Festival weekend pics:

The race was a big hit and with lots of carnage it made for an excellent spectator sport as well.

Klade taking home the Jackson Kayaks Rogue cross over boat from the raffle. As always there were lots of gear up for grabs in the raffle and silent auctions.

The band.

The demo fleet from Western Canoe and Kayak was out in full force again. This year the Jackson Fun Runner and Zen were the hot new boats as well as the Liquid Logic Stomper. WCK was a Gold Sponsor again this year with paddles, GoPro's and gift cards for the raffle and auction.

Mike was supposed to organize the Boater Cross through the class 4 Tamihi Rapids, but this picture taken around 7pm tells the story of why the boater cross didn't happen. (Sorry Mike)

Tristan Oluper airing out the Zen 65 off the " Godzilla Boof" in the Chilliwack Canyon at 1.45 meters.

As always a huge thanks to all the great company’s that stepped up to sponsor this event and all the volunteers that made this another huge success!

The Zen

My first impression of the Zen 75 is as follows; Although this is a large kayak it is easy to carry due to the grab strap on the centre pillar and lighter carrying weight (43 lbs I weighed it) . Right out of the box it is super comfortable. The only thing that I had to do was move the seat forward a notch and I was good to go. This is standard fare for me as I have short legs.

I was amazed at how well the boat carves and holds a line while surfing even the smallest waves. I was able to look around much more and be aware of where I was on the wave, That put a huge smile on my face.

Ferrying is so easy in this boat, one good hard stroke to cross the eddy line and then just rudder to hold your angle. It catches all the waves as you cross the river and you don’t seem to drift down as I have noticed in other boats. It is super stable while ferrying and inspires a ton of confidence. Hold that line. Just point this baby and minimal corrections are all you will need to get where you want to go. And, you will get there fast as it makes short work of those sometimes long paddles between drops and to the takeout. With great hull speed and excellent tracking, attainments are also a breeze.

Due to the stability of this boat, I did not flip it while paddling. The initial stability is surprisingly good and the secondary stability is absolutely bombproof. That being said, I did a roll in the eddy and I can’t say I have ever rolled a boat that that was so easy to roll. It was so easy that I had a big grin on my face as I came up. Unbelievable. What a confidence builder.

All in all I am very impressed with this boat and highly recommend it for any level of paddler. For beginners it is stable, tracks well, has great hull speed and most importantly is easy to roll. This is a great confidence builder allowing the new paddler to progress rapidly. This boat will take you up to the advanced level of paddling big water in a relatively short time. For the intermediate and advanced paddler, try it and you will find love at first sight.

About Me: I am 5′ 10, 190 lbs. I have been paddling for about 15 years but started late in life. I have just recently had 3 years of minimal paddling so my skills need to be brought back up. That being said, with just one hour in this boat I am already feeling a lot more confident and doing a lot more. I feel that my skills will leap ahead paddling the Zen 75 and I expect to be comfortable paddling Tamihi rapid (class IV) by early summer.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and have fun paddling. Look for the gray haired old fart with the big grin on the river.

Tony Dyrsmid

Eric Jackson showing us that this bigger boat can still play.

Before the Summit and what was supposed to be the work part of the weekend I met up with Marty Cronin, Dane Jackson and Nick Troutman. We paddled the Green River Narrows in NC a week before the infamous Green River Race with lots of racers out practicing. We also managed to squeeze in a run and surf on the always classic Ocoee and a quick surf session with Emily, Nick, Dane, EJ and a bunch of the other Jackson Dealers from around the world.

Huge thanks to everyone that made this a wicked weekend.

Howie Kahanashyn taking a break from tag.

I’m sure, like all followers of the brethren, we could all count to the amazing moments we’ve had in smelly neoprene, or that first dry suit (sorry if you’re not there yet, it’s amazing) experience; however, something that appeals to the ‘teacher’ side of me is my desire to ‘pay it forward.’  I’d like to do for others what those first paddler-turned-teacher’s did for me.  This year, after moving from Kumsheen Secondary to Lillooet Secondary, I decided I had arrived at a school and community with a little more voluptuous population which could support a club.  Lillooet also has a pool which is open in the winter.   I put in a proposal to the school district in the hopes that in the spring, if numbers permitted, we might be able to entice some youth onto the meandering Seton through town.   To my surprise, the proposal was approved.  This led me to my next challenge.

Damien rockin the Liquid Logic.

After borrowing twenty boats, old skirts (plenty of aqua-seal in this lot), and a bevy of forgotten and much loved paddles from most everyone I know, pool sessions began.  Last night was our second pool session and lo and behold if we didn’t run out of boats.  There were twenty three boats total in the pool, filled by a wide demographic of ages from teenagers, to retirees, to the four person wolf pack of the existing Lillooet paddling crew.  The students from the high school were teaching each other, and those who had been at the first session took on a mentoring role.  I look forward to any experience where I am not just ‘Old Lady Eddie’ of the classroom (as my Father would jokingly imply), and where I can build relationships based on something more than an ‘A’.  I’m excited by the direction of the paddling community in this town, and although I spent all of ten minutes in a boat last night, I have to say I was grinning from ear to ear and couldn’t sleep for hours.  I can see some real talent in the bunch and look forward to trying to access grant money, and grassroots program incentives, to try and get some outside gear to make this the first stop of many in a self-sustaining paddling club in Lilloooet.  Anyone have any unwanted gear?   Don’t let it collect dust: Pay it forward (hell, I’ll even come and pick it up for you)….

Frost Creek is a novelty run. Its low volume and choked full of wood. Expect at least 4 or 5 portages from river wide log jams. Small eddies and overhanging brush.

There is a section upstream of here that has yet to be explored. There is at least 1 waterfall with varying reports on weather or not its run-able. It is also possible to paddle this run into Cultas Lake for a alternate take out.

Likely a run you will only do once, use caution on the blind corners.

One of the portages on Frost Creek - Photo Ryan Bayes

Kay from Purple Hayes School of Kayaking on some Frost Creek boogie. Photo: Ryan Bayes

Please submit Photos if you have any of Frost Creek.

Notes: Wood! A short run that builds into a continuous stretch of good class 4, can be run at a wide variety of flows and holds its water late into the season because of all the snow on Mt. Baker. Makes for a good multi sport day after riding at Mt.Baker in spring. This run is only 2hrs from Vancouver or 40 minutes from Abbotsford.

As flows increase so does difficulty.

American Whitewater Info on N.F. Nooksack.

Enjoying some Nooksack read and run.

Tristan on an evening run of the Nooksack.

Tristan and myself rolling into Final Exam at Medium-High water.

At 7’9″ and 8’2″ it’s no surprise that the Fun Runner series has a lot of speed, I was a little impressed though that even while towing my Rockstar out to the wave I seemed to still be faster than the paddlers not towing a 2nd boat, bonus! While Skooks isn’t a great place to test a boats river running capabilities I did get the chance to try it out in some big water action while chasing a swimmer down the tour at 12.5 knots, the extra speed was really nice for getting up and over the huge boil and sloppy eddy lines. I was also able to bust over the eddy line and get onto the wave while the short boats were being carried up and dropping in from above, less hiking and more surfing is always a good thing.

Myself sporting a huge Fun Runner fuelled Skooks smile! Photo by Rob Murphy.

Jackson has used their classic outfitting system, with a uni-shock bulkhead and easy to adjust hip pads which means getting a comfortable secure fit only took about 2 minutes. Even with the 40 minute flat water paddle in and out the boat was super comfortable, as is expected with the Jackson outfitting system. The comfort and easy outfitting should make this boat a favourite for livery and instructional groups.

On the wave the boat performed a lot like you would expect it to. Probably my favorite thing was being able to do massive cut backs and throw a wall of water off the rails much like a surf boat with fins. It was a really stable platform for surfing as well. While side surfing the edges seemed really forgiving but offered a lot of control when moving around the wave. With the right feature (and paddler) I’m sure this boat can cartwheel and more, however my limited play boating skills meant for me I would be getting my grins from long greasy soul searching front surfs, the front surf can be fun again, you just need the right boat.

Throwing some spray off the long rails, fast is good! Photo by Rob murphy

Fun Runner 60 – $1149

• Length = 7’9” (236 cm)
• Width = 25” (63.5 cm)
• Height = 12-3/4” (32.4 cm)
• Volume = 60 US Gallons (227 liters)

Recommended Weight Ranges:

• Beginner- 90-160
• Intermediate- 90-180
• Advanced- 90-210

Fun Runner 70 – $1149

• Length = 8’2” (249 cm)
• Width = 26-3/8” (67 cm)
• Height = 13-3/8” (34 cm)
• Volume = 70 US Gallons (265 liters)

Recommended Weight Ranges:

• Beginner- 140-210
• Intermediate- 170-230
• Advanced- 190-250

Greasy smooth front surfs really are good for the soul. Photo by Rob Murphy.

The Navigation reports put together for Inergex by a company called Typlan is full of inaccuracies and miss-leading data. After several meetings with Typlan and Inergex its disappointing to see so little input from the actual user groups make it into these reports. Outlined in these reports are the companies proposed mitigation, or more accurately their lack of mitigation. After bringing the miss-information and weak mitigation measures to the attention of Inergex employees at the latest open house meeting regarding these project I’m hopeful that there is still room and time for improvement. Inergex does seem eager and willing to fix the inaccuracies and possibly amend their weak mitigation offerings. Your voice can insure that this happens by writing into the EAO online comment forms.

Comments written to the EAO online form will be sent to Navigable Waters Protection office and be reviewed by their staff. Nav. Waters has to issue a permit to Inegrx before they can get final approval for the project. Nav. Waters will have the final say in whether or not the mitigation offered by Inergex is acceptable.

To some up the Navigation Reports Typlan basically says that since they saw no paddlers in the area it must not be a very well used resource. For mitigation this was their take: “The Project is expected to have a positive effect on recreational navigation on Big Silver Creek. No specific measures are required to mitigate any adverse effect on navigation. “ – Typlan

It doesn’t take a kayaker to know that dewatering a stream will NOT  ”in fact have a net positive effect on recreational navigation” – Typlan

You can review the Navigational Assessment Reports here and also see the proposed mitigation for each projects:

Big Silver Creek

Shovel Creek

Tretheway Creek

It’s important to remember this is not the forum to appose these projects, comments written in apposing the project as a whole will do nothing to save navigation on these streams. Comments should pertain strictly to navigation and mitigation measures. Stating that these streams are known to have valuable recreation occurring in the form of navigation is key.

Suggestions to include in your comments:

- Recreational Navigation of these streams is valuable.

- Scheduled whitewater releases are the only way to preserve any form of navigation value. (Currently not offered by Inergex)

- The mitigation measures offered are not in line with previous projects, IE –  Ashlu Creek, Rutherford Creek.

- These project WILL NOT improve recreational navigation.

For those unfamiliar with these creeks Big Silver Creek has several runs on it, one of witch will fall in the diversion reach of this project. It is a newer run only being explored in recent years and is seeing a large increase in use every year. This is one of the most scenic and divers streams I have ever paddled on, it has something to offer everyone and the scenery is second to none. Tretheway Creek is listed in the latest guide-book, “River Gypsies Guide to 294 of the Contents BEST Rivers”, its referred to as one of the most special places you can visit in a kayak. Shovel Creek is the lesser known creek and has yet to be fully explored by paddlers.

Thank you for taking the time to write into the EAO and do your part to preserve these special places for future generations to enjoy.  – Comments are only accepted up until February 9. 2012.

The site of the proposed intake and head pond. this and everything roughly one kilometer upstream will be flooded. The geology of this section is unique to the area and adds to the quality of the run. This is one of the possible put in for the current Middle Section. - Photo: Ryan Bayes

Looking down stream from the FSR bridge over the section of creek that will be dewatered. - Photo: Ryan Bayes

The main event on Tretheway Creek. - Photo: River gypsies Guide Book.

“The Navigable Waters Protection Program (NWPP) ensures the public’s right to navigate Canada’s waters without obstruction.” – Transport Canada Web Site.

]]> http://fraservalleywhitewater.com/misc/preserving-recreational-navigation-big-silver-tretheway-and-shovel-creeks-british-columbia/feed/ 0 http://fraservalleywhitewater.com/misc/preserving-recreational-navigation-big-silver-tretheway-and-shovel-creeks-british-columbia/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FraserValleyWhitewater/~3/7GoT-CohQUo/ http://fraservalleywhitewater.com/trip-reports/fvww-goes-to-ecuador/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:17:14 +0000 Sandra Ramsey http://fraservalleywhitewater.com/?p=4230 At the 2011 VKC Chilliwack River Festival Endless Adventures raffled off a trip for 9 days of what they claimed to be a trip of boating paradise in Ecuador.  By the end of the night Ryan Bayes had his name on a ticket to South America, weather he remembered that the next morning or not he may never admit.

By the end of summer we had a solid group of 8 boaters from the Fraser Valley and Vancouver area committed to exploring the waters of Ecuador.  We signed up for the High Roller Trip, tacking on an extra week of paddling.

In total, most of us had 11 days on the water with over 10 different rivers.  There was one big water chunderfest, a surprise mandatory hike out, endless boof competitions and what would kayaking be without a few good beat downs.

With skillful tactics and undoubtedly witty charm, Western Canoe and Kayaking staff members managed to transport a medium burn “surf ski” from the Bellingham Airport to Quito, Ecuador.  We had been told repeatedly from multiple sources there was strictly no Kayaks allowed to be transported via air so seeing the boat at our final destination started the trip with much satisfaction and relief!

After diving right into the culture in Quito, we soon found ourselves greatly welcomed in Borja lodging in the kayakers shack “The Ponderosa”.  Chris Ryman’s wife Andrea outdid herself by preparing spectacular meals on and off the river, all while being 5 months pregnant and still clearly able to out run any of us paddlers!

Our main river guides Chris, Abe and Dave showed us down different runs such as the Quijos from Cheese house to Bombon, Cosanga, Oyocachi, Piatua, Upper and Lower Mis, Hollin over nighter, an attempt at the Jondachi and a few more!

This summer I was pulled out of my comfort zone of nervously boating the chilliwack canyon’s low water class III to the new and exciting world of Class IV with a dash of IV+.  I found this trip to be excellent for working on creeking technique having coming quite close to some of my best days on any river.  Knowing I could test my abilities with such strong support, this may have been some of the most consistent white water that I have paddled day after day!  Ecuador’s creeks are filled with non stop bolder gardens allowing you to nail that boof, just in case you missed the last one.

Some Tips for when you too find yourself Kayaking in Ecuador:

• Meet Dave Gore “Goremania” (Pretty sure Ryan would have exchanged my return ticket for Dave had the airport let him)
• Try some of Bently’s (Dos Bentos) new found drink V220 to keep you wired for every boof stroke and hole punch required.
• Watch out for near back breaking/elbow chipping slippery stares. They are everywhere and they’ll getcha.
• Eat street meat. Its fine.  As long as you don’t talk to Hamish about it.
• Paddle the Lower Misahualli at High water.  It had almost all of us on the edge of our pants the whole day.  Just make sure you take Dukoral before getting close to this water source.  Look into it, we all should have.

Here’s a video filled with some Ecuador culture, fiesta and non stop white water .  GoPro footage by Ryan Bayes with the SLR passed between Ryan, Myself and Chris.