Little Juniata The Canoe Club of Centre County ~ Currents ~ Volume 4, Issue 6 JUNE 2012 Editors John & Roxanne Parrott Included in this issue: Keep an Eye Out by Joyce Furfaro Kayaking 101: July 10 th ***REPORT: CC of CC outing on the West Branch of the Susquehanna: May 26 th Booth at the Spring Creek Festival by Sue Hamburger STAFFING A CLUB TABLE AT LOCAL EVENTS by Sue Hamburger Roll clinic time again : July 24th June 27-July 1: Wooden Canoe Heritage Association Event BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: PADDLING 101 THE COMPOUND STROKES by Jon Nelson July 5 th --Upcoming Demo Night: Sponsored by TMO Club Videos & CC General Members Meeting & Membership report CALENDAR OVERVIEW FOR JUNE: Trips planned for every weekend: Volunteer to lead one
NEEDED--CLUB PICNIC COORDINATOR: organize/plan club picnics. Contact Joyce Furfaro Keep an Eye Out By Joyce A. Furfaro One of the more commonly spotted creatures on our paddles is the great blue heron. Their majestic shape, size, perch position, and flying pattern inspire awe in most any paddler. It is the largest of the herons found in North America, measuring 3.5 to 4.5 from head to tail; its wingspan reaches over 6 across! There are 64 varieties of herons, including egrets and bitterns, the smallest of which is the little bittern. This little guy lives on the other side of the world and only gets to be about a foot tall. The smallest in the U.S. is the least bittern which is only slightly larger. The largest herons also live on the other side of the world, and are aptly-named the goliath heron. These can reach 5 in height with a wing span of about 7. Great blue heron photo by Pete Thayer - Thayer Birding Software http://www.thayerbirding.com/gethelp/freebirdimages/tabid/1075/default.aspx of a nest at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2433. What to look for Herons are hard to overlook. At first glance, you may think you are seeing a bird of prey based on size alone, but the graceful curve of the long neck should soon set you straight. Its bill is long and has a dull yellow/orange color, and its feathers are a slate-gray, with the wing tips and bottoms a richer shade of blue-gray. In flight, you should notice a pair of long, spindly, dangling legs following the body. As I write this, there s a live-feed video Where to look Herons are wading birds and can be seen on stream banks and in marshy areas, although you are more likely to see them once they lift off and fly slowly over the water and usually downstream from you. I ve seen them on several waterways so far, and almost every paddle I ve done on Bald Eagle Creek. What do these guys eat Their preferred diet is fish and frogs, but they often dine on mice and insects as well. They sneak up on their prey and, with a lightening-quick thrust of their bill, swallow them whole.
Similar creatures The green heron is also often seen along our waterways, and is easily flushed out by our paddling, but it is much smaller, standing only about 2 high. It also lacks the long neck of the great blue heron. Still, its mannerisms are similar. Sources: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/great_blue_heron/id http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2433 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/great_blue_heron Kayaking 101 When: Tuesday, July 10 th (rain date: Wednesday, July 11 th ) 5:30pm-8:00pm Where: Colyer Lake, west shore (off of Lingle Road) What to bring: Your own boat/gear (some boats/gear will be supplied), changes of clothes, water shoes, towel How to sign up: Email Deb Cooper at RAQSdance.scpa@yahoo.com (Maximum 10 people that need boats) Course covers: I. Types of Boats for Types of Water II. Gear Info Helmets: The When and Whys, Clothes: The Chill of Cotton, Paddles: What Do Feathers Have To Do with Paddles? III. The Body Mechanics of Paddling: How Paddling Isn t Just with Your Arms. IV. Water Reading Basics for Any Moving Water V. Safety on Lake and Stream
VI. Basic Strokes and On-Water Practice: forward/backward, sweeps, draws, sculling, braces VII. Challenge Yourself Part A: Paddle through a short Lake Slalom Course VIII. Challenge Yourself Part B (**): Try different style boats through the Lake Slalom Course ** For the Slalom and Whitewater boats available, there is a prerequisite of at least one wet exit (with or without a skirt). The required wet exit can be satisfied at the lake that evening. Wet Exit = purposefully flipping the boat upside down and exiting the boat, which proves to yourself that it is possible and easier than you thought. Trip Report West Branch Susquehanna, May 26 By Jon Nelson Twenty-two CCCC members paddled the Rolling Stone to Karthus section of the West Branch (about 10.5 miles). We put-on the river at 10am and took-out at 4pm. This was one hour later than expected, due to a thunderstorm that caused a pause of almost one hour. The level on the West Branch was about 2.6 ft, which covered most of the rocks and still left a few waves for surfing. We stopped three times. The first stop was at a short rapids about 2 miles from Rolling Stone, which allowed many paddlers to practice ferrying across the river. The second stop for water and swimming was about half-way. The third stop was at the top of Moshannon Falls for lunch and snacks and scouting the rapids (Class I+). Right after this stop the thunderstorm arrived and forced the fourth unplanned stop. The scenery was glorious with numerous photos posted on Facebook. This was a very successful trip, with all types of boats making the journey.
Photos by Joyce Furfaro: At the put in - that's the Rolling Stone Bridge above us. This trip took us down the West Branch of the Susquehanna from Rolling Stone bridge to Karthaus (about 10.5 miles, class 1 to 1+) on 5/26/12. Water level was about 2.6' and 1,400 cfs at the Karthaus gauge. We had 23 paddlers in 22 boats.
Here is the link to the AWA "PA rivers", with real time levels (if available) and comparison with runnable levels. http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/river/state-summary/state/pa/ Photo by Joyce Furfaro Booth at the Spring Creek Festival, June 2nd By Sue Hamburger CCofCC Secretary and Webmaster Joyce Furfaro and John Lynch set up the Club's canopy next to Tussey Mountain Outfitters' table at Millbrook Marsh Nature Center for the Spring Creek Festival on Saturday, June 2nd. Joyce and John brought her canoe so the kids could sit and "paddle" in the canoe and TMO's kayak. Sue Hamburger joined them to staff the table for the last two hours. Lots of folks stopped
by to look at the photos of canoe trips on the local waterways that Joyce posted on our display board, and took membership forms and brochures. The Nittany Bank Nookie Monster, a large blue mascot of the State College Spikes baseball team, was the big hit of the afternoon. He sat in the canoe and received hugs from several kids and had his photo taken with them. Staffing the table is a great way to meet folks interested in paddling and to recruit new members. Any member is welcome to share in the experience; all it takes is a couple of hours and a willingness to chat with people about the Club and the membership benefits (and the ability to either set up or take down the canopy when we need to use it). One of the major festivals at which we have a table (next to Club member Lynne Heritage's Sierra Club space) is CrickFest at Coburn Park in September (10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) to benefit the Penns Valley Conservation Association. The tables are set up under the roofed pavilion with a great view of the activities and within earshot of the wonderful music. Last year Sue Hamburger and Neil Stover staffed the full six hours but two three-hour or three two-hour shifts work best to alleviate fatigue. Let Joyce know if you want to spend two or three hours at the table to promote the Canoe Club of Centre County. STAFFING A CLUB TABLE AT LOCAL EVENTS By Sue Hamburger The Canoe Club of Centre County is invited to participate in local environmental events and festivals. This involvement offers us the opportunity to promote the Club and our activities. As such, the person(s) staffing the table should be willing and able to do the following: 1. Set up and/or take down the frame and canopy (when we don't have a covered space supplied by the venue), and lift the display board onto a table. 2. Keep the brochures and membership forms stocked and weighted but visible on the table (to keep them from blowing away). 3. If you sit, place the chair to one side of the table, not behind it, so you can see people approach, and be seen. 4. Stand up to greet visitors and engage them in conversation about the Club. A great opening line is, "Do you paddle?" 5. Explain some of the Club's activities some of which are on the Web site, such as, organized paddling trips
(canoeing/camping on Pine Creek, West Branch of the Susquehanna River near Karthus), spontaneous paddles announced on the Listserv (which goes only to members), potluck dinners/programs in the winter, Kayaking 101 and Canoeing 101 to learn paddling strokes and then practice them on the water, rolling clinics in the winter at the Penn State Natatorium and in summer at Bald Eagle State Park, monthly paddling film nights at Governors Park in Bellefonte, monthly bat watch on the water at Black Moshannon State Park, and our annual splash when we can try out different kayaks and canoes. Members receive a 10% discount at Tussey Mountain Outfitters--including canoe and kayak rental. 6. If you staff the table with a friend, family member, or other Club member, remember that you are there to actively promote the Club, not socialize with each other. Cease your personal conversation when a visitor approaches. 7. Do not leave the table unattended. If you are staffing the table alone and must leave for a bathroom break, ask a neighboring table person to watch out for visitors and if they want to talk to someone about the Club to come back in five or ten minutes. Appalachian Outdoors Expo, April 14th Photo by Joyce Furfaro
Where: Bald Eagle State Park, Beach Area Roll clinic time again When: Sunday, July 24, beginning at 1:00 pm What: We will have experienced kayak rollers - who have trained people in the past in the art of rolling - to help teach members how to roll a kayak. We will have some kayaks available for you to learn in (not all kayaks are good for rolling) but you are encouraged to bring your own boat and spray skirt in case it is one that is able to be used. ALSO BRING noseplugs, bathing suit, change of clothes for ride home, water, and eyeglass strap (if need glasses to boat). Goggles are helpful as well. Instructors will work with no more than 2 learners at a time. Members (paid your 2012 membership dues) pay $5 for ACA insurance fee. If you are also an ACA member, it is free, but you HAVE TO BRING YOUR CARD. Non-members (room permitting) pay $5+$5 (non-member fee plus insurance). A time-slot will be given to each person, but you are encouraged to show up early to watch others learning. *******IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WHO WILL BE ATTENDING - please register by emailing Diane at dmh@math.psu.edu with subject ATTENDING ROLLING SESSION. If you aren't ready to begin rolling, you can come along and watch (no insurance needed). Alternatively, you can learn how to do a WET EXIT with a skirt on or without (plus water dump) to be better prepared for a potential spill in the future. Insurance IS needed for this. Joyce Furfaro VIDEOS Mike and Lori coming through "The Washboard" at Spring's End (where Spring Creek dumps into Bald Eagle Creek in Milesburg). http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3720406642571&set=vb.1047946932&type=2&t heater
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BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: PADDLING 101 THE COMPOUND STROKES by Jon Nelson Compound strokes occur when the paddler takes two strokes on the same side of a kayak, usually without taking the blade out of the water. These strokes are used when the objective is to make minor changes in direction (or hold a given line). In contrast, combination strokes occur when the paddler combines two strokes on either side, such as a reverse sweep on the right followed by a forward sweep on the left. Canoeists commonly use compound strokes, such as the basic J-stroke. Introductory books and videos usually focus on each kayak stroke in isolation (forward, sweeps, draws, etc). Compound strokes are a subtle aspect of kayaking, and are rarely discussed or illustrated except in a few books devoted to advanced racing techniques. Getting down a stretch of whitewater is ideally visualized as an invisible track in the water. Staying on track means making small adjustments as water currents act on the boat or to correct for errors of judgment. The route actually taken by the boat depends on three interacting forces: (1) boat speed relative to the water speed; (2) boat angle relative to direction of the main current; and (3) boat trajectory. As explained by Bill Endicott,... angle and trajectory are two different things. The boat can be angled in one direction but actually moving in a different direction [such as] side-slipping to the left, with the bow angled right. For example, when running an unfamiliar stretch of river with a hidden bend, I will set the bow angle toward the inside of the bend (where slower water lies) and adjust my boat speed to allow time to assess any river hazards. The actual trajectory is determined by positioning of the boat. Being out in the main current might allow too little time to react to hazards, so I usually choose a trajectory that is slightly inside of the main current. I don t bomb away or just rely on reaction. So how can you make minor adjustment in boat speed, angle, or trajectory? often the answer is to use compound strokes. This article describes several of the more commonly used compound strokes. Low Brace High Brace. This is the most basic compound stroke. There are many situations where I want to be stable in the water before committing to a stronger stroke, such as a Duffek. I rely on the low brace for stability and then switch quickly to a high brace (by flipping the blade) to get in position for a Duffek. I often use this stroke for exiting an eddy into larger waves or turbulence. I also use this for entry to an eddy when I am tight on the eddy line. A variation is a Low Brace Reverse Sweep. Double-Pump Forwards. Taking two forward strokes on the same side of the boat a double-pump keeps up momentum and pushes the bow toward the opposite side, e.g., two forward strokes on the left will turn the boat to the right. A bow sweep on the left also would turn the boat, but this will slow the boat more and may overdo the turn. Duffek Feather Forward. This compound stroke is often used to set up positioning in an eddy, especially if the paddler wants to make a quick entry and exit. The Duffek draw ends near the boat; the blade is then sliced forward and turned into a forward stoke. All of this is accomplished without taking the blade out of the water. A variation is
a closed-face Bow Draw Forward, which is dubbed the C-Stroke in the U.S., and is used for small radius turns in the current where the objective is to maintain speed. Forward -- Stern Draw. Taking a forward stroke past the hip means the paddler is in a position to use a compound stroke that ends in a stern draw. For example, a forward stroke on the right tends to drive the bow to the left and a stern draw on the right brings the bow back toward the right. A common use of this stroke is a ferry-glide where the paddler wants to maintain a given angle relative to the current. In other situations, such as crossing an eddy, a strong forward stroke is carried well past the hip and ends in a rudder at the stern. The objective is to offset the turn caused by the eddy and keep the boat on its downstream invisible track. Stern Pry Stern Draw Stern Sweep. This is the compound stroke to use when front-surfing a smaller wave or hole. The objective is to get on upstream face of the wave and carve back and forth. Ferry out until you are on the face and angle the boat toward one end of the wave. Put the boat on its downstream edge (i.e., lean downstream) and adjust the angle using small stern prys and draws on the upstream side. Too much angle will shoot you out the opposite end and too little will bury the bow. When you reach the end, use a stern sweep to push the bow back toward the starting point. Now lean downstream again and use an upstream pry/draw to carve toward the starting point. Boat positioning is aided by shifting the center of gravity by leaning forward or backwards to keep the bow down or up. This video illustrates the basic ideas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzysrcba4ne&feature=relmfu High-Brace Rudder Stern Draw (the gliding draw ). The gliding draw is now taught as an alternative to the Duffek stroke. It is basically a high-brace rudder that ends using a stern draw. It can be used for entry to an eddy or exit from an eddy. A video for entry is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hejwk6cqsiy and for exit here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xutqu4aqd94 There are other compound strokes that use braces, draws, sweeps, and rudders as well as forward and reverse strokes. Experiment first on easy water and see if compound strokes don t add significantly to your paddling efficiency and fun on the water.
Resources: A few advanced books on slalom racing technique discuss several of these strokes and variations. An on-line resource is Chapter 3 of Bill Endicott s, Canoe Slalom E-Book: http://www.canoeicf.com/icf/worldclasscanoeing/development/canoeing- Books-Online/Canoe-Slalom-E-Book.html Upcoming Demo Night Planned: Sponsored by Tussey Mountain Outfitters July 5 th at 7 pm: Bald Eagle State Park Beach Video library. We are setting up a video library of kayaking and canoeing films for instruction and entertainment. The videos will be kept at board member Joe Rothrock s house; to borrow a video, members will pay a $20 deposit that will be returned when the video is returned. If you have any videos you d like to donate, or have suggestions for titles to purchase, please let Joyce know. CCCC has acquired 4 videos produced by Kent Ford at Performance Video (at a special reduced club rate). These will be available for rental at club meetings and more generally through Joe Rothrock. Here is the list: 1) "All About Kayaking" -- this is a general video that covers all aspects of kayaking for newbies; it would be good for Paddling 101-type programs. (60 min) 2) "Whitewater Self-Defense" -- an excellent video on fundamental safety problems and rescue techniques; award winning. 3) "The Kayak Roll" -- Ford's instructional video for rolling; the video that popularized the C-to- C roll. (55 min) 4) "The River Runner's Edge" -- a good video for the beginning whitewater boater; also covers rolling and safety. (104 min) 5) "Breakthur! & Kayaker's Edge" -- this is a 2-part video; the Edge is similar to River Runner (but shorter); it would be a good video for a program on whitewater paddling (58 min). The Breakthru is more advanced instruction for the intermediate and expert boater.
Membership Report: At the end of May, 2012, CCofCC has 88 household memberships, with a total of 176 members when spouses and other household paddlers are included. A bonus for CCofCC members: ACA [American Canoe Association] membership is discounted for CcofCC members. Annual dues are $40 per family rather than $60. For an indivdiual membership, it is $30 rather than $40 [$25 if you are a student or senior citizen]. There is an introductory rate for six months of just $15. See more about ACA at: http://www.americancanoe.org/ The Canoe Club of Centre County is a non-profit (301(C)(7)) group of paddlers of all ages, paddling skills, and paddling preferences. We are a Paddle America Club of the American Canoe Association. Club benefits include the CCofCC listserv access, web page forums access, trip and event notifications, a newsletter (Currents) and discounts at local retailers. We hope to have several indoor and outdoor gatherings, picnics, and parties this year, as well as paddling safety and rolling sessions. The CCofCC membership year runs from January through December. To those who have already renewed their membership for the current year thank you! For those who have not yet renewed their membership but have already completed a membership application and waiver form, you only need to send your 2012 dues (payable to the CCofCC) to PO Box 62, Lemont, PA, 16851. Annual dues are $20 per household. Applications are available from our website at www.ccofcc.org. There is a PayPal button on the web page. Currents is published for our members who are encouraged to contribute any noteworthy items prior to the next publication. If you ve been on a paddling trip outside the area, or outside the norm, or even inside the area and inside the norm; if you have photos, or found a nice video to share; if you have news to pass on regarding paddling in PA, or of upcoming events; if you have poems or a few lines of wisdom or an advertisement please email your Currents contributions to roxparrott@gmail.com. We reserve the right to edit all articles submitted. 2012 Canoe Club of Centre County officers and board members: President Joyce Furfaro Vice President Brian Gilbert Secretary Susan Hamburger Treasurer David Eggler Board Members Ed Bowman, Sarah Edge, Lynne Heritage, Helena Kotala, Jon Nelson, Joe Rothrock, Gary Thornbloom