Our friend Marie has published a great article on paddling with us in Costa Rica--slide show and all. A wonderful read.
River Magic
To Boof or Not to Boof….
Sometimes you do not know the answer to that question until after you have done it!
Costa Rica stamps NKarasa
Costa Rica stamps ball sunsets disappearing into burning skies rivers with bubble necklaces hanging them onto your eyelashes a full green, overlaying green valleys with shoulders too steep to fall into sun eating away the leaf edges, leaving cracks of sunshine smooth...
Asleep Under A Full Moon Boating NKARASA
viewing into reflections of the water seeing itself being the enchantrice dropping into a tongue, one tongue exploring the next tongue to tongue as if it was beckoning to lick exploring each hollow or your knees, clavicles, intentions skin of smoothness, skin of...
White Water Lust NKarasa
N Karasa 11/09 note: published in AW magazine WHITE WATER LUST surrounded in your sense, in just being water nymphs taking and filling me with excitement for leaving a life awash heaving waves, surround me, consume me the mouth of a world, soft bosom in my face not a...
Best part of a paddling day, the river or the post-rio food?
Little River Canyon Fun by Joe Ravenna Anyone who knows Joe Ravenna knows a few things. First, they know he's about as handsome as they come. Second, they know he loves him some whitewater. Third, they know he does not love waking up early. Finally, they know he's...
Mariann Saether: The Ability to Let Go
When we ran into Mariann Saether's article: The Ability to Let Go, we had to share it. Mariann Saether is a kick ass paddler and she has a great perspective on "letting go" of issues. The Ability to Let Go When you take away the obvious differences in strength...
What is “Directional Rolling”
Directional Rolling has become a tag line among the ERA instruction staff. But directional rolling is a technique that every paddler should embrace. And execute. It comes in handy in big water like surfing down along the Pillow at Pillow Rapid, or on tight,...
May we all stay forever young…
or at least as young at heart as our friend John Judy! After joining in on the celebration of John's 85th birthday, I have had to revise my long term goals: Just to make it to 85 To run the Nantahala River on my 85h birthday Forget "flawless", just to make it through...
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...
What Slalom Gates can Teach a Whitewater Kayaker
I have spent years paddling by the poor slalom boaters and always felt they were really missing out on the whole whitewater experience—spending so much of their time paddling through a series of gates like energizer bunnies. Personally speaking, my goal has always...
Revelation: when the river slows down
Our friend and fellow ecuador traveler John has made some significant breakthroughs in his paddling this summer. This most recent revelation is one experienced by every kayaker: the moment that a particular rapid/river starts to slow down enough that it is possible...
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...
Thought Provoking Concepts During WOR
During the Carolina Canoe Club's 2009 Week of Rivers, the roll master Ken--along with Steve and Maria, spent a day at the lake working with paddlers on their rolls. The day began with a thought provoking session on some of the rolling concepts that have come out of...
What do ERA Dads do on Father’s Day?
We have dad and two daughters (11 and 12) kayaking together....Dad and Son celebrating son's sweet 16 on Cheoah....some dads boldly watching their daughters kayak the Cheoah.....son guiding dad and brother down the Nantahala...and father's celebrating Father's Day on...
Managing the Kayaker’s spring head case
One of the challenges in spring is managing that head case. With spring in the air and the rivers flowing…it is definitely time to brush all the cobwebs and leaves out of your boat and get on the river! Don’t be surprised if your first trip to the river you have some...
Exorcising the Spring Hibbie Jibbies
With spring in the air and the rivers flowing it is definitely time to brush all the cobwebs and leaves out of your boat and get on the river! Don t be surprised if your first trip to the river you have some hibbie jibbies rattling around in your head even if you are...
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...
Wall Shots are Fun!
There is always some misgiving about a wall shot. Nothing like it at home....new rivers with no particular course in mind tend to curve and wind and create new channels at whim when they tire of the old channel they traveled. Sometimes this means a river bank gets in...
Almost Heaven….Gauly River
A 75 degree day on the Gauley River....and while not many folks on the river, there were lots we knew--including our own Lincsters who sneaks off to the Gauley come September to work with Class VI. It was great to be back on the Gauley!� I first kayaked the Gauley in...