The newsletter of the South Dakota Canoe Associationwww.sdcka.blogspot.com
The South Dakota Canoe Association kicksoff paddling season 2009 with an April 25multi-layered cruise.The Big Sioux River will play waterwayhost, but paddlers can choose big, small, or medium lengths of cruise.At 10 a.m., paddlers will launch from the powwow grounds north of Flandreau andcruise down to the lowhead dam in the city.At noon, the Sierra Club will begin their Earth Day event below the dam, paddling tothe Egan City Park.Anyone who wants can do the wholeenchilada and make it a full day of paddlingfrom the 10 a.m. put-in to Egan. Free shuttleswill be arranged for everybody who needs aride.
First cruise on Big Sioux River to go down April 25
Second paddling fair a key addition to SDCA schedule for 2009
The annual SDCA paddling fair – anopen house to try boats – will be June 7 atthe free beach on Lake Alvin, but the clubhas added another event earlier in thesummer.Marindahl Lake, a prairie gem of a smallSE South Dakota lake, will play host for anevent set for May. Rick Johns is going tohost the event, and he’ll need supportfrom club members.Having a second event like our annualLake Alvin event should give morepaddlers a chance to try out some boats.Members who want to meet other paddlers – and who perhaps want to tryout one of Rick’s skin-on, hand-built boats – are welcome to come and encouragedto bring their kayaks, canoes, and awillingness to share.The 2008 event at Lake Alvin was a bighit, in part because of the beautiful
To recap, there are at least three options:1)
Paddle powwow grounds to dam2)
Paddle dam to Egan3)
Paddle powwow grounds to dam, portage, paddle to EganLast year, paddlers who traveledconsiderable distance disliked the shortnature of this opening cruise. With multipleoptions, paddlers can pick the route best for them. Jarett Bies is the lead for the SDCAside of this event. With options, more paddler satisfaction, we hope. Maps will beavailable on our Web site.There’s much more paddling in store. Keepreading or check out the blog @http://sdcka.blogspot.com.
What’s There To Do?
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Try a different boat
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Show off your boat
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Try a new paddle
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Build friendships
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Share cruise ideas
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Try a canoe
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Try a kayak
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Rescues and such
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Try before you buy
The Prairie Paddler
Volume 34, Issue 9 March 24, 2009
weather.Marindahl Lake is located southwest of Irene, just northeast of Volin. It’s a gooddistance for Sioux Falls paddlers, but for Rick and other paddlers from theVermillion/Yankton region, it will be closeto home.The lake boasts very clear water, offerssome scenic cliff-like rock formations,and it’s remote enough that it’s rarelyever occupied. It’s perfect for newcomersto the sports of canoeing and kayaking,and it should be fun.Rick said the crappie bite at Marindahlis usually good, so if you’re an angler,there will be a chance to catch somesupper.We hope to have as many boat ownersthere as possible, and if you have anyquestions about the event, pleasecontact Rick Johns, or write Jarett, andthey can help you out.
2009 Events & Cruises
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April 25, cruise on theBig Sioux River
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May, Skunk Creek cruise & Marindahl Lake
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June, Missouri River,Vermillion; MissouriRiver, Pierre
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June 7, paddling fair
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July 19, poker run onOakwood Lakes
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August, James River
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September 11-13, 2009South Dakota Kayak Challenge
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