Paddle in the New Year!

[smcurtis]

Jessica and I are planning on paddling the Cadron New Year's Day in our new "divorce" boat. We will leave Fort Smith around 9:30 and plan to be at the HWY 65 bridge around noon. Please join us for the first float of the New Year. Be sure to bring your camera and throw rope as Jessica and I could go for many, many chilly swims!

Sean and Jessica

[team gforce 6-3]

I am in Memphis but am also looking at paddling something in your area new years day. I just looked at the gauges and cannot believe my eyes. Are the rivers still up that high or are the gauges off? I have not done a lot of rivers in AR but would like to try Big Piney, Snow creek if it is still up, or maybe something else.

[David Lewis]

I may join you. Just bought a Dagger Approach 10 and am eager to learn how to use it. Tried it out in a flat pool at Pinnacle Park today and it was sweeet! I drive a Prius and can move five people, but only one boat. I'm new at this winter paddling thing. How necessary is a wetsuit? I don't have one.

If I'm not there, don't wait. It just means I decided not to blow off my friends who invited me to a New Year's Day get-together. I can be reached by cell (in Little Rock) at 501-three 51-3456.

David

[David Mac]

Whether or not a wetsuit is neccisary depends on several things:

1) Your ability to stay upright.
2) The tightness of your sprayskirt and ability to roll.
3) Your tolerance for cold water when you end up wet exiting the boat.


Seriously, you'll want some sort of water/weather protection, though a drysuit isn't required. I used an old pair of waders and semi-dry top with polyester thermal underwear my first winter. While not nearly as nice as the polypro fleece under a drysuit I use now, it worked.

For tomorrow's weather (high of 51) I'll probably go with drysuit over street clothes, but could easily make do with less. It's really about personal comfort.

David

[David Lewis]

Thanks for the input, David. I feel pretty good about my ability to stay upright on this river, I have a nylon spray skirt, and I don't roll at all. Not yet, anyway. I've got some good Patagonia thermals. I suppose I can pack a back-up set of dry clothes in the hold. Maybe I'll just go with what I've got and hope for the best. I know I can't wait until spring to give this boat a go on an actual river!

[RomanLA]

My first instinct is to advise you against paddling whitewater yet. I did my fair share of swimming in the Cadron last fall. I was cold wearing a semi-dry top with a wet suit. It helps that you have the stability of a hybrid boat, but even if you don't flip, you may still get pretty wet with a nylon spray skirt. The picture in my avatar was taken at Sarah's Wave and I basically fully submerged my kayak. Anyway, if you do decide to go, have fun and stay safe (and don't forget to bring a helmet).

[David Lewis]

I went, I paddled, I got a little bit wet, and I loved it! This was my first rendezvous with ACC folks, and I'm ecstatic with the whole experience. Good folks, beautiful day, fun river, and I love my new boat. Does it get any better than that? Well, it might after I buy a spray skirt that actually keeps the water out, neoprene boots for my feets, gloves for my hands, and maybe one of those fancy dry suits. But, for now, I'm ready to do it again tomorrow. Thanks, ACC for hooking me up, and thanks Sean and Jessica for initiating this New Year's Day float.

David