NEWSLETTER
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| November 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,
Welcome to fall! We are winding down for the season, and starting to make plans for next year. Drop a note to let us know if there is a trip, some training, or an event you would like the club to organize -newsletter@washingtonkayakclub.org. We are assembling budget, resources, and ideas for 2018 and welcome your feedback.
Don't miss your chance to participate in the Deception Pass Dash! Now in its 11th year - race your peers 6 miles through the swirling, frigid waters around Deception Pass. Registration is open!
If you prefer to avoid the cold weather outside, the HEATED POOLS are open. It's a great time to work on your roll. Locations are in Tukwila, Tacoma, and Shoreline. Or try to make one more San Juan 7 Sea Kayak Trip - a double header around Guemes & Cypress Islands is planned. Or spend Thanksgiving running the Lower Green River with Bill Petty and his Whitewater Adventurers. Or join Chris Brubaker in Tukwila for Kayak Polo games - check the calendar for dates.
See you onthe water!
Mike
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Featured Trip
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San Juan 7 Double Header - Guemes & Cypress: Dec 3 - 4
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Join us for a San Juan 7 double header where we will circumnavigate Guemes and Cypress Islands on an over night camping trip.
Participants must have experience in 2-3' seas and 15-18 kt wind. This involves 15 mile days and cold weather camping. Dry suit or substantial wet suit is required. All participants should have assisted and self rescue experience.
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When: December 3 - 4
Where: Youngs County Park
at the north end of Guemes Island
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| See our Events Calendar for more upcoming trips! |
Training
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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.
The pool sessions are typically available on alternating mornings and weekdays. Be sure to check the schedule - and thank your pool coordinator for volunteering their time to make the pools available!
If you have any questions about pool sessions:
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News and Events
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Paddling in the Wind with George Gronseth: Nov 16
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Support WWTA Event!
Wind Happens! What you don't know about it can kill you. Doug Tompkins, co-founder of The North Face died on a lake in gale force winds. Come learn what you need to know about paddling in wind from George Gronseth, co-author of Sea Kayaker Deep Trouble and founder of Kayak Academy.
Location: Kiwanis Club 105 Newport Way SW; Issaquah, WA 98027 Gibson Hall Details: Time: 6-9pm Cost: $30.
Details & Registration
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Adventure Book Presentation with Lou McKee: November 17
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The presentation of Lou McKee's new book, KLEE WYCK JOURNAL, is full of stories of the people and adventures involved in the building of a coastal wilderness shelter hidden among old rain forest firs and cedars and dense salal bush. We reach this remote shore by kayak. There are no roads nor pathways. No docks nor safe buoys. We land on a little sheltered spit in a bay that is otherwise open ocean surf. In time, we forge a trail into the woods to build a cedar cabin to shelter us from the the rain that can drench (and beautify) this sea coast. It is a dream that YOU can LIVE - by joining us for our power point, readings, audience discussion and show and tell.
November 17, 7:00 pm
The Swedish Club, 1920 Dexter Avenue North
Event Details
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Irene Skyriver - Paddling with Spirits: November 19
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For her fortieth birthday, Irene Skyriver celebrated with a solo kayaking trip from Alaska all the way to the San Juan Islands, where she lives. Join her as she discusses her book Paddling with Spirits: A Solo Kayak Journey, in which she interweaves the true account of her journey with generational stories "handed down and vividly re-imagined.
Bathhouse Theater
7312 W Green Lake Dr N, Seattle, WA 98103
206-524-1300
http://www.seattlepublictheater.org/
Event Details
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Deception Pass Dash: Dec 2
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Organized by OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CENTER - this challenging 6 mile race course takes paddlers through the swirling waters of Deception Pass! You don't need to be an expert paddler to participate - but you should prepare (practice paddling, rolling, rescues, etc) and make safe decisions about your paddling ability on the day of the race (based on actual conditions). Conditions in this coastal pass are dynamic and unpredictable, so all participants should be prepared, well rested, and on the top of their game! All racers should have significant paddling experience and proven self-rescue skills.
Details & Registration
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Paddle Golden Gate: Jan 27 - 28
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Sea kayak symposiums are designed for those wanting to take their skills to another level, in challenging ocean conditions.
The mission of Paddle Golden Gate is simple; to offer high-end professional paddlesports instruction and a quality event experience in a truly unique location. This remarkable venue provides a challenging coastal environment with strong currents and powerful swells for advanced skills training alongside protected water appropriate for novice and intermediate paddlers to develop their skills. With a focus on skills training, this unique event offers participants the opportunity to paddle with some of the world’s best instructors and athletes, in one of the finest teaching locations in the world.
Details & Registration
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Other fantastic regional Kayak Symposiums
Bay of Fundy Sea Kayak Symposium
Baja Kayak Fest
Storm Gathering |
UPCOMING EVENT: Winter Tutorials with Nigel Foster
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CHECK BACK FOR DATES & LOCATION!
As the days get dark and dreary, it's a great time to build skills and get ready for next season's Sea Kayaking adventures!Do you have the skills you need to take you to the places you want to go?
World-renowned kayaker and accomplished author, Nigel Foster, who is considered one of the most charismatic and talented instructors on the planet, has offered to present a series of classroom navigation tutorials from his new book,The Art of Kayaking,which is suitable to sea kayakers of all levels.
Topics covered include:
- Charts explained
- Basic navigation
- Tides
- Weather
- Buoys
- Transits
Course Sample
The Art of Kayaking
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Check back for dates!
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2017 NW Whitewater Slalom Cup Dates
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The NW Whitewater Slalom Cup continues with highly valuable points awarded at each race and the best 8 out of 10 race results are totaled for fabulous awards in each.Come out and compete or just learn some slalom moves and have some fun!
Upcoming Slalom Events:
Nov 4-5: Cedar Whitewater Races #2
Nov 25-26: Bull River Races #2
Race Calendar
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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.
Upcoming WKC Trips:
December 3/4: Guemes & Cypress Island
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WKC Seven Rivers Challenge
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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: Nisquall ,Nooksack, Sauk, Sol Duc, Stillaguamish, Wenatchee, and White Salmon
Upcoming WKC Trips:
Jan 13: Whitewater Planning Trip Party!
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 Adventure: British Columbia 2017
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By Kanako Iwata-Eng
This is our fearless leader Bill Petty’s 40th year of paddling. He has been leading annual whitewater road trips to British Columbia almost every year for the past 28 years, and BC continues offering endless rivers he has never run. To paddle unknown rivers again this year, the Team headed to the northern capital of Prince George this time.
Read More |
Three Sport Loop: Lake Chelan
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By Rich Feffer
Rich and his wife recently completed a loop trip in the east and north Cascades - kayaking from Manson (near Chelan) to Stehekin, hiking through to Highway 20, and then cycling back to the start. Mileages were 46, 21, and 105 respectively, totaling 172 over 8 days. They enthusiastically recommend this trip if you like to combine multiple sports and get a good weather window (especially for the paddling portion).Beautiful scenery as you watch the landscape change from desert to mountains and back.
Read More |
Fall in the Wall for First Timers
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By Shanna Gachen
Shout-out to one of our lifetime members, Jon Almquist, who never stops volunteering his time to help others adventure and experience our beautiful rivers. Whether it's helping out with the whitewater class, heading up skill builder trips right after class, leading adventure trips to the beautiful Olympic Peninsula or pushing any level paddler to their next level - he's always game!
Thanks Jon for all your guidance!
Read More |
2017 Memorial Day Weekend at Solduc (Part 1)
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By Joyce Stuart
The 2017 Memorial Day Weekend Solduc paddle, was a complete success. Sunshine and enough water to paddle! From Friday to Monday, there were 51 people paddling various watercraft: tandem canoes, solo canoes, hard shell whitewater kayaks, a double IK, a Packraft, a small R2 raft, and two Fishing cats. The largest group, all paddling the same river reach, was 38 on Saturday, paddling from Klahowya Campground to Hillstrom Road.
Read More |
Shenanigans on the Solduc (Part 2)
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By Bob Menard
I was getting out of my boat after fetching someone's paddle following a swim at ledge drop [I will let that individual confess for them self]. As I was getting out, some nearby campers excitedly ran down to the river, and asked how far we were going. Not really understanding the nature of the question, I asked why. "We lost a cooler." I inquired further "how did you lose a cooler?" ..."our canoe flipped" ..."where is your canoe?" ..."it's also downstream" ...
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Vancouver Island Whitewater Road Trip
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By Kanako Iwata-Eng
Jennie, Bill, and I packed Jennie’s van “Morris” and left for the Vancouver Island on Thursday, April 13 to join the Vancouver Kayak Club’s annual trip to the island. Despite the holiday weekend (Easter Monday is a federal holiday in Canada), the 10:45 p.m. ferry was fairly empty. We checked in a hotel a little after 1 a.m., went to bed by 2 a.m. and got ready for the four-day weekend.
Read More |
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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
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