Playak News Flash 2011-03-02

Playak News Flash - March 2, 2011
The world's latest paddling headlines.

News Watch Headlines

Big tree paddling in the redwoods Funhog Blob - We stepped off the trail into a wall of shoulder-high sword fern, letting the rainforest swallow us. A vague path, barely discernable, lead deeper into the copse. Feeling our way over a rotten log, the route opened at the edge of a swamp. Soaring redwoods were all around. "This is it," I thought to myself as Lisa clawed her way ahead. Moments later, there it was, the tree, the great tree.

Patagonia- First Descents Kokatat Blog - Kokatat Ambassador Jakub Sedivy spends and amazing winter running First Descents in Patagonia. "While most of the population was still recovering from the New Years hangover, I was on a plane on my way back to Chile. I was so impressed by this country last year that I just had to go again. I landed in Santiago on the very start of January and took a direct Semicama bus to Pucon to catch up with friends and get organized. My plan this year was to catch up with a Swiss crew and Mariann Saether down south, deep in Patagonia, to look for some possible first descents and runnable drops.

Write-Up: Rattlesnake Creek A Wet State (CA) - To sum up the Lower Eel drainage... scenic with fun, but manky drops. This creek fits the sterotype

Nile River- Irish Wake for Day 1- Silverback section Jackson Kayak - Africa Update: Yesterday was a sad day in the whitewater world. The Day 1 Section (Silverback) of the Nile was closed to river traffic through the main rapid of Silverback. The hydro project that claimed my favorite wave on the river (Ugly Sisters) already, has now claimed Silverback rapid and soon the river upstream will begin to flood out.

Stephen's Uganda Photo Update #1: Big Wave Action, monkeys, and bugs! Jackson Kayak - Enjoy these photos from the waves and life on the Day 2 section of the White Nile, Uganda. The Rockstar has been incredible here: SUPER fast and loose, easy to launch, and forgiving. We're up at the Day 1 section for a few days training at Superhole, then I'll be back to the Lemon to work with the New River Academy for a week of coaching. Enjoy the photos–Shot by Clay and I. BEAST!!!

Tips for putting on the Kling-On Skirt Immersion Research - IR's Kling-On Skirt has sticky anti-implosion patches on the under sides of the skirt. These can make the skirt a bit tricky to put on- IR's Jesse Becker covers a couple of techniques used to deal with this:

Kayaker Andrew Pollock: Fluid Team Trip Video PaddleBlogs - Last year a group of fluid team paddlers got together and headed to the Transkei for a trip down the Umzimvubu river. I made a little video documenting the trip.

Mission: Fear understanding and pics from the top of the world Jackson Kayak - Mission:… Fear understanding and pics from the top of the world. Carly on top of the volcano. I can't help it but I am a teacher.… I have been teaching kayaking for the last 15 years and I love it.… Like most things in kayaking, not all, it makes little money but provides a lifestyle only some people can boast living.… Fear has always been present in teaching, from people learning, to my place in the sport, fear is alive and well.… Controlling that fear, containing the thought process of the flight or fight I have found, is the essential.… I have often found that if I can control the quality of my communication...

28th National Paddling Film Festival Wraps Up Feb. 25-26 Paddling Life - Oscars, Schmoscars. This year marked the 28th birthday for the National Paddling Film Festival, which this go-around took over the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort Kentucky February 25-26. The festival is a showcase and competition for the best in paddlesports videos and images, with 25 clams getting show-goers in the door and a beer...

Profile: Helen Wilson, Greenland rolling instructor Fat Paddler - In the sleepy liberal town of Arcata in northern California can be found world-renown Greenland roller Helen Wilson. A multiple medal winner at the Greenland National Kayaking Championships (2008, 2010), her qualifications as an expert in the art of Greenland-style kayaking are beyond question. Dressed all in black and nestled inside her sleek Tahe Greenland kayak, she is like a paddling martial artist, flawlessly running through her kata of 35 different rolling techniques developed by the Inuit seal hunters of old.

Feb 12th; Go Away I Want To Swim Naked Kayak Down Under NZ 2010-11 - Log Date: feb 12 Weather: sunny Swell: 1 meter east Wind: light east wind Distance: 10.3 knm Camp: north Takerau bay Blog Woke with and effort this morning, the end of first week fatigue was on us hard, wind ruffled the tent, making it easier to say let's just sleep, a...

Odense Canoepolo International 2011 PeakUK - The pitch was buzzing with activity the whole weekend. Starting Friday evening with the teams arriving and heading for the swimming pool for a practice run. The tournament itself starts at 07:00am early Saturday morning. When the finals are played late Sunday afternoon, more than 50 matches have been played.

Review and win a Rail Saver for your board SUPadvisor - Review your Stand Up Paddle gear at SUPadvisor and win a brand new RailSaverPRO For any single review uploaded at SUPadvisor, from NOW until march 31st, you're qualified for the raffle of the RailSaverPRO.com model you choose from their current product line. On march 31st, we will randomly select from the uploaded reviews during the period, [...]

Where Campers Fear to Tread Kayak Down Under NZ 2010-11 - Log Date:Feb 17th Weather: sunny Swell: 2meter SE Wind: 19 -27knt SE Distance: 12knm Camp: Motuanua bay of islands View Kayak Down Under NZ Journey in a larger map Back Country Food Review Meal: Roast Chicken Impression: wonderful large portion, tastes wonderful, jusrt like a r...

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Today's News Editor(s): Tony_D, AllenG, adrianshanahan, JeanT.