Middle White Salmon: handpaddling Maytag and Husum

(Willie's custom expert handpaddles)
These suckers (crafted by Hucky McChuckinstuff) are just under half the surface area of my large handpaddles, and even smaller than Riveraholic's small handpaddles. My first time using them, on September 9th's Carnage Run, was a hoot.

It'd been quite a while since I asked anyone to have my back on T-rescues, and even longer since I'd felt gripped in the big eddy at Fish Creek. With my heart racing, I undertook the run without knowing for certain that I'd be able to navigate, much less have a combat roll. Things went very well, and I even got my surf on several times.

My hand roll has to be a bit more optimal with the tiny handpaddles, which is good training. I find that taking many more (but less powerful) strokes gives me a better cardio workout on the river, and requires better boat control, more focus on river reading, and more premeditated obstacle avoidance.

Friends who've started handpaddling recently after months of encouragement from me have been having a blast and extolling the virtues of this pursuit. Me to them: "I told you so!" We had 3 handpaddlers at the first and second Carnage Runs this month, and 4 last week at the third. People wanting locally-made handpaddles should hook up with Hucky, a.k.a. Tango Charlie.

The following Saturday, Luke, Ryan, and I set out to conquer new turf with our handpaddles, having honed our game on the Upper Clackamas. This was my second time using the insignificant pieces of plastic known as "Willie's custom expert handpaddles", and the White Salmon would prove once again to be a sizable step up for someone so used to Fish to Bob's on the Clackamas.

This clip (at Maytag, the first rapid of the Middle White Salmon run) starts with me (background) succeeding at my second frantic roll attempt in the boils below the top drop with Luke shouting encouragement in close chase, as Ryan runs the 2nd "drop" (foreground), followed by myself and then Luke:


(Ryan, Willie, and Luke on Maytag, with handpaddles. Footage courtesy of 'Nette from Next Adventure's staff blog post.)
The run was challenging, as I don't know it very well, and line planning has to happen much earlier in each rapid when I'm in the tiny handpaddles. My focus slipped at one point, and I found myself center-broaching on a rock in the shallows, where I flipped. An advantage of the handpaddles in this situation was that I was able to crab-walk upside-down on the rocky bottom, from my back deck over to my upstream side, and roll up from there, protecting my head/shoulders/etc. from the menacingly shallow riverbed. There is probably a whole sub-sport to be had in dynamic playboat moves that incorporate the riverbed, but I'll leave that revolution to someone else. ;)

This clip of Husum has Luke crushing the tricky low-water boof, then myself, followed by Ryan, having more interesting lines. I can tell you that handrolling in froth with something smaller than a DVD case strapped to each hand is an interesting exercise. The word "swim" ran through my mind briefly when I got pulled back into the maw after my second capsize. Luckily, it was all the more easy to feel and grab the downwater for an inverted escape from the chunder zone:


(Luke, Willie, and Ryan on Husum, with handpaddles. Thanks again to 'Nette from Next Adventure for the footage!)

Lower Wind: handpaddling Shipherd's Falls, melt line

I tried to prematurely boof a little to give my bow more downward momentum into the seam. I don't think I can get all the way under the foam pile to the downstream side without higher flows or a bunch of water in my boat. Either would be a scary proposition.


(Thanks to Ryan Young for the footage.)

Northwest Creeking Competition: East Fork Lewis River extreme race

The second year of the newly-reincarnated NW Creeking Comp went off with a bang April 11-12, 2009. The race, party, huckfest, and camaraderie were sick, as expected. The Columbian wrote an article about it, featuring a photo of me doing an old school pirouette whilst waiting at the hole by Oly's house for some other kayakers to come down:

Upper Clackamas play: Joe Bob's

Joe Bob's is better at higher flows, but it's fun enough at around 2850cfs. Paul filmed me working on clean spins:



...and doing some sort of proto-blunt:

Epic day at Indian Beach

The North swells were 9 feet at 13 seconds, with a 5-15 mph eastern wind (blowing offshore) and 70 degree temperatures. We arrived at 12:30 to find Liam and Trevor packing up. "Too big," they said. "Can't get out past the break." We were already suited up, and wanted to see for ourselves, so we were rewarded with a beautiful day of shredding some huge breakers.


Just after the tide peaked, there were two sets of breakers, with an in-between zone where the outer breakers would 'unbreak' before collapsing closer to shore. The inner breakers were providing nice, long, if mushy, rides. The outer breakers were where the real excitement was, with 9-10 foot swells that were being stood up by the wind blowing out to sea. Much air was caught and many a wild ride were had. By the time the sun set, the water was out far enough to eliminate the inner breakers, and the remaining break zone was fast and furious indeed.


I tried out the Astro 58 with fins installed, and had some breakthroughs in ride length, cartwheeling in the foam pile, and airtime. I suppose my lack of fear for the big waves comes from having not been really worked in the surf before. I'm in no hurry, though. Hopefully, there will be a few more days of storm swells under sunny skies at the Oregon coast before the rains come into our rivers and our attention is diverted elsewhere...

Carnage Run is always fun

Another classic Carnage Run from Fish Creek to Bob's Hole on the upper Clackamas River. The levels were too high for any of the standard play features to be in, so Tim and I took our time playing the whirlpools at Big Eddy for a while. Maybe someday, whirlpool play will be the next big thing, but I doubt it. Sure is fun, though. Someone brought leftover kegs from the previous weekend's WKCC safety clinic, so we chilled in style at the takeout for a while afterward.

Molalla River, Table Rock Fork confluence to Glen Avon Bridge

Luke, Paul, Ryan Y., and I (were there others?) fired up 13 miles of Molalla goodness. I was loving the 0-degree-offset AT2 as I rocksplatted and sternsquirted down this long-feeling run in the RAD 195. I'd have more details, but I'm writing this a week and a half after the fact.

Joe Bob's is sick!

I can't really fathom why people aren't flocking to Joe Bob's (near Bob's Hole) on the Clackamas these days, as it is seriously "in" lately. If flows are this good next weekend, we may have to have a rodeo event at the 25th annual Upper Clackamas Whitewater Festival! Going by the NWRFC forecast pictured at right, it might just happen...

Thursday. Headed out to Joe Bob's for dawn patrol (5am) with Luke and Eli L., with the level around 3850 cfs. Good times all around. We got a solid 1:45 of surfing in before I broke my backband and had to call it. It's a very aerobic wave to work, due to how fast the eddy is, especially if you exit the wave in the center or on the furthest side from the eddy. I had some nice cartwheels in the foam pile and some sort of proto-loop attempt sprinkled in with some longer rides. Backsurfing and flat 180s are coming along nicely, as well. I think I missed the wave twice this morning, ferrying out while winded a couple of times because of the time pressure.

Wednesday. Headed up to Bob's Hole after work, solo style, to see if Joe Bob's was as good as I had been told by Todd R. Just like he found Tuesday night, no one was there to take advantage of the best play within fifty miles. What were they thinking?!? I had a few 30+ second rides, which was a breakthrough for me. Level was around 4000 cfs, and I got a nice 1-hour session followed by a break and a 45-minute session. I recorded video of the second session with my camera phone...I need to get the card reader situation worked out, edit it down, and post it. Reviewing the footage has already been immensely helpful in troubleshooting my mistakes and inefficiencies. I only missed the wave once, and barely at that.

Man, is it nice to have a boat that doesn't leak like a sieve. Thank you for taking my money, Gorilla Tape and Wild Wasser! ;) I'm measuring post-playboating water by teaspoons instead of gallons, and I feel like a new man for it.

weekend update - spring begins to arrive

Sunday. Two laps on the Clackamas, Sunstrip to Bob's. Paul M. and I had a good time bombing down. We stopped at Toilet Bowl during the first run, and I was able to catch and carve the monster bronco wave at the bottom -- a breakthrough for my surfing ability, for sure. The nice weather during the previous few days had all sorts of people out enjoying the river. Cat boaters, commercial rafters, IKers, and dirtbag hardshellers, boating in (im)perfect harmony. Awwww....

Saturday. Two laps on the East Fork Lewis's waterfall run -- one in the morning with Luke and Dave B., and one in the afternoon where Oly and I suited up and launched from his house to join Kourtney, Kim, Paul, Grace, and Dave P. for the last half of the run. Oly and Brenda made a big rib dinner that everyone was late for, but were gracious enough to pull it out of the fridge for us when we arrived. I think I owe Oly some indentured labor for how not-smoothly the evening went off.

Friday. After-work run on the Clackamas, from Sunstrip to Bob's with Robbie V. Ran into Trevor R. and BSed over some El Jimador. Good times.

Thursday. After-work run on the Clackamas, from Sunstrip to Bob's with Luke. Kind of a tweener day for play, but got some nice rides on Teeny Weeny Wave and Bob's. I left my PFD in Ashland after the "Upper Klamath" race, so I rocked the outfit at right. Style. Sophistication. Female attention. Have it all with an old-ass orange rafting PFD!

belated weekend update

(The cable modem at home was out over the weekend.)

Wow, it's been all Clackamas all the time of late. My playboating has really come along, though...I'm gaining better control over surf waves, and nearly-reliably flatwater cartwheeling (example) my RAD 195...on one side, at least.

Sunday. Once again, I hit the upper Clack, playboat style. This time, with Scott W. a.k.a. Werewolf. We ran into Todd R. and Ken H., and I got more highly-valued tips from the old-schoolers. I'm feel so blessed to have these old hands at the game advising and encouraging me.

Saturday. Playboated the upper Clackamas with Kourtni. More progress playboating, and a nice day out. Teeny Weeny and Joe/Bob's Hole gave up nice rides for me. Turns out that Kourtni is not a half-bad boating companion...who knew?!?

Thursday. Got out after work with Luke S. on the waterfall section of the East Fork Lewis River. It was nice to see Oly, and I got a bit more insight into Screaming Left Turn, which is probably the most technically challenging rapid on the run.

I've been a bit timid since I smashed my nose on Canyon Creek. Fairly peeved with my helmet manufacturer (who shall remain unnamed for now) for their continual delaying of the release of their full-face add-on. I'll be firing it up again, but with this year's 150%+ snowpack, I'm in no hurry.

Looking forward to Lochsa River, Idaho for Memorial Day. Also, this summer's Northern California trip with the elders should be quite nice. Man o man, I love kayaking. It might be the best thing that ever happened to me.

japanese guy's backyard practices on youtube

This guy is fo sho using video to improve his flatwater playboating skills, which are already quite good (see clip below). I wish I had a lake in my backyard. His YouTube channel has almost daily clips. What an animal!

East Fork Lewis headcam video

Ran the East Fork Lewis on this day with Oly, Weaver, and Andy S. Weaver edited up a short video from his helmet cam footage. I appear to do something akin to a wavewheel at 1:30: