The Dynamic Married Duo by kylethomas | Aug 12, 2019 | Creeking, Dynamic Duo, Whitewater, WW DisciplinesOnce upon a time, a paddling dudette and a paddling dude decided to take their relationship to new heights. Get married? No, they already tied the knot. Get a dog? Nah, you probably already read about Oliver the Adventure Corgi in the Jackson Kayak Karma RG. They...
Nisqually River Clean Up by kylethomas | Jul 20, 2019 | WhitewaterThis year, I participated in the Nisqually River Clean Up for the first time. The Nisqually River Clean Up is an annual event to 1. Heighten awareness and appreciation of the Nisqually River; 2. Celebrate the river’s unique attributes; 3. Foster stewardship of the...
Becoming an ACA Instructor by kylethomas | Jun 21, 2019 | Antix, Clinics, Instructional, Nirvana, Whitewater, Whitewater InstructionOver the past five years, I have volunteered a tremendous amount of time to the American Canoe Association (ACA). I have been teaching whitewater and sea kayaking for the past decade, but have only been ACA certified for the past five years. Teaching has always gone...
“BC Class III” – Thompson River by kylethomas | Jun 12, 2019 | Antix, Creeking, Video, Whitewater, WW DisciplinesThe Thompson River in British Columbia is the largest tributary of the Fraser River. It is frequently paddled at flows of 250-600 cms (~12,400 CFS – 21,200 cfs). That’s a lot of water! It’s important to make this flow conversion from cubic meters per second to...
Amazon River Kayak Adventure by kylethomas | Apr 4, 2019 | Exploration Feature, Recreational/TouringI love kayaking. The versatility of kayaking is one of the reasons I love the sport. I can travel anywhere in the world, find a waterway, and likely be able to find a kayak to paddle around. I have been fortunate to paddle in Mexico, Canada, Switzerland, Scotland, and...
Going Rogue in the Karma RG by kylethomas | Oct 14, 2018 | Karma RG, Recreational/Touring, riversMulti-day trips are a big deal in the Pacific Northwest. It’s as if every paddler here has done at least one. Multi-day trips were more of a sea kayaking thing while I was living in the Southeast, but even those rarely extended beyond two days. It wasn’t often that...
The “Other” White Salmon by kylethomas | Sep 6, 2018 | Creeking, River Running, rivers, Uncategorized, Video, Whitewater, WW DisciplinesThe Pacific Northwest, the PNW, #pnwonderland. What river comes to mind for you? For me, being formerly a southeast paddler, I only heard about one river in the PNW, the L Dub, the Little White Salmon River near White Salmon, Washington. It’s as if no other river...
Kayaking with Oliver the Adventure Corgi by kylethomas | Apr 21, 2018 | Karma RG, Karma Rock Garden, Recreational/TouringI recently adopted my first dog (in my entire life) and dubbed him Oliver the Adventure Corgi. Prior to adopting him, I had a lot of concerns about being able to continue my lifestyle as a frequent paddler. Others shared similar concerns that I would have to “quit...
Deception Pass Dash by kylethomas | Feb 7, 2018 | Event Coverage, Events, Journey, Recreational/Touring, rivers, Wrap UpsThe Deception Pass Dash, an incredible competition hosted annually at Deception Pass State Park in Oak Harbor, Washington. Paddlers from all disciplines travel to the Pacific Northwest to compete in this 6+ mile tidal race in December. Kayaks, tandem kayaks, canoes,...
ACA Swiftwater Rescue Conference by kylethomas | Dec 20, 2017 | Creeking, River Running, Whitewater, WW DisciplinesIn October, I had the fortunate opportunity to attend the 2017 ACA Swiftwater Rescue Conference in Mill City, Oregon. This was my first time attending the SWR conference, and it surely will not be my last. The best and brightest in Swiftwater Rescue education...
Reflections on the Jackson Kayak Zen by kylethomas | Oct 19, 2017 | 2015 Zen, Creeking, Reviews, River Running, rivers, Trip Reports, Trips, Video, Whitewater, WW DisciplinesI know, I know. People often want to hear about the new stuff. But I figured I’d spend this blog post reflecting on 2015 Jackson Kayak’s Zen whitewater kayak. This kayak changed me as a paddler, my relationship with Jackson Kayak, and how I thought about sizing with...
Sparkleberry Swamp in the Karma RG by kylethomas | Aug 21, 2017 | Karma RG, Recreational/Touring, rivers, Trip Reports, TripsSince my early days of learning to kayak, I can often recall a mentor in the sport recommending that I visit Sparkleberry Swamp. Honestly, I had never heard of the place nor even knew which state it was in. But at every sea kayaking event I attended, someone would...
