HRL Paddlefest Website is Officially Launched

HRL Paddlefest announced the launching of their website today. Readers will find on going posts leading up to the festival.

Keeping in spirit with the Paddlefest "HRL Paddlers" is donating a new kayak to be raffled off for the event. Tickets can be purchased through Great Outdoor Provision Company. in Winston-Salem. Raffle tickets can also be purchased through any HRL Paddler member or on the days of the event. A drawing for the new kayak will be held on the last day of the event. You don't have to be present to win. Ticket prices are as follows: 1 ticket for $2, 3 tickets for $5, 7 tickets for $10. All proceeds will go directly to Camp Walter Johnson.

HRL Paddlers would like to extend a special thanks to Great Outdoor Provision Company for their participation in this event.

Hello, My Name is Terry and I'm a Kayakholic

It was a rare "No Paddle Saturday"


Our group didn't have an excursion Saturday. The weather was perfect and I admit that I did miss paddling. This was the first Saturday I have spent off the water in months. I spent my day "paddling in paint" and it's not the same.

"Life without a paddle" on the weekend is proving to be a very difficult time for some of us. The thought of not being able to view a new slide shows on the HRL Paddler website in the coming week, is unimaginable and only adds to the pain of a missed paddle.

It's during time like these that we need to rely on the support of the " non-paddlers" or the " I haven't got the time to paddle paddlers". These groups can remind us that the serenity, euphoric feelings and laughs one experiences on these outings is just a temporary fix and can never carry a paddler beyond the next outing. The euphoria one gets while tripping with a paddle group is one of those life illusions. The memories they help create can't really add any meaning or enjoyment to one's life. "No Paddlers" and the "I haven't time to paddle paddlers" can always assure you of this. Sometimes their other friends the "I'll do it tomorrows" and "Some of us have to work" will chime in with them.

It seems our group has become a haven of sorts for kayakholics. Below is a letter from an anonymous member who goes by the name Terry. The first step to recovery is admitting there is a problem. Terry admits his problem. We commend him for taking this first step. Terry's biggest hurdle will be avoiding the July 5th excursion. We know this is on one of his favorite runs. Hopefully you can help him avoid the sign up sheets posted on our site. Remind Terry paddling 9.2 miles through 9 rapids is torture and what he feels is really pain. A distance like that should only be attempted by automobile. Only a mad man would attempt it by water. I know Terry has a long way to recovery and perhaps if I take his place on the water July 5th, that's a start. "I'm here for you Buddy and I know your pain , just give me your boat".

Thank you for allowing me to join Kayakers Anonymous:

My name is Terry and I have been dry for seven days now.It has been a week since my last paddle and the withdrawals are terrible, but with your help I can make it through this.

Please keep my friend Fran in mind as we struggle through these tough days.She was using the water with me at least once a week, sometimes we would be on the water for 6 hours or more at a time.I think I may have enable her addiction by encouraging her to paddle and use the water with me.There have even been times that I drove her to get to water in some very secret backwoods locations, just so we could use it together.I fear that my weakness may have caused me to get others addicted to the water habit. Several have gone and bought their own boats to use the water with.Some paddlers even share the same boat at once just to get their fix in.

If you suspect any of your friends or loved ones may have this problem, they can seek free help at HRL Paddlers.I hear they are a great support group for addicted paddlers and regular users of the water.You can find them at www.hrlpaddlers.com .

Good Luck and Thank You for your support.

Terry

The Dangers of a Low Head Dam

It happens every year, on rivers in almost every state. It happened in Iowa five times in 2007—twice in the same dam. In Illinois it happened six times, 13 times since 2006. At least 59 people have drowned this decade in low-head dams, says Bruce Tschantz, a retired University of Tennessee civil engineering professor, who keeps statistics on dam-related accidents. Watch the videos below and click here to read the complete article from Paddler Magazine on the dangers of Low Head dams.

Our 3rd view of Saturday's Excursion through Terry's lens

Terry's contribution to our group is priceless. Not only does he find those without boats, boats to use, he also takes the time and effort transporting the boats from site to site. You never hear him complain. Now if there ever was a Mr. HRL Paddler 2008, Terry would get my vote many times. His perspective through the camera is unique too. You will find that his attention to the smallest detail never goes unnoticed. I hope you enjoy his album like I have.

A Sheila's View of our Reedy Creek to 64 excursion

I'm always amazed at the photos others in our group take. Below is Sheila's camera view of our Saturday excursion from Reedy Creek to 64. Terry's album will appear in tomorrow's post.

You will find that even though we traverse the same course, each photo album we post are different. Sheila catches the" face on the rock or the trumpeter lilies". There is so much natural beauty that surrounds us on these trips and we want you the viewer to get an idea of what each of us is seeing from the time we launch, until the time we take out.

I find that when my camera is in the movie mode, I miss some of the best still photos of the day. If not for members like Sheila and others who take photos, these moments would be lost. Their still photos capture the essence of that very moment. I hope you enjoy Sheila's view of Saturday's excursion.

Pictures from Saturday's Excursions

The photos we take always tell a better story than I possibly could. The comments that accompany are only meant to enhance your viewing experience. My suggestion is to click on the music player below while you watch the slide show. I will post Sheila's photos Tuesday and Terry's on Wednesday.

Reedy Creek to 64- "Lots of Fun"

Yesterday's excursion was a blast. The 6.4 mile paddle went by fast. Even though it took 4 hours, we spent a lot of time playing and wading in some of the 8 rapids we encountered. We will post our photo albums and videos of our excursion starting tomorrow.

We had numerous highlights of the day. The picture you see on the left (right to left) is of Harry, Terry, me and Eli(new member, from the Woodleaf Scout Troop). This was of the poses for our upcoming 2009 HRLPaddlers Calendar. Harry wanted to do the full Monty, but we thought it might prove to be more even embarassing, but then again maybe not.

One of the highlights of the day had to be Linda's run through the rapids. I was only able to catch the last half of her run on video. In way it's good that I was only able to film the last half. The first part would definitely had to have been bleeped. When Linda saw the tree coming toward her face, the words Oh S*** were, repeated many times.

Another highlight had to be when Terry actually stepped in the water a little to far while taking photos of the group coming down the rapids. I think Dana was concerned more about safety of the camera than that of her husbands. I was near him, so naturally I laughed when I saw almost completely disappear under the water with his camera held high.

Our most daring highlight of the day had to be Fran's impromptu run down a seemingly
impassable section of a class 2. She made it through with ease, however the pressure she exhorted on one of her foot struts caused it to break. We all laughed when she told us she was trying to apply brakes. In order to save the men's dignity and not be out done, I followed the same run without breaking any parts of the boat. Men's dignity now saved, we all proceeded on.

Below is a video of Linda's encounter with a tree in the water. These trees are referred to as "Sweepers" in the canoe/kayak world. This is because when combined with swift water, they can actually take you right off your boat. Having dodged the earlier "big round bare tree branch that was about 15 inches in diameter"only moments before by using the "oh s*** maneuvers, Linda actually found some relief in the leafy sweeper tree. She proceeded to do some pruning, before emerging safely with some of her dignity still in tact. Linda's boat was now sporting a new floral arrangement and got rave reviews from everyone in our group. This all made for a great day on the water for the group.

If the video doesn't show please click here to play

Yadkin River- Reedy Creek to Hwy 64 Bridge

Saturday's run should be a fun one . Our excursion is only 6.4 miles to the Hwy 64 bridge take out. Even at the slowest Paddling and playing around we should be through by noon, before thunderstorms set in. This is the perfect half way point between Idol's Dam and Reedy Creek to 64 paddle. Since there is no launch access at Idols Dam, the Tanglewood paddle in the upcoming weeks will be from the 158 Bridge. It's about 5.5 miles to Idols Dam from this Point, before we have to Portage.

We launch in the back country near Reedy Creek, via the courtesy of a private property owner. This is back in the stick's so to speak and you could very well hear Banjos if you listen close enough. Approximately .8 mile downstream we will encounter our largest rapid of the day, a Class 4(just kidding) maybe a 2 if we are lucky. There should be 6 others along the way, but they all appear to be class 1's. If you don't spill out of your boat in the first mile, chances are you won't the rest of the way. Some of us will meet at Tarheel Q for Breakfast at 6:30 and the rest at 7, in the Tarheel Q Parking Lot for shuttling.

Click each image to see larger view

Saturday's trip down the Yadkin.- Fran's Testimony

Fran has one of the best attitudes of any paddler in our group. She never misses an excursion. Her testimony below is very touching. Paddling is the best way to connect to the meaning of life, Fran's testimony is an affirmation of that. HRL Paddler's wants to thank Fran for allowing us to post the letter she wrote us. Fran is from New York and I remember her wearing a "I love New York Tee Shirt " a few weeks back, with a slight modification. She had crossed out the word "New York" and wrote in "HRL Paddlers". We are honored to know she thinks that much of our group. I've posted the video Below as tribute to one of HRL Paddlers finest members.

Saturday's trip down the Yadkin.

I am constantly amazed by the wonder we have in our back yards. Paddling on the river, with friends, is more than I ever expected when I joined this group. I haven't missed a trip yet, I'm too afraid I will miss something.

There are so many different levels of enjoyment and I think that is what makes these experiences a treasure.

It's certainly a time of fellowship, not only with other paddlers, but with God and His great gifts. What an opportunity to get to know each other and Him.

Fun, fun and more fun.

You can hear us laughing up and down the river. No tension, no stress, just beauty and unlimited good times. This is also a place and time where families gather. For some of us, our children are growing up. Who knows how long we have to share each other's joy. As our kids get older, they aren't always around. They're off having their own adventures, as it should be. But, the times we can still share these moments are precious and HRL Paddlers has provided this.

At the beginning of the run I stood on the fish weir and I could almost see the Indians, poised to catch their fish. Wondering who and how this was built and realizing it was not the work of one or two men, but a group that built it for survival, I felt humbled. Later, down the river a ways, I was in the middle of the group, having lost sight of those in front and behind. I took a few minutes to beach my Yak and stand on an outcropping of rock, waiting for signs of Neal and Terry. Looking up and down river, I felt like I could have been waiting for travelers on the Yadkin when this waterway was actually used for transportation. It was so peaceful and I was so alone, just waiting. And then I saw the flash of their paddles and I was back in 2008, using the walkie-talkie.

I really want to thank everyone who participates in these excursions. Organization and communication is work. Hauling Yaks up and down the road takes effort and commitment. Explaining portages to someone as challenged as I am, takes patience.

My family and I moved to Salisbury in 2001 and the move was difficult, but finding this group, these people, this river, and my church, has planted us and this is my home.

Thanks to all of you.

Fran

Terry's Pictures from Saturday- 64 to 801

Video of Our Yadkin 64-801 Run

The video below is a series of strung together clips from 2 different cameras I was using at the time. The view of access and parking area hopefully gives a visitor an idea of what to expect upon arrival. The walk down the portage trail should give a kayaker or canoeist an idea of path and distance they have to travel to the water.

Once we get to the actual launch area, there is great video footage of the rapids we encountered. This would make a great morning excursion for anyone. The shuttle distance between 64 and 801 is less than 10 minutes. A non stop paddle will get you there in under 3 hours, but since there is so much to see and enjoy, one could easily stretch it out into 5 or 6 hours.

You could easily make a day at rapid no. 6 for the whole family. This class one plus is very enjoyable. You can loop around over and over, just like a giant water slide. The river splits, so going back the opposite side from the rapids is very easy. It may require a brief portage, but anyone with a single kayak can easily handle it. This is the best place to shoot some fantastic photos also.

*Stow your camera and other electronics in a water tight compartment before going through the "fish weir", which is your first rapid. After that you should be okay, except for sit on tops. Expect to go swimming if you are riding a sit on top through the fish weir.

64 to 801- Five Stars*****

WOW!!!! This was not only one of our more scenic runs, but in terms of fun it was out of sight.

We met at 64 access area just below "Tarheel Q". The launch areas is not the most paddle friendly ones that you will find, but it wasn't what I would call terrible either. The portage to the water is a rather long one, because it starts from the parking lot. It's probably 700 to 800 feet to the water. The portage path was excellent so if you had a kayak cart it would be a breeze. The launch area itself was fairly steep, with very little room at the bottom. The water was also down considerably, but this actually made our paddling experience a lot better.

Once we left the bridge area it wasn't long before we encountered the "Fish Weir", which produced the first class 2 rapid. Dana led the way through and several of the inexperienced paddlers sat back and watched as her boat took a sudden drop. This was going to be fun! Others followed and then it happened, "Our first 2008 inductee to the fall of shame" "Bobby Taylor", the veteran took a spill in his canoe. Bobby lost his hat and soaked Terry's non waterproof walkie talkie.

John and Cindy who were on their first outing with the group followed up with their own spectacular spill, just before the end of the run. They lost their towels, which we never recovered. Two more inductees to our 2008"Fall of Shame". I'm sure if Bev, Lewis and Clark had been there, that they would have joined the growing legion. Anyone on a sit on top was doomed to swim and I'm sure if Harry and Sheila had been along, they would be famers too.

This was just the start of 7 more rapids we would encounter, 4 being at least class two's. Once the inductees recovered their dignities, the group continued on, having one of our most exhilarating paddles of the year.

Below is a short clip of some video the fish weir rapid. I began a little more nervous about my camera, cell phone and walkie talkies getting soaked or lost after seeing the veteran Bobby take a spill. We will post our photos of the outing over the next few days.

Saturday 's Fun Paddle Photos from Sheila

Hot temperatures even effect paddlers. It looks like Harry, Sheila, Fran and Annie found a way to beat the heat.

Libba's Photos from last Saturday's Excursion

Tuckertown- A Sheila's View

Sheila took these pictures from Saturday's Excursion from River Road Wild Life Access to Hwy 49 Wildlife Access.

Terry's Pictures of Saturday's Excursion

Tuckertown Run is Done- Did you know Paddling burns 400 calories an Hour?

If you burn 400 calories an hour, I'm sure anyone who paddles in a white water kayak(any boat 10 feet or less) on the lake burns 800, because it takes a much greater effort. I had the good misfortune of paddling a boat not made for flat water and when the wind is against you the trip seems double the length it actually is.

Saturday's Tuckertown Reservoir Excursion was a good one. We launched from the Wildlife Access off River Road into a slight head wind, which continued to increase along the way. My early reports of the wind direction were totally wrong. The wind was never behind our backs, even coming back from the dam.

Our take out point was the Wildlife Access on Hwy 49. This excursion run was easily completed in less than 3 hrs.A few in our group, me included, opted to paddle on to the dam. This added two hours more paddling time to an otherwise short excursion. Our trip to the dam and hike using the portage area around the dam, helped give us a preview of the "Narrows Excursion" which will come later this summer.

Paddling to the dam allowed us to complete on time, a run that has taken our group from the 801 access area in Davie County to Tuckertown Reservoir. We will be focusing on the Tanglewood to 801 stretch in the upcoming weeks. This will allow us to actually write our first real time paddling report on Paddling Conditions from Tanglewood to Tuckertown, which we will post when complete, forwarding our report to the appropriate agencies who are involved with the planning of a blueway trail.

Since we actually finished a week ahead of our schedule our next paddle will be TBA. Some of our group will use the weekend as an opportunity to head to the coast to do some paddling.

Below are the photos from Saturday's Paddle.

Tuckertown Cliff Jumpers

We do get to meet and see a lot of interesting People on our excursion. While straight lining to the Tuckertown Dam, we couldn't help but detour to the sounds of laughter. Fun is what you make it and while I don't recommend it, a lot of us in the group wanted to join in.

I apologize for the quality of the video, but it's hard to focus zoomed in a bobbing kayak. The wind was blowing hard at times, having no anchor was being blown past my subjects in the choppy water.

Saturday Excursion Video Clips from Tuckertown Excursion

Leaving the River Road Wildlife Access

Saturday Excursion Video Clips from Tuckertown Tunnel Excursion