Alex Randall ’25 white-water kayaking in the spring of 2023. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.
This spring, Mr. Bobby O’Connor, Mr. Matthew Roy, and Mr. Eric Adsit have been guiding students through the Intro to Whitewater Kayaking, a program that prioritizes safety without compromising on the thrill. Whitewater kayaking involves using a kayak to navigate along wild rapids formed by the river. These students practice their paddling skills, exits, and safety techniques daily, ensuring they are well-prepared to tackle the Adirondack rapids.
To start, students were taught baseline skills such as how to hold their paddle, correct clothing and gear, and how they should fit inside their boat. This was taught on dry land so everybody could feel comfortable and start on an equal playing field for the beginning of the season. During these land sessions, everybody got fitted for equipment such as wetsuits, helmets, spray skirts, and the kayak itself. Once all the students found their perfect fits, they were taught how to wear their gear, correctly fit it to the boats, and adjust the boat to their liking.
After these fittings, students were brought to the North Country Community College pool. Here, they learned how to get comfortable in the water without the pressure of being pushed down a moving river. These pool sessions started with learning how to get into your kayak, how to produce strong strokes with the paddle, and how to wet exit. Every Wednesday for three weeks, these basic skills were practiced, and over time, some students even learned their roll – an essential skill for any whitewater paddler to have in case of capsizing. Between these sessions, Mr. O’Connor began taking paddlers to live water. They started easy on places like Mirror Lake and Lake Placid, which have no rapids but eventually moved on to rivers such as the west branch of the Ausable, the Saranac River, and Redford.
As the weeks pass and the students become more adept at handling technical terrain, their strength and skills will continue to grow. At the end of the year, a select group of these paddlers will embark on a thrilling adventure: the Sea Kayaking LEAP in the United Kingdom. This two-week paddling trip through Europe will provide them with a unique opportunity to work with experienced paddling instructors and paddle alongside professionals such as Steve Maynard, the SUNY Plattsburg kayaking instructor. The anticipation for this adventure is palpable, and despite the current year ending, the students are already looking forward to the next season of kayaking with the Northwood Outing Club.