BRT Insights - WW Kayaking & Hiking

Please write emails to help maintain access to the river for the Coloma to Greenwood class II whitewater paddleboating run.

California State budget problems have led to a proposal to close some State Parks. Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park is a critical river access point for the popular Coloma to Greenwood Whitewater Run on SF American River. The proposed closure of this park could block access to a very popular whitewater river run that is very heavily used by class II paddleboaters and paddleboater training programs.

"Marshall Gold Park is on the closure list - and the only way we can change it is by making noise NOW. As boaters, not only will we lose general access, bathrooms and parking, but any sort of put-in will be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Go to Keep Sutter's Mill Open! for who to write and some talking points. Tell the folks at the State Capital that closing Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park (Yep, thats' the full name) is NOT ACCEPTABLE. Even if it wasn't a put-in, California statehood started with the Gold Rush and the Gold Rush started at Sutter's Mill. It's just wrong to close the park." (Marilyn on CFS Listerver)

Where to Send Letters. Please send letters or emails to Governor Schwarzenegger, Ruth Coleman Director of California State Parks, and your California State Legislators.

Sign The Online Petition - Save California State Parks from closure. Express your support for California State Parks!! "During these hard economic times there isn't very much the general public can do for weekend retreats or vacations. The one thing that does remain inexpensive is camping and exploring California's wonderful State Parks. Now Gov. Schwarzenegger wants to close 220 of the 279 California State Parks. Something must be done. If you want to save these wonders of nature then please sign this petition and pass it on to those you know."

More about California State Park closure and River Conservation issues:
• Marshall Gold State Historic Park closed to all raft & kayak put-ins until Memorial Day 2010.
• Fight State Parks Closures - California State Parks Foundation.
• California residents contact your legislators about State Park closure issues - BRT Insights.
• SF American River Recreation & Conservation Directory. (Sort alphabetically. 1&2=paddleboating, 3=conservation, 4=fishing, 5=camping-hiking, 6=local-info)
• River Conservation & Water Supply Policy Issues in California - BRT Insights.

IceRocket Tags: river, environment.
Technorati Tags: California, river, river conservation.

Labels: conservation

An excellent reference book that covers a wide range of whitewater river kayaking skills and techniques.

The Ultimate Guide to Whitewater Kayaking provides "detailed illustrations, stunning photos and literary contributions from the world's most notable paddlers. ... this manual covers everything from the most basic skills and concepts to the most advanced, cutting edge paddling techniques. .... You'll learn: to choose the right equipment, the essential strokes and paddling techniques, the art of reading whitewater, river running techniques, river safety and rescue, playboating techniques, creek boating skills, big water skills, surf kayaking technique, squirtboating, slalom and much more."

In its 288 pages this book does a great job of describing a wide range of whitewater river kayaking techniques. It includes chapters on: Equipment, Before Hitting the Water, The Essentials, Strokes, Rolling a Kayak, Anatomy of Whitewater, River Running, Big Water River Running, Creeking, Playboating, Whitewater Racing, Surf Kayaking, Squirt Boating, River Safety & Rescue, River Etiquette, Tips for Women, Travelling & Kayaking, Overnight Whitewater Trips. The book is very well illustrated with B&W photos and diagrams.

Shoulder safety principles - Power Position and Paddler's Box.

The book describes good techniques for maintaining shoulder safety (pg 26-28). It is very important for kayakers to keep their hands in front of their shoulders in the "power position" when paddling. Another way of describing the same concept is the "paddler's box kayaking technique" that I have advocated previously. The critical principle is that the hands (or elbows) should never be allowed to move behind the shoulders because this body position greatly increases the risk of shoulder dislocation when paddling a kayak.

Problems with forward sweep stroke kayaking technique.

These shoulder safety principles are totally violated just a few pages later in this book in the description of forward sweep stroke techniques (pg. 41-43). The book describes first turning head and shoulders in the desired direction of the turn and then reaching far back on the other side of the kayak to make the sweep stroke. This inevitably puts the hand far behind the shoulder in a very risky shoulder dislocation position. This may be the high performance turning method that many advanced kayakers are using to turn the modern short kayaks. Nevertheless, I don't advocate teaching this very risky technique to beginning paddlers whose shoulder muscles may not be strong enough to survive the risky shoulder dislocation position. I think that beginning kayak paddlers should be taught the traditional method of turning the head to follow the paddle blade in the water when doing the sweep stroke. This provides the best shoulder safety and helps the beginning kayaker to focus on first learning to engage torso muscles to make the boat turn efficiently.

Conclusion.

I have great concerns about the description of forward sweep stroke technique, but other than that everything else in this book is quite excellent. I rate this book as a great resource for whitewater river kayakers (**** 4 stars out of 5).

More about:
• Principles of kayak paddling strokes, The Paddler's Box - BRT Insights.
• Sweep Stroke for Turning Your Kayak, the traditional method - BRT Insights.
• Book reviews for whitewater river kayaking, rafting & canoeing - BRT Insights.
• White Water Kayaking Skills & Techniques - BRT Insights.

IceRocket Tags: kayaking.
Tags: paddlesports, kayaking, kayaking technique, paddle boating, whitewater, river.

Labels: book, technique

Topographic river maps and road maps for all of California. Kayakers, canoers, river-tubers and rafters need good maps for GPS, trip planning and driving directions.

California Atlas & Gazetteer (Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer Series). "This new atlas contains topographic maps and recreation information for the entire Golden State. It replaces the former Northern California and Southern & Central California Atlas & Gazetteer volumes. New in the California Atlas & Gazetteer: enhanced shaded relief for superior terrain views, larger place name fonts, improved road displays, updated roads and road names, 2-page Yosemite National Park map, updated exit numbers on interstate highways, and map pages overlap N-S and E-W to better display edge detail."

Every paddleboater shuttle vehicle needs one of these excellent books of maps!! The DeLorme California Atlas & Gazeteer is a very valuable resource for paddleboating (kayaking, canoeing, rafting & innertubing), for trip planning and for driving to your destination. Don't leave home without it !! (**** - my rating 4 stars out of 5).

Topographic river maps and creek maps for all streams in California:

Alameda Creek, Albion River, American River, Antelope Creek, Arroyo Seco River, Austin Creek, Battle Creek, Bear Creek, Bear River, Big River, Big Sur River, Black Butte River, Butte Creek, Cache Creek, Calaveras River, Cal Salmon River, Canyon Creek, Carmel River, Carson River, Clear Creek, Coffee Creek, Cosumnes River, Cottonwood Creek, Coyote Creek, Cuyama River, Deer Creek, Eel River, Elder Creek, Elk Creek, Feather River, Garcia River, Grindstone Creek, Guadalupe River, Gualala River, Hayfork Creek, Indian Creek, Kaweah River, Kern River, Kings River, Klamath River, Lavezzola Creek, Mad River, Mark West Creek, Mattole River, McCloud River, Merced River, Mill Creek, Mokelumne River, Nacimiento River, Napa River, Navarro River, New River, Noyo River, Outlet Creek, Owens River, Pajaro River, Pauley Creek, Pescadero Creek, Petaluma River, Piru Creek, Pit River, Putah Creek, Rancheria Creek, Redwood Creek, Russian River, Sacramento River, Salinas River, San Antonio River, San Joaquin River, San Lorenzo River, Santa Clara River, Santa Maria River, Scott River, Sespe Creek, Shasta River, Sisquoc River, Smith River, Soquel Creek, Spanish Creek, Stanislaus River, Stony Creek, Ten Mile Creek, Thomes Creek, Trinity River, Truckee River, Tuolumne River, Van Duzen River, Walker River, Yuba River. Ocean Surfing on the California Coast.

More about:
• DeLorme Northern California Atlas & Gazetteer 6th edition, 2003.
• Paddleboating Guides for Whitewater Rivers in California - BRT Insights.
• Reviews - Books, Videos, & Websites for whitewater river paddleboating.

IceRocket Tags: kayaking, river tubing, float tube, river map.
Tags: California, kayaking, whitewater, rivers, rafting, canoeing, gps, topographic map.

Labels: book, map

Kayaking, Rafting & Canoeing Paddlesports Guide - Lake County, Napa County, Solano County & Yolo County, California, USA.

Putah Creek canyon - put-in locations for Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & Canoeing.

A. Putah Creek Upper Run (class IV+, 16 miles)
      N 38.79169 W 122.56657 - Hwy 29 Bridge put-in (A) See map below.
      N 38.79079 W 122.47996 - access point ??
      N 38.70313 W 122.38134 - Stagecoach Canyon Road take-out.

B. Monticello Dam to Lake Solano (class II, 2.5 miles)
      N N 38.51379 W 122.09930 - Monticello Dam outflow put-in (B) See map below.
      N 38.49367 W 122.02849 - Lake Solano inflow - take-out.

C. Lake Solano to Mace Blvd (class I, ~18 miles)
      N 38.49377 W 122.00455 - Lake Solano outflow put-in (C) See map below.
      N 38.53680 W 121.85115 - Rd 95 Stevenson Bridge
      N 38.51701 W 121.75667 - Old Davis Road Bridge.
      N 38.51886 W 121.69529 - Mace Blvd Bridge.

Putah Creek map for paddleboaters.

• Instructions for online topographic river maps & road maps.
• Full-Screen road map & topographic map - landmarks on Putah Creek.
• Point or DoubleClick on the red markers to see the names of landmarks displayed below (A, B, etc.).

Putah Creek Guides, Maps & River Flow Data for Whitewater Boating.

• Best Whitewater in California, Third Edition 1998. (pg 80 Upper Run)
• West Coast River Touring - Rogue River Canyon and South, 1974. (pg. 193, 201-202 Upper Run)
• Ann Dwyer's Easy Waters of California North, 2000. (pg. 210-211 Monticello Dam Run)
• California River Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.
• River flow data & online guides: Putah Creek Paddlesports Directory. Display options alphabetical 100, see boating guides & flows in Section 1.

Putah Creek valley paddleboating reports NEEDED !!

• Please send your trip reports from Putah Creek white water boating trips. Stories, pictures & videos from boating trips will be linked here.
• Putah Creek - Google Images.
• YouTube - Putah Creek.

Outdoor Activities & Environmental Protection & in our River Canyons.

• Putah Creek Watershed Directory - Conservation & Recreation. Websites for the Putah Creek Valley. (Display options alphabetical 100. Section 1&2=kayaking-rafting-canoeing-paddlesports, 3=conservation-environment, 4=fishing, 5=camping-hiking, 6=other-websites)

More Information on California Rivers & Creeks:
• Nearby streams: Cache Creek, Bear Creek (Colusa County), Sacramento River Valley Region.

• Whitewater River Guides for California Kayaking, Canoeing & Rafting Paddlesports - BRT Insights.
• How to use whitewater river rafting and kayaking guides - BRT Insights.

IceRocket Tags: kayaking, river map.
Tags: Putah Creek, California, river, rafting, canoeing, whitewater, paddle boating, kayaking, paddlesport.

Labels: guide

Introduction to whitewater river kayaking techniques for beginning paddleboaters.

Essentials of River Kayaking provides a brief, quick introduction to a wide range of important skills & techniques that all whitewater river kayakers need to know about. Topics include: how to be safe on the water, kayaks & paddles, getting the kayak onto the river, kayaking strokes, kayaking on moving water, rescue & safety. None of these techniques can be covered completely in this very short booklet, but the booklet does provide a foundation of basic knowledge that can help prepare a beginning paddleboater to continue learning more from other sources in the future.

I rate this book as a good resource for beginning kayakers (*** 3 stars out of 5).

More about:
• Book reviews for whitewater river kayaking, rafting & canoeing - BRT Insights.
• White Water Kayaking Skills & Techniques - BRT Insights.

Tags: paddlesports, kayaking, paddle boating, whitewater, river.

Labels: book, technique

Including Tributaries Nacimiento River, San Antonio River & Arroyo Seco River - Monterey County & San Luis Obispo County, California, USA.

Jump to: Nacimiento River, San Antonio River, Arroyo Seco River, Salinas River.

Salinas River canyon - put-in locations for Whitewater Kayaking, River-tubing, Rafting & Canoeing.

Tributary Creeks.
A. Nacimiento River Hunter Liggett to Turtle Creek (class I-IIIp, 15 miles)
      N 35.87486 W 121.21834 - Hunter Liggett put-in (A)
      N 35.79912 W 121.10770 - Turtle Ck take-out.

B. Nacimiento River below reservoir (class I+p, 10.4 miles)
      N 35.76100 W 120.88428 - Below Nacimiento dam put-in (B)
      N 35.81308 W 120.75897 - Tower Rd Bridge take-out (H)

C. San Antonio River above reservoir (class II+, 10.7 miles)
      N 35.98467 W 121.23937 - Fergusson Rd bridge put-in (C)
      N 35.89705 W 121.08860 - Interlake Rd bridge take-out.

D. San Antonio River below reservoir (class Ip, 8.5 miles)
      N 35.79912 W 120.88519 - Vista Dam Rd Bridge put-in (D)
      N 35.86403 W 120.81019 - Bradley Rd Bridge take-out (I)

E. Arroyo Seco River - Arroyo Center to Miller's Lodge (class III, 5 miles)
      N 36.23578 W 121.47765 - Picnic Area put-in (E)
      N 36.25344 W 121.43103 - Miller's Lodge take-out.

F. Arroyo Seco River - Miller's Lodge to Elm Ave bridge (class III, 9.5 miles)
      N 36.25344 W 121.43103 - Miller's Lodge put-in (F)
      N 36.28095 W 121.32284 - Elm Ave Bridge take-out.

Salinas River.
G. Santa Margarita to Atascadero (class I/IIp, 9.5 miles)
      N 35.40798 W 120.56817 - Santa Margarita put-in (G)
      N 35.50093 W 120.65924 - Atascadero take-out.

H. Camp Roberts to Bradley (class I, 5.9 miles)
      N 35.81312 W 120.75902 - Tower Rd Bridge put-in (H)
      N 35.86387 W 120.81030 - Bradley Rd Bridge take-out (I)

I. Bradley to San Ardo Oil Field (class Ip, 7.5 miles)
      N 35.86387 W 120.81030 - Bradley Rd Bridge put-in (I)
      N 35.95939 W 120.88231 - San Ardo Oil Field take-out (J)

J. San Ardo Oil Field to San Ardo (class I, 6 miles)
      N 35.95939 W 120.88231 - San Ardo Oil Field put-in (J)
      N 36.01675 W 120.91252 - San Ardo take-out (K)

K. San Ardo to San Lucas (class Ip, 10.5 miles)
      N 36.01675 W 120.91252 - San Ardo put-in (K)
      N 36.11708 W 121.02745 - San Lucas take-out (L)

L. San Lucas to King City (class I, 10 miles)
      N 36.11708 W 121.02745 - San Lucas put-in (L)
      N 36.20273 W 121.13903 - King City take-out.

M. Gonzalez River Rd Bridge to Chualar River Rd Bridge (class I, 9 miles)
      N 36.48649 W 121.46986 - Gonzalez River Rd Bridge put-in (M)
      N 36.55564 W 121.54801 - Chualar River Rd Bridge take-out.

Salinas River map for paddleboaters.

• Instructions for online interactive topographic river maps & road maps.
• Full-Screen River Map - landmarks on the Salinas River.
• Point or DoubleClick on the red markers to see the names of landmarks (A, B, etc.).

Salinas River Guides, Maps & River Flow Data for Whitewater Boating.

• West Coast River Touring - Rogue River Canyon and South, 1974. (pg. 215-221, Salinas, Nacimiento, San Antonio & Arroyo Seco)
• Ann Dwyer's Easy Waters of California North, 2000. (pg. 334)
• California River Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.
• Online guides & river flow data: Salinas River Paddlesports Directory.

Salinas River valley paddleboating reports NEEDED !!

Please send your trip reports from Salinas River white water boating trips. Stories, pictures & videos from boating trips will be linked here.
• Arroyo Seco & NF Stan video - bhouse38 18oct2009
• Charging the Salinas River video - caliangler 25jan2008.
• Arroyo Seco River photos - Loma Prieta Paddlers 15jan2005.
• Western Waters Canoe Club - Salinas River trip photos.
• Santa Margarita Lake/Salinas River photos - Central Coast Paddlers Network 09feb2008.
• Salinas River - Google Images.

Outdoor Activities & Environmental Protection & in our Amazing River Canyons.

• Salinas River Watershed Directory - Conservation & Recreation. Websites for the Salinas River Valley. (Display options alphabetical 100. Section 1&2=kayaking-rafting-canoeing-paddlesports, 3=conservation-environment, 4=fishing, 5=camping-hiking, 6=other-websites)

More Information on California Rivers & Creeks:
Nearby streams: Pajaro River, Carmel River, Central
& South Coast Rivers Region.
• Whitewater River Guides for California Kayaking, River-tubing, Canoeing & Rafting Paddlesports, Geographical List - BRT Insights.
• How to use whitewater river rafting and kayaking guides - BRT Insights.

IceRocket Tags: kayaking.
Tags: Salinas River, California, river, river map, rafting, canoeing, paddle boating, kayaking, paddlesport, whitewater.

Labels: guide

Float Tubes (innertubes) provide a quick, easy and inexpensive way to float down a river.

• Intex 53" River Run I Float Tube.
• River Rat Inflatable Blow Up Inner Tube Float.
• Slime 5002-A Auto Inner Tube - G/Gr 15 TR13
• River Tubes - Tube Pro Inc. provides durable river float tubes for advanced tubers and outfitter services.

PFDs (life jackets) are highly recommended and may be required by law for tubing on some rivers.

Make sure that your PFD is sized to fit your body and provides the amount of floatation that you need.
• Kwik Tek PFDT-4 T-Bag T Top Bag Holds 4 Pfd's
• Life Jacket PFD - Large
• Aviva Sports Dura Nylon PFD - Youth

More about:
• Equipment for Whitewater Boating - Critical Reviews.
• River Tubing Skills, Techniques & Safety for Float Tube Trips - BRT Insights.

Labels: equipment

Float tubes (innertubes) are the ultimate in economy and simplicity among personal watercraft!!

River tubing provides the first river trip experiences for many people. This generally works out OK as long as beginning river tubers stick to gentle sections of river. Even on a gentle section of river there are still things to know to help promote fun and safety in river tubing.

Equipment for River Tubing.

The float tube can be a truck innertube from a tire store or a float tube from a sporting goods store. PFDs (life jackets) are always recommended and sometimes required depending upon the speed of the river and local regulations. This equipment can often be rented from outfitters located near rivers that are popular for river tubing. (Equipment for Float Tubing - BRT Insights.)

Hats & sunglasses should be tied on securely. Short ropes can be used to tie gear on your person or on your float tube. Never tie things together with a long length of rope in between. Avoid long dangling ropes that can get snagged on various obstructions in the riverbed and cause a safety hazard. An old pair of gym shoes or securely attached sandals are important for walking in and around the river. Be sure to bring lots to drink to stay well hydrated. Sunscreen is highly recommended and should be reapplied frequently.

Skills Training and/or Experience for River Tubing.

Beginners should go with more experienced river tubers who are familiar with the river, or start with gentle rivers that are recommended for self-guided trips. Everybody who goes river tubing should have good swimming skills because there is a risk of getting tipped over and separated from your float tube.

Choosing a River for your Float Tube Trip.

Rivers are rated from class I (flat moving water) to class V (extreme whitewater) on the International Scale of River Difficulty. Beginning river tubers should stick to class I & II rivers. Rivers that flow near to a road are best for beginning tubers so they can walk out easily in case of trouble.

River Tubing in California.

River difficulty ratings for many California rivers are available from websites (California River Boating Online Guide) and books (Paddling Northern California & Ann Dwyer's Easy Waters of California North). There are also websites that provide recent flow data (Dreamflows - Western USA) to help ensure that when you plan a river tubing trip there will be sufficient flow in the river when you get there. In northern California river tubing is popular on American River Parkway class I+, Cache Creek Rumsey Run class II+, Russian River class I, Sacramento River class I-II and Truckee River due to their reliable summer flows and relatively warm water.

Floating down the River in your Float Tube - Watch out for Safety.

Typically we leave one vehicle parked near the river take-out location and one vehicle at the river put-in location. When floating the river keep your group close together and make sure everybody is watching out for the safety of everybody else at all times. Even on the mildest of rivers the power of flowing water is incredible. Be sure to avoid logs and bushes in the current that can snag a boat or a boater. Don't let the currrent push you into a channel that is too narrow to pass through safely. Whenever you cannot see a safe route down the river get out on the shore to find a good route or to walk around a difficult section of the river. Don't let the current push you underneath an overhanging rock, tree or shoreline because you could get trapped underwater. Keep your feet up and swim if you get tipped out of your float tube in an area of strong current. Don't walk in the riverbed in places where the current is strong because if your foot gets wedged in a crevice then the current could push you under. Avoid the upstream side of rocks, bridge pilings or other obstructions in the riverbed. Man-made structures in the riverbed are typically very hazardous, so be sure to float far away from them or walk past them on the shore if necessary.

River Tubing Photos & Videos.

• YouTube - River Tubing Tour, Ocho Rios Jamaica.
• river tubing - Google Images.
• river tubing pictures and videos on Webshots.
• Picasa Web Albums - river tubing Search results.
• YouTube - river tubing search.
• Axel Tubing on the American River - LiveVideo.com
• Mokelumne River Trip 2006 - Tubing the River
• Saskia Tubing on the American River - LiveVideo.com
• river tubing - Google Videos

Good luck, watch out for safety and have fun out there!!

More about:
• Tube Information and Safety - TubeNation - Ride the Tube!
• Use the Buddy System for Safety Teamwork on Whitewater River Trips.
• Skills & Techniques for Whitewater River Float Trips.

IceRocket Tags: river tubing, float tube.
Technorati Tags: river tubing, float tube, river, whitewater, California.

Labels: technique

Support full funding of the National Streamflow Information Program by contacting your representatives in the U.S. Congress.

Streamflow gages are critical for planning whitewater paddleboating trips, but also for all of the government agencies and businesses that manage, conserve or utilize our water resources.

"Dozens of critical sensors tracking temperamental Central Valley rivers could blink out next year because of California's budget problems. Some of the sensors, known as streamflow gages, have operated for more than 100 years, providing vital real-time data on river elevation and flow volume that are vital to flood safety, environmental protection and water supply." Vital Central Valley water sensors at risk from budget cuts - Sacramento Bee 04aug2009.

List of 54 stream flow gages in California that are threatened with discontinuation after October 2009. California Threatened Streamgages - Office of Surface Water usgs.gov.

ChrisS wrote "some USGS California gauges ... scheduled to be discontinued ... The ones of biggest concern to paddlers appear to be the Smith, SF Eel, Mill Creek, Deer Creek, Butte Creek, NF Yuba below Goodyears ..." Discontinued gauges California 2009 - Dreamflows Bulletin Board 02aug2009.

All whitewater boaters and river lovers should contact their federal legislators to support full funding of the National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP).

Jim Kolva, Office of Surface Water, wrote in an email to Brendan "Two of the streamgages on your list (10296000 and 11383500) are part of the designated National Streamflow Information Program. You can find out more about this program at this URL: http://water.usgs.gov/nsip/. Basically the program is designed to provide a "backbone" network of federally funded streamgages so that local budget woes do not threaten continued data collection. Currently NSIP is funded at about $20 million but full funding would cost about $140 million/year. You could contact your Congressman and Senators and urge full funding of NSIP." Discontinued gages - boof.com, the california whitewater community forum.

"U.S. Geological Survey's National Streamflow Information Program ... operates and maintains approximately 7,500 streamgages which provide long-term, accurate, and unbiased information on streamflow to meet the needs of many diverse users." National Streamflow Information Program - usgs.gov.

The link below provides information about how to contact your legislators to express your support for full funding of the National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP). In the midst of a drought it seems wrong to economize on collecting the data needed to efficiently manage our precious water supplies. California residents contact your legislators about water supply policy issues - BRT Insights.

More about paddleboating trip plans and water supply policy issues:
• Whitewater River Kayaking Trip Plans & Trip Reports - BRT Insights.
• River Conservation & Water Supply Policy Issues in California - BRT Insights.

IceRocket Tags: river, environment.
Technorati Tags: California, river, river conservation, environment, water policy, water supply.

Labels: conservation, trip