Kids Outdoors

Kids Rocking the Kayak Race World

In the past few weekends, kids have been rocking the race world! The weekend of March 27th Team Popp styled it up during the US Open Wildwater Event.  As reported on the TeamPopp Facebook page: Haley qualified for the 2010 US National Wildwater Team in women’s kayak....

Team Popp Heads for US Open

March 27 – 28 is the 9th annual Nantahala Double header and US Open event on the Nantahala River. The US Open is the biggest race in slalom before the US Team Trials. There will be two days of competition, which will include races for both slalom and wildwater....

The Eagle Scouts of Troop 779

Troop 779 is one of oldest Boy Scout troops in the state of North Carolina. They hold the longest continuing charter in the state. Spending a day with us whitewater rafting, we had a chance to get to know this outstanding group of boys. What stood out the most was...

Wet Exits are Funb. Prove It!

by Juliet I have always coached parents on patience when it comes to their kids’ comfort level in being upside down. That “comfort level” for many kids does not really happen until they reach 10-12 years old.  Not making sense considering that they are super stars...

Reviving a tradition: the Camp Cup Challenge

A long-standing tradition has been revived here on the Nantahala River: the Camp Cup Challenge. This annual event was originally held to gather together all the regional summer camps spread throughout western North Carolina for a day of fun non-competitive whitewater...

Day one of Kids Rule! week begins with a legacy

It was no coincidence that two-time olympic C-1 racer Adam Clawson was at ERA this morning...he was in to join his step-father for a day of paddling with Craig on the Ocoee. Craig's famous "giggle" was heard as he chortled that he would be "teaching Adam" on the...

Advice from James: Kids Know Best

James has been paddling since he was five. He is the royal prince of the Tuck Gorge, commandeering river comings-and-goings from the put in at Dillsboro Rafting Company–his family’s rafting company. While kayaking just keeps getting more fun, being upside down and...

The Story of the Ovett Brothers

At the 2008 Camp Cup Challenge, I ran into the Ovett Brothers–Max and Sam, whitewater kayakers, alums of summer camp–and  now enterprising entrepeneurs already giving back to the sport with their support of the Camp Cup Challenge. Read more »

There Really is Such Thing as Do Over in Kayaking

by Erin Dodge One of the things that our annual Kids Camp teaches all the adult milling about is how much we can learn from our “shorter” kayakers.  Future ERA staff member, Erin–a veteran Camp participant set us all straight this year about being able to deal with...

FATHER’S DAY/FATHER’S ADVICE

by Grant Green and his kids Maisy and Seth For many kayaking fathers, their dream fathers day present would be to share a day on the river with their kids. We were visited by a good number of dads on Fathers Day whose dream came true. For those waiting for the magical...

KAYAKING BUILDS BOND WITHIN FAMILIES

Kayaking builds a bond within families, says ERA, and to encourage this, our 2008 paddling season will focus on family involvement in kayaking.� �Our goal has always been to make our program accessible to families,promises Juliet Kastorff, one of ERA's instructors,...

Kayaking Builds Confidence in Kids

If there was ever a sport that helps kids build confidence, it is kayaking says the Endless River Adventures team.  Kayaking is an individual sport that requires an awareness of group responsibility.  Kayaking allows kids to focus on individual goals, improvement, and...

There are two really great memories we have of Marlow. The first is when we became aware of Marlow and some of his friends getting into kayakingand being so enthusiastic that they even had their own team name (the name escapes me). Then a few years later Marlow showed...