Playak News Flash 2011-01-08

Playak News Flash - January 8, 2011
The world's latest paddling headlines.

News Watch Headlines

Season's End II and Photo Yearbook Wavesport Blogs - A few years back I concluded my season with a highlight reel aptly named "Season's End." While traveling and training with my close friend Brad McMillan this past fall we were shooting quite a bit of footage and with all the footage I shot throughout the season, I liked the idea of revisiting this video concept. Unfortunately I experienced a hard drive crash while editing this video and it was put on the back burner for a bit.

High Water = Novelty Runs Fluid Blog - With the Northwest getting hammered with rain and the rivers smoking high, it was time to turn to novelty runs. First up was Major Creek, a tiny little creek with several narrow gorges and lined with think vegetation on the Washington side of the gorge.

A Roll Clinic Chilean Style Wavesport Blogs - While New River Academy was at the Rio Claro, we had a special opportunity to teach a group of Chilean high school students how to roll. This was definitely something totally different. All of us gathered up enough of our gear to outfit every kid for our clinic and we got together a bunch of our boats together too. Trying to explain all the steps in Spanish to the girl I was teaching was a challenging feat.

Manns Creek - The Real Deal Wavesport Blogs - When most people talk about running Manns Creek in WV, they almost always refer to running Glade Creek to the confluence of Manns Creek and continuing down to the New River. This in itself is arguably the best all-around, most 'classic' West Virginia creek.

Update from Jakub Nemec Wavesport Blogs - Since mid September I have been hanging out and kayaking around East coast of the US. Its been fun times for sure. I found a job to make money for kayaking trip to Mexico in winter and have been living with my wifes family in Pennsylvania. Of course we took some weeks off to go kayaking, explored what big boys PA has for us and did some playboating on weekends.

Colorado & NW Fluid Team members Leif Anderson and Luke Spencer bring in the New Year at Bobs' Hole Fluid Blog - What better way to bring in the New Year then paddling? Colorado Fluid team member Leif Anderson joined myself and other NW paddlers to bring in the New Year January 2nd at Bob's Hole on the Clackams R.

Looking back... Raoul Collenteur - Besides the title being a song from Keane it is also good to look back at a year and think what you have done, and appreciating the great times you had. In 2010 quite a lot changed, maybe not always the way I wanted but choices are made and you have to live with it. I didn't travel, explore and paddle as much as I wanted, but study has had the priority to finish as quickly as possible. This opens opportunities after my bachelors quicker is my idea, let's hope it's true. But still, I shouldn't be to hard on myself, as I have been out far more than most students, and still went to see new places, make new friends and paddle with amazing people. Here's a little recap of all the great times and highlights I've had this past year.

2010…Our Best Year Yet Reel Water Productions - For the past several months "updating the Reel Water website and blog" has made the to do list on more than one occasion, only to get moved onto another list and constantly pushed down the priority ladder. The reality is that we have been so busy between field production, development and delivery on projects that even a simple update has been challenging.

Maxi Kniewasser in Africa Kokatat Blog - Just a few snaps from the classic African rivers, the Zam and the White Nile. It was great to fuel up on some well deserved sun and some fun, big and warm water before taking on the ski season.

Morocco 2010: David Bainbridge, Tom Turner & Ross Montandon Desperate Measures - Looking through our library of images, we've just found some photos that were sent to us by David Bainbridge, Tom Turner & Ross Montandon after their surf trip to Morocco last year.

New Hero at Rock Island is a blast! Jackson Kayak - The New Year is going well here in Rock Island with great water levels and our new boat! Clay, Emily, Justin Owen, Justin Kleburg, and myself set out to do some laps on the falls, in the new Hero.

Colorado & NW Fluid Team members Leif Anderson and Luke Spencer bring in the New Year at Bobs' Hole Fluid Blog - What better way to bring in the New Year then paddling? Colorado Fluid team member Leif Anderson joined myself and other NW paddlers to bring in the New Year January 2nd at Bob's Hole on the Clackams R.

A whole bunch of Think ING A whole bunch of Ing's - As he fell grasping for the ship a cold North Atlantic wave grabbed him. Seconds later he found himself tangled in broken rigging of the schooner during a raging storm. He scream for help until his throat was sore. The by's had not seen him fall. The storm raged through the night and into the morning before they realised he was missing. The crew heard a faint groan. Here he was entangled and alive.

Positively Barmy 1.1.11 beyond the break - After the Christmas Eve afternoon paddle the temperatures today were positively balmy. With the smallest of swells running a few of us managed to get out for our traditional New Years Day paddle - this year for a surf rather than a paddle out to Tusker Rock.

A New Year and Old Favourites Will Herman - A few years ago, the skerries west of Arisaig were the focus of one of the best early paddles I was lucky enough to enjoy.

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