How To Meditate - Alec Jansujwicz

Meditation allows an individual to practice mindfulness. This means that one can learn how to both return to and appreciate the present moment. In addition, I find that meditation can help restore my aura to that of more positive when I feel surrounded by a negative energy field. The most simple steps are as follows: 

1. Get comfy in a quiet or happy place 
2. Clear your mind by writing or speaking any grievances or things you wish to remember 
3. Focus on breathing, feel where you breath from and focus on inhaling and exhaling
4. Close your eyes 
5. Continue to focus on the present 
6. Expel negative energy by exhaling and breathe in positive energy

Meditation only works if the individual truly respects and wants to absorb the positive energy surrounding them. It should only take a few minutes, and can change the outlook of one’s day by refreshing their aura. 

Keener First Aid - T Buckley

On the first weekend of Keeners, everybody who does not already have a First Aid certification will complete a 16 hour Canadian Wilderness Medical Training first aid course. It is a 2-day course, 8 hours each day. The first day is spent mostly doing talking and paperwork. We talked a lot about assessing patients/victims and figuring out what is wrong with them even if they are unconscious or can't talk. The second day gets more exciting. We practiced making splints on multiple parts of the body, we learned how to relocate a dislocated shoulder, and learned a lot about head injuries. To finish the day we practiced attaching victims to a spinal board, and proceded to carry someone on a spinal board around Keenerville. And finally, at the end of the course, we received our certification cards, valid for 3 years. They CAN be upgraded to Advanced with another course if completed before the expiration date. 

Completing this course allows Keeners to fully take advantage of our First Aid kits given to us by Wilderness Tours. Anybody that has completed First Aid and SRT earns the title of Senior Keener.

Keener Blog: Why you should kayak on the weekend By: Charles Brooks

Keener Blog: Why you should kayak on the weekend

It’s the first Saturday of Keeners, and you wake up feeling super sore and tired. Your first thought is, “Dude, I’m not going kayaking today because I’m sore.” But then you remember that Minibus is in. Minibus is reason enough to go kayaking on a weekend. Even if you are super sore and tired, you should go kayaking on Minibus because it is an epic experience. Minibus is a massive wave that can only be reached by a tow rope or dropping in from above. You can get some humongous tricks and bounces once you are surfing the wave. Now, I am slightly more sore, but I got to Surf Minibus and had a fantastic time on the water. I would highly recommend weekend kayaking as long as Minibus is involved. If minibus is not involved, do not pay any attention to this blog. 

From Tville to the Ottawa by Evan Kindseth

The Ottawa River has a lot of big water. This water is especially huge when compared to the small Connecticut jewel, Tariffville Gorge. Most of my time kayaking in the last year has been spent in Tville on the Farmington River. I have spent much time practicing at the main hole and on the many other small features on the river. The waves and holes on the Ottawa are very different then they are on my hometown river. Surfing Phil’s, Big Smoothie, and especially Minibus are very different then anything in Tville. Getting on Minibus my first time my first thought was “oh my gosh.” But this quickly subsided to excitement and a large dose of adrenaline. Moving from practicing on relatively small water and moving to big water is surprisingly easy. All the skills are transferable the difference is mostly mental. No matter the size of the water the moves you use to move you boat remain the same. 

Coaches- by fisher

We have just finished our first week at keeners session one. This weekend was the wilderness first aid training. I have gotten more confident in this whole trip, at the begging of this week I was scared of the water and homesick. Now that the coaches have helped me and encouraged me I now am not that afraid of the water. The coaches are so encouraging if you are nervous about this camp. They are so willing to help you with, homesickness, and anything about the water and the camp. I very highly encourage coming to this camp. It has made me a better person and kayaker. 

How to catch Mini Bus almost every time By Matt White

After a full on week of keeners Saturday’s free paddle brought some of us to the Lorne rapid and the infamous Mini Bus wave. The first time you successfully surf this wave it is an experience like no other. Bigger, faster and scarier than any other wave surfed during the week. Although big water beat down Thursday came to a close at Mini Bus, there was only two or three surfs per keener. During the three hours that the group was at Bussy, we got experience in working the tow rope, using the rope ourselves and being in utter shock when Steveo, Adriene and all are fellow Keeners got huge Blunts, Panams and some attempted Air Screws. The rope used to surf onto Mini Bus is one of the hardest ways onto the wave but it is by far the fastest. It takes time to learn how to make the critical ferry to get into the flow and surf onto the wave and let the fun unfold. The three hours of Mini Bus was by far one of the sickest days of sessions 1

How to Loop a Kayak- Ben Atherton

How to Loop a Kayak
By: Ben Atherton
Looping a kayak is one of the coolest and most impressive tricks that you can perform in whitewater. Although it is fairly difficult to learn, it only takes a little bit of practice and some good instruction. First, you'll need a boat that is short enough to throw, but also large enough to bounce out of the water. Next, you'll need to find a suitable feature to perform your loop. The best, and most simple place to perform a loop is a small, steep hole, that is deep enough to plug. To start, you must first surf out into the chosen feature and set up for the loop. In most places, you can slowly work your way to the top of the foam pile. Once you are on to of the hole/wave, you need to slam all of your weight into your feet and let the water push the bow of your boat deep into the water. As your boat plugs into the hole, you must look towards the sky, and stand up tall in your boat. This will shoot your boat into the air as the volume of the bow wants to reach the surface of the water. As you launch out of the hole, you need to throw your body and arms forward, and as you land, you pull your paddle back from the bow of your boat over your head. If you follow these steps carefully, you will be now know how to throw a loop in a kayak.

Why everyone should go to keeners- Anya Sachs

When I first went to keeners two years ago I was terrified. I knew that I wasn't that strong as a paddler and was worried that I would fall behind the group or take some pretty nasty swims. At the start of my first day at keeners, I couldn't roll, and was scared of the repercussions that this could bring. By the end of the day, after the coaches spent hours helping me, I was rolling on rapids with the biggest smile on my face. Now, two years later, I'm still just as excited to be here. The keener program is the highlight of my summer,  just as it is with a lot of teens who go here. The environment that you are in is one of the most supportive ones imaginable, and everyone there wants to see you improve. The keeners will always help you and cheer you on. The coaches are definitely, however, what makes this program so amazing. They will always help you learn whatever trick you want to learn, and they take time out of their paddling schedules to coach a bunch of teens. And the advice they give is always exceptionally helpful, so the learning curve at keeners for everyone is always steep. Keeners always come out not only more skilled, but more confident than they were before camp, all thanks to the coaches. Plus, the opportunity to paddle the Ottawa river is one that shouldn't be passed up on. This river seems intimidating, and some of the lines are challenging, but this is one of the safest rivers in the world, and you can challenge yourself with big lines that hold little risk to them. Overall, the memories I make at keeners I will treasure my whole life, and thats why I think everyone should have a chance to come here. 

Dealing with injuries at OKS keeners by Reilly Osborne

Keeners is an amazing camp where teens who love paddling, it provides the perfect opportunity for its participants to push their limits and step out of their comfort zone. Although Keener coaches do an incredible job on safety, injuries are inevitable. I sprained my ankle just three days into our session. I was terrified I would be out for the majority of the session, but now just two days later I'm back on the water throwing airscrews. Here’s how to get back on the water as fast as possible and get back to doing what we love.

As soon as you realize you’re actually hurt, or suspect you might be, talk to your coaches and figure out our next steps, whether you’re taking off the water ASAP or just floating out the rest of the day.

Between all the coaches, they’ve experienced almost every injury one can from kayaking. That also means they’ll know how to best help you recover from your injury.

TAKE TIME OFF THE WATER!!! Pushing through the pain can turn what could have been just a day or two off the water into an entire session. Respect your body and give it time and its amazing what it can recover from.

And most importantly, eat lots of Nutella (at least two spoonful’s a day) and to always remember to stay positive and that the river’s not going anywhere.

Stay safe, SYOTR,

-Reilly