May 2024

May is National Water Safety Awareness Month. We know the dangers of not wearing a PFD and paddling alone. To help raise awareness of paddlesports safety and about our club, Mariann joined forces with Rusted Moon for the event on May 10-12. Thank you to Mariann and other volunteers for spending Mother's Day Weekend promoting the club and water safety!

To help boaters put water safety into action, John Gates and others offered a Swift Water Rescue class in early May. These types of trainings are critical to ensure you are ready for summer paddling. If you missed the training take a look at some of the others being offered this summer. Thank you to John and team for continuing to support paddlers of all skill levels!

The Water Is Calling - Lets Go!

UPCOMING TRIPS

FLATWATER TRIPS

June 1

This is a beautiful, forgotten section of the White River with a heavily shaded corridor of mature trees. You can sing or hum along with the sounds of the abundant waterfowl or just enjoy a relaxing paddle in nature's quietude.

Contact Marianndvs@gmail.com for questions. Register today.

SEA KAYAKING TRIPS

June 28-30

WHITEWATER TRIPS

Peshtigo & Wolf Section IV (class III)

May 25 - 27

Join Jason Tharp for an adventure in Wisconsin. For this trip, the section of the Peshtigo has been the heart of the Wisconsin boating scene since the 70s.

As for the Wolf River this river changes dramatically ... from (generally) longer boulder-garden style rapids (upstream of the reservation and the upper/prior stretch in the reservation) to shorter but steeper drops in this section. In all cases, fairly long flatwater pools separate the main rapids.

NON-HCKC EVENT 

June 7 - 9 East Race Festival 

 A Great Time for All at the East Race! It’s the 3rd annual ERWWKC festival with a weekend of fun and exciting competition, including a practice day, an event day and a purely fun on the water day.

NON-HCKC EVENT: WEEK OF RIVERS

June 29-  July 7, 2024

Each year around the 4th of July, much of the CCC’s membership converges on the Smoky Mountain Meadows Campground in Bryson City, NC for 9 days of paddling fun, evening activities, and camping. Bryson City is nestled in the western corner of North Carolina, right in the heart of whitewater heaven, the Nantahala River Gorge. Get the details on the Carolina Canoe Club website. 

TRAINING & SKILL BUILDING

Safety First! These opportunities will get you on the water safely and with confidence.

Want to practice or learn new skills for managing risks or emergencies on the water?

We've got you covered!

Want to paddle faster or have better boat handling skills?

Then these are the courses for you!

SKIPPER'S NOTE

Get Involved

Hey everyone! HCKC thrives on the energy and passion of its members, and we need your help to keep it awesome! Volunteering is a fantastic way to give back, whether it's joining the board, hopping on a committee, sponsoring a trip, or helping out at our outdoor events.

When you get involved, you not only make the club better for everyone but also forge new friendships and create unforgettable memories. So, let's paddle together and make our club the best it can be – your time and enthusiasm can make a huge difference!

PAST TRIPS

FALL CREEK PADDLE

On Saturday, May 18, 10 members and 3 guests headed down Fall Creek for an 11 mile paddle from 79th Street down to the Keystone take out.

We were lucky to have had two good rains the week before and the river level was at a comfortable 3.75 feet. We had a good flow and sailed over logs that just 2 weeks earlier the trip leader had had to wiggle around on her scouting trip when the level was a sketchy 2.3 ft. The fog burned off and the sun came out just as the group got on the water at 11 am. The upper portion of the trip went along a bird sanctuary and Fort Harrison State Park grounds.

The creek has lots of twists and turns with several downed trees that challenged our paddling skills. One paddler went over but with the groups help he was back in his kayak quickly. One other area of concern was in the lower part of the Fort Harrison property where we had to go between the bank and tree root ball, turn right and then paddle hard left to avoid another log pile up. One paddler got pinned against the log but eventually was able to move off and get a better line to get through.

A littler further down we found a nice sand bar for lunch. As we passed under I-465 we enjoyed the fun of ‘Killer Falls’ which was flowing fast. The rest of the trip we encountered few obstacles and just enjoyed the wilder side of Indy. We were off the water by 3 pm having enjoyed great company and fun paddling.

Sponsor: Sue Foxx 

GET INVOLVED WITH HCKC

Give Back: Get Active With The HCKC Club 

We need you! We are looking for HCKC members to help with the following:

Whitewater Chair - this person will support trip sponsors, update the events calendar, and give the communication team the trips to highlight in the monthly newsletter.

Annual Meeting and Party Volunteers—it's that time again. We are ready to start planning our annual gathering in November and are looking for people to help coordinate our signature event.

Other Volunteer Opportunities—We are always looking for people to help with triathlons, trips, events, committees, and more. Share your skills with us to find the right fit for you.

Volunteers are needed to support the swimming portion of the Indy Sprint Triathlon Series.

HCKC members and guests provide safety boats for the swimmers in the 500-meter course. Participants are there to provide assistance to swimmers, guide them on the course, allow a place to rest or signal for extraction. We will be on the outside of the course while city lifeguards are on the inside of the course.

Meet at the Eagle Creek Park office on 56th street just northwest of the main park entrance and just before you get to the bridge over the reservoir. We must be unloaded and on the water by 7:45-50 as the swimming starts at 8am. Instructions will be given just prior to the event.

No special skills needed. We are usually done by 9. Some go to breakfast, some go paddle around, some have to go home and do chores.

Register or contact Dwayne James at dwaynesjamesa1@hotmail.com or Sue Foxx sue.ann.foxx@gmail.com.

Saturday June 8, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00p In Lafayette

Volunteers are needed for HCKC booth at Outdoor Explore in Lafayette, from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday June 8.

HCKC will have a booth set up for paddlesports at Outdoor Explore. We need a few volunteers to help with setup, run the booth, boat handling, on water support, and teardown.

We will be giving people a basic introduction to paddlesports. You would not need to be present for the whole day.

Please register or contact Judy Thompson judy_thom@hotmail.com if you would like to help.

Though this is a NON-HCKC event, river clean ups and water conservation is an important part of our mission. We encourage members to volunteer with organizations like Friends of the White River to help keep our waters way clean and safe. 

If you are interested in learning more about conservation, contact Conservation Committee Chair, Ben Larson. 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

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