Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

Surf & Turf Details and Request for volunteers:

Surf & Turf is Saturday, July 26 @ Rockport (Ouachita River at Malvern Arkansas).

For those who have not experienced S & T, it is a big burger burn at Rockport sponsored by the Central Chapter of the ACC. ACC supplies the burgers, dogs, chips, and condiments. Bring your own beverages. The rest is pot-luck. The official ACC sponsored S&T event is the meal -- burgers and hot dogs and chips, but folks usually meet up for informal (not ACC sponsored ) downstream floats and, of course, lots of play! It's also a great time to visit with old friends and meet new ones, so come on and join the fun.

Because of potential for road work on the river left (Park) side and to have enough parking, we've once again reserved the Porterfield property and will serve the food there. For those that aren't familiar with the area, Porterfields is directly accross the river from the boat ramp area and park. There is plenty of parking at Porterfields. You can ferry back and forth between the park area and Porterfields. To drive directly to Porterfields from Little Rock, take Exit 97 off of I-30, immediately after you cross the river at Malvern (the "main" Malvern exit is 98, to get to Porterfields, go past the main exit to Exit 97). After talking Exit 97, turn right (north) onto 84, very briefly, then right onto 171 (84 Ts into 171 immediately after the exit), go about 1/4 mile and the double gate to Porterfields will be on your right. Hopefully we will have an ACC banner on the fence by the gate. Follow the road until you can see the river. The food will be set up near the pavillion. We'll probably start cooking around noon and food should be ready around 12:30 and available until around 2:00.

Edit to Add: The release will be from 9 AM to 9 PM both days, which will put the water at the ledge by 11:30 or so. Folks planning to go up to the dam and float down will have plenty of time to go either before or after the meal.

Suggestions for potluck contributions:

Sliced tomatos
Sliced onions
Lettuce
Baked Beans
Salads
Dips
Desserts (bring your own serving utensils).

Or if you don't want to bring anything, just contribute a little of your time. We'll probably do a pre-game clean-up around 5:00 on Friday evening and will need folks to help clean up after too. It would be great if someone with a pickup would volunteer to carry off the trash. We'll have trashbags and have it ready just to throw in the back of your truck. Volunteers are also welcome to help set up and/or cook.

You can e-mail me at dktucker@windstream.net or just post here if you can help. Thanks!

Is Surf & Turf newbie compatible? Specifically, newbies that do not own their own gear or boats?

Kim, since I live in Hot Spring County I would be more than happy to haul off the trash, as long as I make it back by Friday. Me and my girlfriend are heading east this Friday, and not positive if we will stay out there through the weekend of surf and turf or not.

yo monkey,

there will be tons of people at the river that day, which means there will be many boats around. I'm sure you could get lucky and try out just about whatever you want. I know there'll be several demos from OOO there too. I would try to round up a PFD, Helmet, and maybe a skirt. But if you can't, come anyway.

The only issue for a newbie may be the number of other boaters. It does get crowded. But that's the fun of this event. I say show up hang out and have fun!

BTW, Do we know what the release schedule is that day?

Bryan, I'm checking on releases right now and will post it here.

Also seeing Bryan's post it reminded me of Bryan's kids at S&T last year which prompts me to tell everyone that S&T is fun for the whole family.

The word from Entergy on the release:

You can count on a 9 AM release from the dam. That puts water at Rockport at 11:30 and it will be good surfing by Noon. It will probably run to 9 PM. So it would be a 9 to 9 schedule. I may go longer and start earlier, but you can count on that.

Thanks, Ted!

I will edit the first post to show the release schedule.

I plan to come but have to be home by 6ish that night, leave around 4. Sooo would like to do a morning run down from the dam. I will post about it next week.

typicaluprightmonkey wrote:Specifically, newbies that do not own their own gear or boats?

You can have a pretty good time hanging out and eating the food, even if you have no boat.

We've been known to paddle out there on wal-mart "extra company" inflatable mattresses, and just walking up and going over the ledge with any air mattress is something many locals do.

But between me and Bibbs, we could fix you up with a boat, helmet, paddle, spray skirt, and lifejacket of your very own for the day, if you don't want to take chances on just borrowing once you get there.

On the other hand, buy your own boat, pay your dues, show up at three meetings in a row, and we might make you a club officer.

I will have my hero there you can try out. Also, if you want to float from the dam down, I have a skirt and Dagger Approach you are welcome to use. Let me know, so we can load it up when we come. Just have my other PFD for a woman, no other helmet, if you can round up those two things. If Gary hasn't sold his WRSI helmet by then, you may use it, or looking to buy one, it is $50.00, almost new.

Karla

I knew there was a reason I was drawn to this club so quickly... Awesome generosity!

Cowper, I would love to take you and D. Bibbs up on that offer! With any luck I will at least have my lifejacket in by then (ordered a Stohlquist Wedge from L&C). I'm pretty sure I'll still be void of all the other necessary gear, though...

Karla, I tried on a WRSI helmet at L&C the other day, and it was very uncomfortable. I couldn't find sizes on any helmet except one, and it was a small, which I know I don't fit into. I don't know if I can wear the helmet that you are selling, but if it fits without squeezing gray matter out of my ears, I may take you up on the offer!

Thanks to both of you (and Bibbs, of course)!

Somebody bring some innertubes! My kid and I will be doing lots of bodysurf runs down river left, with or without tubes, but it'll be fun to try all kinds of floaties.

No boat? Hey, there will be plenty of food and fun. I'll be floating in my hammock twixt two trees part of the day, snoozing to the sweet sound of whitewater. I will probably bring my open boat but not spend much time in it. You might want to try it.

Hey Monkey, you should try to head over to Ouachita outdoor outfitters in hot springs..they have a much better selection of stuff than L & C.
I doubt you'd have to order anything either..as they would more than likely have it right there in stock.

Just a thought,
Joe

Thanks for the directions and update KIM. Look forward to paddling with you all. I'm bringing a girlfriend new to paddling and my 15 year old son

For the GPS-inclined, the gate to Porterfields is located at

N34.39272 W92.84739 (that's degrees and decimal degrees)

Saying the same thing as Kim, in slightly different words, coming from Little Rock, take Exit 97 off I-30, at the top of the ramp, reset your trip odometer. Turn right; then turn right again in less than 100 yards. You will see the gate, hung with ACC banners, on your right about the same time that your odometer hits 0.5 miles.