Beginner Kayaking Clinic
| River: | Haw |
| Skill: | Beginner |
| Trip Date: | 04/23/2016 |
The CCC Beginner Kayaking Clinic was held this past weekend. I was assisted by Ian Pond and we had three students in attendance, Cyndy Falgout, Frank Mueller, and Rachel Force.
Saturday the instruction was at Vista Point on Jordan Lake. The morning began with the usual introductions as well as the goals of each student for the clinic. Under the picnic shelter, we reviewed the big five (helmet, spray skirt, PFD, paddle, and boat) and the proper use of each. This included how to pick up and carry a kayak, how to empty a kayak, placement of the kayak on a car, how to secure it to the car, parts of the kayak, proper fit of a PFD, reasons to wear a PFD, proper fit of the helmet & always strapped, impotance of the grab loop being out, types of paddles (straight vs. bent shaft), paddle orientation. Students were introduced to "Paddling Can Be Teriffic Fun" as a device to remember Posture, Cube, Balance, Traction, and Focus. Safety and river rescue priorities were discussed including the environmment (wind, waves, weeather, and water), safe swimming position, agressive swimming, dealing with strainers, rope positioning to pendulum to shore, whistle signals, paddle signals, etc. We also talked about additional gear from throw ropes to knives and whistles and everything in between. Diagrams were drawn of various river features and how to recognize them (waves, holes – both happy and frowned, Vs, horizon lines, sieves, strainers, etc.). Plugs were put in for WOR, CCC, ACA, and AW as well as signing up for a swift water rescue course.
After lunch, we went to the lake and learned wet exits, bow rescues (both giving and receiving), strokes (forward, reverse, sweep, reverse sweep, stern draw, draw, sculling draw, rudder), J lean, edging and carving, eddy turns, ferries, and peel outs. Two of the students already had their rolls and practiced them a bit.
Sunday, we took on the mighty middle Haw at 850 cfs and had a grand time working on reading the river, ferries, eddy turns, peel outs, surfing (Frank will probably be looking for a play boat soon). On one occasion we got to practice a river rescue. Wildlife sightings included a number of turtles, herons, at least one snake, cormorants, and a bald eagle!
Every one of the students did remarkably well and are itching to get back on the water, so please be sure to help them continue with their growth in the wonderful world of kayaking.
Kurt McKissick aka Cleatus T. Bass