Click here to view the embedded video.

Fallow Johnny Chase and Spencer Josif down one of Kernville Californians most well known tributaries. Brush Creek is a must paddle location if ever in the Kernville area. A great time to come paddle it is during the Kern River Fest on the second weekend of every April.

Click here to view the embedded video.

 The good news is, no one got hurt in the making of this bloopers reel! Check out this entertaining collection of the best crashes from our kayaking misadventures:

For sale of the DVDs http://shastaboyz.com/store/dvds/.

http://snapdragondesign.com/2011/11/10/robe-canyon-kayaking/

Click here to view the embedded video.

Brett Barton takes us down the Robe with some great video. For a colorful description of the Robe visit Brett’s Blogspot at http://creeksides.blogspot.com/2011/11/robe-canyon-fall-2011.html

Click here to view the embedded video.

Update from Jez Blanchard 

Thankfully the Snowy River has been allowed to run for the first time in 30 years as the dam opened its gates flushing 5000 CUMEC down the gorge. We made the trip to Jindabyne and encountered dam employees attempting to prevent the crew from entering the water. Downstream of the dam we found a classic run and hopefully we don’t have to wait another 30 years to paddle it again.

 A more in depth story of the adventure will be in Outer Edge Magazine (http://www.outeredgemag.com.au/)

Check out the latest on what Jakub Sedivy is doing at http://jakubsedivy.com/

Jakub finished sixth in the AWP European series.   Nice going Jakub!

2nd Annual Greenland Week Kayak Festival & Qajaq Competition
Lake Sammamish State Park – Issaquah, WA

October 26-30, 2011
Hosted by: Kayak Academy

Join the Kayak Academy for a week of traditional Greenland-style kayaking lessons, demonstrations, competitions and social activities during our annual Greenland Week Kayak Festival. Spectators are welcome, and the competition and demos are open to the public – SPECTATORS WELCOME AND VIEWING IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC.(Washington State Parks Discover Pass or $10/car day use fee recommend but not required to enter the park due to event being scheduled prior to fees taking effect). The park’s food concession will be open throughout the weekend. The competition begins Friday evening Oct. 28th with Greenland Rope Gymnastics. Saturday’s events begin with the Greenland Kayaking Clinic, Kayak Race hosted by Sound Rowers, a dinner at the park, music and an evening presentation. Sunday caps it off with Harpoon Throwing and Competition Rolling. We are honored to have Maligiaq Padilla, Dubside, Helen Wilson, George Gronseth and other expert instructors share their knowledge and skills for this week.

QAJAQ COMPETITION Friday – Sunday October 28-30th (Lessons and trips Oct. 26 – 27th, and clinic Oct. 29th – see listings below)

This competition is modeled after events in the Greenland National Qajaq Championship
Awards for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place Overall, and 1st, 2nd, 3rd for each event.
Kayak Academy Recognition Awards for all participants. All competitors receive a T-shirt.

COMPETITION SCHEDULE:

FRIDAY, ROPE GYMNASTICS - Lake Sammamish St. Park Kitchen Shelter (1st parking lot on the right)

6:00pm-7:00pm FREE CLINIC – ROPE GYMNASTICS, Open To The Public
7:00pm-9:00pm Rope Gymnastics Competition (each competitor gets a 15 minute heat with 5 minutes between, Dubside will be available to coach competitors, Helen Wilson and Maligiaq Padilla will judge)

SATURDAY, KAYAK RACE (6 MILES) - Lake Sammamish St. Park, Tibbitt’s Beach

10:00am Sound Rowers Race Registration, traditional class 6 mile race qualifies for Qajaq Competition overall points. There is no preregistration for the race.

12:30 noon-1:30pm Lunch for Racers and Clinic participants.

1:00-2:00pm Race Award Announcements

2:15 Raffle (see prizes on display at registration prior to awards)

2:30pm-3:00pm Rolling Demonstration

3:30–4:30pm FREE CLINIC- HARPOON THROWING FROM A KAYAK

5:30-7:00pm Northwest Dinner and Music by South Cove at the ROTUNDA

7:30-8:30 Evening Presentation: Kayaking Aleutian Islands AK by Rob Avery

SUNDAY, HARPOON THROWING & ROLLING
10:00am-11:30pm Harpoon Throwing
12:00pm-2:00pm Rolling
2:00pm-2:30pm Results announced, prizes awarded

More Info: Greenland Week Competition FAQ
Go To Rules: Greenland Week Competition Rules

COMPETITION REGISTRATION COSTS
You can now register for all competition events (except the kayak race) and Saturday dinner tickets via the links below. Each event $18.00.
For the mid-week lessons and all rental gear, call Kayak Academy to register.
Toll free: 866.306.1825, (206) 527-1825.E-mail us at info@kayakacademy.com

Competition Registration (includes: T-shirt, lunch(s), awards for competitors)
Rope Gymnastics $18, FREE warm-up session open to the public prior to ropes competition
Kayak Race $18. Registration form on Sound Rowers (click here) website (also available on day of the race from Concession Registration)
Harpoon Throwing $18, FREE practice session open to the public Saturday afternoon (Harpoon competition is on Sunday).
Rolling Contest $18

Saturday Night Dinner, Northwest Cuisine $18.00. Located at the ROTUNDA with music starting at 5:30-7pm
Camping At State Park, Hans Jensen Group Camp Site $20.00

Tip: Enter “greenland week” in the upper right search box to get all the above on-line sign up pages to display on one page.

Free Saturday Evening Presentation – Open to the public located at the ROTUNDA 7:30-8:30pm Kayaking Aleutian Islands AK by Rob Avery

GREENLAND WEEK LESSON PROGRAMS Oct. 26th-27th and CLINIC Oct. 29th
You can now register for the Oct 29th Sat. clinic on-line with the links below. For the mid-week lessons and rental gear call Kayak Academy to register. Kokatat Drysuits are available to use free for all lesson participants and competitors. Kayak rentals, $25/day (include: Valley, TideRace, Maelstrom, Rockpool TCC, Wilderness Systems, Sterling Illusion & Ice Kap, Waterfield Qanaq.
Toll free: 866.306.1825, (206) 527-1825.E-mail us at info@kayakacademy.com

Greenland Kayak Rolling & Strokes Instruction Clinic Sat. Oct. 29th, 2011 $170.00 Max: 12 students.

Clinic includes instruction in paddle strokes and rolling with Greenland paddles. Clinic groups will be divided by skill level into beginning and intermediate/advanced levels. Other activities will include harpoon throwing and skin on frame kayak rescues. Click the links below to register for clinic. Clinic Alumni students get a $50 discount on repeating clinic. Repeat students need to call to register.

Greenland Paddle rentals, $10/day, call Kayak Academy to reserve
Toll free: 866.306.1825, (206) 527-1825.E-mail us at info@kayakacademy.com

Deception Pass Tidal Rapids Wednesday Oct. 26th, 2011 $223.00 (alumni from last year get 50% discount)
Learn how to play in 7 knot tidal rapids and rough water. Max: 8 students. Carpooling recommended and we will help organize carpools.

Straits of Juan de Fuca Day Trip Thursday Oct 27, 2011 $223.00 (alumni from last year get 50% discount)
Paddling from Crescent Bay to Freshwater Bay (near Port Angeles). We’ll have a chance to paddle in wind or rock gardens depending on conditions with the possibility of surf and surf landing at Crescent Bay. Carpooling recommended and we will help organize carpools.
G-style Paddling with the masters 8X Champion Maligiaq Padilla & George Gronseth

Dry Suit Rentals Free with instruction and competition
Kayak Rentals Available: $25/Day (plus tax)
Paddle Rentals Available: $10/Day (plus tax)

Accommodations: hotels, include Motel 6, Holiday Inn, Hilton Garden Inn. Tent Camping is available at Lake Sammamish State Park’s Hans Jensen Group Camp Site. Local alumni and G-style paddlers are also willing to take people into their homes for the duration of the Festival & Competition.

This is the last year and last weekend of the flow study, then it’s up to somebody other than me to determine how many times per year this jewel will have enough flow to kayak. Rowdy as always, it’s good to be back!! Big intimidating bedrock drops set in a dramatic gorge. Warm water and hot temps… couldn’t ask for more.
And while Tracy Clapp, Britt Gentry, Forrest Hubler, Rick Williams, John Gangemi and Bo Shelby all got to go in first back in 2000, we get to refine the lines and discover new things about the run. And there are always the un-run drops. Or should I say un-run DROP! During the last day of the last flow release Rob McKibbon aka Superchamp first D’ed the biggest drop of the run, Pinnacle. We all looked at it for a long time and worked through many different rescue scenarios if things were to go awry. In the end, I think there were 6 throw-baggers with multiple bags, two guys at the Sieve Drop just downstream and I was in my boat, in the water, 5 feet away from the bottom hole in Pinnacle. It’s about as safe as it’s gonna get. It is by far the most intimidating drop on the run. Rob made it look easy.

Professor Gnarly, the aptly named ledge hole at the bottom of Entrance Exam was handing out the big smackdown as well as some passing grades. Mostly smackdown. Professor Gnarly is a stickler, pay attention.

See the full story with great pictures at http://creeksides.blogspot.com/2011_10_01_archive.html

In 2 weeks, Condit Dam on the White Salmon River in Washington will be packed with enough explosives to blow a huge hole in the base of the concrete wall.  Moments after the climactic explosion, 10,000 CFS will gush from the tunnel and drain Northwestern Lake completely in 6 hours.  That’s the moment paddlers have been waiting for since dam removal talk begin 10 years ago—that’s when we get to see, for the first time, whitewater that’s been hidden under the lake for the last 100 years.

The White Salmon system—made up of the White Salmon itself and its sister river, the Little White Salmon—is, hands down, the best class V backyard playground in the country.  And the White Salmon also supports a thriving rafting industry and paddling for all other skill levels—all in the spectacular scenery of the Columbia River Gorge.  

For as long as people have kayaked the White Salmon, the 125 foot tall Condit Dam has created a 3-mile long lake that separated two popular whitewater sections of the river.  In 2 weeks, the lake will be drained and these two sections relinked.  To say that the local paddling community is on the edge of its seat with anticipation is a huge understatement.  

Rumors are flying about what’s waiting below the lake as paddlers plan how to sneak in to watch the explosion.  And though the river doesn’t officially reopen until fall 2012 when the dam has been fully removed, I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes very long for someone to paddle through the hole in the base of the dam and complete the new first descent of the White Salmon.

The only other creatures that may be more excited about the removal of Condit Dam are the threatened salmon and steelhead that will once again be able to access the upper parts of the White Salmon to spawn.  A test program is showing how quickly the salmon will bounce back—they just need to be able to get home.

Stay tuned:  details of the live webcast of the blast will be announced shortly.

Viva la White Salmon!