As winter shifts to spring here in the southeast United States the paddling season continues to be a good one. Even though the weather is starting to warm up its still drysuit season and I expect many more days in my Spark before summer truly hits. This suit has been an amazing surprise for me over the winter and I am now a convert to its comfort, versatility, and quality.
I will be honest when I received my Spark suit back in late October as a part of Palms testing program I was a little skeptical. I mean the purpose of a drysuit is to be dry right? I just couldn’t see how a neoprene neck gasket would do the trick. However after 4 months of winter and paddling in almost every condition count me as an advocate! This thing has far over achieved in every category that a drysuit should.
The best thing about the Spark is its comfort. The cut makes this the most comfortable drysuit I’ve ever worn. This translates to exceptional ease of movement both on and off the water, especially in the arms and torso area. All that space makes this suit a freestyle kayakers dream, you can twist and contort all you want! It doesn’t stop there, the light but durable choice of fabric only adds to the comfort.
Now comfort is all fine and good whether you’re a freestyler or a river runner but the real question is: does it keep you warm enough?
Bryan Knight putting the Spark through its paces on the Linville Gorge.
The answer absolutely yes. I’ve been kayaking both freestyle and river running in temperatures down to around 40 degree F and am happy to say the Spark performed just fine. The Neoprene neck keeps you comfortable, no restricting the airways, yet still provides a good seal. And with gaskets on the wrist my arms stay nice and dry.
An unexpected benefit of the Spark for me was how perfect it was for a couple of the extreme races here late last fall. Often times the weather is a little chilly but if you wear a full on drysuit you can get really over heated while you’re racing. The Spark’s combo of ease of movement and light fabric made it the perfect suit for racing. Then I was able to stay toasty warm while I watched the rest of the race from the shore!
The Flying Squirrel, right above Gorilla during the Green Race.
All in all I would not hesitate to recommend the Spark to anyone and I look forward to many more great days of kayaking in it! Plus it has a badass color….
Airing it out, post Greenrace celebration at Sunshine.
This marks the first summer I haven’t traveled out west in a long time. The west coast gets all the glory for summertime paddling in the US and rightly so as California, the Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Montana and Colorado are all at their prime right now. However it doesn’t mean that you can fully overlook the right side of the country as there are plenty of quality options! Also as I’m still in the process of healing a herniated disc the East Coast offers me some great summertime paddling close to home and a chance to get to some places I haven’t been in a while.
The best part about kayaking in the East in the summer is the heat, and that means day after day in a shortie! It’s pretty good to be on a creek run without a dry suit and a bunch of fleece. Many folks think that the water goes away here with the end of spring, not so. Summer time thunder storms, some timely dam releases, and just plain big rivers lend themselves to great paddling all the way through the dog days of August.
This year with the start of the first heat wave I packed up the van and headed North for my first paddling trip since finding out I had a herniated disc. It’s been really good to be back on the water and traveling, two of my favorite things in life. Enjoy the pictures!
Wouldn’t be complete without a little Green River action in here. The Green is one of the best rivers ever in the summertime, lots of releases, good drops, and warm temperatures. Shane and I at the put-in on retro day.
Rolling over Gorilla on Retro Day, good to be back in a boat and stomping this rapid. A 90 degree offset….well that was a little more challenging!
The van outside Moutain Man Outdoor Supply Company in Old Forge, New York home to the Moose River. Due to a lucky lightening strike the power plant was releasing water into the Bottom Moose which allowed me to get my first ever run on this iconic Adirondack river. It didn’t disappoint!
Lining up a boof on the Bottom Moose, I can’t believe it took me 20 years to get on this run. Glad I got to it I felt like I’d been doing the East Coast an injustice:)
Following Will Crimmins down Sure Form one of the great slides on the Bottom Moose
Another takeout after another great day on the water!
The view from Grace Under Pressure on Great Falls, Potomac River. Great Falls and the Potomac are one of the great urban jewels of East Coast kayaking. 20 miles downstream of this boof is the Whitehouse. It’s pretty cool kayaking resource as it has something for all levels of paddling right outside of Washington DC.
My cousin Ben and I at the Center Lines on Great Falls.
Shredding the O-deck waves in my Axiom! Great waves and great boat!
I think two of my favorite parts of a good road trip are the people you get to see and the random things you end up doing. It’s good to have a plan sometimes but sometimes you just gotta go with the flow….
Stand up Paddle Boarding on an upper section of the Potomac
Evening on Lake Placid, New York. Can’t be afraid of some different craft, my friend Christian paddling home after drinks at the Lake Placid Lodge
Speaking of different craft to where am I going with this again?…..
Never be afraid to take advantage of croquet
And above all never go anywhere without your PFD
Catch you next time and happy paddling on whatever craft this summer!
With spring starting off well here in the southeast I figured now would be a good time to give you a little bit of East Coast paddling tour. These are some of my favorite areas to paddle on the East Coast and highlight some of the top destination rivers. If you’re thinking of taking a trip to the East Coast, these would be good places to think about going. I’m sure I’ve missed some so feel free to add your locale in the comments section.
Western North Carolina/Eastern Tennessee/North Georgia
Paddling into the light on the West Prong of the Little Pigeon, TN
Whether you spending your time around Asheville, Chattanooga, or Knoxville this area of the southeast has plenty to offer. While its become famous for its Class V paddling with runs like the Bear, Green, Toxaway, and Ravens Fork all within easy distance it also has plenty of quality Class III-IV options. Rivers like the Chattooga, the French Broad, Wilson’s Creek, Pigeon, the Obed, the Emory, and Nolichucky give the area something for every type of paddler.
Wouldn't be complete without a picture of the Green Race, held the first weekend of November every year!
When to go: The best times to plan a paddling trip to the southeast are in March/April and September/October. This gives you the best combination of weather (flowers in the spring, leaf color in the fall) and water.
What makes it tough: Rain. It’s as simple as that. The southeast is at its best when its raining which makes it really hard to plan a trip a long way in advance. If you have to make advance plans time your trip around the numerous dam releases in the region (rivers like the Tallulah, Cheoah, and the Green) as this will give you something fun to paddle in case its dry.
What to do if it falls apart: Bring your bike. There are hundreds of miles of single-track of all skill levels with areas like Pisgah and Dupont being world-class mountain biking spots. Several shops in Asheville offer rentals as well.
Getting ready to ride a long way down
The quick hit list: For the class V paddler set your sights on the Toxaway, Ravens Fork, Linville Gorge, the Bear, Horsepasture, West Prong of the Pigeon, and Overflow (if you get half of those you’ll be stoked). For the class IV paddler take a look at Wilson’s Creek, North Fork of the French Broad, Tellico, and Watauga. For the class III paddler go for the Nantahala, Section III of the Chattooga, Pigeon, the Ocoee, the Obed, and the Big South Fork of the Cumberland.
Big Boy on the Ravens Fork (photo credit: Fergus Coffey)
West Virginia
After protests from the state residents West Virginia is back to being Wild and Wonderful, and the center of that for kayaking is Fayetteville. There aren’t many towns with the concentration and variety of paddling as Fayetteville. The Gauley, the New, the Dries of the New, Mann’s Creek, Mill Creek, Lower Meadow, and Real Mann’s are all with 30 minutes and offer some of the best playboating and creeking the East Coast has to offer.
Airing it out on another perfect day on the New River Dries
When to go: Gauley season in September and October is a must. However a well kept secret is Fayetteville in the spring when the weather starts warming up (at least a little) and you often get the rains needed to bring in the world class waves of the New River Dries and all the creeks run. Think classic class V in the morning and the biggest air blunts of your life in the afternoon. Just be prepared for some cold weather.
Can't go wrong with Gauley season
What makes it hard: Again rain. Gauley season is easy as you’ve got the releases. If you’re trying to hit the dries or some of the creeks it can again be hard to plan way in advance. However no matter what you’ll always have the New River Gorge as an option.
Some WV creeking, bring your drysuit
What to do if it falls apart: Make sure you bring your climbing gear as an alternative option as the New River Gorge is home to some of the best routes in the country.
The quick hit list: Upper and Lower Gauley, New River Dries, Manns Creek, and Mill Creek. If you have time and the water’s good you can check out some of the lesser known runs up by Morgantown and around the Cranberry drainage.
New York/Vermont
For a little New England flavor head on up to the Adirondacks of New York and the Green Mountains of Vermont. Long known as a great paddling destination by those in the area its quickly gaining popularity thanks to natural runs like the Middlebury Gorge, the New Haven, and the Grass, the area also boasts great dam release options like the Moose, the Beaver, and the Raquete.
When to go: Spring for the natural flow, when it’s good its really good. Late summer for the dam releases of the Raquete and Beaver.
What makes it hard: Brrrrrr. If you’re shooting for the natural flow you’d better have a drysuit as it can be really cold.
Falls of the New Haven
What to do if falls apart: In the springtime bring your snow sliding equipment for a little spring skiing. In the summertime pack your hiking gear and get lost in the Adirondack Park.
The quick hit list: Middlebury Gorge, Big Branch, New Haven, Grass, and if you’re lucky John’s Brook for the spring. Later on just check AW for the scheduled dam releases.
Anyone of these destinations if you hit it right will give you some of the best paddling of your life. The cool thing about each of these areas is that they offer a wide variety of other options if the kayaking isn’t happening so bring your other toys. On top of it all each area has quality dam release options as well so you can guarantee some good kayaking action if you plan your trip during those times. Have fun out there and see you on the water!
I’ve been meaning to write this for a while but sometimes you just don’t get around to things for a bit. It’s actually sort of fitting as I’ll be turning 30 soon (this puts me well out of the being a kid range at least in the strictly age category) which means I’ll have been kayaking for 23 years and paddling in general for 28. Several of my friends have young children of there own have asked me how my parents got me interested and got me to stick with kayaking. I think that on some fronts I had some pretty special/lucky circumstances as far as where and who I grew up with. However I do think that my parents did some pretty key things that have a lot to do with why I chose kayaking over basketball. Keep in mind that this is from my perspective looking back so its not necessarily how it really went but this is what I remember. I’m thinking I’ll try to follow this up with an interview with my parents so I get both sides of the story in there:)
The biggest thing I remember is I felt and still do that kayaking was always my choice. Now I doubt that this is totally accurate, pretty sure my parents pushed me at least a little, but what I feel is important is the fact that I remember it like this. I don’t remember my parents ever pushing me towards kayaking or once I started trying to get me into any one particular area (like slalom, freestyle, or working). At each critical junction of my paddling career I remember being the one to decide “yes I want to do this”. The fallout of this, at least in my opinion, is that I’m still paddling 20 years later cause in a selfish sense its what I want to do.
20 years later on the Grass River, NY
The other part along these lines is I don’t remember feeling like my parents really wanted me to start kayaking at a specific age or point. Both of my parents took both me and my sister rafting and canoeing from the get-go (my Mom swears she had me in a raft at around 6 months) but even when they bought us both kayaks they were always there as more of toy. We played with them in the lake almost like pool noodles or something. We also went camping from the canoe’s and rafts. On top of just having fun being outside this also just got me familiar with the river and the concepts of paddling so this wasn’t a new concept once I did get into my own boat. In short I feel like we did a lot of activities that had to do with being on the water but that was only part of the equation.
My friend and Anne and her son Port enjoying a bit of an afternoon paddle. Getting used to being on the water at a young age in a mellow way made me the kayaker I am today.
My stepmom and little sister. Again keeping it fun and just getting out on the water!
Once I did start to kayak my parents were pretty quick to put me into some classes. I think the biggest thing I got out of this was to learn and hang out with other kids my age. Don’t get me wrong I paddled a bunch and learned a ton from my parents but not learning everything from them especially at the beginning was a pretty good thing in hind sight. I think all parents would agree that teaching their children things can sometimes present interesting challenges.
In addition to putting me in a position to learn from others my parents also did an amazing job of letting me continue to kayak with other people. This is one area I feel like I was very fortunate in because there were lots of people that my parents knew that could and were willing to take me paddling. But I’m sure its hard as a parent to let go and send your kids off with other folks especially as I started to run harder and harder things. The only thing I really ever remember them saying is that they trusted me to make good decisions. As a young teenager this really meant a lot to me, although I’m sure that it was occasionally terrifying for my parents when I told them some of my stories. I feel that this ability to let go in a sense and trust me was really important in my early years of paddling. No again I have since been told by folks that I paddled with that it wasn’t always that smooth but again that’s how I felt:)
As I’m finishing this up I’ve kinda of realized that for me it all boiled down to a two things really. I feel that above all my parents always kept it fun and they really did let me make a lot of my own decisions. I’m sure that’s harder to do than it sounds but I’m really grateful that they did this because kayaking is a huge part of my life and continues to be something I really enjoy doing with all of my family. I would really encourage parents to take this laid back approach because I feel like that’s why I’m in the position to make my children fourth generation paddlers!
My stepmom, dad, and little sister keepin it fun and a family activity
See you on the rivers
be safe
Andrew Holcombe
I’ve been meaning to put this post up for a bit, but am just now getting my mind around what I wanted to write down. This year I decided to spend two weeks in May kayaking in the Sierras of California. After a couple of years of trying to time some of the more famous runs in Cali I’ve decided that the best way to go is just to show up without an agenda and get whatever’s there! After testing that this year and possibly having the best 10 days of kayaking I’ve had in quite some time I think I’ll stick to that theory for future trips to that granite wonderland. While this trip had numerous spectacular (often a bit scary) I feel like it was highlighted by a couple of runs on the South Feather. Every once in a while you get to paddle a river that just makes you flat out appreciate being able to kayak. For me the South Feather was one of those runs. Even now after a month to think about it I still have trouble putting it into words. The best I can do is say that its the whole package, the whitewater, the place, the group, and so much more. Rather than attempt to write it down I’ll just put up a couple pictures and say that its one of the most incredible places I’ve ever been! To get to places like this is why I kayak. Enjoy
A great little double drop
I don’t know if it gets any better!
Well maybe it does…
A view downstream
Hanging out before the hike out.
Thanks to Stephen Wright for all the photos!
be safe
Andrew
You always hear of people chasing the endless summer or sometimes the endless spring. Winter, at least in kayak circles, is an under-appreciated season. What place to better give winter its due than upstate New York and Vermont in early April? Armed with my Stikine drysuit, I left the sunny southeast (temperatures in the 70s) to head North with my good friend Matt Young for one last taste of winter. I’d always heard of the good paddling in Vermont and NY in early spring but had never managed to get up there for a test. Hmmm maybe all that snow and ice had something to do with it. Anyways, I think I might have to make this an annual trip! The Green Mountains in Vermont and the Adirondacks of NY have some incredible kayaking. From the steep, short and technical runs of Vermont to the large rapid-long pool rivers of NY there really is something for everyone. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed myself and we only bailed on one day of paddling (trust me it was beyond cold!) Plus when the rivers aren’t running you can always go snowboarding! One tip, make sure you bring that drysuit… here’s a couple of pics
Matt Young stomping the waterfall on the New Haven River in Vermont
Getting a little seamed out on the New Haven
Large Marge on the Grasse River in NY
Shhh. Don’t say anything but its been quite the late spring in the southeast! And let me tell you after a couple years of drought that is a good good thing. I chaulk it up to my good friend Matt Young going on spring break. Matt teaches elementary school in Lake Placid, NY and for the last couple of years has sought to escape the mud and snow by taking a trip to the sunny southeast. Usually we end up with a couple days of biking, a couple days on the Green and maybe one good creek run. This year however things shaped up to be different. Before Matt the rain had been treating us well for three or four weeks so the water table was actually pretty good for a change, all that we needed was just that extra bit to make it happen. Well we got what we wished for, just enough to make for a great four days of kayaking! There really is nothing like showing a good buddy done some of the best runs in your hometown. Over the four days Matt was here we got on the Horsepasture, the Green (two days at almost high water:)), and to top it all off a perfect day on the Ravens Fork. Enjoy the pictures, courtesy of Fergus Coffey!
Skyrocketing off Caveman!
Winding through Anaconda
At the lip of Big Boy….
And rolling it over! This was one of the best lines I’ve had off this one. Keep the rain comin!
I’ve arrived back in North Carolina after a good six weeks south of the border, only to be greeted with freezing temperatures and a couple inches of snow! Ah well, you can’t have sunny weather, cold beer, and good Mexican food all the time. This years trip to Mexico was a great one. A nice mix of work and taking some time off to run a few of the classics the state of Veracruz has to offer. I also had the good fortune of meeting up with Mr. Paul Villecourt who we have to thank for all the good picutes. Enjoy yourself and join me in thinking of warmer times.
The finest transportation available.
On the way to the put-in with the Esprit crew.
Nothing says yes I’m kayaking in Mexico and its awesome better…. Strolling the town of Jalcomulco on the way to the river.
Another rapid and another amazing canyon wall on the Rio Antigua.
Who says you can’t freestyle in the Mamba. Splatting the wall at the Cueva on the Rio Antigua.
Stomping down another boof on another rapid on the Four Fours section of the Rio Antigua.
Anna hard at work at the put-in waterfall on the Rio Actopan.
Running another tight one on the Rio Alseseca.
All the guides for Esprit Mexico at their finest. Thanks for another great year!
It’s racing time in the southeast! With the fall colors also comes some of the best extreme races the southeast and maybe the country has to offer. This past weekend saw 52 racers (a new record by more than double) hammer their way down the Russell Fork in eastern Kentucky. The result new records, good swims, and a little moonshine to top it all off. Here’s the top three:
Overall
1. Andrew Holcombe in the Dagger Greenboat 10:03
2. Bryan Kirk in the wavesport Momentum 10:14
3. Chris Gragtmans in the Dagger Greenboat 10:16
Women
1. Robin Betz in the Liquid Logic 100% 11:41
2. Laura Farrell in the Dagger Greenboat 12:01
Hand Paddler
1. Keith Sprinkle
For complete results and video check out www.lvmvideo.com. Now we’ve all got a week to rest up for the big one, that’s right the Green Race coming November 1st!
be safe
Andrew Holcombe
