Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe Blog

Experience world class entertainment for a great cause…

Once again, Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe is bringing the Reel Paddling Film Festival to Portland!

This international film tour features the world’s best whitewater, sea kayaking and canoeing action and lifestyle films of the year! Enjoy twisting river canyons surging with whitewater, sea kayakers exploring remote coastlines, coast-to-coast canoe expeditions, international river travel films, motivating environmental documentaries, and hilarious short films capturing the lighter side of paddling life.

All proceeds benefit Willamette Riverkeeper’s work to protect and restore our Willamette River.

Get there early to enjoy LIVE MUSIC from local favorite TapWater, the first and only World Twang ensemble!

When: Thursday, April 8th; doors open @ 6pm, live music @ 6:30pm, films begin @ 7pm
Where: McMenamins Bagdad Theater & Pub, SE 37th & Hawthorne
Cost: $5, tickets available at the Bagdad Theater only (21 & over)

A whale of a tale:

By Dave Slover

One morning we went out on the SUP's, just a bunch of kids dorking around and adults
happy to be happy. Just off shore were a mother Whale and her new baby. The baby's
have to stay at the surface to breathe much more often so the mom's hang out and
support them to keep them from sinking. As we paddled closer we could hear the
inhale/exhale of their breathing and see their backs at the surface. Then we saw a
tail in the classic dive move and assumed the show was over and they were moving on.
Much to our surprise the mother whale did a full breach just a couple seconds later
only about 100 yards out from us. WOW!!! A school bus flying out of the water that
close is quite spectacular. Just to make sure we saw the whole thing she did it
again a couple minutes later. This was a morning we will always remember.

Stand Up Paddle Board

I can't wait for the weather to improve a bit so I can get back out paddling. At
Alder Creek we will be sponsoring assorted "Paddle With the People" clinics on SUP
this spring and summer. We'll also have demo days and Intro to SUP classes during
the summer and will be adding them to the mix at our 18th Annual Paddle Festival on
April 24th and 25th. We have boards for sale and available to rent in stock and
ready to go.

Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe :: A Basic Stand Up Paddle Board Lesson

By Dave Slover

Here are some basic things we learned from the week. SUP boards have a lot in common
with kayaks as far as basic hull design.

Surfing on a stand up paddle board

#1 The board should be at least a few liters of volume higher than the weight of the
rider. I weigh 235 lbs and there are only a few boards that are big enough for my
weight. My wife Suzi weighs 122 lbs, she can paddle all of the boards and finds just
about all of them stable. Suzi and my 80 lbs son Joey could tandem ride my board and

still have plenty of buoyancy leftover.

#2 Longer thinner boards (27″ – 29″ wide) are faster for a given volume but not as
stable. Wide boards (30″ to 33″ wide) are stable but slow going forward. Just like
kayaks.

#3 Surf boards are different than cruising boards are different than touring boards
are different than inflatable boards.

#4 Rocker profile (the banana shape of the hull) is important. Wave boards need nose
rocker and a thin tail with three fins, cruisers or touring boards need a wider tail
for stability rocker is not as prolific.

Stand Up Paddle Board Surfing With Dave Slover

#5 It is important to pick the correct board for the projected use that is sized
right for the user. When I get on a small board I fall off and get frustrated. When
Joey is on an adult board with too long a paddle he is unable to maneuver well or
travel efficiently or catch any waves.

#6 The paddle should be light, strong and about 6″ taller than the paddler.

#7 This is a great family sport/activity.

#8 Core body exercise is at the heart of SUP.

Stand Up Paddle Camp

Maui, Hawaii - Jan 29 to Feb 7, 2010

By Dave Slover

Last month we took our annual family vacation and went to Maui. Hawaii.  There is
nothing bad when you are talking Sunny skies, 80 degree temps and unlimited water
sports. The Pacific Northwest is a wonderful place but a week in the sun is a great
way to get relief from the gray winter doldrums. We rendezvoused at a condominium
complex called Puamana in Lahaina. Our group consisted of 7 adults in our 30's and
40's and 7 kids aged 6 to 10.

Since Alder Creek has just started carrying Surftech Stand Up Boards and Werner
Stand Up Paddles we thought it would be a good idea to develop and refine our skills
a bit and to see what this new "boating" "Surfing" "Exercise" phenomenon is all
about. We rented 4 boards of assorted sizes, each had a different length, width,
thickness and rocker profile. Our buddy Jim Miller from Werner paddles brought over
the highest quality carbon spanker SUP Paddles in adjustable lengths. In Hawaii
people do not use PFD's, but if you were going very far offshore it seems like it
would be a good idea. We did not have to worry about neoprene for warmth but we did
wear NRS hydrosilk shirts to protect us from the sun. During the week our group lost
more than one pair of sunglasses and multiple hats to the surf zone.

Each day at camp we would get up and paddle for an hour or so of primarily
flat-water exercise, skills building and family fun. We would then go to the local
beach park and practice surfing in knee high waves. Everyone enjoyed the Stand Up
paddling and found it easy to master. The kids would either go with a parent or two
on a board. They loved it! If we had rented smaller boards, they would have been
paddling and surfing right next to us. We had a couple of amazing experiences with
whales up close and turtles swimming under our boards. The water is so clear and
beautiful that you can see 20-30 feet down.

We also found plenty of time to fit in outrigger canoeing, a 'Rigid Inflatable Boat'
ride to snorkel and whale watch, hikes in the rainforest and even a forest zip line
tour. For a week after our return home we were still exhausted, surely a sign that
we had a lot of fun!

Jackson White water kayaks are designed to create a safer white water river runner and creek kayak. Take a look at this short film by Eric Jackson as he talks about this injury preventing bulkhead system. This system makes running white water in a kayak safer and more fun. This bulkhead system can be found in the Hero Series and Rocker Series by Jackson Kayak.

What our customers and friends like the most about this whitewater bulk head system is the ease of use. Since the bulkhead is based on a simple adjustment, rope and jam cleat, this makes for a comfortable system that is very very easy to use. The Uni-Shock Bulkhead by Jackson kayak is one of the best systems on the market today. Come into Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe to Demo a Jackson White Water Boat today!

Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe can now be found on YouTube.com. We have our own channel at http://www.youtube.com/aldercreekkayakcanoe

We would enjoy having you see our new films and leaving us a comment. If you have any ideas for improvement or suggestions for new videos please let us know. We are providing videos of all types. Our plan is to create a series of short instructional videos, gear, and boat design.

Here is our latest video. Full Immersion 1 Sea kayak course video. This video is only a small piece of the actual course that you would take. We spent about three hours taking video of the 8 hour day spent with this class a few week-ends ago. Sit back, watch, and enjoy out featured film!

Take advantage of the warm weather and our sweet deals:

15% off Werner Paddles

30% off Palm Drysuits.

Feature Presentation: Race Around Austrailia

Join Alder Creek for an evening with “the woman in black”, none other than German born, international paddling legend and Canoe & Kayak magazine’s “Paddling Hero”, Freya Hoffmeister!  Freya will indulge us with a harrowing account and slideshow presentation from her most formidable expedition yet- her record setting solo circumnavigation of Austrailia!

At 9,400 miles, the Australian circumnavigation is regarded as one of the planet’s toughest sea-kayak challenges. At various times Freya faced massive storm-swell, tropical heat, crocodiles, and a shark that she says took a nibble of her 18-foot sea kayak. Perhaps the most remarkable challenge was three stretches of sheer limestone cliffs, each more than 100 miles long with stiff prevailing headwinds and no reasonable place to land. She was at sea for more than 30 hours to cross each section. Her most brazen exploit was a 350-mile open-ocean crossing that took her six days, and saved her weeks of plodding along the coastline.

A former Miss Germany contestant, competitive gymnast, body builder, and sky diver, for the last seven years Freya has reinvented herself as a world renowned expedition kayaker and adventurer. Rest assured, you will leave inspired!

When: Thursday, Feb 18th
doors open at 6pm, show begins at 7pm
Where: Mcmenamins Mission Theater & Pub, 1624 NW Glisan St
cost: $8 (all proceeds support Freya’s adventures)
FREE raffle!