| Florida Paddling Bulletin, 4/30/2009 |
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| Friday, 01 May 2009 00:00 | |||
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Number 28 newsletter
Topics:
Paddling News: Paddling workouts, St. Johns River "Paddle Battle", Plans for Everglades National Park, Sweetwater Kayaks "Demo Day" May 2 Events and Races: FCPA races; WaterTribe Cedar Key Marathon and Dash; Great Merritt Island Boat Race; St. Johns River Cleanup; Suwannee River Challenge and Marathon, Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival; West and East Coast Offshore Series and more Check this one out! WaterTribe North Carolina Challenge, September 24, 2009
Marty Sullivan
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PADDLING NEWS:
Paddling Workouts
We continue our paddling workouts on the Winter Park chain of lakes from Dinky Dock on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7:15 am. Email me to check time. These are workout paddles, however the range of abilities and speed varies. Last Thursday we had 11 people join us for the 1 1/2 hour paddle with abilities and equipment ranging from recreational sit-on-tops to surf skis going over 6 mph. Joining us were Greg S., Cliff, Linda, Lynda, Carl, Dave (first time), Steve, Kei, Rod, Pauline (first time), and myself. After the paddle, 6 of us refueled at the Cuban Cafe on Morse Boulevard with breakfast and cafe con leche. St. Johns River "Paddle Battle"
The event, which had been postponed from last September due to flooding, was a great success for paddlers as well as for the Blue Spring State Park. 32 boats, about 42 paddlers, competed in the 10-mile Hontoon Island circumnavigation or the 4-mile trip up-and-back on the river. Following the event, TravelCountry hosted a kayak demonstration where prospective kayakers could try out a variety of boats from their store. The 4th Annual Paddle Battle will be held in September 2009, given that the river doesn't flood again. Changes to Everglades National Park -- Comments deadline is May 15. Do it today!
Everglades National Park is accepting public comment on 4 management plan alternatives. Alternative 3 and 4 would create an alternative wilderness waterway allowing much greater solitude and emphasizes much needed sea grass conservation in the Florida Bay. 3 and 4 also curtail the use of motorboats in parts of the park for solitude and to protect resources that they have been destroying. The motorboaters are commenting in great numbers, something like 5 to 1 over paddlers, asking for alternative 1 which has almost no changes from the old plan. Please get the word out to your paddling friends and clubs. Check out the plans here, http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=374&projectId=11170&documentID=26021 , Comment here, http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?parkID=374&projectID=11170&documentId=26021 Sweetwater Kayaks is having a demo day May 2 from 10:00 to 2:00 at the west end of Gandy Bridge, St. Pete. They'll have P&H, Valley, Venture, NDK, Eddyline, Malibu & Rotomod kayaks. If you can't make it to Demo Day call for an appointment. E-mail us at
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or call 727-570-4844 for all the details! For more info on Sweetwater Kayaks, see www.SweetwaterKayaks.com. They also offer tours and instruction.
EVENTS AND RACES: Florida Competition Paddlers Events:
* May 17, 2009, Wekiva River Race, Sanford, FL, 14 miles. Contact Martha Carswell, 407-321-7188 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it * June 7, 2009, 10 am, Wascissa River Race, Tallahassee, 10 miles, Contact George Blakely, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 850-385-4974 * June 11-14, 2009, Sunshine State Games, Winter Haven, FL, sprint Saturday, marathon Sunday. Contact John Edwards, 727-459-6366 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it * July 12, 2009, Mere Mortals Race, Suwannee River Park, FL, 10 miles. Contact Larry Frederick, 352-495-9846 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it * August 11-17, 2009, USCA Canoe/Kayak Nationals, Warren, PA. Contact Jim Decker www.wccbi.org, uscanoe.com * Sep. 19, 2009, Tarpon Springs Puffer Fish Race, Tarpon Spr., FL, Contact Karl/Cindy Vogel, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 727-938-7685 * Oct. 4, 2009, 10 am, Santa Fe River Canoe & Kayak Race, Rum Island Park, FL (near White Springs), 12 or 6 miles, Contact Tim Dodge, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 352-371-9428, 352-318-5877 * Nov. 1, 2009, 10 am, Paddle of the Pass, Matlacha Park, Pine Island, FL, 10 or 4 miles, Contact Nancy MacPhee 239-707-7275 * Dec 5, 2009, Silver River Race/Annual Awards, Silver Springs, FL, 10 miles. Contact Bert and Dick Kloss, 352-546-3950 * January 24, 2010, Estero River Race, Estero, FL, 10 miles. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Paula, 239-992-4050 WaterTribe Cedar Key Marathon and Dash, at Cedar Key, Florida. May 2, 2009, 6:00 am (35-mile) and 8:00 am (8-mile): Marathon goes from Cedar Key north to mouth of the Suwannee and return. Dash goes from Cedar Key around Seahorse Key and return. Dash allows day-of entry (Marathon was pre-entry only). For details email me at
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or see www.watertribe.com, discussion forum. Open to canoes, kayaks, sail boats, and OC6 canoes.
The 4th annual Great Merritt Island Boat Race May 2nd, 8am, Merritt Island. is scheduled for Saturday, rain or shine. Please view our website at www.greatmiboatrace.org.
Loxahatchee River Race May 24 Burt Reynolds Park, 800 North US Hwy 1, Jupiter, Florida, 1 mi, 6 mi or 14 mi. Registration 9:00 a.m. Start at 10:00 a.m. Register at www.loxriverrace.com or call 561-718-3890. For canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards. Possible OC Offshore Course if there’s enough interest. $5.00 for race only; $15.00 for race and BBQ lunch ; lunch may be purchased day of race for $10
Back to the Chattahoochee Race and Festival Atlanta, Ga 8 & 10 miles. June 13, Contact: Tammy Morrissey 404-352-9828 ext.12 www.chattahoochee.org
“Kayak (or Canoe) for a Cause” Sat, Sept 19 - Dunnellon Boys&Girls Club, Rainbow River - Dunnellon, FL Regist: 8:00 am First start: 9:00 am ... $50 Entry Fee / Lunch incl/ Many prizes. Contact: Nathan Whitt
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, Phone: 352.489.7854 Fax: 352.489.3907 www.rainbowrivercanoeandkayak.com
2009 Florida First Coast Offshore Race Series, Surf Ski, Outrigger Canoe & Sea Kayak Divisions. Contact Ormond Beach Kayak Center: 386-441-0111. $10 Registration Fee for FCPA members; $15.00 non-members.
May 2 - Jacksonville Beach, FL / host: Jax Beach Patrol, 1:00 PM: Meet at Jacksonville Beach Lifeguard Station, 1:30 PM: Pre-race meeting, Race will get underway Around 2:00PM., Beach start; PFD, leash, whistle or flare required. May 31 - Daytona Beach, FL / host: OBKC June 6 - Ormond Beach, FL / host: OBKC (followed by banquet at River Grille) 12th St Johns River Cleanup June 6, in conjunction with National River Cleanup Week. For more information please see: http://volusia.org/cleanup/
Suwannee River Challenge and Marathon, October 10, 2009, 52 or 26 miles. This is a fun one. White Springs, FL. More info contact Rod Price 407-227-5606
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PaddleFest in 2009 October 17, 2009 . part of 150th Lighthouse Celebration at Hunting Island State Park, SC. IN THE PARK at the Lagoon at Parking Lot J. contact:
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Fourth annual Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival. Oct. 23 – Nov. 1, 2009, Where: Activities countywide; hubs at Mound House, Fort Myers Beach, and Randell Research Center Pineland. Two weekends of activities with eco-offerings in between, including canoe/kayak regattas, kayak fishing tournament, guided paddling trips, club picnics and outings, archeological activities and cultural sites, learning opportunities, guided walks and bird-watching trips, family fun days, and waterway cleanups and green activities. Web: www.CalusaBluewayPaddlingFestival.com, (239) 432-2163 or (239) 433-3855
West Coast Offshore Series for OC1, OC6 and Surfskis: contact Rob Mirlenbrink,
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. Short races, generally downwind, in open water.
East Coast Offshore Series, every Saturday, Miami. Contact Tim Streeter
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786-208-845
WaterTribe North Carolina Challenge September 24-27, 2009 Event: • 100-mile circuit race • Entry fee: $150 (non-refundable) • All standard WaterTribe classes and rules apply • Spot Required Schedule: • Captain's meeting 1500hrs, Thurs Sept 24 • Race starts 0700hrs, Fri Sept 25 • One checkpoint: Beaufort's Graden Paul Park, by 1400hrs, Sat Sept 26 • Race finishes 1400hrs, Sun Sept 27 • Awards and Banquet 1300hrs Sept 27 Route: Starting on the beach on Pamlico Sound at the Cedar Island Driftwood Motel and Campground, around Cedar Island to the north, west to the Neuse River, enter Clubfoot Creek and south through the abandoned Harlow Canal (was dug by slaves) to the Newport River, take Gallants Channel to Beaufort, check in at Graden Paul Park on Taylor’s Creek downtown Beufort, east to Harkers Island (can be passed on either side depending on weather), north through Core Sound to Cedar Island. Waypoints for start, CP, and finish to be provided. Recommended Chart: TOPSPOT Chart N 239 Pamlico Sound To Morehead City Inshore - www.bluewaterweb.com/NauticalCharts/Chart.asp?SKU=N239&GeoID=2154 Accommodations: Camping at Driftwood Campground at Cedar Island (no reservations: first-come, first-served); or reserve a room at The Driftwood Motel, www.clis.com/deg/ Bring all the family! While you're racing, there will be plenty of activities available for all the family, including day ferry trips to Ocracoke and visits to Beaufort (maritime museum, wooden boat shop, aquarium) etc… More details to come! The purpose of this newsletter is to help people get together for outings and to share information about gear, paddling locations and events, and anything else of interest to the paddling community. There will be no club, corporation, by-laws, or affiliation related to this sharing of information. Postings will be non-solicitous. Email addresses will not be shared without your individual, explicit permission. This approach to information sharing has been wildly successful in the bicycling community, and this newsletter is such an attempt for the paddling community. You may subscribe by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please include your first and last name with your request. Thanks for your interest. Marty Sullivan
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