The Paddling Thread
 

I have met a couple of other kayakers on CA, so I thought I would start a paddling thread.

Are you a canoeist, dragon boater, kayaker, other?

I started out as a canoeist, even becoming an instructor. Then I discovered the ocean. I have been sea kayaking for about 14 years. Spent 3 seasons as a guide and have been an instructor for 8 years.

I have also dabbled with white water canoeing and a little ww kayaking.

I love paddling my own craft on the water but nothing beats the ocean for me.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

You sure this isn't a post-padding thread? :)

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

:confused:

If you mean end of season, not quite yet. I paddled yesterday :).

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

I have been an inshore guide (part-time) for a number of years. A several years ago we started kayaking in some really skinny water. Now it is my favorite way to fish. I have two Ocean Prowlers... a 15 and a 13 footer.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Canoeer & Kayaker here

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Canoe, kayak, pontoon, arm floaties........:)

Certified in WW rescue, first aid, canoeing, and adult beverages.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Can one of the mods move this to the S&M forum.

Oh wait ... not THAT kind of paddling ... nevermind.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

OK, time to make this a little more interesting. Please post one or two of your favourite paddling pics.

SeanGar, you are banned:p.

Here are mine.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictur...2007%20006.jpg

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictur...2007%20001.jpg

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Boundary waters for me, tripping, Not catching many fish because I mostly suck, and comforts of home that I can justify weight-wise to portage. Not a great paddler by any means, but love spending time in the woods and on the water.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

I did a 12.5 mile canoe trip with four other canoes a couple of Sundays ago on a small local river. Water was slower than expected and it took the better part of daylight, but on the plus side I brought home four largemouth totaling around 14 pounds.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Looking into a cove at Beaver Lake in Arkansas. This was my 14' Old Town Nantucket. Miss the hell out of that boat.

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/36...425x425Q85.jpg

First snowfall float of 2006. It was pretty cold, but very serene.

http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/96...425x425Q85.jpg

Buffalo River 2005. Somewhere between Maumee and Rush. just a random bush in the water.

http://inlinethumb39.webshots.com/12...425x425Q85.jpg

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

I've been waiting for you to chime in Rat, nice pics!

I've been thinking that if you come down this way, you could paddle my bait out for me :ss

clicky

Now, back on topic, I am hoping to paddle some of the Wilderness Waterway thru the Everglades later this winter (i.e. fewer bugs I hope).

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

And a few more.....you got me looking through all my photos now. :)

http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/12...425x425Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb49.webshots.com/33...425x425Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb60.webshots.com/41...425x425Q85.jpg

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Those are some great shot. Thanks for sharing. I'll post some more later.

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I was a Whitewater Paddler back in a previous life, the early 90's hah. I believe the Southeast is blessed with some great rivers and creeks. I got started because the girl I was dating at the time was Slalom girl. I got my start on the Metro Chattahoochee. I can remember cussing and screaming because I couldn't track in a straight line.

I spent countless days on the Nantahala and Ocoee Rivers.

I hit my first combat roll on the Narrows on Section 3 of the Chatooga. We started that day with the river running about 1' 3" in the U.S. 76 Bridge. It'd been raining all day, so the river was on the rise. By the time we got to Bull Sluice, the damn hole looked like it could suck down a VW Bus. The gauge read 3' 5" by the time we pulled off.

I've had my butt handed to me on Jawbone on Chatooga Section 4 several times. Bad lines over 6 foot falls left me looking skyward on the biggest Stern Ender I'd ever experienced ending the escapade splatting against the canyon wall.

Got my first taste of verticality on the upper Telico on Baby Falls. That's a fun drop! Cold, Cold, Cold.. there was still snow on the banks.

Paddled part of the Obed-Emory System on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee in the middle of Winter. Got caught on White's Creek as it was approaching flood stage.

Paddled some bits out around Glenwood Springs and Aspen on the Colorado River.

Kayaked down some hills in the middle of some Golf Courses in 12 inches of snow. That's a hoot.

It's been a long time since I've been a boat. I wonder if I could still roll that old Dagger Crossfire sitting under my deck.

Learned that I'm not so good in an open canoe, can do alright in a decked canoe.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Lots of great stories and pics so far. Keep 'em coming.

Here's a pic a friend took of me yesterday as we went for a short paddle in the great North Atlantic. Next stop, Ireland.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Great picture mate. I truly miss my long boat. It was a blast to put in at the lake and just go. Pack a lunch and some water, plot you point on the gps and then start hitting the coves.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

I should have revived this thread a little sooner.

A new season of paddling is upon us so post up your pics and stories. I'm off to the South Coast of Newfoundland for the next 10 days with 3 friends. It's going to be a great trip and I will post some pics when I get back.

Happy stroking. :D

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Just did a 4 day trip on the Rogue (Graves Creek to Foster Bar) in an cataraft. Does that count?

Put on the river last Friday and took off on Monday. One layover day at Mule Creek. 13 people in ten boats. Great group of folks.

I'll try to post some photos later today.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Our lake is so dry we don't have a marina this summer so it looks like the kayaks are going to see some action. We plan on putting them in the water 4th of July weekend and after I get back from Socal a few fishing trips are in the works. I get some pictures.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Been Paddling since 95.
Bought 3 Kiwi Kopapas and those are the ones we still use today. They don't look as pretty as when new, but I've taken them on everything from flat water to rambling rivers up to classIII and they have always handled great (though ya can't get em to eskimo;))
I've got some pics around here somewhere and will post a few when I find em:D

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Here are a few photo links from our trip. The whole album is at http://photobucket.com/rogue_2009


http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...h_IMG_2146.jpg
The boats at Lower Mule Creek Camp

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...h_IMG_2187.jpg
Some outfitter making 'The Move' at Blossom Bar

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...h_IMG_2180.jpg
Dave, Dewey, Jim, Mick, and Rick discussing the finer points of various lines through Blossom Bar.


http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...h_IMG_2174.jpg
Lisa (my love), laughing in the face of danger.


http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...h_IMG_2144.jpg
Settling in for a hearty breakfast on the layover day.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

One more:

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...h_IMG_2141.jpg
Yours truly pulling on the oars through some slack water near Battle Bar.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Looks like a great trip!

I am so ready to get ou on the water again! I lead a trip earlier this summer, and keep hoping to get out again. I'm just going to have to take my own advice and "just go!"

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

A favorite picture from a past canoe trip...
http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictur...2007%20006.jpg

Oops, a repost. oh well. I still love it :banger

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Another couple...

North Withlacoochee River
http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictur...%204-22-06.jpg

Chassahowitzka River
http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictur...Trip%20008.jpg

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

She's a cutie. Can see why you like it so much!

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My buddy has a couple of sit on tops and it's a great way to explore Newport/Huntington harbors. Not to mention the CA coastline and our excursion around Catalina!! :tu

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

I see you have a Gerber River Knife on your PFD...does it have a clip on the sheath or a strap loop? I have thought about one for my PFD, but I don't have a lash tab. I figured if it had a "loop" on the back I could just use one of the many nylon straps I have laying around to strap it to the vest.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

The scabbard has a couple of places for some snaps. These snaps have a rather wide base that can be put behind some fabric, with the shaft going through a hole in fabric. The snaps can then be inserted into the scabbard.

I know I'm not being too clear. That being said, one of the snaps failed on me and I replaced it with a zip type cable tie. This works pretty good.

The vest I have has an general purpose attachment point which can be seen in this photo.

http://www.extrasport.com/images/pfds/B27.f_sm.jpg

I used it and a trademark label that is below the attachment on mine to attach the scabbard to.

It also has a clip, but I don't trust it. Especially the way I have it oriented (upside down)

The wife had to use her's last year on the Middle Fork (for something other than making a sandwich). Had to cut loose a oar that had broke as we were going through Powerhouse.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Check this out. Guy kayaks over 186' waterfall for a world record. Nuts.

http://www.wendmag.com/blog/2009/05/...erfall-record/

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Sick video on that link. 186 feet is ridiculous.

Went ocean kayaking last summer in Maine for the first time--it was awesome. So, at the Outerbanks in NC a few weeks ago my family rented a kayak (one of the sit on top variety). I figured it was no big deal, I've kayaked on lakes plenty of times... well going out was uneventful, but coming back in was roughhh. My girlfriend was up front (it was a double) and we mistimed one of the waves... broke right on top of us and sent the kayak into a pretty outstanding flip. It stood on its nose (with me still hanging on) while I got gently lifted up and then driven into the sand. My girlfriend cleared the boat before it got too crazy. It was a lot of fun thought, I'd do it again, but not in 4-5 foot swells on my first attempt...

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Great pics and stories, keep it up!:tu

I'm back from my trip. We had a phenomenal trip. Didn't get to paddle all the coastline that we had intended because of high winds and big seas, but we still got to see some amazing sites.

I'll post pictures later. I haven't downloaded them yet.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

A few more that my buddy Andrew took while on the Rogue a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/agillig...th/3696905392/

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

Hmmm... trying to add some photos here but my images are too big and I can't add links from Facebook. I'll have to resize what I'm going to put up and try again later.

Re: The Paddling Thread
 

I was digging around some of my old pictures and found this one from way back. Short verion of the long story; Honeymoon Cruise with my new wife, October 1992.

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictur...after_1992.jpg

Dang, I looked scary back then!

Long story is much funnier!