Winter, snow, pool time and “one ups”

Robert Zwanenburg wrote 29 days ago:

Winter is here. Has been for a while and we are enjoying every moment. Cold weather and some snow means that boards, toboggans and even skates are a regular part of life (I really do not like skating…)

A bit farther south the US Midwest is getting hammered by snow and I am jealous. All that snow and folks are crabbing about it!
That much snow means I do not have to drive to work but can play for days at home with my kids!!!
It means that the hills in the Adirondacks would be deep in Powder…
All that snow followed by a good freeze means that there is a huge snow pack to assure good flood levels for the rivers around us
So I continue to pray to the weather gods and hope they send some of that white fun our way.
In the mean time we ride the hills and play in the snow that remains here.

But we are also paddling: Every second Sunday, since mid-November, we have been paddling indoors! Our Cornwall pool sessions have been great. We have had the good faces who are with us every year (Sean, Zach, Cheryl, Jenn, Emily, Zachary, Sylvie and myself) but we were joined by all sorts of others. Claude, a kayak fishing dude wanted to learn to roll and he is almost there. Some of the kids from our summer youth program including, Julie and Justin showed up. We are always happy to see them. We even have a new paddler with us: Welcome on Colton. Right now he is in the middle of Hockey tournament season but when it is over I am looking forward to seeing him back in with us

Everyone seems to have goals this year: Emily and Jenn are working on their rolls, Cheryl is working on her bow and stern stall (I think she might try out for the 2010 freestyle team) , Zachary and Sean have started their training for the 2010 National Team Trial and me I am just having fun teaching, coaching and playing

Evey now and then I get a “one up” moment and mine came last week. WE had been watching people on facebook do a marylou (Brandon made it look easy) so we thought what the heck! Last Sunday we brought in a couple extra boats and away we went. What happened? we laughed and laughed!!!! Fell on the boat… fell on our faces… fell on our heads… And we laughed. But here it is: For the moment the mary lou is mine!!! he he. It won’t last and I am sure that next wek the boys will put me in my place but until then… it is mine to enjoy.
Here are the vids (low res.) of the fun: http://www.dropshots.com/crew#date/2010-02-07/17:21:51

Now there are only 3 sessions left. Kinda ad but it means that creeking is around the corner and our local play spot (a km up the road)will come in for a week or 2 if the water is high enough. It also means that our ramp will get used by our members and another kayak season will begin.

We are also gearing up for our new Youth Challenge Kayak Program and everyone working on that is excited. (I sure am). You will be able to see all the happenings at http://worldkayakblogs.com/crewkids/

So, until the next ime: Have a great valentine weekend and see you on the river or on a slope soon,

Robert
www.cornwallwhitewater.com

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2009 National Children’s Day2009 – 15 Year Celebration – 2 1/2 days, 15 different event and CReW Brings Kayaks to kids

Robert Zwanenburg wrote 111 days ago:

Cornwall, Ontario – It has been 15 years of celebrating kids. Our parents always told me that everyday is children’s day. That was usually their answer when we asked “what about kid’s day” on Father’s or mother’s day…. I suppose that for many of us, every day really was children’s day.

But this is not the case for so many kids in our communities.
This is why we celebrate children’s day on November 21^st every year.

Partir D’Un Bons Pas Pour Un Avenir Meilleur is a not for profit organization that is dedicated to the well being of children. Every year in Cornwall, Ontario they have been celebrating children’s day in one way or another. CReW has been fortunate to be a part of this with pool sessions for kids.

This year, we were asked if we would be one of 15 events (15 years – 15 events over 2 ½ days) and come out to the Cornwall Aquatic Center and put on two 2-hour sessions for kids. Who could refuse? Certainly not me…

So on Saturday November 21^st we loaded 25 boats and all the gear we would need and headed for the Aquatic Center. With the massive help from our volunteers, CReW shared the kayaking experience with 41 new little paddlers between the ages of 4 and 10! What a great time. Lots of smiles, nervousness, and anxiety all rolled up into little people trying something new! It was great. You might think that it is not enough time (I could do this all day) but really for a first experience and considering the young age it was perfect. Even Sparky the Safety Dog got into it helping bring a few smiles and keeping our volunteers amused too

The following day (the 22^nd) we came back. This time the crowd was a bit smaller with an older group (11 to 18) this was a good thing. 19 new paddlers hit the water for the first time. With a smaller crowd the volunteers could put the kids in the boats with skirts and get past the wet exit then on to more fun skills (Including an intro to rolling for some!).

Once again 2 hours went by and fun was definitely in the equation. The questions from the kids were endless and the enthusiasm was overwhelming. In short it was awesome!

SO another Children’s day came to an end for CReW. CReW was not the only one out there. Other free programming included, a rock climbing wall, concerts, movies, swimming, bowling, curling, crafts and more!

Special thanks goes out to CReW’s awesome collection of volunteers. Isabelle Laberge and her daughter Maude Chiasson came all the way from Montreal. Mary Jane Hakvoort and her son Sean came out from Avonmore, Jennifer Plumondon from Long Sault, Cheryl McGregor came from Alexandria, an amazing local kid: Justin Litalien, an awesome little 10 year old boy named Chris (Mr. C.), and of course my own family – Sylvie, Emily and Zachary. All these people care and without them we could not do what we do.

Rest assured that the next time Lucy Hart, a special lady who cares soooo much about the region’s kids, calls out to CReW and the Adventure Sports Access Group, we will be there!

So what is in it for me? It is a question that people ask. I do not make money, so it can not be that… There are very few things in life that compare to this for me. Sharing the sport, bringing adventure to kids, watching them step up to their fears and the challenge and in the end coming away a bit changed for it…. Words like “good”, “rewarding”, “satisfying” (and so many more) do not do justice to it.

All I can say is come out with us and try it some time. Share the passion with the kids we see and then, only then… you will understand why I do this. And… you will smile inside and out.

I hope to see you with us one day.

Share the passion and happy children’s day,

Robert Zwanenburg

www.conrnwallwhitewater.com

for all the pics go to http://www.dropshots.com/crew#date/2009-11-21/10:47:12 and http://www.dropshots.com/crew#date/2009-11-22/13:28:58

Categorized as:CReW Paddling  •   CReW Program  •   CReW members  •   Charities and not for profit groups  •   Club paddling and events  •   Pool time  •   Regional EventsCReW Paddling  •   CReW Program  •   CReW members  •   Charities and not for profit groups  •   Club paddling and events  •   Pool time  •   Regional EventsCReW Paddling  •   CReW Program  •   CReW members  •   Charities and not for profit groups  •   Club paddling and events  •   Pool time  •   Regional EventsCReW Paddling  •   CReW Program  •   CReW members  •   Charities and not for profit groups  •   Club paddling and events  •   Pool time  •   Regional Events

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CReW: Fall season means pool sessions in Cornwall

Robert Zwanenburg wrote 117 days ago:

The last time I posted I said I would post regularly….. doh… I wuz wrong. On the up side Zachary posted on his blog and so did Emily, Sylvie and Cheryl (See the CReW Girls Blog). To hear me say it was a good time would be a bit of overkill

So I won’t do that.

What I will do is happily announce that fall is making a slow move to winter and paddling continues. CReW managed to get out a bit in Valleyfield through the first part of November and it has been good so far.
Yesterday (Sunday November 15th) CReW was back in the pool for the first session of the year.
In the pool we had the familiar faces of the Hakvoort kids, Mary-Jane, Jennifer, Cheryl, Sylvie, Emily, Zachary and myself. AND we were joined by a new addition: Coulton and his Dad Miles.

Coulton is a 13 year old dude with lots of enthusiasm. He and his family are from Williamstown, Ontario (almost neighbors to us) and Coulton wanted to give it a go. When you live near a river it is a crime not to use it. He and his dad get out in a canoe often and now we will get him turned on to Kayaking!
The pool is a great place to start and he got right into it in no time at all. His dad watched from the side while Coulton worked the wet exit, then some basic paddling skills. (I really do love teaching the beggining part ). Then by the end of the evening he joined in for a few minutes of Kayak Polo. Again he will fit in just fine!

This year we are going to keep make the polo games run without paddles. An awesome work out and also a great way to develop the body language you need to handle your boat on the river.
The sessions will continue every second Sunday through the winter. Will be an awesome way to get your paddle fix during the cold winter months.

The only sad thing about pool sessions is that they have to end… An hour shoots by and in no time at all we are loading up again.

Here in Canada there is something called National Children’s Day. This year national kids day falls on the 21st and in Cornwall the celebration of all that is kids starts on Friday and runs all the way through Sunday.
So what is CReW doing? … With the help of Partir D’Un Bons Pas Pour Un Meilleur Avenir (a kids help organization) we are hosting a pool session for kids between 4 and 12 on Saturday November 21st from noon until 2 at the Cornwall Aquatic Center and the following day (Sunday the 22nd) for kids between the ages of 13 through 18. Same time and place.
This means that we have 4 hours in the weekend to get as many kids into the pool and into kayaks as possible. Should be a great time. We have rounded up our volunteers, got all our gear ready to go and even scrounged a few good participation prizes to give away to the kids.

On the Saturday night we will host a BBQ at my place for the volunteers too

Rest assured that I will make every effort to get some pics of all those kids in the pool and in our boats. Stay tuned.

Robert Z.

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FREEDOM – The Beginning of an adventure

Robert Zwanenburg wrote 177 days ago:

We could also call this post: The ramblings of a very tired but very lucky man…..

Laying here next to my sleeping wife, kids and friends I realize that I am truly one lucky dude.
Where am I?… The Maple Leaf motel in Bruceton West Virginia.
Why am I here? Cause after packing all our gear into the car and CReW paddle trailer we left Williamstown Ontario at 6:15 this morning for a one month road trip.  The first destination to be Gauley Fest

Day one consisted of an early morning departure, the most painless boarder crossing ever, a stop in Water town at our good frien Tommy’s to pick up some stuff. then a really long day on the road.

So what makes me so lucky? Life!  A really simple answer.
Let me clarify:
I have a family that supports me and I in return give them everything that I am.
My work (though rediculously stressful most of the time) allows me to book a month vacation and tolerates my often informal management style…
I get to teach kids on the water all summer long and through the winter too. Hopefully make leave positive impact in their lives
I have a great orgnization and lub that provides kids the opportunity to get on the water.
My whole family kayaks an are quickly getting better than me
My good friends kayak
And… We are currently headed to Gauley Fest then will spend some time playing on rivers in West Virgina and Tenessee. Then on to Flower mound Texas to hang with my cuz and back on the Ottawa for our Thanksgiving weekend.
Moosefest with my friends….
I can go on an on but I think ou get the picture.

So back to lying here in a room full of happily sleeping people.
Tonight we sleep well and tomorrow we trek down to the festival. Fun, New Boats, Meet new people, WK Rodeo, and more fun.

Did I mention that tomorrow morning I will say HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEST FRIEND/WIFE: SYLVIE.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SYLVIE!!! I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF MY LIFE FOR SO LONG!
She is a great partner, awesome friend and amazing mom to our kids ,spuper kayak instructor and the list goes on

Nice way to kickoff a vacation don’t you think so?
I do!

Now I will get some sleep and enjoy the last bed that we will se for the next 3 weeks.

We will post regular updates (as regular as possible) subject to internet availability.

So time to embrace the adventure and see where it takes the 5 of us.

Goodnight and see you at Gauley

Robert
www.cornwallwhitewater.com

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Family, Friends, Quebec City and Whitewater

Robert Zwanenburg wrote 247 days ago:

Every year at this time Sylvie and I drag our kids kicking and screaming to Quebec City. Sound bad?
BAH… It is a blast!

The kicking and screaming comes from the back seat while Emily and Zachary pass the time poking and pestering Cheryl . In their defense she most definitely eggs them on

The plan for for the week is a mix of family time and kayaking. The rivers of choice: The Mont Morency River and various sections of the Jacques Cartier (Pont-Rouge, Grand Remous and the Seuils St-Catherines). This year we were welcomed by an outlandish amount of rain but hat has its benefits. High water.
I got to enjoy watching Chery and Sylvie step up to the plate and run 3 and a half hours of continuous class 3 and 4 rapids on the Mont Morency river. Good times. Sylvie’s stress levels stayed high all along. She did great but looked done by the end Cheryl stepped up a lot as well!!!
Family days with Sylvie’s folks, sister and cousins were used as our off days. Cirque Du Soleil at night and old Quebec!!! Who hoo

Zachary balled up his courage and ran some fun parts of the Seuils. We did a day in the Duo on the Grand Remou section. Also good. Zach learned that sitting in the front means releasing control to the person in the back. Not always an easy thing to do Made for some entertaining moments.

The highlight was definately taking Sylvie’s mom down Pont Rouge to Donnacona. Lise rocked. She looked nervous at first but the yells and laughter from the front of the boat said it all. She is definitely a tough lady. Half way down the river it poured…… Great big drops of cold water. Not good for the moral but she took it like a trooper and when it stopped raining the smile crept right back in!

If anyone wants to run a river in a duo please let me know. This is the best thing since sliced bread. It is fun to surf with beginners and experience paddlers, it handles well and even if the person in front does not follow your lead it is good to go

If you would like to check out some pics and clips go to http://www.dropshots.com/crew# and check the sets from June 28th until July 4th. Enjoy

after 7 days of fun it was time to go home. Get back to the reality of work and the awesome prospect of the first week of the 2009 youth Challenge Kayak Program.

This weekend: The Ottawa River. Stay tuned

Robert

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CReW and MEC Paddlefest 2009

Robert Zwanenburg wrote 284 days ago:

Saturday morning 5:00 AM – The alarm goes off…. Nobody should ever have to wave up at 5 am in my opinion..

The night before we packed 19 kayaks and all our gear onto the trailer and car. In the rain…..

Back to the alarm… Why did am I getting up? Oh yeah now I remember…. the 2009 MEC Paddlefest at Mooneys May in Ottawa. Kick myself hard in the butt and Sylvie slowly oooches out of bed too (she is better at the morning thing than I am ) The kids grumble and we manage to get Cheryl up as well.

A few showers, a quick breakfast and we are off to Ottawa, though still not fully awake and only with a small idea of what is to come.

Earlier in the year we were approached by Jody at MEC. She asked if we would available to do clinics at the Paddlefest. So we agreed and now it is early and we are on our way. Did I mention that it is raining and it is cold.

When we arrived we all worked quickly to set up our tent and get the gear to the water. Our first clinic if the day was going to be a session with families. To my surprise, and in spite of the weather the parents and young kids arrived. So we were going to cross a new bridge. A family paddling clinic.

Our goal is to make parents that paddle (and those that don’t) aware that the sport can be enjoyed as a family. It requires a lot of patience, a serious amount of planning but in the long run it is worth the effort. So we spoke together in the tent about clothing, gear, hydration, expectations, medical concerns (little kids freeze very fast and the symptoms come up before you know it) safety and more. We talked for 30 minutes and then we were clearly aware that the kids had enough. So out to the water.

3 families showed up and 2 were ready to get wet. We allowed everyone to play with the gear on land, fit a helmet and life jacket then one by one we took them out on the lake. Parent and kids in the same clinic. Kinda neat!

The focus for the kids was having fun and between Sylvie, Zachary, Cheryl and I we made that happen. As for the parent we encouraged them to learn a bit about paddling but more about watching and staying aware of their kids on the water. It was fun. By the time it was over we got them out and into the tent to warm up. When they left they were all smiling. I think we did good.

Through the first clinic the weather goods smiled on us and, although the forecast did not predict this, it turned sunny and nice.

The rest of the day was intro clinics and rolling. In 5 hours we reached over 25 people and helped them improve or get started. So cool!!

As the day went on we also had a chance to play It is not everyday that we get to horse around in sea kayaks, sprint kayaks, stand up paddling on a surf board and canoes. So this was a treat.

Zachary and Cheryl took a rolling clinic to end their day. What kind of rolling? Open Canoes! Did they succeed? To my surprise and and joy… Yes they did

The instructor is Paul Mason. Awesome Job Paul thanks. Great Job Zach. Cheryl pulled it off too but the is no video proof (If a tree falls in the forest…..)

So after a great day of teaching (yes it turned out great even though I had to get up early), horsing around on the water, hanging with old friends and meeting new people, we headed home feeling strangely satisfied.

Teaching new paddlers and kids. It does not get better for me.

So MEC Paddlefest will be a regular stop on the CReW tour next year. Thank Jody for inviting us! It was great and families beware. we will get you paddling! Once you get in you will never look back

Enjoy the pics and see you on the river,

Robert Zwanenburg
www.cornwallwhitewater.com

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Palmer Fest 2009, CReW and more digital incompetence…

Robert Zwanenburg wrote 299 days ago:

This article is about Palmer Fest and CReW.

So why digital incompetence? Simple. I really suck at taking pictures and remembering to take pictures. How hard can that be? I get soo excited about teaching and paddling that I forget to stop, breath and capture some of those memorable moments. I kick myself every time but do not seem to learn… My apologies and I will try harder next time.

And now, back to Palmer Fest.

Every year Scott MacGregor and the staff at Rapid Media put on an event at the Paddlers Coop at Palmer Rapids Ontario. The river is the Madawaska and the time of year is Mid May.This year Palmer Fest brought out 356 paddlers and 55 instructors together to learn, have fun on and off the water, hook up with old friends and make new ones.

The clinics that are offered are geared to all levels of paddler. From intro to kayaking (these classes were packed!), learning to roll (brrrrr), children’s intro courses, kids advanced classes, freestyle clinics (some big names come out to teach these!) and creeking too! Did I neglect to mention the open boating and C1 courses? There are a lot of those too!

The camping is good, the food on Saturday night was excellent and this year the bands were on their game!

A good row of vendors is on site with equipment to demo or buy. There are even some great ideas from the vendors to keep your attention. Throw bag tosses, raffles and this year Matt Hamilton graced us with a Bicycle powered blender. Ooh the things you can mix in that .

What strikes me most at Palmer Fest is the family friendly environment. There are kids running around everywhere. There are also day care facilities offered without extra charge for parents with itty-bitty kids. How cool is that!

The only tough side of Palmer Fest: The weather! This year when we got there on Friday it was warm and insanely buggy. Then it changed…. it rained on Saturday and was cold on Sunday….. The trade off for this is that when it is cold and wet there are no bugs. If the wind dies, the sun comes out and the temp rises you are treated to  clouds of black flies and mosquitoes (just like the day we got there….). (Or should I say: the bugs are treated to a human smorgasbord)  This does not stop people from all over Ontario from coming out to the event!

It really is an event to put on the calendar. If you have never gone there then plan on it next year. (You need to book early as it is sold out every year by the mid April. Do not miss out.

This year CReW made a good showing there. Sean and Adam Hakvoort spent the entire weekend camping and learning and having fun. Alan brought his 2 sons, Micheal and Mat, out and Cheryl joined Sylvie, Emily, Zachary and myself.Next year we will bring out more (we even handed out a few membership forms to families and individuals from our region )

Sylvie and I decided to put something back into the event for a change and came out as instructors. Cheryl, who just completed her instructor certification so that she can teach this summer at our youth programs,  was also snagged into the instructor gig by Scott. Nice Catch Scott!

Sylvie was teaching rolling classes. 2 hour sessions standing in cold water so that  others can learn to roll and avoid swimming. That is dedication. The water is still cold and the weather does not make it easier! Cheryl started her teaching career as one of 5 instructors teaching a huge number of NEW paddlers! On Sunday she she joined me with the kids after Daryl suffered an small injury.

What is my angle? “White Water Kids: The next step”. I absolutely love teaching kids. They are receptive and expressive. When they catch on to an idea they pick it up fast and improve in ways that adults don’t. They are also supper happy with every small improvement. Soo cooI! I was teamed up with Daryl who has been doing this for a long time and his enthusiasm rivals my own. We had a group of 10 kids between the ages of 10 and 13. Some can roll and some can not but they are all super stoked and eager. They are tough too. It was wet and cold on Saturday and just plain cold on Sunday. Every kid went home with a new experience: river running, front surf and a few spins all mixed up with nervous smiles and excitement. Saaaweet!

A special mention goes to Ben. Ben is a little dude whho wanted to go out with us on Sunday. At 7 years old he would not yet be ready for the class but we have a secret weapon: Dynamic Duos! So Ben spent Sunday afternoon in the front of the duo with Cheryl and he too got the chance to run the river and surf and get the full on whitewater experience! Thanks fo getting in with us Ben. The smiles and yells were definitely a highlight! Thank you to Ben’s mom and dad too. It is very rewarding to be trusted by a parent to care for their child.

At the end of the festival we are all tired and ready to go home. Everyone had fun. Our kids made friends and played all weekend without making us worry. We made new friends and got reaquatinted with old ones. We learned a bit mmore about our skills and about being instructors.

We will go back next year and I will get pictures too.

Now we are home. Warm showers and beds. Cleaning gear and getting ready for the next event.

See you on the river,

Robert.

www.cornwallwhitewater.com

Categorized as:CReW Paddling  •   CReW Program  •   CReW members  •   Club paddling and events  •   Family Paddling  •   Festivals  •   Regional Events  •   Winter Paddling  •   off water funCReW Paddling  •   CReW Program  •   CReW members  •   Club paddling and events  •   Family Paddling  •   Festivals  •   Regional Events  •   Winter Paddling  •   off water funCReW Paddling  •   CReW Program  •   CReW members  •   Club paddling and events  •   Family Paddling  •   Festivals  •   Regional Events  •   Winter Paddling  •   off water funCReW Paddling  •   CReW Program  •   CReW members  •   Club paddling and events  •   Family Paddling  •   Festivals  •   Regional Events  •   Winter Paddling  •   off water fun

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CReW heads out to “Come Hell Or High Highwater”

Robert Zwanenburg wrote 305 days ago:

Last Friday was a day off work Got to like that!

So instead of spending my morning surrounded by staff, computers, books, and the never ending questions of people that need tech support and guidance, I spent the day packing and planning for the Come Hell Or High Water Petawawa down river race.

The race was on a 3 km section of river in the town of Petawawa. These folks have a class 3 /4 river righ in the center of twon. How cool is that!

We arrived Friday evening at the site but there was no one there. In theory the camping in the city park was available and free but the washrooms were locked and we were not so sure that we would not be woken up by the local policein the middle of the night. So we took a drive and found a local campsite.

The evening plan: set up camp, have a beer then get to bed early.

What really happened? We set up camp, ate supper and were invited to a neighboring camp fire… It was great. The kids enjoyed the fun with their kids and then there was beer….. many beer later and a watch saying 12:30, we walked off and hit the hay…. Dohh.

Saturday monring was full of promise. It was sunny and reasonably warm. Lots of people registering and we bumped into a lot of friends. Time to run and scout the river.

The race starts at the Railroad Rapid and ends at the end of Catwalk. The first rapid was a sweet section with big holes and pour overs. Loads of fun. Left of the bridge pillar is the fast and clean line. Right of the pillar brings you into a line that is narrow and fast but if you miss, the beatdown in the hole on the right will be one to remember!

The 2 km that follw are a series of small wave trains and holes.

Then there is Lovers. This sweet little drop looks a lot worse than it is. The main flow pushes you through the center slot and into a hole atthe bottom without any consequence. If you manage to mess up you line (you would really have to try to mess it up…) the beatdown will be short but it will be rocky (shallow).

It all ends at the bottom of catwalk (sweet littl rapid with a couple great surf spots).

After running the river once you get a good feel for what you need to do.

Then the race: This was my first race since I was a kid and for me and Aime-Jean it was the first in the Duo. Running it at a leisurely pace is one thing but pushing without stoppong is another. We missed a few lines got a bit uncoordinated in spots and laughed a whole lot too But no carnage so all is good. we finished the race with a time of 7minutes 6 seconds. The idea was to give Billy and Carly a challenge…. The finished the race with the second best time at 6minutes 14 seconds…Oh well. We plan on training a bit more for net year and adding a few well hidden bricks in Billy’s boat and maybe putting a few extra beers in Billy’s diet the night before… We won’t pick on Carly ’cause she is soo nice to us

Zachary did well too. His lines were fast and he finished the race with a time of 7 minutes 42 seconds. I am proud. He was the youngest paddler there. At 13 years old he is facing a lot of big water and overcoming fears that many of us still struggle as adults:).

Randall Souter (Club Member) also came out from Montreal for this and he showed us how to get through lover backwards. Next time he has tell tell us it was on purpose

Did I mention that at 1.00 PM it started to rain? Well, it rained. and rained and rained. We lost almost all the spectators but still the event was a success. Lots of boaters.

Highlights:

A group Hug for the Mayor. The Mayor of Petawawa came out to welcome the racers and then our friend Billy decided that it was a god time to thank him for the support with a group hug. A couple seconds of awkward silence as Billy hugs the mayor… then we joined in Kinda funny. Mayor survived and took it well.

Race Delay: Someone called 911! A local sitting in their home with a view of the river saw a swimmer out of their boat.. then called 911. The fire department, police and ambulance closed the river access to perform a complete sweep of the river… arghhh 1 hour delay. Time for a coffee and a donut. Timy Ho her ewe come.

Racing: Always cool!

Duo Surfing and back enders! In the morning Aime-Jena and I went for surf after our first run. Catwalk has an super retentive and wide hole at the bottom ideal for Duo play! Lots of spins, surfs and yes, our first vertical end. Being the bigger dude and in the back I happily agreed to push the stern into the whole and there next thing I see: Aime-Jean was up and over my head! Sweet. Later in the afternoon I took Brendan (from BC) out for a ride and we did it again. Brendan (a honest to goodness adult) was laughing like a little girl! way cool!

When it was all over we were wet, cold and tired. The event included an excellent Barbecue and then it was time to drive home. The back of the car was full of slleping people and Sylvie was sleeping next to me. A word of advice: Keep someone awake. It is hard to drive and focus when everyone else is sleeping! Next time I will get some pics of Sylvie sleeping with her mouth open and face up in the passenger seat. Picture a turkey looking up (She will be annoyed at me for this coment but oh well…)

Another end to a great river experience. We will be back next year for sure. And we will volunteer too!!

Thanks to Phil Kompass and his team for putting this on.

Here is a link to a local article about the race: The Daily Observer

Here is a link to Billy’s point of view: Mr Harris

Something to think about:

The Race was more than just a race. It was put together by a collection of dedicated paddlers who care about our rivers.

Thanks to our Federal Government our waterways and our right to water access have been seriously compromised. And now there is possibility of a threat to the Petawawa river in the form of a dam. I am not saying that dams are necessarily bad (No political views or opinions here) but the river is precious to so many and it needs to be preserved.

This event was done to raise awareness in their community and beyond so that people and politicians (funny how I do not necessarily group them together huh… ) can see the value of the river and the resource and if it is to be exploited it might be done responsibly.

Come Hell Or High Water will be an annual event and will do its part in protecting the river and ensuring that people can enjoy the scenic and recreational value for years to come.

For more info on the protection of our rivers and water ways you can read more at I Speak For Canadian Rivers

Paddle Hard and Play Safe.

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Saturday morning, a cup of coffee and another day in Valleyfield

Robert Zwanenburg wrote 316 days ago:

Who can complain? Certainly not me.

Spring is in full swing and my boss reminded me that I have to use up the balance of my 2008 annual vacation days before too long. (I had a balance of 18 days and am using them to paddle between April and June. who hoo)

Last night we dropped Emily for a night out with my sister. Zach, Sylvie, Cheryl and I headed out to Champlain for a good session while the levels are still high. (All paddling no pics…..)

This morning it is all about the coffee. Coffee is way more enjoyable when you are not in a hurry to get to work. An espresso was meant to be enjoyed on the sofa.

This afternoon we are taking the club to Valleyfield for some fun on the Riviere St-Charles. Cheryl (she should have been here half and hour ago.. Cheryl, where are you? )is getting a last week of practice before she takes here instructor course, Sylvie and Zach are going to work on their river running skills and Aime-Jean and I are going to get our act together in the duo so that we can race together in next weeks “come Hell Or Highwater Petawawa race. We will also be joined by the Hakvoort boys and hopefully a few other members too! I am going to try and convince Sean that he should do the race as well (Subject to his parents approval of course )

So, I guess it is time to start loading gear on the trailer and getting it together for the day.

See you on the river,

Robert

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Level 6 Capital Cup Rodeo and Good Friends :)

Robert Zwanenburg wrote 319 days ago:

Last weekend was one of our favorite events of the year: The Level 6 Capital Cup in Ottawa.

Saturday was perfect. 27 degrees, sunny, the water level was at 4.2 which means the wall at Champlain Bridge in Ottawa was good to go. And CReW was there to be part of it.

The pro categories were everything we expected and more.  Joel, Billy and Carly, Farmer Dave (Dave Nieuwenhuis) Jason Craig and the rest of the paddlers make it look so easy.

Let me tell you, there are a  lot of amateur paddlers that really make it look easy too! The competition in every category was excellent and the show was number 1!. This year there were 18 paddlers in the open category. And the best turn out yet for women and the kids were good too.
Our Club members put up a good showing:
Zachary pulled off a first place in the Junior open.
Cheryl picked up a 5th place in the women’s open
Martin Cayouette – 4th in the men’s open
and Matt Orton  -  third place in his first ever competition in the junior open.
Sylvie decided to volunteer and helped out during the better part of the day.
Emily says she is not ready yet (that is cool with me too. She will go when she says it is time)

All in all a good effort for our club and I am proud of them all!

Yours truly pulled off a 2nd in the Masters Open.  Mr. John Mason put me squarely in my place and gave me a goal to reach for next year and forthcoming events. If I want to pull of a first place in any category I am going to have to put some work into it
All in all it was a lot of fun for everyone.

Throughout the day we took the Duos out and tried to get others to take em out too
On Saturday Billy and my little girl (Emily) put on a show in one boat and I was picking up anyone who was brave enough to get in with me!

Cheryl was my partner of choice for the day but we did manage to get a lot of others to give it a go with me too. My buddy Vince taught me a new term: Nasal Enema. He referred to this while sitting in the front of the duo on the wave. He is the same size as me and that means a lot more edge and a whole lot more water in your face! Weeeeeee!

After wards we joined my friend for a barbecue that will not soon be forgotten. Well fed, and tired we were all out of commission by 10.
On Sunday the weather was a lot cooler but still people came out for the clinics and the fun.
For me there was only one program: Duo time!
A couple from Montreal, Patrick and Stephanie took out our “go banana” boat and they worked it out! Even through in a hand roll. (This provoked a series of hand rolls from Sylvie and Cheryl They wont admit it but they are competitive)

Sylvie and Cheryl, Cheryl and me, 2 brothers (Liam and Cam Smedley), Zachary and Devyn, Luc (a local paddlers) got in with me and a couple others.

Sylvie decided to climb in with me (she trusts me!!!) and with Devyn and Zach in the other boat we played a game of bumper boats on the wave That was loads of fun till Sylvie said it was enough…. oh well….

So the day ended with a clean up of the site and a lot of loading of gear. Zachary placed his order for the paddle that he won the day before and then it was time to head home.

So was it a great weekend? you bet. Between the paddling and some good old goofiness who could ask for more!

Next stop: Come Hell Or High Water and a lot of Valleyfield in between!

Enjoy the pics,

You can also go to http://www.dropshots.com/crew#date/2009-04-25/10:34:06 for more pics and video

See you on the river soon,

Robert

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