Ganges Kayak Trip Featured in Galactic Chronicles

A celebration of life, death and paddling on the third side of the world.
The planets were truly aligned for the dynamic paddling duo, Mr & Mrs Law of Savannah Canoe and Kayak, when they headed to India on unofficial kayak business.
"We sailed through a barrage of obstacles to get our two man collapsible kayak to the other side of the world".
The destination was a 220 mile section on River Ganges where it flows across the Gangetic plane. The river is the most polluted waterway in the world and the section from Kanpur to Varanassi is the most polluted part of the Ganga.
It is also the most holy.
The couple spent a month in the sub continent. The first week was for cultural acclimation and river scouting in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Week two and three was spent on the river, while the last week was for shopping.
Of course, the best part was the kayaking.
"We were surrounded by death and filth in the most densely populated part of planet earth. It was fascinating and just what we needed".
Aside from some very heavy metal pollutants, there is an abundance untreated human sewage and dead bodies. In terms of water quality, this river is as nasty as it gets.
"There is no doubt we were very fortunate on the whole trip with not so much as a loose stool or missed connection. It was as if the Lord God Shiva himself layed waste to the foes, demons, and bacterial evil spirits against adventure travellers", said lead guide, Mr Nigel Law.

Here are a few slides from the trip.
There will be a video, photos and more stories coming soon.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/savannahcanoeandkayak/sets/72157625512030367/show/Om hari Ganga !

Victory for Sharks in US Waters

Letter from Beth Lowell - Federal Policy Director,
OCEANA


We’ve had a major victory to protect our oceans.

After years of hard work, I’m happy to announce that the Senate just passed the Shark Conservation Act, which will end shark finning in US waters.

Shark fin soup is an expensive dish that drives the shark finning trade, but the role sharks play in marine ecosystems is priceless. By improving shark conservation, the US is improving overall ocean health.

Each year, commercial fishing kills more than 100 million sharks worldwide – including tens of millions for just their fins. The requirement to land sharks whole, as well as a new prohibition on the transfer of fins at sea, will help end shark finning by U.S. fishing vessels.

The House still has to pass the Shark Conservation Act before it becomes law, but I didn’t want to wait to share this exciting news – your love of the oceans and sharks has helped protect these magnificent creatures for generations to come.

Thank you once again and be sure to spread the good news!

For the oceans,
Beth Lowell
Federal Policy Director

Music and Movies

From Brian Jolly at Halfmoon.
'On the 2nd of December the Jepson Center will be showing a series of short films brought to you by those kids at the Savannah Riverkeepers, Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival and Half-Moon.
There will be live music from the local artist Stewart Marshall of Junkyard Angels/ Stewart & Winfield at the reception starting at 5:30pm with the movies to follow at 6:30pm (program attached).

There will be raffles, drinks, food and a good time waiting thanks to Cha-Bella and MoonRiver. Tickets are $10 and it looks like there will be seating for 200 plus, so I wanted to make sure you knew about this so we can try and sell it out! This is where I need your help. Please pass this on to anyone you might think would be interested. We’ll have tickets on sale at Half-Moon Outfitters and at the Jepson during the reception. I can easily put them on hold if you’re interested for will-call.
I just know that this is a great price for a good time.'
Thanks Brian, we will pass it on.

Guides, Instructors, Artists Wanted.

Floor plans for the new SC&K premises are moving ahead as planned.
We checked out a couple of locations and settled on the current site due to location, logistical requirements and vibe.
"It's great space that can be utilised in any number of configurations." said a floor manager yesterday.
Of course, the new building will also be a flagship for Mega Performance Surf Kayaks in the USA. Other brands such as Tiderace Kayaks, Cobra, Bell Canoes, Native Watercraft and Necky will also be showcased. The focus of the shop floor will be on sit down performance paddle craft at all levels.
Aside from an interesting variety of small boats for sale, artwork depicting a nautical theme, or by paddling artisans, will be a part of the emphasis of the 'boathouse'.
We are currently on the look out for local creative talent as well as experienced paddlers and instructors looking to be a part of a team.

Please email us your resumes, CVs and portfolios if you are interested.

Happy Thanksgiving

We Owe It To You - Coming in 2011

2010 was a hard year for us here at Savannah Canoe & Kayak.. and we felt it.
Maybe it was dealing with the loss of a key team player. Maybe it is the fact that we are another ten years older. Perhaps after climbing the same mountain 10,000 times, we need a new challenge. Whatever it is, change is in the air .. and things are changing for 2011.

After 8 years of life, Savannah Canoe and Kayak has attracted a diverse and creative staff/customer base of small craft enthusiasts. The continued support and requests of these interesting individuals have kept us alive and excited about what we do, and what we could do.

So, the question is how do we move forward without comprimising our ideals, without becoming mainstream, generic or 'corporate'.
Well, that's easy...We are Savannah Canoe & Kayak... we sell creativity, experience, quality and performance. So, let's just move ahead in that vein.

From January 2011 SC&K will be moving into 2000sq ft of blank canvas.
This space will allow us to re generate our past ideas such as lectures and presentations, as well as introduce a few new ones.
We will increase our inventory and diversity of boats and gear.
We will have dedicated gallery space to promote local, national and international artists.
Our on water programs will maintain their 'low impact - high quality' presence.
We will be launching our own charity to promote paddle sports to low income families and individuals with disabilites.

Your continued support and passion for paddle sports in Savannah is a big part of our plan. Together we can.

See you at the boat house in 2011.

Our Exuberant Mr Cooper

By Kris Broughton
I was on Tybee Island earlier this week, sitting in my usual spot on the 17th street crosswalk just after dawn, when a young man carrying an ocean going kayak trudged out of the surf and started making his way across the beach.
I said “good morning.” But his reply had an odd amount of exuberance in it for seven a.m....(read on)

Some Twitching for the Weekend

Please join Ogeechee Audubon and expert birder Diana Churchill for a bird walk at Fort Pulaski and Tybee North Beach on Saturday, Nov. 6. There is an especially high tide that morning, which will increase the odds for seeing rails, "marsh sparrows" and marsh wrens at Pulaski. And the high tide will concentrate the resting terns, gulls and shorebirds on the beach, making them easy to compare and identify.

Meet the group at 8:00 a.m. at the entrance bridge to Fort Pulaski. It will be cool and quite windy, so dress in layers and bring a windbreaker and hat. Binoculars, telescope and snacks and water are also recommended. Please bring plenty of quarters to feed the parking meters on Tybee while we bird the beach.

Hope to see you there. And be sure to mark your calendars for our annual holiday potluck supper on Tuesday, Dec. 14, which will include our 40th anniversary celebration and a video about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

And Now For Something Completely Different

A good winter project...





That's cool, makes me want to get into Celloing.

Links from John.F.Thanks.

Jam Results

Novice

1 - Jim Farrelly
2 - Kevin Price
3 - Travis Yates

Tandem

1 - Zach & Cooper
2 - Barry & Anna
3 - Brian & Nick

Sea Kayak

1 - Nick Scoville
2 - Zach Smith
3 - Tommy Thompson

Open

1 - Barry Shrum
2 - Travis Yates
3 - Matt Cooper

Other Awards :
You Rocked it Award Ed & Kathryn for a great Tandem heat.
Barry Shrum "You did good, Kid" Award - Anna Butler
Matt Cooper Stylin Award - Zach Smith

Honorable Mentions-
Kevin Price - Great skills improvement from last year.
Brian Day - For coming down off the fence.
Jim Farrelly - Great costume and dedication to the sport
Arthur Benson - For rockin the hat

1st Place Raffle Winner Zach Smith - Wold Wave Ski Project Boat -
from Ben Lawry.
2nd Place Ed Furia - Custom Saltwood Paddle - From Saltwood Paddles
3rd Place Kathryn Propst - Reed Top/Deck
4th Place Jim Farrelly - Stohlquist PFD



Thanks again to all those who helped with the running and operation of the event.... we could not of done it without you.

Tybee Surf Jam - First Pics.

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Congrats to Zac Smith on his great success's at this years Tybee Island Paddle Surf & Jam.
Aside from making the roster in several different categories, he also won the grand prize in the raffle...a classic Dick Wold Wave Ski restoration project boat.
It was the perfect end to some very spirited paddling through-out the day from Brother Zac and everyone who took part in SC&K's final program of 2010.
More great pictures from Steve Cramer here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9474083@N02/sets/72157625159010087/We will be adding our own pictures soon and the full results.
Thanks to everyone who attended, participated, helped out and spectated.
You all made it what it was...fun at the beach.
Special thanks to Brian Day for the Feel Free and P&H Delphin Kayaks.