Looking Back on Great Moments of 2021!

A lots of things happened in 2021 and like every year, there were many things that happened. 2021 provided many challenges and many learning opportunities and a whole bunch of firsts! The year started off pretty quietly and crescendoed into a full gallop to end the year. Here is a list of the top 15 awesome things that happened in 2021:
1) My first true winter descent of the Housatonic in January 2021 with Scott and Emelia.

2) Able to return to Switzerland while their lockdown continued in January 2021.
3) Adopted 2 rescue donkeys in February 2021.
4) Did multiple descents of the Saanen Gorge de Vanille in February 2021.

5) Ran the Simme with Jannic in early March 2021 – lowest water descent and earliest Winter descent.
6) Did the Best Berner-Oberland Biathalon in late March 2021 – skied Tieberghorn and paddled the Saanen in one day!
7) Returned to Uganda in April 2021 despite lockdowns and COVID.

8) Paddled highest levels I have seen on the Nile (that includes since I first paddled there in 2003): learned about new waves and rapids thanks to Sam Ward. Did lots of solo paddling at Super Hole aka now Super Wave!
9) Returned to the US for epic water Spring – best paddling ever in Spring for me on the East coast – multiple high water runs of the Housatonic and T’ville gorge!

10) Did personal highest water run of the Housatonic with Andy Kuhlberg on July 9th, 2021. Unforgettable!
11) Restarted Inner City Kids Kayaking Camp thanks to help of Sean Coffey with Green Chimneys School. Had lots of support of Jackson and Troutman families!! And local paddlers!

12) Kayaked Surfed Epic Swell off the coast of Maine September 2021 thanks to hurricane Larry with Alex Nicks – amazing!
13) Celebrated Marc Adam’s 65th birthday with awesome gathering and paddling at the West Branch of the Penobscot!
14) Made it back to Uganda despite Omicron, and the clinic and Soft Power Health survived the Delta variant’s tragic sweep of the country! Huge sigh of relief!!
15) Despite having an overuse injury in my shoulder, managed many firsts in days of paddling in 2021 – let’s hope there is more of that to come in 2022!!

I am incredibly grateful to have been able to do so much during such a challenging time and I am looking to many more great things in 2022!