October is one my favorite months to paddle. There is no better way to enjoy the brilliance of autumn’s leaves on display than on a river followed by good company around a warm fire. It is by no accident that some of the club’s best trips also come in October. This year happens to be a Pirate Paddle year! Occurring only every other year, the pirate paddle en- compasses the true spirit of all paddlers. Dress as pirates, paddle down a great river, be welcomed by a pirate band, then get refreshed with food and drink before the second band gets onstage and dance the rest of the night away! All this for $25! AND...we are doing an intro fundraiser for First Descents, an organization that helps cancer patients and survivors connect to the outdoors through climbing, kayaking, and other great activities. We’re hop- ing this is just a scratch on the surface and we can do more for this amazing group next year!
Another paddling classic returns this year as well... enjoy the covered bridge festival via canoe or kayak while paddling Raccoon Creek. This is a gorgeous paddle, usually accom- panied by a cool, crisp wind while paddling under historic covered bridges. The lunch break usually includes portaging boats around a low head dam and through part of the festi- val, where you can get some great snacks and maybe even a little shopping in.
Other important dates coming up that are later than October, but good to keep in mind: No- vember 12 is our annual member meeting. Get a summary of what we’ve been up to, enjoy some food, guest speaker, and vote on some important stuff that will get our club up to the next level. See this month’s newsletter for more info.
Also in our newsletter this month is a reminder for the Uganda trip in December. Kayak the Nile posted an update that the dam construction is moving ahead, and this will most likely be the last year to kayak the Nile River’s rapids and enjoy the lush surrounding jungle as it is today. Remember, we have a world class club organizing and going on world class trips almost every weekend, year-round.
Hope to see you all on the water at some point!
Natalie
