Playak News Flash 2008-12-30

Playak News Flash - December 30, 2008

News Watch Headlines

Team Riot Kayaks: We Were Almost Home When… We decided to take a trip to Mexico. None of us (JJ. Shepard, Toby Mac Dermott, and myself, Nate Elliott) had been there before, but it seemed like a good place to go for a few reasons; we could drive, the timing was right (Nov.-Dec) and there would be waterfalls. We all have crappy vehicles but we decided that my 1991 Toyota pickup with 302,000 miles on it would be our best bet. We packed light and hit the road.

Evan Garcia: Gol Gol 3rd Round With a well thought out plan to go and hit the goods of Argentina we took off once again from the safety of our shack in Pucon, and loaded the Kayak Pucon van for a mission to El Bolson. Little did we know our trip had a terrible fate lurking in from birth. From our night of sleep at the Gol Gol we headed over the pass to Argentina and got a slap in the face when they told us we couldn't enter because oft he kayaks.

Jackson Kayak: Rodrigo From Chile Sends In This Update Hello there my dear Jackson Kayak Team. What can I say, pucon have more and more surprices every day and every year, I was running the Nevados river for some years and was all the time very popular the normal TakeOut, but no more.

wavesport.de: Jakub's X-mas Update From New Zealand After couple of weeks I finally got to some pictures of me and my mates Martin Bednar and Pavel Hurtik. I have met them in Auckland and it was random as hell. I was out of money and they had a car. Finally they said I can join with them in a car so we work and paddle together.

Wonder Midget: Swollen Sweet Creek Scouting So I'd heard lots about Sweet Creek near the Lake Creek play boat run for some time but had yet to make the drive downriver to Mapleton and up Sweet Creek Road to the run. With the flooded out Siuslaw at 18.3' there was no chance eith me or Devin would be putting on but we couldn't resist the temptation to drive down and check it out!!

Adventurous Experiences: Very Happy Christmas!! I hope everyone enjoyed a splendid day of eating drinking and socializing... With plenty more to come! Many thanks to Fiona and the team who organized the Christmas re-enactment at Tynwald Hill.

Hans Heupink: Werner Paddles - Ferrule System Updated Werner has redesigned their Adjustable Ferrule. The button is now flush with the shaft. The old button -shown in the pictures- popped out about half a centimeter. Some paddlers complained about occasionally snagging, or even worse: unintended release of their split Werner Peddles . The new design of the ferrule system should prevent this.

Dash Point Pirate: Tacoma Is Getting A Kayak Park! Waterway Park doesn't really exist yet, but rowers, kayakers and other non motorized boaters will soon be using it. Tacoma City Council members approved a contract last month for construction of a kayak float at the head of the Thea Foss Waterway that will provide boaters with long-awaited access to an easy launch site.

Rapid Magazine: Submit Films To Reel Paddling Film Festival: Rapid Media now accepting film submissions for the 2009 Reel Paddling Film Festival. New this year is the Best Environmental Paddling Film category and the PRFF People's Choice Award.

DeRiemer Adventure Kayaking: Bhutan Oct 24th- Nov 4 Class Ii-iii: A Queen, Sonam, And Preparing For The Coronation. While our time in Bhutan began in early October, our first group of kayakers arrived on October 24th. All were familiar faces. Everyone had been on trips with us before. Although for a few, many years had passed. So we enjoyed quite a reunion, sharing pictures of new family members and stories of our last adventures together.

WRSI: Alzar School In Mexico Well, we have just one day before our group of US students arrive in Mexico. We have been scouting out the rivers around our main base camp here in Jalcomulco. They are incredible! Today we paddle the Rio Actopan, which is a continuous Class II-III rollercoaster. You start at a small waterfall, which you can choose to run or not run, then encounter three fun rapids in a tight canyon.

Isle of Man Kayak: Sea Kayaking Isle Of Man - Surfing Ramsay. The waves were half the size they should have been! The wind had shifted through 30 degrees and no longer opposed the receding tide. Still, most of us had driven the full 12 miles from Peel to Ramsay.

SUP Surf Mag: Coming Soon: Stand Up Paddle Fitness Boards There is a movement on the horizon toward a group of stand up paddle boards that are designed specifically for those who have come to the sport for the fitness benefits of stand up paddling. Speed, stability, durability and fun are what this genre of boards is all about. If you've been on the hunt for fitness-oriented board, the future holds some exciting things.

Fat Cats: Nepal 3: The Humla Karnali Following a week of delays, cancellations and AWOL pilots we finally flew from Surket to Simikot high above the Humla Karnali. To all of us except John the landing felt dangerous and short, but our Alaskan bush pilot assured us it was easy.

Werner: Jump Start Your 2009 Whitewater Season At Rollapoolooza Presented by Raleigh Parks and Recreation the annual Rollapoolooza will take place in the Pullen Pool near the NC State campus on January 24th. This a great event to get you ready for the New Year of white water kayaking ahead. Get great instruction from team paddlers of all the major white water companies.

SeaKayakPhoto.com: Less Is More! This is another post for the benefit of our Canadian friends, who might have had their illusions of sunny and calm Scottish seas shattered by the recent series on the Mull of Galloway. Relax, here we are enjoying our second of three luncheons in balmy December conditions!

Small World Adventures: Upper Oyacachi Trip Report It was Chris and Hilary's last few days in Ecuador and they wanted to do "something different." So, we set off for the Upper Oyacachi--the 2 day trip from the town of Oyacachi up at 10,367 feet in elevation down to the town of El Chaco at 4,724 feet.

The Water Cycle: Río Llancahue: Iv+ About an hour and a half south of Pucon, the Río Llancahue flows off the southern flank of Volcan Villarica. We made two separate trips to this classic creeky run. The first time, we put in too high, forcing us into a silly portage back up to the road where we walked to a better put-in. Just below the put-in comes the highlight of the run: a beautifully clean 23-footer into a big pool.

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