BY FOR BOATERS January/February 2005

Are you at risk? Protect your head Compressed air in your ? 2004 accident summary

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Columns: American Whitewater Journal • Safey First! Protect Your Head by Eric Nies ...... 4 Volume XLVI, No.1 • Letters to the Editor by Todd Hoffman ...... 6 • The Journey Ahead by Mark Singleton...... 7 FEATURES • History: To PFD or Not by Sue Taft...... 8 Field Notes • AW News: Taxes to Charity ...... 9 • Safe Winter Boating by ...... 10 Winter Boating • Big Water Surf Alert! by Tanya Shuman...... 12

Features: • Accident Prevention by Andrew Jillings ...... 14 • Compressed Air by Dr. Thomas Johnson ...... 18 pg. 10 • Accident Summary 2004 by Charlie Walbridge...... 20 • California Madness by Fred Coriell ...... 26 • 3 Girls are Better Than 1by Nikki Kelly ...... 30 Seven Rivers Expedition • River Story / Photo Contest ...... 38

Conservation and Access California Madness • Regional Updates...... 40 • River Stewardship Institute...... 52

River Voices • Winter by Sandi Metz ...... 56 • Politics by Kevin Colburn ...... 61 pg. 26 • A Dog’s Lament by Barbara Wiedemann ...... 62 • Stone Valley Smackdown by The Dogg...... 64 • Don’t be Afraid to Rock the Boat by Adam Herzog..67 • Charlotte WW Park - update...... 68 River Story / Photo • Surviving the Winter by Ambrose Tuscano...... 69 Contest Events • National Film Festival...... 63

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Publication Title: American Whitewater Issue Date: January/February 2005 Bill Sheppel being roped into Statement of Frequency: Published bimonthly Authorized Organization’s Name and Ad : the water to biner off a pinned American Whitewater 1424 Fenwick Lane boat on the Russell Fork River. Silver Spring, MD 20910 Printed on Recycled Paper Photo by Our mission is to conserve and restore published in its official Access Policy, AW Difficulty) and publishes and disseminates America’s whitewater resources and to enhance arranges for river access through private lands the internationally recognized AW Whitewater opportunities to enjoy them safely. by negotiation or purchase, seeks to protect the Safety Code. right of public passage on all rivers and streams American Whitewater (AW) is a national navigable by kayak or , resists unjustified EVENTS: AW organizes sporting events, contests organization with a membership consisting of restrictions on government-managed whitewater and festivals to raise funds for river conservation, thousands of individual whitewater boating rivers and works with government agencies and including the Gauley River Festival in West enthusiasts and more than 100 local paddling other river users to achieve these goals. Virginia (the largest gathering of whitewater club affiliates. boaters in the nation), and the Deerfield Festival EDUCATION: Through publication of the in Massachusetts. CONSERVATION: AW maintains a complete bi-monthly magazine, and by other means, national inventory of whitewater rivers, monitors American Whitewater provides information AW was incorporated under Missouri nonprofit threats to those rivers, publishes information on and education about whitewater rivers, boating corporation laws in 1961 and maintains its river conservation, provides technical advice to safety, technique and equipment. principal mailing address at 1424 Fenwick local groups, works with government agencies and Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone other river users, and-- when necessary-- takes SAFETY: AW promotes paddling safely, publishes 1-866-BOAT-4-AW or 1-866-262-8429. AW is tax legal action to prevent river abuse. reports on whitewater accidents, maintains a exempt under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal national ranking system for whitewater Revenue Code. RIVER ACCESS: To assure public access to rivers (the International Scale of Whitewater whitewater rivers pursuant to the guidelines

American Whitewater Journal Staff Board of Directors & Staff TOLL FREE NUMBER AW STAFF Editor Ambrose Tuscano Sutton Bacon 866-BOAT4AW 20 Battery Park, Ste. 302, Asheville, NC 28801 [email protected] phone 828-252-0728 Rome, GA e-mail: [email protected] Mark Singleton Assitant Editors Chris Bell Tim Kelley Executive Director Tim Catalano and Mike Hoffman [email protected] [email protected] 20 Battery Park Ave., suite 302 Graphic Design/Production Asheville, NC Potsdam, NY Christie Dobson Asheville, NC 28801 Photo Editor Rich Bowers (Honorary) Jay P. K. Kenney Scott Collins [email protected] [email protected] Bellingham, WA Jason Robertson Artwork Editor Denver, CO Chris Conlin Managing Director Dave Cernicek Don Kinser Contributing Writers [email protected] 1424 Fenwick Lane Ambrose Tuscano, Eric Nies, Todd Hoffman, [email protected] Mark Singleton, Sue Taft, John Gangemi, Tanya Jackson, WY Marietta, GA Silver Spring, MD 20910 Shuman, Clay Wright, Todd Hoffman, Sue Taft, Andrew Jilling, Dr. Thomas Johnson, Charlie Walbridge, Tom Christopher Fred Coriell, Nikki Kelly, Jason Hartz, Chris Hoffer, Mark LaCroix Tom O’Keefe, Bill Sedivy, Kevin Colburn, Emily Geery, [email protected] [email protected] Kevin Colburn Ryan Weiss, Sandi Metz, Barbara Wiedemann, The Lancaster, MA Thorton, NH Dogg, Adam Herzog, Eastern Conservation and Photo Contributors Adam Cramer Jeff Leighton Access Director Jimmy Blakeney, Nikki Kelly, Christie Dobson, [email protected] Clay Wright, Marlow Long, Tommy Hilleke, Tanya Faux, [email protected] 20 Battery Park Ave., suite 302 Jason Hartz, Chris Hoffer, Ben Edson, Ben VanCamp, Washington DC LaFayette, CA Kevin Colburn, Sandi Metz, Chris Conlin Asheville, NC 28801 David Ennis Advertising Coordinator Kevin Lewis Gerald Eldridge [email protected] [email protected] John Gangemi 20 Battery Park, Ste. 302, Asheville, NC 28801 Bryson City, NC Anderson, CA phone 828-252-0728 e-mail: [email protected] Western Conservation and Steve Exe Evie Locke Access Director Safety Editor [email protected] [email protected] Charlie Walbridge Mercer Island, WA 482 Electric Avenue Route 1, Box 329F, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525 Charlemont, MA e-mail: [email protected] Bigfork, MT 59911 Liz Ferrin Eric Nies Conservation and Access Editors Jason Robertson, [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] John Gangemi, [email protected] Santa Barbara, CA Morgantown, WV Carla Miner Kevin Colburn, [email protected] Conservation Assistant and American Whitewater Magazine Task Force Jennie Goldberg Aaron Pruzan Jeff Espy, Dunbar Hardy, Dale-Marie Herring, John [email protected] [email protected] Membership Coordinator Mason, Tanya Shuman, Ambrose Tuscano Seattle, WA Jackson Hole, WY 482 Electric Avenue Missing Copies and Address Changes [email protected] Joe Greiner Norwood Scott Bigfork, MT 59911 [email protected] American Whitewater is printed by [email protected] -Walker Press, Inc., Newark OH. Raleigh, NC San Francisco, CA All rights reserved. Ben VanCamp Kristine Jakcson Patricia Suspanich Events Coordinator [email protected] patricia@achievepeakperforma Rock Island, TN nce.com 20 Battery Park Ave., suite 302 EDITORIAL DISCLAIMER Asheville, NC 28801 The opinions expressed in the features and Andrew Jillings Charlie Walbridge editorials of American Whitewater are those of [email protected] [email protected] the individual authors. They do not necessarily Clinton, NY Bruceton Mills, WV Gerald Eldridge represent those of the Directors of American Chris Kelly BOARD OFFICERS Advertising Coordinator Whitewater or the editors of this publication. [email protected] 20 Battery Park, Suite 302 On occasion, American Whitewater publishes Columbia, MO President: Sutton Bacon official organizational policy statements drafted Vice President: Jennie Goldberg Asheville, NC 28801 and approved by the Board of Directors. These Secretary: Chris Kelly policy statements will be clearly identified. Treasurer: Jeff Leighton

2 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 3 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 2 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 3 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Eric Nies

What’s on the Market? take multiple hits? Some helmets (e.g. bike Editor’s Note: helmets) are built with light, brittle foam American Whitewater There are lots of helmets out there, so how that’s designed to crack and splinter with a do you tell the good from the bad? I like a hit. Not so good when you’re still six miles is proud to unveil the with a thick, stout shell that I can’t from the take-out. Last, will it tolerate a bend with my hands. Some of the older soaking without either falling apart or newest section of the helmets, in particular, are so flexy turning into a Petri dish? Bike helmets do so that you could hold the helmet with your poorly on all three of these areas that I will Journal: Safety First. In fingertips and touch the earflaps together. say it categorically: bike helmets make bad Thank you, but no. Also, I’ve seen some river helmets. Don’t use them on the water. future issues, look here super-skinny or fiberglass helmets used by racers (usually brought back from There is a standard for whitewater helmets for discussions of the the last Euro-trip) that just don’t seem to called CE 1385. If your helmet meets this have enough heft for real river-running. criterion, it’s probably a good helmet with a newest, most important Most of the mainstream whitewater helmet- solid shell and decent foam. Just remember, makers are building fairly robust helmet a number on a label doesn’t mean that the issues in whitewater shells these days. If your helmet seems a little helmet fits you well, offers as much coverage wimpy to you, it probably is. Chuck it, and as you need, or is the best option. safety from some of the buy something solid. Helmet Fit most recognized names Next, look at the foam. There should be a lot of it, and it should be pretty solid. Some With my new helmet in hand, I spent the in the field. makers use minicell, the familiar gray foam next few weeks getting the fit absolutely used for kayak walls and hip pads. Minicell perfect. To me this means three things: What’s on Your Noggin’? (so the thinking goes) is smooshy enough to fit well, but dense enough to absorb and 1. First, I want my helmet to protect my face disperse a hit. Minicell has a reasonable When I was a river newbie in the ‘70’s, the as much as possible. We’ve all seen lots of track record: I know of several instances black eyes and forehead whacks on the river. mark of the hot was the old Ace when boaters have taken super-hard hits on helmet. This light, low-profile unit looked They are never pretty, and occasionally they Class V, busted a stout Kevlar and minicell are very bad. It’s been my observation that mighty sharp, and offered slightly more helmet to pieces, and walked away with no protection than a stout bandanna. Wearing these hits usually happen to people wearing significant head trauma. This tells me that a thinner helmets, or helmets that leave a lot the Ace sent a clear message: “I am so damn good minicell helmet can work pretty well. good that I will never, ever hit my head.” of forehead showing. So, I fit my helmet to ride low in the front, just above the eyebrows That said, some helmet-makers have started Nowadays the original Aces are hard to and I make sure the helmet has enough using a layer of dense foam, usually EPP foam in the forehead to give at least an inch find. I lost mine when it fell off my head (expanded polypropylene) or VN (vinyl and sank. I bet that John Regan, godfather of overhang. To get better protection around nitryl), with a softer lining for fit and my temples, I go for the helmet with some of the Upper Yough, still has one in a closet comfort. VN foam is black, and is noticeably somewhere (clear green, very cool), but I ear coverage, too, because the shell on these firmer than minicell. EPP foam usually helmets tends to around the face a bit. notice that now Johnnie has upgraded to a looks like regular Styrofoam, but is tougher lid with some heft to it. Obviously, to get good coverage in the back and able to absorb energy by bending rather as well as the front, and to maintain a thick than breaking. These stouter foams are So have I. The last time I bought a helmet, I layer of foam all around, I need a pretty widely used in lacrosse and other sports big helmet. went to every whitewater web page I could helmets. No doubt about it, they do make find and ordered the biggest, burliest thing I a theoretically safer helmet. I think we’ll be 2. Next, I make sure the helmet padding, saw. Every company makes that one big, ugly seeing more of them in the future. helmet (usually called the “Creek Dork” or and not just the shell, comes down low all around. Having the padding this low “Loozer”), along with about 20 other cool Many helmets from other sports make good sparkly rodeo beanies. The big helmet is provides more protection for low hits, and kayak helmets. Before you go this route, keeps you from being cut or injured by the usually available in brown, safety orange, make sure you look into a few issues. Does and gray. I bought gray. helmet rim. It usually makes the helmet fit it offer enough coverage? Bike and climbing more solidly, too. Also, a bigger foam surface helmets, in particular, tend to put the against your head will help your helmet protection on of your head, but aren’t absorb and disperse the energy from any hit. so good on the sides and back. Next, can it Some helmets have dots or strips of foam on

4 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 5 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 the inside surface, resting against your head. is that it’s surprisingly hard to talk to other This can make fitting easy, but it’s not as boaters on the water while wearing it. And good as a smooth continuous layer of foam it feels a little clunky. Still, lifejackets felt for dispersing hits. clunky thirty years ago when people started wearing them routinely. 3. Lastly, a well-fitted helmet shouldn’t slide around on the head. This seems obvious, The Future yet we’ve all seen boaters roll up after a thrashing with their helmet dangling off to What’s next for helmets? Corrin Addison the side or shoved back like a sunbonnet. had an interesting helmet that he used on Bottom line: your helmet needs to stay in a Green River Narrows’ trip a few decades place no matter what. This means it needs ago. Instead of a chin bar, the shell was built to fit you really, really, really well. A solid with wide, sideburn-like bars that stopped fit keeps your helmet covering your skull at the mouth. This offered really good like it’s supposed to, AND provides the best face protection, but didn’t interfere with impact protection. When I plunk my helmet speaking. Plus, it looked macho and weird on--even before I buckle the chinstrap- instead of geeky and timid. As far as I know, -it fits comfortably with no gaps, and it there’s no patent on this. Anyone interested? doesn’t move when I shake and twist. Yours shouldn’t either. On a more serious note, the new extremes in whitewater are rapidly outpacing typical helmets. Most helmets today are built for Sometimes you can find the perfect-fitting Chili Bar or the Ocoee, the kind of run helmet right off the shelf. If you, like me, whitewater helmets. Also, Cascade makes where you might fall over and maybe tap a have a “funny-head,” you will need to spend a helmet compatible with the light plastic rock at 5 miles an hour. That same helmet bike-helmet-type visors, which would some time customizing. Helmet-makers are has a reasonable track record on “ordinary” getting better at providing pads and kits for probably snap away with a bad hit. Again, Class V, like the Lower Meadow or Gore this, but the hard fact is that you may want this is just speculation on my part, as I’ve Canyon. At some point (maybe 25 mph?), to do some work with foam and glue to get never heard of any bad problems with the these helmets probably become inadequate. the supreme no-wiggle fit. I generally use -type helmets. I can think of several bad head traumas in minicell foam to fill out and customize the the past 10 years, all of them involving rock helmet padding as needed, since it is readily For years I used a helmet/baseball hits at high speeds on steep runs. I can only available and easy to work with. (You can combo, which worked okay, but does have imagine that such injuries will become more even sand it with regular sandpaper for some potential problems. If you do this, use common, as more boaters huck off the taller, serious fine-tuning.) a thin , take that silly button off the top, shallower drops. Some extreme boaters have and make sure not to screw up your perfect switched to motocross helmets, and these Again, minicell may not be the best helmet fit. And remember, a hat under a helmet may become standard fare in a few years. foam in theory, but it works so well for can wash down over your eyes, which looks Still, the young bucks of today need to come fitting that I still like it. Remember, the most pretty funny halfway down Pine Creek. to grips with a new truth, namely, that if you important thing a helmet can do is to be on hit your head while sending an 80-footer, your head when the big bad rock tries to hit What about facemasks? Helmets with you will probably fare poorly regardless of it. If minicell makes this happen, I’m for it. facemasks are probably safer than those what you are wearing. without. There are three basic options here: the lacrosse-type face cage (available as an So Be Smart Visors and Facemasks add-on for many helmets), the whitewater helmet with a chin bar (less common), and On my old Romer helmet, I had less padding Helmets remain a profoundly personal the other-sport helmet (motocross, , over my eyes than I liked, so I glued a foam choice. My choice is driven by the many head etc.). I’ve heard talk about the possible risks injuries I’ve seen and heard of, and by the bumper on the outside of my helmet. This of facemasks, mostly that a whack on the painful fact that I like boating hard water but was basically a blunt minicell visor that kept chin bar can really torque the neck. I’ve also I’m not as good a boater as I used to be. In the sun out of my eyes and the rocks out of seen a few facial injuries that wouldn’t have making your choice, I would encourage you my face. Some helmets are built with a small happened with the use of a facemask. Again, to be smart, and to remember that paranoia front visor, which probably accomplishes the who knows? Motorcyclists, football players, can be a valuable part of intelligence. Buy same thing. skiers, and downhill mountain-bikers seem yourself a nice big helmet, take the time to to be doing fine with the full facemasks. If fit it right, and wear it low and snug, right I can’t decide if I like the BIG visor on you want a facemask, get a facemask. over the eyebrows. It’s a lot cheaper than a baseball-style helmets. It seems to me that hospital visit. a big unbreakable brim might be a lever for I’ve got a skiing helmet with a full chinbar. rocks and water to shove your helmet and I’ve worn it for the occasional sick creek, and head around. The jury is still out on this, but Eric Nies is the newest member of the AW Safety it seems fine. Skiing and motocross helmets I just like the idea of big visors being floppy committee. Eric is a long-time river guide and tend to be fatter and burlier than the usual and bending with a hit. I’ve used homemade rescue instructor, a mechanical engineer, and an whitewater helmets, and this may be as minicell and neoprene visors taped or ER physician in West Virginia. much of an advantage on hard water as the glued in place, and at least one company, facemask itself. The main problem with the Salamander, makes soft brims designed for full chinbar (other than the -crime)

4 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 5 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Dear AW, Dear Todd,

In the September / October issue of the Thanks for the clarification for our Journal, several references are made to membership. We have fallen victim hydropower relicensing proceedings for the to generically associating the Avista Spokane River, all of which list the river’s Hydropower Project Relicensing on the location as Washington State. Spokane River with Washington. Like many of the hydropower projects American Whitewater works on, the impacts from While a major portion of the project are multifaceted radiating both upstream and downstream far beyond the the Spokane indeed flows project boundary and crossing resource disciplines. There are no simple solutions through Washington, the to these complex resource impacts.

actual dam site affected The Avista project on the Spokane consists of multiple dams impacting instream flows by relicensing, Post Falls, on reaches in Idaho and Washington. Instream flows below the Post Falls dam, is located in Idaho near the most upstream dam in hydro project, the river’s source at Lake are inextricably linked to power generation and seasonal lake level requirements in Coeur d’Alene. Coeur D’Alene. These fluctuating lake levels in turn cause impacts on the ecology of the From a flow perspective, many of the play lake and tributaries. American Whitewater features affected by discharge are located is working closely with local volunteers just across the border in Washington. located in Spokane, Washington and Coeur However, from a conservation perspective, D’Alene, Idaho. As a team with American the areas most affected by the management Whitewater staff, these volunteers are of relicensing and releases are above drafting instream flow recommendations the dam, extending well into Idaho. I that will balance whitewater recreation believe it is very important to make a interests with other resource needs in clear distinction regarding the location, the basin. lest paddlers be perceived as only taking concern with the non-conservation As we see in many of these hydropower part the dam’s management, with little proceedings, there are no silver bullet concern for the “upstream” issues on the answers that mitigate all resource relicensing table. disciplines – compromises are necessary in the balancing act. In future updates I am quite familiar with the local political on this project we will be sure to describe environment in Post Falls. I can assure you the geographic locations accurately and that the worst possible “brand image” that provide our readers with an understanding the paddlers could develop for themselves of the larger issues in the proceeding. We in relicensing discussions is “activists from believe that our interest in hydropower out of state.” To this end, I’d like to suggest relicensing should first and foremost be that you discuss Post Falls relicensing as an restoring the river a healthy river system issue related to both Idaho and Washington. – whitewater recreation is a byproduct of a I realize this might seem a bit trivial to restored system. Thank you for your letter. some, but please consider this tiny drop of grease on the wheels of the PR machine. Sincerely, John Gangemi Best regards, Western Conservation and Access Director Todd Hoffman AW Streamkeeper

6 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 7 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Mark Singleton

As I assume the role of Building the Executive Director, Membership Base I have a keen interest in building membership I want to share some in AW as a step toward maintaining a critical of my thoughts and mass of whitewater paddlesport enthusiasts who support the conservation and access work observations. of the organization and who will communicate the scope of that work within their local First and foremost, I want to thank all the communities. Many of the successes we have great volunteers, board members and staff can provide necessary offi ce space and views enjoyed are due to committed local paddlers who have welcomed me into the fold and our conservation, access and safety work as who are willing to speak up and attend given so willingly of their time and talent. relevant to their academic mission. This will meetings when their local rivers face critical American Whitewater is a big family with provide AW with the ability to tap into the issues. This community-based activism, common ties, but diverse personalities. As technical resources of an academic instition supported by talented AW staff and backed with most families, there are stories to be as well as providing a ready-made base by national membership, has proven to be an celebrated and passed on. Our organizational for internships and additional volunteers. effective strategy in obtaining new whitewater history is rich in conservation, access and Stay tuned as this process unfolds; there is resources and preserving old ones. safety success stories. These stories span the genuine excitement about this opportunity 50-year history of American Whitewater, from the institutions I have contacted. establishing a legacy of accomplishment Events around the country. To celebrate this story, The AW staff located in the Asheville, NC Following on the heels of a very successful AW now has all the pages of the American offi ce will continue to be located in Asheville River Stewardship Institute (RSI) event in Whitewater Journal available at the member until a new executive offi ce location is the fall of ’04 on the Klamath River, I would section of the web site, www.americanwhit established. Once a new offi ce location like to distribute RSI information and tools ewater.org. If you have not had a chance to is identifi ed, the Asheville offi ce and the at all AW events. The better we can be search through this new feature, take some executive offi ce will merge. The Bigfork, spreading conservation, access and safety, time to surf these pages. They contain some MT offi ce location will remain unchanged the more successful we will be in achieving amazing information and more history and continue to represent the interests our mission. Leveraging our current than most of us will ever have the ability of members in western conservation and event mix to disseminate this information to digest. access projects. provides solid value for event participants and helps us spread our message. Because I’m new to the job, many members Journal will want to know what plans I have for their organization and what my agenda looks like. I would like to welcome Ambrose Tuscano Listen and Learn Here’s a rough outline: as the new Journal editor. Many of you know Ambrose from his work on the One of the great pleasures of my new role has Location Journal during and after the reign of Bob been the opportunity to reconnect with old Gedekoh. Editing the Journal is a volunteer and new friends. I’ve been spending lots of time talking with folks and listening to their In March of 2005, American Whitewater will effort; I want to extend my heart felt thanks individual comments and suggestions regarding vacate the executive offi ce in Silver Springs, to Ambrose for his willingness to give the direction of American Whitewater. It’s been Maryland. This will save AW the overhead unselfi shly of his time and talent. a fun process, one that I would like to continue. expense of offi ce rent in the Washington, If you have observations or comments that you DC market. Jason Robertson will stay in Signifi cant time and energy goes into would like to share with me, I can be reached Sliver Springs as American Whitewater’s producing each issue of the Journal to create at: [email protected]. Managing Director. Jason will hold down a quality publication that connects with the a smaller offi ce footprint and remain heart and soul of the boating community. In Finally, I would like to acknowledge all of the connected with AW’s mission through response to recent complaints that members volunteer effort that gives AW the energy to critical public policy work. are not receiving the Journal, I am reviewing how the subscriber lists are produced and keep running. If you are reading this, it means that you are making a contribution to the The search for a new executive offi ce will be implementing new processes to success of American Whitewater through your location is underway. A request for manage those lists so that the Journal fi nds time, fi nancial support and membership. The proposals is being circulated. AW is looking its way into every member mailbox. journey ahead will be a team effort. Thank you to co-locate with a college or university that for your ongoing support.

6 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 7 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Sue Taft That Was the Question

While it may now seem of publishing articles and photos that were contrary to what was written in the absurd to think that Safety Code. The response by AW’s Safety Chairman summed up the wisdom of the a whitewater paddler Milo Duffek, time about safety and whitewater: for whom the might not want to Duffek stroke is named. We are frequently prodded by not- wear a PFD, it was not so-good boaters as to why we do no and whirlpools where a lifejacket can raise a voice of disapproval about be disadvantageous, since it does not

always the case. the fact that some of these experts allow the swimmer to dive down do not rigidly adhere to our safety and swim out. Fourthly, in a slalom, In 1956, when American Whitewater’s code in respect to lifejackets… These where the ultimate performance of Safety Committee solicited input for a requests for our opinion arise every strokes is required, a bulky lifejacket safety code, the suggestion that PFDs be time the word goes around that can obstruct a boater’s movements… worn at all times garnered strong opinions one of our crack boaters negotiated Fifth and last, our safety code is both for and against. While many voiced a 80-foot-per-mile... without a life concerns that the bulk of the PFD could . It also is brought up when Rob Lesser, Selway River 1976 hinder a paddler’s strokes (PFD’s available participants in a class III-plus slalom at the time were indeed cumbersome) or do not wear lifejackets but only a that the fl otation itself could prevent a helmet and (sometimes). paddler’s escape from a large hole, PFD Before making any quick and harsh usage was included in the fi rst release of statements on this subject, we must the Safety Code in 1959. look at these new approaches to our safety rules with consideration, However, many of the European racers because there may be good reasons who visited and competed in the U.S. in the that make these people deviate ‘50s and ‘60s did not wear PFDs (although from our safety code… First, these they often wore helmets). Milo Duffek, people are experts, class IV (and up) for whom the Duffek stroke is named, was boaters… Second, they can eskimo- sponsored on a trip the summer of 1964 recover under nearly any condition by AW affi liates across U.S. and Canada in rapids that most of us would not to provide instructional sessions. All even consider running right-side up! photos of him in American Whitewater Their need for a lifejacket is not as articles show him without a PFD or helmet great as for the average boater- in fact, whether he was instructing in a pool or the lifejacket may interfere with their on a river. This, along with photos of esquimautage [roll]. Thirdly, the other paddlers without PFDs, prompted type of water these people frequent discussions concerning the hypocrisy contains vicious currents, souseholes,

8 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 9 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 written for the benefit of the average of all boaters, beginners and experts… To our average boater we have to say, “Put on that lifejacket…” To our expert we have to say, “Remember your mishap will put a blot on our sport; please wear that lifejacket where possible…”

Wisdom regarding safety and PFDs changed considerably during the ‘70s. Walt We Love Taxes! That’s the file their federal and state tax Blackadar pushed the limits of big-water new around American returns online at the American boating on the likes of Turnback Canyon on the Alsek and Devil’s Canyon of the Susitna. Whitewater these days. AW has Whitewater website (http://www. He developed big-water boating techniques partnered with Frontier Tax americanwhitewater.org) for just that did not shy away from big waves Solutions and will be offering $39.95. Ten dollars of each return and holes and he always wore a PFD that their Taxes2Charity program to filed will be donated back to AW. provided the most flotation available. His the AW community for the 2005 legacy was typified in the attire of an Idaho big water boater, which included a Mae West tax season. Look for the ‘Taxes2Charity’ link PFD, full wetsuit, and Illiad . on our website for additional Taxes2Charity works by allowing information. The death of a slalom racer at the any individual to prepare and Icebreaker Slalom in Unadilla, New York, in 1975 stunned the racing community and demonstrated how even a Class I-II river with a swift current could be deadly. While a PFD was not a factor in his death (which was due to foot entrapment), it challenged the current wisdom regarding safety and helped to raise the overall safety consciousness of the sport. PFDs became a permanent fixture in safety equipment and very few, if any, whitewater boaters even considered not wearing one. With that, safety concerns and discussions shifted toward developing and equipping boaters with the latest knowledge and tools for river rescue, a practice that continues today.

Copyright © 2004 Susan L. Taft All rights reserved. With permission for use by American Whitewater.

Sue Taft is the author of The River Chasers, the history of American Whitewater Paddling. If you have a topic or question you would like answered, e-mail it to [email protected] and look for its answer in an upcoming issue.

8 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 9 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Clay Wright

Boating Safely in Winter photophoto byby ChristieChristie DobsonDobson

Christmas is such To prepare for the short, cold days you’ve different intervals along the way. Pushing got to get rolling before it gets warm. You’ll downriver in dwindling daylight is an a great holiday, be much happier loading boats in the pre- accident waiting to happen. Even familiar dawn dark, before you’re fully awake, than surroundings can prove lethal when you especially when with cold, wet hands afterwards. That noon can’t see a tree or when you choose the put-in thing? Regret sets in hard when wrong channel. Prepare your hike-out Santa brings new you’re watching sunset from the halfway options with a Gazetteer or TopoZone.com point of your run. Predict the unexpected; before your trip and share the information gear! While winter new wood, a broken back band, or a simple with your group so everyone knows the rain is probably the little pin can burn your daylight and deal. If you split your party, carefully plan that straightforward paddle out will be the reunion. Where will the hikers come ultimate present, agonizing after sunset. And what time is out? Should they stay-put roadside or try that – what time is it NOW, for that matter? to hitchhike to a gas station for warmth? it is important to Wear a and know the exact time If they get a ride to the car, do they know of sunset. The best place to watch those where your keys are? How are you to know remember that rosy colors is from the warm car on the whether they made it to the gas station, way home. or are still struggling through the woods? the days are much Make a thorough plan before the group Since hiking out usually takes more time separates and stick to it. shorter and those than paddling the river, those “rarely rains are usually needed” items now take on greater Hmm, how to dress to bushwhack through importance. Think ahead. Boats, back- woods? A fl ashlight, hat, and gloves are followed by a cold , and all break, sometimes my preferences. The idea is light-weight in the most benign situations. While you warmth and a clear view of the terrain. snap. Short days and might not normally take a breakdown, duct I typically hike up a creek bed so I don’t tape, cam strap, or tar-tape on Little River get turned around but even that can cold nights require Canyon, Upper Yough, or Chamberlain prove diffi cult after sunset. How about Falls, once the temps fall below freezing a compass? Cell phone? Food? Space extra precautions, at night you should probably reconsider. Blankets? Water container and iodine pills? Unless you’re boating roadside or within Consider everything you would want for a even when paddling three miles of a riverside trail, pack these wintry night-hike and pack the minimum in familiar terrain. things in with your boating gear and get into your “winter prep dry bag.” The extra used to carrying them. Think ahead: what weight is worth the protection you are Winter boating else might go wrong that would ruin your providing yourself and your friends. day? Lost contact/, bulkhead screws requires not only unscrewing, dropping a drain-plug, numb So now the party is over – you’ve hiked to hands causing a swim. The list is long and exhaustion and are too tired to continue, or that we make sure the remedies need to be considered before maybe it just feels safer to “stay put.” Hope you are in a cold, wet, hurry. you brought a lighter, right? Unfortunately we take out before the chances of you lighting anything are When in doubt, walk out! There are so slim. Even if cedar bark fi res up, there is a sunset, but also come many things that can keep a party from shortage of dry wood after every rainfall. prepared for that continuing downriver (fatigue, injury, Hope you brought that space blanket! How hypothermia) that serious winter boaters else can you stay warm? dark day we don’t. go in prepared to walk out. Plan the best routes by using tributary creeks and ridges as markers and know which way to hike at

10 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 11 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Clay’s Kit: local gazettere, duck tape, screws, space blanket, head-lamp, marker stuff, lighter, knife, warm hat, gloves, iodine tablets, fi rst aid kit, water bottle, cam-strap, cell phone, food, hand paddles, breakdown paddle, one dry bag to carry it all! Photo by Clay Wright

• Stuff pine straw or leaves into Hopefully it won’t get to this. Perhaps just your outer layers to ‘fatten up’ imagining this grim scene will create an your insulation, creating loft incentive to avoid this whole situation in like a down jacket. advance: that is certainly the idea. • Dog-pile yourselves together in a wind protected depression or Boating in winter isn’t crazy, but boating in winter without preparing for the added rocky alcove and cover challenges of short days and cold weather yourselves up as best you is. Expect to encounter the unexpected can with leaves, grasses, and and you not only make the trips you do pine boughs. safer, but also open yourself up to trips • Wait for sunrise. and conditions you never thought possible. Boat whenever it rains!

One winter boating benefi t: the beer left in the car will still be cold at the take-out.

See you there!

10 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 11 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 The New River Dries: So there I was at a crossroad: either head Suggestions for big water for Nationals with a chance to capture the surfing safety big water, big surfing, national championship, or turn around and drive six hours to the Dries. Well, I possible Big Gun followed my heart and drove for the big 1. Always have a plan. If you swim, which surf on the Dries. shore will you aim for? Remember, the stuff. All of this went closest shore is not necessarily the best. With a speeding ticket price tag of $126 Can other boaters get to you? What is it through my head when dollars and four points on my license, I was like downstream (holes, whirlpools, debris, Katie J. called me and at the Dries in no time. I was fired up and trees …)? ready to go. Safety and consequences never told me the Dries were crossed my mind. It hadn’t occurred to me 2. Always have a buddy, someone who you that swimming could cost me my life. can count on to pick you up when you running. Not only swim. I know I often end up watching the And I swam. I swam the Dries at 70,000 person on the wave rather than the person were they running, they cfs—major flood level. It happened on who is downstream and might need help. were at optimal flow: the first ride, on my first move of the day. My paddle was ripped out of my hands. I 3. Most boaters don’t wear a safety vest didn’t even attempt to hand roll … I was while . You should at least have just tired from the drive and didn’t give it a a river tow—I highly recommend it! The 70,000 cfs. try. Stupid, I know. river tow is designed to clip onto boats for retrieval. This gear makes rescue much Out of my boat, I swam to the closest shore. faster, easier, and safer. The closest shore was not the best idea. It was layered with trees and foliage. I was 4. Having float bags in your boat will help relaxed and calm as I entered the cluster of those rescuing it. trees and carefully wove myself in between the plants to shore. 5. Throw ropes really aren’t really helpful on big water rivers. They can’t reach out I was lucky. Swimming through the trees far enough to do any good, and when the was utter stupidity on my part. The trees water is in the trees you have to be really are pillars for debris to wrap around. As careful about entanglement! If you don’t a swimmer, you either can be part of the have a clear way to bring someone safely debris or get stuck on the debris. Not safe ashore, keep the rope in the bag! at all. 6. Don’t swim in the trees—remember my It wasn’t till later that night I reflected more experience! on my swim and realized how lucky I was to make it safely. First off, no one can save 7. Make sure that you are strong. Usually you when you’re in the trees, not by boat we’re exhausted on our last ride. It’s best to or by rope. No one wants to take their boat save it for tomorrow because if you swim, into the trees—boats make the perfect you will need a lot of energy. debris. And as for ropes, they also wrap around trees.

I was ignorant, and ignorance is not bliss. I had not assessed the situation before I got into the water. Please learn from my mistake. Big wave surfing is becoming more and more popular. Before you go out and surf your brains out, use your head.

12 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 13 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 “Please learn from my mistake.”

More and more paddlers are kayaking on big waves. It is so much fun. But know the consequences and safety conditions before jumping into the water. Anything can happen – from a blown , to a lost paddle, to a torn shoulder – just make sure you have a plan.

Top: Tanya Shuman and Loyal Hound Kota Right: First surf, just before the fi rst move Below: Tanya’s big move before the big swim Photos by Marlow Long

12 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 13 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Andrew Jillings

Using Lemons to Save the Day “boring,” while those too high will seem that regardless of what innovations come Every time we’re on the “reckless.” We won’t feel comfortable with along in kayaking to make the sport safer, our actions unless it somehow meets the it will have no effect unless individuals river, we run the risk target we set for ourselves. consciously choose to lower their target risk level. The German cabbies only of an accident. That’s During a three-year study, cab drivers in lowered their accident rates in the fourth Munich were randomly assigned to cabs year of the study, when the cab companies the difference between with ABS brakes or cabs without. It was made the drivers pay for part of the cost whitewater paddling noted that the drivers of ABS cabs drove of any damage to the cabs and threatened faster, braked harder, took more risks on dismissal for anyone with a particularly and an amusement the road, and in the end, had the same bad accident record. accident rate as those driving without park ride. We know ABS. Risk homeostasis proposes that the Similarly, we as boaters will best accomplish cabbies were adjusting their behavior to this when we understand all the risks that given only the maintain their “target risk” level: when involved, both by defining them ahead of the risk of injury was reduced with ABS, time and measuring them at the time. The smallest – a change the cabbies increased their dangerous latter is where we will talk about lemons, of boat angle or a behavior to compensate. The same thing but before then, you get to do another test. happened with seat belts in this country. missed stroke – a good It was thought that when seatbelt use The dictionary defines an accident as: was made mandatory, that the injury rate “an unexpected happening causing loss day can turn bad would go down, but it didn’t. People drove or injury.” In applying this definition to more recklessly when they wore seatbelts, the real world, it’s useful to understand very quickly. in to keep their target level of risk that there are four types of loss related to the same (the same thing happened with paddling. Why do we take risks in the first place? airbags). Frank Farley of Temple University put Physical: any kind of injury that causes forward the idea of the type T personality: How does this play out in the whitewater even a temporary loss of freedom or the bigger the risk taker, the higher the world? In the past few years, advances independence T score. T types can be divided into T in kayak and equipment design have Intellectuals (Einstein, Galileo), T Physicals made paddling the same familiar rivers Financial: you lose your paddle during a (extreme athletes, rescue professionals, safer. However, with all these advances swim, which costs money kayakers) and T Negatives (bank robbers, intended to make us safer, what do we do? delinquents, tubers?). You can take a short Risk homeostasis suggests that we simply Emotional: frustration or embarrassment version of his test in Figure 1 to see how take more risks—paddling harder, more over missing your line on the last rapid much of a sensation seeker you are. dangerous rivers and bringing the level of risk back to where we like it. Social: “If I don’t run this drop, my friends Gerald Wilde’s Risk Homeostasis theory will think less of me. If I can’t paddle this provides another way to explain risk-taking For example, Steep Creek Sven buys a stuff, they won’t invite me next week.” behavior. Wilde said that individuals have a breathing cylinder to put in his boat, so level of risk that they are comfortable with that if he gets pinned underwater, he’ll These categories of loss can also be thought for a given activity and that, if life gets safer, have some air to breath while his buddies of as types of risk. How willing are you to they will act more dangerously in order to organize a rescue. With the comfort of take risks in each of these categories? Use maintain homeostasis. He called it “target having the air cylinder along, Sven decides the lines in Figure 2 to mark where you risk,” meaning that we each have a target he can run “Imminent Death Falls.” The think you stand as a risk taker in each level that we strive to maintain. Some upshot is that he decreases the level of risk category. Remember to do this solely for individuals’ target risk levels are higher than by adding a cylinder, and then returns it to paddling, as your value of risk in other those of others, but basically everyone will his target level by attempting bigger drops areas may differ. manipulate their actions and environment with more pinning potential. in order to meet—but not exceed or fall So what do these theories mean for you as short of—their personal target. Activities The conclusion we must reach, then, is a paddler? If you took the T-type test, you that are lower than our target will feel

14 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org November/December 2004 will know how likely you are to take risks. You may go all day with three lemons Combine this with the knowledge you’ve and be fi ne, or you may get two and right gained from Risk Homeostasis theory, away you’re throwing ropes and praying and you will know that regardless of that Charlie Walbridge is about to paddle equipment—or even skill level—there are around the corner. Collecting lemons is certain types of risk you have a tendency usually unintentional, but removing them to take. requires a conscious decision or change in behavior. “Hey, I’m cold. Even though I’m In 1983, Alan Hale addressed the way not thirsty, I’d better drink something.” accidents happen with the Accident Equation (Figure 3). Hale said that dangers To apply the lemon theory to paddling, in the environment must interact with a ask yourself during the course of your day, human behavior to produce the potential “How many lemons do I have now?” as a for an accident. Although this combination way of measuring the current level of risk. of environmental and behavioral dangers In my work teaching college students to be doesn’t automatically produce an accident, outdoor/adventure educators, I present Hale says that without this interaction, an this theory on the fi rst day of training. accident can’t happen. Then, during the rest of our time together, I randomly ask my new leaders how many Dangers can vary in size and number, but lemons they have, right here, right now. the more that accumulate, the greater the accident potential. Dangers may be physical Its effectiveness lies in its ability to detach (a strainer, for example), or behavioral from the moment and objectively assess (forgetting your pogies on a cold day, plus the situation. Putting a number on not drinking any water, causing you to what might otherwise be overlooked as feel chilly, which means you don’t want subjective factors reminds us to be aware to get out and scout the next rapid). There of our surroundings and the choices we may be a few large or many small factors make. If you’re someone who tends to that combine to produce a real accident get carried along with the group or the (running the drop blind and landing in moment and regrets it later, you may want the strainer). So, the Accident Equation is to set yourself a lemon limit before getting all very well, but like any academic theory, on the water. it has to be translated into something we can use on the river. Finally, here’s where Managing risk on the river begins and ends lemons come in. with you, the individual paddler. Hopefully this article has made you think about your Imagine a big slot machine. Every time you risk taking, and given you a way of keeping make a decision, you pull the lever and the track of the risks you are running when wheels in the slot machine spin. Mostly you’re on the river. How you manage those they come up with harmless strawberries risks is, as always, up to you. and cherries, but they may also come up with a lemon, which represents an Andrew Jillings paddles, mostly in the environmental or behavioral danger. Each Adirondacks, mostly in his creek boat, and pull of the handle potentially adds another mostly lemon-free. He is an ACA kayak lemon to those you’ve already got, so the Instructor Trainer, river rescue and canoe more times you pull the handle, the more Instructor with Zoar Outdoor in Charlmont lemons you might accumulate. Lemons can MA. When not on the water he is Director also be removed if you use specifi c skills or of Adventure Programs at Hamilton College tools that counter that danger. in Clinton NY.

It might take a lot of small lemons or only a [Sensation Seeker Test couple of large ones to win you an accident, but in general, the more lemons you have, on next page!] the closer to an accident you are. How many lemons you are comfortable living with is up to you, and may vary from situation to situation. There is no magic number where you get X lemons and you win an accident.

www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 15 September/October 2004 Are you a 4. A or B? 10. A or B? A. I would prefer living in an ideal A. When I go on a vacation I prefer the sensation seeker? society in which everyone is safe, comfort of a good room and bed happy and secure B. When I go on vacation, I prefer the For each question, circle your choice, A or B. I would have preferred living in the change of camping out B, that best describes your likes or dislikes unsettled days of our history or the way you feel. 11. A or B? 1. I would like a job that requires a lot of 5. A or B? A. I prefer people who are emotionally travelling A. I sometimes like to do things that are a expressive even if they are a bit unstable Yes / No little frightening B. I prefer people who are calm and level- B. A sensible person avoids activities that headed 2. I am invigorated by a brisk, cold day are dangerous Yes / No 12. A or B? 6. A or B? A. A good painting should shock or jolt 3. I get bored seeing the same old faces A. I would not like to be hypnotized the senses Yes / No B. I would like to have the experience of B. A good painting should give one a being hypnotized feeling of peace and security 13. A or B? 7. A or B? A. People who ride motorcycles must have A. The most important goal of life is to some kind of unconscious need to hurt live it to the fullest and experiences much themselves as possible B. I would like to ride a motorcycle B. The most important goal in life is to find peace and happiness Scoring: Count one point for each of the following items you have circled: 8. A or B? 1. Yes, 2. Yes, 3. Yes, 4.B, 5.A, 6. B, 7.A, 8.A, A. I would like to try parachute jumping 9.B, 10.B, 11.A, 12.A, 13.B. Add up your B. I would never want to try jumping out totals and compare it to the norms below: of a plane; with or without a parachute 1-3 Very low sensation-seeker 4 -5 Low 9. A or B? 6-9 Average A. I enter cold water gradually, giving 10-11 High myself time to get used to it. 12 - 13 Very high B. I like to dive or jump right into the ocean or cold pool

Low Risk High Risk

Physical 1 2 3 4 5

Financial 1 2 3 4 5

Emotional 1 2 3 4 5

Social 1 2 3 4 5

Cognitive 1 2 3 4 5

16 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 17 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Kayak School says… CONGRATULATIONS KEENERS! We’re proud to say that the young men and women enrolled in our Teen Kayaking Development Program (Keeners) dominate Junior paddling in

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16 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 17 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Dr. Thomas Johnson

The New Admiral of door and out of the submerged aircraft I ordered a Rapid Air unit in December of (similar to doing a wet exit in a kayak). A ‘02 and received it in January of ‘04. (The the River? pilot’s chance of survival was increased, but lawyers had to wrestle with the legal issues some were still drowning. for a couple of years before the unit was Extreme sports have given the go ahead for sale.) I bought a unit In the 1980’s, flight crews were introduced to take to the big water of the Futalefue in evolved with various to the HEED (Helicopter Emergency Egress southern . After diving in both the Device), which dramatically increased civilian and military environment for 30+ epiphanies in gear survival rates in flight accidents that occurred years, I was initially ambivalent about the safety. over water. Numerous water crashes have device. All of this was forgotten on the been survived by pilots as a result of the second day on the Futalefue. Parachuting discovered the anti-inversion HEED compressed air device. The HEED net for round canopies in the mid 1970s, device is a 1.7 cubic foot compressed air I was visiting Ken Whiting’s camp for a which greatly decreased malfunctions bottle attached to a single stage regulator week to brush up my skills in BIG water. in canopy deployment. The subsequent mouthpiece worn in the pocket of a flight Taking my own boat was out of the question development of the ram air square canopy . It instantly provides 20-30 breaths of because of the isolated (but very beautiful) then made the round canopy virtually compressed air. I was personally exposed location of Ken’s camp. However, Ken had a obsolete to include reserve ‘chutes. The to this technology back in the mid 1980’s, wide selection of play boats for the clients. kernmantle rope and the protection and it has been virtually unchanged since its The biggest boat available for my 195- cam found their places in the climbing introduction. It is a well-proven device with pound frame was a Wavesport Z. The Z had arena during the same decade, greatly hundreds of thousands of units sold around fold down foot pegs, which did not endear improving climbing safety. The buoyancy the world. themselves to me. It almost took a human compensator and dive computer improved shoehorn to get me in the boat. safety in sport diving. fireproof Since the development of the HEED device, improved survival for auto racing scuba divers around the world have added The second day while out on the “Fue” I was and military pilots. Radio beacons and the small compressed bail-out air bottles to hit from behind by another boater while avalung improved avalanche survival for their gear bags. “Spare Air” is the civilian entering an eddy. I flipped. I could not roll winter back country athletes. The list goes equivalent of the HEED bottle for the sport up along the boiling eddy line and I ended on and on. diver. Underwater technologies has been up diving! I managed somehow to get one making this second breath technology for foot and leg out of the cockpit while my left What about white water kayaking? Shorter more than 20 years. foot was entrapped behind the fold down boats made out of super-strong foot peg. The boat was hurling back and with keyhole cockpits and foam bulkheads As a swift water rescue instructor, the forth over me while going down through were huge gains in boating technology that basic tenets of safety instruction are about BIG water rapids. Everything went into have increased safety. PFDs and closed preventing the drowning of a boater or slow motion. I realized if I did not relax cell foam have increased flotation safety. rescuer in a dire situation. Peruse Charlie and take the hits from the big waves that Spectra rope has strengthened throw bags. Walbrige’s back issues of his newsletter my hip was going to be dislocated. Ken was Unfortunately, it has not been enough. Very for confirmation. If that pinned boater or off to my side coaching me down through experienced boaters are still drowning. rescuer only had an extra breath or two…. the rapids until I could get free. When the But perhaps an extra breath is possible. boat really put torque on my hip I noticed As a former military flight surgeon and that if I just stayed under water and relaxed, diving medical officer, I have always For the past five years Jeff Bennet of Rapid the hip pressure would subside. That’s been aware of the hazards that result in Air Technologies has recognized the need for where the Rapid Air unit came in handy. drownings. Air crews have been drowning self-rescue with compressed air technology. I took 2-3 submerged breaths while going in water ever since aircraft were able to Jeff has a broad background as both a down through the rapids. I never felt panic; fly over water. The US Navy adopted whitewater kayaker and rafter. The Rapid Air I actually felt this calm come over me. I submerged aircraft egress training for Company has developed a small rectangular finally got free of the boat and was fine. pilots back in the mid 20th century. They that fits in the front pocket of a PFD. It I don’t know if the RA unit saved my life, would grab a bulk head with one hand, provides about 3000 psi of compressed air but I wouldn’t want to ride the rapid again release their seatbelt with the other hand (15 breaths or so) to a submerged individual under the same circumstances without the and PULL (not swim) themselves to the via an enclosed mouthpiece. RA unit.

18 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 19 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Another company that makes the scuba diving Spare Air/HEED unit has also recognized the potential of compressed air A compressed unit by ‘Rapid Air’ for kayakers. It is developing the Xtreme Air unit for surfers and kayakers. I was invited to test a unit. The unit is about the size of a baseball. Any initial defi ciencies the device had were quickly overlooked after a day on the Colorado River in April ‘04. The down side of both units is scuba I was taking a class through the Boulder qualifi cation. In order to buy compressed Outdoor Center. The students got together air from a dive shop you must have a “C and decided to go boating after the 3rd day card” for a diving certifi cation. You don’t of class. We were east of Glenwood Springs have to have a scuba certifi cation to get just below the dam. I was invited to boat your hands on a compressed air unit but in down the Class IV Barrel Springs rapid order to fi ll your poney tank that fi lls your with some of the younger hot shots. The bottle you must have a diver certifi cation. fi rst half of the rapid was no problem. I Scuba certifi cation is in the 300-$350 then fl ipped in a hole, tried to roll, swam, range. This could be a real barrier to getting and was sucked under. I actually remember more units on the water. An alternate, less chuckling to myself that I was about to expensive certifi cation must be developed drown while attending a rescue seminar. that dive shops will recognize in order Everything became peaceful and quiet. for kayakers to buy compressed air for Then I remembered I had on my modifi ed their units. Xtreme air unit. I took 3 slow breaths from the Xtreme air unit and then was fi nally I dream of a day when compressed air units released from the hole. There is no doubt will be as common as throw ropes. By the in my mind that compressed air saved way if you see and hear an old gray haired my life. dude whooping and hollering ahead on the next rapid its probably “Skunk” hitting his We can debate about changing the fi rst stern squirt of the day. circumstances that place us in a potential drowning situation: a better roll, or boating in class equal to one’s skill level. The fact is Dr Johnson, aka “Skunk” to his river friends, that we are all just resting between swims ... is a practicing ob/gyn surgeon in Elko, as long as we are pushing ourselves to that Nevada. He spent 14 years in the Army as next level. a diving medical offi cer and fl ight surgeon before specializing in women’s health care. My purpose is not to debate that point He has been with his because the fact remains that people drown daughters for 5 years and is now an ACA every year in whitewater. Nor am I here to swift water rescue instructor. debate the merits of the two companies’ different units. My purpose is to have you think a little differently about your survival in an unexpected situation. Who would ever think that injecting bread mold into someone’s veins would cure an infection. Back in the early 20th century someone thought outside the box and now we have penicillin. We need to think out of the box if we’re going to affect your probability of drowning.

18 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 19 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 January – June 2004 huge boulders. When his paddle floated and posted on American Whitewater’s free, his friends became alarmed. They Streamkeeper Pages. According to a report scrambled upstream and saw him vertically sent to AW by James Tilley and Lauren Kayaking Accidents pinned in the top drop, an 8’ high ledge. Cooper, their group was not aware of the Mr. Lord was completely under water, but hazard even though the preferred lines get On January 25th there was a death on the had an air pocket and was fighting to keep quite close to it. They approached the drop Russell Fork, near Elkhorn City, Kentucky. his head up. The force of the water quickly carefully, scouting and setting up safety Many East Coast paddlers knew Jon Lord, overwhelmed him, and his life vest washed before making their runs. The first seven 34, as the “Lord of the Fork.” He was a local off about 20 minutes later. His companions paddlers got through without incident. Ms. legend with over 300 runs down this Class attempted to reach him from both sides of Weiss, running last, was pushed off line and V river. A report posted to Boatertalk by Jay the river with throw ropes. They managed broached on the center rock. As she worked Ditti, one of Mr. Lord’s companions, states to snag his boat twice, but could not pull her way off that rock she dropped into the that the flow was roughly 700 cfs, slightly it free. After 30 minutes of fruitless effort sieve on the left side. less than a normal fall release. The weather they paddled out cautiously and notified was bitterly cold, with air temperatures authorities. The Elkhorn City rescue squad Their safety man threw Ms. Weiss a in the mid 30’s accompanied by an icy rode a train up the gorge and reached the rope, which she caught on the first try. wind and sleet. Mr. Lord was paddling his scene at dusk. Since they couldn’t get to Mr. Although she did have an air pocket, she playboat, as he often did. Lord from that side of the river they wisely was also being pushed deeper into the postponed further recovery efforts until sieve. A stabilization line was set up across At Tower Rapids, the first Class V drop, Mr. the next day. the river within two minutes of the pin, Lord ran third and last. He took the main but she could not hold on. She quickly boof line and dropped out of sight behind Kayakers from all over the East joined exhausted by the relentless, icy current local rescuers in an attempt to recover Mr. and went limp after about ten minutes Lord’s body. The intense search continued of desperate struggle. The group then for several days despite frightfully cold switched tactics, trying to lift her free using weather. Rafts were used to ferry dive team a snag line. This was not successful, despite members into place while kayakers ferried repeated attempts. ropes and provided backup. Mr. Lord’s boat was found quickly, but despite an intensive Roughly 90 minutes after the accident, a effort using scent dogs and an underwater large group of conservation officers and camera, nothing more could be found. In rescue squad personnel arrived. Initially the weeks that followed small groups of they provided backup for the kayakers; at kayakers regularly patrolled the river. On about the two hour mark they set up two February 24th his body was spotted in a high lines about 30 feet over the river. A river right eddy almost a mile downstream grappling hook arrived and the two groups of the accident site. worked together to guide it into position. Several radios were used to improve New York’s Class IV-V Metawee River communication. On their third attempt is located northeast of Albany, near the they snagged her life vest and pulled it off. Vermont border. The riverbed is slate, On their fourth attempt they were able to and big drops form where harder bands of get under her body and pull her free. State rock are encountered. The rapids change Police divers who were waiting for her often and frequently contain undercuts, downstream recovered her body. potholes, and sieves. On April 10th, with the Granville gauge running at moderate What’s clear from this and other similar 4.2 feet, an eight boat party put into the accidents is that sieves are often invisible, river around mid-day; most of them had even to experienced boaters. Any skilled been down before. Thirty-two year-old and prudent group could find itself in Linda Weiss was a solid class V kayaker a similar predicament. The rescue was and one of three paddlers making their expertly attempted, and the group’s ability first trip. to work with the authorities deserves special commendation. I’ve heard several accounts Dugan’s Falls, the second major drop, in which entrapped paddlers, wearing has changed a lot since last year. There’s rescue life vests, were able to clip into a a hidden sieve in the middle of the drop. thrown rope with their pigtail so they could It’s scary enough that pictures were taken be pulled out. It’s hard to know whether

20 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 21 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 this would have been successful here. Since Fordyce Creek is a Class IV-V run in the On June 9th Les Normandin, 53, was word-of-mouth passes information around Donner Pass area of the Sierra-Nevadas. found floating face-down in a pushy Class slowly in today’s large paddling community, The last rapid above the reservoir is pretty III section of the Crystal River upstream I’d encourage paddlers to document hazards gnarly, and is known for sticky holes, of Carbondale, Colorado. According to like this on AW’s Streamkeeper Pages and in strainers, and sieves. On June 17th a group the Aspen Times he was wearing a helmet chat rooms that serve their region. of five was attempting the rapid when one and booties, but no PFD. Sheriff’s deputies of them got caught in a pourover and found a PFD in his truck at the takeout. Tarrifville Gorge on the Farmington River bailed out. According to a report posted on Jake Menke is a local paddler who helped is a popular Class II-III training and practice boof.com by Keith Kishiyama, Deb Martin, with the shuttle on his way to a hike. He area just west of Hartford, Connecticut. On 34, quickly peeled out and gave chase. The said that Mr. Normandin had boated April 18th a kayaker drowned on bridge swimmer got himself into an eddy quickly, regularly with his father when both men piers located at the start of this section. but as the group collected his gear someone were in their 20’s. Although the man hadn’t These are three concrete slabs spaced five noticed that Ms. Martin was missing. been boating for over 25 years, he had run feet apart with only 3” sticking above the river successfully the previous day and the waterline. Paddlers who frequent the A search began. One of her group ran the had no qualms about another solo run. area can easily spot these hazards and rapid and found her paddle floating in the This confidence proved to be his undoing. avoid them. reservoir. She was finally spotted under water, still in her boat but barely visible. On June 26th Randall Anderson, 35, died According to posts made to The Northeast Her companions speculate that she may on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone near Paddler’s Message Board, Dean Forostoski, have been working her way across the Crandall, Wyoming. This little known, but 49, was kayaking with a club trip when he river to pick up a pinned paddle when she excellent stretch of roadside whitewater washed into this hazard and pinned. Two flipped in a nearby pourover. She probably is upstream of the famous Class V-VI local playboaters and two bystanders saw washed into a sieve while still upside-down. overnight section. At “Boulder Drop” what happened and moved in to help. The Ms. Martin was a self-sufficient Class V rapid, a friend ran the rapid first. When bystanders struggled to hold Mr. Forostoski’s paddler. The group was preoccupied with Mr. Anderson failed to appear, the man head above water while the playboaters tried the rescue; no one saw what actually what ran upstream and saw him flip and bail out to release the boat. They were not successful; happened. It took them over an hour to of his kayak. Mr. Anderson did not grab a the abutment was quite slippery and both recover her body, but they finally snagged well-placed throw line, and he floated out the boat and its occupant were sinking her arm and were able to pull her free using of sight downstream. His partner called deeper. It was only when a rope was thrown a z-drag. 911, and authorities were able to locate from shore that a large group of paddlers the body miles downstream. Mr. Crandall applied enough force to release the pin. Mr. Two other people identified in the was President of the Beartooth Paddler’s Forostoski, who had been under water for newspapers as “kayakers” were found dead Society; a newspaper report in the Cody, fifteen minutes by this time, was brought on various rivers throughout the country. Wyoming Enterprise described the pair as to shore where rescue squads waited. CPR On March 19th two young paddlers on “skilled” and “well equipped.” Anyone with began, and a helicopter transported him to spring break discovered the body of a man further information (particularly about Hartford Hospital where he later died. This floating in an eddy near Elbow Rapids on whether head trauma might have been incident reminds us that simple errors can the Little River near Townsend, Tennessee. involved) is urged to contact the Safety be deadly. Keep alert and never forget the According to a report posted to Boatertalk, Editor. awesome forces you are dealing with! he was wearing a spray skirt, PFD, and ski . A broken paddle was found floating Jack Spurlock, 64, was paddling a tandem nearby. Months later, May 29th, Erik Stern, Accidents kayak down the Class II+ “Chutes” of Paint 22, was pulled from the South Fork of Only one canoeing accident was reported to Creek near Chillicothe, Ohio on May 22nd. the Clearwater near Grangeville, Idaho. us so far. Eric Roosa was reported missing The flows were about 1450 cfs, which is Although identified by the Idaho County after a canoe capsized on the Wakill River considered moderate by local boaters. Free Press as a kayaker, he was found in near Esopus, NY. His partner got ashore According to the Chillicothe Gazette, Mr. street clothes. According to friends at NRS, and notified authorities. Very little else is Spurlock’s partner reported that their the river was cresting at 5000 cfs, way too known about this accident, and anyone kayak “filled with water” as they were going high for a run. They think that he probably with more information is urged to contact through the rapids. It sounds like this craft, slipped and fell into the river while walking the Safety Editor. like many tandem , had no sprayskirt. on shore. Perhaps there was a kayak on Mr. They broached and flipped. Two teenagers Stern’s car. Anyone with more information saw what happened and pulled Mr. Spurlock on these accidents is urged to contact the ashore, but were unable to revive him. Safety Editor.

20 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 21 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Rafting Accidents breaking waves in Decision Rapids, less this level Ladle is one of a long chain of than a mile from the start. Initially, two drops with big waves and holes. The river is Eight fatalities involving inflatable boats members of the party were missing: David wide and turbulent here, so finding a single were reported during the first six months Probst and his nephew. Several of the person is not easy. Although her husband of 2004. Four were flush-drownings. In survivors worked their way back upriver swam safely ashore, Ms. Sparwasser washed two instances, despite plenty of backup, to Teter’s Campground and called 911. past everyone. She was spotted and picked swimmers got past everyone and floated Since two members of the group were up by another party downstream. They downstream to their death. Two incidents missing, local rescue squads asked guides attempted resuscitation unsuccessfully. involved inflatable kayaks, the rest from Mountain Streams and Trails and a were rafts. group of local kayakers to help with the On June 22nd a tourist from Chicago died search. The two inflatables were found on a commercial rafting trip on Sixmile Early on the morning of March 7th two in Beech Run Rapids; the dead man and Creek near Anchorage, Alaska. This class IV young men launched a small raft on the his nephew were found above Big Nasty river consists entirely of snow and glacier Smoky Hill River near Salina, Kansas. on river left. This 48 year-old man, who melt, and water temperatures are extremely Neither was wearing a life vest even weighed over 325 pounds and had a scar low. One of their guests, Clarence Savage, though the river was flooded and laden on his chest suggestive of heart surgery, 52, wore a drysuit, life vest, and helmet. He with debris. After their boat suddenly was overcome by the violent water and was thrown into the water when his raft hit flipped one boy disappeared. The other washed downstream. a “rough spot” in “The Predator” rapid. He was stranded on a mid-stream debris pile washed under a log before guides could for about three hours. Firefighters used By now Mr. Probst had been in the water get to him and was not breathing despite the current to lower a life vest to him, then for over two hours. They did CPR for about excellent gear and short immersion time. sent a rescue swimmer out to grab him 15 minutes before one of the kayakers, In an interview in the Anchorage, Alaska and bring him safely ashore. The second a physician, pronounced the man dead. Daily News, State Trooper Greg Wilkinson man, Adam Bruna, 18, was found several The outfitters then loaded Mr. Probst on a reminded us that very cold water can cause days later when the water receded. He was raft and ferried him across the river. There breathing or heart problems in susceptible lodged under a logjam on the west bank of they tied him to a backboard and carried individuals. This includes many people the river. him up a very steep slope to a trail. After over 50. meeting the rescue squad they returned On May 22nd The mighty Cheat River to their rafts and finished the run just Two brothers died when their guided raft Canyon in Northern West Virginia gave before nightfall. flipped in House Rock Rapid, a big class five private rafters from Harrisburg a IV drop on Montana’s Gallatin River. John hard lesson in the danger of high flows. Most of us know the frustration of being Staley, 58, and Vernon Staley, 56, were in a According to an article in Splashes, the confronted with high water after a long boat that flipped on a mid-stream boulder newsletter of the West Virginia Wildwater drive. There are lots of stories about groups near the top of this pounding, mile-long Association, this group had paddled the in this position who tried a river that, in rapid. Water levels were near their seasonal standard Class III-IV Eastern whitewater retrospect, should have been left alone. peak. A safety kayaker helped two women runs for many years. They paddled long, This experienced group should have been reach shore, then took off after the men. narrow SOAR inflatables that are sort of carrying a guidebook. There were many He pulled one of them into shallow water, a cross between a ducky and a raft. They Class III-IV rivers running at reasonable then chased the other. When the second were wearing life vests and wet suits and levels that day, including the Casselman, man proved to be unresponsive, the safety used kayak paddles for propulsion. When Laurel Hill, Upper Big Sandy, Dry Fork, kayaker bailed out of his boat, grabbed the Lower Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle and of course, the Cheat Narrows. the man, pulled him to shore, and began State Park was closed because of high water CPR. But it was too late. And while this was the group decided to try the Cheat Canyon. Ladle Rapid is the most formidable drop going on the first man, probably overcome An Ohiopyle outfitter strongly advised on Idaho’s magnificent Selway River. by exhaustion and cold water, slipped back against this and gave them directions to the The gauge at the put-in on June 5th read into the river and also died. much easier (but still challenging) Narrows roughly 4.8 feet; not unreasonably high, section just upstream. but still big water. According to Vince On June 29th a guided raft flipped in Thompson’s Idaho Whitewater Page, Gail Middle Keaney Rapids in West Virginia’s In Albright another outfitter warned them Sparwasser, 58, was a part of a large party New River Gorge. The flow was 8,000 against launching. When they put in at of 16 people in 13 rafts. She and her cfs, a near-optimal level that creates huge about 1:00 pm the Cheat was running at husband, both of whom had done the river breaking waves here. Five occupants 61⁄2’. This is over 15,000 cfs, well past the before, ran first in a 14’ self-bailing oar- of the raft, along with the guide, were cut-off point for commercial outfitters. frame boat. Their raft capsized in big waves picked up by other rafts. But Morgan Both of the group’s boats flipped in huge and holes, throwing them into the water. Funk, 15, washed into a dangerous rock Other rafts in the party gave chase, but at sieve at the top of Lower Keaney known

22 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 23 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 as Meatgrinder. These rocks, the site of a by during the next few hours without onto the grab loop. previous fatality, are very diffi cult to reach. ever suspecting what happened. When the Guides and private paddlers mobilized to boy’s father could not be found, a search In another incident, 62 year-old Paul help her, and were eventually joined by began. His body was located quickly, and Butzen was paddling with his adult son Park Service and fi re-rescue personnel. was easily recovered when the water was on the Sheboygan River near Fond Du They were not successful. turned off. Lac, Wisconsin when they encountered a man who had attempted to run Riverbend We have several rather sketchy reports of Dam. According to the Sheboygan Press, two other accidents. On June 19th Susan Failed Rescues the man swam free, but his kayak was still Payne, 52, was swept down Alaska’s caught in the hydraulic. Mr. Butzen and his Although river rescues are routinely Creek after capsizing an infl atable kayak. son, who portaged the dam, offered to help performed by groups of trained whitewater According to the Fairbanks, Alaska News recover it. As they approached the boat paddlers, it’s important to remember that Miner she was able to hold onto some from downstream they were pulled into this activity can be dangerous. This year bushes for a while, but let go before her the hydraulic and capsized. The two other two paddlers died while attempting to friend who was paddling with her could men quickly washed free, but Mr. Butzen help recover gear after a mishap. While provide help. Then on June 26th Derek was held in the hydraulic for some time taking risks can be justifi ed when rescuing Bell, 24, drowned on Oregon’s Grand before washing out. Police and fi refi ghters a living person, no gear is worth dying Ronde River when his raft capsized against from nearby Kohler, Wisconsin found him over. Both rescues were complicated by a bridge piling near the confl uence with the fl oating face down in the river. They pulled dangerous holes. Wallowa River. Mr. Bell, who was wearing him in, but resuscitation efforts failed. a PFD, was found fl oating some distance Big Laurel Creek is a scenic class II-IV downriver. Anyone with additional In yet another instance of dam foolishness, four-mile stream that runs into the French information should forward it to the AW two youngsters died after sliding down Broad River west of Asheville, North Safety Editor. the face of a dam like a waterslide. The Carolina. On June 14th a father and his incident occurred on the Chippewa teen-aged son attempted the run in two River near Watson, Minnesota. Brandon kayaks, one hardshell and one infl atable. Livery Accidents Dornbush, 12, went fi rst and got caught Because the water level was very low, only in the hydraulic below. His older brother Two of this year’s deaths involved boat - 4”, the usual route down Suddy Hole Justin, 14, fi rst tried to reach him with a rental operations, the fi rst occurring on the Rapid was too shallow to run. Most of the fi shing pole before trying the chute himself Delaware River above Port Jervis, NY. This water funneled into the horseshoe-shaped and becoming trapped. Their 11 year-old section has a nice mix of fl atwater and Class ledge that creates Suddy Hole. According to I-II rapids and supports a number of many a detailed account in the Hot Springs, NC livery operations. On June 9th Shlomi News-Record and Sentinel, Mark Simms, 52, Bgdadi, an Israeli national, drowned after ran fi rst in his infl atable. He came through capsizing a rental kayak. This happened in fi ne, but his son’s kayak nosed deep, struck Whitewater Shohola Rapids, just below the mouth of a rock, and got stuck in the hole. The New York’s Mongaup River. According to boy fl oated free, but his kayak would not Challengers the National Park Service Morning Report, come out. The victim and his companion had been New York’s #1 Dealer issued PFD’s but chose not to wear them. Mr. Simms decided to retrieve his son’s in Kayaks, Both men were weak swimmers. His friend, kayak, and here he made a fatal mistake. and Gear! who also fl ipped, managed to struggle He tied a rope around his chest, something ashore. Mr. Bgdadi’s body was found the that a trained whitewater paddler knows next afternoon. not to do. He entered the river and swam Pyranha out to the kayak. Thirty feet from shore Wavesport The Nantahala River in North Carolina he was pummeled by the hole and pulled was the scene of a tragic foot entrapment. under. The boy tried to pull his father Jackson Kayaks A 59 year-old man and his 14 year-old in, but the rope became snagged on the Prijon son were paddling a rented double duckie bottom and it wouldn’t budge. By changing when they hung up on a rock in the left the direction of pull he was able to pull his We’re so side of Patton’s Run. According to an father free, but by then he’d been under account posted to the Carolina Canoe Club too long. After trying CPR he hiked back close to the bulletin board by Wayne Dickert, the man to the put-in where he met a family and Moose River, jumped into the creek to free the boat. His notifi ed authorities. leg became caught between the two-to- we consider three foot diameter boulders that litter the Rescue teams, assisted by a group of high it family!! riverbed here and he probably went under school students, walked downstream and instantly. His son, who was in the bow carried Mr. Simms out in his ducky. The Route 28 facing downstream, saw nothing. There next day several whitewater paddlers who Old Forge, NY 13420 were no other paddlers nearby to witness trained in river rescue paddled the river [email protected] the event. Assuming that his father would and retrieved the kayak. It was still stuck in 315-369-6699 meet him at the take-out the boy paddled Suddy Hole. One of them waded out on a downstream. Hundreds of people passed rock shelf and was able to clip a carabiner

22 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 23 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 sister pedaled a mile to town to summon launched their boats and made it to the on the back of Sutton’s boat. He paddled help, but it was too late. Rescuers found takeout as darkness fell. her to shore as his friend provided backup. the bodies of the two boys over a mile The story was on the 6:00 news on all the downstream. Both this and the preceding On June 11th canoeist Curtis Ensley, 46, main Atlanta stations. incident dramatize the real dangers of got into big trouble after he flipped in entering the backwash of a dam for any Tablesaw Rapid on Tennessee’s Ocoee The majority of the accounts in this reason, even to help someone else. River. According to a posting to Boatertalk, article came from postings to Internet his foot became trapped after he swam bulletin boards and chat rooms serving into the hole at the bottom. A steep drop the whitewater paddling community. And Some can take you from a “foot-up” to a “foot They often include copies of articles Remarkable Saves down” position very quickly, and your best written for local newspapers. Since I can’t defense is to pull your knees up against check all of these resources regularly Paddlers made several outstanding your chest as you go over the drop. When I depend on AW members to forward rescues this past spring. Veteran river Mr. Ensley came up his canoe was floating useful material. I’m especially indebted activist Jerry Meral sent us a detailed in the backwash nearby. He grabbed it and to my regular correspondents: Slim Ray, account of an extraordinary rescue on screamed for help. Tim Bromelkamp, Vince Thomson, Aida the Chamberlain Falls run of California’s Parkinson, and Joe Greiner. Without North Fork of the American River. The Guides from Rolling Thunder and Outland their support there would be a lot less incident occurred on March 6th. A group Rafting moved in quickly. A raft lower was information to share with you. was scouting Bogus Thunder Rapid when set up, and eventually others got into the they saw a cataraft and a paddleboat run water directly behind Mr. Ensley. They American Whitewater depends on its the rapid without scouting, flip, and pin. could keep his head above water, but could members and friends for the information Greg Judge paddled quickly down and not release his foot. According to Charlie that’s contained in this accident summary. arrived to find a man standing at the top Miller, the owner of Rolling Thunder, Remember that a full account of what of a rock holding onto a woman’s foot. She one of his guides pushed himself under happened cuts down on the inevitable was pinned head-first against the rock by water and found the stern line of the canoe gossip and speculation that follows a the force of the water. Mr. Judge jumped wrapped around Mr. Ensley’s leg. Pressure serious incident. Please post a copy on into the river and swam onto the rock. He from the rope was jamming the leg into the the American Whitewater Forum. Found grabbed her life vest and pulled as hard as gap between the rocks. After a number of at AW‘s web site, www.americanwhitew he could, but could not move her. Suddenly attempts the guide was able to cut the line. ater.org, it focuses on our conservation, he lost his balance and fell into the river. Afterwards, the leg came free easily. This access, and safety programs. The forum is As he did, he managed to brace and push entire rescue took 45 minutes. Mr. Ensley’s actually within Boatertalk, and it contains on an underwater rock. He gave one final leg was badly injured by the rope and rocks, very little casual chatting. The information pull from a different angle. To everyone’s but he is very grateful to be alive. we acquire is also added to AW’s Safety surprise, the woman came free. She was still Database. Created by former Safety Chair conscious when Mr. Judge pulled her into a When two women jumped into the Lee Belknap and found on our web site, it weak eddy. His effort showed a remarkable Chattahoochee River near Atlanta to provides the real-world basis for our safety ability to take quick and decisive action in rescue their dogs. On June 13th they were program. Please forward any accident the wild chaos of a true emergency. washed downstream and ended up holding descriptions, newspaper articles, personal precariously to the bridge abutments of I- accounts, and other material of note to But the situation wasn’t resolved yet. The 75! Rescue workers were preparing to rappel [email protected] (Rt. 1, Box A43B, woman, who had been pulled onto a down to one of them when kayaker Will Bruceton Mills, WV 26525). riverside rock, had no feeling below her Sutton saw the commotion. According to a . Several kayakers were sent to get posting he wrote for Boatertalk, he headed help. The group built a flat spot with life upstream and met a friend, Goeff Kohl. vests and rocks, and then carefully moved They sprinted downstream and eddied out her there. As she became chilled, they built at the bridge abutment. Firefighters had a small fire, cut off her wetsuit, and gave hold of one woman, but a second one was her warm, dry clothing. Several passing holding a much more precarious place at kayakers left extra food and clothes. the next bridge pier over. After getting the The group was preparing to spend the go-ahead from the incident commander, night when a California Highway Patrol Sutton was given a spare PFD to take to helicopter arrived and picked the woman the woman. He paddled over and coaxed up. She was admitted to the hospital with the woman into an eddy just upstream of a three fractured vertebrae, a concussion, nasty log jam. She donned the PFD and got and hypothermia. The rescuers then

24 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org January/February 2005 24 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org January/February 2005 One Account of TDUB’s Seven Rivers Expedition

www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 27 January/February 2005 Encased within towering granite walls above a raging torrent, I was trying hard to relax my mind enough to get some sleep. Light from the late June full moon refl ected like daylight off the by Fred Coriell white faces of the gorge. The bowl was on fi re.

After three long days of scouting, paddling, goal – to paddle as many High Sierra multi- the 35+ mile trip in two absurdly long days and portaging our way down the river’s day runs as possible – was becoming a reality. – a highly not recommended exploit. It course we were tired and in the midst of After a couple more days in the Kaweah was also the fi rst river with this summer’s solving its most challenging problem: the drainage we headed toward the Royal Seven Rivers MVP Al Gregory. He is the Crucible. From the highest branches of a Gorge of the North Fork of the American. man, driving all of the shuttles, offering solitary cedar tree living in a granite bowl It is typically the fi rst high elevation river to moral support and encouragement when 50 feet off the river the precarious route run, but not this year. The weather was still the group needed it most. Al made the downstream could almost be seen. High cold and water too low. Plan B was Fantasy whole thing possible as a Charlie Beaver’s water and the tales of other kayakers who Falls. With a dangerous amount of snow Memorial Expedition in memory of our had ventured to this place made even the upstream, we shoved off hoping the cold good friend and the times we had with him bravest souls spend a couple of hours temperatures would hold. The upper section on many of these rivers. climbing the river right wall looking for a seemed uncharacteristically fl oatable. At way around the series of rapids. It was clear the top of the Total Reality Vortex gorge The uncharacteristically cool June made the only viable option downstream was on the North Fork of the Mokelumne was river levels hard to predict. First stop, the the river; a tantalizing prospect that would not a creek, but a river, bank to bank with not so classic West Cherry Creek. Finally have to wait until morning. So there we river wide holes and limited eddies. It was time to get our hike on. A brief but intense camped on the most primo piece of High sweet and a little scary. From a few of miles moment of speculation about the water level Sierra real estate, deep in a crack on the above Fantasy Falls down to Salt Springs transpired from top of the ridge. Finally, Al Middle San Joaquin with sandy beaches and Reservoir is always the best paddling. The G mentioned it looked like the Green at overhanging rocks. Tossing and turning as larger riverbed nicely handled the increased 200%. That did not seem too bad so we only someone wrapped in a sleeping bag fl ow and added some excitement to the big descended toward the river. Perhaps people can, my thoughts wandered and I began rapids above the lake. After watching Mr. were a little gun shy after Fantasy Falls. The thinking about the binge of river travel DeLaVergne, the man who started 7rivers level was pretty much optimal, about 434 TDUB had found themselves in California. expedition.blogspot.com and who claims cfs. Things got exciting as we portaged down that anything not vertical in California is to the confl uence of Upper Cherry. It was It all started on Dinkey Creek Waterfalls, class III, take a tremendous whooping in going to be another high water adventure a fi ne Sierra classic. Two days of slides, the big hole at the bottom of the fi nal slide down to Cherry Lake. Some of the rapids waterfalls, and some technical to we cleaned up the pieces and rode a nice tail were so good they had to be run twice. And train us with gear in the boats again. The wind back to the car. there was “the nozzle,” the second to last drop above the lake, normally a slide into a The Royal Gorge was still low, but to keep narrow crack. This time, it was like riding a Fred Coriell sets safety as Daniel DeLavergne with the goal we paddled it anyway making tennis through a fi re hose. drops into a gorge on day two of the Devil’s Postpile, Middle Fork San Joaquin. Photo by Tommy Hilleke

www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 27 January/February 2005 The weather continued to cool off, some of the best California granite down watched everyone load their gear on the dropping Upper Cherry into the good to go to Cherry Lake. It was so good, why not do mules and head up and over Bishop Pass. I window. Fifty degree weather too chilly for it again? So we did and got to watch mad was especially bummed not to be kayaking mosquitoes made the hike up the Kibbey bomber Tommy Hilleke run the Cherry with two of the fi nest lady kayakers in the Ridge Trail almost enjoyable. Straight into Bomb gorge six or seven times at juicy fl ow. world, Miss Nikki Kelly and Mrs. Buffy Cherry Bomb fully loaded. Off the bomb, He may have the most descents ever of that 1⁄2 Burge. Both were going for their second through the Weir, boof left, left, middle right, mile stretch of whitewater. trip down the Middle Kings. Everyone tells short pool, middle, center right, set up for me it is a trip of a lifetime. It has to be good the crux, left of the “Rock In The Middle,” The next task was nailing the Middle San because you cannot fi nd someone that has rise up, that was the bomb. Al G had watched Joaquin and the Middle Kings back to back, been there who disliked the experience. After the mayhem from high on river left. As part which meant compromising water levels on the Kings there was still one more river on of his proposal for the Charlie Beaver’s one of the runs. Since high water is better the list. John Grace, Toby McDermott, and Memorial Expedition he hiked in and was than no water it was decided to run the Nikki Kelly survived to the end to complete going to hang out in that beautiful place for Devil’s Postpile fi rst. And here we were in the the entire Seven Rivers goal. Under the cover a while. During his stay many people who midst of a good adventure. of darkness they ran the Grand Canyon of Charlie had known paddled through and Al Tuolumne from Tuolumne Meadows to the passed a journal around for them to share My eyes opened to see the sunlight begin its reservoir. Of course they portaged around their thoughts and memories of Charlie. descent down the left wall of the Crucible. It Hetch Hetchy, where it is illegal to navigate was morning and time to go. Anticipation your personal watercraft, and made a crafty The sun rose just in time for some early was high and breakfast was quick. We exit so not to disturb the peace in such a morning mad bombing. Next was breakfast, lowered into the river eyeing the unknown controversial place. and a few teacup rounds before cruising downstream. Three rapids to negotiate, “Pray to God but row toward shore.” We sat on the And like that the Seven Rivers Expedition beach looking back up the Crucible. It is an came to an end. No bells, whistles, or fi nish TDUB - Daniel DeLavergne, John Grace, Nikki Kelly, impressive place seeing the shear magnitude lines just a long ride home, sore bodies, Toby McDermott, Fred Coriell. and good memories. There really is no Photo by Tommy Hilleke of its rocks and rapids. Another 8 hours of river travel and we were at Mammoth Pool. place like the mountains of California in the summer—a great place to fi nd hearty For me the trip was ending. Injured, I adventure the way TDUB likes it.

28 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org January/February 2005 Buffy Burge and Daniel DeLavergne run the waterfall gorge of the Middle Fork of the Kings River, California Photo by Tommy Hilleke

28 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org January/February 2005 www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 31 January/February 2005 : the driest country on earth. Knowing this makes it hard to leave the paradise of for this hot, thirsty desert. However, the island of Tasmania, 120 miles south of the Australian mainland, is a luscious treasure. Only 25,000 square miles – the size of Ireland – Tasmania is not only Nikki Kelly fi nding the perfect line in Tasmania during the Levin River Extreme Race. full of ready rivers, it is a Photo by Tanya Faux timeless place.

Tasmania’s boatable waterfalls have lured about the paddock. This was certainly a kayaking nomads from around the world. grass-roots event – the best kind. We said This October I once again found myself at our quick hellos, took a fast practice run, the airport, embarking on a kayaking trip to then proceeded to race in pairs (something a country I had never seen. I wasn’t worried different) down the Class IV-V course. though. I would be boating with two other Having not paddled this river before, we kick @$$ chicks. As my teammate Georgia were challenged by the many different said, you will not be disappointed. routes. Tanya and I teamed up and though we had an early collision which set us back The team consisted of two Aussies and a a few, we paddled ‘hard out’ for ten minutes Kiwi. Georgia Le Plastrier: native language and rolled in 2nd over all, bruising a few Italian, Aussie to the bone, nickname Coba. egos on the way. Not so bad for a couple She is often found exploring rivers in Italy, of Sheilas. Later that night there was a big Norway and Tibet. Tanya Faux: Pre-World feast and party. Australians are famous for Freestyle champion, taking the world by their beer drinking; there was plenty of storm, the most athletic female kayaker I dancing, drumming and singing to be had. had ever meet. The third Charlie’s Angel Sunday morning we all rallied, racing again was me, the good-old kiwi. One thing was in our pairs but this time accompanied by guaranteed: we were going to have a laugh, a Swiss ball (the ones that belong in the and at the end of the day, that’s what makes gym). The race was a mass start, and the a memorable trip. winners were the fi rst team over the fi nish line with their ball in tow. I rate this as one We found our way down to Tasmania when of my favorite races of all time. What a a Teva sales manager in Australia, an avid shamble! It required fi ne teamwork and was kayaker himself, invited his female athletes rather exhausting. to compete in the Levin River Extreme Race. We congregated in Melbourne Our tour carried on to the Levin River, Friday evening, piled into the hardy Land where we were treated to 20 and 40-foot Rover and boarded the overnight ferry to waterfalls. We followed that with a possible Tasmania. We rolled up to a welcoming fi rst descent of the upper Franklin which I scene of more than 60 competitors loitering do not recommend. However, we are telling

www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 31 January/February 2005 the local Tasmanian devils that it is “good to go” (pay-back for sending us in).

Looking back, I most enjoyed the countryside: driving through towns built by early settlers, paddling with genuine, good, fun people; and of course, the female company. I must give special thanks to Paul Karris, our Teva host; he outdid himself.

The best months to visit Tasmania and catch the rain are August and September; there is plenty to explore on this timeless island.

Check out the low down on 3girlsrbetterthan1.blogspot.com Nikki Kelly in the Swiss ball race Photo by Tanya Faux

32 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 33 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Levin River Extreme Race meeting in Tasmania. Photo by Nikki Kelly

32 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 33 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Teva AD full page color

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38 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 39 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 North Fork Nooksack hydroelectric project that: project is carefully laid out in the Federal Power Act and includes adherence to the River, Washington 1. occupies federal lands or federal National Environmental Policy Act. reservations by John Gangemi 2. is located on navigable streams Occasionally private hydro operators 3. uses surplus water or water power from challenge FERC’s jurisdictional On October 8th, 2004 the Federal Energy a federal government dam authority. Hydro projects outside the Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an 4. was constructed after August 26, 1935 FERC’s jurisdiction require very little order stating that licensing was not required and is located on a non-navigable environmental review or permitting but for the Nooksack Falls Hydro Project. This stream that affects the interests of the resource impacts can still be significant. order reverses an earlier decision by the interstate or foreign commerce Therefore, American Whitewater, along FERC (March 2004) stating that licensing (including providing power to an with our coalition partners, evaluates was required. American Whitewater has interstate power grid). jurisdictional challenges very seriously. been tracking this proceeding closely because FERC’s decision could potentially These jurisdictional criteria were The developer for the Nooksack project, set a precedent nationally. In fact, the established to protect public trust Puget Sound Hydro, challenged the Nooksack jurisdictional issue was featured resources. Licensing a hydropower project FERC’s March order on two counts: 1) as one of the top river issues for 2004 in the requires environmental analysis as well The conclusions in the FERC navigability September-October American Whitewater as public review. Federal agencies, states report; and 2) the project’s transmission Journal. and tribes have the authority to impose line connection to the interstate electric mandatory conditions to protect natural grid. The FERC had previously determined A FERC license is required to construct, resources such as water quality, fish and the North Fork Nooksack had been operate, and maintain a non-federal wildlife. The procedure for licensing a used to float shingles at the turn of the

40 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 41 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 century, thereby making the river federally challenging the FERC order in the Ninth navigable because of previous use for Circuit Court of Appeals. The deadline is interstate commerce. Puget Sound Hydro December 8th, 2004. For more information challenged the FERC navigability report about the Nooksack visit the American claiming the exact location for floating Whitewater website using this address: shingles was not specifically described in http://www.americanwhitewater.org/ the historic journals. American Whitewater toolkit/Hydro/FERC procedures/Nooksac takes issue with this challenge and the kJurisdiction.doc. FERC’s categorical exclusion of whitewater boating on reaches with Class IV or greater difficulty as a determining factor for Carmen Smith Hydro navigability. The FERC claims that Class Project Whitewater Boating IV and greater requires expert skills with specially designed craft making it non- Reconnaissance navigable to the average person. The FERC by Jason Hartz A map of the project area by claims Class III difficulty is the upper limit www.eweb.org for a reach to be determined navigable. American Whitewater believes whitewater American Whitewater and the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) difficulty should not be the determining Although whitewater kayaking has been factor for recreational navigability but cooperated in a land-based reconnaissance whitewater boating study on the Upper documented on reaches around the rather the transport of commercial clients. project, there is no documented use Commercial rafting occurs regularly on McKenzie and Smith rivers, 70 miles east of Eugene Oregon. The Carmen – Smith on the reaches actually affected by the many Class IV reaches across the country. project. Due to the difficulty of access and In fact commercial rafting occurs on the Project is EWEB’s oldest hydropower endeavor. EWEB has initiated the relicense lack of information regarding potential North Fork Nooksack just downstream whitewater opportunities, American from the hydro project. American process for this hydro project. The project includes three dams and two reservoirs, Whitewater proposed a land-based Whitewater believes this commercial reconnaissance boating study that would use would occur directly adjacent to the partially dewaters a two and a half mile hydropower project if access were granted. stretch of the McKenzie River and totally dewaters a two and a half mile stretch of Lower half of the reach on the McKenzie American Whitewater is investigating the Smith River. photo Jason Hartz

40 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 41 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 be broken down into two phases: 1) Land- it is split roughly in half by Tamolitch based reconnaissance whereby participants Falls. Tamolitch Falls is approximately inspect river reaches for whitewater 70 feet high, according to Forest Service opportunities and answer pre-developed measurements, and dry except for spills survey questions and participate in focus over Carmen Diversion Dam caused group discussions; 2) on the water boating either by high water events or project study based on the results of phase one. maintenance. We hiked quickly over the upper half, which is naturally dewatered by The land-based reconnaissance took place porous lava rock and has little whitewater on Saturday, October 23rd. Doug Whittaker potential. At Tamolitch Falls we explored and Bo Shelby, representing Confluence the river bed thoroughly to examine the Research, conducted the study. Boating falls as a potential whitewater opportunity, participants in attendance included Kim and the short section directly above it. The Bates, Ed Fredette, Steve Stuckmeyer, Jim group agreed that the falls has the potential Reed and myself. We started with the Smith to be run at higher flows. We examined reach, which is totally de-watered by the access issues at this point and determined Smith Dam, except for a minimal flow, that there is the possibility of access from approximately 10 cfs according to EWEB highway 126, which would greatly increase sources. We hiked along the reach starting the run’s accessibility. from the top of Smith Dam. Overall it seemed as though the Smith River has We hiked the rest of the stretch, stopping whitewater potential. There is no flow frequently to examine individual rapids. regime for the Smith because Smith Dam is Overall the stretch below Tamolitch Falls not designed to spill except in emergencies. has some interesting rapids, and not too Smith dam’s sole purpose is to maintain much wood. There is the potential for a the Smith reservoir for managing the flow solid Class III run interspersed with some regime between inflow from the Carmen Class IV. About halfway through this lower Diversion Dam and outflow to Trail Bridge reach the gradient drops off and there are Reservoir. Spills over the dam only occur many downed trees along the banks with during very high water events. some crossing the river. The whitewater on this lower stretch was minimal at the After the Smith reconnaissance we drove to observed level, but could perhaps become the Upper McKenzie and started the second more interesting with increased flows. We part of the study at the Carmen Diversion finished the day at the EWEB project garage Dam by talking about the hydrology of the by debriefing the study and recording reach. The section of the Upper McKenzie our thoughts and impressions with Doug affected by the Carmen Smith Project and Bo. There was consensus among the extends from the Carmen Diversion boaters that there definitely exists potential Dam, down to the Trail Bridge Reservoir; for boating on the Smith reach and the lower

42 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org January/February 2005 Teva AD full page color

42 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org January/February 2005

half of the McKenzie reach, starting somewhere above or below Tamolitch Falls and fi nishing at Kink Creek, or perhaps going all the way to Trail Bridge Reservoir. The segment from Kink Creek to Trail Bridge Reservoir might become less attractive for boating because of the Forest Service’s plans to put in downed trees for salmon habitat.

Three weeks after the formal study Andy Potterf, another local Eugene kayaker, and I went to Tamolitch Falls and explored the access possibilities from state highway 126. There is a dirt forest service road off of highway 126 that accesses a ridge directly above Tamolitch Falls. There is a steep but manageable trail from this forest service road down to Tamolitch pool. It took Andy and I ten minutes to hike down and we both agreed that it could be done with kayaks. The determination of whether to conduct the second phase of the study should be made by EWEB and American Whitewater before the end of 2004.

Departments of Interior and Commerce Propose Unfair Rules in Hydropower Proceedings

by John Gangemi

American Whitewater, working as a member of the Hydropower Reform Coalition, fi led comments opposing proposed rulemakings by the Department of Commerce and the Department of Interior. Commerce and Interior are proposing in separate rulemakings to severely limit public participation in hydropower licensing proceedings. Commerce and Interior are proposing to give dam operators special privileges to appeal agency license conditions while at the same time excluding the public from this appeals process. Excluding the public from the appeals process on federally navigable waterways is fundamentally unfair. The Hydropower Reform Coalition consists of twelve member organizations on the steering committee and more than one-hundred general member organizations.

Joint comment letter submitted to the Department of Commerce and Interior, November 8th, 2004.

44 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 45 January/February 2005 January/February 2005

Thomas Bigford Chief, Habitat Protection Division Offi ce of Habitat Conservation / National Marine Fisheries Service 1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 RE: RIN 0648–AS55, Procedures for Review of Mandatory Fishway Prescriptions

Dear Mr. Bigford, The undersigned organizations are writing to comment on the proposed Procedures for Review of Mandatory Fishway Prescriptions Developed by the Department of Commerce in the Context of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Hydropower Licensing.1 Our organizations generally support codifying the Mandatory Conditioning Review Process with the noted adjustments to accommodate the ILP and changes to all licensing processes under that rule. We are, however, concerned about the variance in the ways that the Departments of Commerce, Interior, and Agriculture review mandatory conditions and administrate (or fail to administrate) their appeals for those conditions.

Mindful of this variance, Commerce asks the public to comment on the addition of an appeals process,2 and whether it should follow the framework adopted by the Department of the Interior.3 It also asks whether hydropower licensing legislation considered in Congress might also contain useful elements of an administrative appeals process.4 Our answer to both questions is clearly no. While our organizations are generally supportive of an appeals process that bridges between a fi nal condition and a lawsuit, the appeals process proposed by Interior is unacceptable. Should Commerce develop an appeals process, it should structure the appeals under the following guidelines: I.The appeals process must be available to all stakeholders. Interior’s proposed process would allow license applicants the sole right to initiate an appeal. Stakeholders with legal standing in the administrative proceeding would be denied access. Public participation is intrinsic to the Federal Power Act, which ensures equal access to the administrative proceeding. Privileging the dam owner with exclusive authority to challenge conditions is discriminatory and disadvantages all other stakeholders, undermining the balance of the licensing process.

2. The appeals process must defer to the original decision and include on-the-ground scientifi c staff on any review team; otherwise, the process will politicize what should be science-based decisions. The Department of Interior’s proposed process would not lead to informed decisions regarding appropriate mandatory condi- tions. It would invoke a de novo review. Unlike Courts of Appeal, which would defer to an agency when reviewing its decision, the proposed process would eliminate such deference. Commerce would establish a Washington D.C. policy-level team to review the decision. Under its terms, none of the members of the review team can have previously participated in the development or approval of the condition or prescription – in other words, none of them would be familiar with the relevant resources or the rationale for the condition. And, this team would be expected to review a cabinet-sized record and render a decision within 60 days.

Tight timelines, unfamiliarity with the extensive record and our resources 3,000 miles away, and lack of direct expertise are insurmountable obstacles to quality decisions and to a realistic process.

3. The appeals process should not consider criteria outside its mandate to become a basis for appeals and a factor in the decision. The appeals process proposed by Interior would allow consideration of such factors as cost, air quality, and energy supply. Our organizations are adamantly opposed to reaching outside the resource mandate of the agency to incorporate inappropriate criteria such as those listed and anticipated in the federal legislation. The Federal Power Act charges FERC with the responsibility of equal consideration to benefi cial uses as it decides whether and under what terms to issue a license. It is neither within the mandate nor the role of Commerce to consider these other variables in ,the but development wholeheartedly of a oppose prescription. an unfair and unilateral appeals process, such

In summary, we supportequally codifying available the Mandatory to all stakeholders Conditions Review Process (MCRP) and establishing a non-discriminatory appeals process that is as Interior’s proposal, that threatens the quality of protections for our rivers and resources.

Sincerely, John T. Gangemi American Whitewater

44 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 45 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Milltown Dam, Montana Commission requesting a license’s local paddlers are working to gain access, amendment to start sediment removal establish recreation flows and to develop by John Gangemi signifies the licensees commitment to the site into a regional whitewater park as superfund clean-up and dam removal. part of FERC’s re-licensing conditions. The NorthWestern Energy has requested the wave is named for Max, the dam operator FERC’s permission to begin the process of Spokane Relicensing, who has been supportive of the local cleaning up toxic sediments trapped behind paddlers’ efforts to gain better access to the Milltown Dam on the Clark Fork River just Washington area below the dam. upstream from Missoula, Montana. These toxic sediments pose a threat to public by Chris Hoffer Snohomish PUD health through contamination of the Missoula aquifer—the municipal water The rare occurrence of flow in the south and Announces start of supply. Removal of the sediments is the center channels at Post Falls Dam produced RelicensingProcess on the EPA’s preferred alternative for clean-up a series of five to seven foot waves that two of this superfund site. The EPA plan also local paddlers were fortunate to gain access Sultan River, Washington calls for eventual removal of Milltown to. The wave disappeared the next day Dam as part of the clean-up. Relicensing when the dam resumed normal operations, by Tom O’Keefe of the Milltown Dam has been delayed for discharging to the north channel. the past two years while EPA and the state Snohomish County Public Utility District of Montana negotiate a consent decree The wave showed us the potential high (PUD) and the City of Everett hosted a site for clean-up of the Clark Fork River and flow characteristics for a proposed visit and public meetings to kick-off the Milltown Dam site. Northwestern’s recent whitewater park downstream of the dam. relicensing of the Jackson Hydroelectric filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory The City of Post Falls, Avista Utilities, and Project (FERC No. 2157). American ��������������

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46 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 47 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Whitewater local volunteers played an active role in the site visit and public meeting communicating to FERC staff from Washington DC as well as the PUD whitewater boating issues associated with the project as well as fi sheries and water quality issues. The current project license expires in June 2011 and the co-licensees plan to fi le a formal declaration of their intent to relicense the Jackson Project at the end of 2005. Hydro Relicensing offers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the public to provide input on the future management of this river system.

The Sultan River cuts through a beautiful gorge with over 13 miles of classic pool- drop rapids, located just an hour from the greater Seattle area. There are almost no fl at sections – medium-sized pools lead immediately into the next rapid. Aside from a potential wood portage, every drop is runnable Class IV to easy V. Most of the Jud Keiser at Max’s Wave on the Spokane River at Post Falls, ID run can be boat scouted and nearly every Photos by Chris Hoffer rapid is big, fun, and has a clear route.

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48 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 49 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Unfortunately, the boating opportunities Significance to the Northwest river segments are located in Idaho. They once enjoyed on this river were significantly Paddling Community include: The East Fork (also know as the curtailed with the construction of the Main Stem) Owyhee, The Bruneau, The Jackson Hydroelectric Project in the Through the relicensing process, American Jarbidge, North Fork Owyhee, South Fork early 1980s. While the lower run below Whitewater has restored more than 1,000 Owyhee, Little Owyhee, Little Jacks Creek, the powerhouse provides great boating miles of whitewater rivers nationally Big Jacks Creek, West Fork Bruneau, Sheep throughout the year, the upper gorge over the past 12 years. These efforts, with Creek, and key Owyhee tributaries Deep that constitutes the bypass reach has a the assistance of volunteer paddlers and Creek, Battle Creek, Red Canyon Creek and minimum instream flow requirement of affiliated clubs, have resulted in agreements Dickshooter Creek. only 20 cfs and rarely runs. Although there to remove dams (White Salmon, WA and have been some recent improvements, Sandy River, OR), have opened new and access to the river also remains as a long- never before run whitewater sections Lehigh River Flow Regime term issue. (Nisqually and Chelan Gorge), opened up for Negotiation in 2005 or improved river access areas, and have How to Get Involved improved daily minimum flows for fish, (PA) wildlife and human use. Throughout the relicensing process, by Kevin Colburn American Whitewater will work in Each of these restored river sections has partnership with individuals, organizations proven to be outstanding whitewater runs! The Army Corps of Engineers recently and agencies at the local, state and national Some are less than 2 miles long (Tallulah, told American Whitewater that in early level including partner groups that GA), some restore entire watersheds (Kern, 2005 they will consider making changes to have worked with AW on other hydro CA), all are critical in the effort to protect flow regime in the Class III Lehigh River, relicensings. Together these groups will rivers and support whitewater recreation. the signature whitewater run of Eastern work to restore riverine processes to the Pennsylvania. These considerations come Sultan and represent the public interest In terms of length, whitewater suitability, after changes were made to the Francis in river access and flows to serve both potential use and proximity to a major Walter Dam that may allow additional recreation and river conservation needs. metropolitan area, the Sultan River flexibility in the flow releases. Regional Formal recreation studies should begin relicensing could prove to be extremely paddlers, including members of the Lehigh within the next couple of years but important to whitewater boaters in the Valley Canoe Club, have been urging the planning will begin soon. Northwest. Please volunteer to be a part of Corps to improve the management of this effort! the Lehigh River for years. They now may All interested boaters should join the PUD’s have the opportunity to see those changes project mailing list. Contact Dawn Presler brought to fruition, however there are [email protected] with your name, Wild and Scenic some significant challenges ahead. The address, email, and note your interest Designations in Idaho primary hurdle that must be overcome is in the Jackson Hydro Project Relicense that the Corps has yet to offer any formal process to consider public comments or to Proceeding, FERC No. 2157. Send a copy by Bill Sedivy, Executive Director, Idaho Rivers United of your email to the following American facilitate meaningful negotiations with the various stakeholders. American Whitewater Whitewater representatives: The Owyhee Initiative work group, the intends to continue working with regional Owyhee County Commissioners and the paddlers and the Corps to assure that a fair Andy Bridge, Sultan River AW Shoshone-Paiute Tribes, sent (Oct. 22) to process will be developed, and that the end StreamKeeper: [email protected] Sen. Mike Crapo a proposal to designate result is an ecologically and recreationally Thomas O’Keefe, AW Regional 384 miles of Wild & Scenic Rivers sound flow regime in the Lehigh River. Coordinator: [email protected] (mostly wild), 517,000 acres of federal John Gangemi, AW Western wilderness and provide for continuing Access and Conservation Director: dialogue to resolve conflict over public [email protected] land management issues in Owyhee County, Idaho. Senator Crapo promised If you’d like more information on how to to draft legislation, introduce a bill as participate in the process or have additional soon as possible (probably early next year) questions please feel free to contact the American and advocate on behalf of this historic Whitewater representatives listed above. agreement in Congress.

Rivers proposed for designation include some of the most spectacular, unprotected [Conservation & Access continued on next page] rivers and canyons in the United States. All

48 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 49 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Catawba Flow Study chat with the paddlers. Our group found that the 1.4 mile channel provided a scenic Inspires Local Interest (SC) class II+ whitewater trip on a broad river, and that the 0.7 mile channel provided by Kevin Colburn some great surfi ng on large fast waves and other fun playboating in fi ve Class In late October of 2004, American III rapids. The Catawba remains a high Whitewater worked with Duke Power and priority in American Whitewater’s work over 30 volunteer paddlers to carry out a in the Southeast. Now that we have the fl ow study on the Great Falls of the Catawba fl ow studies behind us, we can focus on River. We paddled two parallel channels at preparing access and fl ow proposals. Duke three different fl ows, and were thwarted in Power has already indicated a willingness our efforts to test a fourth fl ow by the failure to restore a dynamic and continuous fl ow of several fl ashboards (wooden boards atop regime to the currently dewatered Great a dam that raise the reservoir elevation). Falls. We will be working with Duke and Our study received signifi cant press other stakeholders over the next 2 years to coverage by several regional newspapers, design a settlement agreement that helps and local citizens came out to watch and the Catawba River function more naturally

50 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 51 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 and to become even more of a recreational grant the USFS enough time to analyze asset to the region. the large body of evidence in support of allowing whitewater recreation, and will hopefully lead to a positive response on Chattooga Headwaters this precedent-setting case. We would like Appeal Response Delayed, to again extend a warm thank you to the many paddlers who helped support our Again (NC/SC/GA) efforts on the Chattooga, and to our pro bono attorneys at Patton Boggs. by Kevin Colburn

American Whitewater now anticipates an Ausable River Access Saga answer from the Chief of the US-Forest Service in April regarding our appeal of Continues (NY) the paddling ban on the Headwaters of the by Kevin Colburn Chattooga. The deadline for the Chief to respond to our appeal was September 23rd, Can a dam owner fl at out say no to 2004. The additional time will hopefully public river access downstream of their dam simply because they feel like it? We are about to fi nd out. New York State Electric and Gas’s Rainbow Falls Project completely blocks access to the Class IV Ausable Chasm, and they intend to keep it that way. Days after the FERC issued a new license for the project, which required additional study and potential mitigation of river access, NYSEG formally objected to the license and convinced the FERC to reconsider the license. It is uncertain what will come of this license rehearing, but AW is closely following the process and will fi le comments whenever possible. We expect to know the results of the rehearing by late in 2004 or early 2005.

Footnotes: 1 69 Fed. Reg. 54,615 (Sept. 9, 2004) 2 III. NMFS solicits public comments and specifi cally invites commenters to consider differences relative to the Department of Interior.

3 69 Fed. Reg. 54,602 (Sept. 9, 2004) 4 III. NMFS invites comment about whether elements of the legislative proposal should be incorporated into this rulemaking.

Chris Hale and Richard Ellington lead a group down the Catawba River for the Great Falls Flow Study Photo by Ben Edson / Courtsey of Duke Power

50 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 51 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Emily Geery & Ryan Weiss

Since American Whitewater was founded in 1954, it River Voices from has depended on the hard work on volunteers to solve the Klamath the many problems that face our nation’s rivers. In our “A watershed is a marvelous thing to 50th year, American Whitewater decided it was time to consider: this process of rain falling, streams fl owing, and oceans evaporating train a new group of river advocates, and so the River causes every molecule on earth to make the trip once every two million years. The Stewardship Institute was formed. On October 9th, surface is carved into watersheds – a kind of familial branching, a chart of relationship, 2004, American Whitewater and the 6 participants in and a defi nition of place. The watershed is the RSI program traveled through the Klamath River the fi rst and last nation whose boundaries, though subtly shifting, are unarguable.” Basin in northern California, learning important river -Gary Snyder, Coming into the Watershed stewardship tools. The RSI group participants spent “What does a group of river stewards look like?” I wondered, when we arrived their time studying the needs of various river user at the Sacramento airport from the high desert of northern New Mexico. We groups, learning about the hydropower relicensing had just crossed hundreds of watershed boundaries, observed easily by airplane. We process, and examining ecological impacts on rivers. were now in an unfamiliar place, looking

52 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 53 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 The RSI program would not have been possible without the support of Kokatat Water Sports Wear and logistical support from The River Dancers and Dagger Kayaks. Now each of the RSI participants is serving as a regional coordinator for American Whitewater, focusing on issues in their local watersheds. Continue reading for a detailed account of two RSI participants from New Mexico.

for signs of river-savvy folks who would be accompanying us on our riverine trip through the Klamath Basin. It was only a matter of time until we saw someone carrying a paddle and knew that he was one of the people we were looking for.

As part of American Whitewater’s fi rst ever River Stewardship Institute, we weren’t sure what or whom to expect. After meeting our fellow river stewards, fi ve of us all together, we had a full day of travel to the banks of the Upper Klamath River, in southern Oregon, where we would begin our journey to learn about issues in the Klamath Basin and to draw parallels between our local watersheds throughout the country. This was an opportunity to learn about other efforts in river conservation and to start thinking like a watershed.

The Klamath Watershed encompasses a large portion of land and water in Oregon and California. It can take a lifetime to learn of a new place, its community, culture and natural history. Without American Whitewater’s planning for an information- packed week, it would have taken years to attain insight into the complexities of the issues in this basin.

American Whitewater staff chose the Klamath for its dynamic characteristics. In addition to its whitewater, the basin has a long history of diverse user-group interests that make it a prime example for a collaborative stewardship model of engaging stakeholders to work together.

A side hike up Ukonom Creek shows the group the pristine water fl owing out of wilderness areas Photo by Ben VanCamp

52 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 53 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Traveling through the Klamath Basin by through an exciting and challenging 11 the effects of these man-made obstacles that boat, van, and foot introduced us to a miles of Class IV whitewater, we were prevent nature from running its course, but host of issues and people. We were able privy to management ideals that the BLM, at what price? to witness the natural beauty of the basin as a multiple-use regulatory agency, must as well as man-made alterations that have adhere to when making land and river-use Traveling downstream to Happy Camp, affected the natural fl ow of the watercourse plans. After two exciting days on the Upper we met with members of the Karuk Tribe, and consequently, natural patterns in Klamath, we took out at the stateline and and those working with the tribe’s fi sheries the landscape. shuttled around Copco Reservoir to the department, in order to learn of the cultural base of Iron Gate Dam. impacts of dams on indigenous nations. Beginning with a hydroelectric power Local customs and land-management study, we learned of the engineered history The next stop on our Klamath Basin tour strategies employed by the Native peoples of the Klamath River and its transformation was the Iron Gate Fish Hatchery, where we of the Klamath have been based on balance into an organic machine. At the JC Boyle met with stakeholders in the basin, including and sustainability. When a dam is built, it Dam and Powerhouse, we learned about local non-governmental organizations, state disrupts the balance of not only the river, Pacifi Corp’s harnessing of the rivers’ and federal regulatory agencies, private but also its watershed and all life within it. fl ow to create hydroelectric power. The hydropower interests, private recreational The Karuk way of life has been affected by mechanics of a dam and powerhouse businesses and tribal representatives. We the many dams and reservoirs that have facility were observed and discussed talked about the effect of this dam and altered the fl ow of the Klamath. Spiritual among River Stewards including the short how it divides a lot more than the river. practices are on the verge of disappearing and long-term effects of such projects on This engaging roundtable discussion with the salmon if the basin cannot be the river and its many user-groups. provided us with unique perspectives returned to a healthy balance. that truly represented a multiple-use and The hydropower re-licensing process was diverse stakeholder representation of For the next several days, as we boated also discussed at length, as the 50-year issues contributing to the complex FERC downstream, we were accompanied by license to operate the dam was in the relicensing process. the salmon, returning home to their place process of renewal through the Federal of birth to symbolically restore the river Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). A sobering sidetrip that afternoon was to the and the watershed to a health that has Stakeholders in the basin were currently fi sh ladder at the hatchery, where fall-runs sustained the Karuk and others in the basin engaged in the re-licensing process. of salmon were climbing the man-made for countless generations. They provided American Whitewater and local boaters structure in efforts to complete their life-long hope and inspiration to us as we paddled have been involved with whitewater fl ow journey to reproduce. Instead of reaching down river. studies on both the JC Boyle Bypass and their spawning grounds, the salmon were Hell’s Corner river segments to determine scooped into a hatchery truck and taken to a On the Klamath, we observed and acceptable fl ows for safe recreational facility near the Iron Gate Dam to be frozen participated in an experiential journey that opportunities. and later processed for their eggs, sperm encompassed local knowledge with national and fl esh, never fulfi lling their reproductive skills and tools to help us all in restoring Locals refer to the water releases from the cycle. Dams disrupt natural rhythms, such as the balance of our local watersheds. JC Boyle powerhouse as one gun or two. salmon returning to spawn. We can mitigate American Whitewater’s River Stewardship Not only does this determine velocity and consequently, which way to run the rapids, but it also has a defi nitive impact in the ecosystem. One gun was released as we rigged and launched into an incredibly beautiful Wild and Scenic River. The river rose one foot in less than an hour, reminding us of engineering feats that attempt to regulate natural systems.

Accompanying us on our journey was the BLM river ranger. As we maneuvered

Ryan and Emily learn some freestyle rafting moves from Kevin Colburn, eastern Access and Conservation Director Photo by Ben VanCamp

54 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 55 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 www.americanwhitewater.org 84,000 Hits a Day! 8,800 Unique Hits!

Introduce your business to a new opportunity to advertise. Be a part of the number ONE internet resourse for paddlers. For more info contact: Gerald Eldridge / American Whitewater Bear print 828-252-0728 [email protected] Photo by Kevin Colburn

Toolkit, an on-line resource available to anyone with internet access, was utilized in print for the fi rst time ever to provide River Stewards with the background to participate in the Klamath Basin study. Beginning with AW’s hydropower program extending through building collaborative initiatives at the state and federal level to conserve and protect rivers, the toolkit laid the foundation of the River Stewardship Institute. In addition to great whitewater boating and new friendships developed during our experience on the Klamath, we as river stewards can now build upon this foundation in our local communities and watersheds. If you are interested in effecting positive change in your local watershed, be sure to visit AW’s River Stewardship Toolkit on their website.

Emily and Ryan live along the banks of the Rio Pueblo de Taos in northern New Mexico. When not in school studying water resource planning through the University of New Mexico’s Community and Regional Planning program, they can be found in the mountains and rivers of the upper Rio Grande watershed.

Dave Payne from the U.S. Forest Service talking about grass roots river restoration and the various user groups of the Klamath River Photo by Ben VanCamp

54 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 55 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Sandi Metz

A Learning Experience pogies and we want drops. We stop for a good reason why we are in this class) are far snack and Kurt starts a chant, Buddha like, too casual. low and rumbling in his chest. Lllllllledges, April 3, 2004 lllllllledges, lllllllledges. We laugh and agree I drop down into the top pool and initiate Back Fork of the Elk. 5.8 ft, 49 degrees. that it’s perfect; it can’t help but work. my eddy turn. I see Sharon on the bank, getting out of her boat to scout the rapid. It is the first day of the Carolina Canoe I am razzed for failing to produce any I see Russ, in front of me and now above Club’s Advanced Creeking Clinic. The ledges and Russ takes over in the front. me, in an eddy that’s half the width of the instructors, Sharon Myers and Spencer We round one bend, and another and river. I realize with escalating alarm that I Muse, meet the students, Russ Scheve, Kurt then we hear noise, the one that makes am far too low, that I am not in the eddy McKissick, Michele Pagnotta, and me. your heart rate rise and your tongue stick but instead on a leaky sheet of fast moving a little in your throat: the noise of water water that is washing me backwards toward This is creeking class, so before we put on losing gradient. the drop. I have made my turn a boat width we talk about class-like things. I express an wider than Russ and now I am fighting with interest in leading. We put on and suddenly Now the story gets confusing, even to the every bit of strength in my legs and my back there I am, out in front. teller. The steady even flow, the rolling and my forward stroke to get up into the moving picture of the river trip gets eddy and avoid being washed over. May It’s Class II, easy reading, easy leading. I interrupted and chopped into separate, the river gods forgive me, with what little find unexpected pleasure in being in front. starkly outlined bits. Now it’s not a movie breath I have to spare, I am cursing. I want to do this to learn to feel ok about it’s a series of sudden snapshots. doing it. I want to be better at reading water, Michele comes in behind me. She makes to be forced to be self reliant, to make my What we hear is clearly the first drop. her eddy turn; she is now a boat width to own decisions. I want to do this for serious Sharon moves to the front of the group. my right. I see her coming from the corner reasons. I didn’t realize how much fun it The guidebook says to run this drop on the of my eye. I think we are going to collide. would be, how it would bring everything right and we intend to get out and scout I watch her hesitate, just a fraction, that into focus, seeing nothing downstream on that side. Above the drop on river right infinitesimal easing off that is part of our but river. is something, some river feature, maybe a dance with boats, and I know, though she shelf that’s half the river wide. It requires does not yet, that she will not make this I flip in the first small rapid. I roll up looking us to approach the last pool above the drop eddy. She slips backwards, out of my sight. across the way at a potential undercut from river left. From upstream, we must I fight forwards and in agonizingly slow that would be easy to wash too close to. I start on the left and catch the eddy behind increments make my way upstream. I hear, paddle away and then look around to see this shelf to ferry across to the scouting spot if anyone noticed. Michele, who is behind on river right. It is not a difficult move. It me, must not have, because she takes the seems simple and Michele and I (there’s a Kurt, Russ and Shannon near the end of the run same line, flips the same way and rolls up Photo by Sandi Metz looking across at the same undercut. An inauspicious beginning.

I also flip in the second rapid. This rapid is so small that I cannot even recall it now. Very inauspicious. Maybe it’s the new boat. I’m paddling a borrowed boat and I’m confused by it. It’s talking to me in a language I don’t understand. I do little experiments, trying to find in this beast the sweet predictable reliability of my other boats. It continues to speak to me in Swahili.

We run perhaps two miles of repetitive but routine Class II’s. Clean green water, shallow, all to ourselves. We know there are ledges. We are here on the Back Fork of the Elk because of the ledges – six or eight drops of five to 12 feet – and we are impatient for them. It should be enough; we are in our boats, in this place, wearing our fleece and our helmet liners and our

56 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 57 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Sharon Myers enjoying a winter paddle Photo by Sandi Metz

over my right shoulder, an echo of my own have been on rivers with her where the look curses, though louder and more emphatic. of something scared me witless. I know she When I reach the safety of the eddy and will tell me if something is too hard for me, turn and look behind me, Michele is gone. and I also trust her when she says that I can do something—even when I am terrified. Russ and I are frantic. We look to Sharon like frightened children and see her fumbling in So, her tone, that second command, breaks her boat with glacial, crystalline hands, the trance I am in and I do it. I go. I paddle trying to make frigid fingers perform to river right, turn and point my boat over the surgery of unclipping a rope from a the lip, take a forward stroke and am gone, carabineer. She concentrates on the task sliding down a set of bouncy steps, into the at hand, ignoring our cries (what, did we unknown, unseen pool below. think she hadn’t noticed that Michele had washed over the drop?), emerges with the Ah. Not so bad. I am here. Here is a pool rope and stands upright, peering intently between two ledges. Yes, goodness, there is across the river. another ledge, right there, close, my perhaps faulty memory says no more than 15 yards But Sharon does not throw the rope. She downstream. I am relieved to see Michele and watches and watches and standing on the shore on river left. suddenly it’s apparent, even though we cannot see what, that something down Her boat is nowhere in sight. I turn and below has changed. She turns to us in the look downstream. Her boat is still nowhere eddy. Kurt has now joined Russ and me. She in sight. I raise my eyes to the downriver calls to us, “You can get down right here. bend, convinced that I’m going to see it Go, go! Get Michele’s boat!” making its speedy way off into the distance. Still no boat. It’s a cold day, it would be a We react as if we are deaf. It looks very nasty walk out, and I have finally caught it, scary. It’s making a really loud noise. Who I too, am infected with the urgent need to knows what monsters lurk below? We are rescue this boat. cold and huddled like barnyard chicks. We do not know how to go. I look at this next ledge. The drop seems enormous. Sharon and Spencer and Russ Sharon calls again, this time with more and Kurt are coming, I know, but the boat, urgency. “Come here, come here, you can where is the boat? I look at the drop again. get down right here, you have to go and get I call to Michele, “Come and scout this. Tell Michele’s boat! me where to run this drop!”

I have had many teachers. Sharon has always Michele has a thousand yard stare, the look been one of them. She is a keen judge of of fresh adrenaline mixed with shocking skills and rivers and I have always depended cold and she is not quick to reply. I yell on her to know where I fit. Time after time I again, “Michele, come here, tell me where

56 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 57 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 to go.” She walks forward to the edge, dislodged it from the eddy and am wrestling looks over the drop and tells me sadly, “It’s it into the hole when the arrive and whitewater everywhere.” other folks take over. Sharon has somehow teleported herself across the river and down It’s whitewater everywhere? Well I know two ledges and she is here, right here, beside that. Throw me a bone, woman, and give Michele. She is helping her drain the boat me something, please, just one little bit of and we laugh and make fun of each other useful information and I swear, I will get and tell Michele that she is a trooper. down this drop and find your boat. And I remember something now, I feel grumpy with her, and stressed and something that I had forgotten before I anxious, but then I realize that maybe she went. Even though I am afraid, I can go. I actually has given me useful information. I am good enough and strong enough and mean, she may not be thinking clearly, but brave enough to go. I can do this. I am a if there were a massive hole or a tree or a paddler. house-sized rock, surely she would have noticed it, right? It must be all the same, We paddle on. At the third drop, we acquit this ledge, there truly is nothing down there ourselves with a bit more style. It’s a 10 or 12 but whitewater. And so I am going. I pick a foot drop, imposing to us all, but especially spot and I paddle forward and my boat is in so to Michele, who, unlike the rest of us, has the air and I hold my paddle high and I land not yet run a drop. Well, at least not while and the boat goes down and then comes up looking forward. She went backwards over and I am down. It is done. the first and then was reunited with her boat below the second, so she has not had Her boat is right beside me, in an eddy. the benefit of a gradual introduction. This Stable too. She probably saw it from the top. is the first drop that she will stare right at She may already know that it is safe and not and choose to go over and it’s a doozy. going anywhere. I have asked her the wrong Sharon goes first and we watch her carefully question. There is a reason why I am in this and she comes to no harm. It reassures us to class. imagine that our own runs will be similar. And at least this one time, they are. It is a So all is well. They come, one by one, the long way down but it is easy. It requires just other boaters. My attempts to move the boat to where Michele can reach it have been spectacularly unsuccessful. I have Spencer, Michele, Kurt and a thoughtful Russ Photo by Sandi Metz

58 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 59 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 courage, not skill, and we find, after varying She also tells us that the only reason we’re river to be just within her reach. To this degrees of self-examination, that we all able to go today, despite the snow and wind point she has made a number of impressive have enough. and extreme cold, is that the section we’re combat rolls. She is pleased and we are all running is only three miles long and the impressed, but she finally gets so cold that I go and then Russ and Kurt and finally road runs beside it the entire way. We can her concentration suffers and her paddle Michele girds her loins and does it and get off if we need to. This is a teachable becomes a menace in every eddy. comes up beaming and laughs and tells us moment and she takes it. It is made clear that, o yeah, she definitely gets it now, these to us that we cannot do this kind of trip I get whacked in the head and have a drops they are big, big fun. under these conditions unless we can get second very narrow escape and then Russ There are more drops, but I have a mild off and get warm at any point. So, of course gets whacked and then, well, you only have form of river amnesia and so I don’t we all go. to get hit in the head by someone so many remember them. We scout and pick lines times before you get a clue and realize that and get in boats one by one and urgently I lead for a while. Eeek. This is far more they are cold. And so it becomes clear to us search for landmarks that we cannot find intense than the Back Fork of the Elk. We that it is time for Michele to get warm and and finally commit to something and go, go through class III’s, one and another and do the rest of this river another day. long sliding falls into aerated pools below. then another. The break between rapids gets shorter and shorter. Sometimes I wait Spencer hikes out with Michele and the We are almost done, nearly at the takeout, in the front for Sharon to catch me before remaining four of us continue on, but the when we arrive at the last rapid. We running a line. I like this being out front, worst (or best) is over. We have time now to students scout it and agree upon a line. this feeling of leading, the one that climbers notice the snow, falling all around us. The When Sharon arrives, she, of course, selects call being “on the sharp end of the rope.” wind turns traitor and drives stinging sleet an entirely different line. She says that we Everything is brighter and louder. I can taste into our faces as we squint our way through are welcome to run our chosen line but and smell the river and I am completely in unknown rapids. predicts that if she runs it, she will flip and the present. But it gets harder and harder get trashed. We are kind of attached to our and I need more and more confirmation of We reach the last big rapid, S-Turn. All of us line and don’t give it up lightly. my lines and a point comes when Sharon feel sluggish and cold. We look sloppy and says that it’s time for her to lead. we are no longer very smart, but we retain Sharon gets in her boat and demos her enough sense to know that we should not chosen line. She moves river right, comes I am very grateful. Now we are in a long run this rapid. We take out on river left and down by the slanted rock, crosses the class III. I don’t know how long. Perhaps the carry our boats down to a big flat rock from curling wave, launches over the drop and length of fifteen or twenty Nantahala Falls. which we can launch into a small pool and lands on the top of the big foam pile and Remember, I suffer from river amnesia, so I run a foamy seam to get below the rapid. is done. She runs a class IV rapid without cannot be trusted about this, but we spend a splashing water on the deck of her boat. very long time navigating this rapid. Sharon, who kindly goes first as probe, launches off the rock, paddles out of the We all take her line. It makes us look like We are finally creeking. We are doing the pool, drops into the seam, does a brief better boaters than we are. This is the dance, passing each eddy back up the river, mystery move, and is squirted, 60 gallon reason we are in this class. hand-to-hand, boat-to-boat. Sharon is creek boat and all, nearly entirely free of leading; Michele is next and then me. Kurt the river. April 4, 2004 is directly behind me, followed by Russ and Middle Cranberry 3.7 ft, 29 degrees then Spencer. We arrive in our eddies and I do not like this line. I look for another then we check: Where do I go next? Is the way, but I am tired and cold and I can’t get We wake – a painful hour earlier thanks person in that eddy ready to leave? Is the my spray skirt on by myself anyway, so I tell to daylight savings time – to fresh snow. person who is linked to me from behind in Russ that I am going and he buckles me in The Summersville forecast calls for more their eddy? Can they see me? Are they ready and I stay high up on the edge of the wave, snow with highs in the low 30s and 18 mph to come to my spot? We make eye contact away from the crease and so my trip down winds. The Middle Cranberry is now above and nod and then we go, a looping ballet of is uneventful. Russ and Kurt do the same. minimum. We are going. peel-outs and ferries and eddy turns. We are a thing of beauty. See, we are learning. We are learning from Sharon reminds us that no one has to go. taking this class. We drive to the take-out and get dressed in We finally exit the bottom of the rapid everything we own. I put my dirty clothes and the intensity of the river settles. There We paddle on. A few more small rapids, from yesterday in my dry bag for spares. are still many rapids, but they have space but nothing serious. We work at moving It’s snowing hard and windy, but the wind between them and we have the opportunity forward to stay warm. It never ceases to be is blowing downstream and we console to gather in groups of two or three. fun but I am ready, more than ready, when ourselves by saying that at least it will be at we see Spencer and Michele and the havens our backs. Sharon reminds us again that no Michele has been boating just nine months, of our cars. one has to go. if you can believe it, and she has found this

58 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 59 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 When we load boats, the water dripping off of disaster averted. We tell stories of the accompanied by a noise like the sound a of them freezes in icicles that hang from our foolishness of our younger paddling selves. child makes when squeezing air from the cockpit rims and backbands. We tell stories to remind each other about neck of a balloon. The motion and sound how far we have come and we tell stories so envelop us, and to my semi-delirious mind, As we drive through Richwood, the bank that others can imagine their future skill by it is almost comforting. thermometer says 29 degrees. It is still what they see in our paddling. These stories snowing. are our talismans against harm. We laugh I am riding with Sharon and we pull into and we laugh until we nearly cry. my driveway at 12:37 am. We gather what It’s late and we’ve done it to ourselves again. we can find of my gear and pile it on the We are cold and tired and wet and hungry We tell stories so we won’t have to part with porch and then we hug and she drives and six hours and a meal away from home. one another and go home. away. I stumble around, trying to be It’s Sunday at 5 pm. quiet, hanging clothes and rinsing muddy But finally we do. We get up and get coffee booties and emptying the cooler. I do only We fall madly upon what snacks we have and drive. We are together on the road for a what is necessary and then I into bed, and drive with heaters blasting all the while, but one by one the others drift away. exhausted and jangling with caffeine. way to dinner. We arrive at 7, expecting to get in and out quickly, but we do not The low beams don’t cast enough light When I close my eyes, I see snowflakes leave until almost 8 o’clock. We must, for my tired eyes and the brights are dancing. they are announcing their closing over the made impossible by mesmerizing flakes of loudspeakers and sweeping up around us. oncoming snow. Somewhere in Virginia the skies clear, the full moon shines and We sit; plates pushed away, chairs back, the wind picks up again. It blows so hard telling stories about each other, as paddlers that it forces its way in through the car do. We tell stories of hope and of fear and windows. We are buffeted about the road

60 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 61 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Kevin Colburn

Playing Politics in 2005 and Beyond

You and I are animals. We eat other animals and our lives. In this dualistic and plants, recycling the carbon and energy arena of winner-takes-all that we have in those organisms. We breathe the same created, the stakes are high, and the teams air as every other animal – air that plants mismatched. We need a paradigm shift. We created and will again consume. We drink need the fans on both sides of the arena to water that has cycled from ground to sky rush the field and demand that both teams for millions of years – and return that stop playing for the environment. Let them water to the cycle. We are sheltered in play for our wants but our needs are ours, houses made of tree and earth that will and every organism on the planet shares one day become tree and earth again. We them. experience weather driven by the sun as it filters though our atmosphere and hits Rush the field. Call your governor, your our wobbly planet. We fight with other senators, your representatives, your animals - from bacteria to humans – for president, and tell them that you value life our safety and security. We pass our DNA on earth. Tell them that no matter whether on just as elk and oak do, although a bit they are a democrat or a republican, you more discretely, and send our progeny into expect them to protect your basic needs the future. and therefore the environment. Get specific; spell it out for them. We can help You and I are supported by cycles that you. flow through us and back to the world. If you don’t believe it, ask yourself how American Whitewater is dedicated to often you’ve eaten something that never protecting and restoring our Nation’s lived, breathed air that didn’t come from whitewater rivers while enhancing the atmosphere, or drank water that opportunities to enjoy them safely. These was never rain. Somewhere deep in our mountain rivers and their watersheds are at subconscious we all know this and feel the heart of the natural cycles that support these connections. us both as humans and as paddlers. The Karok Tribe in California believes that if My point, my fellow American animals is the rivers and the land are sick, then the this: no matter whether you voted for the people are sick too. We share that belief red team or the blue one, regardless of your and feel it in our pollution stung eyes, financial status or aspirations, unrelated and in our sadness at paddling a river to your fear of terrorism, removed from needlessly abused by man. We recognize your preferred house of worship, the that we are animals woven into the environment matters. In 2005 and beyond, ecosystem. We will work with the willing you will have to kick yell and scream, “I and unwilling to protect our rivers, because am an animal, and while I want all kinds we know in doing so we are also protecting of things, I need clean air, clean water, and ourselves and our quality of life. We will healthy food!” Those lacking wisdom will rush the field. We will lead the charge. undoubtedly seek to pollute and perturb We are proud to know that the paddling the cycles that support us all. They must community is with us, acting with wisdom be stopped. and solidarity.

The bipolar politics of the day is like some bizarre sport where the two sides have divided up issues to battle over. We simply cannot not let them play sports with our basic human needs. It is not wise to let one team be anti-environment while another takes the role of pro-environment, and then to send them on to the field to play for

60 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 61 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Barbara Wiedemann

Come on please, If I stare at you Barbara Wiedemann, a professor of English at Auburn University Montgomery, earned take me. with my brown eyes, her B.A. from SUNY, Buffalo and her M.A. and Ph.D from the University of South You’re not going without me, you’ll see how sad I am. Florida. She is the author of a critical study entitled Josephine Herbst’s Short Fiction: A Window to Her Life And Times are you? I promise (Susquehanna University Press), co-author of Short Fiction: A Critical Companion Paddle, life jacket— I’ll be good, (Locust Hill Press), and co-editor of “My Name Was Martha”: A Renaissance Woman’s and me. I’ll sit still, Autobiographical Poem (Locust Hill Press). Her poems have appeared in Kaleidoscope, Don’t forget me. you know I can swim. Kerf, Poetry Motel, Acorn, and other journals. Come on please, You’re not really take me. leaving me, are you— your best friend who wouldn’t leave you?

Drawing by Chris Conlin

62 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 63 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 February 25, 26 - 2005

The volunteers of the Bluegrass Wildwater videos. Still image competition deadline rivers and then plan to join me, my fellow Association are proud to announce that is February 18, 2005. Entering your stuff BWA volunteers, generous artists and the23rd National Paddling Film Festival in the film festivalis a creative and easy donors sharing good times and celebrating continues this February 25-26 with exciting way to help conserve the rivers you love greatpaddlesport images at the 2005 new changes. For 2005, the competition, to paddle. Please visit the NPFF website: National Paddling Film Festival. auction, and party will all take place www.surfbwa.org/npff for more info and in one location- the all new Lexington entry forms. For more info contact: Convention Center! They made us an David Margavage offer we couldn’t refuse! The beautifully If you would like to help and would NPFF Director renovated LCC facility directly over looks considering becoming a sponsor please 120 Jolomic Ln, Triangle Park, in the heart ofdowntown let us know. Thanks to our volunteers, Georgetown,KY 40324email: Lexington, Kentucky. Convenient and donors, contributing artists and [email protected] with everything a demanding paddling audiences, to date the NPFF has been film fest fan could ever need, including the able to raise over $100,000 in FUNds for To purchase tickets online and for more film adjacent Hyatt Regency Hotel and plenty American Whitewater and other river festival info visit: www.surfbwa.org/npff ofgreat restaurants all contained within the conservation efforts. Convention Center. Thanks to the large LCC space there will Come and join with paddlers and film also be lots of room for the NPFF’s famous lovers from across the globe to Lexington NPFF Silent Auction. Jam packed with andview the latest in paddlesport film awesome gear donated by our generous video and images. In 2004, the NPFF sponsors and manufactures who will be attracted over 40 amateur, accomplished well represented. Many of the industries and professional competitors with entries finestmanufactures, outfitters and depicting paddlingfootage of rivers and organizations will be represented at this seas from virtually every corner of the years Festival. world. Exciting action and awesome scenery combine with genius, satire, silliness, This year the Film Festival is honored to insight, instruction, humor,tragedy, drama welcome festival guest host and speaker, and passion. The National Paddling Film KentFord, whose highly acclaimed books, Festival is a visual paddlesport feast and videos and instruction have made him celebration that should not be missed. one of the most recognized paddlers in whitewater sport worldwide. The film festival’s new change in location also means an all new schedule for the Kent will be presenting a talktitled: “How imageand video competition, silent Condoms Make Paddling Fun” that auction and awards party. In 2005 the show explores how condoms are a common starts at noon with the films running into denominator to both the Olympics and the evening - followed by the Awards Party to the history of instructional paddling – all in the samelocation! The new evening videosworldwide. Kent’s talks at the festival schedule will provide the ambience of a will provide a sampling of humorous premier that both the audience highlights of instructionalpaddling video and the film makers will appreciate. Maybe worldwide, from 1930’s silent films, to even have the FilmMakers will arrive contemporary instruction in canoeing in horse drawn carriages! After all it is and kayaking. In addition, he will share Lexington, KY! video footage of his foreruns at theAthens Olympic kayak events. If you are an amateur, accomplished or professional photographer or filmmaker So, do something fun for conservation. readingthis before January 21, 2005 then Get the word out. Tell your buddies. Enter there is still time to enter your films and yourstuff. Give it your best shot for the

62 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 63 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by The Dogg

The River Strikes Back Every now and then, an event takes place that shakes our universe game for firing up a big drop. Old Man problem was that we didn’t have anything and rocks the world to Starrett (Jim) isn’t your typical old guy. closely resembling high water. As shallow its very foundation. Most old people think that the shiznit is as the right side line was, he’d have been a high fiber cereal but Jim is down with better off taking a sander to the In 1969, man walked on the moon, a truly the gangsta rap speak. He loves the thrill bottom of his boat. I had my new creek momentous occurrence. Then, for a long of firing up a big Class V rapid at an age boat and I was looking to run something time, nothing spectacular happened. Then, when most guys are hitting the golf course. better than a wet rock face. I find that this the Dogg came along. Never before had Last but not least was Ian Devine, who was fine piece of German engineering performs there been such an electrifying individual riding with me in my hemi-powered Chevy better when there is water underneath it, ready to risk life and limb for the excitement Cavalier. Ian had been a stranger for much an experience referred to as fahrfegnugen of running SIK drops and the cheer of the of the year leading up to this trip but it was or farfrompuken or skoboten. I wanted fans. Well, folks, the Dogg is back and he nice to have him back on the river. No one to run the main line but I wasn’t sure just is here to reclaim his title as the Sultan of is quite sure what he was up to but I think where to go to avoid the hole. I decided to SIKness, the Colossus of Clappers, and the he was involved with an international ring ferry across to the right bank to consult Sovereign of Shweet Ones! of camel thieves. Just a theory. with two of the New York gurus, Tim Kelly and Chris Koll. They explained the line and Now, I know what you’re thinking, “What’s After a quick run of the Taylorville section steered me down the right course. Being a going on here? When did the name change of the Beaver, an autograph session, and a smooth operator, I slid down the shallows to the Dogg?” Well, you see, I switched photo shoot with the Maxim supermodels, on the right of center to an 8-foot boof sponsors so I figured that a change of we cruised the Doggsled up north for some over a bad horseshoe hole that had been name was unavoidable. It took some whitewater action on the Racquette. Upon the sight of some carnage earlier in the long contemplation to come up with a reaching the put in, we became entranced day. I launched a SIK one (Oh Yesh! It was suitable name. My first inclination was to by the beautiful weather and the ominous SCHWEEEEEET!) and lined up perfectly go with D-Fizzle since I write articalizzles roar from the mayhem that lay in the river as I headed down the slide and skipped for American Whitewhizzle. The second down below. right over the hole. I waved goodbye to consideration was Hund, which is Deutsch my adoring fans and headed downstream for Dogg, since I paddle for a German The river starts off with a bang, as we were to catch up with my group, who received company. After much debate, I decided to immediately faced with the chaotic run- a stern pistol-whipping for not waiting simplify and just go with the Dogg. out just below the dam. After a few small for me. slides, we reached a substantial horizon line So, here we are, on a road trip to New York and a large crowd on the right bank eagerly After a steep ledgy rapid, we came to the State to run the Racquette and Beaver waiting to see some carnage. This is where Mushroom, which we boofed on the right Rivers. Being a famous superhero, I had the toilet paper hits double red stripe! to avoid a bubbly hole backed by a rock never run the Racquette at a level lower The first rapid (Colton Falls) is pretty (the Mushroom). After a short pool, the than flood stage (+2,000 cfs). However, I impressive with a series of junky ledge river narrows considerably to the left and decided that I was curious to see what the drops leading into a big slide with a massive disappears from sight. This rapid is called run is like when the mortals come out for hole at the bottom that will likely slap the the Narrows and consists of a slide into the fall release level of 900 cfs. The group taste out of your mouth. The whole thing an 8-foot drop into a large hole that you that was to receive the pride, the privilege, drops close to 50 feet and comes at you don’t want to end up in. To avoid it, you NAY I SAY THE PLEASURE of paddling quicker than a fight in a NASCAR pitstop. need to walk a tight rope down the right with me was a solid crew of 4 intrepids You definitely need to have your game face that leads you to a schweet boof. The group from the Maryland/Pennsylvania area. on to negotiate this monstrosity. ran the drop one by one, executing niche Todd Baker is an up-and-coming young launches. However, when it was Martha’s punk who loves low volume stuff. Martha The majority of my group opted to walk turn, she flipped at the bottom and got Herzog is a hardcore chick who’s always the rapid while Todd decided to take the shoved against the wall on the right. After high water route down the right. The getting beaten by the wall, she came out

64 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 65 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by The Dogg

of her boat. She got to shore fine but her into the large hole at the bottom of the Photos boat kept going. Luckily, Jim took off after second drop. After a brutal hole ride that Previous page from left: the boat and pushed it to shore before the nearly knocked the yellow off his teeth, Jim 1. The Dogg launching a schweet one at next rapid, proving once and for all that old was able to escape the hole. The Narrows. people, while slow and dangerous behind 2. Todd Baker running the Narrows. the wheel, can still serve a purpose. By this point, the release had been cut back 3. The Dogg acing the Tub. The next rapid, called the Tub, had a significantly and we were starting to run This page from left: shallow lead-in to two closely spaced 8- thin on water. However, there is one last 4. Jim Starrett running the Tub. foot drops with big holes waiting to munch rapid before the run mellows out where 5. Ian Devine catching air at the Tub. you at the bottom. I ran first, checking this most of the water funnels down to the right 6. Martha Herzog running the Narrows. rapid into the Smackdown Hotel as always. of an island. Appropriately named Island 7. The Dogg taking the SIK route through Ian was right behind me, catching air off Falls, the rapid is a long slide that ends in a Island Falls. the first drop and cleaning the second. Jim cascade of about 10 feet. The normal line is 8. The Dogg finishing the Mosier Dam on was next and ended up getting pulled back to stay right and bang down a shallow flow the Beaver River with 1/3 of a paddle.

64 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 65 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 close to the bank. Now, I’d have been better having aced this mess of jagged rocks two on the other side to save me (Will those off firing a round of ammo from the Street times before. After putting in, we ferried crazy C-boaters ever learn?). I rolled back Sweeper into my hull than beating my across and walked up the right bank to up but the swirling water at the edge of the boat over that rock heap (Author’s Note: scout the dam. To say that the dam is hole caused me to flip again. I exited my the Street Sweeper is my sawed off pistol intimidating would be an understatement. boat just before it went over the next 5-foot grip pump shotgun). Instead, I cut left and It is a steep, high-volume mess of three ledge and vertically pinned. dropped through a narrow notch where a cascades over jagged rocks, ending in a good flow falls 8-10 feet into a beefy hole. I large hole with a massive rooster tail in the I climbed onto the rocks and lowered went into the hole and came out on a SIK middle of it. The top drop falls 20+ feet and myself into the eddy next to my boat. I tailstand before cruising downstream. The lands on rocks. I always skip this drop and floated in the eddy, bruised and broken. other people in my group opted to take the run the remaining two-thirds of the rapid. The skin on my knuckles was almost all high and nearly dry line down the right. ripped off and my palm was sliced where From here to the end of the run we were I waited for my group to set up video and my paddle shaft had broken. Where did greeted by continuous Class II-III rapids safety and then I seal launched in below the things go wrong? Well, first I have to look at through a pretty wooded setting. first drop. I didn’t keep my bow up off the myself; all the great ones do. Since I know it 15-foot drop in and pitoned slightly. It was wasn’t me, I gotta blame it on other things: That evening, Ian kept flapping his gums no big deal; I was lined up perfectly for the the river, the media, some bad guacamole about laying the smackdown on the dam next 15-foot cascade. As I headed down the that I had eaten the night before, global at the put in for the Mosier section of the cascade, I caught a rock that sent my bow warming, the alignment of the sun and Beaver. I was interested to see if he would down and I pitoned very hard, causing me the moon, or the fact that every woman run it. Of course, the Dogg can’t go to the to flip. I fell over onto the slide and snapped on the planet wants me. These kinds of Mosier section without running the dam, my paddle. At this point, time seemed to things will weigh heavily on a man’s mind. freeze for a moment. I was upside down Hey, it’s not like superheroes’ lives are on the slide approaching the crux of the perfect! We face dilemmas too. Now, this bottom part of the rapid with one-third of type of ordeal would end the day for most a paddle. For a second, I thought that this kayakers. However, don’t worry, because couldn’t possibly be happening; it wasn’t your Paddling Hero shook it off and hand- real. After all, I am the Dogg. Who did the paddled the Mosier section. But that is Beaver River think it was anyway? At any another story…. rate, I quickly came to the realization that it was indeed happening and I’d better do something about it! I summoned up my superpowers and rolled with my mini- paddle, working hard to get to the right of the rooster tail. I was able to miss it but I hit the monstrous hole at an angle, causing me to do a helpless C-1 flip with no blade

66 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 67 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Adam Herzog

Rock the Boat: cause of river deaths is freak occurrences. in an ambulance, I will never become jaded A couple of years ago someone died on enough not to be affected by these types of It May Save Lives the Ocoee after friends tried to rescue accidents. him from an entrapped boat and severed I have watched two kayakers die in the last his femoral artery. A third type of death There are many factors that contribute to four years. The cases were similar. First, I did occurs when good kayakers die on rivers river safety: pre-planning, river awareness, not know either of the boater’s well—they they are qualified to paddle. Pablo Perez, an understanding of hydrology, and were “friends of friends.” Second, I knew a well known and accomplished boater in possession of the proper safety equipment. after the first mile they were not paddling the southeast drowned in a strainer on the Safe river trips require good judgment. solidly enough to be on the river. I said Rocky Broad several years ago. The fourth Boaters must have the ability to look at a nothing to that effect, and they will never category involves unskilled boaters putting rapid and answer several questions: be coming home to their families again. on rivers they should not be on. Kayaking is an intrinsically dangerous 1. What move do I have to make? sport, but there is no reason an unqualified The accidents I was involved with fell into 2. Can I make the move? kayaker should die on a difficult river. this last group. One occurred on the Green 3. What happens if I miss it? These tragedies can be averted if those Narrows, the other was on the Russell 4. Am I willing to accept the consequence if of us on the river are willing to confront Fork. The difference in these two runs is I make a mistake? awkward, but deadly situations. notable. The Green is quintessential class V creek boating. The moves are technically Failure to think introspectively, and break In the 14 years I have been kayaking the demanding. Its reputation serves as a down every drop attempted will result sport has undergone incredible revolutions, filter and keeps many people off the river. in beat downs, injuries, and death. It is with both positive and negative results. I However, consistent dam releases assure not uncommon to see mediocre kayakers learned how to paddle with my dad and water year round, and many questionable paddling extremely difficult runs. Luck his 50-year-old buddies, and we always boaters are drawn to it. The Russell Fork, will often take us very far, but it will run took it slow. In 12 foot kayaks we learned while less difficult, is equally dangerous. out eventually. When people run rivers things one step at a time. It was impossible The lines are wider and more forgiving they clearly should not attempt, the burden to catch eddies, peel out, or ferry without a than other rivers, but the Russell Fork of responsibility falls on their friends and strong forward stroke. No one put on the has proven itself to be one of the deadliest fellow river runners. Ocoee without first feeling comfortable on rivers in the country. the Nantahala, Nolichucky, and section 3 of Don’t be afraid of bruising egos when it is a the Chattooga. These incidents were similar in several matter of life or death. respects, but there were also some Things have changed. Boat technology, differences. In one case it was the victims mindset, and skill have contributed to first time on the river. In the other, the kayakers becoming better faster. This has person had run the river before, but was led to more aggressive kayaking. Rivers having an off day. This can happen to once considered unrunnable are now called anybody. Both kayakers were obviously class IV. The MTV culture has infiltrated in over their heads, and they both kayaking. Young boaters are influenced by had problems early in the trip. Most 5 second video clips that leave the carnage importantly, their friends (including me) out (or glorify it). failed to advise the paddlers that they were not strong enough to be on the river that Kayak deaths fall into four general day. categories. The first group can be attributed to a misunderstanding of water. I am a paramedic, and I see death and Many examples of this occurred in the sickness everyday at work. I am in touch seventies and eighties on the Chattooga with the frailty of human life. Watching after the movie Deliverance showcased the these two men go from having a good river. The following onslaught of yahoos time on the water to dead in a matter in inner tubes did not fair as well as Burt of minutes was infinitely disturbing. No Reynolds character in the movie. Another matter how many sick people I take care of

66 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 67 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Charlotte Whitewater Park Update

The United States National Whitewater T he site has already b e en name d an official $25 p er p erson and pr ivate b o aters wil l b e Center, slated to open in Charlotte, NC team t r aining center by the U.S. O ly mpic charged $8 p er day for use of the fa cilit y. in spring 2006, moved significantly closer Committee. Enthusiasm is also hig h in to becoming a reality this fall. On October v ar ious se c tors of the lo cal communit y. Infor mat ion ab out the par k is av ailable on 12 the Charlotte Observer reported that a Half of the mone y to fund the par k is the web at: www.usnwc.org. In a ddit ion consortium of local banks and charities coming from se ven banking cor p or at ions to an overview of the par k layout and a has agreed to lend $20 million to the non- le d by B ank of Amer ica and Wa chovia, schematic of the a djustable, manma de profit in charge of building the park. and the other half is from a g roup of eig ht r apids you can se e a short promotional lo cal char it ies. video for the Nat ional Whitewater Center. Construction began this fall on the 307- Stay tune d for updates on this excit ing acre outdoor adventure park situated T he Nat ional Whitewater Center is w hitewater resource. near the Catawaba River. In addition to expe c ted to pay for itse lf by charg ing r iver the much-anticipated whitewater park, users. Commercial r aft ing customers are the area will also feature a mountain expe c ted to pay anyw here from $15 to biking course and hiking trails along the artificial watercourse.

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68 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 69 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 by Ambrose Tuscano

A Kayaker’s Guide to rapids were, we almost always faced class that March swim, follow these simple V weather. Sometimes we’d get to a rapid guidelines. Surviving Winter that we had run dozens or hundreds of times and decide to portage just to get the Since your boat will not have an Winter is upon us. Where I live, we’ve blood fl owing to the ice blocks at the end opportunity to be dragged down a put-in had snow on the ground for the past of our legs. trail, dropped off the roof racks or ridden two months. Regardless of which part of down an abrasive granite slab into a seal- the country you call home, by now you Sadly, I no longer count myself among the launch, you will need to take measures to can feel that the time has come for long intrepid boaters who paddle on through get it through winter in comfort. sleeves and wool , hot chocolate and the icy trifecta of December, January and warm fi replaces. While some whitewater February. And for those of you who share If you’re lucky enough to live in snow enthusiasts continue to paddle right on my shameful aversion to paddling in near- country, consider taking your boat out through winter, barely pausing long enough or sub-freezing temperatures, I would sledding. Hucking off jumps and crashing to put on poggies and a helmet liner, others like to offer some practical advice: let go into trees should make your boat feel right are lucky enough to escape the relatively of your denial. You really shouldn’t drive at home and remind you why you aren’t cold, short days by traveling to the tropics around with your kayak on top of your car cut out for the Winter Olympics (did I or even following summer to the southern for three or four solid months pretending mention that you should defi nitely wear hemisphere. However, in the heart of winter that any day now you might head down a helmet?). many of us see our whitewater activity slow to the local play spot after work. Get real! to an infrequent drip, and often dry up for It’s dark by 3:30 and your hands and feet If sledding isn’t your style, or snow is a months at a time. go numb just thinking about full or even geographic impossibility, try taking your partial immersion in ice water. boat out for long walks in the woods. When I lived within striking distance of Dragging it along a rocky trail can be a West Virginia, I used to be part of the great bonding experience, while at the proud family of year-round boaters. We Since your boat will probably be out of same time giving your boat the masochistic would take advantage of abundant rain action for at least a couple of months, scraping and bumping feel that it needs to and snowfall to get on our favorite creeks there is going to be a natural letdown. In be happy. And, as an added bonus, you can in the winter. A New Year’s Day run on fact, boats that become depressed during walk off those extra holiday pounds. Just be the local class III river became an annual the off-season are often responsible for careful on the downhills: last time I took event. No matter how easy or diffi cult the poor early-season outings. So, to avoid my boat out for a walk, I ended up limping home with a softball-sized contusion on my lower calf. What can I say? The darn thing just can’t wait to go downhill.

Finally, since you probably won’t be able to spend as much quality time with your boat as you’d like, explore various ways of improving your boat’s social life. One favorite is boat-sitting. If you and your boating buddies know that you’ll be away from the rivers for a few weeks, invite their boats over to your garage for a while. The idea is for the boats to be able to kick back and relax together, without taking up any of your precious time. Just be careful of which boats you invite. Listening to Loopy McCartwheel brag about her tricks, or Professor von Boofsalot lecture about the critical relationship between gradient and water volume can be bad for boat morale.

So this winter, make an attempt to keep your boat happy. And remember: don’t be depressed. All that snow and ice has to become water eventually.

68 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 69 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 The Affiliate Club Program lies at the very Colorado Montana heart of AW’s existence. AW’s original Pueblo Paddlers, Pueblo West Beartooth Paddlers Society, Billings purpose since 1957 has been to distribute Colorado White Water Association, Englewood information among its Affiliate Clubs. FiBark Boat Races, Englewood Nevada AW’s relationships with local clubs Gunnison Valley Paddle Club, Almont Sierra Nevada Whitewater Club, Reno have provided the backbone for the Pikes Peak Whitewater Club, Colorado Springs river conservation and access work it University of Colorado Kayak Club, Boulder New Hampshire accomplishes. Over eighty-five clubs WATER, Grand Junction Ledyard Canoe Club, Hanover are now AW Club Affiliates and they Merrimack Valley Paddlers, Merrimack are all doing great work on your behalf. Florida Mt. Washington Valley Paddlers, Franconia If you don’t belong to a club consider Project Challenge Inc., Miami Waterline, Manchester joining one. Georgia New For 2004, AW is excited to announce Atlanta Whitewater Club, Atlanta Hunterdon Canoe Club, Flemington several programs for AW Affiliate Clubs. Georgia Canoeing Association, Atlanta The Paddling Bares, Milltown Georgia Tech Outdoor Recreation, Atlanta River Stewardship Institute: A week-long New Mexico conservation and access training program Idaho Adobe Whitewater Club, Albuquerque designed to prepare river activists with Idaho Rivers Sports, Boise the tools necessary to successfully save Idaho Whitewater Association, Boise New York their rivers. FLOW Paddlers Club, Rochester Illinois Housatonic Canoe & Kayak Squad, Ossining 2nd Flowing Rivers Grant Program, Chicago Whitewater Association, Cary KCCNY, S. Hackensack sponsored by Clif Bar Town Tinker Tube Rentals, Phoenicia Iowa Whitewater Challengers, Old Forge BRAND NEW Affiliate Club section of Iowa Whitewater Coalition, Des Moines Zoar Valley Paddling Club, Dunkirk the AW Journal dedicated to promoting your club and its events with the Indiana N. Carolina whitewater community at large. If your Hoosier Canoe Club, Indianapolis Camp Carolina, Brevard Affiliate Club would like to be one of Ohio Valley Whitewater Club, Evansville Carolina Canoe Club, Raleigh the first to begin listing your club’s Dixie Division of ACA, Tuxedo major events in the Journal, please email Kansas Nantahala Racing Club, Gastonia [email protected] for more details. Kansas Whitewater Association, Mission Triad River Runners, Winston Salem Western Carolina Paddlers, Asheville The AW Journal Club Affiliates by State: Kentucky Viking Canoe Club, Louisvillle Ohio Alaska Bluegrass Whitewater Association, Lexington Columbus Outdoor Pursuits, Columbus Fairbanks Paddlers, Fairbanks El Rio Loco Paddling Club, Barbourville Keel Haulers Canoe Club, Westlake Outdoor Adventure Club, Dayton Alabama Maine Toledo River Gang, Waterville Coosa Paddling Club, Montgomery AMC Maine Chapter, Hallowell Huntsville Canoe Club, Huntsville Oregon Massachusetts Oregon Whitewater Association, Beaverton Arizona AMC Boston Chapter, Boston Willamette Kayak and Canoe Club, Corvallis Desert Paddlers Club, Tempe Grand Canyon Private Boaters Assoc, Flagstaff Maryland Pennsylvania Greater Baltimore Canoe Club, Kingsville AMC Delaware Valley Chapter, Sugarloaf Arkansas Mason Dixon Canoe Cruisers, Boonsboro Benscreek Canoe Club, Johnstown Arkansas Canoe Club, Little Rock Monocacy Canoe Club, Frederick Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg Holtwood Hooligans, Lititz California Minnesota Three Rivers Paddling Club, Pittsburgh B.S.A. Durham Troop 16, Durham Boat Busters Anonymous, Stillwater Lehigh Valley Canoe Club, Lehigh Valley Chico Paddleheads, Chico Gold Country Paddlers, Lotus Missouri S. Carolina River Skills Center, Mt. Shasta Kansas City Whitewater Club, Raymore Foothills Paddling Club, Greenville Sequoia Paddling Club, Windsor Missouri Whitewater Association, St. Louis Palmetto Paddlers, Columbia Shasta Paddlers, Redding Ozark Mountain Paddlers, Springfield Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, San Jose Ozark Wilderness Waterways, Kansas City Sierra Club Angeles Chapter, Granada Hills Streamtech, St. Louis

70 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 71 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Join American Whitewater as a Club Affiliate!

Tennessee Appalachian Paddling Enthusiasts, Discounted AW “10” Reasons to Join AW Elizabethton as an Affiliate Club Chota Canoe Club, Knoxville Memberships for E. Tennessee Whitewater Club, Oak Ridge Affiliate Club Members Eastman Hiking and Canoeing, Kingsport McCallie School Outdoor Program, by Carla Miner 1. Receive the American Chattanooga Whitewater Journal, the Tennessee Valley Canoe Club, Chattanooga Memebership Coordinator University of Tennessee Outing Club, Knoxville oldest continually published Tennessee Scenic River Association, Grimsley In the recent past, AW has been whitewater magazine. offering discounted AW memberships Texas 2. Join the list of Affiliate Clubs to whitewater enthusiasts who are Bayou Whitewater Club, Houston noted in each bi-monthly also members of one of AW’s Affiliate AW Journal. Utah Clubs. University of Utah, Salt Lake City USU Kayak Club, Logan 3. List club events in the AW Journal. We now have the ability to offer this Virginia discounted membership online! For 4. Your Club’s members can Blue Ridge River Runners, Lynch Station become AW members for $25. each club, AW will create a unique Canoe Cruisers Association, Arlington A $10 savings! Coastal Canoeists, Richmond URL that will automatically offer the Float Fishermen of Virginia, Roanoke discounted membership and/or we Richmond Whitewater Club, Mechanicsville 5. Have technical expertise for will provide a coupon code that is your Club conservation and Vermont specific to your club that will allow access committees ‘on tap.’ Vermont Paddlers Club, Jericho individuals to receive the discount on 6. Have access to technical and Washington the normal AW Membership Page. The Mountaineers, Seattle onsite assistance for your Club’s event planning. Washington Kayak Club, Seattle Both options work equally well and Washington Recreation River Runners, Renton University Kayak Club, Seattle help make life easier for members of 7. Enjoy VIP benefits for “Joint your club. Members” at AW events. West Virginia West Virginia Wildwater Assoc., Charleston Several clubs have already set up 8. Participate in exclusive AW Wisconsin the program and their members are Affiliate Club promotions. Badger State Boating Society, Waukesha enjoying the benefits of joining AW Hoofers Outing Club, Madison 9. Post Club information on the Sierra Club/John Muir Chapter, La Crosse for only $25! AW Website to help paddlers Northern Paddle and Trail, Rhinelander find you. River Alliance of Wisconsin, Madison If you are interested in learning more Wyoming about this program, please contact 10. Eligible to apply for a spot in the Jackson Hole Kayak Club, Jackson Hole me and I would be happy to help AW 2004 River Stewardship your club set up this program. I can Institute. Canada, British Columbia Vancouver Kayak Club, Vancouver be reached at: 888-BOAT-4AW or [email protected]. Canada, Ontario For more information, Madawaska Kanu Camp, Ottawa contact Carla Miner at [email protected] AW Outreach Office at 828-252-0728 or sign-up on-line at: www.americanwhitewater.org/membership

70 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 71 January/February 2005 January/February 2005 Please read this carefully before sending us your relate to some aspect of whitewater boat ing. Please are spelled correctly and riv er gra di ents and articles and photos! This is a vol un teer publi - do not sub mit articles per tain ing to sea kayaking dis tanc es are cor rect ly cal cu lat ed. ca tion, please cooperate and help us out. Do not or fl at water. send us your ma te ri al without a release – signed Articles will be edited at the dis cre tion of the by all au thors and pho tog ra phers (attached). If you are writing about a commonly pad dled river, editors to fi t our format, length, and style. Ex- your story should be told from a unique perspec- pect to see changes in your arti cle. If you don’t If possible, articles should be sub mit ted on a tive. Articles about dif fi cult, infrequently paddled, want us to edit your ar ti cle, please don’t send 3-1/2-inch computer disk. (Microsoft Word or exotic rivers are given special con sid eration. it in! Be cause of our dead lines you will not be if pos si ble – oth ers accepted.) Please do not But we are also interested in well writ ten, un usu al able to review the editorial chang es made prior alter the margins or spac ing pa ram e ters; use articles pertaining to Class II, III & IV rivers as to pub li ca tion. the stan dard default set tings. Send a printed well. Feature sto ries do not have to be about a copy of the article as well. specifi c river. Articles about paddling tech niques, American Whitewater is a nonprofi t; the ed i tors the river en vi ron ment and river per son al i ties are and con trib u tors to Amer i can White wa ter are Those without access to a word pro cessor also ac cept ed. Pieces that in cor po rate humor are not re im bursed. On rare oc ca sions, by pre- may sub mit their articles typed. Please es pe cial ly wel come. Open boating and raft ing ar range ment, pro fes sion al writ ers receive a dou ble space. sto ries are wel come. small hon o rar i um when they submit sto ries at our re quest. Gen eral ly, our con trib u tors do Photos may be submitted as slides, black or white Profanity should be used only when it is abso lute ly not expect pay ment, since most are mem bers prints, or color prints or electronic, digital pho- necessary to effectively tell a sto ry; it is not our of AW, which is a vol un teer con ser va tion and tos, 300 dpi tiffs, Photoshop or high res jpegs intent to offend our more sen si tive mem bers safe ty or ga ni za tion. minimum 3”x5.” Keep your orig i nals and send and readers. us du pli cates if pos si ble; we cannot guar an Send your material to: the safe re turn of your pic tures. If you want us Please check all facts carefully, par tic u larly those Journal Editor to return your pic tures, include a self-ad dressed regarding individuals, govern ment agen cies, and 1424 Fenwick Lane stamped en ve lope with your sub mis sion. The cor po ra tions in volved in river access and en vi ron - Silver Spring MD 20910 bet ter the pho tos the better the re pro duc tion. men tal mat ters. You are legally re spon si ble for E-mail: [email protected] American Whitewater feature ar ti cles should the accuracy of such material. Make sure names

72 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org January/February 2005 72 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org January/February 2005 A VOLUNTEER PUBLICATION PROMOTING RIVER CONSERVATION, ACCESS AND SAFETY

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