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JPTolson · 12-18-2011, 12:49 PM

2011 Paddling Year in Review

Fellow paddlers,

As the year draws to a close and the snow begins to fly, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on TCT's 2011 paddling season by noting our personal high points, low points, humorous moments, and any other notable events during our club trips. I’ve listed mine below. Perhaps some of you would like to share yours as well. I would love to read some from others’ perspectives.

jp

High Points

Little Beaver Creek. What other trip have club paddlers talked about all season long? As I think Ed said, this trip definitely had the ‘yeehaw’ factor. For Mike it was one of the “best adventures I’ve ever had.” For me it was feeling the raw power of a large volume (5,000 cfs and 8.7 on the gage) of surging water, riding the big standing waves like a bucking bronco, and muscling the boat through stiff winds that all combined for a heck of a ride. Regardless of whether we should have even attempted the run, it was exhilarating and left everyone spent by trip’s end.

Allegheny River, Foxburg Run. What a gorgeous summer day this was to be anywhere on the big river. But the highlight was swimming at the mouth of the Clarion and jumping off the old railroad bridge abutment into the moving water below. For just a little while that day, we were all kids again.

Grand River. Any PFD (personal first descent) stands a good chance of being a seasonal high point and the Grand was no exception. Although it still looked more like winter than spring on the day of the official club trip, the rock outcrops, waterfalls, rapids and undeveloped shoreline made this a really beautiful run.

Shenango River, Pymatuning Dam to Greenville, PA. This was the Shenango River Watchers (SRW) special paddlefest to celebrate the opening of this stretch of river after clearing it of 49 sets of deadfalls. What a beautiful stream! Twisty, intimate, and flowing fast enough to cover 8.5 miles in two hours, thanks to a dam release arranged by the SRW. They even threw a picnic at the end.

Midwest Freestyle Canoe Symposium. Although not a TCT event, this three-day gathering, sanctioned by the American Canoe Association, was a real eye opener to the art of freestyle canoeing. Participants from all over the eastern half of the US met in Peninsula, Ohio, in September to learn, teach, practice, and compete in this highly precise form of paddling.

Low Points

Little Beaver Creek. As exhilarating as this trip was, it was also dangerous at the creek’s water level that day (8.7 ft.). Seeing the YSU kayak pinned and the young woman paddler splayed clinging to that huge tree was not a welcome sight. So in an effort to come to her aid, I swamped and swam in a place where I should not have tried to eddy out. Though I knew better, I foolishly became the second person needing a rescue. Thankfully, and with much credit to Jonathan, everyone came out unscathed.

Little Beaver Creek. The pin situation wasn’t the only personal low point that day. I have to ‘fess up to two other situations that fall into the ‘embarrassing then but laughable now’ category. First was when I tried using a throw bag to get a rope to one of many swimmers that day. But when I underhanded the bag with my right hand, the rope caught in the bag while paying out and I inadvertently let go of the rope in my left hand. The other situation was at the take-out when I was in the parking lot and the wind blew my unoccupied canoe off the level bank and back into the river. Credit goes to Mike and John for hustling to retrieve a boat that could have been on its way down the Ohio River.

Mahoning River through Youngstown. Without getting into many specifics here, let’s just say that the danger of low head dams was on display during this run. Again, very fortunately thanks to Chuck, everything turned out ok and no one was hurt. For anyone who is new to paddling or for anyone who may not be aware of the danger of dam hydraulics, please take the time to do a little research into this important safety issue.

Trips Missed. The TCT summer picnic/Mahoning River trip, Presque Isle, Allegheny (Buckaloons), and Allegheny (camping trips). It’s always disappointing to miss a club trip.

12-18-2011, 12:49 PM	#1
JPTolson Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Salem, Ohio Posts: 904 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTW/F/M Award(s): 0	2011 TCT Paddling Year in Review 2011 Paddling Year in Review Fellow paddlers, As the year draws to a close and the snow begins to fly, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on TCT's 2011 paddling season by noting our personal high points, low points, humorous moments, and any other notable events during our club trips. I’ve listed mine below. Perhaps some of you would like to share yours as well. I would love to read some from others’ perspectives. jp High Points Little Beaver Creek. What other trip have club paddlers talked about all season long? As I think Ed said, this trip definitely had the ‘yeehaw’ factor. For Mike it was one of the “best adventures I’ve ever had.” For me it was feeling the raw power of a large volume (5,000 cfs and 8.7 on the gage) of surging water, riding the big standing waves like a bucking bronco, and muscling the boat through stiff winds that all combined for a heck of a ride. Regardless of whether we should have even attempted the run, it was exhilarating and left everyone spent by trip’s end. Allegheny River, Foxburg Run. What a gorgeous summer day this was to be anywhere on the big river. But the highlight was swimming at the mouth of the Clarion and jumping off the old railroad bridge abutment into the moving water below. For just a little while that day, we were all kids again. Grand River. Any PFD (personal first descent) stands a good chance of being a seasonal high point and the Grand was no exception. Although it still looked more like winter than spring on the day of the official club trip, the rock outcrops, waterfalls, rapids and undeveloped shoreline made this a really beautiful run. Shenango River, Pymatuning Dam to Greenville, PA. This was the Shenango River Watchers (SRW) special paddlefest to celebrate the opening of this stretch of river after clearing it of 49 sets of deadfalls. What a beautiful stream! Twisty, intimate, and flowing fast enough to cover 8.5 miles in two hours, thanks to a dam release arranged by the SRW. They even threw a picnic at the end. Midwest Freestyle Canoe Symposium. Although not a TCT event, this three-day gathering, sanctioned by the American Canoe Association, was a real eye opener to the art of freestyle canoeing. Participants from all over the eastern half of the US met in Peninsula, Ohio, in September to learn, teach, practice, and compete in this highly precise form of paddling. Low Points Little Beaver Creek. As exhilarating as this trip was, it was also dangerous at the creek’s water level that day (8.7 ft.). Seeing the YSU kayak pinned and the young woman paddler splayed clinging to that huge tree was not a welcome sight. So in an effort to come to her aid, I swamped and swam in a place where I should not have tried to eddy out. Though I knew better, I foolishly became the second person needing a rescue. Thankfully, and with much credit to Jonathan, everyone came out unscathed. Little Beaver Creek. The pin situation wasn’t the only personal low point that day. I have to ‘fess up to two other situations that fall into the ‘embarrassing then but laughable now’ category. First was when I tried using a throw bag to get a rope to one of many swimmers that day. But when I underhanded the bag with my right hand, the rope caught in the bag while paying out and I inadvertently let go of the rope in my left hand. The other situation was at the take-out when I was in the parking lot and the wind blew my unoccupied canoe off the level bank and back into the river. Credit goes to Mike and John for hustling to retrieve a boat that could have been on its way down the Ohio River. Mahoning River through Youngstown. Without getting into many specifics here, let’s just say that the danger of low head dams was on display during this run. Again, very fortunately thanks to Chuck, everything turned out ok and no one was hurt. For anyone who is new to paddling or for anyone who may not be aware of the danger of dam hydraulics, please take the time to do a little research into this important safety issue. Trips Missed. The TCT summer picnic/Mahoning River trip, Presque Isle, Allegheny (Buckaloons), and Allegheny (camping trips). It’s always disappointing to miss a club trip. Last edited by JPTolson; 12-19-2011 at 05:34 PM.