FLUID Adventures: January 2007

CWU Pool Session

Sunday night was the first pool session for Central Washington University. We decided to go over and help facilitate extra gear and instructional help. the event was huge, everyone had fun being their first time in kayaks. This was a bigger turnout than we expected said Ryan CWU's rec director. next weekend is the college tour with eNRG kayaking where we'll be touring with them and doing a film and demo pool sessions for students to get in boats. Everyone said they'll be back for next weekend. If your in Ellensburg on the 27 or 28th come check it out!

Surf Pummel 2007

making up our own stretching program before surfing I think this was a spin off of Sybles german marching stretch, but with some polka!

Double hand grinds, you just don't see that anymore!

2007 surf pummel was very mellow this year with most of our crew injured from everything but paddling. Jean luc, Jon Almquist and myself carried on tradishon with some ocean surfing, river running and a great day at the Mosh pit!

La Push Rock from our beach house on the coast.

Jean Luc testing out his new Dragorosi kayak. Mikey liked it!

Almquist ripping it up as usual ( this is last years Pummel photo notice the people in the eddy and how many people are in the pic above ?)

High Water Fall 2006

After some big water boating and plenty of log dodging it was safer and as fun to scout and just watch the river surge and move earth.

The Plunger Icicle Creek

Snow Creek

Roadside Atraction
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2006 University of Puget Sound Fall Course

One week before our course date washington was experiencing some of the biggest floods in recorded years. We met up with our fearless team in North Bend with plans of the powerhouse but that was even too high. It was a typical North Bend winter boating day. The snow level dropped right over our heads which brought the rivers down but did the same to the tempature. The class was preparing for the worst but the first day cleared up and we decided to run the South Fork Snoqualmie from Mike Arnolds bridge through town and to the second bridge. The run was a first descent for all of us and the students first time on a river ever! post high water the bushes were flattened and their was some strainers that students learned to point out but all and all a very clean and interesting place to take a class.

Ohta keeping warm in his boat getting ready for students to launch!

The South Fork was tight and twisty but by the end of day one we were ready to explore and the students wanted more. After dinner at NBBG that night the students went back to the college to dry out and it continued to rain. We on the other hand had an interesting night spent in North Bend, that's another story. In the morning we rejuvinated our spirits back at the NBBG (North Bend Bar and Grill) for some enegry food and a round robin to decide where to go. After very little debate we opted for the Main Snoqualmie from plums landing to Fall City.(they wanted higher water) This was a huge contrast to the smaller South Fork. Students ran one pretty big wave train succesfully and learned that eddy lines and big water can be quite powerful and exciting! even on class II.

these guy's did amazing and put up with more bad weather and conditions than most kayakers put up with. with the help of everyone buying dish washing hand gloves. they all bought yellow dish gloves. They work great! and fashionable.

South Fork Snoqualmie Yo!

It was a great course and can't wait to see those guy's back in the spring. UPS has pool sessions twice a week for students with a growing membership in the kayak club. thanks again UPS !

The Trent Family and Fluid Adventures

The Trent Family are some of the coolest people that I have ever met. Cliff, Kate, and even the Grandparents are incredibly supportive of their kids and the activities in which they chose to participate. Cliff has raft guide training and has exposed these kids to moving water, and given them some river experiences in the past. That being said, these kids are learning so fast it is ridiculous. Kyle, 13yrs, was rolling with in the first 40 minutes of his first pool session and I don't think he has swam since that day. I would not be surprised if he is playing in big holes and running big drops with us soon. Lucas, 7yrs, has the best hip-snap and has know idea how fast he is becoming a kayaker. On their first day on a river, we were at the end of a little Class II rapid and I asked him: "How was that?" his response was "That was easy!". I don't even know if he looked at me when he said it because I think he was picking out a line downstream. I hope that we get the pleasure of kayaking with this family for years to come.