We're into our second weekend of pool clinics at the Hockomock area YMCA in Franklin, about 45 minutes outside Boston. This is the first year we've used that pool and reports from Janet, who ran the first session, were that it's a great pool - large and warm so there's plenty of room and it's easy to stay in the water for a long time. An added benefit of Hockomock is that it also has a large outside door that leads directly to the pool.

As of today we still have some room in next week's clinics, and there's plenty of space in the Westfield Boys' Club pool in February. Hope to see you there!

As my friend Eric once said, if you ride your bike in a circle around a parking lot you get good at it.  Then you get bored, and then you try tricks.  Many of our paddling students become very comfortable running Fife Brook - catching eddies, making ferries and surfing waves - but what some don't realize is how good Fife Brook is for learning how to do cartwheels.  Here are some of my favorite spots for cartwheeling on this section:

Hangover Helper or Diamond Drill

Use the wave train to try wave wheels.  Wave wheels are often easier than other cartwheels because your boat has less water tension, so it rocks more easily.  Dial in the timing and you'll be swinging some great ends.

Use the river left pourover at the top of the big river left eddy to practice your double-pump initiations.  Use the current side to throw some good left ends.  This small ledge hole has plenty of punch to help encourage your bow down and you can often get two quick ends. 

Right Turn Riffles

Use the right turn just after Fisherman's Bend to practice more wave wheels along river left.  Be careful; this spot can be a little shallow if you get a real vertical end.

Freight Train / Hoosic Tunnel

Halfway down on river left there is small birch tree that leans into the water.  This marks a small really fast eddy on the left.  At the top of this eddy is a small ledge that can be doubled pumped along the eddyline - also a lefty spot.  This is a good spot to show off to the rafts; they always seem to catch me here.

Just before the bridge there is a pourover hole on the left.  Use the river left side of it to practice some right spins and ends.  It will kick you out to the middle if you initiate too far to the center.  Beware, this is one of the few spots that does have a head clunking rock just downstream of it on river left.  Make sure you tuck!

X-mass Tree

This is a nice deep area for practicing flatwater initiations.  Also check out the cliffs on river left.  The strange objects clinging to them and bobbing bow and stern alternately up and down happen to be fellow kayakers working on their torso rotation.

The Lemon Squeezer

Normally I'm not a fan of naming rocks, I like naming rapids, but I'll let this one slide because it's such a good spot.  These are the two large rocks on river right at the top of the rock garden.  This is an incredible leftie spot.  Use the micro eddy that forms along the river right side of the lower rock.  Once you start to dial in your cartwheels they will become endless here.  Let me know what your record is.  On the other eddy line is a very nice swirl for practicing righties.

The Rock Garden

Rock spins abound through this area.  I love using rocks as a way to practice the timing of the bow initiation.  As you spin and the bow begins to drop your reverse sweep needs to match the drop to keep the rotation coming around.  This section has great rocks for low and high angle spins.  One of my favorite rocks here is halfway down where there is a large slot with a large rock on the right.  On the left is a long dark colored rock that is about a foot above the water and perpendicular to the current.  The upstream face is vertical, and so will be the ends of your boat.

Miami Beach

I once told a student Miami Beach might not be as good as the real Miami Beach.  He hesitated a moment and then said, "it's better."  Use the wave train to practice wave wheels.

Krutiak Rapid

This is the last class II rapid before Zoar Gap.  Where the two channels come back together there is a side surfing hole on river right.  Try initiations to either side but beware the rock in the center.  It is also best to initiate slightly downstream from the seam of the hole.

Zoar Gap

The Gap boasts the most cartwheeling opportunities for the brave.  Try wave wheels before the entrance chute and also in the exit waves along the bottom right.  Use the pourover on river left before the entrance chute for some more leftie opportunities.  At the top of the challenging entrance chute and top river left eddy is a powerful ledge hole for some quick lefties but it will spit you out and send you into the middle of the Gap quickly.  The bottom left has another nice leftie spot if you work your way back up along the rock wall as high as you can get, then initiate.  The eddy on river right near the bottom across from the surfing wave has a high eddy fence that is a good righty spot for the bigger boats.

Mini Gap

Check out the small play hole on the right across from the large center rock.  This hole is great for righties on the river left corner.  When you flush off for the last time you can throw a big rock spin on the round rock just below it.  Beware, because the next rock just below it on the right is undercut along the bottom and tends to collect some deep underwater debris.

The next section down

Sometimes tubers know best.  Although most paddlers take out at the Gap, and the tubers put in there, the next section down has some great early-on play.  There are a couple rock gardens where super fun rock splats and spins abound.  Have fun looking at the river in a new light on your next run down!

- Jim Sullivan

 

So it’s that time of year again.  The time when the weather is showing us a few more warm days, and the rivers are still full of water.  It’s also the time of year when head games can get the best of those trying to learn the elusive combat roll.  This article is all about conquering fears of rolling in whitewater and understanding which currents will help or hurt combat rolls.  So let’s pull out the gear from the tupperware and put it back into action.

First things first: get comfortable with the idea of hanging out upside down in cold water.  Dress warm, go to the local river and practice rolling.  Cold water is often a partial cause for the lifting-of-the-head syndrome.  Wear a head beanie and ear plugs and stay relaxed through that shock of hitting the water.  Relaxation helps to keep movements fluid and the head will be the last thing out of the water.  Just as studying for a test works best when the material is studied in the same place as the test, rolling works best when practiced in as close to actual conditions as possible.

Once your stationary roll becomes super consistent, then there is no need to practice it anymore.  It is time to work on ways to improve your combat roll.  Begin by targeting your biggest weaknesses.  Do you struggle with wave trains, holes, eddy lines, fear from rapids, shallow water, or just frustration?    

There are several ways to practice combat rolls in flatwater and whitewater.  The key to all the rolls is to control movements even though the water is trying to pull your body out of position.  The real key is to do the same roll that you practice on flatwater: relax, set-up, sweep and hip-snap, finish position and stabilization.

First start with your paddle pointing forward and flip with momentum.  Also paddle straight against some current, or downstream through a wave and then flip.  This will cause the water to try and pull you backwards and out of the tuck position.  If you practiced your sit-ups over the winter, hopefully it will pay off here.  In the river this sort of flip occurs when you hit a hole or wave and get pushed backwards.  It also occurs during enders.  Relax, tuck forward and towards the set-up side and roll - same advice as usual.  If you struggle with this roll try stationary rolls and flip with your paddle and body in non-setup contorted positions; practice unwinding underwater and go to your setup position. 

Another technique for rolling from the backseat, which happens in many reaction style flips, is called the back deck roll.  A back deck roll starts from the stern and ends up sitting forward at the finish. 

The next phase is to have a mean friend spin the bow of your boat away from your set-up.  The beginning of the roll is easier because the sweep stroke initiates from the spin.  The finish position will be harder, because the sweep will want to continue to the stern.  Don’t let it.  Sweep the same as without momentum - bow to hip.  Once you are comfortable with this go to an eddy line, spin on it in the direction you just practiced and then flip and roll.  You need to prevent the slight suction from the eddyline from pulling your front hand or body down and you need to maintain a smooth sweep across the surface of the water.

Now have a friend push your bow towards the set-up side.  It is really hard to maintain your set-up position during this drill.  Your options are to:

• Fight to maintain the setup and wait out the push. 
• Switch to the other side and do an offside roll. 
• Try one roll quickly and after it fails try a second one which might work because the spin is gone due to the first attempt.  This drill simulates flipping on an eddyline. 

Eddylines can be among the more challenging places to roll, and first roll attempts sometimes fail here even with very solid rolls.  Perfect practice makes perfect so for sloppy rolls turn down the force until it looks pretty.  For good rolls crank up the current until it’s a challenge!

Next have the same helper push your boat in the center on the same side that you are set up on.  The helper will need long arms to reach over your setup paddle.  The more practice you get rolling with the boat moving around the more comfortable you will be.  This drill is helpful because it brings you up to the surface on your setup side.  This is very similar to rolling on the downstream side of a hole.  Do it.  It is also similar to rolling on the downstream side after peeling out from an eddy.  Do it.  Choose non-shallow areas in the current and, Do it.  If you struggle with this, go back to working on the stationary roll and remember: practice, practice, practice.

The next step is to have your helper push in the middle of your kayak on the side opposite from the set-up side.  Unlike the last helpful roll, this one is a beast.  Ask somebody how hard it is to roll on their upstream side in a hole, and they’ll probably say impossible.  That’s this drill.  Your options here are to:

• Go to the other side and try an offside roll on the downstream side.  If that fails go back to trying the onside. 
• Try to take an underwater sweep / forward stroke to spin the boat to the onside and then roll. 
• Try and roll.  Even if it fails it might spin the boat enough that the second one will work. 
• After trying many attempts, swim.  This is always an option.  We are all in between swims.  Accept this as a fact, and again know that this is a hard drill.  This is also very similar to being upside down and broached on a rock.  When  trying these in current pick a weak but deep hole and a very non-undercut rock.  Less then Class I current will suffice. 

Now for an easier drill:  have a friend push up and down on the bow or stern or both.  They should let go when they feel you start to hip snap.  This simulates rolling in a wave train.  Timing can be important; try to roll when the bow is high, not the stern and fight to stay in the set-up position.  In an actual wave train, rebalancing is important, so at the end of the roll you should bring your weight aggressively forward to stabilize the boat and then take a forward stroke.  Also in a wave train it is often easiest to roll on the downstream side of the wave.  This is one time that waiting in the set-up until you feel the wave break over your boat can help.  In most other combat rolling situations rolling quickly is the way to go.  Find wave trains with no obstructions downstream to practice this.

Shallow water can be frightening, but it can actually make rolling easier.  Trust in your protective tuck.  The mistake people often make is to try and use the river bottom.  Just because it’s there doesn’t mean it stays in one spot.  Diving the paddle to the bottom can easily result in a broken paddle and hurt shoulders.  It is safer to roll on the upstream side when in shallow water, but this is often not a choice.  Think about rolling the same as in flatwater - keep the paddle sweeping on the surface with no resistance.  If the paddle happens to hit something it will probably give you an extra advantage.  If you try to use the bottom it will likely force your upper body out of the water and it won’t work.  Keep relaxed, don’t waste time, roll quickly and smoothly.

Frustration is one of the biggest barriers to rolling.  There’s not too much to say about it except that you need to recognize its onset and take a break from practicing rolls until you can relax underwater again.  Kayaking is all about the enjoyment of the sport; don’t let rolling slow that enjoyment down.  It is plenty of fun with or without a roll.  Rolling will come with practice and time in the saddle, so don’t give up on it.  Practice with different instructors.   Some instructors will work better for you than others.  Remember that it is just plain difficult to roll in some situations.  Practice drills that make rolling easy, build up confidence gradually, and start with very mild currents. 

Once you develop a solid combat roll your confidence will grow, and you’ll be able to push your skill limits.  There is no better feeling than when it clicks and feels solid.  Have fun developing a bombproof roll! 

Jim

The 5-college Outdoor Festival brings students and community members together to celebrate the great outdoors and have a bit of fun while doing it.  For the past 7 years Zoar Outdoor has brought a trailer full of boats and instructors to assist anyone interested in finding out more about the sport and this year the pool was busy!

Our instructors, Bruce, Cory, Brian, Elaine, Dennis, Hillary and I, were available for instruction and boat demos.  Everyone participated, from total beginners just learning how to be comfortable in a kayak to experienced paddlers learning to cartwheel.

Most people were there to sharpen their rolls or get coaching on more advanced moves.  It was great to have a variety of kayaks and canoes to try in one place.  What great fun!  Some folks actually stayed for 6 hours, so I guess if you’re not outside enjoying the snow you might as well be in a warm pool tossing ends watching the snow fall outside.   There was much giggling and a number of “ah ha” moments.

Although the weather forecast was for cold, Friday night’s keynote speaker, pro-boater  Anna Levesque, got a warm reception from the audience.  Her presentation “Kitchen Girl to Girls at Play!” chronicled her life actually making a living doing what she loves.  She entertained the audience with many stories of her journey from working in a kitchen to building her company ‘Girls at Play’.  She also showed photos from her travels to Mexico, Ecuador, New Zealand, Australia, Costa Rica, and Spain.

Saturday’s events culminated with MountainFilm, America’s premier touring film festival, from the Telluride MountainFilm Festival which celebrates the outdoors and mountain adventures. The tour “combines adventure, mountaineering, unique personalities and important environmental and social messages” into a presentation geared toward an audience with broad interests.  

This year’s event held special meaning for many of us. The goal was to help raise awareness, support and donations to fight Ovarian Cancer and support the HERA Cancer Connection and the Kathy Kyker-Snowman Outdoor Leadership Fund for Women.    

For thirty years, Kathy Kyker-Snowman devoted her professional life to inspiring students of all ages to discover their strengths through energetic outdoor adventuring. Kathy was known for her enthusiasm, her welcoming smile and acceptance of others without judgment, her perpetual devotion to learning and teaching others, her physical strength and fearlessness and skilled and joyful ability to lead.

At just 52 Kathy lost her vibrant life to cancer, and outdoor education lost an exemplary leader. In her memory, a fund was started by Kathy’s family, friends and associates to keep her spirit alive. The fund provides grants to support young women outdoor leaders in their efforts to enhance their professional skills. The fund is open to women who are students at the 5 Colleges or Greenfield Community College, who have demonstrated interest in teaching in the outdoors.

I am excited to announce that $30,000 has been raised for the HERA Cancer Connection and the Kathy Kyker-Snowman Outdoor Leadership Fund for Women.   

If you are interested in finding out more or if you want to donate, please contact either Bob Garmirian or Glenna Alderson at Hampshire College, 413-549-4600

Enjoy Life and giggle whenever possible.

Janet Burnett Cowie - Director of Instruction Programs, Zoar Outdoor