INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Transcription
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Paddler Tattler INSIDE THIS ISSUE (Click links to jump) Calendar January Events North Chick Access TVCC Roll Practice Movie Night Winter Workshops Trip Reports Yoga with Jackson Kayak Sea Kayaking Overnighters Curious what this is all about? Come to TVCC’s Movie Night on January 24th and watch Nobody’s River, along with several other paddling films! Photo Credit: Justin Clifton (nobodysriver.org) JANUARY 2015 Sun Dec 28 Mon 29 Tues 30 Wed 31 TVCC Roll Practice @ Downtown YMCA Thurs Jan 1 Fri Sat 2 3 9 10 New Year’s Day Huckfest @ Baby Falls Sea Kayaking Florida Trip 4 5 6 7 8 Sea Kayaking Sandhill Cranes 11 12 TVCC Roll Practice @ Downtown YMCA 18 13 14 Outdoor Chattanooga Roll Practice @ SAU 19 20 26 27 16 17 Guidebook Party: Whitewater of SE Appalachians 21 Board Meeting, 6pm, Outdoor Chattanooga 25 15 22 23 Outdoor Chattanooga Winter Workshop: Know Your Knots with TVCC 28 29 24 Movie Night @ Dumpy’s 30 31 TVCC Roll Practice @ Downtown YMCA The Paddler Tattler January 2015 2 Y R A U TS N JA EN EV January 20th—Board Meeting *** 6pm. (C). All members are welcome! Come see what the board does during our monthly meetings. Enjoy dinner and drinks afterwards. All paddling trips are weather and water dependent. It is mandatory that trip leaders be notified by phone by the Wednesday prior to the trip if you plan to attend. This will allow the trip leader to notify you of any changes made. January 22nd—Outdoor Chattanooga Winter Workshop Series: Know Your Knots Most events are detailed on the calendar section of the tvcc website. 6:30pm, Outdoor Chattanooga (Coolidge Park). (C). Free workshop open to all skill levels. Learn about all kinds of knots and rope work from Mike Shillinger. For more information, see page 8. January 24th—Movie Night December 28th, January 11th & 25th—TVCC Roll Practice 4-6pm, (WW). Downtown YMCA. Must provide all equipment. Boats must be clean. TVCC Membership Required. $5 for ACA Members (with number), $10 for non-ACA Members. For full listing of dates and details, see page 6. January 13th—Outdoor Chattanooga Roll Practice 7-8 or 8-9pm, (WW). Southern Adventist University Hulsey Wellness Center. $2 fee to use the pool, $10 for non-members for roll practice. For full listing of dates and details, see page 11. Contact the trip leader for specific training trip meeting times. WW = Whitewater S = Sea Kayaking C = Club Event ON = Overnight Canoe Camping 6pm. (C). TVCC will be holding a club movie night on January 24th (Saturday Night) at Dumpy’s on Hwy 64 in Ocoee. Check the Yahoo Group for more details as the event nears. In Decmeber, TVCC Member Chad Christopher became a part of Team Jackson. Congratulations! In the picture to left, Chad takes a strong boof on his way to conquering the Triple Crown on the Green. Click to see his profile on the Jackson Kayak Website. January 16th—Guidebook Release Party A celebration for the release of Kirk Eddlemon’s Whitewater of the SE Appalachians. Check the Yahoo Group and Facebook for further details. The Paddler Tattler January 2015 3 Apply for ACA Certification by Mike Shillinger TVCC is looking for club members that are willing to step up and become part of the clubs’ outstanding ACA qualified training staff. If you are interested in attending ACA Instructor Qualification in White Water Kayak, White Water Canoe, Coastal Sea Kayak, Stand Up Paddleboard, and Swift Water Rescue, now is your opportunity to apply for a club scholarship. Applicants should have experience in the venue in which they are applying and understand the ACA requirements to become fully qualified instructors. The club is willing to invest in you! The board will review all applicants and the Safety & Training Chair will work with the selectees to schedule upcoming training. Follow the instructions on the application and return it to the Secretary ([email protected]) no later than March 1st, 2015. Click here for the application. From the Editor President’s Corner Over the last year especially, I’ve learned that kayaking requires patience. Well folks, it’s that time of year…Creeking Season! Many of us have already gotten in some great runs and PFDs, and we are just in January! That means we can look forward to more time on the water over the next couple of months. Patience in waiting for the water to rise, and equally as important, patience in waiting for water to fall. No matter how many times you refresh the online gauge, the level is not going to change any faster. Patience when you’re helping coach others down rivers for the first time. Patience when you’re coordinating with a group (or leading it). Patience in making plans. It’s a logistical jungle out there! Patience in appreciating the scenery of the river around you no matter what. Patience in balancing a paddling obsession with the people in your life that you love, but who don’t understand your constant draw to the flow of the river. Patience in knowing that the rivers will still be there, because it seems there’s always water when you have to be somewhere else. For this month of the newsletter, patience. Patience when exciting articles don’t quite materialize in time, and patience when the software doesn’t cooperate. Patience to know that everything will fit on the page. Patience is hard. Patience is something to work on in the new year. There is never perfection (although you can get close), but it usually works out in the end. Be patient, and go find that adventure! Meryl Stark, Newsletter Editor However, do not let the excitement of creeking let you forget some basic precautions. Last month I got a friendly reminder about checking your first aid kit with some frequency before you need it. So first I ask, “Do you have a first aid kit?” then, ”Do you actually carry it with you on the river?” I can say “Yes” and “Yes” to both questions, because when I went to open mine when I needed it, the ibuprofen was smashed and wet and the whole inside of my dry box had water in it. Upon further investigation mold had begun to grow so it did not just happen that day. In this instance, I was fortunate; I was looking for ibuprofen and bandages and had waited to the take out to look for them. Luckily, I was able to snag what I needed from my fantastic crew, whose first aid kits were not wet. As many of us paddle through creeking season and even for those waiting until warmer times, when was the last time your checked your first aid kit? Have you thought about whether the bag, box, bottle, etc. that you keep it in is right for you? Finally, what’s missing from your first aid kit? Happy & Safe Creeking! Ashley Teel, Vice President The Paddler Tattler January 2015 4 Cain Creek Access A Project of the NCCC The Cain Creek Access Project is a $90k campaign led by the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy (with a little help from our friends). TVCC Members have collectively donated $467 to the effort between the Chattanooga Brewing Fundraiser Event and Christmas Party. WHY THIS MATTERS For years, Cain Creek and North Chickamauga Creek have served as the entryway for local creek boaters. As it sits just north of town, North Chick provides an entry in to a long line of fantastic–and difficult–whitewater. Like so many local boaters, I ran North Chickamauga Creek and learned what creeks required and provided, and I enjoy the luxury of having a challenging 8-mile section of Class IV-V whitewater that I can run after work when the weather cooperates. In the last ten years, access to the creek has shifted dramatically. We used to walk past a tattered “No Trespassing” sign with no resistance. Several years ago, those signs were updated and multiplied when the property became a militia training center. The access to the Rock House section has improved thanks to the efforts of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, but this more remote access cuts off some of the best drops on the creek: Mandatory Portage, Drainpipe, Big Splat, and Vortex. Map of Barker Camp Property that is proposed for purchase. Tyler Head, a good friend of the paddling community, Paddlers enjoy the rapids of the North Chickamauga Creek. Successful funding of this project will make this local gem more accessible. has graciously allowed us to park on his property, and we appreciate his generosity. We also see the toll that it takes on a nice day when the creek is running. While Tyler remains patient, we foresee the day when the number of boaters or the behavior of a few compromises this access. WHAT WE ARE DOING On Thursday, December 5, we invited the local paddling community to come and hear about our proposed purchase of 0 Barker Camp Road. With little notice, we had a participation of roughly 100 boaters at our gathering, including folks from Knoxville. We raised an initial $1300 toward the project, and we have several individuals and organizations who have committed to helping with the project. Thursday morning brought some promising news as well. After hearing of our recent efforts, the Benwood Foundation offered $10,000 toward the project, contingent on matched The Paddler Tattler January 2015 5 funds from another organization. It is our hope that this contingency can be used to leverage a donation from another local foundation. We are very excited about this initial burst of support, but we realize that this is going to be a long journey, and we cannot do it alone. We appreciate TVCC’s support, and we hope that we can keep communication open as we strategize and move forward. WHAT YOU CAN DO 1) Donate — A donation of any amount helps us get closer to our goal. It also helps us fundraise with larger organizations that want to see a project have an impact on a large group of people. If we have robust local support, we have greater credibility with larger donors and organizations. 2) Share — Whether by word of mouth or social media, spread the word about the exciting opportunity for NCCC and the community. While we are focused on Cain Creek, we are also investigating ways to open access to North Chickamauga Creek throughout its serpentine path to the river. The Cain Creek property would serve as the pinnacle of the BlueWay, a series of creek access points that would serve the entire community. 3) Volunteer — We love our donors, and we cherish our volunteers. We have a few exciting projects that will involve a good amount of work hours, and we appreciate any help we can get. If you are interested in a volunteer opportunity, contact Tim Laramore at [email protected]. TVCC Presents Winter Roll Practice! TVCC’s indoor roll practice continues Sunday, December 28th! LOCATION Downtown Chattanooga YMCA 301 W. 6th Street TIME 4 to 6 pm COST $5 (with ACA Membership) TVCC Membership Required ACA Membership Recommended, otherwise must be purchased for the event for an additional $5. Send Don Fletcher an email by Thursday evening ([email protected]) with Roll Practice as the subject so that we can get an estimated head count – need 10 particpants to hold the session. Include your ACA number if you have one. Also include if you want to work with certified kayak instructors. The club will ask for help based on the replies. If you are not a member of ACA, you can join at ACA website (Be sure to select PAC Individuals and Families) - $30 for an individual or $40 for a family. You can also join online for just one roll practice for $5. Either way send your ACA membership number to Don. Final option is to bring an TVCC’s first indoor roll practice on Sunday, December 14th was a huge success! 27 paddlers (including some new members) came to play and practice in the pool. extra $5 to roll practice– exact change or Don keeps the excess as a tip. Insurance only covers participants; therefore, don’t bring anyone else. Additional Roll Practice sessions are planned for January 11th & 25th, and February 8th & 22nd. **Dates are subject to change, and minimum participation is required to hold the practice. The Paddler Tattler January 2015 6 Movie Night at Dumpy’s by Rebecca Hendrix & LaDawn Wolfe Your NonPaddling Cruisemasters and Vice Prez have been wanting to go to the movies, and we want you to come too! Our friend Julie Thorton and Dumpy’s have agreed to let us host a movie night....because winter days are short, and you can’t boat at night. So come out and have a brew or a few and enjoy some paddling porn. We’ve got Steve Fisher‘s latest project, Hanging Spear: Headwaters of the Hudson, Nobody’s River, and some NRS short films including Ben Marr’s Dream. Movie time starts at 6pm at Dumpy’s in Ocoee, Tennessee. You will need a VALID ID and CASH to attend this event. The Paddler Tattler January 2015 7 Winter Workshop Series Thursdays @ Outdoor Chattanooga A classroom based workshop series designed to further connect you with the outdoors! injury during outdoor pursuits. The class is a free introduction to a longer series of classes that Jayne will be teaching during the late winter and spring. Thursdays in January & February at 6:30pm Cost: Free with pre-registration | $15 walk-up Outdoor Chattanooga 200 River Street (in Coolidge Park) Cost: Free For more information, contact Outdoor Chattanooga. www.outdoorchattanooga.com; 423-643-6888 JANUARY 15—EASE INTO YOGA: AN INTRODUCTION TO PURNA YOGA Join certified yoga instructor Jayne Cagle for a gentle introduction to purna yoga, a practice that focuses on correcting imbalances and realigning the body to prevent This free workshop is open to all skill levels and will focus on basic knots and ropes used on the river, as well as an overview of the types of anchors and mechanical advantage systems used in river rescue situations. Everybody will get to throw a rope and learn to properly re-coil that rope for that potentially life-saving second throw! About the Instructor: Mike Shillinger is an ACA Level 4 Swift Water Rescue Instructor and has been involved with the TVCC Safety Program since 2008. http://tvccpaddler.com/event/rescue-ropes-knots-and-zdrag-class/ About the Instructor: Jayne Cagle is a Certified Purna Yoga Instructor at the 2000 hour level. She has practiced Purna Yoga since 2004 and is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Her specialty is inspiring students to connect with their joyful selves as they move. JANUARY 22—KNOW YOUR KNOTS: ESSENTIAL KNOTS FROM Z-DRAGS TO ROOF RACK TIE DOWNS JANUARY 29—FIRE BY FRICTION A primitive skills demonstration by Joshua McKinley, a local outdoor enthusiast and graduate of Tom Brown Junior’s Tracker School. Joshua will share his expertise with the essential skills for creating fire by friction with a bow drill and with flint and steel and provide information how you can set up your own friction sets. Details on February programs will be published in next month’s issue, or check them out online! The Paddler Tattler January 2015 8 Trip Reports Where’s the Chairlift Portage Trail (12/7) by Meryl Stark Adventures with our Members It finally rained on a weekend! With lots on the menu, I found myself at LRC for the third time, almost exactly a year after my PFD. It was running bigger than both of my previous runs: more water, more fluff, more fun! Estimated around 1500 cfs. This trip was brought to us by Brian Swafford, who’s always up for some Sunday action, along with Stephanie Whiting (PFD), JD Keener (PFD), Flyin’ Brian Flaitz, Kenny Warwick, Doug Peace, Cristy Pennington-Cox, and Nick the Flying Squirrel C1 from Atlanta (PFD). Before we started down to the river, I made sure that JD had someone to follow down the trail, and then I ran off, boat in tow, in the wrong direction. It wasn’t until I heard JD’s voice in the distance that I realized the not-so-familiar looking trail was, indeed, the wrong trail. Fighting gravity, I begrudgingly schlepped my boat and gear back up the incline, where I ran into a guy with a bright green boat. He said he was joining us because he missed his group, and wanted to walk down with me. Giving full disclosure of my recent mishap, and waiving all future responsibility for navi-guessing, Nick the C1 joined us. Tellico PFD & Baby Falls Hucking (12/7) 5. Get all the way out of the cold water after a swim; don’t sit in the water. LOL. 6. I really need to work out more! We reached the scouting spot for the first Class IV rapid, Eddy Out aka Blue Hole, and everyone but Nick got out to plot our courses. The line is straightforward, but dangerous undercuts taunt wayward boaters. Kenny demonstrated the perfect line, and everyone followed suit. Even though she was a little nervous, Stephanie completely rocked it: loose hips and strong strokes! We broke the rapid down into several steps, and that helped us run down smoothly. I did Baby Falls with the plastic on the bottom, Crack-In-TheRock with the human bit on the bottom, and the bottom of said rapid with the human bit separated from the plastic bit after drinking half the river. I’m whipped, but happy! After more boogie water and Class IIIs, the second major feature is Bottleneck; also a Class IV. After probing a bit, and quickly jutting into an eddy on river right, it was time to get out and scout once more. Just to be safe, we eddied out a bit Rachel Roman reflects or her PFD (Personal First Descent) of the Tellico and Baby Falls. by Rachel Roman First time Tellico today: taught me some important lessons: 1. You do not have to be upside down for a rock to chew your shoulder. Ouch. 2. Bracing off the bottom is a terrible idea. Ouch. 3. When Mack says, “Get right!” Make it happen. 4. Don’t forget your offside roll. The Paddler Tattler January 2015 9 early, and some of us floated our boats through a protected pool to a better launch point. Somehow during this process, I managed to whack my calf on a rock and get a beautiful black and blue battle wound. It’s not swimming if it was planned, right? After my first glimpse of Bottleneck, I confirmed that the level was meatier than any other time I’d been. Water was foaming and churning over and through the namesake feature; the brown color of rock was not visible under the liquid. The face of the infamous BFBoD (Big Flat Boulder of Death) was obvious; and the current in the entrance rapid looked extrapushy. Definitely higher than when I ran it last December. Scouting a rapid is like solving a puzzle, except that you only have one shot. But you can send a probe down first.Nick and Flyin’ Brian were up to the task. I had my suspicions that it would be easier this time, as the extra water made a wider lane. Nick’s line wasn’t a straight shot; he thought about boofing the bottleneck but aborted at the last second. After watching Flyin’ Brian nail the right line, I was ready. I’d done it twice before, flipped twice, and rolled twice. The extra water seemed to make it extra flushy. I scampered to my boat, and as I launched, I felt some of my confidence wash downstream. I had spent a lot of time scouting the meat, but not as much on the entrance. After some deliberation and trying to ask for beta from the peanut gallery, I picked a line, and paddled down. I dropped the bottleneck right where I wanted to, and dug in through the turbulent foam pile washout, running Bottleneck upright for the first time! I hung out in the eddy and watched Kenny, Christy, and JD run it successfully, as well as Nick’s and Brian’s second laps. Those who portaged and photographed joined up with us at the bottom. There was definitely a collective post-Bottleneck exhale among our ranks. Verdict: Bottleneck itself is easier at higher levels because the drop and crease start to wash out, and a line towards the right side of the main drop opens up. However, the entrance is harder and much pushier. A bad day in the entrance rapid could mean a very bad day downstream: possibly pinning above and/or being swept into the BFBoD. Proceed with cautious confidence. The remainder of the run was pure fun with excellent scenery, especially the rock shelves and small waterfalls coming into the canyon. If you haven’t been to LRC yet, it’s definitely a good one to hit. Ocoee First Timers Class of 2014, I’m looking at you. With the exception of the two walkable Class IVs, it’s a scenic II/ III drop-pool canyon run rife with wave trains and nifty rock features. A few play spots too. Easily accessible from Chattanooga, Atlanta, and of course, Bama. We capped the day off with a scenic drive to the overlook of the falls, where Stephanie scouted a raft line and ran into Meryl Stark paddles through the Entrance to Bottleneck on LRC Chairlift. (Photo: Doug Peace) friends from her Grand Canyon trip. It’s a small world out on the river! Uphill Hiwassee River (12/10) by Spence Lycan Go Joe and some other schmo (OK, Mr. Unknown is probably a good guy but that Joe-schmo thing was just too good to pass up) reputedly paddled the Hiwassee from Reliance’s Polk County Park ramp seven miles upstream to the standard commercial parking lot put-in ramp. It was said to have been a pure water adventure, butts in boats, no feets moving no boats uphill at any point. Eight hours defying gravity, heavy The Paddler Tattler January 2015 10 hauling happiness. Yesterday I did Hiwassee Uphill Light, three and onehalf hours of stinking hell, from the Reliance ramp until quitting to to eat lunch (canned pear halves in heavy syrup) and nose-surf a bit at the Bungle Through the Jungle’s major rapid. The release level was 2,000 and small change, a bit above the standard release level. Don’t know how much that higher release level helped with more water in shallow spots, or hurt more with stronger currents. My kayak was a Corsica S, not quite eleven feet of happiness. My blade was an Aqua Bound, straight aluminum shaft, plastic blades, cheap and durable. Didn’t bother me to whack and whale with that blade, to better git’r upstream. To defeat wide-tongue meat, long ferries rewarded endurance and efficient strokes. Scrambling through shallows, it was catch-as-catch can, throwing quick stabs in front of rocks and sedge grass clumps, on boulders, crabbing off too much wood, flailing to get further uphill. Rarely pretty, always exhausting. How long can you defy four, five and seven knots current? My trip wasn’t Pure Paddling, as it included two Dragons, one Crotch Crunch and two Ledge Leaps, all involved using four paws to get the Corsica S further upstream. The draggings were five boat lengths and two boat lengths, both times stop strapped by the power of aquatic gravity. The Crotch crunch maneuver involved sidling next to horizontal tree trunk, standing up in boat, getting out onto said wooden device, sliding boat below it, re-entering boat on upstream side of tree. Ledge leaps involved de-boating, dropkicking the plastic fantastic 29 inches vertical then re-entering. Every time I chose four paw drive, the Trip would have been over if I hadn’t gotten out and wrassled the boat further upstream. Outdoor Chattanooga Roll Practice Fall/Winter Roll and Kayak Skills practice will take place on select Tuesdays at Southern Adventist University’s Hulsey Wellness Center. There are two sessions—7pm and 8pm. Anticipate only being in the water for one session; if it is busy, the pool gets crowded quickly. • • • • January 13th February 3rd, 10th March 3rd April 7th, 14th Note: Southern Adventist’s dress code emphasizes modesty and cleanliness. Please wear modest workout and pool apparel, including one-piece swimsuits. Hulsey Wellness Center 4870 University Drive Collegedale, TN 37315 https://www.southern.edu/wellness/Pages/default.aspx For more information, contact Outdoor Chattanooga. 423-643-6888 or [email protected]. Admission to the pool is $2, and roll class is $10/person for non-members. Non-members must provide their own gear. Outdoor Chattanooga annual membership are $75/individual or $125/family. First session is free for new participants. Boats and gear should be dropped off at the door at the back side of the Hulsey Wellness Center, to the right of the track, next to the heating and air units. Outdoor Chattanooga staff will bring your boat to the pool. Your kayak must be clean in order to bring it into the pool. Uphill paddling, sport or masochism? You be the Hoss. The Paddler Tattler January 2015 11 Calling for Help First Aid with Larry Many of our favorite runs, Ocoee, Nantahala, and Tellico, are roadside. Assistance is readily available. But what happens when you are not roadside and you either don’t have a cell phone, or there is no coverage? Even if you do have a cell phone, do you know where you are? Can you direct rescuers to your location? What are your options? by Larry Boothby In my recent articles, I’ve talked about the need to potentially call for outside rescue help. In most US locations that means 911, but we all know that cellular coverage can be spotty in areas. Especially in the places we like to paddle, not to mention that most of us are loath to take a cell phone on the river where it can be easily destroyed. Luckily in this day and age of modern electronics we have two options. The SPOT Satellite Messenger, or the Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). If used properly both of these devices can save your life, but they are two very different pieces of technology, so you need to know what distinguishes them. SPOT SATELLITE MESSENGER SPOT is a for-profit satellite messenger service. It is used to send and receive emails and text messages from the backcountry. As part of the service, it also can send an emergency call for help using the GEOS satellite system. One of the advantages of the SPOT system is that it can send a constant string of GPS position updates that can be accessed by friends/family through the web. They can literally follow your trip on an internet map. You can also post on social media using your SPOT. Some of them have smartphone interface capability. All of this can be used to assist in locating you, should you have an emergency. Some of the down sides include battery usage, fees, and potential coverage limitations. If it is sending tracking signals then it is constantly using the battery, and it may die just when you need to call for help. SPOT service is not free; there is a subscription fee. You have to pay various fees for different services including the emergency tracking. They may also hit you up to buy “insurance”. The system uses on a low power 1610 Mhz transmitter that requires a clear line of site to the sky. Finally, because the satellites are privately owned, there is not worldwide coverage, and there is a wait time for the satellite to pass overhead. Having said all this, SPOT is and effective tool if used properly, and there have been many documented rescues made using the SPOT messenger system. PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACON (PLB) Unlike SPOT, PLBs are dedicated emergency devices. PLBs, EPIRBS (for ships at sea), and ELTs (for aircraft), all use the world wide COSPAS/SARSAT system. The COSPAS/ SARSAT constellation is a system of both low earth orbit, and geostationary satellites as part of a search and rescue program operated by 41 countries. In the US the program is administered by NOAA. The Fast Find is an example of a PLB. For inland emergencies, the US Air Force Rescue Coordination Center receives and processes the signals from PLBs and ELTs. The transmitter sends a high power 5 watt signal on 406 MHz. What this means is that the signal is more likely to reach the satellite if you are under tree cover or in a steep canyon, which are areas where we will most likely be paddling. Like the SPOT, it sends your GPS coordinates, but it also sends out a distress signal on 121.5 MHz. This signal can be tracked by aircraft, and they can find you using direction finders. Some PLBs also come with strobe lights. Of course, none of this is cheap. My locator cost me $300 when I bought it. That is about twice the cost of a SPOT, but there is no subscription fee. You do need to register your PLB with NOAA every two years, and you will have to send the unit back to the manufacturer for battery replacement. The dates are listed on the back of the device. This can be costly. The Paddler Tattler January 2015 12 CONCLUSIONS Obviously I’m a fan of the PLB. The system is worldwide, it has been around for years and years. It is a dedicated emergency device. The SPOT is a messenger with an emergency function. It is operated by a private, for-profit company. The coverage is not worldwide. In my opinion it is more of a gimmick. Having said that, the SPOT has a good history of rescues, and has other options that the PLB doesn’t. In the long run the SPOT is more expensive, due to the subscription cost. Another thing to consider is waterproofing. My PLB does not float. The company makes a float kit for mine, and newer models are available. You can find all of these devices on the internet or outdoor retailers. There are several manufacturers of PLB’s and the SPOT is not the only satellite messenger on the market, but it is the most popular. I personally own a McMurdo Fast-Find 210. It has a 50 channel GPS receiver, transmits 5 watts on 406 MHz. It has the homing signal on 121.5 and has an LED strobe. It will fit in a shirt pocket or in my Green Jacket. I’ve carried it in the back country of Wyoming and Colorado. It gives excellent peace of mind. Christmas Party & Canned Food Drive by John Hubbard & Meryl Stark Following our annual tradition, TVCC Members once again gathered on a dark December evening at the Tennessee River Gorge Trust’s Pot Point House for the Christmas Party. Thanks to Pat Keller and Eric Fleming for organizing, and to Ben and Beth Johnson for setting up and cooking the meat! Close to 100 people showed up to revel in the holiday spirit and enjoy the meal. Folks gathered around the large tables inside, and swapped lies around the bonfire outstide. Spence Lycan even led a paddle down the TN River to the cabin earlier in the day. In addition to spreading cheer amongst ourselves, canned goods were also collected to benefit Metropolitan MInistries. A big thank you to those who participated in the food drive; those who are less fortunate this holiday season will be a bit better off due to your kindness and generousity. If you opt to purchase one of these systems, I hope that this information is helpful. Stay safe on the water! The Paddler Tattler January 2015 13 Jackson Kayak’s Yoga for Paddlers Side Stretch for Your Lower Back and Hip This article, by Jackson Kayak’s Anna Bruno, explains and demonstrates how to stretch your SI (Sacroiliac) Joint and Quadratus Lumborum muscles, both of which are stressed by kayaking. You can find the original article on the Jackson Kayak blog here: http://jacksonkayak.com/blog/2014/08/18/yoga-forpaddlers-side-stretch-for-your-lower-back-and-hip/ by Anna Bruno When we sit in a kayak, our hips are typically below our knees, and our pelvis is tilted forwards underneath our ribcage. This position causes your hipflexors your iliopsoas muscle strains to contract, and can put immense strain on your quadrutus lumborum, a muscle that runs parallel to your spine, connecting your 12th rib and your pelvis. The posture we assume when we sit in a kayak actually contradicts the natural position of your spine and pelvis, and can lead to tightness, pain and discomfort across your lower back and SI joint that is common in many kayakers. Your SI (sacroiliac) joint is a complicated beast. It is located in your lower back at the junction of your pelvis, and your sacrum—a section of fused joints at the base of your spinal column. We use our SI joint to lift our legs or pull them forward, such as when we walk, as well as moving from sitting or standing. Our SI joint is responsible for what allows us to tilt our pelvis, and is engaged every time we get in or out of our kayaks. While the Injury to your SI joint through impact (running waterfalls) or repetitive stress (such as kayaking all day, every day) can cause Sacroiliac joint dysfunction, a fancy name for chronic tightness and a dull ache across the lower back and hips. bony spurs on the outside of your spinal column. While the Quadratus Lomborum doesn’t have the same function or importance of the Psoas, if one of these twin muscles is affected by tightness or injury, the other one is too. Today I want to share one of my favorite stretches to target this region. It is easy, and great for beginners as it doesn’t require loads of flexibility. Even if you have never injured your SI joint, I recommend giving this stretch a try. The Quadratus Lomborum bends the body sideways and back towards our midline. These two muscles lie next to each other, and interact greatly. They even share the same origination point on the same costal processes, the little Start in a seated position. Allow your left leg to extend out long, rotated so your kneecap is facing up. Bend your right knee, and bring your right insole to meet you left inner thigh. Your right kneecap should be pointed out to the right and the toes on your left foot are flexed, reaching back towards your belly button. Inhale, lift your torso up out of your hip socket, creating length and space in your spine. Exhale. Place your left The Paddler Tattler January 2015 14 forearm on the ground to the inside of your left inner thigh, palm down. I like to bend my arm at the elbow, and keep my elbow towards my thigh, without bypassing my kneecap. If your arm doesn’t reach, don’t worry. Simply place your palm down and keep your arm parallel to your leg. How Many Paddle School T-Shirts Do You Have? Inhale, and sweep your right arm into the gap between your left armpit and thigh. Exhale, and allow your right arm to open your chest as it reaches up to the sky. Your left ear can drop down towards the ground and your gaze looks up at your top hand. I have no idea when TVCC started offering t-shirts for students and instructors at paddle school. In fact, I have no idea when paddle school first started. I do know that paddle school was a mature and well organized event when I went for the first time in 1994 with my son Peter. And thus started the continuing saga of my involvement in TVCC. If you have shoulder issues, I recommend tucking your right thumb into your armpit and leading this stretch with your elbow. You may feel the stretch intensify if you think about pressing your elbow back behind you, as if it was coming up against and invisible wall. Hold and breathe here for 5-10 breaths. Exhale as you lower your arm, bring your left foot in to meet your right foot, coming into a butterfly stretch before extending your right leg and beginning the stretch on the opposite side. Jai Bhagwan and Happy Paddling! Anna by John Hubbard I have nineteen shirts from the 21 paddle schools from 1994 to 2014. Missed three schools from 2008 to 2010. But magically, someone gave my daughter the 2009 t-shirt in size medium for a donation and she gave it to me. So, who has been to an earlier paddle school? Who has more t-shirts? The gauntlet is laid. And if you want to see the t-shirts, go to this link. They are archived on the club’s Google Drive. The image above is one of my favorites, the 2009 version. The Paddler Tattler January 2015 15 Sea Kayaking 2015 Calendar Jan 10th—Sandhill Cranes, Hiwassee Refuge We’ll meet at 10am at the Hiwassee River Wildlife Refuge Ramp and paddle up to see the Sandhill Cranes who will be resting there on their migration from Wisconsin to Florida. 2.5 hour paddle. If interested, contact Eric Fleming by 4pm on Thursday, 1/8, and check email for final details. Jan 15th-22nd—Florida Keys Challenge Mike Graves is in charge of this trip. It’s a week-long 115 mile paddle from Key Large (first key) to Key West. $850, which includes vans to shuttle camping gear, all meals, and evening entertainment. Paddling 11 to 17 miles per day. RSVP if intersted. More information and signups available here. March 28th. Harrison Islands. Eric. April 11th-12th. Coosawattee River, GA. Day or camping. (C). Eric. April 25th. Chickamauga to Reeds Rd, GA. (C),(S). Eric. May 2nd. Sale Creek. Eric. May 16th. Soddy Creek. Eric. May 23rd. Oostanaula River, GA. (C), (S). Eric. May 29th-31st. Paddle School. June 6th. Graysville to Camp Jordan. (C), (S). Eric. June 14th-21st. Buffalo River, Arkansas. Ben. June 20th. Wolftever to Demo Day at Harrison Bay. Eric. June 27th. North Chick and Dam Lock Through. Eric. June 28th. Waterfront Triathlon Support. Taylor. July 11th. Ocoee #1 Dam to Two Rivers Campground. (C), (S). Eric. Sept 5th. TVCC Meeting, Elections, and Camping. OAR. Don. Sept 6th. Wolftever Creek. Eric. Sept 12th-13th. Elk River Overnighter. (C), (S). Uwe. Sept 19th. Harrison Bay North. Eric. Oct 3rd. TN River Rescue. Jim. 0ct 10th. 10 mile TN River Swim support boaters. (S). Karah. Oct 10th. TVCC Ocoee Whitewater Race. July 25th. TN Riverpark Cookout and sunset paddle. (S). Eric. Oct 17th-18th. TN River Gorge Overnighter. (S). Ben. July 26th. Big Brother/Big Sister Raft Trip Support. Hiwassee River. (C), (S). Jim. Oct 24th. Hales Bar. Eric. Aug 8th. Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. Eric. Aug 9th. Dam Triathlon Support Boaters. Taylor. Aug 15th. West Chick, Reeds Road to Dietz Road, GA. (C), (S). Eric. Aug 15th-16th. Lake Jocassee, SC. Overnighter. Richard. Aug 22nd. Cookout and sunset paddle to Bat Cave. Eric. Sept 5th. Girl Scout Raft Race Support Boaters. Lower Hiwassee. (C), (S). Taylor. Nov 7th. South Chick, Sterchi Farm. Eric. Nov 14th-15th. Etowah River Overnighter. (C), (S). Jamie. Dec 12th. Club Christmas Party. Dec 27th-Jan 1st. Annual Florida Trip. All dates and places are subject to change. All paddles are in Tennessee unless otherwise noted. Check your email the night before a trip for any changes. All paddles are rain or shine. C = Indicates Current, but no more than Class I Rapids. S = Indicates a one-way trip requiring a Shuttle. The Paddler Tattler January 2015 16 Overnighters 2015 Calendar March 28th-30th—Toccoa River 3 Day Trip Contact Carolyn Rand. CarolynMRand@ gmail.com; 423-400-2590 April 11th-12th—Upper Coosawattee River (WW) Whitewater overnight trip; Class II-III for this weekend. Trip Leader: Don Bodley. Contact Carolyn Rand. [email protected]; 423-400-2590 April 11th-12th—Lower Coosawattee (Flat) Will be with a GA Paddling Club. Contact Eric Fleming. May 2nd-3rd—Talking Rock Trip Leader & Contact: Uwe Zitzow. [email protected]. May 10th-15th—Cahaba River in Alabama Contact Buddy Wise. Bwise.legal@yahoo. com; 205-672-9025 May 23rd-25th—Big South Fork 3 Day Trip Memorial Day Weekend. Trip Leader: Don Bodley. Contact Carolyn Rand. [email protected]; 423-4002590 May 29th-31st—Paddle School Register online at tvccpaddler.com. June 14th-21st—Buffalo River in Arkansas (Week Long) Clear warm water, camping on clean rock bars. Beautiful cliffs. Contact Ben Johnson. [email protected]. June 28th—Waterfront Triathlon Volunteering Meet at the GPS Boat Dock at 6:30am. Contact Taylor Watson. [email protected]. July 11th-12th—Little TN River Contact Carolyn Rand. [email protected]; 423-400-2590. (Back up plan is TN River Blueway with camping at Pot Point House.) July 25th-26th—Rescue Rodeo & Big Brother/Big Sister Rafting Camping at Hiwassee Outfitters between these two events. Contact Jim Ledbetter. [email protected]. your gear to the campsite on an island, so you don’t have to carry it in your boat. Trip Leader: Jim Warner. [email protected]. Sept 5th—Girl Scout Raft Race Club meeting with elections to follow. Sept 12th-13th—Elk River Contact Uwe Zitzow. [email protected]. Sept 26th-28th—Toccoa River 3 Day Trip Contact Carolyn Rand. [email protected]. Sept 27th—Ironman Triathlon Volunteering Oct 3rd—TN River Rescue Contact Jim Ledbetter. [email protected]. Oct 10th—Ocoee Race Oct 25th—Boo Run (Ocoee) Nov 14th-15th—Etowah River Aug 9th—Sports Barn Triathlon Contact Jamie Wendt. [email protected]. Contact Taylor Watson. [email protected]. Dec 27th-Jan 1st—Weeklong Florida Trip Aug 11th-20th—Boundary Waters Contact Ed Parks. [email protected]; 423-4009530 Aug 15th-16th—Lake Jocassee Canoes, Sea Kayaks, and anything that floats. Travel time not included in dates. Contact Pat Carver. [email protected]. Crystal Clear lake with waterfalls. The outfitter takes The Paddler Tattler January 2015 17 Our Mission The Tennessee Valley Canoe Club brings together those interested in canoeing, kayaking, and related activities; increases the knowledge, safety, and appreciation of paddle sports for those who are interested; and supports conservation and preservation of recreational waterways. Membership is open to persons of all ages. Both families and singles are welcome. The club’s activities include: TVCC Yahoo Group All club members are invited to join the club’s online paddling forum. The Yahoo Group is a The Paddler Tattler is the monthly publication of the Tennessee Valley Canoe Club. great place to find out about paddling trips in The Paddler Tattler invites submissions of addition to those posted in the newsletter, post articles, trip reports, videos, and any other pictures and trip reports of your latest adventures, news or information of interest to the paddling or just find someone to go paddle with. community. The only requirement for the forum is active Submit an electronic copy no later than the membership in the club. To join, go to http:// 20th of each month to the newsletter editor by groups.yahoo.com/group/tvcc/ and click on emailing [email protected]. Submissions “Join This Group”. Please be patient and allow a may be edited. • Whitewater & flat water kayak and canoe training few days for the page administrator to respond • Whitewater & flat water river trips for all skill levels and accept your membership. Send an email Past issues of the Paddler Tattler can be accessed to the group moderator at tvcc-subscribe@ online at: yahoogroups.com with your name. See you on http://tinyurl.com/tvccpastnewsletters. • Water safety & rescue training • Extended canoe & camping trips the river! • Annual & monthly meetings Sea Kayaker Email List • Community service The TVCC Flatwater Flotilla uses an email contact list to send out information about upcoming events. To be added to this list, please send 2014-2015 Officers an email the TVCC Sea Kayak Cruise Master at President Safety Chair Don Fletcher [email protected] Vice President Ashley Teel [email protected] Assistant Vice President LaDawn Wolfe [email protected] Treasurer Debby McRae [email protected] Secretary John Hubbard [email protected] Newsletter Editor Meryl Stark [email protected] Webmaster Teri Zur [email protected] River Conservation Chair Jim Ledbetter [email protected] [email protected]. Mike Shillinger [email protected] Public Relations Chair Katie LaRue [email protected] Cruisemaster I, Class II/III Spence “Dogpaddle” Lycan [email protected] Cruisemaster II, Class III/IV Brandon Koch [email protected] Tennessee Valley Canoe Club P.O. Box 11582 Chattanooga, TN 37401 www.tvccpaddler.com Cruisemaster III, Overnighters Carolyn Rand [email protected] Cruisemaster IV, NonPaddling Jen Maxwell & Rebecca Hendrix [email protected] Cruisemaster V, Sea Kayaks Eric Fleming [email protected] The Paddler Tattler January 2015 18
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