"Vermilion River Opens After 2 Years of Paddler Frustration"

"Two dirty words in the outdoor enthusiast lexicon seen too often in this state is "private property." Whether you are a fisherman, canoeist, or a hiker, the number one obstacle to the adventure is private property. In Illinois, rivers are considered private property when it flows through private land. This conundrum for the Illinois paddler has been spotlighted by the Vermilion River drama over the past two-and-a-half years. The Vermilion River is the pride of Illinois Rivers and the one of the only rivers with rapids and whitewater. Unfortunately, the river flows through private land and the fear of lawsuits due to the drowning danger in the swift river led to its closure..."

"Swan causes canal no-go zone"

"A two-mile stretch of Britain's longest canal has become a "no-go zone" after a spate of attacks on boat users - by a swan nicknamed Tyson. The 4ft tall bird - which has a whopping 8ft wingspan - viciously attacks rowers, canoeists and even walkers strolling on the river bank. Tyson's aggressive behaviour has got so bad that a two-mile stretch of the popular Grand Union Canal has been branded a no-go area for boat users..."

"Father Of Two Drowns In Pond"

"A man who neighbors say was devoted to caring for the swans of a Des Plaines area apartment complex might have paid for that devotion with his life. Anthony Hensley, 37, was in a kayak on a pond at an apartment complex checking on swans that were kept at the pond to keep geese away. Officials said he either got too close to the swans, or their nest, when one of the birds swam towards his kayak, and the kayak flipped over. Witnesses said Hensley came up at least once after his kayak tipped in the pond, but by the time police finally pulled him out of the water, more than a half hour had passed. An autopsy Sunday afternoon determined Hensley drowned..."

"Unspoiled Devils River is rising in popularity"

"The river and its basin are home to endangered fish and birds that find protection in its vast expanses of undeveloped land. Monarch butterflies use the banks as rare rest stops in the middle of one of North America's largest deserts. Vivid rock art more than 6,000 years old can be found tucked away in the maze of canyon walls that spread out from the river. "It is one of the most beautiful places you'll ever set eyes on, which is part of the reason why the river is so popular and revered," said Laura Huffman, Texas state director of The Nature Conservancy. For generations, difficult access has kept the Devils a playground of dedicated paddlers, anglers and several dozen landowners. But after being featured by fishing shows, magazines and guidebooks, word is out on the most pristine river in Texas. Travel on the river has increased tenfold from the few hundred paddlers a year who ventured down the Devils in the 1990s..."

"Greens Bayou coalition seeks trails, parks, nature areas"

"A vision to transform Greens Bayou into a network of trails, parks and natural areas is one step closer to reality. The Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition, a grassroots organization dedicated to turning the waterway into a valuable natural resource, unveils its master plan March 27 after years of planning... Several paddle trails are also in store for Greens Bayou, including a canoe launch park where the bayou meets Interstate 10 in the South reach..."

"Fire damages kayak warehouse"

"The warehouse of a kayak company was damaged in a fire late Sunday. The fire started at the ACK (Austin Canoe & Kayak) Kayak Company warehouse at Bissonett and Renwick in southwest Houston..."

"Spring Creek Greenway expanding"

"The first large segment of an ambitious park project decades in the making opens today in north Harris County, providing 10 miles of contiguous hiking and biking through the woods along Spring Creek... The greenway is envisioned as a 40-mile linear park reaching from U.S. 59 to just west of Texas 249 and covering thousands of acres... In addition to canoe launches and picnic areas, the greenway also provides glimpses of beavers, otters, deer, the occasional alligator and many birds, including bald eagles..."

"Kayak owner may face lawsuit over groom’s death"

"If someone dies using someone else’s property, is the property owner to blame? A California woman who owns a property at Hancock Point is hoping to have that questioned answered before she might face a lawsuit over the death of a Massachusetts man who rented her cabin last summer. Eric Hogan, 28, of Mass., was on his honeymoon last June when he died after paddling a kayak owned by Judith Bell of Calif..."

"Woman saves mate from shark attack"

"The drama in Dolphin Bay unfolded late on Wednesday when the friends went kayaking, unaware the calm bay was a known haunt for large sharks. Mr Demasi, 27, has a small wound on his thigh where the shark pierced his plastic kayak when it bit into it in 40m-deep water. The University student thought he had been washed on to rocks by a wave and bailed out of his kayak, only to turn around and see the huge shark treating his boat like a chew toy..."

"Father's body found after canoe accident"

"Divers have recovered the body of a father who drowned, along with his son, in a canoeing accident last week. County Coroner Wes Stockwell says the body was confirmed to be that of 31-year-old Sheldon Olsen. Olsen and his 2-year-old son, Jace Olsen, disappeared March 17 after going for a canoe ride on Lake Limerick. The boy's body was found about three hours later... Two life jackets were found in the empty canoe after the accident, leading investigators to conclude life jackets were not used by either victim..."