A New Twist for CCA: Clinic Introduces Paddlers to Lower Yough

By Rolo Arrieta, Safety Committee Chair

Seven CCA members got a guided, skills-focused introduction to the Lower Yough in a July 12 clinic sponsored by the club and led by instructor Jordan Taylor of Paddlesports Institute. Offering clinics specifically designed to help paddlers build river-running skills on a Class III river that is challenging for them is something new that CCA is embarking on this summer. 

CCA member Rachel Reicher signed up the moment she heard about the clinic. She was determined to tackle her Lower Yough first descent that Friday morning and did so with grace and style. "[It was] such an amazing crew and day to run the Lower Yough for the first time," Rachel posted on Facebook. 

The entire crew shared the same sentiment that day–not only the first-timers but also those who had a Lower Yough run or two under their belt. 

"I had quite a challenging Lower Yough PFD a couple of weeks prior to the CCA trip," said member David Fielding. After that personal first descent, the clinic gave David a redemption run he describes as "truly a joyful lap." He added, "I'm very grateful to the CCA leaders and Jordan Taylor for my best day on the river since I started whitewater kayaking."

CCA member Kyle Harris is new to whitewater kayaking and said running the Lower Yough with Taylor and this crew was "confidence inspiring."  "It made a sometimes challenging river very manageable for those with limited experience on rivers like the Lower Yough," Kyle said. 

"This crew embraced the kind of interdependent vibe that made individuals shine and rise above their and my expectations," Jordan said. 

To ensure readiness, the Lower Yough run was preceded a few weeks earlier by a pre-clinic Little Falls run led by Gary Steinberg.

Paddlers often help others with less experience explore new rivers. However, the idea of offering a formal, instructional clinic for CCA members who are ready to make the Lower Yough leap or can use help paddling it with more confidence was born out of conversations between club Chair David (Cotton) Cottingham and Jordan, who launched Paddlesports Institute last year. Cotton raised the topic at a CCA Board meeting this past spring. Some thought it was a great idea. Others, not so much, but ultimately the board approved the program, working with Jordan in collaboration with Calleva River School. When the clinic was posted on the Events calendar and announced to our members, all eight slots–the limit recommended by the American Canoe Association for this course level–filled up in about 48 hours. 

It became apparent to the Board that clinics like this one are something members would want more of and a direction the club should continue to explore. At the following meeting the Board approved additional clinics this summer: Advanced Lower Yough, which is also full, and Lower Yough for Canoeists as part of ensuring craft inclusivity among its members. 

At a low-flow level of 1.4 feet, the Lower Yough was an optimal venue to introduce Class III river-running skills, including recognizing and dealing with pinning dangers from rocks and strainers as well as avoiding serious head-to-rock contact if capsized. 

Although there were a few flips along the way, there were no swims (OK, maybe one). All paddlers aced their lines on the most challenging rapids, including River's End, Dimple, and Double Hydraulic. 

Participant Hildy Ferraiolo said Entrance Rapid "did not disappoint." She said, "I came out of it with a combat roll, a smile on my face, and being pumped/stoked/excited for the rest of the trip."

This was also canoeist Laura Kurup's first time on the Lower Yough. "The water was clear and cool, tucked in between big boulders and steep green hills," she said. "It was the perfect day. I would have expected it to be more crowded on a summer Friday, but we often had rapids to ourselves." 

Other CCA members in the crew that day were Shannon Francis and Kent Marcoux. 

A huge thanks to CCA leaders who helped put this program together including Cotton for running safety, Gary Steinberg for wrangling and logistics, and Risa Shimoda for assisting on the river along with me, as part of completing our ACA Level 4 Instructor certification. And special thanks to Susan Sherrod for her guidance on all manner of ClubExpress event registration setup issues.