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HomeNL-2013-05 4 In the News

In the News

A selection of paddling-related news stories.


The following e-mail from the Bayou Preservation Association has been received by HCC: 
From: Steve Hupp 
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2013 1:53 PM
Subject: Paddling Resource Website

Dear HCC Webmaster,

Bayou Preservation Association is considering applying for a REI grant a part of which would build a paddler’s information and resource website. This website would target paddlers using the 22 watersheds in and connected to Harris County. The HCC and BPA websites have several pages each of information for paddlers; we are seeking to expand the sport with more information and a better presentation. I see where we could link existing data and add items such as quick mapped icons to flow data with advisories on what is a safe floatable flow. We could also post advisories on waterway conditions such as the construction issue recently lifted on lower Buffalo. Other ideas would be to host a blog. We already have a website reserved: http://www.paddlinghouston.org/ .

On the resource side, we could give links to vendors of paddling gear and services and meet-up groups who in turn would link to us and help get the word out on the resource.

What are your thoughts and who would be our contact on this idea?

This website concept was Bob Arthur’s idea.

Steve Hupp
Water Quality Director
Bayou Preservation Association
713-529-6443
shupp@bayoupreservation.org
www.bayoupreservation.org
Entry contributed by John Bartos.

Another e-mail received by HCC about the Clear Creek Paddle Trail: 
Hello Again Everyone,

I sent out the email below to most of you early last month. You have not heard from me in the last few weeks since plans have now changed. The 4B Board here in the City of League City would like to host a RACE instead of a grand opening event. So, there will not be a grand opening event. The 4B Board is the group that approved the funding for the Clear Creek Paddle Trail Project, and their funds were used to design and construct the Clear Creek Paddle Trail. So, since they are wanting us to have a race I am now looking to see if this is even possible. The Clear Creek Paddle Trail runs from Countryside Park (at Bay Area Boulevard Bridge) to Walter Hall Park (at Highway 3) to Heritage Park (at Landrum Drive). I would like to see if some of you could paddle the trail in the upcoming couple of weeks to see if a race is even possible on the Clear Creek Paddle Trail. There is one group that is paddling the trail this coming Saturday. I look forward to hearing back from them early next week. If some of the other groups could paddle the trail I would appreciate it as well. We would then love to hear back from you on your thoughts/comments of the Clear Creek Paddle Trail. Let us know if you like the launch points, like the trail, and also if a race is even possible on the Clear Creek Paddle Trail. I would then like to have a meeting with as many paddle clubs/paddle groups as possible in the near future. I can meet with each group individually during the daytime, or I could have one large meeting in the evening. I will get this going in a couple of weeks after you all have a chance to paddle the trail. Please let me know if any of you have any questions.

Thank You,
John Orsag
Parks Coordinator
Parks Planning
City of League City
512 2nd St.
League City, Texas 77573
281 554-1156 - Direct
Entry contributed by John Rich.

"Boquillas border crossing opens in Big Bend"
(Big Bend National Park, Texas)
"The United States and Mexican governments opened the Boquillas border crossing on Wednesday, reestablishing tourist access between the two countries in Big Bend National Park. A rowboat will ferry visitors across the Rio Grande at the Port of Boquillas, which is in the southeastern section of the park near Rio Grande Village. The crossing had been closed since 2002, when the United States shut it down in the aftermath of 9/11..."
Complete story: blog.TexasHighways.com 
Entry contributed by Philip Matticks.

"Friendly Antarctic seal hugs bottom of kayak" (Antartica)
"A large male leopard seal has been filmed playfully flirting with a group of kayakers near Pleneau Island, winking and hugging the bottom of their boats. The seal began diving under the kayaks of several of the passengers and took the time to hold on for a ride, he said..."
Complete story: NewsNineMSN.com 
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.

"Build a canoe? Yes they can!" (Minnesota)
"What happens when you combine five young women, 18 weeks, more than 9,000 staples, 800 feet of one-inch strips of basswood, cherry and walnut, and numerous bottles of glue? Well, if everything sticks to the plan, the girls in Rick Coughlin’s woodshop class at Two Harbors High School will have built a 16-foot canoe..."
Complete story: News-Chronicle
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.

"Teens go to school on rapids" (Fresno, CA)
"Chase Hauber's friends from high school just don't understand. They don't understand how Hauber can just bail from his junior year at Woodlake High to go off on some whitewater kayaking adventure. In fact, Hauber, 16, is attending school. He's also traveling to exotic locales and kayaking on spectacular rivers. It's all part of the curriculum for students of the World Class Kayak Academy..."
Complete story: Fresno Bee 
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.

"Dramatic kayak rescue caught on camera" (Washington, D.C.)
"The dramatic rescue of a kayaker who crashed into a rock on the Potomac River Saturday was caught on camera. The U.S. Park Police Helicopter Rescue Crew headed up the river to a point just south of Violet's Look to help a kayaker who found himself stuck on a rock..."
Complete story: WJLA.com  
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.

"Cuts will hurt rafting on the Delaware River" (Pennsylvania)
"The character of recreation on the Delaware River will drastically change with the closing of two critical river access points in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, canoe livery owners told park Superintendent John Donahue. Gone will be the shorter, 6-mile trips many people enjoy. With the closing of the two river accesses, the shortest trip will be just under 10 miles. Park officials announced they will close the access points to cut 5 percent from its $9.4 million budget. The cut is required by sequestration - the government's order to all agencies to reduce costs..."
Complete story: The Morning Call 
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.

"Mandatory sea kayak life preserver bill drifts in legislative limbo" (Bangor, Maine)
"As the father of three, I would never think of going out in a kayak without a PFD," said Malaby. Malaby submitted the bill on behalf of constituent Diane Sanderson of Lamoine, a retired registered nurse who in July of 2011 unsuccessfully tried to resuscitate a New Hampshire sea kayaker who died of hypothermia off the coast after flipping his kayak while sitting on his life jacket, instead of wearing it. “What the bill requires is a fairly simple thing, a small but essential step, requiring that people actually wear PFDs. not just have them with them..."
Complete story: Bangor Daily News
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.

"Gator Attacks 6-Year-Old Boy" (Boynton Beach, FL)
"A 6-year-old boy was saved this weekend after his father and a stranger were able to fight off an alligator in Florida. Joseph Welch was preparing what was supposed to be a day full of canoeing at Boynton Beach when his son, Joey Welch, wandered off and swam into dangerous waters.  "I heard these blood curdling screams and I saw this gator that had his right arm in his jaw and I just freaked," said Welch..."
Complete story: AutoWorldNews 
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.

"Man joins canoe race for first time at 90" (Torrington, CT)
"Harry Wilcox has approached life with verve, energy and a sense of humor. At 90 he remains as active as men many years his junior and has no plans of sitting back and relaxing soon. It is not surprising, then, that when his daughter suggested that he partner with her in the 50th annual River Rat Race, a 5.6 mile canoe race between Athol and Orange, Mass., he was ready for the adventure. “I haven’t been in a canoe in about 40 years,” he said..."
Complete story: Register Citizen  
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.