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Tallulah Gorge Restored

Tallulah Gorge Putting new meaning into the term "first descent," whitewater boaters paddled the Georgia's Tallulah Gorge--known as the "Niagara of the South"--for the first time ever Nov. 1, 1997. More than 700 paddlers converged on the gorge in November as water was restored for the first since its damming in 1913. The Tallulah is the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi, approaching 1,000 feet in depth and dropping more than 650 feet in two miles. Restoration was the result of a five-year effort by the Phoenicia, N.Y.-based American Whitewater Affiliation (AWA). The AWA, working with the Georgia Canoeing Association, Atlanta Whitewater Club, Georgia Conservancy and Friends of the Mountains, secured five weekends of recreational (and another 14 weekends of aesthetic) releases annually, and improved daily minimum flows through the gorge which will occur for 30 years, the term of dam-owner Georgia Power's new license. "I basically spent the last six years of my life working on this project," says AWA Executive Director Rich Bowers. "Tallulah is one of the most impressive whitewater rivers in the Southeast. It has it all--big drops, tight channels, play spots and absolutely incredible scenery." Thanks to the work of Bowers and the AWA, Southern paddlers can now add such cataracts as Tempesta, Hurricane, Oceana and Bridal Veil Falls to their big-drop repertoires.

--ahb

The River Weiss

Paddlers wondering what to name their offspring while maintaining a tie to the water world would do well to follow the child-naming approach of Rosi Weiss, the widow of two-time whitewater slalom Olympian Rich Weiss who passed away in a kayaking accident last summer. A few months after Rich's death, Rosi gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. The name she chose for the offspring of one of the world's top slalom paddlers? River.

--edb

The Wolfman Triathlon--Punishment Upper Midwest Style

When compared to South Africa's KWV Berg Marathon and other monster paddling events, the Wolfman Triathlon is a pup--a slam-dunk affair combining a three-mile whitewater segment with 12 miles of mountain biking and 3.5 miles of footpath running, universally ignored by world-class athletes. Then again, that's 18 plus miles of self-propulsion for the rest of us; rugged miles traversing a course designed to challenge competitors and entertain spectators--and not a bad way to introduce paddlers to Wisconsin's Wolf River either. Held annually on the eastern boundary of Wisconsin's Langlade County, the Wolfman's downriver, three-mile segment includes three sets of Class II rapids and is open to kayaks, canoes and inflatables. Hard boats must be outfitted with secured flotation displacing at least 30 percent of the craft's volume, helmets and approved PFDs are required, and metal boats stay home. "This race is totally off-road and rugged," says Jamee McCabe, the 1996 Women's Senior Division winner. "You'll be covered with dirt and mud--you'll really feel like a wolfman toward the end." Most event veterans feel that although an experienced paddler may earn an early lead, past races have favored well-conditioned athletes with talent in the less-damp disciplines. Of course, even in them you're apt to get wet. After leaving the boats and bikes, contestants have to carry their two-wheelers across the river to appease some malicious course planner.

--For more information call (715) 882-5771 or (715) 882-3024.

--Greg Royce

Paddlers Raise $25,000 for Camp AmeriKids

The Statue of Liberty didn't have New York Harbor to herself Sept. 6: she had to share it with 57 paddlers racing 28 miles around Manhattan Island. But they were chopping up her waters for a good cause. By paddling in AmeriCares' "Kayak for Kids" event, the paddlers raised more than $25,000 for Camp AmeriKids, a summer camp in Fishkill, N.Y., for children afflicted with life-threatening illnesses. "We're very pleased with this first effort, especially the energy and enthusiasm displayed by the paddlers who faced winds, waves and wakes out on the water," says Drew Hannah, vice chairman of New Canaan, Conn.-based AmeriCares. "Based upon the response from sponsors and paddlers, we hope to plan another 'Kayak For Kids' event next year." First across the line in the world's first human-powered circumnavigation of Manhattan for charity (which earned a clip on the Today Show) was a double rowing shell manned by New York's John Velyvis, 31, and Dan DeBonis, 28, in a time of 4 hrs. 41 min. 37 sec.

--For more information, contact AmeriCares at 161 Cherry Street, New Canaan, Conn. 06840; (800) 486-HELP.

Outback Series Debuts in '98

Don't be surprised if you see a throng of paddlers this summer milling about in a sea of Subarus. Chances are it's just one of the company's new Outback Series consumer events co-sponsored by Subaru and the American Canoe Association (ACA). "The events will focus on canoeing and kayaking, but will also include such things as rock climbing, mountain biking, and hiking and camping," says Marty Grabijas, director of programs and special events for the ACA. "Education will be a very important aspect. We want attendees to come away with new skills that will enable them to better enjoy the outdoors." The series kicks off in Washington, D.C., April 25-26, followed by an event in Boulder, Colo., June 13-14. Other events are targeted for Minneapolis, Minn., Portland, Ore., Portland, Maine, and Bozeman, Mont. For more information, call (703) 451-0141.

Canoe Hull Technology

Apparently some canoeing enthusiasts will stop at nothing to improve their paddling efficiency--including utilizing the 360- by 22-foot naval tow tank at the Ship Hydrodynamics Laboratory at the University of Michigan. The paddlers in question, Bill Hosford and Stuart Cohen of Ann Arbor, Mich., recently set out to answer such questions as how much force is required to propel a canoe, how fast can a canoe be paddled in open water, and how much difference is there between canoes? To find these answers, they went to the tow tank with three canoes: a 16.5-foot Mad River Explorer, and two 17-foot Grummans, one new and one with more than 2,000 miles on it. The canoes were attached to a cable car spanning the pool that could be driven at a constant speed while the towing force was being measured. Each canoe was loaded with 500 lbs. (equivalent to two 190-lb. paddlers carrying 120 lbs. of gear), evenly distributed to simulate a trimmed-out load on an extended trip. Several tests were made at different speeds, and then adjusted for drag to reflect open-water paddling. The result? As expected, force (frictional resistance) varied with speed between the Grummans and the Mad River, but not between the two Grummans (the measured drag of the battered one was about 2 percent higher, which is within experimental accuracy-see graph #1). The graph also shows that the calculated frictional resistance is nearly the same for the Mad River and Grumman canoes. The findings have several significant features. One is that drag force increases with speed (in other words, paddling like crazy will tire you out). In particular, increasing speed from 2 to 4 mph required four times the amount of force. Realistically, two people cannot paddle with an average force of more than five pounds for a sustained period, so a sustained speed greater than 4 mph is unrealistic. In short, extra effort paddling does not buy much additional speed. Hull shape--specifically, bow shape--is, however, a significant factor (see graph #2). The Mad River Explorer went about 17 percent faster than the Grumman with the same amount of force. The ship-like, steep, sharp bow of the Explorer helped it cut through the water, whereas the Grumman entered the water shallowly. The fact that the difference between the "new" and "beat up" Grummans was negligible indicates that the texture is relatively unimportant compared with shape (meaning you can't blame slow paddling on dings). The long and skinny of the matter is that a big difference existed between the residual resistance of the two hulls--meaning residual resistance depends on hull shape. Length is also an important factor (naval architects have long known that the drag of a ship is inversely proportional to the square root of its length). Other things being equal, the residual drag force of a 16-foot canoe is 3 percent greater than that of a 17-foot canoe. Other factors affecting residual resistance include wetted waterline and trim. As well proving that Hosford and Cohen have too much time on their hands, in the end the experiments proved what many canoe trippers have suspected all along: bow shape and length really is important in determining the resistance of a loaded canoe. They also showed, however, that hull smoothness has almost no effect on efficiency, eliminating a popular excuse for paddlers who routinely lag behind.

Have Kayak, Will Travel...and Study

Costa Rica...Europe...Mexico...Guatemala...Honduras...Canada...New Zealand...Nepal...Ecuador. The itinerary for an international salesman? A travel agent's convention circuit? Nope, just the last few years' paddling and schooling schedule for a group of kayaking kids from Woodstock, Vt.'s Adventure Quest Academy, a whitewater instruction program for kids ages 7 to 17.

With the goal of becoming a full-term graduating school by the 1998/'99 school year--as well as adding competitive snowboarding and skiing to the mix--the academy's philosophy is simple: you can command excellence in academics and athletics at the same time without compromising either discipline. It's a formula that appears to be working. After last year's Central American jaunt, most of the students returned to honor roll status at their respective schools while being fully prepared for the start of their competitive paddling seasons.

Still, it's the fieldtrips that make most adult paddlers drool. While most kids go on side trips to zoos and museums, members of the Academy tour foreign countries, books--and boats--in tow. "It's great," says 15-year-old Brad Ludden, a ninth-grader from Kalispell, Mont., who recently returned from a two-month Academy session in New Zealand. "I got all my schoolwork before I went down, and the Academy teachers helped me get it all done. And when I came back, I was ahead of everyone else. It beat the heck out of normal school--everyone was jealous I could pull it off."

Of course, not just anyone can "pull it off." First comes the cost. On top of airfare, the New Zealand jaunt cost $3,500 for room, board, coaching and tutoring. And even if you have the money, don't plan on sneaking onto the roster as an adult. Applicants have to be under 18 years old, and they have to demonstrate solid paddling and pencil skills. Last year, founder Peter Kennedy accepted 14 of the 20 students applying. "They're judged on academics and boating skills," he says. "And the paddling skills are important. The six we turned down last year weren't quite where we wanted them to be." One look at the waterways these kids ply shows why. On a side trip to New Zealand's Class V Turnbull River, a flash flood brought the river up 10 feet in three hours, stranding several Academy students overnight on the riverbank.

When they're not surfing foreign waves, kids taking part in the Academy's year-round program can be found at one of two bases (A.Q. West in Donner Pass, Calif., or A.Q. East in Woodstock, Vt.) participating in six hours of classes and two paddling work-outs per day--and, of course, studying up on their next kayaking country. Their next field trip? Nepal, followed by Ecuador. "The world's a big classroom," says Kennedy. "We plan to use every inch of it."

--For more information call (802) 484-3939.

--edb

England Takes World Surf Kayak Crown

It should have come as no surprise that small waves would plague the 1997 World Surf Kayak Championships in Thurso, Scotland, forcing the crown jewel of surf kayak contests to be postponed for two days. It is a jinx that has become all too familiar in the surf kayak scene. It happened at the previous World Championships in Costa Rica, and reared its head again at the U.S. team qualifiers at the Santa Cruz Surf Kayak Festival last March. "But this time it was really ridiculous," says Dennis Judson, a member of the 20-person U.S. surf kayak contingent that made the trip overseas. "There just weren't that many waves."

Organizers did have the best of intentions. Thurso was chosen for its location on the extreme north coast of Scotland facing the mighty North Sea, on the same latitude as Kodiak, Alaska, and open to the giant swells that roll out of the north Atlantic. The record 11 number of teams present--from Basque to Brazil--cringed in anticipation of the area's legendary 20-foot, Hawaii Pipeline-like waves breaking on slate rock. The dates of Sept. 20-28 were even selected to hit a window between summer bluster and winter holocaust.

The practice week before the contest did little to keep adrenal glands in check. Storms battered the primary contest site with 15-foot pitching giants breaking in two feet of water. For those unaccustomed to the shear drop and need for hasty precision, smashed surf boats were the result. Eyes were wide and jaws were set for the commence of the contest. Something magical, however, happened as soon as the opening ceremonies began--the weather on the North Sea became balmy and becalmed. A huge high had settled over all of the British Isles with no end in sight. The locals were dismayed: "We are so sorry for you that the weather is so bonnie," many exclaimed. Several days of the contest were cancelled in search of something suitable to ride. Betty Hill, an hour's drive away, was the last hope. A beach break with a river outflow, Betty Hill presented a confusing array of swells ranging from nothing to 15-foot shore crunchers. Conditions changed within heats, boggling even the best wave technicians. For the Americans that had chosen high speed, big wave riders, Betty Hill was their bane.

In the end, England took first in the team event, followed by U.S., Wales and Scotland. In International Open, Wales' Tim Thomas showed the form that carried him to the victory stand in 1995 by taking first ahead of Ireland's Paul Blanchard. The U.S. took the top four places in Freestyle behind first- place finisher Rusty Sage, who also took second in International Juniors. For the women, the US's Diane Bacon took third behind first-place finisher Sue Davey of England and second-place finisher Bethan Thomas of Wales.

Despite the lack of help by Mother Nature, the event was judged a success by all as camaraderie was as much a part of the event as kayaking. "All in all everything went pretty well--especially considering we had to drive to different venues," says California's Ken King, who won the International Masters division and was the top U.S. finisher in International Open. "As for me, I just made a mental mistake in the quarter final. I spent to much time waiting for the perfect wave, and it never came."

--Brazil will host the next World Surf Kayak Championships in 1999. For more information, call (408) 458-3648.

--edb