We’re working hard to make sure this is the best event possible! A conundrum that we as organizers have had is that the current courses on the Menominee River are really better suited to poly sea kayaks than fiberglass boats. If you own a good poly sea kayak, no problem. But, if you didn’t own one, we didn’t want to have to have you rent a boat for 3 or 4 days that you may only one to two days or not at all. We’ve suggested begging, borrowing or stealing a boat from a friend, family member or member of your paddling community. Still, we didn’t think it was very good service to leave you no options beyond that!

A great new option has opened up for you to rent a boat locally, for the day(s) you’ll actually be using it.  Uncle Ducky’s Outfitters in Marquette has a fleet of boats they use for their guided sea kayak tours.  These boats are most definitely available during the weekend. If you’re still wondering what to do about the having a poly boat for these courses, please give them a call!

In this week’s “What we Love to Teach”, local paddler and Gales’ coach, Sam Crowley, talks about the venue and what he loves to teach in the Marquette area:

Paddling amongst the rocks in MIddle Bay

What I like to teach is rough water paddling in the Marquette area. The  bends and twists of the shoreline offers a dynamic environment that  allows wave energy to be focused or dissipated offering a selection of  teaching venues for rough water paddling, surfing, navigation and rock  garden playing.  Rarely is the surf break the same at all points on the shoreline.

During  a private surfing/rough water lesson on Middle Bay, we launched into  conditions that was too challenging for the Kelly’s skill level. No  problem, we headed down along the Middle Bay shoreline to where the  break was smaller. On the way back he asked if the waves had dropped, as  they didn’t look so big anymore. They were the same size, what had  increased was his skill.

Another time, Middle Bay was overwhelming. Wanting to take some photos  of towing in rough water Nancy, Don and I launched. As we headed out we  realized the conditions were bigger than what we had planned on. As a  large set came in I watched as Don climbed over the top. Nancy wasn’t so  lucky, as the wave broke on her she was surfed backwards then en

Slots are cool places to take a break an then bust on through!

dered.  When she rolled up she has little choice but to surf the next wave as it  broke on her. Don and I looked at each other and signaled to head in.  But that didn’t end our day, we headed over to the Presque Isle Marina  and headed for the end of the breakwall. With nearby protection and deep  water, we headed out into the same conditions that the reefs in Middle  Bay made too challenging for a shoulder nearly, but not fully recovered  from injury.

Playing in rocks requires boat handling skills and offers a great  teaching venue. With a good part of the shoreline being rock, there are  places along Presque Isle and Partridge Island where the waves get  focused turning waves as small as 6-12 inches into a challenge for  getting into and around rocks. Increase the wave height and the  challenge increases. Waves too big? No problem, head to a place that  dissipate the wave energy and play in the rocks there.

Teaching on water navigation is facilitated by a handful of nearby  islands and a shoreline that twists and bends. This is a playground for  teaching piloting, the use of visual landmarks in navigation. Throw in  conditions which ups the skill level.

I’ve paddled many shorelines and taught in many places. When the north  or east winds blow, Marquette’s shoreline is a great playground and  classroom offering a variety of challenges for a variety of skill levels.

Photo courtesty of http://www.kayarchy.co.uk

From the Sea Kayak Course Offerings Page:

“Night Navigation – This journey will take place on either Saturday or Sunday night, dependent on conditions. We’ll paddle through areas with and without aids to navigation, and participants should have good day navigation skills. Night navigation is an assessment criteria for the BCU 5* Sea Award and the ACA L5 Instructor Certification, so “buckle down” paddlers!”

Night navigation is one of several types of navigation that fall under the category of limited visibility. Both fog and darkness can be disorienting factors, limiting your ability to return “home safely” with your paddling partners. Using aids to navigation, proper equipment, and top notch chart/compass work are all critical to your ability to manage these situations. Having a good head upon your shoulders will allow you to combine these technical skills and make sound decisions.

The Night Navigation course will take place within the context of a journey. Small groups of paddlers (each accompanied by one of the coaches) will be given a challenge to find and navigate to different points along the way.  The group that completes this “treasure hunt” safely and in the quickest time will win a prize worthy of their efforts (how ’bout that for ambiguity). The journey will travel through wilderness (unlit) and into the city of Marquette (lit with bouys and other lights).

Here are the details:

When?  On Saturday evening (if conditions permit, Sunday is the make-up night)) after the Shakedown. We will plan on launching at 10pm and finishing by midnight. Please do not consume more than a drink or two during dinner if you would like to be a part of this. We will let you know earlier in the day if the night navigation exercise is “on” for that evening.

Who? Groups of 3-4 Storm Gathering Participants + 1 Coach (with BCU 5* or ACA L5 Instructor Certification). Participants should be dialed in on day navigation skills including using a chart to plot bearings and paddling on a heading using a deck compass.

What to Bring? Sea Kayak & Normal Kit, Extra Clothes in a Drybag, hot drink in a thermos, Strobe, Flashlight or light to shine on you, other lights you may have, flares,  vhf radio, storm cag, deck compass.

Only 15 spots left! We do have a maximum participant number for this event! Here’s a link for the registration page…go ahead…bookmark it and register later

Tom Crosses the eddyline of the Reversing Falls of Cobscook Bay Tidal Race

From the Course Description:

“Long Boats in Current 1 & 2 – Prepare yourself to paddle in British Columbia’s “Skooks”, Wales’ “Penhryn Mawr” or the Bay of Fundy’s “Reversing Falls’”! Long Boats in Current focuses on the fun that sea kayaks can have in current! LBC1 will introduce sea paddlers to turning on eddlylines, ferry crossings and attaining from eddy to eddy. LBC2 will focus on play in current as we surf standing waves and holes, and move to areas of more significant flow. This course takes place on the Menominee River.”

As organizers of a Great Lakes rough water event, we needed a back-up plan. What if the sea (lake) goes flat for a day, or even two? If it happens on the ocean (which it does..although you’re not likely to ever hear that from any of our east or west coast paddling brethren) it can happen on Lake Superior, even in October. An hour and a half south of the Marquette is the Menominee River. This class II-III whitewater river is suitable (safe) for sea kayaks to play on and learn skills for paddling in significant currents.  It also give us rough water to play and learn in if the sea were to go flat.

More than a back-up plan for a lack of conditions, learning and improving your boat handling skills in current is one of the major factors in becoming an advanced and proficient sea paddler. Special skills are needed for paddling in these conditions, evident by the fact that all major paddlesport bodies include these skills in the upper level certifications. BCU 4* & 5*, ACA L4 and L5 and Paddle Canada 3 & 4 certifications require candidates to show proficiency in handling their boats in tidal current.  This leaves us Great Lakes Paddlers (as well as ocean paddlers in areas like southern California, many areas in the southeastern US and the Gulf of Mexico) in a bit of a conundrum. Without races, rips and overfalls at our “beckon call”, how do we learn, practice and master these skills without considerable costs in travel? Even if we are well-travelled paddlers, what about a little practice time between jaunts to tidal areas?  Some whitewater experience helps, but it’s not the same and you may or may not want to invest time/energy into another sport. The best answer that we’ve come up with is to play in sea kayaks in Class II-III whitewater.

Whitewater currents are created by gradient, the loss of elevation along the river. The steeper the gradient, the more powerful and technical the whitewater. Ocean currents are created by the tide. The larger the tidal range, the faster, more powerful and technical the currents and features. Beyond differing causality there are major differences in the currents themselves. Tidal currents constantly change as the current goes from slack to max and back to slack again (and then turns and go the opposite direction as ebb changes to flood). Whitewater currents stay relatively constant with the only changes due to rising or falling water levels.  Tidal current features are significantly effected or amplified by wind and ocean swell, whereas these environmental factors do not really effect whitewater. Though these are significant differences, there are many similarities when you’re paddling sea kayaks in both environments. Eddylines, standing waves and pour-overs are found in both tidal and gradient-inspire currents. How you handle your boat in these features is not much different as well. Boat speed and position, angle of approach and edging are basically the same. Eddy turns, peel-outs, attainments and ferry glide maneuvers are basically the same. The ability to surf a standing wave on a whitewater river transfers directly to surfing a standing wave at an overfall.

In 2010, Geneva Kayak offered a expedition on the coast of Downeast Maine and New Brunswick. During the expedition, we spent a day at the Reversing Falls of Cobscook Bay tidal races. Three of the six expedition members had taken our long boats in current trainings on the Menominee River while the remaining three had not.  It was amazing to see proficiency level differences between the two groups. Those with the Menominee River experience were able to transfer those skills to the new environment instantaneously…having a lot of fun playing in the currents and moving their boats around with ease. Though the other three were talented paddlers, this new environment caused many tightly gripped paddles, rescues and some shaky boats!

Two courses will be offered on the Menominee River at the Gales Storm Gathering. Long Boats in Current 1 will focus on developing the basics of handling our boats in current while Long Boats in Current 2 will work on refinement of these skills and play! It is recommended to bring a poly boat on these courses.

Derrick Mayoleth (of Kayak Quixotica) wrote a great post about the history of the Gales and our re-vision for the event.

Read the post Legends at KayakQuixotica.com

Tom Navigates through the pea soup on the coast of Grand Manaan Island in New Brunswick. This island is in the Bay of Fundy and sea kayakers must deal with fog, a tidal range of 26 feet and complex currents. Learn how to deal with these type of conditions during our OW Navigation Workshop

From the Course Description:

“Open Water Navigation – Take your navigation to the next level with the OW Navigation course. A classroom navigation session will be followed by on-water navigation skills and a navigation challenge!”

Oy vey! Why would anyone want to sit inside working on navigation during the Gales Storm Gathering?  I want to be paddling with my mates and the coaches that are here.  Here’s the answer – “This IS NOT  your normal navigation class!” The coaches are prepared to offer the best nav course  you’ve ever taken, but we have an expectation of you as well. Know the basics. Be familiar with nautical charts and your handheld compass. Know how to plot a bearing on a nautical chart and paddle on that heading using a deck compass.

When paddlers come into the course with this basic knowledge, we can have fun from there! We’ll plan on offering this class when it is bumpy or foggy, or both. Learn how to compensate for current and wind, as well as navigating in limited visibility conditions.  Paddlers should have a nautical chart of the area, deck compass and handheld compass.  We will be on the water most of the day!

Economical, but beautiful and rustic, accommodations are running low for the symposium. While you can make your accommodation for the symposium at a plethora of other lodging choices around the area, we are offering bunks in the rustic cabins at $20 per bunk, per night. Heated by wood burning stoves, these idyllic cabins are located minutes from the symposium site on beautiful Harlow Lake. Be sure to register for the symposium soon to take advantage of this lodging choice!