eddy out Paddling events, safety awareness, and conservation Feb/March 2011 Chili Cookoff Kicks Off The Chota Year Officially Chota Canoe Club’s tradition is to concocted contender to share and MEET MARCH 1 warm things up and break the ice on compare with the rest. AT CALHOUNS the new year with a Chili Cook-off. BEARDEN HILL If you’re not up for the competition, ON THE WATER - A On February 26, at just bring an appetizer, MESSAGE FROM 6:30 p.m., Tisha and side dish or dessert. THE PRESIDENT David Benton will host Drinks will be provided the competition and by the Club. ROLL SESSIONS - meal at their West CALL TO THE POOL Knoxville home. The Chili Cookoff is CALENDAR - great time to join the PLAN TO MEET ON Last year there were conversation about THE WATER at least a dozen paddle planning for simmering pots of 2011. We’re getting goodness to be taste organized to take Inside this issue: tested. Delicious tasty whitewater and touring chili entries ranged trips, participate in the from vegetarian black Chota paddle school, Trip Chairpersons 4 bean to chicken with the Polar Bear week- Introduction & white beans to chunky end, and other fun Need to Know Info beef with no beans. Chota gatherings. Talking smack about Conservation Gifts 4 your favorite bowl is As a member of the In Recognition Of almost as fun as club, we need your Chota Members spooning up a portion ideas and participation Trip Spotlights and 5 of all them and trying to make them happen. Upcoming Events them out. The address for the party at Tisha Urban Challenge 5 Bring your own delicious chili and David Benton home is 12755 Support Volunteers Needed Eric Jackson And The Jackson Kayak Crew At Chota Roll Sessions Nantahala River 8 On Friday, February 4, from 7pm – early at 6pm to help unload and stay Fight for Control 9pm, join Eric Jackson of Jackson after to load boats, the $5 fee is Kayak and River Sports Outfitters waived. Water Quality - A 11 with a night of fun at the University of Tennessee Aquatic Center. This will Membership Form 12 be a Special Roll/Play/Stroke Session with Eric Jackson and his crew. Membership 13 Benefits It will be a great chance to see the latest creations from Jackson Kayak along with mingling with one of the world's greatest whitewater paddlers. NOTE: Cost is $5 per person. However, if Chota members come It won’t be this chilly in the pool with EJ Feb/March 2011 Page 2 On The Water: A Note From Chota’s President 2011 Officers President I am thrilled to be your President for or hanging out on the Ocoee in their Doug Johnstone 2011. Many of you know me, but in playboats working on rodeo moves at 865-804-5240 case you don’t, you’ll learn that I ab- their favorite rapid. While other pad- [email protected] solutely LOVE our paddlesport and dlers over the past 15 years or so, our Chota Canoe Club! Getting out- have adventured into kayak touring, Vice President Ed McAlister doors in the wilderness is just a won- sea kayaking and wilderness camping 865-250-2188 derful pastime for me and being ―On paddling expeditions. [email protected] the Water‖ is the best. Yes, our sport has changed with School Director As a paddler, my journey began in many variations of whitewater and Gary Kilpatrick 423-914-4070 1976 in the early days of whitewater touring kayaks and canoes that are [email protected] canoeing with key instruction from a now available. No matter your prefer- little club from Nashville known as the ence, whitewater or touring, kayak or Newsletter Editor Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association. canoe, or even inflatable kayaks, the Scott Carpenter 865-556-5252 I was blessed to be assigned a fabu- paddler loves the outdoors and being [email protected] lous instructor, Juanita Guinn. Juanita ―On the Water‖. A common thread we is one of our legends in paddlesport in all share. Treasurer Tennessee. Renee Harwell While I am president, my primary 865-765-2169 [email protected] The teachings and early love of this goals are to represent our Club to sport were ingrained in me at this outside organizations, build and pro- Conservation time from those early canoe school mote our paddlesport, and to attempt Tom McDonough days. Conservation of the outdoors, to carry out the wishes of the mem- 865-406-6416 safety, and development of skill is a bership. The love of this sport is my [email protected] never ending journey. internal never tiring engine to do the Safety best for our club Randy Bigbee In 1978, I became a Chota Canoe 865-588-4249 Club member as a whitewater canoe- … and being on the water. [email protected] ist. In 1999, I added local kayak flat- water touring and coastal sea kayak- Doug Johnstone Whitewater Trip Chair Angela Garrison ing to my paddlesport activities. 865-577-2993 [email protected] My, has our paddlersport evolved. Early days of paddling were primarily Touring Trip Chair large 16 or even 17 foot long canoes, Jim Martin 865-548-4200 with inflatable tire tubes for floata- Photogmar- tion. Oh, yeah, there were some [email protected] whitewater kayaks too at that time. As technology has changed, our sport Secretary has changed. Katie Branham 517-896-8385 [email protected] Boats and equipment have evolved with state of the art technology in Member at Large boat building, with boats getting Iris Leung smaller, and gear being high perform- 314-517-5703 ance products, providing paddlers an [email protected] easier transition from beginner to in- Webmaster creased skill paddler at a more rapid Russell deCastongrene pace. Many paddlers in our area have 865-966-5918 moved from canoes to kayaks. [email protected] A boxing duck? No, it’s a teeth tying rope trick by Some folks still enjoy the overall river Chota Canoe Club President, Doug Johnstone run, while others enjoy creek boating, Feb/March 2011 Page 3 Winter Roll Sessions for Chota Canoe Club Members Knoxville’s Own Dooley Tombras helped out at touring kayaks, and canoes are all Chota Canoe Club’s welcome for this winter practice. January 28 Roll Session Drop off your boat/gear at the park- ing lot between the pool and the bub- ble. 1. Please refer to the UT campus map at: www.utk.edu/maps/campus/ Load Map #6 and locate the Student Aquatic Center. 2. Show up early! We will have access With the long awaited agreement in to the Aquatic Center starting at Tombras was on hand at hand Chota began roll sessions at 6:30. the University of Tennes- UT’s Student Aquatic Center on Fri- see Student Aquatic Cen- ter on Friday, January 28 day, Jan. 21. Upcoming sessions will 3. Boat unloading. The SAC lot is to assist open boaters with be on the following additional dates typically very busy. More than likely, their roll and other C1 from 7 to 9pm: we will need to double park to unload moves. boats. Students from the UTCH will Feb 18 assist between 6:30 and 6:55 with By all accounts it was a great privilege and we Feb 25 moving boats from the parking lot. thank Dooley for spending Mar 4 time with us. Mar 11 4. Parking. There is parking on Pat Mar 18 Head Summit Street and on Volunteer Tombras’ recent acco- Mar 25 Boulevard. Parking at the Aquatic lades are many. He earned Center may result in a ticket. six medals - three gold, two silver, and one bronze All roll sessions will be limited to 20 - at the 2010 Open Canoe people per session. Six lanes of the 5. The SAC usually clears out by 9pm, Slalom North American pool are reserved for Chota. Cost is so loading boats after the event Championships. $5 per person. White water kayaks, should not be a problem. Later in the fall, Tombras was one of the folks nomi- nated for Canoe and Kayak’s "Paddler of the Year" in the 2010 Read- ers' Choice Awards. The Canoe Movie was released in 2010. The film from Lunch Video Maga- zine explores the wilder side of open boating, while also tracing more than 30 years of whitewater canoe- ing and exploring such topics as boat design, canoeing vs. kayaking, the unmistakable passion and pride contained within all canoeists, pushing the limits, and much more. Tombras was featured in the film. We appreciate the help at our rolls sessions. Thanks Ed McAlister, Chota VP, for inviting Dooley Tombras. Jim Martin brings his touring boat right side up as Randy Bigbee instructs a decked whitewater boater Feb/March 2011 Page 4 Chota Trip Chairs for 2011 are Jim Martin and Angela Garrison Chota Donates to Conservation Causes in Last year’s Chota president was Recognition of Past Angela Garrison. This year we are Members Contributions pleased she's Chota’s Whitewater This past November, Trip Chairperson. 2010, the Chota member- ship overwhelming Angela’s got trips lined up for the late approved conservation winter and early spring. They are donations to three worthy listed on the calendar and website. organizations that pro- For whitewater trips, the following mote conservation and/or guidelines should be considered. improve paddling opportu- nities. Jim Martin on Melton Hill Lake, January 2011 These trips are scheduled for Chota members, but ETWC members are $1,000 Contributions welcome too! To join the club, please were given to: Jim Martin is our Touring Trip send in the membership form in this 1) American Whitewater, Chairperson this year.