Remembering Whitewater Legend Lars Holbek

Whitewater legend Lars Holbek has passed away. The 51-year-old Holbek, co-author of The Best Whitewater in California, died in his home near Durango, Colorado after a tumor in his liver spread. Holbek helped to grow the sport of kayaking in the 1980s through the exploration of some of the most difficult whitewater in California’s Sierra Nevadas. He and a handful of other kayakers—including Reg Lake and Chuck Stanley—were the first to paddle classics such as the Class V Golden Gate run on the South Fork of the American River and the Hospital Rock section of the Kaweah (to name but a few). Holbek went on to log first descents on Chile’s now-classic Futaleufu and Canada’s Grand Canyon of the Stikine, a Class V wilderness run still regarded as one of the most difficult rivers kayaked in the world.

Another of his lasting accomplishments is the guide book he co-wrote. The Best Whitewater in California, currently in its third edition, is still flipped through reverently by the vast majority of whitewater kayakers in California. Despite being decades old, the run descriptions are some of the best you can find in any whitewater guidebook from any state. Holbek will be survived by his wife Nancy, his brother Suren, and his parents. For more information on Holbek’s life, the whitewater magazine Kayak Session has a great article on the legacy he left behind.

Source:  http://outside-blog.away.com/blog/2009/03/whitewater-legend-lars-holbek-passes-away-.html

Congress Asks Obama to Protect 86 Rivers

Washington, DC — The second largest Wild and Scenic Rivers package in history now heads to President Obama’s desk, after passing the House of Representatives today by a vote of 285-140. The bipartisan H.R. 146, the legislative vehicle for the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, will safeguard over 1,100 miles of rivers in Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Wyoming, Utah, California, and Massachusetts. The legislation includes important protections for 350,000 acres of land along 86 new Wild and Scenic Rivers, such as Washington State’s Little White Salmon, and it also contains new Wilderness designations for over two million acres of public land. Last week the bill passed the Senate by a vote of 77-20.

“Passage of this bill is an expression of the home grown support for one of the largest environmental protection measures in decades,” said Rebecca Wodder, President of American Rivers. “Today congressional leaders established a legacy of clean water, outdoor recreation and the economic benefits of healthy rivers and wild places for our grandchildren.”

American Rivers is extremely grateful to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Chairman Jeff Bingaman, Chairman Nick Rahall, and all the sponsors of the Wild and Scenic Rivers provisions. Without their determination to see this legislation through we could not have protected these national treasures for future generations of Americans.

A Wild and Scenic River designation protects riverside land along both sides of a river corridor, blocks dams and other harmful water projects, and preserves a river’s free-flowing nature. It helps protect and improve clean water, as well as the river’s unique historic, cultural, scenic, ecological, and recreational values.

The law was enacted in 1968 and three years ago American Rivers set the goal of designating 40 new Wild and Scenic Rivers by the 40th anniversary of the law. With passage of this package we more than double our goal by designating 86 new Wild and Scenic Rivers.

“From the Snake River headwaters in Wyoming to the desert Southwest’s Fossil Creek, to the trout streams of the Rockies, and the popular fishing and paddling streams of the Pacific Northwest, local people—hikers, boaters, hunters and anglers—pushed for these historic protections,” said Wodder. “These rivers are the lifeblood of the land and our communities and the Wild and Scenic Riverdesignations are a tremendous gift to future generations.”

The details of the new Wild and Scenic designations can be found below:

Arizona
Area: Fossil Creek
Designated River Miles: 16.8
Rivers: Portions of Fossil Creek
Sponsored by: Sen. John McCain

California
Area: Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wilderness
Designated River Miles: 66.9
Rivers: Portions of Amargosa River, Owens River Headwaters, and Cottenwood Creek.
Sponsored by: Sen. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Howard McKeon

Area: California Desert and Mountain Heritage
Designated River Miles: 31
Rivers: Portions of North Fork San Jacinto, Fuller Mill Creek, Palm Canyon Creek, and Bautista Creek.
Sponsored by: Rep. Mary Bono-Mack and Sen. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Idaho
Area: Owyhee Public Land Management
Designated River Miles: 316.3
Rivers: Portions of Battle Creek, Big Jacks Creek, Bruneau River, West Fork Bruneau, Cottonwood Creek, Deep Creek, Dickshooter Creek, Duncan Creek, Jarbidge River, Little Jacks Creek, North Fork Owyhee River, Owyhee River, Red Canyon, Sheep Creek, South Fork Owyhee, and Wickahoney Creek.
Sponsored by: Sen. Mike Crapo

Massachusetts
Area: Taunton River
Designated River Miles: 40
Rivers: Portions of the Taunton River.
Sponsored by: Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Ted Kennedy

Oregon
Area: Mt. Hood Wilderness
Designated River Miles: 81
Rivers: Portions of South Fork Clackamas, Eagle Creek, Middle Fork Hood River, South Fork Roaring River, Zig Zag River, Fifteenmile Creek, East Fork Hood River, Collawash, and Fish Creek.
Sponsored by: Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Greg Walden

Area: Copper Salmon Wilderness
Designated River Miles: 11.2
Rivers: Portions of the North Fork Elk and South Fork Elk.
Sponsored by: Rep. Peter DeFazio and Sen. Ron Wyden

Utah
Area: Zion National Park Wild and Scenic Rivers
Designated River Miles: 165
Rivers: Portions of Taylor Creek, North Fork of Taylor Creek, Middle Fork Taylor Creek, South Fork of Taylor Creek, Timber creek and tributaries, Laverkin Creek, Willis Creek, Beartrap Canyon, Hop Valley, Current Creek, Cane Creek, Smith Creek, North Creek, Wildcat Canyon, Little Creek, Russell Gulch, Grapevine Wash, Pinespring Wash, Wolf Springs Wash, Kolok Creek, Oak Creek, Goose Creek, Deep Creek, North Fork of Virgin River, Imlay Canyon, Orderville Canyon, Mystery Canyon, Echo Canyon, Behunin Canyon, Heaps Canyon, Burch Creek, Clear Creek, Pine Creek, East Fork of Virgin River, and Shunes Creek.
Sponsored by: Sen. Robert Bennett

Vermont
Area: Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Study
Rivers: Portions of the Missisqoui and Trout rivers will be studied for Wild and Scenic eligibility.
Sponsored by: Rep. Peter Welch and Sen. Patrick Leahy

Wyoming
Area: Snake River Headwaters
Designated River Miles: 387.5
Rivers: Portions of Bailey Creek, Blackrock Creek, Buffalo Fork of Snake River, Crystal Creek, Granite Creek, Gros Ventre River, Hoback River, Lewis, Pacific Creek, Shoal Creek, Snake River, Willow Creek, and Wolf Creek.
Sponsored by: Sen. John Barrasso

Source:  http://www.paddlermagazine.com/news/news-articles/congress-asks-obama-to-protect-86-rivers.html

$500,000 gift makes Cascade’s whitewater park a reality

Thanks to a generous gift from Mark and Kristina Pickard of Miami, Fla., Idaho’s first formal whitewater park will become a reality in Cascade.

The Pickards, who own a vacation home in Tamarack and are often anonymous philanthropists, have stepped into the spotlight by committing $500,000 to the Friends of the Cascade Whitewater Park. The whitewater park will be named in honor of Kristina’s late sister, Kelly Brennan.

“We love Valley County and are excited by the stimulus the park will create both in Cascade as well as in neighboring areas”, the Pickards said.

This donation puts the whitewater park fund-raising effort over the top. In response, the engineering and other efforts are to proceed with all possible speed.

According to Cascade Mayor R. W. Carter, the in-river construction of Kelly’s Whitewater Park can be largely completed this fall provided all time lines can be met.

Preliminary economic analysis suggests that Kelly’s Whitewater Park will add in excess of $1 million in retail business annually to area merchants. Further economic studies are in progress at the University of Idaho, with reports due out this May. Whitewater parks have been wildly successful in improving the economies of their home cities and surrounding areas.

For many years, Cascade has considered a greenbelt, running along the North Fork of the Payette River from the Idaho 55 bridge on the south end of town to the highway bridge at the north end of town, for walking and bicycling. The Kelly Whitewater Park is expected to be the foundation of what is now envisioned as a 200-acre park along the North Fork.

The park will feature three man-made rapids offering kayakers, rafters, canoeists and even tubers an exciting place to play and train. Scheduled competitions will attract whitewater competitors and a large number of spectators who will undoubtedly enjoy the Kelly’s Whitewater Park and the surrounding Cascade area.

“I would like to thank Mark and Kristina,” said Carter, who is also the Friends Board president, “for their interest and faith, in what will be Idaho’s first whitewater park.”

The whitewater park idea began in 2006, with Carter and other members pushing for the project. The Friends of the Cascade Whitewater Park was organized in 2007 and was granted official non-profit status in 2008.

Source:  http://www.idahostatesman.com/outdoors/story/708844.html

Sea kayaking and whitewater kayaking: As different as night and day

While sea kayakers and white-water kayakers enjoy getting out on the water, the sports that they enjoy are polar opposites.

“The typical sea kayaker is someone who enjoys being outside all day, and who likes to camp in the wilderness,” said Lisa Wallis, says a local kayaker, guide, Whatcom Area Kayak Enthusiasts (WAKE) former president and Department of Natural Resources liaison officer/volunteer coordinator.

Wallis adds that many sea kayakers are former backpackers.

“We’re the cross-country skiers of the boating world,” she said.

But make no mistake, sea kayaking is not for couch potatoes.

“Besides the work of paddling, there’s constant navigating, weather monitoring, and dealing with long, exposed crossing,” Wallis said.

White-water kayaking, on the other hand, is more for the adrenaline junkies.

“The average river kayaker likes the challenge, the adrenaline experience,” Wallis said. “But you see things on a river that you can’t see any other way. A lot of times you’re in places where there are no roads, or it’s private property. It’s a great way to be in nature.”

While there are some crossovers, the gear needed for each sport also differs:

SEA KAYAKING

BASIC GEAR

Boat: Typical sea kayaks are long and sleek for either one or two people and have varying amounts of cargo space. For beginners, renting is ideal, but Dave Johnson, manager of Johnson Outdoors, strongly urges some basic education before taking to the water for the first time.

“Ideally, you should be able to re-enter your boat if it flips,” he said. For this, he suggests signing up for any of the beginner courses available in Whatcom County: the Community Boat Center in Fairhaven (www.sailpaddlerow.org), Elakah Tours (www.elakah.com), or one of the many independent local instructors. Western Washington University’s Outdoor Center (outdoor.as.wwu.edu) also offers pool sessions for kayakers, for practice with rolling, paddling and re-entry skills.

Paddle: “Sea kayak paddles have a smaller surface area and are longer to help maneuver the longer boat,” Johnson said. The smaller surface area also helps the paddler conserve energy. They can be feathered or straight depending on paddler’s preference or conditions.

SAFETY GEAR

Personal Flotation Device (PFD): Should be comfortable and have reflective areas and pockets for things like flares, whistle and binoculars

Spray skirt: Should be waterproof and snug, keeps the inside of the boat dry and water from flooding the cockpit

Paddle float: Used as an outrigger in the case of a wet exit; allows kayaker to re-enter the boat

Hypothermia Kit: “Basically if something happens, you want a dry bag with the essentials to stay warm or get warm,” said Jennifer Hahn, a local kayaker, kayak guide and author. “Two complete sets of dry clothes, a stove and pot, water bottles, spare sleeping bag and pad, and a tarp.” Hahn completed a 750-mile solo kayak expedition through the Inside Passage and keeps her “hypo kit” handy.

Strobe, signal mirror, flares, whistle, first aid kit, tow lines, headlamp, radio: These items should be kept handy, in PFD pockets or in a small dry bag in your lap. “I put patches of reflective red and white candy-stripe trucker’s tape to the top and bottom of my boat everywhere (to make it highly visible),” Hahn said. Hahn also wears her radio around her neck at all times.

Bilge pump and sponge: Critical for removing water from a swamped boat

Paddle leash: “Some people think they’re evil but I take a lot of pictures, so it’s nice, I don’t have to worry about my paddle,” Hahn said.

Float bags: For day trippers carrying less gear, these plastic, air-filled bags prevent sinking in the case of a wet exit

Repair kit (heavy duty needle, thread, patch kit): “On time my spray skirt blew away in a wind storm,” Hahn said. “I fashioned a new one out of several stuff sacks and mint dental floss, using scissors and some extra rope.”

CLOTHING

Splash top and paddle pants: Keep paddlers dry from weather and ocean water, these should have seals at the cuffs and collar. A dry suit or wetsuit can be used instead of the above but are more expensive

Footwear: Wool or polypropylene socks with rubber boots, sneakers or hiking boots are nice for on-shore exploring

Polypropylene layers

Foul-weather rain gear and extra clothing for on-shore

WHITEWATER KAYAKING

BASIC GEAR

Boat: Modern beginner boats have a planning hull and “feel tippy, but are easier to roll,” said Dirk Fabian, a five-year Bellingham resident, organizer of www.bellinghamwhitewater.org and American Whitewater volunteer. “They’re more maneuverable and let you use the edges better.” Fabian said this allows boaters to do the “fun stuff,” such as catching eddies and surfing better than the older-style beginner boats. Fabian also recommends practicing the critical rolling technique – in which the paddler can right the kayak using just body momentum and the paddle after getting flipped – in the pool. “Learning to paddle in Whatcom (County) is not as easy as in other regions,” Fabian said, referring to due to Whatcom County’s challenging rivers. “Having a good, solid roll is important; having an experienced group to go with is the most important.”

Paddle: Shorter shaft and with larger surface area blades than sea kayaking for the bursts of speed needed for whitewater kayaking. Some prefer the bent-shaft paddles that reduce strain on wrist tendons. “Definitely splurge on a good paddle,” Wallis said.

SAFETY GEAR

Helmet: Should be specific for kayaking (not a bike helmet). “Some boaters I know are even using full-face helmets these days,” Fabian said.

PFD: Similar to sea kayaking but with a lower profile and the addition of a “river knife,” a covered, serrated blade attached at chest level. “I’ve never used mine, even after 10 years, but for rope emergencies you’ve got to have a knife,” Fabian said.

Whistle, secured to PFD: Easily reachable during an emergency swim or as an alert

Spray skirt: Should be airtight and only releasable manually

Dry top and pants or drysuit: Should have airtight gaskets at cuffs and collar

Poagies: Neoprene sleeves that act like mufflers, surrounding each hand and attaching to the paddle shaft, allowing full finger dexterity and contact with the paddle; neoprene gloves can substitute

Float bags: Plastic air “balloons” that displace water and keep the boat afloat after a wet exit

Throw bag: A small nylon bag with a cinch-top containing a length of rope used during a rescue

First aid kit, flares, headlamp, radio: Kept handy in a dry bag, secured to the boat

Hypothermia kit: Not critical for the urban river runner but essential for wilderness trips

CLOTHING

Body: Polypropylene layers, fleece. A set of extra dry clothes in a dry bag.

Footwear: Aqua-sock type mesh or neoprene sandals. Must have a sturdy sole for dry-land river-scouting, but without being too clunky inside the boat.

Source:  http://www.bellinghamherald.com/explorer/story/845306.html

Stimulus Money Could Pay For Rafting On River

Millions of dollars from the President’s Stimulus Plan could help bring white water rafting to Columbus in the coming months.

The City has been working with the private sector for years to get the project started, and it turns out the key to the cash box has been growing on the banks of the river all along.

The City is calling the project an Ecosystem Restoration.  They say bringing white water rafting could help restore the Chattahoochee River to its natural habitat, a key selling point for the project because they are asking for up to $20 million from NOAA, or the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.

If the City receives the grant, the money will help breech two damns on the river, the City Mill damn and the Eagle Phenix damn.

People already use the river for kayaking and canoes, but this project would create over two miles of rafting, the longest route in any municipality in the country.

The City is working closely with Uptown Columbus Incorporated to make the project happen. Uptown Columbus Inc.  President Richard Bishop says the project is a great fit for the President’s Stimulus Plan, “We think it will fair well, because it will create jobs on the front end for construction, and on the back end it will create even more jobs.  We will have outfitters and businesses in the uptown area because of the route, it’s long lasting.”

Deputy City Manager David Arrington says the City could get anywhere from a $1 million to $20 million.  If the City does get the grant, the amount they receive will determine the design of the course, and Arrington says they are hoping the stimulus money will be enough to cover at least the most basic design.

The application does say the project has to be finished within two years, and more than likely, if approved, the project would start somewhere in the next 3 to 4 months.

The grant application is due on April 6th.

Source:  http://www.wrbl.com/rbl/news/local/article/stimulus_money_could_pay_for_rafting_on_river/65056/

Pyranha Everest

BIG BOAT, BIG WATER

Sitting inside the Everest’s wide-mouth cockpit, even our largest tester (6’1″, 195 lbs) said it swallowed him, with tons of room to spare. This multiday boat can accommodate a paddler up to 230 pounds, plus any overnight gear. With all that space, the ride is Cadillac smooth, and the Everest’s mass drives it cleanly through even the grabbiest of holes. Testers found it “fast, stable, and predictable,” making it a powerful creeker or expedition boat. 8’6″; 82.5 gal; pyranhaus.com

Bonus: Next spring, the Everest will be equipped with an integrated backpack harness for portages.

Source:  http://outside.away.com/outside/gear/gear.tcl?gear=Pyranha-Everest&gear_id=6884&action=showgear

Canoe U 2009 whitewater kayaking instruction begins May 16th

Whitewater kayaking is an esoteric discipline full of passionate intensity. Sponsored by Rapids Riders, Canoe U is the annual spring rite of instruction that merges the desire to learn to paddle whitewater with the necessary skills, support, and training. And it starts May 16th, so register now because class space is limited and they fill quick.

Classes, taught by volunteer ACA-certified whitewater instructors, are geared towards people who have never paddled a whitewater kayak or canoe (but want to learn) and those who have, but want a refresher course.

This year, Canoe U will be held the weekend of May 16 -17 at St. Croix State Park, Norway Point Group Camp, and May 30 – 31 at Robinson Park on the Kettle River in Sandstone. Classes build progressively, so plan to participate in all instruction days, including the pool session at the Brooklyn Center Community Pool. Date and time TBA but rumor has it that it could be May 3rd.

Previous whitewater experience is by no means a prerequisite for Canoe U, but attending the first pool session is. During this four-hour session, you will learn a few whitewater fundamentals in a class room situation before moving into the pool with your boat.

Now, onto something a little more philosophical. There is a phenomenon in the whitewater kayaking community known as “What’s the worst that can happen?”

This phrase, coined by my paddling buddy Mike J, is known and spoken of with reverence by everyone who has ever contemplated the consequences of a feature with a must-make move or else that spiteful hydraulic at the bottom will most certainly work you, invoke your wet exit reflex and send you on a long, cold, boulder-infested swim through Class IV rapids.

Incidentally, Mike J’s brain mercifully secretes megadoses of the neurochemical that blots out bad memories and erases carnage of years gone by from his mind. “What’s the worst that can happen” is that little piece of serendipity that makes you go for it. Thus, putting you back on a heavenly plane.

So go for Canoe U. What’s the worst that can happen?

Source:  http://www.examiner.com/x-1224-Minneapolis-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner~y2009m3d24-Canoe-U-2009-begins-May-16th

Forget Twilight and check out the best adventure-planning websites in the galaxy

Yesterday, I had never seen such a sight. An ocular orgasm, a three-dimensional hallucination, an indoors-challenged person’s wet dream. It was just as I had expected it to be multiplied by twenty. Sixty-two degrees and sunny? On the first official weekend of spring?

There are two tell-tale signs of spring in the Midwest, as far as I’m concerned. My yoga classes aren’t as crowded and I spend my evenings perusing the best web sites for ideas on what to do and where to go with my three weeks of vacation (which, in my opinion, though through no fault of my employer*, is just not enough).

Check out these web sites for summer vacation ideas:

Travel Planning

Tripwolf.com covers about 250,000 destinations, mostly in Europe, and offers up-to-date best hotel deals around the globe. For example, today, the best deal is the K-Porte Inn in Dubai, only seven kilometers from Jumeirah beach. Content for the site comes from Wikipedia, YouTube, and Tripwolf travelers. They’re running a contest right now: Create your own blog about your travels and you could win a FlipMinoHP pocket-sized video camera.

TripAdvisor.com. I love this one because it has a “Rants and Raves” feature (where you can read about the good, the bad, and the Michael Jackson ugly) and a “New Vacation Ideas” feature. When I entered my criteria in the little doo-hickey, I got a nice selection of biking through the rolling hills of Provence, France; mountain biking the Scottish Highlands; skiing Rhone-Alpes, France; kayaking Midi-Pyrenees, France; rafting and kayaking class III and IV water in Croatia; or skiing the Lygen Alps of Norway.

Trazzler.com is good because you enter your location and it gives you ideas on trips that are close to home. An ideal site, indeed, if all you want to do is get away for a weekend.

Away.com has helpful lists and travel tips and is the most user-friendly site out there. Right on the front page you have a Beach Travel Guide, Family Travel Guide, Active & Adventure Travel Guide, Parks & Outdoors Travel Guide, LGBT Travel Guide, Ski & Snowboard Resort Guide.

Ryderwalker.com is the source for guided and self-guided hikes in the Swiss, Austrian, and French Alps, and the Italian Dolomites. In fact, Ryder Walker is the reason why I’m married today. It was on a self-guided hike in the Swiss Alps last summer that my husband proposed.

Paddling

PaddlingLife.net delivers all of the news, reviews, links to real-time river flows, etc. They usually have some great carnage video, too.

Hiking & Climbing

SuperTopo.com lets you download free sample maps, purchase guidebooks, offers free tips, climbing route information, references, links, FAQs, and a webcam of El Capitan!

If you’ve been thinking about bagging fourteeners (or higher), check out Peakbagger.com and SummitPost.com for information on peaks and mountains around the globe, statistics, and trip reports.

Backpackinglight.com is a mecca of information about how to shed pounds from your pack. Arguably, the hardest part about extended-day backpacking is coming to terms with the constant dispiriting discovery that there is always more hill. Each time you haul yourself up to what you think must surely be the crest, you find that there is in fact more hill beyond. Carrying a light pack helps temper this.

Biking

Cyclingnews.com provides everything from technology reviews to race reports for mountain bikers and roadies alike. If you’re a commuter cyclist, check out UrbanVelo.org.

San Juan Hut system is the epic mountain bike adventure. Spend a few days riding the backcountry singletrack of Telluride, CO, then ride four days across a mountain range to descend into Moab, UT and ride some more. Disclaimer: I’ve done this trip twice. The first time was great. The huts were stocked with food and water. The second time, the food deliveries were hit and miss and there were more bikers to a hut than bunks available.

Friends

Looking for folks to play with? Bode Miller’s social-networking site, SkiSpace.com, hasn’t reached the tipping point yet, but some of the videos are pretty funny. Whitewater junkies will find MountainBuzz.com a bit more wholesome.

*Actually, it is the fault of my employer.

Source:   http://www.examiner.com/x-1224-Minneapolis-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner~y2009m3d22-Forget-Twilight-and-check-out-the-best-adventureplanning-websites

Whitewater rafting resumes on Ocoee

DUCKTOWN, Tenn. (AP) – The water is safe and outfitters are expecting a banner year for whitewater sports on the Ocoee River.

Tennessee environmental regulators have issued an all-clear after the Tennessee Valley Authority allowed a large sediment slide from a hydroelectric dam in January that killed fish and coated the riverbank.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that water flows resumed last weekend on the middle Ocoee and will continue each weekend until May 1. After that, water runs five days a week for rafting until September.

Water will run on the upper Ocoee on weekends from mid-May to mid-September.

Outfitters say the river is back to its normal rocks, rapids and rafting.

Source:  http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10054187

Kayaks help vets navigate rough waters

Marine veteran Nolan Kowalski schleps his kayak gear toward the pool and strips down to his swim trunks. He’s all sinewy muscle and unwavering focus.

A large tattoo between his shoulder blades depicts an M-40 rifle over a circle and crosshairs. The words Scout Sniper are engraved above it, marking the 25-year-old former sergeant of O’Fallon, Mo., as an elite infantryman.

A handful of other veterans are already in the pool inside the Jefferson Barracks Veterans Affairs fitness center. They struggle to flip their kayaks then right them with the help of volunteers.

Not Kowalski. He straps on a life vest and goggles and is soon rolling and swirling through the water with ease.

Every Tuesday morning, 10 or so vets meet up for Team River Runner, one of several sports programs designed to promote health and healing among wounded and traumatized war vets.

“Too many vets are coming back from the war and drinking to mask their feelings,” said Jean Ferguson, recreation therapist with the rehab and polytrauma division. “We want to hook them up with resources so they can have active leisure lifestyles.”

Twice a year, therapists take local veterans who have suffered traumatic injuries to national sports clinics in Colorado and San Diego where instructors teach them seasonal sports, such as skiing and snowboarding, surfing and sailing, adapted to their disabilities.

The original Team River Runner was founded in 2004 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington by several nonmilitary kayakers. Tim Pfeil, a kayaker from Oakville, knew the founders and decided to start one here last year.

The VA relies on volunteers like him to help run and finance such programs.

“It’s been a vision of mine since 2003 when I went kayaking in Colorado with veterans from Walter Reed,” he said. “These veterans have done so much for us. What are we giving back to them?”

Pfeil, who works for his family’s company, Fluid Air Products in St. Louis, has since spent $12,000 of his own money on kayaks and other equipment for the vets, and he instructs them on Tuesday mornings.

STRESS RELIEF

Kowalski spent three years on three tours of duty in Iraq. He said he was part of the Marine division that fought in Baghdad in April 2003. He calls it “the big show” using his fingers to make air quotes.

His active service ended in 2005. He took a job working security in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Now he spends time working on art, kayaking and bartending at KiTARO, a Japanese bistro in O’Fallon, Mo.

Kowalski’s body wasn’t wounded during the war, but he gets treatment at the VA that he’d rather not discuss.

“If you try to smash five average human lifetimes of stress into three years, it kind of wears you down,” he said.

Ferguson describes Kowalski as exceptionally caring and creative.

“He’s very appreciative of what he has after seeing what he saw in Iraq,” Ferguson said.

EYE TO THE WEST

A couple of years ago, Kowalski bought a kayak and began camping and paddling with a buddy on area rivers. Then he heard about Team River Runner and thought it might help develop his skills so he could kayak on whitewater rapids out West.

An adrenaline rush now and then feels good.

“The younger generation is more active,” Ferguson said. “They like the thrill of doing stuff like whitewater kayaking, and they’re also more technologically advanced. It’s part of the reason they join the military.”

Eventually, Team River Runner will move to calm open water, such as Creve Coeur Lake, then a local river. Pfeil plans to take vets who have mastered the basics — including fluidly rolling their kayaks — out to Colorado for some whitewater action. Kowalski hopes to be one of them. So he practices rolling his kayak in the Jefferson Barracks pool.

Ferguson and a volunteer, Dave Lawton, take bets on how many consecutive rolls Kowalski can do.

Lawton says four. Ferguson, five.

Ferguson wins.

Source:   http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/F51B4E8A2048C93D862575780011C977?OpenDocument