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Kayaking the San Juans

From the rocky tip of Sucia Island’s Henry Point, the views in every direction are rewarding. To the west, the sun drops behind Patos Island, casting an orange beam across the Olympic Mountains in the distance. A glowing Mount Baker towers above Matia Island to the east.

Matt Nelson, an Orcas Island resident and employee of the kayaking school, Body Boat Blade International, described his first trip to Sucia.

“I thought it was beautiful,” Nelson said. “The low topography had this feeling of openness which I had not felt since I left Alaska. When you’re there you can see in a lot of directions, so it makes you feel like you’re in this vast space. I am in love with the whole area.”

Sucia though, is just one of countless islands in the San Juans, located east of Bellingham, Wash. Kayaking among the islands is the best way to discover their rich character. From day or overnight trips from Orcas to Sucia, to week-long excursions exploring the intricacies of as many islands as possible, the options are multifarious.  – John C. Davies

First-timer gets his feet wet

Last week Tom, the editor of this Web site, took me whitewater kayaking for the first time. Traditionally, my outdoor recreation revolves around skiing, biking, and hiking, so I was excited to learn something new. We parked my car at a pullout downriver and drove Tom’s truck to the put-in. Once I finally got all my gear on I felt more awkward and uncomfortable than prepared to run this cold, seemingly fast-moving river. We got in our boats though, and after I briefly got stuck in some bramble, we were on our way.  It was an exhilarating feeling: water splashing everywhere as I moved with the river, maintaining the boats balance.  It immediately reminded me of getting “face shots” while skiing. But the feeling was short-lived. Midway down, right about where Tom told me the most difficult part of the run was, I stopped paddling briefly as I thought I had made it through to calmer waters. I was promptly put sideways by an eddy, and unable to overcome my precariously off-balance position, I went under. It’s an interesting feeling being stuck upside down in an incredibly cold river for the first time.  I did anything but stay calm, and when I finally pulled the skirt and kicked both legs out, I was out of breath and speech, exhausted and rattled after my attempts to get to shore. It was only a short time later that we were able to laugh about the incident, even though I lost my paddle during the battle. Despite the short, and briefly traumatic whitewater kayaking experience, I can already see how much fun this sport can be, and I’m sure I’ll be back in the water, and probably upside down in the water, again soon.  – John C. Davies

Clear H2O Premieres New Kayaking Film

On Thursday night the Fort Collins, Colo. based New Belgium Brewery hosted the premiere of The Lost World, the third volume of the Hotel Charley whitewater kayaking series produced by Clear H20 Films’ Jesse Coombs and Ben Stookesberry. Both producers, who also starred as athletes, were on site to introduce their film and field questions from the audience. Those in attendance enjoyed an array of New Belgium beers while watching the huge drops, technical first descents and dramatic story lines in the film. From contracting viral diseases to selling beer at Brazil’s Carnival to finance a late-season trip, the athletes encountered numerous setbacks in their pursuit of documenting world-class kayaking in exotic locations. – John C. Davies

Summer and high flows arrive in Front Range

Summer seemed to arrive overnight in much of the Southwest. Temperatures and rivers were atypically low last week, but snowmelt began accumulating over a hot weekend. And the warm weather appears as though it’s here to stay. The result could be seen in the abundance of groups running the Poudre River outside of Fort Collins, Colo this week. Here, the gage height approaches three feet while the discharge hovers around 80 cubic feet per second, according to the U.S Geological Survey. While these numbers are still low compared to historical medians for this time, they represent a stark contrast to what the river looked like a week ago. Local boaters appear to be making the most of the change. – John C. Davies

Class V Knife

OK… what? A knife in the safety section? Right.  A good knife can absolutely get your butt out of a sling and this single-sided blade from Prijon-Wildwasser is a must-have for you paddlers running big water. Weighing in at 4 1/4 oz and 6 inches in overall length (shhh.. don’t show your lady- it will disappoint her after all these years!), the Class V is a perfect addition to your safety stash. www.wildnet.com

Versatile Touring Kayak

Spring Break is just around the corner and for those of you into paddling, your first thoughts are not of Panama City, Florida and Girls Gone Wild, but of Loreto, Baja California and a sweet 4-day sea kayaking expedition.  This touring boat from Prijon has proven itself to be an extremely versatile and roomy vessel-you know how much room a case of PBR takes up! The 17′ Kodiak 06 has great features such as the Deck Box to allow on-water access to your essentials, a new spare paddle hold down and full perimeter safety deck lines.  This 120-gallon beast will work for a beginner cruising a local lake to a more advanced paddler touring rough open water near Baja! www.wildnet.com

Kayaking Made Easy, 3rd: A Manual for Beginners with Tips for the Experienced

Dennis Stuhaug has put together this great manual for folks just entering the world of kayaking.  Although the third edition is aimed at people just starting out paddling, you seasoned veterans can gain a few valuable tidbits as well.  The book covers everything from choosing the correct hull design for your individual style to helpful tips for navigating through fog or learning a smooth sweep stroke Pick this up for a friend who is just getting started paddling and trying to figure out all the lingo. www.amazon.com

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A boat for you beginning paddlers

This is a great new river running boat from Dagger, whether you’re just starting out or are a grommet with a few years of experience.  With lots of foam in the subframe the Mamba 7.5 is a lightwieght and stable platform that’s also easy to roll.  The Mamba has adjustable thigh braces and hip pads and adds safety swim handles for a quick recovery if you take a swim. With 57 gallons of volume, this would also be a great boat for you smaller creekers or big-water lovers out there. Also available in the 8.0 (62 gallons) or—for you big boys holding a Middle Fork or Grand Canyon launch date— the 8.5 (72 gallons). Spring is coming! www.dagger.com

NRS Long Sleeve Shirt

Any other time, I’d say mock turtlenecks are pretty goofy, but summer is still a long way off and the Wavelight™ Long Sleeve will help keep you from cutting glass on those chilly spring days. The mid-weight shirt from NRS is a sweet addition to your cold-weather layering scheme, and its poyester/spandex blend will stretch over the spare tire you put on during the long winter months atop the barstool and not your boat.

Extrasport PFD for Valentine’s Day

Yes, fellas, it’s a Hallmark holiday but if you play your cards right, you could earn that much need “hall pass” later this spring.  Check out this affordable and stylie PFD from Extrasport that your better half will dig way more than a dozen roses. The Chica® is a front-zip low-profile lifevest with 8 adjustment points to fit all the lovely lady lumps.  Guys, do yourselves and her a huge favor, skip the chocolates and pick up this vest for under 60 bones.