Written by: Robby Hogg 
Edited by: Joe Bosquin
Photos and Video: Robby Hogg

Lurking deep in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, in the shadow of Donner Summit,  The Royal Gorge of the North Fork of the American River  is one of the most famous and sought-after runs in the world.  Heath Springs Gorge,  Rattle Snake Falls, Wabena Falls, and Chuck Kern Falls, just to name a few, provide all the entertainment a kayaker  could ever  ask for.  Every year, more and more paddlers trek to this area, fueled by dreams of big, clean waterfalls, deep, narrow gorges and some of the best whitewater on the planet.

Will Pruett – Photo Robby Hogg

Arriving during one of the best run-off windows in recent memory, Drew Duval and Will Pruett came to Royal Gorge ready to charge.  Joining myself (Robby Hogg), Johnny (Kentucky) Saltagerald and Thomas Moore, we would be the second group to put on this spring.    With healthy flows just over 1100 cfs on the gauge, the lead in rapids had plenty of water.  Making a few portages and running two mini gorges, we arrived at the entrance to Heath Springs Gorge.

Will Pruett and Drew Duvall Scout Heath #1

At Heath Spring, we started scouting, and noticed two other kayakers sitting on the bank – a pair, that unbeknownst to us, had put in earlier that morning.  We would learn that one swam at the base of Heath Springs #1, with his kayak going over Heath Springs #2 before getting stuck in a room of doom below on the left.  With no safe way to extract the boat, they decided to wait for help.   After talking to them and scouting, we got to work, deciding to run the drops so that we could get down to the lost boat.   Minus Johnny blowing his skirt, everyone had great lines.

Will Pruett on Heath #1 – Photo Robby Hogg

Drew Duvall on Heath #1 – photo Robby Hogg

Not coincidentally, Johnny and I had performed this exact rescue last year, when the same situation happened to Ben Coleman – the spot is steep and blind, and when things go wrong, paddlers and their boats end up exiled in this hard-to-reach pocket.

Drew Duvall Scouting Heath #2 – Photo Robby Hogg

With everyone wearing Astral PFDs  that can double as a safety harness, the boat rescue began.  We set the anchor, tied Johnny in, and went over the plan: for Johnny to rappel down, swim into the cave behind the 60-foot waterfall, attach a rope to the bow, un-screw the drain plug so that we could drain the boat before hoisting it up, and then pull Johnny back up to the top before extracting the boat itself.  I was downstream so I could keep a visual on Johnny and relay communication to the team.  They say practice makes perfect, and it definitely went a lot better the second time around.

After the rescue, we decided to camp.  Probably not a great idea seeing how we were doing a two day trip and still had about 38  miles of class V  to paddle. The thunder heads that woke us up in the middle of the night wouldn’t make our descent any easier. Thankfully, we already had a rope slung between to anchors, and Johnny’s tarp was big enough for the five of us, though definitely a little cozy. This was the beginning of a long day two.

After a sleepless night, we didn’t finish the Wabena portage the next day until around noon, and still had to paddle all the way to take out, 33 miles below us. Reality set in, and we started in on the long haul, one of the longest days on the river in my life.

Johnny Kentucky – Photo Robby Hogg

After 10 more hours of non-stop paddling, portaging and scrambling in the canyon, we made it to take-out about an hour after dark . We made it down without further incident, but we were definitely relieved to be back safe at the cars after doing a marathon through one of the toughest, most picturesque and serene river gorges in the world.

Check out all of Robby’s Royal Gorge images here.

submitted by Gary Williams, Achilles International Kayak Program

The Achilles International Kayak Program provides disabled athletes the opportunity to compete in mainstream open water kayak racing. We paddle races up to 28 miles, often in challenging conditions, in tandem sea kayaks crewed by an experienced guide and Achilles athlete up front. We race long and hard and require quality outfitting for our team.

Safety and comfort are paramount over these distances and we have selected the Astral V-Eight as our team PFD.

Here’s why:

-First, as a racers we need a PFD that allows unimpeded rotation and a high angle / cadence stroke. The V-Eight permits this with deep arm cutaway allowing the high arm across the face without chafing the inner arm.

-It is light and with the Airescape (patent pending) vents and mesh back panel, it keeps you cool when you need it.

-The eco-friendly flotation is also effective and has a fairly low profile that enables simple re-entry and support for even large paddlers.

-We have also been impressed with the durability of materials, quality of workmanship and wide range of available sizes.

-Our athletes come with a range of needs and so far we have been able to accommodate all with the Astral V-Eight.

-We love and trust the V-Eight.

Astral is a proud supporter of the Achilles International Kayak Program.

submitted by Evan Stafford – CKS Squad

The Astral Greenjacket is the most comfortable and functional rescue PFD I have ever owned. While teaching rescue courses this spring I used it to demonstrate being live baited to rescue an unconscious swimmer, v-lowered into a rapid to access a pinned boat and towing abandoned gear to shore. I used the vest to rappel around an unrunnable falls on an exploratory mission in BC. I even tested the flotation on a birthday swim. In each of these scenarios the Greenjacket performed.

The Greenjacket offers amazing mobility for the amount of flotation it provides and it also comes standard with two pockets to house a tow leash and some extra carabiner’s, and a pocket for the Astral Throw Bag Pouch. For any serious paddler this is the PFD of choice.

Pros:

-Extremely comfortable – The PFD rides in places that do not decrease your paddling mobility in any way.

-For all shapes and sizes – The numerous adjustment points and the separated front and inner panels allow for a great fit for a wide range of body types (including for the ladies special proportions)

-Safety and rescue focused – The quick release belt, throw rope and tow leash pockets, and rappel ready spectra safety loop offer paddlers a great range of tools for use in navigating difficult rivers safely.

Cons:

-Kind of expensive – Costs quite a bit more than non-rescue pfd’s and even slightly more than most other rescue vests, but is worth every penny.

-Does not include a tow leash or the Astral Throw Bag Pouch – These must be purchased separately. Astral, with the Greenjacket, has however come up with the best compatibility system for these accessories of any of the rescue vests currently on the market.

-Doesn’t rescue your friends for you – Please take a rescue class to learn how to use your rescue vest properly.

by Philip Ruckart
Yak 4 Fish

Mention the word PFD to some and you may it turn receive a “what’s that” expression. A personal flotation device, or life jacket, is highly recommended to be worn at all times while engaged in on-the-water sports. Though most states don’t require it to be on they do require a properly fitting PFD be on-board for every person. Common reasons folks usually find for not wearing one are; it’s too bulky, too hot, too restrictive or the ever over-confident, “I can swim fine”.

Thankfully there are a multitude of choices available with models designed for specific types of paddle sports, such as whitewater and general recreational. With either you will be best served by trying on the PFD and sitting in the kayak(s) you plan to use to check for comfort and unhindered shoulder move that simulates paddling. If you enjoy kayak fishing a model with the least bulk in the chest will allow more natural arm movements and positions with rod and reel in hand. I personally don’t care for models that have integrated features found in fly fishing vests, namely pockets varying in all sizes as they extend the profile of the PFD and when stuffed with gear only become worse.

In recent years manufactures such as Native Watercraft and Heritage Kayaks, as well as a few aftermarket seat companies, have sought to create some of the most comfortable seats available on recreational kayaks. One way to increase comfort has been by providing a higher-backed seat for more support. A consequence of this has been the difficulty of finding a PFD with a back that either is low or high enough to comfortably be against the seat back.

Enter Astral Buoyancy. Founded in 2002 and located near Asheville North Carolina, they have become one of the most innovative manufacturers of technologically advanced PFD’s available. One of their newest models is the NOVA, a PFD designed for recreation, touring and kayak fishing. One of the features that make the NOVA a perfect fit for high-backed seats is the Thinvent™ back, which as the name implies is very thin and hardly noticeable once leaned against the seat. The back is separated in the middle, along the spine, with mesh to increase venting. The flotation material is made of extremely lightweight, durable and recyclable PE foam that is ergonomically shaped by hand. The front can be closed either by zipping it up or by using the buckle underneath the zipper, which still retains Coast Guard approval for proper fitting. Also on the front is a lash tab, reflective accents for night time safety, two gusseted, baffled mesh pockets, one on each side that are held closed with button snaps that can be opened quickly with nylon pull loops. Rounding out the front of the PFD is a comfortable waist belt that resides is a nylon sleeve to reduce chaffing.

As my old PFD, a Mild-Water from Lotus Designs (consequentially developed by the current owner of Astral) began to wear out the search for a replacement began. After trying a multitude of different manufactures models I finally hit pay dirt upon discovering the NOVA. Initially I thought that even though the back was thin it would retain heat and cook my kidneys during hot summer days. I’m happy to say that after four months and many days of 90º plus temps and high humidity the vest performs well in dissipating body heat through the Thinvent™ back and front Chimney Vent. By leaps and bounds this is the best fitting, lightest, most comfortable, kayak fishing suitable and versatile designed PFD’s I’ve found to date and one that should remove all complaints and excuses about not wearing one so don’t become a statistic, get out and try the NOVA and wear it.

Specifications:
Coast Guard Type III 15.5 lbs of buoyancy
Sizes: S/M 31-37
M/L 38-44
L/XL 45-51
Colors: Azul, Saffron, Marooned, and LaBronze (shown)
MSRP: $89.95

words and video by Sean Bozkewycz

photos by Sam Ricketts and Adrian Kiernan 

Flowing through the twin townships of Courtney and Comox on Vancouver island is a river atypical of my BC experience hitherto. Perhaps coincidentally this was also my first boating mission on Vancouver Island. Kayakers descended upon the Puntledge river for the annual festival of slides, falls and waves for which hydro BC releases increasing recreational flows from Friday until Sunday.

Upper hatchery to Stotan falls is the prime whitewater, with husky slides and a few fun waterfalls laced with man eating holes. The ledgey style of the Puntledge riverbed continues past Stotan with a slightly reduced gradient forming magnificent play waves in almost every rapid. Paddling down from the upper into the playrun I’d suggest parking a spare car with your kayak quiver – from here out you’re going to wish you had a playboat.  Among dozens of quality on-the-fly treats, the friendly green glass of Tarp and Play wave is the cream of the crop and only improves as the eddy becomes increasingly uncooperative with the rising river.

Between 65 and 85 cumecs most lines on the upper go sight unseen, besides perhaps either nymph or Stotan falls. The slides are a bit scrapy at lower flows but there are fewer death holes to dodge. On Sundays increasing flow the ramps gather speed and you can move around a bit more, but the lines are tighter and the holes meaner. There are definitely some places on the upper Puntledge where you do not ever want to go at these flows.

The incessant Saturday night giveaway session was testament to the support of the paddling community, with the goods flying free until a sobering presentation from Jakub Nemec captivated the audience. Jakub spoke with passion about the theft of BC’s rivers by the corrupt and short sighted government that is speedily killing rivers and creeks to sell the power to the states (and that’s not mentioning the subsequent capability to capture the water and not return it to the streams…)

Sunday starts at 85 cms and peaks at 110 in the afternoon and these ramping flows give you a great chance to get a feel for the run, learning the rapids and the lines at lower water so that you can return with extra confidence for a peaking run;  Having said that a couple of the lads escaped lightly after run-ins with mid-slide potholes. A fish ladder just upstream of Nymph falls handed out two especially viscous beatings to the Sams.

Stotan falls is a stunning few hundred feet of whitewater. It begins with a blind horizon under the bridge with the first smooth fifteen footer, a second similar fall in the fifteen foot range and then a double-stepped ledge slide to finish. Above is the classic shot from the bridge.

After the adrenalin-fueled Sunday arvo run we loaded the wheels once again and returned to the put in for one last run down the goods. The water had started to drop after the dam ceased releasing but there was easily enough water still, probably slightly more than saturday morning’s 65 cumecs. This is when our fun with fish ladders really took off. Ricketts and I went for a line down the right of a sliding rapid just above Nymph Falls but were both inadvertently pushed towards the fish ladder in the centre. I was lucky to scrape through but another metre left Ricky Dropped right into the corner of the heinous hole at the bottom of the ladder. Fighting valiantly, he was looped onto the rock shelf before eventually dragging himself out, having spent many seconds ragdolling. This is the same hole that beat Tregenza a wee bit on the Saturday (that backlooping re-entry caught on film – see the vid). Back at Stotan we were running out of h2o for the main attraction so after one last run we called it a day. Once changed we went back to the bridge for one last peek at the goodness only to discover a solid line had emerged down the first fish ladder. Now we are not entirely certain whether these channels are natural or man made but they’re a little bit out of place in the ledgey drops of the Puntledge. Since the dam was built the fisheries authority has had to do some fairly major fiddling with the riverbed to keep the salmon happy – gravel beds that no longer form naturally must be replaced, fish ladders built and stocks ‘enhanced’ by breeding programs.

Wet gear was retrieved and donned before rock paper scissors decided the order for the first run. The dropping river channeled up into the ladder and raced down the ramp with diagonals coming at you from all angles until the final reactionary pushed left and off into the hole below. The main part of the ramp was all good but you really wanted to get that last stroke to control your angle through the waiting hole. The three that fired is up all had solid lines and continued off downstream to discover another even larger ladder at the next drop.

This one had at least a hundred feet of cascading foamy diagonals and ledges before piling into a meaty hole. With Adrian armed with his throwbag I dropped in and got a solid final stroke in to pull me up and over the towback. A sick rapid to finish off a stellar weekend on the Puntledge.

If you look in the backroad mapbook nearby you will find massive areas of Vancouver island have been laced with forestry roads. There is barely a natural forest left. Paradoxically, we are lucky to have such great access to the rivers and creeks. In the same book there is a falls marked on Trent creek. Well we asked the locals and were told that it was a fifteen foot slide into a thirty footer and had been run recently. That was all we needed to make it a priority once the Puntledge flows ceased. Despite a night of rain the Trent was low and after scraping down a few hundred meters from the put in we found the drop. A slide alright, too low today, and an ugly looking lip on the falls which from our estimates looked barely over twenty, about 80% of which reconnected on the shelf below. With more water it goes but I’m not sure the mission would be worth it…

Little Qualicum’s been on a few of our hit lists for a while so we stopped in there on the return leg toward the departure bay ferry. A new tree has clogged the pool between the funky twenty and the clean twenty five making a tough IV+ line all the more consequential. After scouting for a long time we eventually decided that the timber cramped our style a little too much, and despite having the gear to descend to the log for safety, we would have to come back with a little less water. Or a lot less water and a chainsaw.

Cheers from BC,

boz