 The Paddler Tattler February 1, 2023Web address: https://tvccpaddler.com/ Facebook Page: Tennessee Valley Canoe Club |
| Another Great Florida Week Of RiversWe came. We paddled. We totally enjoyed four rivers in four days in the Florida panhandle the week after Christmas. Twenty some happy paddlers and campers made the trip. Good times were had eating smash burgers around a campfire at Ben and Beth’s camper. Then good times eating out by the Gulf Shores in a nice restaurant. The finalé was a shrimp boil on New Year’s Eve, again at Ben and Beth’s camper. Read more about the trip and see the picture gallery and link to all pictures in the story below. A big shout-out and thanks to Pat Carver, and Ben and Beth Johnson for leading and organizing us on a week of Florida rivers. |
| February Calendar of Events (and Early March) Winter Roll Practice #11, Tuesday, February 7, 8p TVCC Board Meeting, Tuesday, February 14, 6p Club members may attend. Winter Roll Practice #12, Tuesday, February 14, 8p Winter Roll Practice #13 , Tuesday, February 21, 8p Little Soddy Creek – Clean Up 2023, Saturday , February 25 Winter Roll Practice #14 , Tuesday, February 28, 8p TVCC 2023 Paddle School — save the dates — June 2, 3, 4 (Watch for more PS information in late February to early March.) Additional events may be added after this newsletter publishes.Go here to see and register for all TVCC events https://tvccpaddler.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/tvccpaddler/eventList.jsp Other good to know dates Mullberry Fork Races. March 5, 6 Locust Fork Races April 2, 3 Follow at https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=locust%20fork%20race |
Club Membership Reduction Passes |
| A special newsletter edition went to all members January 25. President Dian tells why the survey was done, that the reduction change passed, and the path forward to other initiatives to use the extra money we have over the next several years for the good of TVCC members, club activities, and our paddling community. Please note Dian and the whole Board are wanting to hear from YOU with your good ideas. Board member David Riall is heading up the committee receiving these ideas and getting them presented to the Board. YOU could be part of the committee to develop a plan. Read this special newsletter again at https://mailchi.mp/tvccpaddler.com/tvcc-january-25-2023-paddler-tattler-special-edition-fee-reduction-survey-results?e=7b4b755766 |
| Did You Miss This Email?TVCC Taking Applications To Be An ACA Certified Instructor You will become a better paddler for taking the course you apply for. And you will help your fellow TVCC members be better paddlers by agreeing to give back as an instructor in TVCC events or other volunteer opportunities. Full details on applying and giving back coming the beginning of February.  |
Roll Practice Continues — Four More in February |
 Roll practice is popular. The January 24 session filled to the max 30 boats. You must register on line to attend. The pool cannot handle more boats. Reserve your space early. Be sure your boat is clean, inside and out. Use the hose located right where you come through the gate. See the Carlos videos at this link. You will have to download the videos to get them to run. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IRCly4Rk7_HlYRNrUz0mP3XYic-Jnxc7?usp=sharing |
| Which Kayak Roll Is Right For You?? The One That Gets you Up!! by John Hubbard There are two basic kayak rolls. The C-to-C roll and the Sweep roll. So what is the difference? In my view it is the timing of the hip snap. Both rolls set up exactly the same. We’ll talk onside (right handed) roll. An off side (left handed) is the same, but mirror image opposite. Once you are set up, the roll is initiated. For the C-to-C roll you sweep the right blade from 12 o’clock (parallel to the boat and right blade pointed forward) to 3 o’clock (perpendicular to the boat) and you body sweeps around with the paddle. Once at 3 o’clock the hip snap is initiated. Generally the paddle gets to 4 o’clock as the hip snap is completed and you are fully upright. For the sweep roll the hip snap starts by about 1 o’clock and is completed as the body and paddle sweep past 3 o’clock to 4 o’clock when you are fully upright. For the C-to-C roll the hip snap is explosive and quick. It all happens right as the paddle and body are at 3 o’clock. For the Sweep roll the hip snap occurs over two-thirds to three-fourths of the sweep. So it is less explosive and more sustained. I think of it as a hip roll. So for me and by my thinking, the Sweep roll is more forgiving and easier to do for older, and maybe less flexible, bodies. I do the Sweep roll with a pretty weak hip roll. But I always come up if I sweep my head (as well as my body) around in sync with the right paddle blade. For me that means the head is facing straight on to the right blade all the way through the sweep to finish and I am upright over the boat. One more thing. We all say hip snap. But if you think about it, it is really a thigh snap. Listen to your instructor. She will say when you do the hip snap, relax the left thigh and pull up with the right thigh. |
| Meryl Takes A First Place in the 10th Go Fast Race |
 Our own Meryl Stark took first place in the Women’s Short category in the 10th Annual Go Fast Daddies Creek Race held January 21. Meryl was the club Newsletter Editor for three years, 2014 to 16. She was also Vice President and managed the club Paddle School in 2017 and 2018. In 2016 TVCC sponsored and Meryl earned ACA Level 3 Instructor certification. She continues to be a yearly instructor at Paddle School. |
| TVCC Quarterly Financial Report Read the report discussing the financials for this first quarter three months report here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XX1PpVGFmRlvRZ_XQHuETbatMP6cc-W1/view?usp=sharing As you can see, BG does an outstanding job managing the clubs money and financial records. He makes sure all the required government financial reports are done timely and accurately. He also supplies a more detailed financial report which includes a list of all transaction for the previous month at each Board meeting. For questions or more information, email Treasurer BG Smith at Treasurer@tvccpaddler.com .  |
| What Do You know About TVCC? Our Constitution says who we are and why our club was formed. From the Founding of TVCC series that Jack Wright wrote in the year 2000 we know the club was founded in 1967. Sometime before October 1976 the Constitution and Bylaws that govern our club operations were written. (The current Bylaws and Constitution which is on our website shows the earliest Bylaws revision was in October 1976.) In 1999 the club was incorporated in Tennessee as a ‘public benefit corporation’ and is a ‘nonprofit corporation.’ Then in 2015 the IRS approved the club to have 501(C)7 status as a ‘tax exempt social club.’ See the Constitution and Bylaws on our website at https://tvccpaddler.com/bylaws-2/ . The first two sections of the Constitution are shown. They say what our purpose is and who our members are to be. |
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| The Founding of TVCC In 1967 Story — Ch 7, 8 |
 by John HubbardJack Wright’s seventh chapter talks about TVCC trips to the Nantahala; you know, one of our early training trips after Paddle School. The 1969 TVCC newsletter said this about the Nantahala’s difficulty: “It is all an open canoe can manage and many times on this run the canoe will have to be emptied of water from the high waves. Difficulty rating is Class III through V.” The seventh chapter talks about paddling the ‘Deaded Chattooga River.” Read why. Use this link, read pages 14 to 17. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aCIXZY677n1Akddyr-E2R9J_kMnFUayd/view?usp=sharing |
An Oldie But Goodie TVCC Newsletter |
| by John Hubbard This is the first newsletter I received in my paddling career that started with the 1994 Paddle School. Read what Hugh Worthy, a TVCC river safety guru, says about practicing safety on TVCC whitewater river trips. Read Spence Lycan’s take on this paddle school and take his survey. Spence is a TVCC honorary lifetime member since 2013. Use this link to the newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4IaUSF3UKzicnM2Z05vT05LT0k/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-hP4R4BLX_5k5YxiOcldLvw  |
| Is you want to see every past newsletter in our library, browse at this link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4IaUSF3UKziZlBpVlM3MTlSVDI1MWxpMDdTV1BLZw?resourcekey=0-bcL8QmHUuL4dqvtzuD2-ag&usp=sharing |
| Florida Paddling Trip Is Now A Fond Memory |
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| Here is the link to all the pictures and movies from the trip. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JvHO5LWabWzHAz_GGHObDX3KBse70CeY?usp=sharing |
Hiwassee Refuge Paddle Trip Report Jan 14 by Eric Burnett This was TVCC’s second Flatwater of the new year, the Florida paddle being the first. The night before this Hiwassee paddle, winds were gusting 21 mph and the weather reports were calling for a wintery mix in Chattanooga. I woke up and checked the weather a couple of times because of the wind before I rose for the final time. As 6 AM arrived I sent out an email to those that were registered saying we were still on but I that may cancel on location depending on wind conditions. Four other paddlers braved my dire predictions and we were rewarded with a blustery but nice paddle. The wind behaved and leveled off at maybe 10 mph. The sun came from behind the clouds and gave us some mid 30 degree temps. Water around the island was choppy at times but only a few whitecaps were seen. We were rewarded by the main target of our trip, the sandhill crane , a few pelicans, and a few eagles. Most of the cranes had retreated to the interior of the island but we could still hear their understated bugling. Before we started on our trip several of us shared what we knew about these beauties and I had brought some photos. TWRA was out in force and reminded us (in a nice way) to stay within the channel marking buoys or face a $300 to $400 fine. The wind pushed us around some but we remained in unticketed. The eagles were staring at me and at Nancy Vincent Watts’ fur trappers hat…. they let us slide by also. 🙂 We started our trip about 12 noon and we were sitting at the Monkey Town Bar and Grill in Dayton by 3:44 enjoying each other’s company after a 5 mile windy paddle excursion.  |
Locust Fork Trip Report, Jan 28 |
| by Stacy Stone, TL Twelve TVCC’ers enjoyed a sunny, “warmish” day on the Locust Fork of the Warrior River. Located in Blountsville, Alabama and about 2 hours south of Chattanooga, the Locust Fork provides reliable whitewater in the winter/spring. The group enjoyed a fluffier water level yesterday with nice wave trains and many “catch on the fly” waves. Great fun had by all on this beautiful river with limestone bluffs! Finished the river with nice lines by all (minus the TL) at Powell Falls. There may or may not have been a swim by the TL, but I’ll never tell.  |
| Tellico Trip, January 21 |
 by John HubbardRobert, David, Bryon, Nathan, and John put on the Ledges. One swim and one walk at Baby. The walker said never again; easier to run it. Thanks to Matt for taking the pictures. Then we picked up Matt, Mark, and Debra for the Middle section. Only one wet hair day on the Middle. But no swim as the third try at Submarine was a go. Thanks to Robert for organizing this trip. It was bright and sunny and in the mid to upper 40s. We all agreed it was the right call to back up the trip to the 21st. On the 14th, it would have been in the mid 30s in the gorge. I bailed on that idea. See all the pictures here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cWi4zuUZW4DEWAbJj5sD0UZY7SwiMY5B?usp=sharing |
| ‘One More Thing’ Says John By John Hubbard, newsletter editor Here are some interesting items I received over the last month: 1. Trotlines have been a point of controversy between fishermen who use trotlines and kayakers who run across them when paddling a river. Criminal charges were leveled against a top kayak instructor who cut a trotline on the Nolichucky in 2021 as reported by the Knoxville News. This January the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported that the TN Fish and Wildlife Agency declined to regulate trotlines. Read the stories at these links. https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2021/11/01/nolichucky-river-trotline-law-dispute-fishing-line-reveals-tensions/6234635001/ and https://chattanoogatimesfreepress.pressreader.com/article/281758453397262 |
| 2. Get Ready to Paddle Another New River In Our Region This is another reason why TVCC supports American Whitewater.  |
| 3. The Summer Paddlesports Magazine had a nice one page list of ’10 Simple Steps to Paddle Sports Safety.’ The ten are: 1) wear a life jacket, 2) wear an appropriate leash when paddleboarding, 3) paddle sober and smart, 4) check the weather, 5) stay clear of other vessels, 6) carry a whistle, 7) dress for immersion, not air temperature, 8) know the local hazards, 9) carry a waterproof VHF radio, and 10) education: get some. Adapt these steps to the type of paddling and body of water you are paddling. As for step 10, that’s what TVCC is about, educating for safety and skill, and then having fun using that education. Read the page with all details at this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eMIHdn7kSzCGfIN2KoU1RmWVJ_rq9dHC/view?usp=sharing |
| Thanks To All Our 2022 TVCC Sponsors They Help Make Our Programs Possible! |
Ocoee Level Adventures Unlimited https://adventuresunlimited.net/Outdoor Chattanooga https://outdoorchattanooga.com/Apex Kayaks https://apexwatercraft.com/apex-party/Dagger Kayaks https://www.dagger.com/us/Liquid Logic Kayaks https://liquidlogickayaks.com/Kayak Outfitting Erik Zitzow https://kayakoutfitting.com/Rock Creek Outfitters https://www.facebook.com/rockcreekoutfitters/Ironman Triathlon https://www.ironman.com/im-chattanoogaScenic City Law https://sceniccitylaw.com/Performance Designs https://www.pd-performancedesigns.com/L2 Outside https://l2outside.com/St Francis B&B https://www.stfranciscottage.com/Ottawa Kayak School https://ottawakayak.com/Focus 4 Massage https://www.focus4massage.com/John Wright Family – John’s father Jack is a TVCC founding member Tellico Level Team Popp https://www.teampoppdental.com/Sundance https://www.sundancecatalog.com/Jackson Kayak (Orien) https://jacksonkayak.com/orion-coolers/Lookout Mtn Flight Park https://www.flylookout.com/Immersion Research https://immersionresearch.com/Gordon’s Cleaners https://www.gordonscleaners.com/Chilhowee Gliderport http://chilhowee.com/Chattanooga Bakery https://moonpie.com/Mike Alan Paddles TVCC memberMike Shillinger’s Fine Libations TVCC member Hiwassee Level ACE Kayaking School https://www.acekayaking.com/Tennessee Aquarium https://tnaqua.org/Werner Paddles https://wernerpaddles.com/American Portables https://www.facebook.com/americanportable/Truist Park Samantha BrunnerGwen EnglishUSNWCShockerzHigh Point https://www.highpointclimbing.com/chattanooga/downtownWoody’s River ArtOwens Cycles https://www.owencyclery.com/Hidden Rivers – Casper CoxElder Ace Hardware https://www.acehardware.com/store-details/01086The Cat And The CrowOcoee Threads https://ocoeethreads.com/ Tennessee Level Audubon Acres https://www.chattanoogaaudubon.org/audubon-acres.htmlQuest Expeditions Rafting https://questexpeditions.com/ACE Rafting https://aceocoeeadventures.com/NOC Rafting https://noc.com/locations/ocoee-river-tn/4 Bridges Outdoor Store https://www.fourbridgesoutfitters.com/Ocoee Gondolier Restaurant https://www.facebook.com/gondolierocoee/Cajun LadyNaked Mountain Winery OAR Rafting https://ocoee.com/ocoee-rafting-oar/H2O Rescue |