FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ Kayaker Escapes Crocodile Attack http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/31/kayaker-escapes-crocodile-attack/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/31/kayaker-escapes-crocodile-attack/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/31/kayaker-escapes-crocodile-attack/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Unfortunately, I didn't get any Crocs for Christmas.

But luckily for a paddler on the Umgeni River in South Africa, a croc didn't get him.

Keith Ellerker, a 49-year-old South African paddler, said a croc attacked him and his boat as he paddled down a popular stretch of the Umgeni River.

Ellerker, who was training for the elite, 120 km Hansa Powerade Dusi 2009 paddling marathon that starts Jan. 15, said he noticed the smell of rotting meat as he paddled past some bushes on the river bank.

"Shortly after I passed it, I felt as if there was another paddler 'riding my wave,'" Ellerker told the Capetown Independent Newspaper. "I turned to look back and saw a 2.5 meter crocodile attack the back of my canoe."

(Note to Yanks: "Canoe" is still how much of the English-speaking world refers to kayaks.)

Ellerker, who's an experienced paddler in the race that will see its 58th running this year, said he quickly paddled away from the croc, got to the other side of the river, and got out of his boat. He wasn't injured, and luckily didn't flip when the croc struck.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-31T13:45:00 00:00 Coast Guard Issues Warning to Kayakers http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/coast-guard-issues-warning-to-kayakers/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/coast-guard-issues-warning-to-kayakers/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/coast-guard-issues-warning-to-kayakers/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

So, you woke up Christmas morning and there was a shiny kayak sitting under the tree.

You're a lucky duck.

But you better also think twice before launching your new boat on its maiden voyage, especially with water temperatures being what they are this time of year.

That's the message from the U.S. Coast Guard, which issued a warning to would-be boaters out of its New England office just after Christmas, as fairer weather came to the area.

"As unseasonably warm temperatures are forecasted for the weekend, and with several Northeast sporting-goods retailers describing kayaks and paddle sport accessories as high on holiday gift lists, the Coast Guard is advising any paddlers who found kayaks under their Christmas tree to be cautious and fully aware of the danger of sudden cold-water immersion if they opt for a weekend launch," the Coast Guard said on its Web site.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-30T14:09:00 00:00 Motorized Kayaks? Paddling Without The Paddle http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/26/motorized-kayaks-paddling-without-the-paddle/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/26/motorized-kayaks-paddling-without-the-paddle/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/26/motorized-kayaks-paddling-without-the-paddle/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Power to the paddle? Here are a few more ways to go paddling without using a paddle at all.

Lakewood, N.J.-based Surfango is now offering a full line of motorized kayaks, sit-on-tops and surfboards, just in case you want to get out and rip, but don't want to put the human-powered effort into it.

The company's Adventurer GT is a traditional, sit-inside cruising kayak, but with a 9.5 horsepower, 4-stroke, electric start motor.

On it's Web site, Surfango says the motorized boat "redefines traditional kayaking, allowing you to glide through the water with ease. With more leg-room and a dry storage compartment you can bring enough gear to make that trip up the coast."

The company goes further to say "No longer will the wind and current get in the way of your destination!" as well as "you can now enjoy the freedom of the great outdoors, along with freedom from paddles."

Far be it for me to tell people how to kayak. If a motorized kayak floats your boat, more power to you. (Bada bing!)

But for me, it's actually having a paddle in my hands that makes me feel free.

Call me a purist, but I don't think I'm alone. In fact, this blog on kayaking the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta refers to Surfango's creations as "anti-kayaks," and bemoans the fact that they burn fossil fuels.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-26T18:37:00 00:00 Virtual Kayaking: No Boat or Water Needed http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/virtual-kayaking-no-boat-water-or-paddle-needed/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/virtual-kayaking-no-boat-water-or-paddle-needed/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/virtual-kayaking-no-boat-water-or-paddle-needed/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Here's a way to keep in paddle shape, without even getting wet.

For the low low price of $2,450, you, too can buy SpeedStroke Gym, a kayak (or canoe) ergometer that mimics the exact motion of the paddle stroke, all on a user-friendly work out machine.

But wait, just like a Ginsu Knife set, there's more. Now, KayakPro, the New Rochelle, N.Y.-based maker of the SpeedStroke Gym that supplied kayak ergometers to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has announced Virtua-Race Interactive paddling.

Almost like a Wii, but with more realistic motions and an industrial strength paddling machine, Virtua-Race Interactive let's paddlers hook up their SpeedStroke Gyms, and through the wonders of an Internet connect, take on other kayakers from around the world on four virtual courses. You can race head to head, or simply work through training regimens together.

"SpeedStroke Gym is already the choice of the World's top paddlers- but Virtua-Race adds a whole new dimension to Indoor kayaking," says KayakPro president Grayson Bourne.

The virtual courses look cool, too. A couple have Venice-like city scapes, while others are on Grand Canyon-like river gorges.

And once you have the ergometer, the software to use it with is only $250. Hey, that's the cost of specialty marketing.

You can find the machines, and the software, at KayakPro's site, as well as select retailers that are listed there.

And apparently, when it comes to simulated paddling, these guys know what they're talking about. The company says that it supplied five of the six current World Champion paddlers with its machines, as well as Canadian Adam Van Koeverden, silver medal winner in the K1 500 meter race in Beijing.

I can only imagine reaching those heights, either in Olympic paddling competition, or even virtually against guys like these. But as winter sets in, this seems like a perfect way to stay motivated, and keep in shape.

Now, I just wonder. Can you fit it under the tree?

Merry Christmas.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-24T21:23:00 00:00 Long Distance Paddling For a Cause http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/22/long-distance-paddling-for-a-cause/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/22/long-distance-paddling-for-a-cause/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/22/long-distance-paddling-for-a-cause/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

This is a great time of year to think about why we paddle. For me, it's the camaraderie with friends, the rush of being so close to the pulsating force of the river, and the sheer joy that comes from having connected with such a passion in my life.

For a few other folks, there are different reasons for paddling, and all have a purpose.

There are three long-distance paddles underway or in the planning stage right now that have caught my attention, and each is an inspiration in its own right.

In Australia, Scott Timbrell and Rob Lowe recently set off on a 665 km ocean paddle -- about 400 miles -- from Byron Bay to Sydney's Bondi Beach off the east coast of New South Wales.

Their goal? To raise $10,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, while raising awareness of this disease: 3,000 men die of prostate cancer in Australia each year, which is equal to the number of women who die of breast cancer there annually.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-22T18:56:00 00:00 Affordable Gift Ideas For Paddlers http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/19/affordable-gift-ideas-for-paddlers/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/19/affordable-gift-ideas-for-paddlers/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/19/affordable-gift-ideas-for-paddlers/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Okay, okay, so your holiday budget just doesn't include $1,200 to plunk down on a new Jackson Hero for that special paddler on your list. (Note to my girlfriend: Honey, please totally disregard this. I don't want one that bad. Really.)

But here are some affordable gift ideas that will make any paddler gleeful, without breaking your bank.

Pogies. Yup, it's that time of year when paddling can be darn right chilly. Get your paddling purist a pair of pogies to keep his or her hands warm. Designed like mittens that fit over and onto a paddle shaft, they keep your hands warm, while still allowing you to have skin-on-shaft contact with your paddle, something gloves can't do. That's important for people who like warm hands, but also still want to "feel" the water with their paddle. You can get good ones for $25 to $35 from companies like NRS, Snapdragon and REI.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-19T16:40:00 00:00 Kayaker Paddling Alone Drowns in Tennessee http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/17/kayaker-paddling-alone-drowns-in-tennessee/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/17/kayaker-paddling-alone-drowns-in-tennessee/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/17/kayaker-paddling-alone-drowns-in-tennessee/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Bad news from Back East. While heavy rains this fall have let lots of paddlers get on good runs, too much water can be a bad thing. And deadly at that.

Russ Burrow, an experienced Southeast paddler, drown on North Chickamauga Creek last week after putting on the river alone at flood stage.

Police pulled his kayak and body out of the creek on Saturday morning, after friends reported him missing on Friday because he didn't show up for work. You can read a report on the incident here.

A resident of Chattanooga, Tenn., Burrow was 31, and left behind two children.

The fact that Burrow was paddling alone on extremely high water has set off a barrage of posts on BoaterTalk, the main forum for whitewater paddlers in the East.

While some folks have pointed to this death as an example why kayaking should always be a "team" sport, others have talked about the high water conditions present that day: North Chickamauga, a Class IV run at normal flows, peaked at over 7,500 CFS the day Burrow put on.

To put that in perspective, consider this: a "low" flow on the Grand Canyon is around 8,000 CFS. Today, the North Chick today is running at 763 CFS, and that's after getting a bump from more rain yesterday and today.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-17T16:45:00 00:00 Kayakers 4 Kids Go Big. Plus: The Last Descent Update http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/15/kayakers-4-kids-go-big-plus-the-last-descent-update/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/15/kayakers-4-kids-go-big-plus-the-last-descent-update/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/15/kayakers-4-kids-go-big-plus-the-last-descent-update/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:


I'm happy to report that the First Annual Kayakers 4 Kids Decorated Christmas Parade was a swimming success. Or at least a paddling one.

More than 20 paddlers showed up Saturday evening on the banks of the Sacramento River with their kayaks decorated in all hues of holiday lights and cheer to raise awareness for -- and donate toys to -- the UC Davis Children's Hospital.

"This is amazing," said Carrie Muntz, a paddler, nurse at the hospital, and organizer of the event. "When we started organizing this, there were only five of us who were going to do it. One thing led to another, and it snowballed into this."

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-15T20:28:00 00:00 L.A. River Kayaker Cleared http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/12/l-a-river-kayaker-cleared/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/12/l-a-river-kayaker-cleared/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/12/l-a-river-kayaker-cleared/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Here's a kayaker who puts her paddle where her passion is.

Heather Wylie, a biologist who was threatened with suspension from her job at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for kayaking on the Los Angeles River, has now left the agency to pursue a career in environmental law, while being cleared of any wrong doing.

Read more about it here.

The move comes after the Army Corps backed down from threatening to suspend Wylie, who took her trip last summer to prove that the L.A. River is "navigable-in-fact." That's important, because rivers that are determined navigable are protected under the Clean Water Act.

While the L.A. River is widely known for the concreted trench that runs through downtown Los Angeles -- which Hollywood has made famous with everything from car chase scenes to death-defying feats of skateboarding bravado -- it winds through more than 52 miles of Southern California. Its tributaries extend even farther, high up into the San Gabriel and Santa Susana Mountains.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-12T16:36:00 00:00 Gold Medalist Sues Over Kayak Mold http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/10/gold-medalist-sues-over-kayak-mold/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/10/gold-medalist-sues-over-kayak-mold/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/10/gold-medalist-sues-over-kayak-mold/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Here's a bummer having to do with the business side of the paddling world.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist kayaker Greg Barton, who co-owns kayak maker Epic Kayaks, is now embroiled in a law suit with a Chinese manufacturer that won't give back the molds Epic uses to fabricate its kayak hulls, according to China Sourcing News.

The dispute started back in 2005, when Charleston, S.C.-based Epic contracted with a Chinese company called Flying Eagle to have its boats manufactured at its factory in Fuyang, an industrial city south of Shanghai.

Flying Eagle, the article says, also built many of the rowing shells used by several national rowing teams at the Beijing Olympics.

But after working together initially, Epic decided to go with another manufacturer because of pricing and project management disagreements with Flying Eagle.

There was just one problem: its molds were still in Flying Eagle's factory, and the company couldn't produce any more boats without them.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-10T19:53:00 00:00 No Water Needed: 'Land Paddling' Takes Off http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/no-water-needed-land-paddling-takes-off/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/no-water-needed-land-paddling-takes-off/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/no-water-needed-land-paddling-takes-off/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under: , ,

Here's a question: If the paddle you use is made for the asphalt, and not the water, is it really a paddle at all?

Yes, says Steve McBride, owner of Kahuna Creations, a board and paddle maker out of Ogden, Utah, whose Kahuna Big Stick is getting mad attention in the extreme-sports cross-over space.

Kind of like the paddles stand up surfers use to paddle through the ocean waves, the Big Stick is a "land paddle," designed to help long board skateboarders propel themselves down the asphalt.

While the Big Stick's shaft looks like any other hand-crafted paddle, its business end has a round, carbon-rubber tip that let's you "paddle" down the road. Different models retail for between $90 and $150.

A skater and long-time board rider, McBride says his goal was to take the grating motion -- and fatigue -- out of riding a long board over big distances.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-09T18:44:00 00:00 Kayaking for Kids in the Holiday Spirit http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/06/kayaking-for-kids-in-the-holiday-spirit/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/06/kayaking-for-kids-in-the-holiday-spirit/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/06/kayaking-for-kids-in-the-holiday-spirit/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Here's a great way to get in the holiday spirit, while supporting a good cause, and getting out in your kayak.

If you're in the Northern California area on Dec. 13, make sure to take part in the First Annual Kayakers 4 Kids Decorated Christmas Parade down the Sacramento River.

The event, which benefits the UC Davis Children's Hospital, will include paddlers decorating their kayaks in all forms of holiday cheer, including antlers, lights, angel wings and other decorations.

Starting just after dark, paddlers will launch from the Virgin Sturgeon Restaurant on the Sacramento's banks. The route will go about a quarter mile downstream along a course that's the closest thing to Riviera waterfront California's Central Valley has to offer. Get details here.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-06T14:44:00 00:00 Kayaking Commuter Dodges Ships to Save Money, Gas http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/05/kayaking-commuter-dodges-ships-to-save-money-gas/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/05/kayaking-commuter-dodges-ships-to-save-money-gas/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/05/kayaking-commuter-dodges-ships-to-save-money-gas/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

What are you doing to save the planet? Or at least a gallon of gas?

For Sean Patch, a New York City school teacher, the answer's an easy one. Instead of burning more dinosaurs battling the daily commute into Manhattan each day, he now paddles his kayak across the Hudson River.

Not only does that save on fossil fuels, it also saves him bucks: $15 a day to take the ferry round trip from Weehawken, N.J., into the city, and back. And on a teacher's salary, that adds up.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-05T01:01:00 00:00 Lost Kayakers, Kayaks, Spur Rescues http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/lost-kayakers-kayaks-spur-rescues/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/lost-kayakers-kayaks-spur-rescues/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/lost-kayakers-kayaks-spur-rescues/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Blame it on the weather, or maybe just the time of year.

Search and rescue teams around the world seem to be getting a slew of calls involving errant kayakers.

Some have been innocuous, if not annoying, while others have been truly life threatening. Still others seem to have stemmed from concerned citizens calling in about kayaks they've seen in the water, with no kayakers in sight.

Take the false alarm reported in Diana, N.Y. on Thanksgiving Day. According to local news station WTTI 50 out of Watertown, the Lewis County Sheriff's department got a call about an overturned kayak floating in the Oswegatchie River just after noon.

Seven different local rescue and first responder agencies answered the call, and sent personnel to the river, including dive teams, to look for the missing paddler.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-12-03T19:58:00 00:00 Record Descent? Gamache Runs 108-Foot Vertical Drop http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/28/record-descent-gamache-runs-108-foot-vertical-falls/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/28/record-descent-gamache-runs-108-foot-vertical-falls/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/28/record-descent-gamache-runs-108-foot-vertical-falls/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Here's a huck worth noting.

Paul Gamache, a West Coast paddler who lives in Seattle, recently dropped Cascade Falls, a 108-foot spouting beauty on British Columbia's Cascade Creek, seen in a video still here.

If confirmed, Gamache's plop would qualify as a world record freefall waterfall descent, besting Tyler Bradt's 107-foot clean descent of Alexandria Falls on the Hay River in Canada's Northwest Territories in 2007.

Gamache and paddling partners Cody Howard and Ryan Bradley measured the entire height of Cascade Falls, from lead-in to landing, at 112 feet.

But just to be sure, Gamache says the crew brought in a geo-engineering team, which measured the complete vertical drop of the falls at 108 feet, 2 inches. An official report from the firm should be forthcoming.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-11-28T12:45:00 00:00 Paddlers, Cities, Thankful for Whitewater Parks http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/26/paddlers-cities-thankful-for-whitewater-parks/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/26/paddlers-cities-thankful-for-whitewater-parks/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/26/paddlers-cities-thankful-for-whitewater-parks/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Here's something for paddlers to be thankful for.

Officials in Basalt, Colo. have earmarked $100,000 for a new, "moderately difficult" kayak park in the Roaring Fork River, south of Aspen.

The expenditure still needs to be approved by Pitkin County Board of Commissioners, but if they give it the green light, the park will include a kayak wave, trails along the river and a small launching area.

Perhaps best of all, the course will be designed so that a wave will form with as little as 200 cfs of water, making it a viable paddling option during Colorado's rain-starved summers. Read more about it here.

While the Basal park will be relatively small, it's the latest example of how municipalities across the country are putting money into whitewater parks, and reaping benefits from these expenditures.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-11-26T12:36:00 00:00 Ohiopyle Falls May Open to Paddlers http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/24/ohiopyle-falls-may-open-to-paddlers/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/24/ohiopyle-falls-may-open-to-paddlers/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/24/ohiopyle-falls-may-open-to-paddlers/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

Here's a win for East Coast paddlers. Or at least, it could be.

Officials are considering opening Ohiopyle Falls on the Youghiogheny River to paddling. The 18-foot-high marvel has tempted paddlers for decades, and while plenty a paddler has plunged over the lip, with the exception of sanctioned events, they've had to do so illegally.

Now, the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks, which runs Ohiopyle State Park, is considering allowing paddlers to run the falls legally at certain times during the year. You can read more about the details here.

Ohiopyle Falls, which is on an otherwise mellow section of the lower Youghiogheny River, has been the scene of the annual American Whitewater Ohiopyle Over-The-Falls competition for the last nine years. Running the falls is allowed during the event. Otherwise, paddlers have to break the law to enjoy this natural wonder.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-11-24T14:20:00 00:00 A Baja Surf Safari http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/21/a-baja-surf-safari/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/21/a-baja-surf-safari/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/21/a-baja-surf-safari/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under: , , ,


Back from our trip to Baja, I have a new appreciation for board surfing, kite boarding, the stand-up paddle craze, motocross, and of course, sanitary conditions in general.

Eleven friends and I ventured on a 10-day, 1,200-mile surf, kite-board, motocross and kayaking/camping safari down the Baja California coast. In general, we had good weather, though the wind kicked up a bit, which just made the swell better.

I wrote a while ago about how lucky I feel to be a paddler, because I get the opportunity (or have the excuse) to go on these trips. My experiences over this time only affirmed that for me -- blessed be the clan of the paddle.

Here are some photos, taken by aspiring photog -- and long boarder -- Justin Orban. Hopefully, they'll offer inspiration for your next paddlefest to be.

First, it's important to come prepared. Above is Big Red, packed to the gills.

If you look closely, you'll notice a motocross bike tire sticking off the back of the truck. More on that later.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-11-21T10:31:00 00:00 Kayakers Top 45 MPH Off 330-Foot Drop http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/20/kayakers-top-45-mph-off-300-foot-drop/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/20/kayakers-top-45-mph-off-300-foot-drop/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/20/kayakers-top-45-mph-off-300-foot-drop/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

I love the NFL. I especially love it when the networks clock how fast NFL players move, like when Reggie Bush returned a kickoff at 22 mph.

As impressive as that is, though, Bush has nothing on two paddlers in the UK, who topped 45 mph running the spillway of Britain's biggest dam last week.

Two un-identified kayakers (who are likely trying to avoid fame because it would come with fines) hurtled down the 330-foot spillway at Llyn Brianne Reservoir, reaching the top speed at the crux of the ramp's 3:1 slope, according to Britain's Western Mail newspaper.

While impressive to those of us who paddle, the dam's owner was less than amused.

"Welsh Water strictly forbids water-based activities at our Llyn Brianne reservoir and will take appropriate action against anyone found to be breaching this restriction," the company said in a statement. "Reservoirs can be dangerous for various reasons and those involved in water sports in inappropriate locations, such as at Llyn Brianne, put themselves and others at unnecessary risk."

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-11-20T15:30:00 00:00 Crowded Beaches, Kayaks, Cause Surf Rage http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/17/crowded-beaches-kayaks-cause-surf-rage/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/17/crowded-beaches-kayaks-cause-surf-rage/ http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/17/crowded-beaches-kayaks-cause-surf-rage/#comments Joe Bousquinby Joe Bousquin

Filed under:

From kayaks involved in traffic accidents, to just plain kayak traffic, it's clear our sport is growing by leaps and bounds.

San Diego has posted signs on its beaches to remind kayakers that they are prohibited from certain areas, as swimmers have felt squeezed by hordes of people paddling rented kayaks off the city's famous beaches.

Leslie Freedle-Boren, was more than just squeezed. She was smacked in the mouth, and lost a row of teeth, when two girls from out of town plowed their rented kayak into her mug. Read about it here.

Now, San Diego is stepping up its efforts to control kayaker-swimmer congestion. It's requiring companies that rent kayaks to submit competitive bids for the right to use city facilities.

What's interesting about this latest clash of kayak congestion is that it underscores something that's been going on at beaches across the country for decades. Namely, when it comes to paddling in the surf or swim zones, kayakers are not always welcome.


 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]> Joe Bousquin joe-bousquin 2008-11-17T21:03:00 00:00