Kayaking Boot Camp

(Basic Training at Sheltowee Trace Outfitters)

by David Bard

The weather has teased us the past few weeks. Though the air temperatures have crested seventy once or twice already, water temperatures are still hypothermic at best. But that doesn't mean you can't start planning your next adventure.

Kayaking: Is it for you?

You've sat there in front of ESPN2 and watched the making of the IMAX Extreme series. When you saw the guy launch himself off that waterfall in one of those small, plastic kayaks, you thought, "Gee, I want to do that!" Well, not so fast adventure guy or girl. If you've never wedged yourself into a fun boat, there's some serious training recommended before attempting even the tamest Class I on the local creek. And just because you may have tons of river-rafting experience (even Gauley experience) doesn't mean you're ready for a kayak. If you're like me, you'll want to take some lessons before hitting the water for real.

Basic Training

I was told to expect a full immersion into the kayaking curriculum upon arriving at Sheltowee Trace Outfitters that Friday night. Of course, I thought that meant getting to know our guides and instructors and then sitting around some campfire swapping river stories. After all, what was there to kayaking...right? Grab a paddle, find some water and then steer the boat. Uh huh...was I wrong.

Arriving early afternoon on a Friday, I was greeted by Doug Thelen, co-manager of the place. Doug's an affable guy with a genuinely friendly smile and an engaging personality. After relaxing me with assurances of how he was looking forward to having me in the class, he led me to the bunkhouse so I could store my gear. Let me tell you, I've been to many outfitters all over the country and stayed in my fair share of "bunkhouses" - and I'm using that term loosely - but the bunkhouse I was led to, well, it was the Taj Mahal of the Mid West. Recently constructed and spacious, I was immediately impressed. There were several more of these comfortable buildings all in a row - our own mini-suburbia right out in the middle of nowhere. Well, not exactly suburbia, but when you've seen some of the spider and field mice infested shacks that some places call bunkhouses, it might as well have been.

Now this is good to know: Arrive early on Friday (read: skip work) and there's a lot to do before classes start that evening. Cumberland Falls is only a few miles away in one direction, and in the other direction are some pretty good bike trails. I took my new Gary Fisher and headed down a trail skirting Laurel Lake...but that's another story.

That night I was feeling sufficiently worn. I'd eaten a decent dinner and was ready to sit down and hear about the next day's activities. That's when I met Dania Egedi, the co-manager along with Doug. She's also the daughter of Rick Egedi, AKA Papa Smurf, owner of the Sheltowee Trace Outfitters. Once you meet him, you'll understand the smurf comparison. Rick Egedi has been in the adventure business for about 18 years in one form or another, and his experience is evident at the facility. Just drop by and you'll know this is a place for the adventurer built by an adventurer, and just as evident is his daughter's experience in the business.

Dania's extreme resume´ reads like a veritable Who's-Who of adventure sports. Not only has she kayaked some serious whitewater, she's a veteran Through-Hiker of the Appalachian Trail. Between her and Doug, I immediately felt I was in good hands.

Of course, did I mention she was our drill instructor that first night? When the rest of the group arrived, we set off for our evening of classroom instruction. And I thought we'd be swapping stories...was I wrong.

Classroom Time

Advice: Consume a power bar or partake of some caffeine. The class runs a couple of hours and doesn't even begin until 8:30 p.m. Yes, it's necessary. You'll spend a little time on orientation, signing release forms (yes, it's dangerous - but you wouldn't do this otherwise, right?), and getting to know your equipment and clothing. This is also the time you'll be issued personal gear such as a PFD (personal flotation device), helmet, and paddle. Then it's on to the good stuff. You'll be given plenty of instruction on the types of kayaks and types of paddling. Believe me, there's plenty to learn - a lot more than I thought. I sure didn't know the difference between a brace, turning, corrective, or power stroke. By the time I was finished that night, I did.

What was especially nice for me was the lesson on reading whitewater. Having rafted many times, I'd begun to be able to read some of the telltale signs of whitewater. But having an actual classroom setting to talk about the specifics was something else altogether. It was nice having a couple of experts explain river hydraulics to me in a calm, instructional setting. Pay attention here...what you learn can save your life.

Flat Water Training

Saturday is when the real fun started. After a night of sound sleeping and an early morning breakfast, it was off to the lake for some solid training. But before I go any further, let me say that the Outfitter's self-proclaimed number one employee, Anthony Jacob, well deserves that title. He jokes about the title, but without him, the logistics of the day would have fallen apart. From preparing our awesome meals to scouting whitewater for the next day, he's the man. My hats off to him.

So, after filling our bellies, practicing and learning paddler's knots, and loading our boats, we were off to the lake. And folks, we were on that water from about 10:00 A.M. until 6:00 P.M. What a day.

What do you learn? How about:

* Stretching

* Safety Orientation

* Wet Exit

* Basic Strokes

* Basic Maneuvers

* Tour the Lake

* Eskimo-Roll

Wet exits are pretty much the first thing you'll learn. If you don't know how to pop that skirt and free yourself when you flip over - and you WILL flip over - then you've no business on the water. It's not hard, but if you've not done it before, it can be a bit disconcerting to hang upside down in the water while remaining calm. Dania has a terrific way to train you. You flip, tap the palms of your hands on the underside of the boat three times, then exit and surface. The tapping is to make sure you're not panicking under the boat - which is a good thing, because to panic could mean you get hurt, or worse.

When you go, be prepared to work hard on your strokes. Keeping a boat straight is really difficult, but contrary to what you might think, keeping a boat straight is not your goal. Your goal is to keep the boat upright. And that's where solid paddling and knowing your strokes come in. If there's time at the end of the day, you'll learn how to do Eskimo rolls. When you flip over - and remember, you WILL flip over - the Eskimo roll is used instead of a wet exit to right yourself in the water. As you can probably already see, this can be a lifesaver in rough water when wet exiting could prove inconvenient or downright dangerous. However, it's easier said than done. Practice makes perfect, and when you leave Sheltowee Trace Outfitters, you'll need to practice the skills learned there...even the pros hone their skills with practice.

Return from Battle

When you finish the day on the lake, you'll feel muscles tighten that you quite possibly forgot existed in your body. But that's a good thing...Really! You'll load your boats and head back to base. It's there that you'll shower and prepare for dinner. And once again, Anthony will treat you to a good, hot meal.

You're not done yet - there's still more classroom time left. Grab some instant energy and a seat. You'll have a review of the day and learn some more about river hydrology. You'll learn even more than the previous night. Like how to read eddie lines, up and down stream "V's," holes, and much more. Then you'll learn some river maneuvers like eddie turns, peel-outs, and ferries. And of course, you'll wrap up with a review of hazards. You'll need all of these, because the next day you'll be heading out on the river. Once bedtime rolls around, you're more than ready for some zzz's.

Hitting the River

This is the payoff - the final day to take your newly learned skills and hit the river. Our team suffered through some low water, so we put in below the Cumberland Falls. There's nothing fancy done here, just some good, solid practice. Eddie turns, peel-outs, and ferries were the order of the day. If you thought the lake was fun, then you'll be in for quite a treat on moving water. It's a whole new beast. Control was the word for the day.

After another eight-hour day on the water, it was time to wrap everything up. This is where you get to tell Doug and Dania what you really think of the experience. Don't be shy. They really want to know. This intensive class is evolving after each session and it's you who will cause it to get better. So speak up if you think something needs changing.

Wrap up

I can't say enough good things about the staff. Everyone treated us trainees as if we were one of them - you know, experienced paddlers. There's no us and them mentality here. They work as a team and the efficiency of the operation is a nice change for those of us who travel the adventure circuit. The people know what they are doing and that makes your experience that much better.

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