NEWSLETTER
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| February 2017 |
Join Our Club |
| Check out our Kayaking Resources tab: One stop for all the information you need to go paddling! |
From the Prez
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| By Mike Germani |
Hey all, the snow may be here but we’re gearing up for being on the water and have some great things planned. In addition to our weekly pool sessions, Tomas has set up a great opportunity to obtain your Wilderness First Aid certificate specifically focused on paddling scenarios (a focus area that’s difficult to find). On the sea, you’ll find trips scheduled every weekend most of the way through March plus a Transition to Greenland Paddling clinic with Karl and the La Push Pummel. The river trip planning party was a couple weeks back and you can now find a ton of opportunities to get out there and paddle, with our spectacular Beginner Whitewater Kayaking Course starting in March. And don’t forget Polo! Join Chris every other Sunday in Tukwila to have a great time and try something new.
See you on the water!
Mike
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Featured Trip
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Lake Union Floating Homes Tour- Mar 4
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Launch from the public boat launch near Agua Verde Cafe in Seattle, then a clockwise loop around Lake Union, enjoying views of floating homes, houseboats, and other interesting vessel dwelling units. We can optionally extend the distance by paddling out and even through the Ballard locks.
Finish with margaritas and tacos at Agua Verde!
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Training
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Wilderness First Aid: Feb 17 - 19 & Mar 3 - 5
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For anyone interested in obtaining a Wilderness First Aid certificate, Bill Corson of the Outdoor Adventure Center in Index, WA, will be offering two 3-day courses geared towards kayaking. You will learn the knowledge, skills and ability to make sound decisions in emergency situations. Completion of this course more than meets the requirement for trip leaders prior to leading any WKC whitewater or sea kayaking trip.
Register Here
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Beginner Whitewater Kayaking Course: Mar 4 - 25
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If you have been wanting to learn how to Whitewater Kayak, this course is for you!
The course is designed for the person with no prior boating experience. You will learn basic paddle and bracing strokes, how to roll a kayak, river hydrology, and safety, all in a relaxed and friendly environment from certified kayak instructors.
We teach this course only annually in March, before the spring rains and the snow melts.
This class fills up every year, don't wait till the last minute to register!
Register Here
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WKC Basic Sea Kayaking Class 2017: June 2 - 4
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Join us for a weekend of FUN and ADVENTURE as you develop your techniques and skills on the water!
This course will provide beginners with a safe and fun introduction to the sport of sea kayaking. You will develop, refresh, and improve basic skills which are essential to paddling:
- Effective Paddling Skills
- Safety and Hazard Awareness
- Capsize Recovery Techniques
- Navigation, Tides and Currents
- Gear, Equipment and Clothing
Register Here
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WKC Pool Sessions: Tukwila, Shoreline, and Tacoma
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Continue to build your skills at weekly pool sessions offered by WKC in Tukwila, Shoreline, and Tacoma.
The fee for weekly pool sessions is $10 for WKC members and $15 for non-members.
Check the Event Calendar for upcoming dates:
If you have any questions about pool sessions:
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News and Events
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La Push Pummel: Feb 25 - 26
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This year's La Push Pummel, a friendly paddle surfers gathering, is taking place Feb 25-26 (at La Push, WA). Hope you & friends & family can make it out! Bring a smile, your boat/board/paddle and something for Saturday night's potluck if you feel so inclined.
kennethdebondt@gmail.com
or 360.928.0139 for more info
Event History
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Join Us for Tukwila Kayak Pool Play!
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Kayak polo is starting again at the Tukwila pool!
We haven't had a regular kayak polo scene in Seattle for a few years, WKC's NEW kayak polo chair, Chris Brubaker, has been kind enough to organize dates and invite people to come down and try it out! We will be playing every other Sunday starting in January!
Where and when?
Tukwila Pool
4414 S 144th St
Tukwila, WA 98168
8:45-10:45 am
Feb 12, 26
Mar 12, 26
Apr 9, 23
Cost: $10 for WKC members, $15 for non-members.
Event Details
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MaST Center Science on the Sound Speaker Series: 1st Saturday Each Month
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The MaST Center is located near the Redondo Beach Park in Des Moines, WA and offers a unique waterfront laboratory and classroom in the lower Puget Sound. It provides a venue to educate and engage the community in issues impacting the Puget Sound including coastal development, storm water runoff, marine pollution and salmon recovery.
Monthly presentations are free, open to the public, and are scheduled at 12PM noon on the first
Saturday each month.
February 4: State of the Salish Sea
March 5: Climate Change - Local Examples
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Sweetwater Kayaks Annual Symposium: Feb 24 - 26
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Had enough of Washington winter? Head to Sweetwater Kayaks Symposium and enjoy a variety of classes, training, and assessments in the WARM FLORIDA SUNSHINE. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned paddler there will be numerous class options taught by the finest paddling coaches to challenge your skill and take you to the next level. In addition to regular Symposium classes, ACA and BCU assessments will also be offered.
Register Here
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Free Online Viewing of the Kayak Roll for WKC: March 10 - 12
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Free online Viewing of The Kayak Roll
by Performance Video/Kent Ford forWKC Members -
Only available March 10th through 12th!
The Beginner Whitewater Course was such a success last year, we're teaming up with Kent Ford and Performance Video again to offer this FREE SHOWING of The Kayak Roll (part I) to not only our students, but to the whole membership!
If you're only going to buy/watch one roll video, this is the one! Kent Ford, Mary & Phil DeRiemer and Dan Crandal take you step-by-step through what you need to learn for an effortless sweep roll.
Details Here
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WKC Whitewater News!
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By Mike Grijalva
WKC Program Chair
March Whitewater Program:A Whitewater Invitational - Bring your photos and video and share your adventures with fellow WKC WW paddlers. Mike Grijalva will lead off with stories from trips down the Owyhee, Yampa and Lower Salmon.Details to come.
River Rescue courses are coming in April and May -Dates are being chosen. Casey Garland will teach again, and it is good stuff. Get your safety/rescue mind going.Registration will appear on the event calendar soon!
A new WKC Programs Chair is needed - Mike has graciously served WKC for three years and is ready to have another lead the WKC Programs. Please contact Mike Grijalva to volunteer.
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Take Action: Protect Methow Headwaters
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By Thomas O'Keefe
AMERICAN WHITEWATER
A current threat to the valley and the recreational opportunities available is a proposed large-scale copper mine, located immediately above the town of Mazama. If developed, this copper mine would irreversibly damage the river and surrounding landscape to the communities of Mazama, Winthrop, and Twisp.
Right now, there is a critical opportunity to protect this special place from this proposed development and future industrial mining operations. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering a 20-year mining withdrawal across 340,079 acres in the Methow Headwaters. The administrative withdrawal would make the area off-limits to mining while Senators Murray and Cantwell work on legislation to permanently protect this landscape.
Take Action
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Attend WWTA Dinner and Silent Auction: March 26
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Join WWTA in an evening of dining, entertainment and spirited bidding for adventures and activities. Mingle with friends new and old. Silent auction, and an after dinner paddle raise to support WWTA programs. Featured speaker: Annique Bennett, Snohomish County Strategic Tourism Plan Coordinator, will be talking about the Sky to Sound Water Trail.
All proceeds benefit WWTA, working to protect public access to saltwater and freshwater shores.
When: Sunday evening, March 26th, 2017 - Doors open at 5:30pm.
Where: Wilderness Auditorium at the Henry M. Jackson Conference Center, Everett Community College, 2000 Tower Street, Everett, Washington
Details Here
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WKC San Juan Seven Challenge
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| We love circumnavigating islands and want to encourage more paddlers to join the fun, so we have launched the San Juan Seven Challenge.
The seven islands selected for the San Juan Seven challenge are San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, Cypress, Guemes, Lummi, and Stuart.
You can circumnavigate the islands in any order that you like and can take as much time as you need or want to circumnavigate each island. To qualify for badges you need to circumnavigate the island during a WKC trip that has been announced on the WKC website.
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WKC Seven Rivers Challenge: New Stickers to be Distributed!
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WKC members who participate in club trips to the seven designated rivers will receive collective paddle/boat stickers designed by a whitewater kayaker and artist Zeus Rudner.
Challenge yourself to get all seven stickers! When a member completes all seven rivers, he/she will receive a finisher’s sticker. To make it easy to keep track, participants must register for the club trip online.
The designated rivers and in Seven Rivers challenge are: Nisqually, Nooksack, Sauk, Sol Duc, Stillaguamish, Wenatchee, and White Salmon
Upcoming WKC Trips:
Feb 12 - 7RC - Middle Sauk III+
Check Events Calendar for more dates
Contact new Whitewater Trip Chair
or 7RC Cheerleader
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Looking to Buy/Sell Used Paddling Gear?
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Maybe kayaking isn't your sport. Need to sell some gently used gear? Looking to purchase some paddling treasure? Check out the WKC Classifieds Forum to list your items or to purchase kayaking gear from fellow paddlers. Easy to follow instructions for posting items included below:
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Schedule for ACA and PNA (formerly BCU) Paddler Certifications
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| Thinking of taking your paddling skills to the next level?Become ACA or PNA (formerly BCU) certified this season. Special awards signify specific paddling, safety and leadership skills at different levels and in various craft. These awards provide a way to track your own progress as a paddler, and give others a reliable indication of your preparedness for trips and further trainings. Improve your skills or become a certified coach and lead others on the water: |
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ACA Certification
Founded in 1880, The American Canoe Association (ACA) is a national nonprofit organization serving the broader paddling public by providing education related to all aspects of paddling.River, coastal, and surf kayaking certifications offered.
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PNA Certification
Paddlesports North America (PNA) was formed in 2013 to provide access to British Canoeing (formerly known as the British Canoe Union or BCU) paddler awards and coaching certifications in North America, including canoe, kayak and stand up paddleboard.
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Recent Trip Reports
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Check out the Trip Reports tab to see more WKC kayaking adventures.
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Team Petty: New Year's OP 2017
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By Kanako Iwata-Eng
This fall/winter season, the Olympic Peninsula hasn’t been very cooperative. Jon Almquist’s Humptulips and SF Calawah trips had to relocate, as well as Team Petty’s Thanksgiving Humptulips trip. This trip wasn’t an exception.
Read More |
Team Petty Adventure: Thankgiving OP 2016
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By Kanako Iwata-Eng
When the Team finished the annual Thanksgiving Day Lower Green Gorge run, Captain Bill Petty decided to change the plan. We were originally supposed to meet at the Humptulips and run the Narrows section, but it had been raining and was forecasted to rain a lot more...
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Yampa and Green River, Utah
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By Mike Grijalva
In mid-July of 2016, at the very end of the runnable water level, a group of friends and family floated the Yampa River for 6 days in sunshine. The Yampa is on the eastern edge of Utah, is free flowing, and joins the Green River to become the Green through Dinosaur National Park.
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New WW Run: Middle Fork Snoqualmie
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By Mike Grijalva
The paving of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie road has added a new pleasure to our local outdoor access. The road that used to be ugly with potholes, is now a smooth paved slide glide upstream. A few different access points for put-ins are present, but there are few.
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Halloween Paddle and Poker Party
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By Shanna Gachen
The weather and the river level cooperated for the annual Halloween Paddle and Party. We had a great turn out for the paddle on the Lower Green River Gorge (class III) and the sun made an appearance from about noon on.
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Copyright 2014 Washington Kayak Club
President: Mike Germani president@washingtonkayakclub.org
Secretary: Bill Porter
Treasurer: Jackie Brown
Editor: Brenna McVety newsletter@washingtonkayakclub.org |