Part of the sport is finding good spots
BY JOE KAY | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The bright red paddlewheel smacks the Ohio River in a rolling cadence, =
churning
a path through the mud-hued water. Trailing the riverboat is a solitary =
blue
kayak, riding the waves.

Steering with a double-ended paddle, a mustachioed man in a weathered =
baseball
cap dartKayakers stir up waterwayss through the froth. Passengers on the
paddlewheeler are intrigued by this meeting of Mark Twain-era =
transportation and
jet-age recreation.

"You can get on one of those big waves, and it is unbelievable in terms =
of the
thrill of the ride," said Brewster Rhoads, a political consultant who =
kayaks the
river most days. "You can just surf it like with a surfboard. My record =
is 43
minutes on the same wave."

There aren't many waves like it around these parts. Paddlers in the =
Midwest have
to be inventive to enjoy one of the country's fastest-growing =
recreational
activities.

They are. Wherever there's water - pristine or polluted, in the heart of =
a city
or out in the hinterlands - there's likely to be a paddle stirring it.

Annual surveys indicate that kayaking has doubled in popularity since =
1998. The
Outdoor Industry Foundation, which encourages outdoor activities, =
estimates that
12.6 million people got into a kayak last year. About 2 million of them =
kayak
regularly.

Most kayakers live in the West and Northeast. Lately, more women have =
been
taking up the sport - a 5 percent increase in the latest survey. About 45
percent of kayakers are female.

Although kayaking appeals to all age groups, it is particularly =
attractive to
those from 16 to 24.

"The younger generation is looking for more risky-type sports, something =
to test
their limits more," said Kara Lorenz, a 21-year-old Northern Kentucky =
University
student who has two kayaks. "That's what attracts a lot of young people =
to
kayaking and snowboarding."

In the Midwest, part of the fun is finding unusual places to test the =
limits.

Only a few strokes from downtown Cleveland, a guide directs five kayakers=
clear
of the barges and ore freighters in the working harbor on the Cuyahoga =
River.
Guide Mark Pecot explains the history of the six moving bridges and =
riverside
businesses they pass.

The group also touches a sore spot in the city's history - the place =
where
industrial discharge on the river caught fire in 1969.

"We're paddling through our industrial past," said Pecot, co-owner of 41 =
North
Coastal Kayak Adventures.

This three-hour "Burning River Tour" is one of several river and Lake =
Erie
excursions offered by the organization, which provides kayak lessons as =
well.

The trips are popular - business has increased in each of 41 North's four=
years.

"People find it fascinating," said Pecot, who also teaches history at St.=
Edward
High School in nearby Lakewood. "When you're in a kayak surrounded by =
huge
industrial bridges that lift and lower and you get tugboats and barges =
and the
other traffic moving, it has a way of making you feel very small. It's an
exciting feeling."

Exciting may not be the best word for this tour.

ENDANGERED TO SPORTING SPOT

The 28-mile Mill Creek divides Cincinnati down the middle. An industrial =
dumping
spot for generations, it got so polluted that the conservation group =
American
Rivers designated it North America's most endangered urban river in 1997.

Bruce Koehler knew all about its reputation. An environmental planner for=
a
regional council of governments, he sat through dozens of meetings about =
the
roiled creek and heard the horror stories.

"I wanted to go down and see what we were talking about," Koehler said.

In 1994, he first dipped a keel into the sewage and industrial waste. As =
he
paddled along, he saw a construction company bulldozing material into the=
creek.
An abandoned easy chair jutted from the middle of the channel.

Since then, he has taken more than 300 people on the creek for a =
firsthand look
at work that needs to be done. He dubs this hardy group the "Mill Creek =
Yacht
Club."

Paddlers receive a health warning and a liability disclaimer before =
setting off.
They try to avoid touching the water. Germicidal gel is available.

"Thank goodness I have healthy immunities," Koehler, 55, said. "I think =
going in
the creek is like getting a flu shot. I get mild exposure to most every =
germ
known to man. So far, no one has claimed they got seriously ill from it."

And, the paddlers are seeing noticeable improvement in the creek because =
of the
Clean Water Act.

"The stream doesn't stink to high heaven or change colors like it did =
when I was
a kid," Koehler said.

POPULARITY OF PADDLING

The slender boats stand at attention in their piped-off rows, the taller =
ones
poking their curved snouts above the others. Blue. Yellow. Green. Red. =
The
polyethylene shells are dry and unblemished.

=46or now.

Kayaks are high-tech and can be high-priced. They're also feeding the =
growth in
the popularity of paddling.

"They look very cool," said Bernie Farley, standing in the middle of his
Whitewater Warehouse a few feet from the banks of the Mad River in =
Dayton, Ohio.
"On the recreational side, the boats are a lot less expensive. They're =
more
basic, and they stay pretty similar year after year. With the whitewater =
boats -
the more expensive boats - they're popping out a new design every year."

=46arley, who has kayaked for 35 years, sees a growing interest in =
playboats that
allow riders to surf and do tricks, such as spins and cartwheels, in the =
water.

Communities are tapping into the growing interest. A Dayton park board is
considering adding a whitewater course to the Great Miami River.

In South Bend, Ind., the East Race Waterway has attracted more than =
200,000
kayakers and rafters since it opened in 1984. On a busy weekend, about =
500
paddlers from Indiana and nearby states will line up to challenge the =
region's
only whitewater course.

"We're all kind of amazed when we see where the kayakers are from," said =
Paul
McMinn, assistant recreation director in South Bend. "For them, to drive =
two or
three hours is no big deal."

Anything to catch a wave.

'IT'S A CALMING FORCE'

Back on the Ohio River, Rhoads paddles up to a dock across from downtown
Cincinnati.

It's a sunny afternoon. A steady stream of traffic rumbles across a =
nearby
bridge that links Ohio and Kentucky. Sunlight glints off tinted office =
windows
looking down on the river.

A 30-minute kayak trip has revitalized Rhoads.

"Every day is different," he said, after changing back into a dress shirt=
and
pants for a business meeting. "The wind conditions. The water conditions.=
The
sun angles. When the sun is reflecting off the downtown skyscrapers, it's=
just
stunning. So impressive."

He's not surprised to find more kayakers sharing the river these days. =
The sport
is growing, in part because it can be so captivating.

"There's something about water," Rhoads said. "It's a calming force. It's=
deep
in my blood."

Activity is gaining speed=20
The Outdoor Industry Foundation released annual surveys with information =
about
kayakers. The 2005 survey will be released to the public later this year.=
The
Outdoor Industry Foundation based its estimates from its 2005 survey on =
the
results of an annual telephone survey using scientific sampling. The =
foundation
interviewed 2,000 people older than 15 and gauged their participation in =
22
outdoor activities.

An estimated 12.6 million people got into a kayak at least once last =
year. About
2 million of them kayak regularly.

Those figures represent an increase from the foundation's first survey. =
In 1998,
about 4.2 million people had kayaked, and about 400,000 did it regularly.

Kayakers tend to be young. Roughly 31 percent are in the 16-to-24 age =
group.
About 20 percent are 25-to-34, 21 percent are 35-to-44 and 28 percent are=
45 or
older.

More women are kayaking these days. About 45 percent of the total were =
female, a
5 percent increase from the foundation's 2004 survey.

Kayakers tend to be affluent. Roughly 44 percent of them made at least =
$80,000
per year, and 33 percent made from $41,000 to $79,000.

More kayakers are found in the western and northeastern states than any =
other
regions of the country.

--The Associated Press
=20

What they're saying=20
Comments about the popularity and attraction of kayaking, one of the =
country's
fastest-growing outdoor activities:



"Has it been a success and have we gotten more out of it than we ever =
expected?
You put all those things together, and it's more than we ever promised or
expected. It's been a huge success."

Paul McMinn, assistant recreation director in South Bend, Ind., on the =
East Race
Waterway park that has sparked an estimated $58 million in economic =
development
and attracted more than 200,000 kayakers and rafters since it opened in =
1984.



"When I was a kid, it changed colors and stunk to high heaven. There's =
still an
odor of sewage now and then. A lot of times, it's in pretty good shape."

Bruce Koehler, an environmental planner for a Cincinnati-area council of
governments, on improvements he notices when leading tours of the =
polluted Mill
Creek.=20



"There's a growing number of people who see the Ohio (River) as a place =
not to
just avoid or turn their back on, but as a wonderful recreational =
activity,
especially for canoeing and kayaking. There's a growing number of people =
who
daily or three days a week put their boat in the river and paddle it."

Brewster Rhoads, a Cincinnati-based political consultant who paddles the =
river
almost daily



"You look at the gear they wear, you look at the kayaks, you look at the
surroundings, and the whole thing is just a paradise, a wonderland. =
That's what
attracts people. I don't know anybody who doesn't like to be on the =
water. These
kayaks make it possible. The little shorties are 6 to 8 feet long and you=
strap
yourself in and you can roll over and play like a little otter. I think =
they've
done a good job pushing their equipment."

Mike Fremont, an 84-year-old canoe racer from Cincinnati



"It's our fourth season of business. Every year it's been moving up in =
terms of
people's interest and skill level. We introduce people to the sport, they=
come
back for training, take a class and go on a trip."

Mark Pecot, co-owner of 41 North Coastal Kayak Adventures based in =
Cleveland.



"I like the fact that it also gives you a good workout. It's more fun =
than going
to a gym and being trapped indoors. On a beautiful day, I'd much rather =
be out
on the river kayaking."

Kara Lorenz, a NKU student



"I've been doing this for 35 years, and I am still learning.... I can =
still go
out there and learn something new tomorrow. That's what's so exciting =
about
kayaking."

Bernie Farley, who runs a kayak business in Dayton, Ohio

--The Associated Press=20

http://news.nky.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../NEWS0103/606=
190328

What I've learned about kayakers is that they know nothing about being
on the water and usually end up holding up boat traffic in channels and
basically creating an unsafe environment for those around them.

This past weekend an old couple was having a great time slowly paddling
through an extremely busy pass. Boats were lining up behind them and
in front of them and they were completely oblivious to the problem they
were creating. People were blowing horns, yelling and they couldn't
have cared less. It was dead low tide and the channel was very narrow.
All they had to do was move 15 feet left or right and everyone would
have been fine. It's horrible that people's safety and time are
jeopardized because these morons are let loose on the waterways.

FishinJC wrote:
What I've learned about kayakers is that they know nothing about being
on the water and usually end up holding up boat traffic in channels and
basically creating an unsafe environment for those around them.


It's hard to imagine a kayaker could present as great a
hazard to another boat as that boat creates to a kayaker.
OTOH there is certainly a high level of selfishness &
stupidity loose in the world.


This past weekend an old couple was having a great time slowly paddling
through an extremely busy pass. Boats were lining up behind them and
in front of them and they were completely oblivious to the problem they
were creating. People were blowing horns, yelling and they couldn't
have cared less.

Did anybody think of pulling up close enough to talk, and
explaining to them that they were holding up navigation?

.... It was dead low tide and the channel was very narrow.
All they had to do was move 15 feet left or right and everyone would
have been fine. It's horrible that people's safety and time are
jeopardized because these morons are let loose on the waterways.


And you didn't take the opportunity to teach them any
better. That would have been better than just complaining,
wouldn't it? There are lots of ways to cope with a problem,
honking your horn like a Noo Yawk taxi driver and cussing at
them isn't likely to produce a desirable result. How about a
call to the USCG and let them send a small boat to give them
a ticket (if they were truly violating the rules as you imply)?

And it is incorrect to assume that these people were
creating an unsafe situation. It is the operator of each
boat's responsibility to be safe... if there is a canoe in
the way, deal with it intelligently.

Fair Skies
Doug King

DSK wrote:

And you didn't take the opportunity to teach them any
better. That would have been better than just complaining,
wouldn't it? There are lots of ways to cope with a problem,
honking your horn like a Noo Yawk taxi driver and cussing at
them isn't likely to produce a desirable result. How about a
call to the USCG and let them send a small boat to give them
a ticket (if they were truly violating the rules as you imply)?

And it is incorrect to assume that these people were
creating an unsafe situation. It is the operator of each
boat's responsibility to be safe... if there is a canoe in
the way, deal with it intelligently.

You are right. Bitching about it does nothing and it is each boats
responsibility to remain safe no matter what the situation. I wasn't
concerned with safety until the boats bunched up and people started to
get ****ed off. ****ed off people late in the afternoon can cause
unsafe waters. My focus was safely getting around the yakers' and
getting the hell out of there.

FishinJC wrote:
You are right. Bitching about it does nothing and it is each boats
responsibility to remain safe no matter what the situation. I wasn't
concerned with safety until the boats bunched up and people started to
get ****ed off. ****ed off people late in the afternoon can cause
unsafe waters.

Especially if there had been any drinking going on.


... My focus was safely getting around the yakers' and
getting the hell out of there.


Sounds right, but it's a shame you couldn't talk to them at
least a little bit as you went by. Maybe leaning over and
saying conversationally, "You know, there's a lot of traffic
thru here, those guys have to stay in the channel (point at
other boats), and a lot of 'em could PO'd at you being in
their way." It honestly might not have occured to them (that
still makes them morons).

Last year, I tried to avert a situation where some bone
heads in a small CC fishing boat blocked a channel with
current. They were anchored right in the middle, at a bend,
in a place where the water is really shallow anywhere
outside the dradged channel. A bridge had just opened a mile
or so south and there was a big tug & barge as well as the
parade of ICW traffic.

I slowed considerably to go past these guys, since we could
not miss them by more than about 10'. They gave me angry
looks as I leaned out our pilothouse to speak to them. I
said "There is a BIG barge coming around that corner in
about 3 minutes, it would be a good idea to haul anchor and
get out of his way." Since they made no effort to move, I
put out a 'securite' call on channel 16 to warn the boats
coming behind us.

It would probably have been justified if that barge had run
them down, but instead he ran aground himself, including
probable damage to his running gear since we saw his prop
slinging sand & mud in the air as he hit. We listend to the
salvage effort on the VHF for many hours that afternoon,
felt sorry for that barge skipper.

Fair Skies
Doug King

DSK wrote:

I slowed considerably to go past these guys, since we could
not miss them by more than about 10'. They gave me angry
looks as I leaned out our pilothouse to speak to them. I
said "There is a BIG barge coming around that corner in
about 3 minutes, it would be a good idea to haul anchor and
get out of his way." Since they made no effort to move, I
put out a 'securite' call on channel 16 to warn the boats
coming behind us.

Is it not illegal to
1) Anchor there in the first place
2) Not give way to the bigger craft with limited maneuverability?

As they made no attempt to correct their behaviour after verbal advice,
I suppose the best course of action would have been to get the
authorities to fine them.

Varis

Fair Skies
Doug King

FishinJC wrote:

This past weekend an old couple was having a great time slowly paddling
through an extremely busy pass. Boats were lining up behind them and
in front of them and they were completely oblivious to the problem they
were creating. People were blowing horns, yelling and they couldn't
have cared less. It was dead low tide and the channel was very narrow.
All they had to do was move 15 feet left or right and everyone would
have been fine. It's horrible that people's safety and time are
jeopardized because these morons are let loose on the waterways.

Can busy boat traffic passing kayaks cause a hazard ?
-Would the boaters see/notice the kayakers in busy traffic?
-Was there a sign/regulation prohibiting the creation of waves?
-A speed limit?

Varis