Cossatot First Timers Trip (May 7, 2011)

[SteveGabbard]

It was a great trip! Thanks to Walter, Marcell, Dee and others who made it happen!

I've never seen so many big smiles or heard so much hooping and hollering on the river before.

Good times!

[Mike_P]

Thanks to Walter & all the other safety boater volunteers for your time & commitment. And a big thanks to the ACC/ACA for their sponsorship. That was one of the best days I have ever had kayaking! And a great Mexican dinner in Mena with Jessica & the Oklahoma crew to unwind & tell stories!! I hope to take part in that trip again in the future!

Mike P.
Rogers

[maggiepowell]

Thanks to Walter for organizing the trip and all of the volunteer safety boaters who helped all us newbies out (me in particular). I did enjoy the trip and was satisfied with what I did and didn't do.
All in all it was a great trip with great people. Extra thanks go out to Sabrina, Renee, and Campbell who took extra-special care of me. Also Cowper who helped in is own way. :)

Maggie

[okieboater]

It was perfect weather

Water level was maybe a bit low, but about right to give boaters an opportunity to work on boat control.

Thanks to all who showed up and especially the folks doing safety. Great examples of rescue rope throwing and helping hands at the right places.

A new group of Cossatot River Runners as a result of this event. You folks did great.

Additional "way to go" salutes for those First Timers who ran the falls.

Washing Machine was about as scary looking Saturday as I have seen it. Watching a bunch of boats "showing the line" and getting hammered at the Machine (I found out my new Villain is easy to roll after cannon ball reached out and touched my unplanned do not go here line) had to be a bit apprehensive to the First Timers. Every one took the plunge and made great around the campfire stories to tell. Lots of big smiles in the eddy below the machine.

Walter, another safe and fun day on one of Arkansas most action packed rivers. Thanks for the leadership and time spent setting up the event.

[kayakdoc]

Avery and I had a great day too. Looking back 15 years ago when I was getting started, it was some of these same faces helping me down some of my first runs. It's great to be able to give back to the Club. I'm glad I was able to be there for safety and i don't think I've thrown a rope that much in years and my back and arms are reminding me of that today. Walter has this down to an art and has one heckuva support crew to coordinate the logistics. Good carnage was had and no injuries. (other than pride!) I hope I can be there to help in the future.
Got some good pics too I'll try to share/link.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 55ab84ef95" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dee Tucker]

Great day on the river with a great group of boaters. Congrats to the first timers and thanks to all the support boaters. Great to paddle with some old friends and some new ones. Kim took lots of pictures at BMF. She will get them posted soon. Hope we get another warm, sunny Cossatot day before long.

[Graham Osborn]

Awesome day on the water. I can't thank Walter and crew enough for the support they provided. Truly amazing.

[gannon311]

Congrats to all you first timers! We had a great time!! Extra thanks to Walter for Putin this all together and all the safety crew. I was in awww at the first timers that droped the machine. It was on high spin cycle! The first two boaters ( not going to mention any names , renee being one of them) that were showing them the line got a good cleaning. Really takes some nerve to watch your safety boaters get washed and drop in anyway! Let's see the videos!

[okieboater]

Renee has my respect big time. She took a leadership role and showed the rest of us where not to go and may I add SHE WAS USING HAND PADDLES.

I was using a full size Werner Shogun paddle in a creek boat and still had to roll at the bottom.

Lots of push coming off the jet at the bottom and even tho I had carefully watched several runs before mine, I still miscalculated the line at the turn.

A big tip of the hat to all the first timers who took the plunge after watching many of the shepherds get trashed !!!!

Bottom line tho, it would be great fun to see any video and photos of our runs.

[Walter Felton]

Glad everyone had a good time. This is always one of my favorite events with the ACC, it takes a little work but the reward of seeing so many first timers have great runs is a huge return on the effort. I can’t say thank you enough to the support boaters, that includes all of the shuttle help and ground support from those of you who were not on the river but helping everywhere. Lots of great support boater memories, T and Hans waiting at the critical move at the Machine, Mike H with a rope below the machine, Dee in the boulder sieve in the Esses, Renee bumping abandoned boats, Turner helping with a portage at the Esses, Sabrina paddling just a head for boaters that wanted to follow someone, Marcell at the goal post in Devils Hollow Rapid, Dave, Judy and Rick for doing the sweep job, Mike R in the falls with a rope, Jessica for leading a first timer through the Esses, and Cowper for just being Cowper (meaning always in the right place at the right time). Ok sorry, I know that I overlooked someone but I am getting old and my memory is going fast.

I will say that this group of first timers was great to work with as well. Everyone was on time and ready to go. Getting a group this large moving has its challenges but you guys made that effort easy. So here is a list of the first timers that we will be looking for as support boaters in years to come.

Maggie Powel, John Sanders, Jacky Klein, John Fletcher, Brad Smith, Shelley Flanary, Mike Potts, Amber Gannon, Graham Osborn, Steve Yaney, Avery Hillis, Tony Wimsett.

Great Job Everyone.

Walter Felton

[Renee H]

Yes Jeff my line at the Machine wasn't great, but I really just wanted to practice some swimming and self rescue skills Thanks Dave R. for the compliments! I have a lot of pictures and I will try to get them posted and put a link here. For the first timers, send me a message with what boat and color you had and I can send any that you would like. Had a great time Saturday! Thanks Walter for organizing once again.

[Kim Tucker]

Photos at BMF from the First Timers Trip


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 1317816561" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Renee H]

Here's a link to the photos I took at Zigzag rapid and in the Esses.

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/me ... .779508307" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Graham Osborn]

Photos at BMF from the First Timers Trip


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 1317816561" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

broken link?

[ARzach]

Photos at BMF from the First Timers Trip


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 1317816561" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

broken link?

Probablly have to be her "Friend" on FB to view the album.