Georgia Coast Adventure March 21-24

The Georgia Coast, only 100 miles long and a mere fathom deep in many places, offers some of the last natural coastline on the Eastern Seaboard.
Within this short stretch, six sizable rivers funnel billions of gallons of fresh water and millions of tons of sediment, fan-tailing into the ocean. It has been these two features,

the shallowness and the estuaries, combined with our large tidal fluctuations, that provide the DNA for the make-up of the Georgia Coast. This is a coast of fluctuations.
Fringing the ocean like precious beads are the barrier islands that protect our salt marsh. Under the lush canopies of Ossabaw, St Catherine's and Blackbeard Islands, man has hunted, fished and sustained social communes here for 5000 years... from the richest of the rich to the poorest of the poor, and everyone in between. We'll get a peek at some of this habitation, both past and present. To kayak, camp, and explore down the Georgia Coast is an adventure experienced by few.

Thurs, March 21st - Sun, March 24th

Cost: $675.00
5 spaces available.
Our actual course down the coast will take in much of the frontside of the first 50 miles, but back rivers and alternate routes will be utilized as needed.

Planned itinerary..
Day 1: Tybee to North end of Ossabaw
Day 2: North Ossabaw to Jones Hammock
Day 3: Jones Hammock to Blackbeard - Final evening spent on the Captain Gabby, a converted shrimp boat
Day 4: Blackbeard to Shellman Bluff

Interested paddlers should be intermediate in skill level, in good physical health, with experience in coastal waters, and need to have appropriate kayaks and gear for the expedition. The cost includes guiding and camping fees, all breakfasts and dinners, one night's accommodation aboard the shrimp boat, and a shuttle back to the launch site. All participants will provide their own kayaking equipment, camping equipment, and daily lunches. Equipment can be rented for an extra fee.

Please give us a call to learn more about this exciting opportunity and to register.

Greenland Kayak Maiden Voyage

Last month, Kathryn took part in our Traditional SOF kayak building workshop. She built the traditional west Greenland design kayak, on the far right.

Greenland Kayak Report #1.
By Kathryn Propst.

December 2, 2012.

The Greenland float bags arrived yesterday along with gorgeous sunny weather, so today I went with a couple of friends for my SOF's first official "journey".
My primary and preferred means of kayak transport here is a bike and trailer. Our driveway is slightly elevated at the street and with my fiberglass boat, I have to walk the bike up the incline. Not today!! I made it to the launch in record time, too, without having that extra 25 or 30 lbs. We left from the Back River and followed the course of the Little Tybee Challenge (an annual kayak race for the local marine science center); it's about a 7.5 mile course that, as described in the race literature, passes "through narrow tidal creeks, broad tidal rivers, open coastal areas, and two surf zones".
The kayak handled remarkably well in all areas.
I stayed warm, comfortable, and dry the whole time.
As we entered the first surf zone, I took a couple of big waves; I'm not used to seeing the deck so easily washed over. Once, I was picked up and unexpectedly capsized by a large wave (large by Tybee standards...). Rolling was a breeze and felt completely natural and much to my relief, my spare paddle stayed secure in the deck lines. The spray skirt stayed tight and there was no water in the boat when we arrived back at the launch.
We didn't have to fight a lot of current or wind on this trip, but I felt that the boat handled very well and was responsive to correction. I was able to keep pace with my companions (in a Valley Nordkapp LV and NDK Explorer) who assured me they were paddling at their normal speed (though not their race speed). It was just a beautiful morning and I couldn't be happier with the boat.
I hope you all are having a good holiday season and that you're getting out to paddle some yourselves!
Happy Holidays,
Kathryn

Letter From The Left Coast

From Nick Scoville,
SC+K Team Paddler

It is always great when your friends and family come to visit. However, when you live in the Pacific Northwest it is always better if they can boat.

When I asked my brother what he wanted to do while he was in the Northwest his answer was fairly simple. “I want to go kayaking”. I turned that answer into an excuse for a 1000 mile road trip.
With the rivers in late summer recession, we turned our focus on one of the West Coast’s premier sea kayaking venues... Ft. Bragg and the Northern coast of California.
The first place we hit was Van Damme Park which is roughly ten miles south of Ft. Bragg. I was stoked to have a 4-6 ft Northwest swell and virtually no wind. This was gave us plenty of moving water to make things interesting but was also manageable enough to access and explore every bay, cave, and feature.

This cave led to a beach which was walled in on all sides by a 50 foot cliff. It is great to show up somewhere so far away for one day and have the weather work out this perfectly. Below Cory hits his line perfectly on one of the many sweet pour-overs.
If anyone is ever in this area and looking to do some boating I would highly recommend hooking up with Jeff Laxier and Cate Hawthorne of Liquid Fusion Kayaking. They offer great day trips, introductory and advanced rock gardening courses, and, if you are so inclined, BCU skills assessments.
I had high aspirations of finding some great boating on the Lost Coast. However, after burning through a set of brake pads and seven hours of off road driving with no beach access, we abandoned the plan in favor of the paved road. I think the next time I go to the lost coast I’ll take a bike or hike it. I am sure either option, would be faster than driving. As a consolation we had the time to stop the next day at Trinidad bay which while not on the original agenda was certainly worth doing.

As we made our way back across the bay Cory pointed out a crack in a building sized rock on the beach.

From a distance it looked terrible because the surf was breaking into the opening. After a little deliberation he talked me into giving it a closer look. It turned out to be a fairly mellow cave due to a sandy beach on the inside which dissipated the wave energy.
I rounded out the West Coast tour with a couple of days of really low volume creeking. Even though we had to drag our boats down a significant portion of this run, the stunning scenery, crystal clear water made it well worth the effort. A few really great waterfalls and a natural riverside hot spring really push this run over the top.

Nick will be back in Savannah later this year for a little southern style refreshment. No doubt we'll put together a winter surf kayak camp in Florida during his stay.

Georgia Waterways Cleanup.

October 27, 2012 Savannah area residents will take to the water as part of the continuing statewide campaign to clean and preserve over 70,000 miles of Georgia’s rivers and streams.
The effort will be part of Rivers Alive, a joint program of the Environmental Protection Division Outreach Programs and the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation.
Volunteers in Savannah will stage their cleanup at 8am on October 27, 2012 at the Rivers End boat ramp, at Rivers End Dr. and Hurst Ave. Volunteers can bring their own canoe or kayak, or one will be provided for them, and all volunteers receive lunch and t-shirt. They will be joining an estimated 25,000 other volunteers statewide participating in the annual river cleanup. This fall over 200 cleanups will collect trash and similar debris in streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands and the ocean from the Conasauga River in North Georgia to the St. Marys River in the South.
To volunteer for the Hayners Creek cleanup, contact Margosia Jadkowski at 912-651-6943 or mjadkowski@savannahga.gov. For more information about efforts in other areas or the statewide campaign, go to www.riversalive.org.