Whitewater kayak

[Grant Lamontagne]

I've done some whitewater kayaking in my big boats, which are not ideal for whitewater- especially not my big boat (the pink one ) which is fragile and fiberglass, and turns like the barge that it is.  It is meant for going long distances in straight lines over big water with large swells, and it excels at that.  My 13 foot boat is a bit more of an all rounder, functioning adequately in just about all water types, but not great at any of them.  It is a nice, every day recreational boat, while the big one is more of an expedition boat.

Usually the whitewater running I do is just rapids that I encounter while paddling from A to B, and usually covers a variety of different paddling types, from flasmurfer like lakes to river currents to... well.... the occasional rapids.

All of that was well and good when I lived on the coast and there was actually big water to paddle in, and not many big rivers to spend a lot of time in.  Where I am now in Ontario there is some big water (the St. Lawrence Seaway is about an hour's drive from here) and there are a few canals (plus the Ottawa River is a good size) but the focus seems more on whitewater than long distance paddling.  And I am very much an amateur in whitewater, but I am hoping to change that.

I've been doing a lot of research and will probably buy a dedicated whitewater boat this summer, as neither of my big boats are much good for this kind of thing.  I am also looking at joining a local paddling association in hopes of finding help in learning how to do this somewhat dangerous sport, and, in my research I have learned that there is actually a Class II whitewater course just a few hundred metres from my house- I could literally walk there with my gear and boat, shoot some rapids and then come home.  I am actually closer to this whitewater course than I am to the Ottawa River, and I am very close to that as well!

I am really looking forward to doing this, and you can get an idea of how serious it is, and how serious I am when I am actually willing to get formal, official instruction rather than just getting the equipment and doing it myself!   

Def

[Nix]

Whitewater looks like a lot of fun, but I've stuck with the flat stuff.

I hope you'll post up some of the things you learn, as well as shots of the new boat.

[Don Pablo]

Hehe, flasmurfer

[Grant Lamontagne]

Whitewater looks like a lot of fun, but I've stuck with the flat stuff.

I hope you'll post up some of the things you learn, as well as shots of the new boat.

If and when I get one I will be sure to post photos.

While there isn't a lot of whitewater in Halifax, if I do end up back there I will have a good boat for surfing too.   

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Hehe, flasmurfer

I hadn't seen that- I should have known!   

Def

[Don Pablo]

This whitewater venture does sound very exciting. 
Will it tie into your idea to make more recordings of your kayak trips with a GoPro?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I am looking at second hand boats because I don't have a spare $1000-1500 in my budget to get a new one, so I'll have no problems putting GoPro mounts all over the thing. 

I have two GoPros and a Contour camera, so I can get multiple camera angles of every stupid thing I do with it!   

Def

[Nix]

Be sure to post some shots of your cool helmet as well.

'Helmet' being the key word in that sentence..... 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Don't worry, I have already been researching helmets too! 

Every time I do I think of Jerry Seinfeld and his comments about how we as a species weren't smart enough to cut the head cracking bits out of our lifestyle, we just tried to find a safe way to continue cracking our heads.... and that the only thing dumber than the helmet was the helmet law, which forces people to protect a head with nothing in it. 



Def