OK, after a delay, the YWCA got back to me this morning, so this is a call to all - do you want more pool training before April?
If so, please let me know. We could get the Sunday morning pool operation going one more time on March 29 (10 a.m. to noon) if we have interest. Please e-mail me at
jbies0341@hotmail.com
If you want to take part. If we get six to 10 people who say "I'm in!" we'll do it; if no one wants to pool it up we'll let it slide. I told the YWCA I would let them know before 5 p.m. on Monday, March 23.
As the kids say: "Holler!"
For those who have not been to the pool training sessions, they are fun. We have a big enough pool to use for at least five kayakers to work at one time. Self-rescues, rolling, assisted rescues, whatever you want to do, you can do it for free in warm, clean water.
It's a great tune-up before the ice is all gone and the rivers beckon.
Hopefully, we'll fill the session and take 'em up on their (albeit late) offer for services.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Mo River trail meeting next Wednesday
There's another meeting coming up - in Vermillion - on March 25. Here's the skinny:
Tim Cowman, director of the Missouri River Institute, will give a presentation about the Missouri National Recreational River Water Trail at 7 p.m. March 25.
The talk will be held in room 125 of the Akeley-Lawrence Science Center on the University of South Dakota campus in Vermillion.
The MNRR Water Trail is the result of a group effort comprised of several federal, state, local, and non-profit organizations. Currently, the water trail encompasses the entire 59-mile segment of the MNRR from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton to Ponca, Neb.
The water trail also includes an additional 20 river miles from Ponca to Sioux City, Iowa. A 39-mile segment of the MNRR will be added to this water trail in the future.
The planning group is working on improving public access to the river, compiling float trip information, creating informational brochures and signs, and building an interactive web site that can be used to plan float trips.
More information on the water trail and directions to the location of the talk can be found at http://www.mnrrwatertrail.org.
Following the water trail presentation, a short discussion about the concept of a hiking trail along a portion of the Missouri River will take place.
We invite paddlers to discuss trips they have taken in this area and their thoughts on a water (or hiking) trail development plan in South Dakota.
Visit the site, or contact Jarett if you have questions/need some more information.
Tim Cowman, director of the Missouri River Institute, will give a presentation about the Missouri National Recreational River Water Trail at 7 p.m. March 25.
The talk will be held in room 125 of the Akeley-Lawrence Science Center on the University of South Dakota campus in Vermillion.
The MNRR Water Trail is the result of a group effort comprised of several federal, state, local, and non-profit organizations. Currently, the water trail encompasses the entire 59-mile segment of the MNRR from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton to Ponca, Neb.
The water trail also includes an additional 20 river miles from Ponca to Sioux City, Iowa. A 39-mile segment of the MNRR will be added to this water trail in the future.
The planning group is working on improving public access to the river, compiling float trip information, creating informational brochures and signs, and building an interactive web site that can be used to plan float trips.
More information on the water trail and directions to the location of the talk can be found at http://www.mnrrwatertrail.org.
Following the water trail presentation, a short discussion about the concept of a hiking trail along a portion of the Missouri River will take place.
We invite paddlers to discuss trips they have taken in this area and their thoughts on a water (or hiking) trail development plan in South Dakota.
Visit the site, or contact Jarett if you have questions/need some more information.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Bank Stabilization Meeting
The East Dakota Water Development District will host a meeting at 7 p.m. April 1 at the Renner Township Hall in Renner.
The meeting will include remarks from Andrew Simon, a project manager with the Agricultural Research Services (ARS) of the US Department of Agriculture. The ARS recently completed an analysis of bank stability and potential reductions in sediment loading to the Big Sioux River between Baltic and Sioux Falls.
Input from the public is welcome; the meeting will highlight plans for work, costs involved, and areas affected. Call the East Dakota Water Development District/Big Sioux River Watershed Project leader Roger Strom at 605-688-6741 with questions.
Reminder: Ice is melting on the Big Sioux River in many places, so save April 25 for an Earth Day cruise, it's right around the corner.
The meeting will include remarks from Andrew Simon, a project manager with the Agricultural Research Services (ARS) of the US Department of Agriculture. The ARS recently completed an analysis of bank stability and potential reductions in sediment loading to the Big Sioux River between Baltic and Sioux Falls.
Input from the public is welcome; the meeting will highlight plans for work, costs involved, and areas affected. Call the East Dakota Water Development District/Big Sioux River Watershed Project leader Roger Strom at 605-688-6741 with questions.
Reminder: Ice is melting on the Big Sioux River in many places, so save April 25 for an Earth Day cruise, it's right around the corner.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Board meeting bears fruit
The SDCA board met today and we've set some dates and targets for 2009's paddling season.
Foremost is the April 25 Earth Day paddle. It offers many options, and all will revolve around the Big Sioux River near Flandreau. Here's the options list, paddlers can pick their route this year:
A) At 10 a.m., the SDCA will gather at the powwow grounds one mile north of Flandreau to put in a paddle to the low-head dam in Flandreau proper.
B) Participants can finish their paddle at either the city park in Flandreau (about 2.5 hours on the water) or paddle on to the dam and finish there (about 3.5 hours.)
C) The Sierra Club will host their Earth Day Regatta starting at a sandbar put-in below the dam in Flandreau starting at noon. Paddlers will travel from Flandreau downstream to the Egan city park. This is about a 3 hour paddle.
D) Powwow grounds (longer route) paddlers can portage the Flandreau dam and continue down to Egan for a total of 5.5 hours of paddling.
As usual, we'll provide shuttling for all comers by sharing rides back and forth.
We put this together in a way to make it approachable for everyone from beginners who want a bite-size chunk of paddling in April to the more aggressive paddler who wants to maximize his or her time on the water.
A wide range of events - including a second paddling fair to be held in May on Lake Marindal near Irene - are in the works, a complete list with some maps will be up on the blog very soon.
Foremost is the April 25 Earth Day paddle. It offers many options, and all will revolve around the Big Sioux River near Flandreau. Here's the options list, paddlers can pick their route this year:
A) At 10 a.m., the SDCA will gather at the powwow grounds one mile north of Flandreau to put in a paddle to the low-head dam in Flandreau proper.
B) Participants can finish their paddle at either the city park in Flandreau (about 2.5 hours on the water) or paddle on to the dam and finish there (about 3.5 hours.)
C) The Sierra Club will host their Earth Day Regatta starting at a sandbar put-in below the dam in Flandreau starting at noon. Paddlers will travel from Flandreau downstream to the Egan city park. This is about a 3 hour paddle.
D) Powwow grounds (longer route) paddlers can portage the Flandreau dam and continue down to Egan for a total of 5.5 hours of paddling.
As usual, we'll provide shuttling for all comers by sharing rides back and forth.
We put this together in a way to make it approachable for everyone from beginners who want a bite-size chunk of paddling in April to the more aggressive paddler who wants to maximize his or her time on the water.
A wide range of events - including a second paddling fair to be held in May on Lake Marindal near Irene - are in the works, a complete list with some maps will be up on the blog very soon.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Another fine day for paddling
The Feb. 22 YWCA pool event was filled with new faces and a success no matter how you slice it.
Twelve people came and got wet, working mostly on rescues and boat familiarity, and really, just having fun at some points. Another half-dozen members and family came to watch or talk.
At least two participants came out because they either read about it on this here blog or were impressed enough by the Feb. 1 event they thought it was worth trying it out. We had at least four "first time EVER" kayakers, all of whom got on the water and know now what it feels like to be one with their boat.
The club hopes to host more events in the pool before spring, or even after, if folks were interested. Does it look like fun to you? If so, write or call an SDCA board member and suggest a date. Right now we have a line on Sunday mornings 10 a.m. to noon at the YWCA, but there are many pools in many towns, so seek and ye shall find.
Jarett
Twelve people came and got wet, working mostly on rescues and boat familiarity, and really, just having fun at some points. Another half-dozen members and family came to watch or talk.
At least two participants came out because they either read about it on this here blog or were impressed enough by the Feb. 1 event they thought it was worth trying it out. We had at least four "first time EVER" kayakers, all of whom got on the water and know now what it feels like to be one with their boat.
The club hopes to host more events in the pool before spring, or even after, if folks were interested. Does it look like fun to you? If so, write or call an SDCA board member and suggest a date. Right now we have a line on Sunday mornings 10 a.m. to noon at the YWCA, but there are many pools in many towns, so seek and ye shall find.
Jarett
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Two weeks notice
Here's an image of the Big Sioux River, near Flandreau, I took after the successful pool training we had Feb. 2, as shown in the great photos below.
This part of the river will be on the Earth Day cruise, which will be in April, so keep that in mind as we make it through winter.
Also, a second pool training session is set for Feb. 22, 10 a.m., Sioux Falls YWCA.
We currently have four people who are interested and we'll certainly add a few more, but cap it at 12. E-mail Jarett or any board member for more info.
If any members have images, ideas, or thoughts on a Big Sioux River route to add to the 2009 agenda, please share them here on the blog.
JCB
A new feature on the blog: At the top of our page, on the right is a SDCA membership form. You can click on the small flag-shaped black and white symbol on the line that says "Scribd" and a printable membership form will come up. Use that form to sign up with the club if you wish. Fill it out, and mail it to
South Dakota Canoe Association
Box 90227
Sioux Falls, SD 57109
We soon hope to have an HTML form for online registration.
This part of the river will be on the Earth Day cruise, which will be in April, so keep that in mind as we make it through winter.
Also, a second pool training session is set for Feb. 22, 10 a.m., Sioux Falls YWCA.
We currently have four people who are interested and we'll certainly add a few more, but cap it at 12. E-mail Jarett or any board member for more info.
If any members have images, ideas, or thoughts on a Big Sioux River route to add to the 2009 agenda, please share them here on the blog.
JCB
A new feature on the blog: At the top of our page, on the right is a SDCA membership form. You can click on the small flag-shaped black and white symbol on the line that says "Scribd" and a printable membership form will come up. Use that form to sign up with the club if you wish. Fill it out, and mail it to
South Dakota Canoe Association
Box 90227
Sioux Falls, SD 57109
We soon hope to have an HTML form for online registration.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Pool Photos
Click on photos to enlarge. Email me if you'd like copies of any of these photos. dahlmeis (at) hotmail (dot) com
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