Educational Workshop:
The workshop will consist of a discussion about equipment that paddlers should carry with them on sheltered water (many local lakes and streams) and moderate water environments – both freshwater and saltwater (e.g. Lake George, Lake Champlain, Hudson River). Attendees will be introduced to sources of weather and tidal information, kayaking equipment (including personal clothing), means of attracting attention, calling for help, first aid, towing systems and self/assisted rescue equipment.
Paddle Across Portugal:
In October 2022 Thea Hoeth, Claire Pospisil, Blanche Town and I flew to Porto, Portugal for a 10 day excursion to paddle kayaks from east to west on the Douro River. The Douro River flows across the northern third of Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean. We began our trip on the Spain/Portugal border. Over the course of eight days we paddled our kayaks (and one standup paddleboard!) approximately 90 miles. Paddling gear, transportation and exquisite room and board was provided by our host guides at Douro Kayak Expeditions – Jack, Rui and Miguel. The trip included visits to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the Douro River Valley, the exclusive source of grapes used in making Port wines. Our group included 13 paddlers, 12 from the U.S. and one from the U.K., our on water guide Jack Atkinson, and land support crew of Rui Caledo and Miguel Carvalho. On the trip we locked through the Carrapatelo Dam Lock which is the largest vertical drop in Europe of approximately 115 feet. Daily paddles were between eight and 16 miles.
Featured image: Paddling the Douro river in Portugal