In the News
July, 2017
A selection of paddling-related news stories.
"Couple find the largest ever intact Native American canoe" (Shreveport, LA)
"Two people walking along a riverbank stumbled across an ancient Native American dugout canoe thought to be up to 1,000 years old. Robert Cornett and Jeanna Bradle noticed the 33-foot-long craft sticking out of the mud on the Red River north of Shreveport in Louisiana two weeks ago. The canoe, which weighs some 1,000 pounds and is three-foot-wide, is thought to be the largest ever found intact in the USA..."
"Group rows against the current as it tries to build Buffalo Bayou boathouse" (Houston, TX)
"On a couple of weekends over the past several months, Navigation Esplanade in Houston's East End has hosted an activity that might seem out of place in the lower-income neighborhood: rowing practice. Kids compete to post the best times on the line of erg rowing machines, cheered along by friendly volunteers with T-shirts for sale emblazoned "Buffalo Bayou Rowing Center." The next step in their plan was to build a boathouse. And that is where their dream of a permanent home on the bayou, able to host competitive teams of local kids, is running into reality..."
"Don Henley sets concert to benefit Caddo Lake" (Dallas, TX)
"Eagles co-founder and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Don Henley will host a 70th birthday concert July 22 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas for somewhere around 20,000 guests. Proceeds from an auctioned 18-person VIP suite of tickets to his birthday concert will support the Caddo Lake Institute, a nonprofit he founded in the '90s to aid in his fight to keep developers away from the lake on the northern Texas-Louisiana border, where he keeps a home..."
"7 Most Common Mistakes of Wilderness Canoeists"
"After paddling North America’s lakes and rivers for more than 60 years, author and adventurer Cliff Jacobson has unfortunately seen it all. In his own words, America’s renowned canoeing authority shares seven of the most common—and dangerous—mistakes he sees on the water..."
"Dog Paddling - 10 tips that will teach your dog to be a perfect paddling companion"
"Pushing off from shore into the gentle current of a shallow river, the wooden canoe rocks softly as Cali, our four-month-old Golden Retriever, paces from starboard to portside, peering over the sides at her reflection in the water. Confused, she puts her front paws up on the gunwale, staring over the edge calmly until a small stick floats by and it is just too much to resist—she leaps into the water and immediately disappears below the surface..."
"How To Change Places In A Canoe"
"Like any maneuver in a tandem canoe, switching paddling positions on the fly requires good communication. The key to a smooth, dry transition is ensuring only one person is moving in the canoe at a time. Start by stowing your paddles. Then, have the bow person spin around so that both paddlers are facing one another. Next, one person can leave his seat and move to the middle of the canoe..."
"Coast Guard: Paddlers can use Potomac near Trump golf course" (Washington, D.C.)
"Kayakers, paddleboarders and other active groups can continue to use the Potomac River near a Virginia golf course owned by President Donald Trump, the commandant of the Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard has been closing a 2-mile section of the river when Trump is at his golf course, prompting protests from boaters and other groups. Two Democratic lawmakers questioned the need to close the river..."
"Houston man dies after kayak loaded with 7 people flips at San Luis Pass" (Galveston, TX)
"The father of a 5-year-old boy died Tuesday night after a kayak he was in with his son and five other people flipped in the water at the San Luis Pass, according to Galveston Island Beach Patrol authorities. Neither the man nor his son was wearing a life jacket..."
"Game warden field notes" (Val Verde County, TX)
"On the evening of July 2, Val Verde County game wardens responded to a call for help on a medical emergency from canoers that were paddling the Devils River. The group of 12 paddlers were reporting a death of one of the group along a very remote section of the river..."
"Six men drowned in upstate N.Y. rivers on July 3" (New York)
"Six men drowned in upstate rivers on July 3. "These visitors were unprepared for waterways made dangerous by recent heavy rains," the DEC said. "Places normally safe for swimming or boating can quickly become dangerous after storms. Water is forceful, and even good swimmers have a tough time staying afloat due to turbulence and hydraulics." The best way to stay safe in upstate rivers and lakes is to always wear a personal flotation device, the agency said..."
"Woman accused in fiance’s Hudson River kayaking death pleads guilty" (New York)
"A woman who was accused of intentionally drowning her fiance in the Hudson River by tampering with his kayak as part of a murderous plot to collect on his life insurance pleaded guilty on Monday to a lesser charge that could minimize the amount of additional time she spends in jail. Angelika Graswald had been charged with secretly removing a drain plug from Vincent Viafore's kayak before a daylong a boating excursion and then watching him drown after he capsized in the river in 2015..."