Canoe Sport Outfitters (Casey, Riley, Shireen & Jeff) held yet another great Expo in Indianola, February 11-13.  Why was it great?  That's a personal call, and I doubt that you'd ever get the same list of reasons from any two people as to why Expo is a great Iowa experience.  So, below are some of my personal reasons  I look forward to Expo each year: 

1.  FRIENDS - For the past several years, paddling friends have gotten together for a breakfast, lunch or dinner.  It's a chance to share tales, meet spouses, and drum up excitement for future trips.

2.  CIP PROMOTION - CIP has manned a table in the Legion Hall for years.  This is a time for existing members to renew, and new members to sign-up.  We had good activity at the table, and definitely worked to increase our CIP roles.

3.  LECTURES - CIP members are often both audience AND presenters at Expo.  From John Wenck providing a history of the Des Moines River to yours truly talking about Rathbun Lake, CIP helps provide a local flavor to the meeting.  At the same time, the lectures offer a chance to mentally escape the cold of an Iowa winter.  Lectures on Isle Royale, Boundary Waters, the Everglades .... all these exotic paddling destinations add glamour and allure to our sport. 

4.  COMMUNITY AWARENESS - The Expo always attracts a crowd of "locals" to hear the stories, see the bustle, and enjoy the vibe.  Word gets around, and every year seems to attract more new faces.

5.  SAFETY - When names like Nate, Robin, Todd and John talk safety, people listen.  I can't think of a better venue to expose people to the dangers of water sports without turning them off.  I'd guess that countless accidents and incidents have been avoided over the years because of a tip picked up at Expo.

6.  GEAR - Lest we forget, this is a commercial activity for Canoe Sport Outfitters, and it's fun to see the new boats, camping gear, do-dads and must-haves.  This year their expanded inventory even included some kind of new rig that had two wheels, peddles and handlebars.  Apparently, they are even mobile without even using a paddle!  Not my thing I guess.

Iowa Paddle Sport Expo 2011 was an exceptional event.  With perfect weather and an enthusiastic crowd, we saw paddle sports featured in the best of venues.  Thank you Canoe Sport Outfitters, and thank you all of you in CIP and other groups that participated!  

Winter Escape: Paddling the Everglades, Elkhorn Slough, and Willamette River

By Steve Parrish 

Jewell Key Everglades National Park

Sometimes fate smiles on you, and you get a break from the ordinary.  This winter I had the opportunity to kayak in three different states and three different ecosystems within one month:  the Everglades in Florida, Elkhorn Slough in Northern California, and Willamette River in Portland, Oregon.  

Everglades 10,000 Islands

Joining in my fifth Canoe Sport Outfitters Everglades Adventure, I had the good fortune to paddle with eight others in what is still my favorite warm water destination.  Every year's trip in the 10,000 Islands area of the Everglades National Park has varied for me, but this year was exceptionally  wide-ranging.  With the excellent planning and guiding of intrepid CIP member John Pearson, our group experienced a fun mix of interior river system and open Gulf kayaking.  Two nights were in the mangrove forests of the Turner and Chatham rivers.  The first night followed a harrowing snaking through skimpy waterways teaming with alligators and every imaginable water bird.  Assaulted by a rainstorm, we huddled on a tiny oyster shell outcropping at Turner River, helping each other to assemble tents and stay happy. The next day, we navigated through tangled mangrove tunnels  and shallow bays to the famous and haunting Watsons Place, a scene of old time wild-west intrigues and murders. 

On our third day, breaking out of the river systems to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico, we were unsuccessful in breaking out of the fog.  Despite a long respite on Mormon Key, the sun was hesitant to show itself, so we delicately navigated our way through the soup to Pavilion Key.  This popular key is sometimes called the "Gateway to the 10,000 Islands" because it is a long, open key that has an unobstructed western view of the Gulf.  A mere 24 hours on Pavillion yielded unforgettable memories:a show of dolphins leaping out of the water, unparalleled beach shelling, a shoreline fire, and a slow and languorous return of the tide late the next morning.  Our next destination took us on warm, dolphin dancing waters to a newly available campsite, Jewell Key.  This white sand island point offered an abundance of viewing opportunities; from pelicans, osprey and heron, to dolphin, a shark, and raccoons.  By this point, our eclectic mix of experienced and new paddlers was a cohesive and coordinated group of friends; so unified that wildlife viewing had become a group sport. 

It was with melancholy that we ventured off the next morning into Sandfly Pass, the entryway to Everglades City.  Riding the tides in, we took a break to see a rare hardwood hammock, our first opportunity that week to feel like we were on terra firma.  Beautiful as it was, it was also a reminder that we were on our way back to the mainland... and civilization.  And  back we came, to our takeout at the National Park headquarters.   While my many trips to the Everglades have all been challenging and fun, there is no way I can compare one to another.  But, I speak for our group in saying this was simply a fun trip to be treasured.  

CanoeSport Outfitters Adventurers

Elkhorn Slough   

Normally I would be ecstatic to get even one non-icy paddle in during the winter.  This year, however, I mixed business with pleasure by staying over in the San Francisco Bay area at the end of January.  My San Fran friend had become an avid sea kayaker in the past year, and was more than happy to have an out-of-towner ask him to go paddling.  We met up on a coolish, breezy Saturday in Walnut Creek, strategizing where to paddle.  The weather forecast was more encouraging south of San Francisco, so we headed towards Monterey Bay.  As we approached the area, the marine radio reported 7 foot swells at 13 seconds in the Bay.  With his inexperience and my unfamiliarity with the rented boat, we quickly decided to avoid this sizable challenge, especially because our backup plan offered a paddle in one of the most biodiverse locations in the country.

Elkhorn Slough is an estuary that drains into Monterey Bay.  I paddled it years ago and remember being overwhelmed with the variety of birds, fish and mammals.  We were treated to the same experience this year as well.  Not more than 100 feet from our putin we were serenaded by a chorus of seals, anxious for us to know we were near their island.  A little further in, I saw the first of dozens of sea otters lying on their backs, munching on abalone.   These large otters are nonplussed with the surge of kayakers that ply the waters just to see their antics.  While we snapped pictures, pelicans and seagulls hovered overhead, hoping to grab a morsel or two discarded by these belly- feeding furballs.  Between the colorful boats, the acrobatic otters, the playful seals and the myriad species of birds performing  aerial feats of daring, Elkhorn Slough that Saturday was nothing short of an aquatic carnival.  A mere 7 miles of paddling, but a performance worthy of the best circus stage.  At the end of our trip, we peeked out bows out into Monterey Bay, and the incoming swells were quick confirmation that we had made the right choice for a paddle.

Willamette River

For my California paddle, I had packed winter paddling gear (wetsuit, boots, spray pants and jacket).  I had to lug this gear with me to my next business destination, Portland Oregon, even thought  I knew I wouldn't have time to paddle.  During my stay there, the monster storm that would eventually shut down Chicago was brewing in the Plaines.  A full day before I was to leave for Des Moines, I received a call that my flight was cancelled and rescheduled for the following day.  The next call made was me asking my friends at Portland Kayak Company  if they could outfit me with a boat.  I had a window of opportunity not to be ignored.

The weather was cold and breezy, but for an Iowa paddler, an exceptionally nice day.  The kayak shop is located two blocks from the Willamette River, a few miles south of downtown Portland.  I put in, paddling north towards the city.  The current was flowing less than 1 knot, so there was little paddling challenge other than a beam breeze.  I paddled around Ross Island and into stunning Portland, the "City of Bridges".  Portland's downtown waterfront is a wonderful collection of marinas, restaurants, museums and bridges.  Familiar with the area, I simply paddled around for 5 miles, starting at the sites like a tourist on the streets,  until my body started protesting the cold.  Turning around, I meandered near  the opposite shore and, a few miles later, reluctantly pulled out at the boat ramp.  For many, the loss of a day because of weather would have been a source of frustration; for me it was a fortuitous opportunity to use my gear to sneak in an incredible third paddling experience in the same winter!