Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers (NEWP) annual whitewater student outing was held this past Saturday on the Red River. For most of the students it was their first experience kayaking on a whitewater river. It was great to see them challenge themselves by practicing what they learned in the classroom and pool […]
Tag: kayaking
Assessing a Kayaker’s Skill Level
Have you ever wondered how your paddling skills and knowledge stack up against other kayakers? There are ways to find out. Informally, you can paddle with more experienced kayakers. Observe. Ask questions. Emulate what they do. Maybe you want a more definitive rating of your skills. Or maybe you’re thinking […]
Lester River Race 2018
Held each spring to coincide with the start of the snow melt runoff, the Lester River Race marks the unofficial start to the whitewater kayak season along Minnesota’s North Shore, drawing expert kayakers from across the region. Uniquely situated within the city limits of Duluth on the Lester River as […]
Last Ice Paddle of the Season
Last evening (April 30) I paddled on Green Bay with kayaker friends Mike Stone and Jacob Tarlton. We wanted to paddle around the last big ice sheet remaining on the bay — right in front of my house — which required launching at Volks Landing down the street and paddling […]
The Myth of the “Experienced” Kayaker
We’re now in the most dangerous time of year for paddling. Air temperatures are rising. River and lake ice is breaking up. River levels are high. The desire to get on the water in marginal conditions — possibly without proper equipment and training — inevitably leads some people to the […]
Adaptive Paddling with Team River Runner
The first time John Fritzell picked up a kayak paddle he was only 11 years old. Because of a rare neurological disorder, he was physically unable to hold a paddle for the next 39 years. Last Saturday at Canoecopia, the world’s largest paddlesports expo held annually in Madison, WI, John […]
Sesh on the Pesh: 3D Motion Capture with Video
I posted before about 3D motion capture using a Xensr device. Here’s my most recent demonstration, a kayaking session (or “sesh” as the cool kids say) recorded Sunday, Nov. 5 on the Peshtigo River in Wisconsin. To create these videos on my computer, I overlay Xensr moving map and motion […]
Camper Quest Part 6: First Road Trip
The last time I wrote about our upcoming trip I said we would be packing my TRAK folding kayak into the rear storage compartment of our new-to-us Winnebago View motorhome. However, days before our departure a friend offered use of a Yakima trailer for our trip. I jumped at his […]
Camping with a TRAK Kayak
Can a TRAK folding kayak safely carry more than 60 pounds of camping gear? I was fairly certain it could but I had to check it out for myself. So that’s what I did this past Labor Day weekend while camping at Wisconsin’s Rock Island State Park. I organized this […]
Camper Quest Part 5: Hello Winnebago View
I’ve been writing here about our search to find a way to transport sea kayaks on (or in) an RV. As you may recall, I told you I am now a Pilot ambassador for TRAK Kayaks, a 16-foot-long performance sea kayak that can be disassembled and transported in a bag. […]