Eddy Lines by John Lane
As the rivers run drier mid-summer, so do the words for the eddylines. Not that there isn’t much to say, just less energy to write them with.
The COP sea kayaks have been given their initial
workout. We had 12 students and 7 instructors last month in our inaugural introductory sea kayak class. Three sessions
on the water and a classroom session rounded out the class. Thanks to Larry Krall, Dave Seslar, Sharon Hsu, Monica
Bluestein, Rick Taylor, Fernando Caro and John Markiel for doing a great job instructing. Depending on time and energy,
we may be holding another class in late summer or early autumn.
The sea kayaks also served as fire-works-viewing platforms. Two of the doubles and all the single boats were put into service at Red, White and Boom. Best of all, none of their paddlers swam!
I have developed a rental policy and procedure for the COP boats. If you are interested in renting COP boats, contact me for the policy.
We have a Canoe I class coming up at the end of the month. They say the best advertising is word of mouth. Here are some quotes from former Canoe I students to finish up eddylines for the month:
Potomac River by Carl Bolyard
On Wednesday, June 27, West Virginia Rivers Coalition hosted the 3rd annual gala benefit reception for the Potomac River. The event was a success as 220 guests from the region gathered at the Old Ebbitt Grill in downtown Washington DC to celebrate the river and discuss work being done to help the river basin.
The Potomac is a watershed of over 14,000 square miles and is the drinking water supply for much of the basin. The recreation benefits of the Potomac as a fishery and a whitewater resource are tremendous. The Nation’s River begins in West Virginia’s Potomac Highlands as the North Branch and the South Branch. The South Branch has its highest tributary, Seneca Creek, at around 4200 feet on the west slope of Spruce Knob. The Potomac travels three states before feeding into the Chesapeake Bay where it is one of the major contributors to the health or detriment of the estuary.
The evenings mix of people and topics included land managers, land trusts, and non-profits concerned with Potomac issues. Representatives from National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, Department of Energy, United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Forest Service attended the evening. Senator Rockefeller had his legislative assistant Barbara Pryor attend to meet constituents.
The past year has been a tremendous one for Potomac issues. In 1997 and 1998 the Potomac was named by American Rivers as one of the country’s most endangered rivers. Due to the precarious nature of the river’s health, a tremendous number of people are rolling up their sleeves to get work done in this watershed. The evening celebrated some of the immense work done by WVRC and others.
This year’s benefit successful for West Virginia Rivers Coalition and several businesses and organizations were recognized in making the event such a success. Immersion Research has made a significant commitment to furthering the health of the Headwaters. This apparel and equipment manufacturer from Confluence, Pennsylvania has always remained in touch with the source of their success and kept clean water issues in the scope of their vision for the future. The Wilderness Society has made a similar commitment to wilderness and clean water in the Mid-Atlantic region. WVRC thanked them both for their support. Camp Rim Rock, in Yellow Springs, West Virginia and River and Trail Outfitters near Harper’s Ferry were thanked for their continued support. River Riders and Mike Aronoff’s Canoe and Paddle Company (CAPCO) also received our thanks for helping with a great event. Several other businesses helped support the evening: Elk River Touring Center, Grateful Heads Helmets, North American River Runners, Paddler Magazine and Wildwater Expeditions.
Many members of WVRC were in attendance to enjoy music and great food and drink in one of the city’s best gathering spots. A number of paddling clubs were also represented. Greater Baltimore Canoe Club, Canoe Cruisers Association, Blue Ridge Voyageurs, Coastal Canoeists, Monocacy Canoe Club and the West Virginia Wildwater Association. A special thanks goes to all of the paddlers who are the backbone of contributors and volunteers for efforts to protect the waters.
TOO MUCH SHRIMP!!!!
(the Great Shrimp Massacre of ’99) - by Keith Finn
Just being on a trip can alter your mind. Being a
trip leader can put your brain in an altered state, incapable of performing simple math.
For Example; Dave Seslar & I have been running a flatwater paddling trip to the southeastern US for years, and these trips last 9 days (objective). One of our favorite places to visit is Cumberland Island National Sea-shore, and to get to Cumberland Island, you have to go thru St Marys GA. St Marys is one of my favorite places to visit, for one reason - shrimp. St Marys is an active shrimp port, so you get FRESH shrimp. You even get your choice of shrimp —the classic Gulf Shrimp, or the local favorite Rock Shrimp. There I was in March of 99, day 7 of 9, a bit addled, and charged with finding enough shrimp for 10 people. It had been a good trip so far, we had paddled the Okefenokee for 3 days, snorkeled & paddled the freshwater springs of N Florida for 3 days, and now we had a real treat - an overnight on Cumberland Island. A big shrimp boil sounded like just the thing to finish off the trip. We had by consensus figured 1/2 pound of shrimp per person would be adequate (the fools!), so I was dispatched to find the shrimp. I went to the dock for FRESH SHRIMP, and found a boat just pulling in.
After talking to the shrimp broker, I found out they had 2 pound bags of shrimp for 8.00 per bag. (when the shrimp are caught, they are immediately beheaded and flash frozen in brine). Now either my brain or my desires betrayed me. I purchased 5 bags of shrimp (10 pounds!!!!) for the paltry price of 40.00. I packed my tasty arthropods in an icy cooler, and hurried to catch the ferry to the island. When questioned by others, I said I had 5 one pound bags of shrimp. My brain had betrayed me - it (the brain) fooled me into buying TOO M U C H SHRIMP!!! (And lying about it).
That evening, Greg Karoly and I were rinsing the shrimp before the boilage. Greg seemed to think there was an awful lot of shrimp - it was then I realized I had actually bought TOO MUCH SHRIMP!!!
Despite Heroic efforts, we could not eat all that shrimp (even I was perhaps feeling that just maybe I had erred and gotten TOO MUCH SHRIMP!!!). There is a happy ending. We had saved the cold boiled shrimp, and while waiting for the ferry the next day - we found 2 backpackers who had missed the previous nights ferry and only had an apple left for the both of them. They were more than happy to kill off the last of the shrimp.