suggestions for non-tech river course?

Advice
#1

I have a little vacation to burn before Jan and thought about trying to find a beginnerish non-technical river skills course somewhere sort of warm. So far no luck.

I’d like paddle techniques, river reading, practice.

I am not interested in doing white water or anything sporty but even quieter rivers have curves and eddies, down logs/strainers, fast places etc. I don’t like being limited to lakes but feel I need more instruction for rivers. I guess the season is sort of over? I get veterans day off and was thinking the days and weekend following that but any suggestions would be great.

Thanks

#2

Check out American Canoe Adventure
(ACA) in White Springs Florida and talk to Wendell, (the owner).

He is a outfitter on the Suwannee River and it sounds like it would be just the ticket for you.

The upper portion of the Suwannee starting in Fargo Georgia has lots of turns with logs and sweepers here and there, but yet it is slow flowing, so it is a good place to learn and not difficult. -then you would portage around Big Shoals which is a class III, but when you get to the lower shoals as you approach White Springs, it is a great place to learn easy WW., and some faster flowing current.



Cheers,

JackL

I believe he also does trips on the Santa Fe River which is another one close by with some decent current.



Cheers,

JackL



Cheers,

JackL

#3

Ok I’ll call
I’ve done some searching and my general impression is that Florida may not have non-white water but still a little tricky, rivers. Most of the class descriptions are basic kayaking. Its a little hard to search because googling river kayaking instruction gets a lot of white water hits. Certainly would probably be able to find the cheapest air fare to FL. Googling and reading descriptions sounds like TX might have some places. West coast I think would be too expensive to travel to from the eastern midwest.

#4

you mentioned midwest?
lots of good paddling here in missouri…

http://www.missouricanoe.org/river-maps/current.html

#5

Here’s a “maybe” idea

– Last Updated: Nov-03-09 1:09 PM EST –

Check out your local branch of the Sierra Club. They might have an organized group of paddlers. Our local Sierra Club has an active bunch of river paddlers, and they offer basic instruction and organized trips. That may not help "right now", but it could be something to keep in mind.

#6

One part of the Hall’s River
We took a winter vaca in manatee country a few years ago. I remember a part of the Hall’s River as being sinuous and narrow, but not rocky. The current speed was different the two times we paddled it, and someone thought it might have some tidal influence.



Crystal, Homosassa, Rainbow Rivers were all pretty so worth checking out.