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Volume 8 Number 26 • May 2008
The Monthly Newsletter of WASHINGTON RECREATIONAL RIVER RUNNERS
Cat-Boaters FLIPOver the Lochsa!Cat-Boaters FLIPOver the Lochsa!
Photos courtesy of Bob Rodgers
News and Announcements
SAFETY AND EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPOne of the finest perks of WRRR membership is the scholarshipprogram! WRRR features a scholarship program for club memberswho are interested in subsidized safety training. WRRR will pay1/3 of the cost of tuition for courses including but not limitedto Swiftwater Rescue and River Oriented First Aid. The scholarshipis done on a reimbursement, so you need to take a course thensubmit proof of completion and payment. Scholarship fundsare limited and are available on a first come, first served basis.Be sure to inquire first to make sure funds are available, andthat the course you intend to take is qualified. For furtherinformation contact WRRR Safety & Education chairman, MikeSauve at 425-221-1211or [email protected]
AMERICAN WHITEWATER BENEFITSWRRR is now an affiliate member of American Whitewater. Thisformalizes a history of cooperation on access and conservationissues, and strengthens our ability to act on these issues in thefuture. Membership in WRRR now brings even more benefitsdue to our affiliation with AW, including: WRRR members canbecome AW members for $25. A $10 sav ings!www.americanwhitewater.org
GREEN RIVER FLOW STUDYFriends of the Green and American Whitewater are workingwith Tacoma Public Utilities to identify the range andcharacteristics of whitewater boating flows on four reaches ofthe Green River. Please remember to fill out the online surveyevery time you run any section of the Green this season!
The survey can be accessed at:http://www.greenriverflowstudy.com/
BIG WATER! TRIP REPORTS WANTED!Apparently we are skipping spring this year in Washington State.After an extended winter that brought well above averagesnowpack, including snow at low elevations for late in theseason, we have jumped directly into summer. Recordtemperatures quickly brought record river levels all across thenorthwest this May. The Skykomish peaked at over 27,000 cfs.The Wenatchee went over 20,000. The Sauk hit something like25,000. With big water comes big changes. Especially of interestto us boaters is changes in wood and other hazards. Anyonewho hits the rivers after (or during) these big flows is stronglyencouraged to send in a trip report to the Waterlog, or shareon the YahooGroup. Your report doesn’t need to be fancy, butplease list the basics: river level, date of trip, and location orlack of hazards. E-mail trip reports to [email protected].
REMEMBER TO RENEW!First of all, thanks to all of you who have renewed your membership in WRRR! Remember, membership in WRRR is renewed annuallyeach April. If you haven’t renewed yet, your membership in WRRR ends May 31. Also, your chance to renew at the old rate isalmost over. Membership costs increase soon (see below). To renew all you need to do is send your payment to: WashingtonRecreational River Runners, PMB 501, 330 SW 43rd ST. Ste K, Renton, WA 98057 or pay online with PayPal! Just go to:www.wrrr.org/join/. Remember, you don’t need to fill out an application form, unless this is a new membership or you are addingnew family members to your membership, but please do indicate any address/phone changes when you send payment.
WRRR MEMBERSHIP DUES INCREASESIt has been many years since WRRR has increased membership dues. In fact it was difficult to find anyone who could rememberthe last time. However to keep up with all the great programs and benefits WRRR affords it’s members, it is now time for a smallincrease. Starting Friday, June 6, 2008, new memberships will go up by $5. Starting Monday, June 9, 2008, membership renewalswill go up by $5. The new dues structure is: Single: $25, Family: $30, Sustaining: $40, Benefactor: $55.
FRONT COVER PHOTOSThanks to Bob Rodgers for providing the great action shots.Bob and friends headed over to the Lochsa this spring for somegreat bigwater action. Tales of flips abound, and the photos donot lie. Lochsa Falls provided lots of great entertainment!
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Friday-Sunday JULY 18-20
Join us for the fourth annual WRRR sponsored trip on the White Salmon River, July 20-22! The White Salmon is a beautiful, narrowriver about 1.5 hours east of Portland. It is a class 3-3+ run with one (recommended) portage around Husum Falls. In the recentyears, some folks have chosen to run the eight foot drop - many even choose to run it without flipping! The river offers lovelyscenery, nice rocks and great foliage with plenty of wildflowers.
RAFTING & KAYAKING: We will meet at the take out at noon on Saturday the 18th. The take out is at Northwestern Lake. Thereis a sign on State Route 141 about 5 miles from the town of White Salmon.
CAMPING: Camping is free for WRRR members at Guler Trout Lake Campground Friday and Saturday Nights. The campgroundis 20 minutes up the road from the put-in at BZ Corners. Non-members will be charged $10 for camping in the group site.
Mt. Adams Guler Trout Lake County Park: 18 Park Road Trout Lake, WA 98650.Driving directions from HWY 14: Turn north onto HWY 141-A for 2.1 miles Turn left onto WA HWY 141 for 23 miles. Keep left atthe Y (Gas Station). Turn left on to Jennings Road (Post Office). Turning right onto Park Road. The Park is ahead on the left.
FOOD: You will need to make your own arrangements for food and cooking gear.
White SalmonRiver Weekend
Sunday, JULY 27
WRRR is once again offering a one-day Swiftwater training class to be instructed by Casey Garland. This class is FREE to all WRRRmembers, and members are strongly encouraged to attend. Learn some new skills and refresh the ones you already know. Caseyhas decades of experience in swiftwater training and running whitewater. Subjects to be covered may include: rope work, includingz-drags and zip-lines, throwbag practice, rescue strategy, and combat swimming techniques. Come prepared to swim with PFD,helmet, gloves, drysuit (recommended) or wetsuit (brrrr). Training will take place at Llama Ledges on the NF Skykomish River nearIndex. More details to be posted later on the WRRR YahooGroup. For more information, call WRRR safety committee chair, MikeSauve at 425-221-1211 or [email protected]
One DaySwiftwater Training
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By Ron Hausner
I learned like most people (the hard way) through experience, often painful experience about the downstream oar. Although whilein guide training and learning to row it was often verbally reiterated, nothing, I mean NOTHING prepares you for the complete,bell ringing, experience of an oar to the noggin. Many a boatman experienced or inexperienced has donated a molar or 2 to thissubject. But never did I ever hear any warning about the upstream oar.
While stern framing a eight load of clients down the Tieton one year, I was to quickly learn the upstream oar has as much to qualifyas a hazard as Mike Tyson does stepping in to the ring for a prize fight. On this particular day I was using the outfitters’ boat thatI was working for. Nice boat, but like a lot of well used boats they have there moments. This ones’ moment was a leaky right reartube, which I did not find out until after we left the put-in. Consequently no one brought a pump. The day proceeded well, upuntil entering the compression waves coming into waffle wall rapid. A Gal on my right rear side of the boat involuntarily ejectedon the second big wave due to some spasmatic flexing of a underinflated tube. Grabbing her while crashing into the 3rd wave Istarted yelling instructions to back up so as not to collide with the wall itself.
Both my hands holding her as I leaned over my oar to haul her in. My eyes could not stop staring at the upcoming wall of doomahead. It was like a friggin tractor beam drawing us without recourse. At this point I trading yelling “back up” to SCREAMING“BACK UP!!!” They were a good crew and paddled obediently. We missed the wall by inches (whew), but then fell into the holebelow it sideways. Crap. Would this day never end? Consequently, Karma was good that day. The hole was not hungry and wehad a second to recover in the slack water behind it. Good. I can finally get this person back in. Did I mention she didn’t evenget her hat wet? I had grabbed her on her way out, but only precariously. I strengthened my grip and started to give a mightypull, when looking upstream I see the next boat in the flotilla of about ten.
They were coming over the submerged rock full speed, down into the hole punching through and directly into the blade of myupstream oar! Hmm. I’m leaning over my oar tower, oar handle in my stomach, holding onto a client in the water. Boat at fullthrottle hits blade producing a ramming affect (similar to a jousting spear would at King Arthur’s court during whatever centurythat was) to an unprotected, unarmored, mid section of a now, very scared guide. The impact was brutal, but due to eithercommitment or the inability to quite comprehend this was really happening, I didn’t let go of the client. The ensuing collisionpicked me up about 6 feet in the air (did I mention I now know what shishkabob feels like?). It was also enough movement todrag (remember I had not let go) the client dangling on the side of the boat up. I was unable to breathe but was OK because Iwas thinking “good, how could it get worse?”
That’s when I realized as I was being picked up 6 feet and hauling the client up onto the boat, I was also knocking another client(her husband)* off the other opposite side of the boat. Crap! Well that’s the rescue story of another boat. Frankly, I had hoped Ihad taught the river swimming position well, because I was DONE. The Mighty UPSTREAM oar had been more of a foe than Icould have imagined and all I wanted to do was eddy out and breathe again. It was defiantly an oaratating day!
*This begs to ponder... How did that couple tip after the trip? - Editor
If The Right OarDon’t Get Ya...
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• Drybags • Therm-A-Rest • PackTowel • Filters
4000 1st Avenue South; Seattle, WA 981341-800-531-9531
www.cascadedesigns.com
WRRR Sponsor
Waterlog Classified AdsClassified ads in the Waterlog are FREE to all members.
Contact Joe Sauve to place an ad. [email protected]
WRRR Sponsor
by Thomas O'Keefe, American Whitewater
This past October paddlers congregated on the Sultan River to enjoy a rare opportunity to experience a section of river thatnormally flows at only 20 cfs. While this reach of river once provided many weekends of dependable flows and was popular runin the late 1970's and early 1980's, construction of the Jackson Hydropower Project in the early 1980's essentially eliminated thisgreat run except during rare spill events.
The opportunity came as part of a flow study that was conducted by Snohomish PUD and their consultants as part of requiredstudies necessary prior to relicensing of this hydropower project in 2011. This study came about due to interest from the boatingcommunity and requests from individuals that attended public meetings and wrote letters to the Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission (FERC).
For the full article and details go to: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Article_view_articleid_29870
Paddlers Participatein Sultan Flow Study
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WRRR Trip & Event ScheduleDAY DATE RIVER/DESCRIPTION CLASS CONTACT
WRRR Sponsor Go to www.camstraps.com to check out our selection of:• Camstraps in all sizes and colors • Thwart straps • Custom straps
Special deals available on drying racks, utensil racks, etc.
Call 425-226-6010 for WRRR discount
New Owner: WRRR Member Bill Yager20% off web prices for all WRRR members
Raft Frames • Boat RepairGeneral Welding and Fabrication
Jim Sheflo425-343-4105
Atlas FabricationWRRR Sponsor
Gotta river you want to run? Want some company? Sure ya do! List in the Waterlog’s Trip & Eventschedule. Contact the Waterlog editor at [email protected], or Paul Sestak, VP of River Ops.
Important notice: The WRRR trip & event schedule is a calendar of river trips scheduled by WRRR members and upcoming WRRR events. The contact person is not responsiblefor screening interested boater’s skill level, equipment, or physical condition. If you choose to participate in a WRRR trip/event, any and all liability of participating is yours alone.You are solely responsible for assessing the difficulty of the river, your skill level, and river and weather conditions. Although the contact person should strive to ensure a safetrip (like everyone else), his or her only responsibility is to let interested boaters know if the trip is on, and where and when to meet. If boaters seem unable, ill equipped, orunprepared to do a river, by all means, clue them in.
ANY ANY Last Minute Trips -- The computer age of boating is here. WRRR’s online bulletinboard and email server is EXCELLENT for coordinating last minute trips. Checkit out next time you’re looking for some folks to boat with!
To sign up, or log on, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wrrr
ANY ANY What’s Happenin? -- If you’re looking to see what’s running and who’srunning it, email or call Paul Sestak.
? Paul Sestak [email protected]
Fri-Sun Aug. 15-17 CAREY BERGER MEMORIAL SKAGIT POKER RUN -- ANNUAL EVENT! Freecamping for all club members. A great family event.
II-III Bill Yager/WRRR Board
Fri-Sun July 18-20 WHITE SALMON WEEKEND -- Our newest ANNUAL EVENT! Free campingfor club members Friday and Saturday night.
III-IV Bill Yager/WRRR Board
Fri-Sun Sep. 5-7 TIETON RALLY -- ANNUAL EVENT! Great whitewater & camping, plus lotsof free dust
III-III+ Bill Yager/WRRR Board
Fri-Sun Sep. 12-14 Tieton -- Another weekend at the Tieton at the WRRR camp. The Oregon clubs,NWRA and OWA will be joining us this weekend too!
III-III+ Bill Yager/WRRR Board
Thurs lots MF Snoqualmie -- Thursday evenings on the Middle Middle. Starting in Marchand continuing until the water runs out. Meet at takeout at 5:20 PM. ContactDavid to make sure there is a trip going.
III-III+ David Elliott/WRRR Board
Sat-Sun June 28 & 29 Similkameen River and Tulameen River -- Just north of the border, twogreat rivers on the dry side of B.C. Dates are flexible.
IV Terry Donoho [email protected]
Sun July 27 Safety Training by Casey Garland on the NF Skykomish River III-III+ Mike Sauve/WRRR Board
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*Journal of Self-Serving Statistics, June 2003
WRRR Membership Application Form
The Waterlog
WRRR Online
Board meetings are held the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM (except December) at:Round Table Pizza, 302 SW 43rd St., Renton, WA 98055. 425-251-0606. ALL members welcome!
WRRR 2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
WRRR Membership Application Form
The Waterlog
WRRR Online
WRRR 2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
River Level InfoRiver Level Info
Submit material for publication in The Waterlog to:
Joe Sauve, Editor8531 41st Street SE
Snohomish, WA [email protected]
Mail your check and signed Agreement to:Washington Recreational River RunnersPMB 501330 SW 43rd ST. Ste KRenton, WA 98057
New Member Renewal Returning Member(prior membership ran out)
SINGLE -membership for one
FAMILY-for the whole family
SUSTAINING-same as family plus5 free raffle tickets at Wenatchee Rendezvousand 1 free hand at the Poker Run
BENEFACTOR-same as family plus10 free raffle tickets at Wenatchee Rendezvousand 2 free hands at the Poker Run
SPONSOR-for those wishing to advertise aproduct or service (must be river/outdoor-related)
$25$30$40
$55
$100& UP
Name(s)AddressCity State ZipHome Phone 2nd PhoneEmail Address
I hereby state that I wish to participate in courses and/or activities offered by Washington Recreational River Runners Association (WRRR) a non-profit corporation. I recognize that any outdoor oraquatic activity may involve certain dangers including, but not limited to, the hazards of traveling by boat on rivers or other bodies of water, accidents, or illnesses in remote places or occurringduring portages, forces of nature, and the actions of participants and other persons. I further understand and agree that without some program providing protection of its assets and its leaders,officers, and members, WRRR would not be able to offer its courses and activities.
In consideration of and as part of my payment for the right to participate in the activities offered by WRRR, I hereby release WRRR and its leaders, officers, and members from any and all liability,claims and courses of action arising out of or in any way connected with my participation in any activities offered by WRRR. I personally assume all risks in connection with these activities, andfurther agree to indemnify WRRR and its leaders, officers, and members from all liability, claims, and courses of action which I may have arising from my participation in activities including, butnot limited to those involving death, drowning, personal injury, and property damage. The terms of this agreement shall serve as a release and indemnity agreement for my heirs, assigns, personalrepresentatives, and for all members of my family including any minors. [Parent or legal guardian must sign for all persons under eighteen (18) years of age.] This agreement is effective as of thedate signed, and has no termination date.I have fully informed myself of the contents of this release and indemnity agreementby reading it before I have signed it.
Signed Date
Signed Date
JOIN THE FUN! BECOME A MEMBER OF THE “GREATEST WHITEWATER CLUB IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD*”.Washington Recreational River Runners is a private, non profit corporation organized to promote river running as a safe and fun sport and toprovide for an exchange of ideas among its members and public issues concerning rivers. Membership is open to anyone having an interest inthe recreational use of rivers upon payment of annual dues as shown below. To join or renew your membership, cut out this form, fill out andmail to the address listed below. The Release and Indemnity Agreement must be signed before your application is processed.
EARN BIG-TIME RIVER KARMA! Flip less often! Get shuttles from bikini models! Stop losing your hair. Your boat will look better, yourbeer will be colder, the sun will shine every day you’re on the river and it will rain every day you’re off the river! All you have to dois....SUBMIT ARTICLES TO THE WATERLOG! (Photos & cartoons too! It’s just that easy) The Waterlog is published 11 times ayear. (Monthly except December) Material for publication should reach the editor by the 25th of the month. An attempt willbe made to place submissions received after the 25th. However, no guarantees are given. The editor reserves the right to editall submissions for clarity and length. Articles and editorial comment do not necessarily reflect the view or opinions of WRRR,its Board of Directors, or its membership. Authors are solely responsible for the content of their articles.
Select Membership level. Prices effective 6/6/08. All membershiplevels include the newsletter and access to club events
Yes, WRRR has a website too!
www.wrrr.org
Check out the ultra-cool WRRR bulletin board. Great for swapping ideas,planning trips, posting photos, spreading lies & more!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wrrr
USGS River Levels:http://water.usgs.gov/realtime.html
USACE River Levels:www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/nws/hh/
Washington Dept. of Ecology River Levels:https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/wrx/wrx/flows/regions/state.asp
DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE:Aaron Birrell206.355.0319
Peggy Funk206-595-6250
Ken Gersten425-482-1823
Mike Sauve425-221-1211
Kate Lucas253-797-8898
Communication • Aaron BirrellT-Shirts • Nancy Douty
Chair of the Board of Directors • Lyles LarkinRiver Watch (Conservation/Access) • Kate Lucas
Membership • Ken GerstenSafety & Education • Mike Sauve
COMMITTEE CHAIRS:
Lyles LarkinPresident
David ElliottVP of [email protected]
Brian VogtVP of Business360-936-5193
Bill YagerVP of River Ops
OFFICERS:
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WASHINGTON RECREATIONAL RIVER RUNNERSPMB 501330 SW 43rd ST. Ste KRenton, WA 98057
