hannahrayj

As seen on Jackson Kayak

Summer Surprise

Summer Surprise

Just when I thought the summer blues were here for a while, rainstorms swept overhead producing heavy rains. I watched the Cedar River swell to spring time flows in what is usually the hottest, driest time in Iowa. Exciting to watch the gauge rise and I’m grateful to be able to enjoy the high flows with such warm, beautiful weather too.

Marty throwing a loop in Exit Exam at Charles City Whitewater during the recent great water levels.

Another superb surprise along with the water was meeting new friends! TJ and Kate stopped on their way through from Idaho to Connecticut. It was a delight to paddle with them at my local whitewater park.

TJ throwing down at Charles City Whitewater.

TJ was throwing down loops and back stabs in his Rockstar and Kate, fairly new to playboating, was laying down some solid carves and side surfs in her Rockstar.

Kate surfing at Charles City.

It’s always icing on the cake to meet rad new paddling peeps while enjoying prime water levels.

TJ, Kate, Marty, and myself.

So if you suffer from water-induced blues, or lack there-of, just remember a few things.

Continue to be ever-hopeful for that one rainstorm, it could be a big game changer!
Enjoy the anticipation, be in the moment, and cherish the connections made.
Gratefulness goes a long way, be open to the surprises and remember to soak up every drop.

-Hannah Ray J

Photos by Marty Colbert and myself.

This weekend we headed up to Charles City Whitewater for some whitewater fun. The river was running on the low end, 891cfs, but I knew we would find some form of fun anyway. The top wave, Double D, was super mellow and fun for surfing in our kayaks. Marty could back surf for days! I got my Badfish River Surfer on the wave and carved up a storm on the glassy green ribbon of water. Marty and I could even surf the wave at the same time! He would head over to surfers right and I would stick to surfers left where I figured out I could also do shuv its on my board! So fun! The second feature was ‘shaning’ and one could spin till you’re dizzy in the little foam pocket.

Entering Shanez Wave.

We decided to stay over in the parking lot at the whitewater park Saturday evening in hopes we could catch our friends possibly arriving that evening. It was a lovely, cool evening for July in Iowa. Perfect for sitting by the riverside, grilling hotdogs, and watching the mob of pokemon people wander about aimlessly.

Good thing we decided to to stay in our vamper (van camper) Saturday night! A thunderstorm passed through during the early hours of Sunday morning dumping buckets of rain, around 4” total! We woke Sunday morning to a quickly moving, chocolate milk colored river! This was going to be a fun day! Excitedly we hustled over to hyvee for breakfast and upon return to the whitewater park we noticed it was already rising rapidly! The gauge looked like something from nasa!

Old friends and new friends started arriving and we jumped in the river for all day! The Double D pocket was going off, offering up fast, bouncy surfs and flatspins in the kayaks. The second feature changed from ‘shaning’ to ‘tew shaning’ to a fun, fluffly wave-hole. Awesome boils, whirlpools and swirling eddylines formed and reformed in the rising river all day. Small logs, major limbs, and even a flip-flop shoe wizzed by as we surfed and enjoyed the river.