CanoeSport goes on Spring Break!

The long but beautiful drive through Glen Canyon Recreational Area. 

Spring break normally doesn't mean anything to those of us at the store just another week selling boats and bikes. This year spring break meant Jeff and Shireen taking 11 University of Iowa students kayaking at Lake Powell. Jeff led the trip in 2014 and Shireen joined this year as the Wilderness First Responder. (required for all University trips). After 2 Monday nights of preparation with the students we packed up at 5am on Saturday and raced the sun west toward Utah all day and night. Sunday we woke early to frost on our tents eager to finish our drive to Powell winding through Glen Canyon Recreational Area.

Scenic stop at a stone arch.

Learning about safety before heading out!

Monday

We all awoke early with adrenaline pumping, eager to officially start the trip. After learning about wet exits and rescues from the dock everyone had the opportunity to jump in the frigid water (42 degrees) to practice on their own. Sunbathing on the boat ramp warmed everyone up as we proceeded to packing up 13 people's worth of gear for 5 days. Needless to say it looked like a bomb went off in our gear room. There was stuff everywhere! Finally on the water we paddled up Hall's Creek Bay to a sandbar to spend the next 2 nights. Supper was decided and made while watching the sunset behind our campsite.

All fitted and ready to pack

The garage sale we could have held loading up 13 people!

Enjoying the first sunset of the trip

Tuesday

Waking to the sounds of a group of mallard ducks everyone enjoyed the solitude the canyon had to offer. We opted to continue paddling up Hall's Creek Bay to explore more of the red sand and high cliff walls. A few people tried their hand at fishing but no luck. We spent the afternoon enjoying the sun on a large cliff face reading, doing yoga, exploring, and sleeping the hours away. During the nights the star gazing was amazing! With the nearest town over 100 miles away there was no light pollution and everyone remarked at how packed the sky was with stars. 

Campsite in Halls Creek Bay.

Wednesday 

We packed up early and headed back towards Halls Crossing for a brief stop at the boat ramp to drop off extra gear and use the glorious facilities we had not seen for 2 days. After enjoying lunch we hit the water again paddling towards Moki Canyon. The lazy warm sun lulled us all into slowing down and chatting the afternoon away on the water. Thanks to prompting from the guides and a small threat of rain we picked up the pace heading into one of the most spectacular canyons I think any of us has ever seen. 100'+ cliff walls on either side, narrow cuts, shallow 'sea caves,' and crystal clear water made the 20 minute paddle into Moki feel like the world was sliding in on you. The only direct sun we got was from 10am-4pm. At the end of the canyon we made camp on a large sandbar.

Big cliffs and bigger skies. 

Campsite in Moki Canyon

Sunset Adventure

During the day the wind had remained calm but was predicted to pick up 10-15mph toward evening. Being in a narrow, high wall canyon, when the wind blows up top the wind focuses its power through the canyon and can be magnified greatly. The wind picked up and we began to realize the small tent stakes in soft sand were no match for the wind gusts we were experiencing. Not to mention the fine red dust that kicked up and infiltrated every surface possible including inside our tents and sleeping bags. It felt that by morning mother nature would have us all buried alive. We almost lost a tent into the water but a quick sprint down the beach saved the tent and gear. Thankfully after only a few hours the wind died down and we could rest in peace. 

The breathtaking views and endless skies

Thursday

Paddling up Moki Canyon

Instead of paddling, we hiked further into Moki Canyon. The canyon used to be full of water but due to the slow draining of the lake the rest of the canyon is now a very small creek that we walked back into. We slowly gained elevation (maybe just a few feet) but enough to finally see trees, shrubs, and grass again after only seeing rocks and sand for the past few days. Although we didn't see the Indian ruins that we were told where up the creek we did find the motherland of a sand bar. Literally over 100' tall and easily 200' long the channels of the canyon line up just right to dump sand directly into this corner of the canyon. 

Learning about group safety on the water. 

Friday

Packing up everyone remarked at having a great time and wanting to 'fail' the test so they could re-take the trip for the experience! We packed up camp one last time and paddled back out of Moki to Bullfrog Bay. The lure of hamburgers and facilities motivated us all to put the paddle in the water and hoof it back to the boat ramp. Cleaning up and packing gear was bittersweet as we read of threatening snowstorms back home. Tired, sunburnt, and happy, we piled into the University Suburbans for a very long ride home reliving memories of sun filled days and star packed nights on Lake Powell.

Thank you Lake Powell for a great paddling trip!

Getting My Level 2 ACA Kayak Instructor Certification

By Casey Holmes

On February 21st 2015, CanoeSport paddlers Jennifer Hurst and Casey Holmes (me) traveled down south in search of softer waters and a chance to earn their ACA Level 2 Coastal Kayak Instructor certifications.

Leaving the cold was ok!

Leaving the sub zero temperatures was tough, but once we hit the 70 degree weather, we both decided we would just have to live with this heat wave.  We pulled into the parking lot of Sweetwater Kayaks located in Saint Petersburg Florida.  Once the paperwork was all filled out and all our i's dotted and t's crossed, we drove to our hotel in Clear Beach.

The combination Instructor Development Workshop and Instructor Certification Exam started bright and early on Sunday February 22nd.  We had over 20 perspective instructor candidates in the class.  About half of the candidates were testing for their Level 3 Instructor Certification.  Our group consisted of a wide range of paddlers and skill levels.  We had everything from a college librarian to ex-military that were getting their certification so they could teach kayaking to their local girl scout troops.  

The first part of the class on Sunday, mainly consisted of going over paperwork and learning more about the American Canoe Association (ACA).  We learned about what the ACA is all about and what would be expected of us as new instructors.  Later after lunch, we got to get out on the water.  Previous to us getting down to Florida, each canidate had to prepare a 10 minute presentation that they would have to present to their class some time during the class.  I had the pleasure of trying to discuss and teach about weather.  Let me tell you, trying to squeez the basics of weather and how it effects kayakers in 10 minutes is not a simple feat!  I ended up taking the full 10 minutes and only got to discuss pressure systems and fronts.  The class then critiqued the presentation, and feedback was given.

After a few more presentations were given, we got to go out on the water.  Our large group was broken down into 2 groups.  Level 3 canidates went with one set of instructors, and level 2 went with another.  In our level 2 group, we still had 12 people, so our group was split into 2 more groups.  We learned the proper way to model forward strokes, reverse strokes, sweeps, draws with in water recovery, and sculling draws.  We also got to play around with stern rudders while edging.  After multiple tips, tricks, and capsizes, we were done for the day.

The following morning, we were going to cover rescues.  We broke down into our 2 groups and started working on rescues.  Some of our instructor candidates had never done rescues before so it was interesting to say the least.  We practiced T-rescues, paddlefloat rescues, scoops, and hands of god rescues.  Having not practiced the hands of god rescue for a while, this was a much needed refresher.  I learned many tips and tricks to get paddlers back in their kayaks with minimum time in the water, and minimum effort.  In the afternoon of the second day, we were video taped modeling of all the strokes.  Later that night we all met back up at Sweetwater Kayaks and watched the videos, and critiqued ourselves and our fellow paddlers.

For the 3rd and final day, we met at a different beach.  Heavy fog had rolled in and it made for some interesting scenarios.  Our goal for this day was to lead our group on a journey.  During this journey, certain paddlers would have an issue and the person leading the group would have to control the situation and keep the group safe.  Of course during my scenario, the instructors decided it would be fun to not only have half of my group paddle out of range, but also 2 capsizes.  One of the swimmers in the water had a shoulder injury, so a modified scoop had to be performed.  During this rescue another paddler went in the water.  All in all the rescues were quick and efficient, and no paddler was in the water for more than a minute.  I had passed with flying colors.

After the day on the water was over, we went back to Sweetwater for our debrief, and to discuss if we had passed.  I volunteered to go first.  I had passed my level 2 and the instructors wanted me to stay for the level 3.  Having previous certifications, I politely passed stating that I had some snorkeling to do the following day.  The 3 days went by quickly.  I learned a lot of things to incorporate into my classes, and well as things to avoid.

New ACA Kayak Instructors!

Product Review: Misty PFD by Stohlquist

 Stohlquist Misty PFD

New for 2015 is the women specific Misty PFD.

During March ALL Misty PFD's are 15% off! 

This PFD offers Graded Sizing.  This a new feature that currently only Stohlquist is offering.  Graded sizing offers the best possible fit, with the lowest footprint possible, for the widest range of body types.  Each individual size of jacket is proportionately sized for the paddler.  Stohlquist has sculpted the foam footprint, and foam thickness to provide a betting fitting, and more comfortable PFD.  This allows them to fit young, smaller framed paddlers up to larger adults in the same style vest, while offering identical mobility and a low profile fit across the size range.


The Misty has thinner back floatation which makes this PFD extremely comfortable with boats with a higher seat back like a recreational kayak or even a backrest in a canoe.  Large pockets allow the paddler to carry all sorts of items.  It even has a built in beverage holder!

Front pocket has mesh attachment to hold a small beverage.

2 front pockets have ample room to carry a snack, sunscreen, phone, camera, and car keys!

Here are the key features of the Misty:

» Thin back design works with all seat styles
» Graded Sizing provides the best possible fit
» Open sides for ventilation
» Cross-chest cinch harness for zero ride-up
» Mesh shoulders & interior panels for maximum ventilation
» Adjustable shoulders, and dual forward pulls for a custom fit
» Zippered front pockets offer organization
» Built-in beverage holder and neoprene sunglasses sleeve
» Entry grip tab at zipper base
» #10 YKK zipper with non-corroding slider
» Lightweight PE Foam
» Type III PFD with sea level buoyancy:
    •    SM: 16 lbs
    •    MD: 16 lbs, 8oz
    •    LG: 17 lbs
» USCG Approved

Construction
» Mini Ripstop nylon outer shell
» 200 denier oxford liner

Sizing
SIZE     CHEST
SM     28” - 34”
MD     34” - 40”
LG     40” - 46”

Available in these great colors!

Last Chance to Buy a Royalex Canoe

Building the last of Royalex Canoes at We-no-nah Canoe!

Since the 1970's Royalex has been the go-to material for anyone seeking a relatively lightweight, impact resistant canoe suitable for running rocky rivers. It changed the way people paddled and many traded their old 80-90 pound aluminum canoe for a lighter, easier paddling Royalex model.

Unfortunately, last year the company that produces royalex stopped production of this material. By October of 2014 We-no-nah has run out of sheets for many of their canoe models. We were simply unable to get some of the canoes we wanted for our retail business. Now, just after the first of the year they have no sheets of royalex remaining and only a few dozen models canoes left in their warehouse. Most other manufacturers are likewise out of royalex. We are indeed at the end of the line for royalex canoes.

What comes next is still the big question. Manufacturers need a material that possesses similar qualities, such as impact resistance and long-term durability. Ideally it will be similar in weight and price, while also allowing the use of the old molds.

While most canoe manufacturers wait for the emergence of a new material, several companies are working in-house to produce their own. Two companies who are garnering the most attention are Nova Craft and Esquif.

Nova Craft has developed a material they are calling Tuffstuff. It's a combination of basalt fiber (melted basalt rock) and Innegra fiber, which is mostly polypropylene. These two are woven together to create a highly durable canoe. In fact, they threw one off the top of their warehouse, a distance of almost 100 feet. After the fall they picked it up and went paddling with it. Certainly, this would appear to make it a top candidate for replacing Royalex, although it doesn't appear to be as flexible (bad for slipping over rocks, good for more efficient paddling).

Esquif, a canoe manufacturer in Quebec, is touting another possibile replacement for Royalex. They've set up a factory to produce the new product they are calling T-Formex. Like Royalex this is a layered sandwich consisting of a foam cor, layers of abs plastic, and an undisclosed outer material. New canoes made from T-Formex are supposed to be available in 2015.

While these two options provice hope for a sooner rather than later solution, nothing is yet certain. In the meantime it appears that demand for used royalex canoes will increase as will the asking price. New royalex canoes will soon be impossible to find as retailers sell out. Some retailers may hold onto their stock and rais the price as demand increases. CanoeSport Outfitters is treating them as a discounted model. This means it's time to find them new homes for put them to use! From March 5th-8th we'll be selling all remaining in-stock royalex canoes at 25% off. After this weekend any that remain will be pulled from stock and used as rentals at Lake Ahquabi for the remainder of the season. So, this will be the LAST opportunity to purchase a new royalex canoe at CanoeSport Outfitters! Get them while you still can!

For a list of available models visit our website!

SUP Yoga Class

What does the Indianola YMCA, yoga, and stand up paddling have in common? SUP Yoga in the pool! Awesome idea right! CanoeSport has teamed up with the YMCA in February to offer SUP Yoga in the pool. Normally done out in calm water SUP Yoga is a calm and relaxing way to combine the art yoga with the water. In Iowa in February this means pool time instead of a snowy lake shore!

All lined up ready to launch!

 20 people showed up for 2 sessions and after getting oriented to class and boards students were launched into the pool. We set up the boards to have an anchor to help keep students grounded and not float around the pool. 10 students in each class eagerly awaited the moment of departure from the stable deck of the pool to the deck of a floating board!

Happy students before class.

We started off with poses that were low to the board to allow everyone to get comfortable and practice their stability. This was the first time on a SUP for the majority of people.

Sitting allowed students time to practice balance before standing!

Then with the warm pool water calling our name and people ready for the extra challenge we began to lift our bodies from the board! Starting with standing people began to notice that slight shifts side to side sent their board slipping along the surface. From standing warrior poses were introduced. Students had the option of doing warrior poses standing or from a kneeling position.

Working on our balancing!

Those in standing quickly learned that lining their feet up one in front of the other left no ability to balance left to right. Many quickly found the water and others were left looking like a windmill trying to stay upright. The yoga flow kept going with people falling into the water as muscles began to fatigue. With a low profile boards are very easy to re-mount and jump back in.

Going from sitting to standing took courage and a lot of laughter!

No headstands were attempted at this time (due to safety to self and others) but many are looking forward to upping their yoga ability to the next level. SUPs offer a great challenge because unlike land you now have to have the ability to balance left to right. All the major and minor muscle groups that get a break on land now have to engage to keep your body centered on the board. Looking for a great all body workout? Try SUP Yoga!

Plenty of room to stretch out and work out

CanoeSport is excited to offer another round of SUP Yoga courses through the YMCA in February. During the summer CanoeSport offers SUP Yoga at Lake Ahquabi Tuesdays in June and July 6:30-7:30pm. ($5 for board rental, no reservation required.) For more information on stand up paddling or SUP Yoga please visit www.canoesportoutfitters.com!

Becoming a 'woofer' (Wilderness First Responder)

Becoming a Wilderness First Responder

By Shireen Cave

I have led over 2 dozen wilderness destination trips and countless instructional lessons and have been fortunate to never have a serious medical emergency occur to a student or myself. As a guide most often I am required to have only a basic knowledge of First Aid and CPR which sadly often means watching a few hours of video and answering a dozen multiple choice questions. This December I had the opportunity to travel to Landmark Learning an affiliate of NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) and take part in a 9-day intensive Wilderness First Responder (WFR or pronounced 'woofer') course, which blew any of my previous training out of the water!
 

The main focus was on patient care management and how to prevent injuries and illnesses before they appeared. In the event that something should happen the course covered topics head to toe (literally) from issues on the outside: bumps and bruises to rashes and impairments to things internal such as broken bones, heart and lung issues, stomach pain, wounds, general illness and more. Coming from a rather naive medical background myself the instructors shared stories of events they had to remedy on the trail. I was amazed and shocked at the things that could happen in the outdoors and realized that so far my guiding experience had been fairly well bubble wrapped from injuries. Not that I am now an advocate of injury and mayhem I am thankful that so far the worst injury I have encountered is some severe sunburn and skinned knees.

The training involved a series of lectures indoors outlining common symptoms and treatments of each ailment as well as when and how to consider evacuating a patient. There were also many outdoor scenarios where we each played victim and rescuer and got a playful and very practical experience. The culmination of the training was an outdoor rescue situation where we worked in teams of 4. I (chosen by our instructor) was secretly set up to be the victim. Our scenario was that a group of us got lost in the woods after swimming at a waterfall and our map and compass got wet and became useless. We were trying to hike out of the woods when I ‘fell’ and compound fractured my shinbone. (Apparently I have a good career in acting because my teammates actually turned around to our instructor to alert them to my fall) With stage make-up blood and bone sticking out of my leg my teammates put my leg into traction, dressed my wound, and splinted my leg until further medical treatment might be found. A second teammate then had a seizure (which was also part of the training) and to the amazement of my last 2-team mates they now had 2 patients to deal with in the woods in the middle of the night. Imagine…. about 40 degrees, no moon, a flickering headlight, shirts and gear strewn about, a ‘gushing’ wound, a flailing man, and 4 people wondering what in the &*$ is going on… that about sums up the scene! All 4 of us managed the scenario and huddled together for over an hour while our instructors waited in the shadows watching and taking notes. In the end ‘help’ did arrive and we safely made it home.

The biggest impact this course taught us was that no matter how prepared you are with a 10lb medical kit and all the knowledge in the world strange and unique things happen in the wilderness. The best ‘medicine’ you can have is a calm mind and great improvisational skills. As a paddler, hiker, cyclist, skier, or a person who enjoys a walk in the woods injury can happen to anyone and at any time. Though I will never be 100% prepared for what can happen I will get you out of the woods! So next time you’re on a trip with me just know that out of the corner of my eye I’ll be searching for supplies I need in case of an emergency. 

Our group of 12 newly certified Wilderness First Responders

* For more information on NOLS please visit www.nols.edu

* For more information Landmark Learning please visit www.landmarklearning.edu

Shireen Cave has been an avid paddler for over 5 years. She is a certified sea kayaker and stand up paddle boarder who loves to venture into long open coastal water adventures. Initially starting she thought small lakes and ponds would be the biggest she’d ever get but she graduated up to sea kayaking in a year. Currently Shireen works at CanoeSport Outfitters where she is a kayak instructor and now certified WFR. Check out more about Shireen by visiting www.canoesportoutfitters.com. 

How to Demo a Kayak

By Shireen Cave

So you have decided to try out paddle sports and possibly purchase a kayak. Wonderful! Paddling is a great way to get on the water and explore our lakes and rivers! The best way to choose a kayak is to try them out or demo them. Just like you would try out a car before you buy it, you need to test a kayak’s bells and whistles to make sure it will fit your needs.

The first thing to try, before you even put the kayak in the water, is how the boat fits your body. When you sit in a kayak you should sit up straight, rest the balls of your feet on the foot braces, and slightly splay your knees out and under the thigh braces (if your boat has them) or rest against the combing. Your seat and foot braces should be adjustable, ask your local paddle shop or person to help you adjust them to your needs. The space between your hips and the side should feel comfortable roughly about the thickness of your palm. The cockpit combing should be not much high or lower then the top of your hipbone. This allows your body to flex around the boat and to develop good stroke technique. If a boat does not fit you comfortable it will feel to big and you body will feel sloppy as you paddle or if the boat is to small you will feel abnormally tippy and paddling will be harder for you to enjoy.

Now you can put your kayak in the water. While sitting in the kayak and staying close to shore test the boats stability. Use your hips to gently rock side to side and see how far and easy it is to balance your self. Some may prefer a very wide and stable boat while others maybe like the feel of something narrower.  Remember there are advantages and disadvantages to each!

Once you feel comfortable with your balance start paddling in a straight line. Pick a point on the horizon and try paddling straight towards it. How well does you boat track? A shorter boat is more likely to zig-zag towards your target while a longer boat is less likely. Also note how efficient you are. Does it really feel like you have to work with each stroke to move through the water or with every stroke does it seem like you glide across the surface. What do you prefer?

Now take the opportunity to turn your boat in circles. How easy is it for you to turn? Can you turn your boat in 5 strokes or 20? Now lift the opposite knee of the direction you will turn and edge your boat to one side. (Ex: lift left knee to drop the right edge into the water and turn right) The ability to hold an edge will help longer boats turn quicker than shorter boats. The ability to edge a boat will also help down the road as you learn more technical strokes and maneuvers. The length of your boat, for some, may be decided by the length of trips you want to take and the amount of gear you want to pack.

Check out the stern of your kayak. There are three options skeg, rudder, or nothing. Try deploying the skeg and rudder and paddle straight and in circles. A skeg deploys beneath the water and will create drag while turning but keep you going straighter in windy conditions. A rudder will help you turn but creates a larger surface for the wind to catch on windy days and since it deploys above the water there is risk of injury when re-entering your boat if you capsize. The longer the boat is the more likely it is to have a rudder or skeg. Short recreational kayaks don’t have this option. Ask your local paddle shop for more details and benefits of each option.

When you make it back to shore the last thing you need to try is to test the weight of the boat. Pick up the boat and try walking around with it on your shoulder. Remember that every time you want to paddle you must load and unload your kayak 4 times! That could be a total weight of 200+ lbs you lift each trip. Weight is also a big factor to performance in other areas of your paddling so even if 60lbs doesn’t seem bad it make affect your performance in your on-water skills.

There are many things to consider when demoing a kayak for the first time. If this is your first time trying out kayaks and you still aren’t sure what kayak will work best check with your local paddle shop and try out some classes. Spending time and learning in a boat you chose will make your buying decision a lot more firm and you’ll be more comfortable with your new purchase!

Shireen Cave has been an avid paddler for over 5 years. She is a certified sea kayaker and stand up paddle boarder who loves to venture into long open coastal water adventures. Initially starting she thought small lakes and ponds would be the biggest she’d ever get but she graduated up to sea kayaking in a year. Currently Shireen works at CanoeSport Outfitters where she is a kayak instructor. Check out more about Shireen and different kayaks by visiting www.canoesportoutfitters.com.