Northwest Paddling

Cedar Race Next Weekend!

Sam Drevo — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:28:22 +0000

Come make 2010 a record year for not only the “most participants” but the “most recreational racers” at the Cedar Whitewater Races! Drag all your paddling friends with you!! Information below or go to www.nwwhitewater.org

The WASHINGTON KAYAK CLUB PRESENTS….

CEDAR RIVER WHITEWATER RACES

MARCH 13-14, 2010

This event is Northwest Cup Race #1 for Slalom and Downriver and is a USA Regional Team qualifying event for Juniors, Seniors and Masters. It’s also just a lot of fun and a perfect event for those new to slalom racing. The race is open to all ages of boaters and types of whitewater craft. The Cedar River is class II+. Flow will be 390 cfs. Flow and river information is available from the American Whitewater website at: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/2078/

Location: Landsburg Bridge – where the Cedar River crosses the Issaquah-Hobart Road. Adjacent to the City of Seattle park at the Cedar River Watershed and the King County Regional Cedar River trail. Home of the League of Northwest Whitewater Racers permanent slalom training site about 40 minutes east of Seattle.

Cost: $25/racer ($5.00 discount with proof of ACA membership (most WKC members are ACA members). FREE to Spectators and Volunteers! Special deals for Juniors!

SCHEDULE – Downriver races on Saturday and Slalom races on Sunday. The course is open for practice all day Saturday and Sunday until 10:30 am (Practice gates are always up – race course will be set on Friday afternoon if enough folks are available. E-mail me if you can help! Otherwise will be done Saturday morning - if you come help, should be done in an hour.

Saturday – March 13

Registration – 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

11:00 am – Downriver sprint runs

12:00 pm – Boater Cross sprint event??

3:00 pm – Downriver Classic race

Sunday, March 14

2:00 am — Daylight savings – Don’t forget to move your clock ahead one hour!!

9:00 am – Late registration ($5.00 extra fee)

10:00 am – Registration closes

10:45 am – Racer’s Meeting

11:30 am – Morning Runs

1:30 pm – Afternoon Runs

3:00 pm – Team Runs

AWARDS – following course take-down

VOLUNTEERS always needed and appreciated:

Course Construction on Friday or early Saturday morning
Timers for the Downriver sprint and classic races on Saturday
Judges and Timers for the Slalom race on Sunday
Registration assistance on Saturday

THE CEDAR RIVER RACES are organized by the Washington Kayak Club www.washingtonkayakclub.org and the League of Northwest Whitewater Racers www.nwwhitewater.org

Sanctioned by the American Canoe Association: www.americancanoe.org

With specials thanks to Seattle Public Utilities

Save our riparian zones!

Sam Drevo — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:20:06 +0000

Hello Columbia Land Trust Volunteers!

In the coming months, we have scheduled several volunteer work parties that you may be interested in attending. They are listed below:

Pine Planting at Rowena Wilds just east of Hood River, OR. Saturday, February 27 from 10 AM to 3 PM.
Holly, Laurel, and Ivy removal at Crooked Creek near Rosburg, WA. Friday, March 12 from 10 AM to 3 PM.
Planting and Weed Control at Germany Creek near Longview, WA. Saturday, March 27 from 10 AM to 3 PM.
Weed Control at Little White Salmon Biodiversity Reserve near White Salmon, WA. Friday, April 9 from 10 AM to 3 PM.

If you are interested in attending any of these work days, send an email to volunteer@columbialandtrust.org or call (360) 213-1215 for specific details regarding location, what you’ll want to bring, and potential carpooling opportunities.

Additionally, I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Kelly Kay and I’ll be working for the year as Columbia Land Trust’s volunteer coordinator. I’m sure I’ll get the chance to meet many of you at events, work parties, and site steward visits in the coming months. In the meantime, if you’d like to introduce yourself, ask any questions, or express any concerns, please feel free to email me at kkay@columbialandtrust.org or call me at (360) 213-1215.

Raft Camp- Great Opportunity

Sam Drevo — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 01:46:13 +0000

UCWWF / ORG RAFT CAMP

When: May 1-2, 2010: 10am (both days)

Location: Carter Bridge (Hwy 224) 15mi upstream from Estacada, Or.

As a part of the Upper Clackamas Whitewater Festival and the High School Race

we are putting on a raft camp — two days of River Safety and awareness training for the unitiated.

While this camp is designed mainly for high school aged kids, adults are encouraged to participate.

We teach basic boating and rescue skills

Proper fitting and wearing of PFD’’s, swimming rapids, using throw ropes to rescue and be rescued, proper techniques to pull swimmers back into a boat, how to properly sit in the raft and effectively use a paddle, paddling commands, and working as part of the team.

Our main goal is to prepare our ‘campers to race in the festival be comfortable doing so.

We give them as much on the water paddling experience as daylight allows including several

runs over Carter Falls with the last trip of the day going from Fish Creek to Toilet Bowl.

Camp Instructors are experienced proffessional whitewater river guides with much emphasis on safety. We provide the boats, PFD’s, guides, and support crew. Campers provide their own wet suits and bring a lunch. They are invited to participate both days.

The cost of raft camp for the high schoolers is covered by contributions and the cost for adults is $50 ea. Two days of rafting and instruction – What a bargin!!!

If you know of anyone who would enjoy this experience, please have them call

Dan @503-888-0569 or email rivermandan2698@yahoo.com

Interesting info about cameras and waterfalls

Sam Drevo — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:30:10 +0000

As of late I have had two cameras get minor water leakages. I did a little research back to my College Physics Book and Hydraulics Books to reeducate myself in some old principles.

In the end the height of the drop (water fall) equals is the same as the water depth for a camera. Example, if Husem Falls is 10 feet in height, then going over it would create a velocity equal to the pressure of approximately 10 feet in water depth when hitting the surface. Not taken in to consideration is aired water for this calculation, unusual pressure of strong currents or high drops (Like 50 plus feet). If you have camera rated for 10 feet then going over Horseshoe Fall might bring a leak over time.

In the future, I will need a container or bag for my cameras. This is just a little food for thought if you want to increase your camera life!

Anthony Boesen- NW Kayaker extrodinaire

Team River Runner Video

Sam Drevo — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:43:49 +0000

Check out this story that just came out from a TV station in Chicago. It highlights the life and story of one of the BVA vets that TRR PDX worked with rafting and kayaking this summer.

http://www.wgntv.com/news/medicalwatch/

This one goes more direct.

http://www.wgntv.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=c4cb8c7e-990e-44c5-869c-e0078a97217d&src=front

Help support the Wild Image Project

Sam Drevo — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:23:23 +0000

Daniel Fox was one of our pioneer paddler / guides for the Century Paddle last summer, and was an aid supporter of the Clackamas River Cleanup. He is a great guy who is ambitious and a great shot with the camera. He is setting out to embark on a 6 month journey to South America, and needs your help. Please check out his website and support the cause. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thewildimageproject/2010-argentina-expedition

More to raffle coming soon. Stay tuned!!

Tickets start at $25

I am leaving on Feb. 11th for about 6 to 7 months. First stop will be LaPaz, Baja for 10 days of sea kayaking and photography with Gray Whales. Then 2 to 3 weeks on a sailboat for more photography. Then, I will be heading to Argentina for about 6 months. Working in collaboration with Fundacion Vida Sylvestre and Parques National, I will spend 6 months to photograph and report about endemic threatened and endangered species.

While I am out on expedition, I will post 2 to 4 entries per month. Each entry will be like the one posted last week on the Snowshoeing Trip, with photos/video/story (www.kontain.com/thewildimageproject). They will appear on Kontain, Planet Explore, iWend and Spot Adventure. A new website has been in the works www.thewildimageproject.com It acts like a console, where viewers can follow the expedition in almost real time. Each day will be tracked through Spot. Photos will be posted through Flickr and will feed the gallery. Videos will be posted on Vimeo and will appear on the site. Entries will be promoted through Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you very much for you support. It is greatly appreciated.

1st Day in Costa Rica- oh so warm!

Sam Drevo — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 02:54:45 +0000

Meet Arturo Oropeza- our masterful Costa Rican partner who wows, and dazzles all of our students. I was met at the airport by his big smile, and new this years trips were going to be better than ever. A late night red eye from Portland flew through Newark, and on to San Jose. Did a bunch of Roll practice in the pool with Ciado, and we all headed to the canopy tour tomorrow. Then off to several of Costa Rica’s best rivers! Next week we will be working with a bunch of kids (age 9-14) so it is time to go scout all the sections before they arrive. If you are reading this from North America- sorry- it is 85 degrees right now, and NICE!

If you are interested in Costa Rica 2010, drop me a line at sam@eNRGkayaking.com.

Drink for River Stewardship Dec 10th!

Rod — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:41:06 +0000

Head to Pizzicato Pizza’s new sustainably-built restaurant at SE Division & 21st and ask them to pour you a pint of Fish Brewing’s organic Willamette Riverkeeper Paddler Pale ale! This eatery was constructed of recycled materials.

Enjoy gourmet pizza & cold organic ale! All proceeds on December 10th benefit Willamette Riverkeeper’s efforts to restore Oregon’s Willamette River. There’ll be a special get together from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Where: Pizzicato at SE 21st & Division (across from New Seasons)

American Whitewater Video

Sam Drevo — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:37:05 +0000

Check out this video from American Whitewater! Support these folks:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dw5u2WA_6Q

Learn the River the 28th

Rod — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:49:46 +0000

OK, you’ve learned the basics in the pool. You’ve done the strokes, dialed in your outfitting, and you know what it’s like to be under water in the kayak. Maybe you’ve done a few rolls. NOW, it’s time to take it to the elements. Northwest River Guides will introduce you and your new found skills to the river! We’ll introduce you to river features like eddies, pour overs, rivulets, and even a standing wave while you learn skills in the elements!

As a Northwest River Guides student, you’ll learn fundamental skills like peel outs, eddy turns and ferries. Using these skills allows kayakers to be the most maneuverable craft on the river, avoiding rocks and other obstacles and heading where you intend. You’ll learn about river hazards & obstacles, self rescue, river scouting, etc. We’ll teach you on class 1-2 rapids, which should help build your confidence. These are the green circles of kayaking. You’ll need to have had a pool class or NRG’s introductory class to qualify for this lesson.

Date: November 28th

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Equipment provided. Call 503-772-1122 to reserve your place!