writing a paddling book, which you will see soon, and lost track of this blog. Sorry. We'll get this going again this fall.

Boat Camp - Osceola Sheriff's Department - April 5, 2010

2010-04-08T14:24:00.012-04:00

On Monday we had an opportunity to share skills and more with members of the Osce0la Sheriff's Department. The primary focus was on rescues, skills and having fun.

Quickly Dave became so proud of himself he yelled, "Hey, look at me!"

I thought he was going to say something about how great the foot brakes were in his kayak. But no . . . he seemed to be wondering how everyone else fit in, while he was stuck on top of his kayak.

And, before long he was upside down, while one of his buddies was too busy loading "ammo" to go over and help.

Before long, others arrived to help out. Here you see them getting all the water out of his boat before he got in - the right way.

While all these guys were good at rescues, it sometimes seemed that they were preoccupied with their weapons . . . and dreaming about the good ole days when they could shout, "Stop or I'll shoot!"

But the "perp" had his own weapon and was soon into the mix.

Since it was the first really warm day this year, it was good that everyone got into the "shootout".

Then we stopped and teamed up to do more work now in tandem kayaks instead of the singles.

Does this look anything like leaving your squad car with the engine running, in gear, and no parking break?

And, before long they realized they needed those paddles and quickly retrieved them.

Then they practiced teamwork and helping each other just like they may have to during kid's camp.

Before long we had several boaters in the water simultaneously as everyone got into the action.

Which, of course, resulted in a good ole movie type crash scene. Could we expect any more?

After everyone got back in, we concluded with a summary of the day. And, just like many of my other blog entries, the facts were extremely obscured by poetic license.

Eskimo Rolling - Reentry & Roll - March 29

2010-03-29T19:06:00.007-04:00

I had a Greenland style rolling student today. She had an iffy sweep lay back roll, and wanted to make it more reliable and add a re-entry and roll to her abilities.

We made her roll very reliable in about 5 minutes. It is so cool to identify and fix a weakness and see results so quickly. And, then to make her roll bombproof in just a few more minutes!

Then we went on to the re-entry and roll. As is sometimes the case, the problem had nothing to do with rolling. It was in committing to climbing in to the upturned kayak, making sure you are fully in the seat and in contact with the thigh braces, and still have control of your paddle.

Here is how to accomplish this. Start in the water with your kayak right side up and facing forward to the left of you. Grab both the paddle shaft and your kayak's left side combing on your left hand. Put the kayak on its side as you put your feet into the cockpit. Now, take a deep breath and grab the combing on the right side. You now need that breath since you will be upside down at this point. Squirm around if needed and get completely into the seat with your feet on the your foot rests and your thighs in the braces. At this point you will have completed the hard part. (Unless of course, you can't hold your breath more than 5 seconds.)

Let go of the combing, grabbing you paddle with both hands and get into your set-up position. Now, roll the boat like you would any other time.

If you are doing a left-handed roll, start right side up, follow these instructions carefully, and you should end up upside down. I'm not left-handed, so I can't be sure, but I hear it works splendidly. :-)

After you have rolled up, you will have a cockpit half full of water. So head for calm water or a friend's help so you can pump out the water and put your spray skirt back on.

While I have never experienced this, I'm told that some boats roll more slowly when they are full of water. So you my need to do your roll more slowly as well.

There is a myth floating around that if you put your spray skirt on while you are still upside down, you will not have a cockpit full of water after you have rolled. Balderdash! Rubbish! Let's sink that myth for good.

Two Star Training (aka Beyond FUNdamentals) - March 28, 2010

2010-03-29T17:58:00.007-04:00

What a great class. And, an adventure. We combined training with touring around Snug Harbor, regularly changing the sites in out "classroom".

The adventure was in maximizing results in the time available since rain and lightning was forecasted early in the afternoon.

Four intrepid souls began. And, three of them stayed awake throughout!
About 1:00 thunder in the distance suggested the weather forecast was coming true, so we retreated from the water.

I was thrilled, because in 3 hours of learning I saw an enormous increase in skill among the class. While disappointed to get off the water, it was balanced by seeing the results that were already achieved.

The gang found a perfect spot for some "dryland" training, under the new roof on the deck at the shop. And, we began with questions and answers.

After the questions slowed down, Harry took a stab at Kayak-Mation. He used a kayak ornament to simulate a banana simulating a kayak. We learned a bit and laughted a lot.

The rain and thunder had diminished and we decided to conclude our learning adventure.

Tom was rising to new heights with his kayak.

While Peter was getting down to his next kayaking achievement.

And, Sarah and Harry were relieved that Kayak-Mation survived.

Foundation Skills at Weedon Island - March 24, 2010

2010-03-25T09:35:00.014-04:00

It was a beautiful day for a class. We taught and practiced as we traversed Weedon Island.

On our first venture foreword we saw this yellow-crowned night heron.

Before long we spotted another. At least some of us spotted it.

I think Wes was blinded by the reflection off his white kayak and couldn't see it.

After paddling awhile through the mangrove tunnels, we came to nice pond. After some more lessons and practice, Marty stopped to do a whole bunch of finger exercises with her hatch cover. During which time Wes decided to do biceps curls with her camel back. (I think Marty's exercise was doing more good than Wes's.) Here's Jeff going straight for a change. More practice . . . And even more. And, while surreptitiously sneaking up on a pair of oyster catchers, they taught me spelling was not the only challenge I had with that word.

Alafia River - March 20, 2010

2010-03-25T08:45:00.006-04:00

We got a great break in the weather and had a beautiful day on the Alafia River. Here is the small group that noticed the weather forecast and joined us. And, there they go. Jan Fred We had this beautiful scenery all day. Ilene and Murray at the end. What should the caption for this photo be? How about, "Hey Murray, forget something?

Hillsborough River - 3-10-10 Private Tour

2010-03-10T11:47:00.001-05:00

What a great day on the Hillsborough River. There were tons of wildlife all along the way.

Here are Gabriele, Lena, Miguel, and Cruise. They sure were fun to have along.

Still in the access creek and Gabby spots a turtle.

Then we headed up into the slough to look for gators.

And, this chap obliged.

A bit later we turned around and headed down stream.

Where we spotted this Black-Crowned Night Heron and lots of other birds.

We were enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the river, and wondering when we would stop for lunch.

Cruise was really happy when he heard lunch.

And he proved he enjoyed it,

then led the guests down stream again.

Did we mention birds? Click on this photo to make it larger and check out all the birds.

When we got to stubby, we knew it was the end . . . of our wonderful eco tour.

Weeki Wachee Manatee Hunt 3/3/10

2010-03-04T12:15:00.008-05:00

Most of the photos in this post were taken by Jeff White and Wes Eubank. "Thanks, guys!"

The forecast was for Florida cold, lots of wind, and zero percent chance of rain. Fat chance! 2 out of 3 isn't bad. It was colder than we weather wimps are happy with, and quite windy. But, we had plenty of extra fleece, some extra paddling jackets, and were protected from the wind by all the trees. Now about that rain we were not going to get. At the very outset we got just enough to dampen our spirits. Yet, with concern in our expressions we kept on going.

And, going.

And, going . . . and, there was no more rain.

We kept on going until we came across a pair of manatees. Some suspect they were mother and child. But, I thought that was too easy, and they must be one regular and one midget manatee. Check out the photos. Can you tell who has it right?

I'm sticking with the midget idea.

The manatees seemed to take offense at the midget crack and the big one appeared to want to get even. But, they ducked under and all was well.

So, we followed them for a bit, before stopping for lunch.

Doesn't it look like Rosemary is saying, "Come on Bruno, one more bite?"

And, then who crashed our luncheon?

It's the midget and the monster.

And, shortly thereafter, Rosemary must still be trying to get one more bite. But, Bruno is happily keeping her away.

And, finally breaks free.

Here are some more of our cruise mates.

Is that Rosemary sneaking up on Bruno?

And, Jeff at the take-out, taking a rest after carrying all those kayaks up the hill.

He kind of looks like a fisherman with his catch, doesn't he?

Florida State Fair

2010-02-18T19:32:00.000-05:00

They sure did name this event correctly. Our experience was just FAIR.

On the first day we were scheduled to perform, their were HUGE crowds that STAYED HOME.
Here is our stage.

Here is the path behind us that is supposed to be elbow-to-elbow with people.

And, here is a view all the way around.

After each show we came ashore to chat with the audience. One day we paused for a photo opportunity.

I had been watching the Olympics on TV and noticed how the skiers always held their skies up for the pictures after each run. Since P&H sponsor us, I thought we should do the same.

If you look carefully you will see a large man behind Donna's kayak. It was quite windy and he was there to save anyone who might be in the landing zone should a gust of wind knock the kayak away from Donna. Little did he know, that Donna is stronger than me. He should have been behind my kayak.

Skiers don't have to work this hard for their photo. Notice the flags blowing out straight. The wind was over 15 knots.

Just like our experience at the fair, you might see this post as just fair also.

Crystal River Feb 7, 2010

2010-02-16T19:41:00.000-05:00

What a great day! Horrible weather before and after. The forecast did not look to great for this day either. But several paddlers braved to elements for one of the most spectacular manatee sightings we've ever had.

When we arrived at 3 Sisters Springs we enjoyed the show outside at the sanctuary, then proceeded inside. What a treat both were. Once in the springs we found this juvenile sleeping, coming up for a breath, then returning to his slumber. Check out the photos.

Do those fish cruising around signify the manatee is sleeping?

Check out this video.

Here are our paddlers:

Now let's get back to shooting manatees.

And, another video.

As I put down the camera, I saw manatee swimming towards me, so I quickly tried to get a photo.

Darn, the zoom was out to far.

But, the next one came out just right.

Then it was time to head back.

Along the way, I spotted this black-crowned night heron.

And, this osprey.

Wow! What a glorious paddle we had.

Shell Island - Private Tour - 2/2/2010

2010-02-04T17:06:00.001-05:00

What an interesting day.

The weather forecast was for steady, stiff wind - all day. So we planned four alternate venues with different degrees of wind protection. We arrived a bit early to check out what was actually occurring. It was practically dead calm. Go figure.

So we unloaded some kayaks and here is what we found.

And I even got Lady D, aka. Donna, to pose by a few kayaks.

Our guests arrived and were prepped for our outing. As we began we noticed a moderate breeze had begun. So much for the steady amount of wind all day. Yet, everyone made it to Sawyer Key, some with a bit of assistance. As we headed around the tip of the key, we could see the wind had grown to that stiff wind forecasted. Boy, I wished we were in an alternate venue. Since we were in 18 inches of water we weren't too worried about anyone. We just wanted to make sure everyone was having a good time - even while battling the wind - as we headed for Summer Resort. We regrouped everyone, ducked between some islands, took a look towards Shell and had a bit of a coaches meeting to decide the best approach. We agreed how we would take on the next crossing. We got everyone headed out, and the wind started to die down. It was quite easy to make that last leg.

Now at Shell Island everyone began to enjoy the beach.

When I introduced Russell, I told everyone about his expeditions into dangerous environs where no one lived for a month at a time. So once on the island several people were enthralled with his stories.

An others milled about collecting shells.

Then everyone went for a hike on the beach. After which it was time to get back to the kayaks and back to their bus.

Back at the put-in we had hot chocolate and cookies, where everyone deepened the camaraderie they built on their journey. It sure is a thrill for us guides to see so many happy, smiling, even contented faces.

As their bus pulled away, reality struck. It was getting close to dusk and we had a bunch of boats and gear to load, drive back to our shop, and all all that stuff to unload and wash. Thank goodness we had those nice memories to think about while we worked.

Manatee Attack - not exactly

2010-01-31T21:14:00.002-05:00

Our friend Harry sent a few photos from some recent trips. Here are two from Hospital Hole on the Weeki Wachee River.

As this manatee rises to periscope depth, Harry takes this photo and yells,"Torpedo, torpedo!"

Then with a couple of massive flips of its enormous tail . . .

And simultaneously, with super swift reflexes and amazing skill, Big D maneuvers his kayak for a near miss by the living torpedo.

Well, the part about Harry taking the photos was true. Honest. :-)

Some Winter Wildlife on Hillsborough River 1/18/2010

2010-01-30T05:39:00.002-05:00

We got off to a nice start at Sergeant Park on MLK Day.

It was a really good day for seeing birds and other wildlife. We saw several night heron's like this one.

And, this gator laying near an anhinga.

Then Donna perched under a nice stand of resurrection fern.

While Sharon took this picture of various ferns and air plants.

Here come the folks, ready for lunch.

A scrumptious Big Ds lunch was served.

And people stood around, or not, to enjoy.

Then we shared a brief mini-PrecisionMania©.

After which Ann pointed the way to our take-out.

It is not often you get to see a Night Heron stalking an alligator.

We hope you enjoyed the photos.

Whooping Cranes Make It Back To Florida

2010-01-21T11:01:00.000-05:00

They're baaack . . . Whooping Cranes, that is. All 5 feet tall and 6.5 feet of wingspan.

This morning's St. Pete Times has an article on page 10 of section B, Tampa Bay.

It had a link to a video at: http://blogs.tampabay.com/talk/2010/01/links-from-the-times-for-jan-20.html#more

I could not find the article online, but a search of their website turned up an article from Jan 11. You can read it at: http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/whooping-crane-flock-makes-it-to-florida-8212-finally/1064594

I don't remember ever seeing any. Maybe sometime in the future.

Last Monday, on our way out of Trout Creek Park we saw 3 Sand Hill Cranes. They are pretty neat, too. While not as tall (4 ft.) as Whooping Cranes (5 ft) they have similar wing spans. They were way cool.

If you go into Trout Creek Park look in the marshy area when you cross the bridge near Morris Bridge Road. You might see some, too.

Improving Your Forward Stroke - Part 2 - Duration of Power

2010-01-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

Duration of Best Power

This is the second blog post on a tip to improve your forward stroke. If you missed the first, it is below this in the blog, posted on 1/19/2010.

In the prior post, we mentioned the four phases of the forward stroke, the wind up, the catch, the power phase and the exit. Our last tip can be summarized by saying get the paddle as vertical as possible (front to back), and fully immersed, before applying power, and keep it that way until you pull the paddle out.

Second part of the tip concerns the length of your stroke. Let's look at the windup, before the catch phase, and the exit of our stroke.

Where does your stroke start? Can you easily change this? Probably. By prerotating during the windup phase you can massively increase the length of the stroke and by extending your upper arm, have all of this additional length with the blade in the most powerful position. Here's a way to see how this works. Wherever you are right now, sit straight up as you would in your kayak. Keep your shoulders square, facing forward, and reach forward noting how far you can reach. Now repeat this after twisting at your waist while reaching forward. When you do this you will notice that one arm can reach further while the other reaches less. Most people can reach about 6 inches more by rotating than by starting with their shoulders square.

For most people, the length of their stroke while the blade is nearly vertical is less than 2 feet, many people much less. And, by prerotating they can add about 6 inches to this. That alone will create about 25% more pull to each stroke. Adding more power by having the blade nearly vertical, as discussed before, adds even more. And, extending the stroke by rotating more during the power phase, adds even more.

Many of us have been told our stroke is too long, or that the stroke should end somewhere around the hips. Why is that? Should yours?

Our exit phase should begin before the blade goes past vertical, from the blade's shoulder to its tip. So the guideline about "at your hips" is a general idea of the spot for most paddlers. Is that the spot for you? Can you change this? Possibly. You can get a longer power stroke with the blade still vertical by rotating further during the power phase.

To make this work, your hands have to move together. You need to move them together to keep the blade nearly vertical. If you will focus on keeping the blade as vertical as possible throughtout the stroke, you will get this right. At some point you will get to the limit of your flexibility. You just won't be able to rotate any further. That is the time to pull the paddle out.

Where is the paddle relative to your hip? For some people it is up by their thigh. They aren't very flexible. That should be the limit of their stroke. For others, their paddle may be well past their hips. They are more flexible and will have a longer stroke in the bet power position.

To review, the best power comes from a paddle blade that is nearly verticle, from the shoulder to the tip of the blade. We can extend the duration of this at the start by prerotating. We get the paddle into this nearly vertical position by extending our upper arm before applying power. We keep it in the position by moving our hands together in the same relative direction. And, we can make our stroke longer if we can retate our torso further before we pull the paddle out.

So adding anywhere from 25% to 50% more propulsion from each stroke is fairly easy to do.

Now it is time to put this into practice. Get on the water and try it out.

Oh! The water is frozen where you live? Or it is colder than you want to paddle in. Or, you only get a little time on the water? So what. Here's the last tip in this message. Set aside at least 5 minutes every day and practice air paddling. Grab your paddle. Go through the motions where ever you are. Get help from a coach if you are not sure. Then practice a little while every day. In less than 100 days - before beach weather in most of the US, you will have a radically improved stroke.

Forward Stroke Tip

2010-01-19T09:24:00.000-05:00

Forward Stroke Tip

This week we went on a private multi-day tour. There will be no trip review. However, one subject came up that is worth reviewing - improving a forward stroke.

Everyone had a reasonably good forward stroke. They had some version of:

    * a wind up
    * a catch
    * a power phase, and
    * an exit

Everyone had some body rotation during the power phase and some degree of transferring power from the paddle through their core to the kayak. They were continuing to improve these.

However, they shortchanged themselves at least 50% on each stroke. With so much going right, how could so much go to waste? Let's look at just 2 simple ways - blade angle and duration of best power. Today we will review blade angle. I'll soon add a blog entry about duration of power.

Blade Angle

First is blade angle. Obviously the blade should be pointed directly across from (perpendicular to) the direction of travel. However, lets also look at the angle from the top to the bottom of the blade, from the shoulder to the tip. When your paddle blade is straight up and down, vertical, it provides the most power from your efforts. When it is either tilted forward or back, it is much less effective. Most paddlers start the power phase with the paddle blade angled with the tip significantly forward of the shoulder and the shaft of the paddle. This limits the effectiveness of their stroke. And, they end their power phase with the blade angled with the tip significantly behind the shaft. These are horribly wasteful.

How long is your paddle blade nearly vertical?

The catch phase of the stroke is the period during which the blade tip meets the water and then the blade becomes fully immersed. When the blade is fully immersed, the power phase should begin. Is your paddle blade nearly vertical at this point? It should be. If it isn't, all you have to do is straighten your upper arm before beginning the power phase. For maximum propulsion, your upper arm should be straight or nearly so - before the power phase begins.

Since we are talking about the catch phase, it is fair to remind that the blade should be fully immersed (all the way up to the shoulder) before the power phase begins. It should be fully immersed before you pull on it.

Now that the blade is fully immersed, begin the power phase of the stroke, keeping the blade as close to vertical as is comfortable.

In the next blog entry we'll cover the length of the stroke, where it should start and end.

Paddling Adventures at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

2010-01-08T21:57:00.000-05:00

There's a new business serving us: Paddling Adventures, the livery run by Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. (Click on the Paddling Adventures link. When you see this photo, you will know you are at their website.)

I've been there several times since they opened in early November. What a refreshing change. In this industry you expect a certain level of service. The prior vendor achieved far below this level, and the new team far exceeds it. Kim, Rich and Mike are there most of the time and cheerfully make sure they do whatever they can to take care of all of us.

Please call me at 727-403-7046 if you want:

a professionally guided tour, including a wonderful lunch, with or without kayak rental.

However, please call Paddling Adventures at 352-592-5666 when you just want:

a convenient place to put in without needing to paddle upstream and a shuttle service available
a place to just rent kayaks and have a shuttle service for you.

My thanks to Toby, Rich, Mike and Kim, for bringing friendliness, thoughtfulness and real service back to the headwaters of the Weeki Wachee.

And one last thing - they have much more reasonable prices again.

New Year's Day with the Whitesides

2010-01-08T10:08:00.003-05:00

We are back to Weeki Wachee again. It has been wonderful during the holidays. This time we had a scheduled public tour, but only the Whitesides signed up. What a deal. They got a private tour for the price of a public tour.

Here are Catherine, Rachel and Gary.

And off onto the water we go.

Here's Rachel again.

From the look on Donna's face, Don must be doing something she doesn't like.

This is entirely enough serenity. Let's have some excitement.

We used the kayaks to help people climg back to the rope swing.

That sure looks like fun. Let's get a better look.

Manatees At Risk During Cold Spell - Please stay away from 3 Sisters Springs

2010-01-07T11:11:00.002-05:00

Photo by Steve Sapienza, aka. Eddyline Steve, on the cover of today's St Pete Times, with an article on page 1B & 10B.

There is a side-bar article on 10B titled "Visitors warned away from Three Sisters Springs". In it Michael Lusk, manager for the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge is quoted, "The ideal scenario during this unusual cold spell would be for manatees to rest undisturbed inside the springs."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering closing 3 Sisters Springs during the cold spell, something they don't want to do.

This must be serious. And it comes after a record number of deaths in 2009, when 429 manatee deaths have been recorded in the state.

Please if you must go during this cold spell, please go to the main springs where they have more room and please stay away from 3 Sisters.

And, thanks to Steve for taking this from shore where he would not disturb them himself.

Thanks,

Big D

Shell Island 12-31-09

2010-01-06T10:50:00.003-05:00

Here it was New Year's Eve and we're paddling with a couple of military people on leave, or break, or vacation - whatever they call it. What a great couple. Thank goodness we have volunteers like them to care for our country's defense.

Jake and Katie pose before heading out for a nice paddle to Shell Island where we walked and collected shells. Go figure.

Then we headed for Summer Resort and Sawyer Key, where everyone did fine getting through the mangrove tunnels.

Katie making her way through a tunnel.

And emerging unscathed.

As did Jake.

And Donna.

And then back to the put-in near Sawyer Key.

And then on to Billy's Stone Crab Restaurant for a beverage and great view.

Weeki Wachee - Private Tour 12-30-09

2010-01-05T14:17:00.000-05:00

We put in at Paddling Adventures and took out at Rogers Park, running our own shuttle. Here are some pictures I took. First some manatees we found near the headsprings.

But, lets not forget the paddlers. Here is our trip coordinator.

And, next is his partner, trying her best to hide him.

And the friends from childhood.

One was hiding, but we'll find him later.

Now for some action . . .

Then further down stream . . .

And more real action . . .

After the excitement is was time to paddle on down, stop to see more manatee at "hospital hole", and on to our take-out at Rogers Park.

Weeki Wachee Private Tour 12/28/10

2010-01-04T17:35:00.002-05:00

We opted for a short, afternoon paddle and decided to do and out & back from Rogers Park. And, we wanted to see Manatee quickly. Here are the paddlers.

Here's oldest son, Matt.

Brian.

And, Johnny.

And, of course their Dad, Matt.

And, their sister/aunt, our friend Patti.

So, let's go find some manatee.

And, more . . .

Trip Review - Weeki Wachee 12-26-09

2010-01-02T15:58:00.014-05:00

These are most of the paddlers, as Etta took the photo. It was pretty cold and windy. With Big Ds fleece and paddling jackets added to those of our guests, we headed up the river in search of Mud River. After a bit of exploration we found the river. Along the way some of our guests expressed a desire to see manatees. And, two others expressed a desire to see something other than more marsh grass. So we gave up on Mud River for the day. The prior Friday, I had come down a creek from Rogers Park to the Mud following the directions of paddling guide emeritus, John Ennis. So as we headed up the Mud, I was on the lookout for that creek. Which we took. After a nice lunch at Rogers Park we headed off for the manatees. We found about 6 in Hospital Hole and enjoyed their antics. Then another vote of our guests and we headed up stream on Weeki Wachee.

The Weeki Wachee River.

Sally and Etta enjoyed the huge staghorn ferns hanging over the river.

While Tim enjoyed this tree. (?)

Nice trumpet plant.

Sally again.

Here's Mason shading his neck.

And Dan.

The dreaded albino alligator.

And who says we have no seasons in Florida.

Sally's twin.

Tim must have liked this tree.

And someone liked these trumpets.

Donna sure has on a neat hat.

Casey is about to try the rope swing. Here Goes!

And, Dan tries too.

And, we had hot cocoa, too.

Christmas Day Bird Rescue

2009-12-29T11:09:00.000-05:00

With the winds a bit high, and two fairly inexperienced paddlers, we changed the venue from Rattlesnake Key to Shell Island. Here are Cherie, Donna, and Lisa who accompanied me this day.

We had a quiet and nice paddle to Shell Island and plenty of time for a long stroll on the beach.

However, on the way back up the beach we found a bird fouled in some fishing line. Its beak was wrapped shut, and wrapped to his neck and his legs, which were wrapped quite well along with his wings. So we captured the bird, got the scissors from our first aid kit and set about freeing the critter. Here are the photos as taken by Cherie. (Mighty nice photo work during anxious times and with someone elses camera.)

We try to keep a soft bag around his head to keep him calm while Donna cuts away lots of wrapped fishing line.

Donna is gradually cutting the line away from both legs.

You can see the line wrapped in and around its beak.

Then Lisa handled the pincers while Donna worked the scissors and I tried not to strangle the struggling bird.

We are getting close, but still have to cut line from around both wings.

Then we give thanks for seeing the bird in its great distress and having tools with us to help.

And leave our new avian friend to recuperate and fly away.

Cherie selected this as a wonderful way to have a non-traditional Christmas. All five of us ended up with a wonderful non-traditional experience.

US National Whitewater Center Adventure

2009-10-29T17:49:00.000-04:00

This place is interesting.

Last weekend, my son, David, and I went to Charlotte, NC, to play at the USNWC. We checked out all the ways to play and then scouted the kayak layout, the whole 0.8 mile circumference. (Not very big.) We noticed the eddies along the concrete shoreline were pretty powerful, with fairly quick upstream current. And, we noticed the hole at the bottom of the largest drop on the more difficult route (pictured above), which was near the bottom of that route. And, we thought, interesting. Let's go play.

The USNWC is a great playground. You can mountain bike, climb walls, ride down a 1200 foot zip line, ride the white water in a rubber raft, and kayak if you have your own equipment. They have various pricing alternatives, to fit what you want to do. If you bring your own bike, and do nothing else, the cost is only the $5.00 parking fee per vehicle. If you have your own kayak and want to do everything, the cost is $69 per person, plus the parking fee.

I awakened that day a bit under the weather. No, quite a bit under the weather. But after the long drive, I was going anyway. By the time they opened the white water, we chose to paddle first, and later decide what else we wanted to do. We only kayaked.

Upon checking in, they warned us about the center having "powerful" eddies. Since we had noticed them when we scouted we thought we understood. We did not fully understand.

There are 2 primary routes, easier on the left, and harder on the right. Along the left you also have a choice of a short detour that is a bit tougher.

We decided to progress from the easiest to the hardest in the first 3 runs. The first run was mostly uneventful. However, being under the weather, I felt very tippy and uneasy. Okay, I chose to deal with it, and go on.

On the 2nd trip we decided to take the short detour that was a bit harder. I led and went through most the rapids, turning around to watch David before going through the exit drop. That was dumb. Bingo, I was upside down. I thought, no problem, which shoulder is forward? It was my left so I proceeded to set up to roll on that side. No doing, I could not get my hands anywhere close to the surface. So I switched underwater to the other side and stretched to set up. Again no doing. I was being pulled down as well as back and forth in the current and eddies. I had not experienced that before. I was bumping around and bashing my helmut on a few rocks. So, I must have been moving, not stuck in a hole. So, I switched back to the other side for a "successful" left-handed roll. I was not to be denied. The set-up was marginal, but I went for it. Up I came. And when I was nearly flat again, a new gremlin in the water grabbed the left rear of my kayak and pulled my back under. That was enough for this old fart. I was in a small, man-made concrete circle, why push it? So, I wet exited to empty the kayak, get a brief rest, and go again.

"Not so fast", the water said to me. "We aren't done with you." I could not get into an eddy, and I was careening down stream, feeling hell-bent for something I did not choose. Alas, a raft guide brought his craft and his personal skills to my aid. (This guide acted a lot differently here at USNWC than the ones we encounter on many of the natural rivers.) He grabbed the kayak while simultaneously keeping his raft in an eddy. Hanging onto the raft, I was able to pull myself along his perimeter lines until I too, was in the eddy. With some great effort he got more than half the water out of the kayak, and returned it to me. Now I could get to shore and deal with an unfriendly concrete shoreline, empty the boat, take a rest and go one. I found David, waiting below the next drop, and we agreed he'd finish the run without me, ride the conveyor belt, and I might be ready to go upon his return.

After finishing the run, I remembered a critique from Ben Lawry. I, too often, was coasting and not paddling in rapids, as I often felt no need to. So, Ben's advice had come screaming back to me. We made several more runs as I paddled through the current, and nothing else even bothered me. If it fits you, too. Paddle on, Dude. Paddle on.

David's subsequent runs were not so uneventful, but that's another story.

PrecisionMania Debuted

2009-10-19T16:44:00.000-04:00

During Sweetwater Kayaks' Grand Re-Opening Sale and Celebration last Saturday we presented PrecisionMania as a warm-up act for Nigel Foster and his demo/class. It was quite a hit. Although several things went very wrong, we pulled it off successfully. Doing them as planned will just make it better.

We expect to be performing the show at least twice per month during the rest of the fall and the winter. Watch the calendars on both BigDsKayaking.com and SweetwaterKayaks.com for these events.

Bye!

PrecisionMania - Debut nears and roll disappears

2009-10-14T06:34:00.000-04:00

Last summer I went to a white water camp put on by a friend, someone I look up to a lot. I really wanted to represent myself well. Then, a month or more before the camp my bomb-proof rolls went haywire. And, they did not return very quickly.

Now, this fall, we are nearing the debut of PrecisionMania, and with great nervousness, my wife's left-handed roll has suddenly faltered. Amazing stuff, these nerves. Her rolls have been rock solid for years.

We fixed both problems similarly. In my case, I had developed bad habits of setting up weakly and rolling with my arms, not my torso. In Donna's case, her left-handed roll had a rotten set-up and the sweep had disappeared. In both cases, the setups and sweeps needed to get fixed. The setup was easy. Have someone see what is wrong, tell you, and you fix it. But, the sweep is harder to solve. Interestingly, both sweeps were fixed the same way. We worked on the part that initiates the sweep. And, the rest came back immediately.

The sweep can be initiated with your head and shoulders, not your arms. In this method, the forward ear leads by moving out over the forward shoulder trying to get behind it. Since it cannot get behind the shoulder, the shoulder then follows the ear/head movement, and the arms and torso come last.

Since we each already knew how to roll, it was easy to finish once we had gotten the proper body movement started.

So, if your roll is not as consistent as you'd like, maybe it is in your setup and/or sweep. Of course, if your rolling technique does not include a sweep, you may not want to add one now.

I must roll along now. Bye. :-)

Rainbow River - For One - Sunday, 10-4-09

2009-10-05T07:09:00.001-04:00

What a great day on the Rainbow River. Very few tubers. The boat ramp was nearly empty. The weather was wonderful. And, most of all the water was extra clear. I could even see the bottom in the Pole Hole - aka. Turtle Town. We also saw a few large gar fish just outside of Garfield. And we followed some fishing/eating otter as they cruised in the river below the takeout.

One one person went on the trip, the newly svelte Barbara. (She had lost 20 pounds since we saw her in late June.)

Remember, if only one paying customer is going on the trip - it will go.

The afternoon before it looked like we had 2 going. As is my policy, I called each to see if they wanted to go without a larger group and they both said yes, so the trip was on. Later, one person ran into difficulty, so it became just Barbara and I.

Stated another way, you can depend on any Big D event that is on our published calendar and in our newsletter. The newsletter is on Big Ds web site (calendar coming soon) , and both are currently on the Sweetwater Kayaks website.

PrecisionMania Practice

2009-10-01T13:10:00.001-04:00

Donna and I have about 15 hours of practice putting together the show for PrecisionMania. We will be taking it on the road around west central Florida and symposia along the east coast.

I've often heard tandem kayaks referred to as divorce boats. Well, tandems can't hold a candle to doing close together synchronized paddling. I think marriage counselors could promote this activity and get quite a spike in their business. After so many years together (No it really is a lot of years. It doesn't just seem like a lot.) much of our communication skills seem to have fallen into knowing what they other person meant rather than listening to what they said. But, when challenged to do something new, the flaws sure came out - fast. The first 4 or 5 hours were especially hard. I was furious with Donna and she had to be pretty fed up with me. After several practice sessions we finally talked about what was going wrong. While neither of us was perfect, I sure have fallen into a broad gap between what I thought I said, and what I really had said.

Now, we have moved on. The act is progressing. Our communication is still improving, but still has a long way to go. At the pace of my improvement, I wonder if I will be alive long enough to get it right. The saving grace is learning what we are expecting and just doing it.

We hope you get to see the show and enjoy it. We expect it to keep evolving, growing, and getting better. But, for now it is already filled with oohs, ahhs, ahas, and hahas.

Trip Photo - Egmont Key - 9-27-09

2009-09-29T23:22:00.015-04:00

Here are the last 4 to make it back. The early birds missed the photo.

It was great! Those that wanted to play, found waves a bit over 2 feet high. That means we occasionally lost sight of each other and shore. What a hoot.

Trip Review - Weeki Wachee 9-10-09

2009-09-15T01:10:00.073-04:00

Here are some photos provided by Cindy Turner. You can judge if we had any fun or not.

ACA Level 5 White Water Coach Training/Certification on the Ocoee River

2009-09-14T16:33:00.003-04:00

What a great weekend. My son, David, and I traveled to Tennessee to participate in this event. And it sure was worthwhile.

I had not paddled the full, lower Ocoee River and really wanted to. Just upstream is where they held the Olympic Kayaking in the late 90s. What a hoot! David and I had been invited to be guinea pigs for Level 4 coaches who were there for either a coach update or to get certified as a Level 5 coach. This was our first foray into water with this reputation. You see, I had many previous admonitions to be sure to avoid the nasty hole near the put-in, and the many dangerous spots further down. I started with a great deal of anxiety. I was fighting everything and in a survival mode from my own fear and imagination. One's mind can be a very scary place to be. But, after a few rapids I began to relax and really start enjoying things.

I learned a bunch. I especially liked learning to catch waves to assist crossing the fastest water in the river. They call this a ferry, but I always imagined a fairy was helping me. Go figure. We had a neat drill going down a class II rapid with our eyes shut and paddling or turning based on instructions from a partner behind us. That was a bit intimidating.

But the worst was solo, eyes-shut ferries. Not only would we cross without seeing, we were to go nearly straight across without letting the stong current force us downstream. My thought was, "You've got to be kidding!" But, they weren't. I would start in an eddy, look at and try to memorize the eddy line I had to cross, the current and waves in the river, and the eddy on the far side. Then I would shut my eyes and try to feel my way across the river. I only cheated a little on the way across and was immensely satisfied with myself. We were all amazed at how well we did. Even now, it is a stretch for me to imagine eyes-shut and crossing from still water into fast water, through waves in the fastest part of the river, back into smoother fast water, and then crossing another eddy line and safe in quiet water again. How sweet it was.

And, mostly I enjoyed the huge wave trains I encountered near the end of the trip. From the cockpit of my kayak the waves looked 4 or 5 times higher than they really were. This bit of deception makes the journey much more exciting than the view from shore would provide. The force of the river forced me downstream at a rapid pace and all the way up the face of what appeared to be a wave at least 3 times higher than I was. With the force of the river pushing me rapidly up hill, I could still muster the energy to try to boof off the crest and launch myself up and over the wave. I imagined I was Jonathon Livingston Seagull. If I had succeeded I would have fallen forever to crash in the trough way below. But, even with the help of the river, my boof was way too wimpy to pull off such a marvelous feat. And so were each of the other boofs I tried on the crests of those subsequent massive mountains of water. But, there is always the next trip to the wonderful Ocoee River.

Trip Review - Alafia River - 9-07-09

2009-09-10T23:08:00.001-04:00

Here are some photos from our trip.

Forward Stroke Tip

2009-08-25T10:43:00.000-04:00

My son, David, and I were recently paddling on the Hiwassee River, a lazy class II white water river in North Carolina. During our downstream adventure I noticed he had developed a bad and lazy habit. As a result, his forward stroke had lost tremendous power. He was lucky, being a young and very strong fellow, and on a lazy river, it had worked out for him. Here's what he had done. He had let his forward stroke become lazy. He did not extend his upper arm properly before, nor during the catch phase of the stroke. He had started each power phase of the stroke with his upper arm bent. Eegads! Can you imagine such a faupaux? His upper arm was supposed to be straight or nearly straight before he applied force in his forward stroke. But, it wasn't anywhere near straight. It was bent to less than 45 degrees. This resulted in the paddle face pointing down instead of back at the start of the power phase. He had lost a tremendous amount of his power and force. Thank goodness we caught it before he tried to do something that needed real power, much less the wasted energy he expended during each stroke. Upon seeing this I called a family council meeting. Neither of us got voted off the island, but I did share my observation with him. And, he immediately started working on it. So, if you have fallen into this habit, like David, and are not extending your upper arm before or during the catch phase of your forward stroke, stick it out there dude, and reap the benefits yourself. Update: David and I recently paddled the Nantahala, another easy Class II river, but not lazy at all. He had worked on extending his upper arm during the catch phase of his forward stroke and improved enormously. Now he had the power to move his kayak against the fairly fast current of this river. His ferry glides had become effortless. He powered his way boofing over rocks. And he powered his way through a hole that had been grabbing him lately.

Rolling Tip

2009-08-25T00:27:00.000-04:00

If you are having trouble with your Eskimo roll, pay attention to your set up. Get it right and the rest may follow well. Screw up the set up and the likelihood of a successful roll goes down tremendously.

I had a rolling class last week that reminded me of several rolling students I've had over the years. These students find it very difficult to get set up for a successful roll. By set up I mean getting into position for the rolling maneuver to proceed. Below you will find: a description of the most commonly taught set up position, and some tips to nail it perfectly every time.

The Set Up Position

There is some variation from coach to coach. But, for most types of rolling, while upside down, one must get both hands to one side of ones kayak with hands extended toward the sky. This is the same position that when done right side up, has one reaching down toward the bottom of the water you are in.

Tips:
• While learning, start right side up and get into the set up position. It is a good idea to have someone else hold your kayak as you learn this. When properly done, your weight will carry you over into the water. So, to start, have someone hold the boat.
• Notice how your forearms are touching the side of your kayak. Memorize that feeling.
• When set up properly, memorize how this feels. In your mind, break your position down into how various parts of your body feel. Here is what I notice when I am set up well. I notice a significant twisting to the side. I notice leaning far forward as well. And, when actually rolling, I can also feel the air as my hands are well clear of the water after I’ve rolled all the way over. I notice a strain as I reach for the sky. (It is a strain because I don’t stretch as often as I could.)
• Remember, while learning you should start out, right side up, exactly in the set up position. As you tip over into the water, maintain your exact position. Lock ALL of your muscles into this position. Again, notice exactly how your forearms feel touching the side of your kayak. Make sure your forearms stay in that same touching position. This ensures that your set up will be perfect after you have capsized while learning. By staying in this position you won’t have to figure anything out when upside down under water.
• Now you will be upside down. To make sure everything is good, stretch even further to the side and toward the sky. You are now ready to perform most rolls.

Problems:
• Some students refuse to keep their arms in contact with the kayak. To tip over, they lean to the side reaching out with their paddle to the sky. Some even exaggerate it with a lurch. This just makes things harder. Now they need to get back into the set up position.
• Some students relax as they tip over. They end up upside down, facing forward, with one hand on each side of the boat, as if they were just resting in their kayak. Now they have to get back into the set up position.
• Some students get disoriented when upside down. That is only a problem when they neither stayed in the set up position, nor memorized the feeling of a good set up. Memorize that feeling while right side up. Doing this will pay dividends down the road.
• If you lose the proper position, which is more likely when you are knocked over while paddling, kick in that memorized feeling. Remember it, then get into that position. It really is that easy. If you were weightless like an astronaut, and had no idea which direction was up, could you get into position to tie your shoe? Of course you could. You know that position. You could do it without your eyesight and without your hearing. You just know how to bend that way and how it feels. Learn that feeling when in a good set up position. That is all it takes to get back into a good set up position.

Trip Review - Withlacoochee River 6/16/09

2009-06-24T00:13:00.000-04:00

Comments: It was an adventure! Before the trip I was warned that the road I had selected to meet on may not be in very good condition. So, I called everyone and the morning of the event we met at a nearby spot. We discussed the potential challenge and who was and who was not up for the challenge. Then off we drove to the river - or not. Sure enough the road did not look so good. So we opted for an alternate put-in I had previously selected. By the way, I have this fantastic present from my kids, it is a road GPS. It is fantastic, but on the way to the alternate put-in it suffered from that dreaded problem: operator error. I'm really good without the GPS. And, I'm pretty good with it. Yet, when I try to use both the GPS and some common sense, it can be very interesting. So, for those in the caravan, their adventure began by following me. We eventually got to Withlacoochee River Park, our alternate put-in. This section of the river I had paddled before, that is before the drought and the recent rains. It turned out to be placid and serene, quiet and beautiful, a little work to find the best path, and then every once in a while, a blocked path. What had been a mostly open river, occasionally clogged with hydrilla, was now a bunch of twists and turns occasionally choked with sticks, logs, and trees. Well, maybe more that occasionally. Yet, we persevered. We turned around from our first direction and headed the opposite way. Then we went around, over or through several minor obstacles. I prefer to go through them. Somewhere along the way, we had our usual great lunch. After getting back to our put-in, we said good bye to new and old friends and a few of us went back out to practice some paddling skills.

I had advertised this as an exploration and to bring an adventurous spirit. It was and everyone did.

Original Write Up: This will be an out & back (no shuttle) exploration. It is an exploration because I have never been there. For this trip I will be a leader, not a guide. If you have a bit of an adventurous spirit inside yourself, and you'd like to paddle where very few groups go, then sign up for this unusual opportunity. Besides, even if I don't not know where I'm going I will still have a great lunch for you.

Alafia River - Downhill, In-the-shade - June 14, 2009

2009-06-22T02:20:00.000-04:00

Comments: The "Quickens" did not disappoint. Seven of us had a great time on the wonderful Alafia River. Yes, it was beautiful. Yes, we had fantastic weather. And, yes, we hit the water level just right. You see, some of the time, the water is so low you must get out and walk the shallow "quickens". And then some of the time the water is quite high, and fast, and you just experience a fast section where the quickens are. But, on this wonderful trip, the water was just right. I felt a little like Goldilocks. The water was not too high, not too low, just right. Which gave us a safe, but fun path down stream. As we approached each quicken, I scouted to find the best path. Paddlers were free to take the way I went or try something else. One quicken finished in a small wave train. That was pretty cool. One quicken has a visible drop, which can be fun. (Actually, a drop is not visible. Most of the time you can see the river in front of you. With a drop, it looks somewhat like the end of the earth.) As you approach it, all you see is the edge of the drop off. You don't have much of an idea how high it is. Of course this is the Alafia, so it can't be too high. Then as you get closer you have a better idea. And, when you finally can see it all, suddenly you have to select which way to go. Whoopee! Or, you relax and just watch me. the trip was a real hoot.

Original Write Up: If there is such a thing in central Florida, this river is fairly swift. It even has small sets of rapids. Okay, okay, okay. Maybe they aren't really rapids. Maybe we should call them "quickens" instead of rapids. At any rate, If the water level is just right, we'll find as many as 10 sets of class 1 whitewater rapids. Don't get too excited, class 1 is the lowest class of white water. Even without any "quickens" this is still a wonderful river to go down. We'll even have some water cannons if you don't bring your own.