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Buddy Up
As the days grow longer and warmer, the water beckons us to hop into our kayaks and canoes and go paddling! If you're new to the sport, you might wonder where to go, or if you've been paddling for a while, you might be bored with your routine. Here are a few suggestions to get the most fun out of the new paddling season.
Join a club.
Joining a club geared toward the outdoors will put you in the right stream. The Chautauqua Pack and Paddle Club has enthusiastic members who sponsor a couple of expeditions every month. Their careful trip planning pays off in many ways: choosing the right put-in and take-out, calculating trip duration, and knowing where to avoid water hazards.
The best part of joining a club is that you will not paddle alone. You will have a buddy to help in an unforeseen predicament or just to share a snack.
For more info on the Chautauqua Pack and Paddle Club, contact Rick Stewart at MickleHillCroft@aolREMOVE_THIS.com.
Check out the local outfitter.
These folks can suggest waterways that you never knew about. Outfitters collect a huge storehouse of experience, both first hand and through their customers. Paddlers are constantly recounting their adventures to us, here at Evergreen Outfitters in Ashville. An outfitter will also have hard-to-find maps and books on the areas you are interested in. It is said that you never step in the same water twice, so “Know before you go."
Check out Web sites.
The Internet is a great source for information on paddling conditions. Evergreen-outfitters.com has a Paddle Journal page that lists conditions on many of the local waterways and offers links to real time water gauges. By checking the gauge and cross-referencing it to a journal article, you will get a pretty good idea if the ride is something that you would enjoy.
Talk to strangers.
Paddlers love to talk about their sport. They tend to be caring people who will gladly chat with you and answer questions. So go ahead and say “Hello”. He or she might turn out to be a buddy you need down the river!
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