July Swift Water Rescue Seminar July 9-10, Can t Make This Class? Try the Other Class! TENNESSEE SCENIC RIVERS ASSOCIATION

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1 July 2011 TENNESSEE SCENIC RIVERS ASSOCIATION Swift Water Rescue Seminar July 9-10, 2011 It s back! Sign up now! The TSRA Swift Water Rescue Seminar will be held on July 9-10, TSRA is pleased to offer this important training to its members again this year. This seminar is designed to help recreational paddlers of all levels learn to negotiate whitewater without a boat. You will be taught by ACA-certified instructors and will learn skills and techniques to protect yourself and your paddling companions from the risks encountered while enjoying whitewater. This intense seminar covers a wide variety of topics: rescue philosophy, equipment needs, using the rescue rope, rescue swimming techniques, and gear recovery techniques. Approximately half of the instruction involves classroom activities, with the remainder being hands-on active learning. You will not need a boat for this seminar, but you will get wet! Register Now! The seminar will be limited to the first paid participants, so interested members should register quickly. We will camp and prepare lunches both days and dinner Saturday night as a group. (If you have any special dietary needs, please let us know before the seminar) You will need to provide your own breakfast for two days. Where: Ocoee River Rats, near Benton, TN. Look for a large tarp and a sign for Swift Water Rescue. If you are unfamiliar with this campground, you can find directions here: ocoeeriverrats.com. What to Bring? Bring personal camping equipment and a camp chair for classroom sessions. Bring full river attire including helmet, PFD, and protective footwear. We recommend a wetsuit for abrasion protection you will be swimming around rocks! You will also need a throw rope, a water bottle, and two locking carabiners. If you have it, bring 15 feet of 1 stitched nylon webbing and a length of rope for knot practice. The rope and webbing can be purchased at most outfitters, but don t worry, we ll have extra. You will need a whistle for your PFD. Leave your rescue knife at home. Cost: The registration fee is $85.00, which covers the cost of instruction, camping (if you camp with the group, which is highly recommended), and Saturday dinner. To Register: Sign up online at: or mail your check, made out to TSRA for $85.00, to Jim McCool at 1212 Woodvale Dr., Mount Juliet, TN Any questions? Contact Jim at wwseal@yahoo.com Can t Make This Class? Try the Other Class! If you can t come to Swift Water Rescue class, have no fear! You get a second chance to brush up on your rescue skills this summer. Come to Basic River Rescue School on July 23-24, For more details, see the description on page CALENDAR (Look inside for details) More trips and will be posted soon. We re working JULY 2-4 Lower Youghiogheny River (III) 9-10 Swift Water Rescue 16 Buffalo River (I) BASIC RIVER RESCUE 23 Stream Bank Restoration-Campbell Sta. 23 Nantahala (II-III) 28 TSRA Board Meeting feverishly on coming up with a full range of great trips and events for For latest info check the Calendar and Trips pages at paddletsra.org. If you want to lead a trip, write Jack Lyle at jlyle@hvud.com Submissions to The Watershed are due 20 days before the issue date. Send Word documents, plain text and high pictures to:

Aside from a solid roll, nothing builds as much confidence as being calm and feeling in control when swimming.

2 SCHOOLS Basic River Rescue School July 23-24, 2011 Upside down, disoriented, and looking for an oxygen rich environment we have all been there. If you haven t been there yet, or haven t been there recently, it s coming There is an old saying in paddling we are all between swims. Aside from a solid roll, nothing builds as much confidence as being calm and feeling in control when swimming. If you want to build your confidence, be an asset to your paddling group, or remain calm during those OBEs (out-of-boat experiences) then this is the class for you. This event is informative, empowering and FUN. This school will fill up quickly register soon! The class will be held July at the Hiwassee River. We will be stay in the bunkhouse at Hiwassee Outfitters. No need to bring a tent, just a sleeping bag or sheets. Plan to arrive Friday night, July 22, for registration and hanging out around the fire. If you cannot make it Friday night, please be there Saturday morning by 8:00 a.m. EASTERN TIME. Breakfast will be provided both days, as well as dinner on Saturday. You will be responsible for your own lunches. There are 30 spots available in the bunkhouse. First come, first serve. Skills Covered: Safely swimming in whitewater. Performing the perfect self-rescue. Eskimo rescues. Recovering boats and gear. Pushing, pulling, and dragging boats. Pulling swimmers. Throwing and catching ropes. Wading in swift water. Boat-over-boat rescue and deep water re-entry. Rescue theory. Essential gear. Requirements & Gear: You should be comfortable paddling Class I-II whitewater recreational boaters are welcome. Bring your own boat and gear. Helmets are required. You should dress for repeated and extended immersion. Neoprene pants are advised, for both warmth and protection from scrapes and bruises. Closed-toe shoes are highly recommended, we will be rock-hopping and wading in the riverbed. (Neoprene socks and/or sandals expose your toes and the soles of your feet to injury, so we don t recommend them.) If you do not own a throw bag, don t buy one. You can share with someone else, and at the class you will learn what kind of throw bag is best for you and your paddling. Fee: The cost for the event is $65. Sign up online at Questions? For more information please contact Trent Ganstine: tganstine@comcast.net

SPECIAL EVENTS Dragon Boat & River Festival August 20, 2011 On Saturday, August 20, 2011 the Cumberland River Compact and Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association will host the Fifth Annual Dragon Boat &

3 SPECIAL EVENTS Dragon Boat & River Festival August 20, 2011 On Saturday, August 20, 2011 the Cumberland River Compact and Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association will host the Fifth Annual Dragon Boat & River Festival at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville. Get ready to grab your paddles to raise awareness of our organizations and to promote the health of the Cumberland River. In Chinese tradition, the dragon is a symbol of health and prosperity, and dragon boat racing inspires health and fitness among participants as well as spectators. It s time to get on board for this fun-filled day of competition, food, and music. Now is the time to come and help. Volunteer: It takes a lot of hands to put an event like this together come and bring your friends. (You can work the event and also paddle on a team.) We need help with parking, hospitality, boat staging, safety, clean up and all sorts of jobs related to this event. Paddle: TSRA will have boats and teams of paddlers. You ll get to learn how to paddle a dragon boat and receive a cool T-shirt, and more Contact Trent Ganstine to sign up. Teams & Sponsorships: Get your employer, business, church, department, school, family, or any other group together to sponsor the event and field a dragon boat team. A team has people who pay a $ team entry fee. That s just over $50 per person. If your business, club, church group or other organization wants to have a higher level of community visibility, become a sponsor of the event as part of sponsorship you will have a team boat. Or bring two dozen of your best friends! Teams can reserve a place with a nonrefundable $550 deposit, due at time of registration, with the balance due by August 1. The last date to cancel is July 25. Contact Janet at admin@cumberlandrivercompact. org and use Dragon Boat team registration in the subject line; or call (615) Sign up now! If you can help in any way, contact TSRA coordinator Trent Ganstine at tganstine@comcast.net or call (615) For more information about the event, contact Trent and go to the Dragon Boat website: (be sure to check out the videos). You can also download the registration form at this website. The Dragon Boat races are always an exciting and funfilled time that you ll remember a long time after it is over, so don t miss it.

4 TRIPS & ACTIVITIES Youghiogheny River July 2-4, 2011 Take a break from the typical summer runs in the South and check out some alternative release runs up North. It s a long drive, but the water will be there, even in dry weather. The Lower Yough is the Mid-Atlantic s version of the Ocoee. Similar level of difficulty, rafts, potentially crowded and lots of tourists. However, unlike the Ocoee, there is no riverside highway. Once you take the first bend in the river you are heading into natural territory. The run is entirely within Ohiopyle State Park. The little town of Ohiopyle offers plenty for the non-boater stores, restaurants, hiking and bike paths and scenic overlooks of Ohiopyle falls. I consider the river to be easier than the Ocoee overall, although Cucumber, Dimple/Swimmers, and River s End rapids are as difficult as anything on the Ocoee. The Lower Youghiogheny s entrance is only slightly less challenging than the Ocoee s entrance. However this is a pool drop river without the continuous nature of the Ocoee. The crowds are also managed by the use of launch permits for both commercial and private boaters. We have purchased a limited number of launch permits, which will be given out on a first-come first-serve basis. They are $3.00. Once they are gone, paddlers will have to make their own reservations on the Park Service s website. While this is the only official trip offered, there will be other options for jump-seat trips. There is a release on the Savage River for Sunday, July 3, plus releases on the Upper Yough Friday, Saturday and Monday (7/1, 7/2, 7/4). Also, the Cheat Canyon is often runnable at that time. We can accommodate a small number of campers on our West Virginia property near the Yough, with some overflow room close by. We are not expecting a large group, but if we get a lot of paddlers, there are good campgrounds nearby. Please contact us well in advance so we can reserve a space for you! Contact Bud Chavez, sjchavez@fuse.net or call Buffalo River (I) July 16, 2011 Get ready for the annual Buffalo River (Tennessee) trip! This is one of the most paddled rivers in Tennessee. Canoeists, take heart, because canoes still live in abundance on this river. Kayakers--the locals actually seem fascinated by kayaks. It s not unusual on this river to see friendly campers sitting in the water on lawn chairs waving and applauding as paddlers go by. This is actually the most social river I have ever paddled, and that adds greatly to the experience. The Buffalo is also designated as a State Scenic River under the Tennessee Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The section we will run is class I. Gravel bars (depending on water level) may present the greatest difficulty, but the river on this section is generally well maintained by the local canoe and kayak liveries, and rank beginners run this river by the thousands over the course of the summer. I think this is a perfect run for paddlers of ALL ability levels. If you just discovered what a paddle is, well this is the trip to bring it on. You will have lots of company from the locals. You should plan on bringing sunscreen, water, and snacks. I have never had a problem with bugs and mosquitoes on this river. Canoe or kayak rentals are available from a local outfitter, Crazy Horse Canoe Rental at Kayaks need to be reserved early to insure availability. RSVP is required! Please contact Mike Patrick, waverhydr@aol.com so you can get information on where to meet. Nantahala & Tuckaseegee Rivers (II-III) August 6-7, 2011 Come with us to paddle two beautiful rivers in western North Carolina. We are paddling the Nantahala River on Saturday August 6. Meet us at the put-in at 10:00 a.m. river time and be ready to shuttle. Remember your river passes for this one. They can be purchased from Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) for $1.00. We will be camping at Smoky Mountain Meadows Campground in Bryson City, North Carolina, on Saturday night if anyone wants to join us. On Sunday, August 7, we will paddle the Tuckaseegee River. Meet

5 TRIPS & ACTIVITIES at the put-in at 10:00 a.m. river time and be ready to shuttle. Please bring both signed waivers with you, one for each trip. You must have the Adult or Minor Waiver and the Release Waiver with you to participate in each trip. They can be downloaded from the TSRA website: Please pre-register by calling Steve Morris at (cell), or for complete details on the trip. Hiwassee River (Class I-II) August 13, 2011 What could be better on a hot August day than paddling the Hiwassee? This will be a great trip for beginners and more experienced paddlers alike on the glorious Hiwassee. The river is class I-II, but there are lots of places for more advanced paddling moves. Call Gene Levine or to get more details on the trip. You can also Gene at genelevine@comcast.net. Hiwassee River (II) August 20, 2011 We are paddling the Hiwassee River on Saturday August 20. Meet at the put-in at 11:00 a.m. river time. Be ready to shuttle. We will camp at Gee Creek on Friday and Saturday (August 19-20) nights and paddling Sunday is optional. Let me know if you want to paddle Sunday when you pre-register. Please bring both signed waivers with you. You must have the Adult or Minor Waiver and the Release Waiver with you to participate. They can be downloaded from the TSRA website: Please pre-register and get more details by calling or ing Steve Morris at (cell), or smorris@kbjmarchitects.com. Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association, Inc. Membership Application New Member Renewal Change of address or Do not list in directory Primary Member (will be listed in directory under this name) Last name: First name: D.O.B. Street: City: State: Zip: Home phone: Work phone: Cell phone: Last name: First name: D.O.B. Phone: Last name: First name: D.O.B. Phone: Last name: First name: D.O.B. Phone: Last name: First name: D.O.B. Phone: Please send your payment of $25 for one year membership and this completed TSRA, Inc., P.O. Box , Nashville, TN to:

6 2011 CALENDAR Ground Rules for Trips Contact Trip Leaders before participating in a trip. Dates may change at the discretion of trip leaders due to weather, river levels, or other conditions. Dates for major events are NOT likely to change. Avoid participating in trips beyond your skill level. If in doubt, discuss trip difficulty and your abilities with the trip leader. Be prepared to assist trip leaders if requested; for example, helping with shuttles. HAVE FUN! TSRA TRIPS AND EVENTS FOR 2011 Date Trip/Event Trip Leader/Contact Contact Info JULY 2-4 Lower Youghiogheny River (III) Bud Chavez (513) ; sjchavez@fuse.net 9-10 SWIFT WATER RESCUE Jim McCool (615) wwseal@yahoo.com 16 Buffalo River (I) Mike Patrick, waverhydr@aol.com BASIC RIVER RESCUE Trent Ganstine tganstine@comcast.net 23 Stream Bank Restoration-Campbell Sta. John McFadden John_McFadden@att.net 23 Nantahala (II-III) Robert Grega ; robert.grega@jmaone.com 28 TSRA Board Meeting Radnor Lake Trent Ganstine tganstine@comcast.net AUGUST 6-7 Nantahala and Tuckaseegee (II-III) Steve Morris (615) ; smorris@kbjmarchitects.com Camp at Smoky Mtn. Meadows 13 Hiwassee River (I-II) Gene Levine genelevine@comcast.net 13 Stream Bank Restoration-Campbell Sta. John McFadden John_McFadden@att.net 20 Hiwassee, Camp at Gee Creek Steve Morris (615) ; smorris@kbjmarchitects.com 20 DRAGON BOAT RACE Trent Ganstine ops@paddletsra.org 25 TSRA Board Meeting Radnor Lake Trent Ganstine tganstine@comcast.net 28 Lost Loon Triathlon Willy Stern ; willystern@comcast.net SEPTEMBER 10 Stream Clean-Up-Campbell Sta. John McFadden John_McFadden@att.net 17 Stream Clean-Up - Belshire John McFadden John_McFadden@att.net 17 Duck River Clean-Up Marshall Spencer ; marshall.spencer@jci.com 22 TSRA Board Meeting Radnor Lake Trent Ganstine tganstine@comcast.net OCTOBER 15 Stream Bank Restoration-Campbell Sta. John McFadden John_McFadden@att.net 22 Big Swan Creek Fall Color Trip Marshall Spencer ; marshall.spencer@jci.com 27 TSRA Board Meeting Radnor Lake Trent Ganstine tganstine@comcast.net NOVEMBER 5 WINTER PADDLING CLINIC (Tentative) David Evans (270) ; paddl3r@gmail.com 12 Tree Planting/Tree Give-Away John McFadden John_McFadden@att.net Fort Pickend, Sea Kayak Trip Gary Kilpatrick GWKilpatrick@misincinfo.com TBD TSRA Board Meeting TBD Trent Ganstine tganstine@comcast.net DECEMBER 10 Tree Planting/Tree Give-Away John McFadden John_McFadden@att.net 10 TSRA CHRISTMAS PARTY! TBD TBD TSRA Board Meeting TBD Trent Ganstine tganstine@comcast.net Please lead a TSRA trip in 2011! Contact Jack Lyle, jlyle@hvud.com, to sign up.

7 CONSERVATION Access Committee Plans Late Summer Work Good news from the TSRA s Access Committee REI has awarded us another $5,000 grant. This grant will pay to build an access site on Mill Creek at Ezell Park. Plans are also in the works to get started with a Recreational Trail Program (RTP) site this summer along the Harpeth River. (RTP is a federal program that funds development of trails and other ways to access outdoor recreation.) No date has been set for this work yet. However, we will need volunteers late this summer, in August and September. Anyone who wants to help can contact Patty Shultz about volunteering, and this would be very much appreciated. Patty at patshultz@comcast.net for more details or to volunteer. If you are looking for a way to make a real difference for the health of our waterways, please join us on Saturday, July 23, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. as the Duck River Opportunities Project goes to work on restoring a stream bank near Spring Hill. We will be working on stabilization of the bank and caring for trees we planted earlier to stabilize the soil and improve water quality. We plan to meet at the intersection of Liverpool Drive and New Port Royal Road in the Crown Pointe subdivision, then go to work along Grassy Branch. Please pre-register so we can let you know of unanticipated changes in schedule or plans and you can get directions if you need them. To register, or for more information, please tec@tectn.org. Be sure to put 7/23 volunteer in the s subject line. Don t forget to bring gloves, wear work boots, and bring water to drink. The Duck River Opportunities Project is a joint effort by the Tennessee Environmental Council (TEC) and TSRA. This project engages volunteers in stream bank restoration and other projects to protect the Duck River watershed, which was named by National Geographic as one of the four most biologically rich places in the world. Your efforts can help us preserve this valuable resource. House Party with Mayor Karl Dean July 26, 2011 The Tennessee Environmental Council (TEC) is partnering with Sulphur Creek Farm (a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in the Bells Bend area) to host a house party with Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. Join us on Tuesday, July 26, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. to discuss water issues in Nashville with Mayor Dean. Please join us and bring your questions, concerns, and ideas of how to improve water quality in Nashville. Spring Hill Stream Bank Restoration July 23, 2011 The mayor is participating in a series of house parties focused on environmental issues in Nashville as part of his re-election campaign. This is not a fundraising event, but the mayor is asking guests to bring a food contribution for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. (The most needed items for emergency food boxes include: peanut butter, baby food, canned meat, canned vegetables, canned fruit, macaroni and cheese, and cereal.) Please tec@tectn.org for more details and information and to RSVP.

Canoe & Kayak School Unleashes New Kayakers I would not have been able to do the job without you.

organizational part of the school, and for coming to the school with an eagerness to learn and

The 2011 Canoe and Kayak School held June 4 and 5 at Gee Creek Campground on the Hiwassee was a

In attendance were 74 students and 34 instructors, making up 12 classes of recreational and

Classes could be found on the Ocoee River, Ocoee Lake, and the upper and lower Hiwassee.

I want to thank all the instructors and support boaters who volunteered their time and skills to

To all the shuttle bunnies, thanks for taking away the headache of how boats and vehicles would

I want to thank those participants who offered me a hand in many tasks during the school TS A R

safety issues on the river, developed good paddling techniques, and found confidence in their

8 Canoe & Kayak School Unleashes New Kayakers I would not have been able to do the job without you. And to the students, I want to thank you for your kindness and patience during the organizational part of the school, and for coming to the school with an eagerness to learn and have fun. The 2011 Canoe and Kayak School held June 4 and 5 at Gee Creek Campground on the Hiwassee was a tremendous success. In attendance were 74 students and 34 instructors, making up 12 classes of recreational and touring kayaks, solo and tandem canoes and whitewater kayaks. Classes could be found on the Ocoee River, Ocoee Lake, and the upper and lower Hiwassee. What made this event a success was a combination of many factors. I want to thank all the instructors and support boaters who volunteered their time and skills to providing excellent instruction and also ensuring a safe and fun weekend on and off the water. To all the shuttle bunnies, thanks for taking away the headache of how boats and vehicles would be moved from place to place. I want to thank those participants who offered me a hand in many tasks during the school TS A R I hope all who attended this past weekend learned new skills in transporting boats, identified safety issues on the river, developed good paddling techniques, and found confidence in their paddling. Most of all, I hope you made new friends with which you can share your love of paddling and nature. I look forward to seeing you all again! Sincerely, Sally Barr First Class U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO 2249 NASHVILLE, TN Tennessee Scenic Rivers Inc. P.O. Box Nashville, TN Daddy s Creek la tc Firs l ai M s s photo: Dave Pelrin TSRA Photo Contest Winner, Paddling Category. Return Service Requested

Information for Employment with Laurel Highlands Outdoor Center and River Tours

Information for Employment with Laurel Highlands Outdoor Center and River Tours Dear Applicant, Thank you for taking an interest in joining our team at Laurel Highlands River Tours & Outdoor Center. We are looking for people with a positive attitude and a deep love for the outdoors.