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I found a book!

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:34 pm
by Shark Attack
'Ozark Whitewater' by Thomas Kennon 1989. Info included goes back to 1979. Pretty cool. Anyone know who is in the photos?

Re: I found a book!

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:40 pm
by perspective7
Yeah, good book! Don't know any of the people though...

Re: I found a book!

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 3:26 am
by paddledog
Why don't you ask Mr. Kennon. He frequents this board
and the "Ozark Whitewater" described in the book.

Re: I found a book!

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:22 pm
by tkennon
The Picture on the front and rear Cover of Ozark Whitewater is of Frank Barton ( Little Rock) running the Cascades of Extinction, aka " The Mother."
Most of the other pictures are paddlers from the Bluff City Canoe Club.

Here is a brief history of the book and why Ozark Whitewater had mostly Memphis padders. I grew up in Memphis and started my paddling career in Memphis. I moved to Arkansas 20 years ago and Fort Smith is my home. My current book, "A Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to the Ozarks" was published in 2004 and it is a compilation of 2 previous books/booklets, dating back to 1978. Most of the pictures in the most current edition are Arkansas paddlers.

The first edition was called " Arkansas Whitewater Rivers." This booklet described 12 streams in Arkansas.

"Ozark Whitewater" was published in 1989 included the streams in "Arkansas Whitewater Rivers," plus an additional 33 new streams. 23 new streams in Arkansas and 10 streams in southern Missouri.

A "Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to the Ozarks," was published in 2004 and added 17 more streams in Arkansas and southeast Oklahoma.

A lot has changed over years regarding information available. When I first started paddling, there was very little written information about paddling runs in Arkansas. I can remember only two publications that the Ozark Society published, The Buffalo River Guide and The Mighty Mulberry. Both were and are still excellent publications but that was about it. There was certainly no internet, not even telephone gauges in the early stages. We resorted to friendly spotters that lived near the rivers to let us know if there was enough water. This is the reason I decided to start compiling information and write the first book while still living in Memphis. All others are a result of my continued love of the sport.

We are really fortunate to have the amount of information at our finger tips today. It sure makes paddling decisions easier and quicker to make.

Probably, more information here than you want, but if there is a specific picture you would like me to identify, just let me know.

Tom Kennon

Re: I found a book!

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:10 pm
by Shark Attack
Thanks Tom! I figured that was Frank on the cover. He talked me into my first trip down the Piney in 1980. Thanks for trying to keep things updated. I found this book at an estate sale the other day in Conway while searching for old cast iron.

Re: I found a book!

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:31 pm
by okieboater
Thanks for the history Tom. Even tho I have boated with you for many years, I did not know you were from Memphis. By the way, I have enjoyed a bunch of fine "Creek Weeks" hosted by Doctor Sonny and Memphis Whitewater.

I have all the books you mentioned and your earliest one is well worn from the early days back when "The Mighty Mulberry" was big time white water for us open boaters.

Re: I found a book!

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:19 am
by GN YAKN
Thanks for the background, Tom.

Thanks also for all the hard work over the years compiling all the 'beta'!

You be a Beta Bearing Bud!

Everyone needs to check out Tom's latest hobby, photography! Simply Amazing!!!

http://www.tomkennonphotography.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dave