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November 2000 Volume XII Issue 5 Abridged Edition |
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Articles
Editor’s CommentsBy Tom Todd This is my first effort at dual publishing this newsletter. Due to printing and postage costs, I am limiting the printed version which I mail to 12 pages which will go for 33 cents. Without cost restrictions, the on-line version of this issue is much longer with more pictures in color and much more text in many of the stories. You can get it from our web site www.nhamcpaddlers.org. I'm hoping many members will choose to down load and print out the on-line version instead of getting this issue in the mail. I am also hoping to get stories and other contributions from others as I like reading other's stories too and people will get bored of my doing all the writing. I would also like a variety of articles such as day trips, river descriptions, sea kayaking trips, paddling techniques., etc. Upon special request I will print black and white versions of the full newsletter for those who cannot get it any other way. Annual Fall MeetingIt's time again for the annual NH AMC Paddlers Fall Meeting and Pot Luck Dinner. Last year we had a great turn out with everyone having such a good time it was hard to get the brief meeting started. ... and the food was fantastic. Amoskeag Fishways, Manchester, NH The Fishways are next to the Amoskeag Bridge in Manchester. Directions are at http://www.psnh.com/fishways/directns.htm Our Fall Meeting is a great opportunity to share your paddling experiences, talk about great rivers and ponds you've found, and plan next year's trip schedule. It's also the place where we elect our officers and leaders for the coming year. If you can, bring a dish that you would like to share, perhaps an entree, dessert, or salad (don't forget a serving utensil). We won't have facilities to reheat entrees, so put anything hot in a cooler (hmmm.... yes, it works). We'll supply the plates, cutlery, cups, napkins, and beverages. If you want, bring pictures to show and equipment to sell or give away. If you have a boat that you're selling, throw it on your car! This is a great time to swap equipment. See you there! Thoughts from the Co-ChairsBy Tom Gelinas and Dennis Belliveau The Annual Meeting of the NH AMC Paddlers is nearly upon us. The meeting is an opportunity for us to celebrate our successes and triumphs of the past year, and to plan our activities and ventures for next year. We hope that all who can attend, will attend. Perhaps volunteer to chair an activity, sign up to lead or co-lead trips on your favorite rivers (or at a minimum, ask that it be placed on the schedule). We urge you to get involved…the rewards far outweigh the effort. Contained in this edition of the WrapAround is a recap of our activities for year 2000. Please read that article. In retrospect, what we did as a group is impressive...and all of it was done by folks who volunteered to participate…and had a great time while doing it. Some of the activities went beyond our normal mode of operations. But folks who had a vision…a desire to try something…got a little help from others…and succeeded. Is there anything YOU would like to see the club do; is there an activity you would like to implement? Before we scare you off, please remember the following. We are a volunteer group. Nobody is going to twist your arm or bamboozle you into participating. But the other side of the coin is that participating with people you enjoy being with, laughing with, and maybe working just a little with, offers a tremendous payback to the participant. We urge you to get involved for anything that will allow you to “play” with your friends, the NH AMC Paddlers. Report of the NH AMC Paddlers Year 2000 Submitted by Co-chairs Tom Gelinas and Dennis Belliveau [Note: The following recap of our year 2000 successes was submitted to our parent organization, the NH Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club, for publication in the latter’s Eightieth Annual Report. It is by no means all inclusive, but it does call attention to the tremendous and varied efforts of our volunteers. 2000 was a busy and productive year; thanks to all who made it happen.] Report of the NH AMC Paddlers Year 2000Whitewater School The NH-AMC Paddlers conducted a very successful Spring Whitewater School. Our objective at this school is to introduce experienced flatwater paddlers to Class II whitewater. The school accepts students for instruction in tandem open canoe, solo open canoe and kayak paddling. Club support for this venture was phenomenal. Over 60 of our members turned out to help teach, lecture, cook, act as safety patrol, and show a warm welcome to the 30-plus students who attended. We follow up the instructional weekend with a spring paddling schedule that includes Class II trips for the seven week-ends after the school. We had a large number of students return to paddle with us through the spring and summer, and earn their Class2 ratings. The School Committee, under the leadership of Bruce Healey, deserves a hearty round of applause for their efforts and success. The committee, the planners, the kitchen crew, the instructors, the logistics personnel, and the countless other volunteers ... so many people working together. The school is definitely our largest and most complex undertaking; our thanks and congratulations to the folks who made it happen. Class II+ Instruction With the aid of our Class III and IV paddlers, Paul Berry led an instruction trip for Class II paddlers seeking to improve their paddling skills and perhaps move up a level in their rating. The focus of the class was to work on river maneuvers such as ferries, eddy turns, and peel outs. Also covered were paddling stroke efficiency, bracing, and using the flow of the river to the paddler’s advantage. The workshop was held on the Contoocook, in Henniker, and finished with an exciting journey through the old (broken) dam below the town…a Class III drop. Rescue School Paul Berry again conducted a Rescue School for the WW paddlers in June. Self-rescue, swimmer/boat rescue, and throw rope techniques were demonstrated and practiced. Bracing techniques were stressed; proper application of the high/low brace will allow the paddler to avoid many a “boat-over” experience. The workshop was well received by all. Leadership Training Trip Leaders: Faith Knapp, the NH-AMC Paddlers’ Leadership Chair, held a Trip Leader workshop at her home in April, 2000. Over twenty-five trip leaders, co-leaders and leaders-in-training attended this session. The discussions were lively and informative, and stressed the concepts of river safety and logistics. All participants felt the session was very worthwhile. First Aid: Dennis Belliveau hosted a first-aid/safety workshop in Manchester this past June for trip leaders. Faith Knapp conducted training in how to recognize/treat threat’s to the paddlers’ well being (hypothermia, dehydration) as well as first-aid techniques for injuries sustained on the river. Safety and prevention techniques were stressed throughout the session. It was a very helpful and informative workshop. Out-Reach Programs 4H Beginners: The primary objective of this program was to introduce 4H families to paddling NH waterways. NH-AMC personnel provided a morning of instruction in canoe paddling techniques and water safety in a flatwater environment, and then led/monitored the group on a quick-water run in the afternoon. Inner City Youth Program: Julia Steed Mawson coordinated a canoe program for Manchester inner city youth. On-the-water sessions were held on Tuesday evenings during June and July. NH-AMC Paddlers provided canoes and instruction for upwards of eighteen teenagers on the Piscataquog river, just above the Kelley Dam. PSNH TripPublic Service of New Hampshire, through the folks at the Amoskeag Fishways, offers a "paddling trip for beginners" to residents of Greater Manchester. The NH-AMC Paddlers support this effort as a way of repaying the PSNH for the use of the Fishways facilities for our Annual Business Meeting and our Spring Scheduling meeting. Supporting this effort also gives our organization visibility to new paddlers... and an opportunity for us to get together socially on the river. Our commitment is to provide tandem boats, paddling gear, and experienced paddling partners for each of the novice participants. This year’s venture was a success; the "novices" were grateful for the experience...both in terms of the paddling and their increased awareness of the river as a recreational resource. WrapAroundThe NH-AMC Paddlers entered the year 2000 with a high-tech objective. We wanted to get our newsletter, the WrapAround,, on-line. Electronic newsletters allow paddlers to get more news, color photos of events, and timely postings of schedules, while the organization saves substantial monies on printing and postage. We initiated this program this past summer. As soon as the WrapAround is ready, it is posted on-line in both Word 97 format as well as in standard web format. On-line paddlers receive email indicating the newsletter is available. Although we are just beginning this process, and don’t have everybody on board yet, we are quite excited about the prospects it holds for timely communications, not just for the WrapAround, but for other chapter activities. Our thanks to Tom Todd and Phil Sego for spearheading this activity. We have had a very busy and productive year. Our volunteers undertook many key activities, and produced some amazing results. In several instances, we truly stretched and “went outside the box”. We undertook several new initiatives, such as our outreach efforts and on-line postings. At the same time, we have continued (and improved upon) our traditional programs of training and leader development. It has been a pleasure and honor over this past year to work with so many fine and giving people. NH AMC Paddlers' New Web SiteBy Linda Gardner The NH AMC paddlers group now has its own web site: The site is intended for both existing and potential members, and will include basic information about the organization, a regularly updated trip schedule, articles and pictures from the Wraparound, safety tips, links to other organizations, and much more. The web site committee is soliciting photos from the membership - we will scan them (and return them safely) and build a terrific picture gallery of your trips both in New England and around the world. We are also soliciting testimonials - your descriptions of why this is such a great group to paddle with - to post on the site and attract new members. You can send pictures and testimonials to Tom Todd by mail or email. Read All About It!!!!! WrapAround Goes On-lineNH Paddlers Get More News & Color Pictures The WrapAround is now available on-line with more photos, links to additional information, longer stories, and up to the minute schedule, and much more. Without the limitations of black and white and cost of printing and mailing, we will add a lot more to the on-line version than what we squeeze into the printed version that gets mailed out. We will store the WrapAround on our web site in both Word 97 (Zipped and Unzipped) format as well as in standard web (HTML) format so that you can access it anytime. Since the WrapAround contains names, phone numbers, and email addresses, access to it will be protected by passwords so that only members can access it. Save the Group Money The WrapAround costs about $1.32 for each copy mailed. We would like members with internet access to help us save money by getting their WrapAround on-line. This would free up funds for purchase of equipment and other functions of the group. If you have a color printer, you will be able to print your WrapAround out in color if you so desire. As soon as the WrapAround is ready, it will be put on-line. Each on-line reader will get an email indicating the WrapAround is available and they can get the WrapAround before they would have received it in the mail. This is much more efficient that emailing the WrapAround because of email size limitations and the fact that all email has to be coded in ASCII which blows the file into a much larger size. Sign Up for the On-line WrapAround Please send Tom Todd an email [see contact list] indicating that you would like to receive the WrapAround on-line. I will flag that you want email notification of when the WrapAround is available on-line and we will save the cost (and time) of mailing you a WrapAround. You may also indicate that you want the WrapAround on-line by indication so on the enclosed reply card. Please return your reply card or use the online form in the members section. NH AMC Paddlers CookbookBirthday Gift? Holiday Gift? The most popular books in the bookstore are cookbooks. They make one of the most universal gifts for any occasion. How about a cookbook that is a personal gift that has your recipes? What better gift? … and you get to support your favorite charity/activity. Please help support the WrapAround and NH AMC Paddlers by contributing recipes for our cookbook. We may also include paddling pictures of the 5 paddlers submitting the most recipes. In addition to party food, meals, soups, appetizers, desserts, etc. we would like to include tips for paddling lunches, touring meals, camp cooking recipes and times, food drying, packing, and storage, and suggested provisioning for paddling trips. Those of you with experience in this area encouraged to contribute. Let's make this a great reference book. To stimulate people's thinking here is a list of possible sections and ideas. In addition to party stuff we would like to orient the book towards paddling and paddling trips for some of the information. Section 1: Home and Party Recipes
Section 2: Paddling Food
Send those recipes and food tips to Carol-Anne or Judy Gannon (see contact list). Prayer to the Ancient River GodsSubmitted by Rod Dore I got this prayer off a tee shirt.
Rescue School -- A Great DayBy David Moore I knew it was going to be a good day. I had heard rave reports about Paul Berry's rescue school last year. On Saturday, the temperature was warm, and the sun was shining when we gathered to start the day. Not only was there a large group, but the heavy hitters showed up also, like Tom Todd, Bruce Healy, and Bill Loman. We started off working in and on the water, bumping canoes to shore, towing canoes to shore, swimming canoes to shore, and trying to re-enter swamped canoes. Then we worked on high and low braces. I tried a few wimpy low braces to start and then tried to really commit myself by making sure that my hand closest to the canoe hit the water first, which made the low brace much more effective. You have to commit to make the low brace work well. In the afternoon we dumped some more canoes, ran the river, and gathered for practice with throw bags. Most of the throws were pretty good, although on one effort there were 6 lines in the water, all misses, and finally the 7th throw connected. A pretty lame effort, but we rallied and improved our accuracy and success rate. The day ended with a run down to the take-out and more canoes going over. I know we only touched on the basics of river rescue, but the lessons learned were good ones. Thank you Paul Berry, and Tom, Bill, and Bruce. It was a good day. By Tom Todd We had a great turnout for the Rescue School on Saturday, June 17th . The hot muggy morning was great for flipping boats and getting in a little swimming. The afternoon was punctuated with a ferocious wind and thunder storm spraying water over the dam as we looked up at it. I think everyone had a great time flipping over in their boats and then climbing back in or getting pushed to shore. Just of make it interesting I flipped in myself while others were being rescued … and of course I just had to play the part of a panicked swimmer by flipping a rescuer or two. At one point I was being rescued and I felt a canoe bow conking me on the head several times. I turned around to a big grin on Bruce Healey's face. Despite a valiant bracing effort, he soon joined me in the river. Later on it was time for the throwbag practice above the play hole. I must admit that I felt guilty letting John Jenkins be the first swim to be "rescued" by the throw ropes … he wasn't … after 6 or 7 throws missed, he desperately swam for shore and just barely made it before the hole. Even then Paul had to come rescue him since the rocks were too smooth and slippery to get out. Thank you for being a good sport John. The students who took the course were: In Tandem-- Debbie, Frazier, Kerry Frazier, Jeff Lamping, Mark Lamping, David Moore, David Ungar, Katherine Wheeler, and Chris Wheeler; In Solo Canoe -- George Bibler, Joe Correia, Nancy Gero, John Jenkins, Tom Sawyer, and Helen Selle; and in Kayak --- Dan Arnold. Paul Berry in a fine job of organizing and leading the instruction. Helping him instruct were Bruce Healey, Bill Lowman, Leslie Hollweg, and Tom Todd First Aid Course Completed by 10By Tom Todd Faith Knapp gave a brief one night first aid course at Dennis Belliveau's house in Manchester Wednesday night, June 28. This course was offered to trip leaders to improve their preparedness for medical emergencies on our trips and in the wilderness. We did a lot of role (victim) playing and also discussed the contents of a first aid kit. Faith mentioned that often what is sold in a commercial first aid kit is not appropriate or adequate so Faith discussed what to add and what to improvise. Taking the course were Julia Steed-Mawson, Bruce Healey, Barry and Mary Whittimore, Dennis Belliveau, Jim Lewis, Dick and Verniel Morin, Leslie Hollweg, and Tom Todd. Thank you Faith for a job well done. Class II+ InstructionBy Tom Todd OK, so you're tired of hearing me say it. We had a great turn out and a fantastic time Saturday, May 13 on the Contoocook River in Henniker with the Class II+ Instruction lead by Paul Berry. The morning session was on the quickwater above town, starting shortly after a hearty round of applause for me at I drove up late. We practiced strokes, peel outs, eddy turns and ferries. We ate lunch on the parking lot by the old railroad bridge pier. After lunch we launched again below town to try the class III rapids there. There was a nice ridge and rock line running across the river and all got a chance to play in the hole and ride the waves across the river. Lower the river gets a little more steep and people were making eddies all over the river in a big traffic jam. It was great to see so many boats playing from hole to hole. Almost everyone got out to scout the broken dam and run around and down through the large wave train at the bottom. I was impressed with the size of the waves and decided that it would be a good place to take people to practice for the large waves in the Grand Canyon. We had a great turn out. Students paddling in tandem in OC2s were Dick & Verniel Morin, and Debbie & Kerry Frazier. Students paddling solo in OC1s were George Bibler, Linda Gardiner, Tom Gelinas, Nancy Gero, Virginia Hoeffding, Leslie Hollweg, Mike Raymond, and Helen Selle. We also had a good turnout of K1 students. They were Debbie Giolito, Chris Hammond, Sean Reese, and Teresa Tutt, Helping out Paul Berry instructing were Bill Lowman, Bruce Healey, Faith Knapp, and Tom Todd School Students Submit Rating CardsBy Jerry Homer Since my last report I've received more rating cards. This makes twelve so far to date. Chris Dowling paddled on the White on 4/22 with Steve Moland and on the Pemi (Woodstock?) on 5/6 with Verniel. Nancy Gero paddled the White with Faith on 4/15 and 4/16 and with Paul Berry on the Contoocook on 5/13. George Bibler paddled on the White with Faith on 4/15 and with Faith and Paul on the 'tookie on 5/13. I've gotten a K1 rating card back from Jerry Monkman. I got a rating card for K1 Class 2 from Sean Reese. He paddled the White on April 16th with Faith and the "Lower Contoocook" with Bill Lowman on May 13th . Over the summer I received class II rating cards from Don Borenstein who took the 2000 spring school in an OC2 and from John Jenkins for a class II OC1 rating. Don paddled the Pemi-Woodstock with the Morins on May 6th and the Pemi-Bristol with Barry Whittemore on July 8th. John Jenkins, who has not done our school, paddled the White with Bruce on April 22nd, the Pemi-Woodstock with Brian MacAvoy on May 6th and the Pemi-Bristol with Bill Lowman on June 17th. I've sent them both water bottles and Don got his Whitewater School graduation certificate. Previously reported Nancy Gates was first to return a rating card with Reed MacNeilage, Dora Lisboa, David Neils, & Tim Clear following. NH AMC Paddlers Here I ComeBy Joe Corriea Great news I would like to share with you. After being away from New England and the NHAMCPADDLERS for 18 months, I could not take it anymore and I am coming back. It is true that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and no matter where you go, if you take your time, there is always something that pleases your senses of admiration and helps appreciate the magnificent work of the Creator, but New England is different. Now more than ever, I will be able to admire and enjoy the beautiful land where there are mountains, rivers, trees and an ocean. I will be able to once again enjoy the passion for canoeing, that all of you one way or another, helped instill in me. I am very happy to return and anxious to see you on the river. Rumors and RamblingsBy Tom Todd and other gossips I never thought that when I published Joe Correia's story about the Niobara River in Nebraska, that one of our members would paddle it, but that is what is happening. Ross and Jean McIntyre planned on paddling it as part of their trip out west to the paddle Green River in Colorado and then the Middle Salmon.. Ross has been thinking of a canoe trip on the Niobrara since he was a boy in Omaha. Sara Seager and Mike Wevrick went to the Soper River for 2 weeks and then probably spent a week on the Petawawa River in Ontario. Carl and Margie Shepardson took Mark Lamping and Tom Todd on a wilderness trip paddling the George River from it's source near Schefferville north of Labrador to Ungava Bay. Dave Sanford and Dennis Belliveau paddled the St. Croix with Alice Murphy and Fred Laing. They also did a fall foliage trip on the Moose River that also included the Morins, Attlia Farkas, David Moore, and Chris Coffin working on her soloing skills. Beverly Valley and David Moore paddled Magalloway River, W. Maine and Northern N.H. from Wilson's Mill 16 miles to Androscoggin River. Faith Knapp, Leslie Hollweg, and Tom Todd had to abandon a planned trip on the Salmon in Idaho due to the fires. Instead we paddled the Ashuapmushuan River in Northern Quebec. Chris Coffin had a great trip on the Mountain River in the NWT the last two weeks of August. They flew into the headwaters in the McKenzie Mountains and paddled down to the McKenzie River at Norman Wells. Huge water required the use of spray skirts of the time. There were 5 amazing canyons. The only tough thing was it was cold (30's) and wet (snow, sleet) most of the time which can happen in August. But we were prepared. 4 tandem boats. Paddling OpportunitiesThis column is to make the group aware of paddling opportunities that are outside of our normal scheduling process. The listings may include long trips or tours which need additional participants, people looking for people to plan and join a trip, paddlers looking for paddling partners, listing of proposed trips. The idea is to let people know what is going on and to make available paddling opportunities that might otherwise not be available. It is not a “personals” want ads list. Trips listed are NOT AMC trips and leaders may not have proper training. Please send me any notices for inclusion in this section. Paddle the Grand Canyon in June 2002. Come with me to paddle the Grand Canyon. This is a wonderful trip and I want to go back with a bunch of friends. The trip will take 16 days from Lee's Ferry to Lake Mead, the entire length of the Marble and Grand Canyons, 260 miles of the most breath taking scenery and muddy river as you will ever see. This will be commercially outfitted with a 35 foot raft, guide, helper, rescue kayaker, and paddling guide to cook for you and guide you down as you paddle a canoe or kayak. The raft is big enough to carry all food, your gear, and even all the canoes, so that on long stretches of flatwater we have the option of riding the raft. The trip contains flatwater, quickwater, easy rapids and some of the biggest waves you've ever seen. With the raft you always have the option of loading up your boat and riding the raft for any rapid your are uncomfortable paddling. The outfitter will supply you drybags, ammo cans, sleeping bags, tents, and cots or you can bring your own. Ok, now for the bad part … the cost … around $2700 plus $250 if you want to rent a boat. Hopefully we'll arrange to take our own boats out there to avoid the rental fee. Why pay all this money rather than take a private trip for $1800 or $2000? More time on the river, 16 days. More time to hike, relax, sleep, explore, paddle, photograph, and write in your journal. I've heard stories of people spending over 6 hours a day unpacking, cooking meals, cleaning up, setting up camp, and then packing it all up again themselves when they don't use a river guide. Why a guide and rescue kayaker? These people help you to build the confidence to paddle rapids you don't know by pointing out where to run them and being there in case you swim. It adds to your enjoyment and satisfaction of the trip. I have reserved a spot. Believe it or not, I got one of the last available for 2002. I need to put in a deposit to guarantee the spot. Let me know if you are interested. The raft is limited to 14 people. Although the option exists for participants to go as raft passengers, I would like to have most of the participants paddling. Initially I will limit non-paddlers riding the raft to 2 and they must be significant others of people paddling. Don't think this is too tough a river for you. Although it is big water, many people consider the Grand Canyon only class II and class III water with the exception of 3 or 4 easily portaged rapids. For more information, contact Tom Todd. Next Issue…. It's up to you!!!! I'm working on writing up my trips on the De Pas/George Rivers and on the Ashuapmushuan River. I got copious notes from each trip and I'm working on the stories. LAST ISSUE?????It’s free … but don’t miss out. We don’t charge for this so the only way we have of knowing if you’re still interested in receiving the WrapAround is for you to tell us. Send back the enclosed card today to remain on our mailing list.
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