Do as I say, not as I do

Last week at the board meeting we discussed paddling within your abilities during the covid situation since you don't want to force someone to have to get close to rescue you nor do you want to have to end up in a possibly overtaxed local ER. So when the Lehigh got dumped on I convinced …

Moodna with ice and sun

One of those days you expect to be nice and are pleasantly surprised. It had rained heavily nearly a week ago and then gotten cold, so as the river came down it coated logs and rocks with ice and icicles.  And unlike our friends who went skiing, no crowds on the Moodna.

The Rhododendron Roll – River Bank clutter, a Safety Consideration

Following the latest Duck Boat tragedy, I thought about the end of a recent boat chase and the potential entrapment in strainers. Between a group of us, a swamped kayak was bullied to shore, in amongst Rhodendron shrubs clogging the bank. This location appeared reasonable to us to get the boat and paddle onto a …

KCCNY Beginner Weekend – June 2015

This year's beginner weekend was a great success. Perfect weather, intrepid students, great lunches (thanks to Ellen), and successful river runs by all. Lots of interest in continuing instruction and we already have some follow-up trips on the schedule. Thanks to all the instructors, helpers and students for making it a great one, and special thanks …

Into the Deluge

A couple of years ago, a mirco-cell thunderstorm stalled over the town of Florida, Ma. and nearby areas. The news service reported that over 7 inches of rain fell in the two hour duration of the storm. I chose that day to invite my Uncle on a paddle trip down Fifebrook. A year later I …

Beaverfest 2014

This account of the Beaverfest was written and paddled by Mark Hrubant Friday August 29th, noon… I call the caretaker at Soft Maple campground & ask if he will hold a site for me as I am driving up from Bingo. While enroute to Croghan I learned there will be six of us camping for the …

Trouble on the Toe

I don't see it until I am at the lip of the drop, the large trunk wedged diagonally in the slot. Its really nasty on the upstream side, a frothy mess, barely bigger than my boat, with the current pouring over the lip and slamming the rock on the right before surging beneath the trunk. …

Moose River Chapter 2: In Which I Join the Swim Team

The water picks up speed as I enter the narrow channel that marks the entrance to the right side line of Shurform rapid. I'm running right down the center of the channel. away from the curler that lurks just to my left, hoping to catch an unsuspecting paddler and send them down the center of …

Big Water Gauley

A roar of the water assailed us as we left our car and walked through the parking lot. Up ahead, the massive earth and rock dam rose nearly 400 feet up from the river bed, holding back the clear waters of the 2700 acre Summersville Lake. Water poured into the river through an enormous pipe …

Esopus Creek – Preserving Cold Water for Whitewater and Angler Recreation

It's the time of year we look forward to being out on the river to renew and recharge after a challenging week; I've never contemplated the content of an email while navigating a rapid. I've enjoyed the Esopus Creek and what the town of Phoenicia offers since 1978; it's just good for my soul. But …

Fun at the Esopus Whitewater Funfest!

KCCNY started the Esopus Whitewater Funfest four years ago to enhance and expand the traditional Esopus Slalom race held the first weekend in June every year for the past 47 years. It’s a club tradition and driver for the June whitewater release on the Esopus River in Phoenicia NY (Catskills). This year it is June …

Rescue on the Neversink Part II: The Saga Continues

I told Fran that I would rewrite the rest of this if she worked at Paddlesport so I guess I've got to finish. Heres what happened next....... It was an easy choice to make, I abandoned Nate's sodden craft, hoping that Neval might be able to grab it and went after her boat It was …

Rescue on the Neversink

"Nate is out of his boat!" We had pulled up on a beach to scout the entrance to the gorge on a cold day in mid-March. The river was running high, around 1400cfs and the temperature was in the mid 30s. The water was cold, chilled by the remaining snowmelt from the ski area at …

Winter Paddling- Costa Rica

I read Andy’s article about paddling the Shohola in the winter and thought I would share an opposite point of view on the subject of paddling in the winter- Go somewhere warm! Shorts and flip-flops work for me. This January I paddled in Costa Rica with some friends. I have wanted to do this for …

Winter in the Shahola gorge

The mid afternoon January sun sends shafts of sunlight streaming into the gorge from the upstream entrance as John and I sit in an eddy waiting for the rest of the group. Above and around us, solid rock walls rise straight up from the narrow river bed, climbing 30' or more to reach the snow …

Personal 1st Descents 2012

As the year comes to a close its always kind of fun to look back at the rivers we paddled. Besides, there is no water anywhere and there's not much to do besides read about boating. 2012 was kind of a down year for me. I had only 2 personal first descents,  the Stoneycreek and Tygart. Not too …

Beaver Weekend Taylorville

The wispy tendrils of ground fog had reluctantly released their tenuous grip on the wooded mountain slopes to the mid-morning sun as our small group of paddlers arrived at the Taylorville put-in. The road and pathway seethed with chaotic activity as enthusiastic paddlers parked cars, changed clothes, greeted friends and carried brightly colored boats, all while holding general road …

Esopus Funfest Report and Pictures

We just finished the third annual Esopus Whitewater Funfest. For those of you who did not make it this year- you missed a great time on the river. We had the most popular activities carried over from last year and some new ones to spice up the weekend with even more fun. Here are some …

Bottom Moose

This post about my first Moose run is out of sequence from my last couple and jumps forward about 5 years from when I ran the Moodna. I peel out gingerly from behind a large rock and work my way cautiously to the right around a shallow rock ledge. The current isn't very strong here …

Moodna Creek

I'm paddling around in the pool at St. Elizabeth's College on a Saturday morning. It feels kind of strange to be back here. I was dating my wife when she attended this school. The nuns make everyone who attends the school take swimming lessons, so Carole spent some time in the pool also. She did …

Battle of the Sexes

 Something a little different from my previous posts. This past summer I took 2 of my daughters and their boyfriends for a short trip down the Delaware. None of the 4 had ever paddled a kayak before. I immediately noticed that while the girls were quick to grasp the concept of using their hips and …