Paddling With the Best by Zach Ruben

The first three days of the 2nd session of Keeners have been amazing for me. Paddling any river can be exiting, especially when you're with the right people. Throughout the school year, I paddle the raging rivers of the northeast U.S. with the same couple friends. But, coming up to the Ottawa and being part of the Keener program has made a huge impact on my confidence as a boater, and expanded my vision for my boating career. Back home, I spend some of my free time surfing the internet watching cool kayaking videos that are created by the best boaters in the world. The biggest names in kayaking always seemed like any other celebrities do to all other teens. But at Keeners, many of our coaches are the same boaters that I watch online from my comfy couch back in Boston. Being able to paddle with legends like Stephen Wright, Clay Wright, Kalob Grady, and many other amazing boaters has been an amazing experience for me.

Keener Coach Clay Wright Gives Keeners Advice

Earlier today, while I was attempting to surf corner wave, I noticed one boater who kept throwing air screws and many other huge tricks like it was his job. Turns out, it was his Job; it was Dane Jackson. Paddling with the best boaters in the world really gives you an idea of how good you actually are, and how good you can become with some practice. Many of the world's best kayakers are former Keeners, and started where I sit now. I have never shared the river with any professional boaters before paddling on the Ottawa. Paddling at Keeners with the best instructors in the world, and the best friends to paddle with has boosted my confidence as a boater, and I have proved to myself that it just takes practice to become one of the many kayaking legends that have lived in Keenerville before me.          

why we do it

hello internet Gustavo here
After being at one of the world's best kayaking programs kayaking with the world's best coaches I finally realized why it is that we kayak.

Any person that kayaks has been asked more than once what it is that they love about kayaking. It is there that we wonder why we love so much a sport that puts your body in a little plastic boat that gives you cramps, a sport where we go down huge rapids with a big chance of getting hurt or even drowning. This sport is special: It is not until you have tried kayaking and met the people that do it that you understand the passion that some they have for it.

Most people think of kayaking as a sport, which is correct, but its is not the sport that we love but the lifestyle. It is a life style that lets you travel around the world to some of the most beautiful places with the greatest people ever. It teaches you how to relax, but also how to get your adrenaline so high you can't even explain it. It makes you feel strong and powerful after you've done a big hard rapid, but still keeps you humble knowing the strength of the river and mother nature. Most importantly, it teaches you how to get away, not just in body but in mind. many of you might be wandering what i mean by "get away" but all of you that have kayaked know that every time you get in your boat and into the river you forget everything else, all the stress from work, school, big cities, relationships, whatever is bothering you and just focus one the river. All of this together is what makes us come back to the rivers we love.

Kayaking on the Upper Petawawa

Looping In Push Button

One of my favorite tricks to watch someone do is a loop. They are very cool tricks since they are front flips on a kayak, and they are even better when they have air. Push Button is a small hole/wave below the WT lunch site. Its a cool feature because you can do wave and hole tricks in it. Its possible to airscrew and to loop. Push Button is kind off a hard place to loop because of two reasons. First, it is not very steep, so you have to plug your bow very hard to get a good pop, or any air out of the water. Second, at the level we had yesterday it was a little bit flushy making it hard to stick loops. I tried a couple of loops but I was not getting much air and I was not sticking them. Our coach Stephen Wright told me to plug super hard and start sideways. I remembered what Stephen told me and I got a big air loop and stuck it. I was very surprised and tried to go for a second loop in a row but I could not stick the second loop.

Stephen Wright Does a Huge Loop in Idaho

I used to not like push button that much because I thought it was small and bad, but once you learn how to cycle onto the top of the hole its a very fun spot to do all kinds of tricks. I am excited to go looping in push button today and hopefully become consistent sticking my loops.

And another Huge Air Loop at Push Button

Mauricio Martinez Laresgoiti    

How to Not Enjoy Keeners : Hunter Gibson

Keeners is a Fabulous Place. I am a first time Keener and have only been here for two days. I am terrified by the rapids, but am still having a blast. Everyone here is amazing and no-one will put you down ever! Its pretty easy to have fun here, but if you don't want to enjoy your stay, just follow these simple steps.

1. Be Anti-Social. By this, I mean don't talk to anyone. Do not even make eye contact with your fellow Keeners. It they try to make contact with you, angrily lash out at them "Why are you looking at me?"This will discourage any future contact and ensure that all the wonderful, funny, pleasant people you are at Keeners with will not ruin your dark unhappiness.

2. Do the Absolute Minimum on the River.
This will ensure minimum improvement in your kayaking. When many people try to convince you to do or try things, you should sit at the back of the eddies. Refuse all requests and never ever join conversations on the water.

3. Avoid All Chores. This will make other Keeners and coaches angry with you. These people will now try to make your life harder and will help with step one.

4. Never Use Sunscreen. This will ensure maximum pain at all times. As Sunscreen is very valuable, do not let anyone else use yours ether. Ignore the sunscreen Keeners has at the Thunderdome and the Lunch site. The redder and more tender your skin, the harder it will be to enjoy yourself.

5. Do not let your feet dry, ever! This will almost guarantee that you get foot rot, AKA Athletes foot, AKA Trench Foot. This is very painful and if it gets bad, you will have to stay off the river. This infection will bleed and hurt and really a few days in not treated right away.

Having a bad time is hard, even when following these steps. The people around you only want you to have fun, and it is infectious! To have a bad time you really need to focus and work on it. So instead, relax, and enjoy your time at Keeners!

Signing out, Hunter Gibson.

Keeners: Behind the Scenes

Hey guys! Julie Zebrowska here. It's been a while since my last blog. Exactly a year actually. I'm back at Keeners for another awesome session! The thing I'm most excited about for my time here is spending time with both the new and old friends I've made here. The friendly atmosphere and the relationships I've built here are a big part of why I keep coming back. Even though it may not sound special to some of you, it's really the small moments where we enjoy each others company that matter most to me. Like when we get to dance and have a laugh on the bus ride back to the takeout. Or when you find out you have something in common with someone else. These brief moments of interaction seem so simple, yet it's astonishing how far the go towards creating a bond with the other Keeners.

Unfortunately, the pleasures of kayaking aren't what I'm here to talk about today. A lot of posts on this blog talk about great accomplishments, new experiences, as well as memorable moments during one's time in the Keener program. However. there are plenty of times where one endures hardships and frustrations. As part of the learning process, it's guaranteed that I was going to make plenty of mistakes. Often, these mistakes take a toll on both your body and mind. Waking up early in the morning with a plethora of cut, bruises, and body aches is less than pleasant. But what some people overlook when they think about whitewater kayaking is how draining it is emotionally. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying everyone feels this way. I've met paddlers who have no fear of the water, or of the consequences of making a mistake. On the other hand, I have to conquer my fears during every rapid, and every surf. In my opinion, paddling is terrifying. I'm afraid that whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Maybe the adrenaline rush I get from overcoming these fears every time is why I enjoy it so much. Since I'm constantly setting new goals for myself, I feel like it's a great confidence builder. From my last time here, I've learned to stop comparing myself to other Keeners while on the river. Instead of being hard on myself for not being at their level yet, I can feel proud of the small things I achieve like catching a new wave for the first time, or running a new line that scares me. Keeping realistic expectations for myself keeps me from getting too discouraged if things don't work out the way I planned.

It's only been two days, so I have lots left to learn. I'll keep all of you up to date on my experiences here, and I'll see you guys again next week! 

-Julie

The Keener Experience (David Koyrakh)

Three days into Keeners and the fun has already begun!

Hey there, my name is David Koyrakh. I am a beginner play-boater and this is my second year at Keeners. I chose to return for a second year because it is truly a great experience and I want to get better at kayaking.

We started off the day on the water by splitting into groups. My group was lead by Kalob (shout out to Team Alpha!). To kick things off we went to surf Babyface and then we paddled the Middle Channel. At Babyface I had my first real surf, which lasted about one minute! For readers that have never surfed a wave before, it felt a lot like wakeboarding or sketchy tubing. Needless to say it was one of the funnest minutes I have ever experienced. Catching your first wave is like a playboater`s first steps, and Babyface is perfect for that.

Throughout the day we surfed a couple holes and I worked on strengthening my whitewater roll. Here at Keeners we improve quickly because we kayak for three weeks straight with some of the best kayakers on Earth. But Keeners doesn`t just make you a better kayaker, it makes you a better person.

Here we learn independence, communication skills, proper etiquette (both on and off the river), and how to take care of our environment. Every morning we are expected to do the morning exercise, cook breakfast, and, most importantly, clean up after ourselves. On Mondays we have Speech Night, where we take turns giving `speeches` to the group. Yesterday was the first speech night and the topic was the Icebreaker Speech. Writing weekly blogs and giving speeches improves our people skills.

To wrap this up I would like to give a HUGE shout to our coaches, keener moms, Mr. Kowalski, and everyone who helps keep this program alive. Without Keeners there would be a couple extra hundred bored thrill-seeking teenagers (a dangerous combination) wasting their potential every summer. Thank you!!

The Saddest Day of Keeners

Hello Readers,

This is Isaiah Galbraith. I am a 3^rd year, 4^th session keener. I know the in's and out's of keeners and feel like it's my second home. Although all of this is great, this year has been better! This is my first year I get to stay for TWO sessions! Yes, that's right! I said TWO sessions!! A full 6 weeks of paddling on the worlds best river, being instructed by the worlds best instructors, with kids my own age that are just as excited about the sport I have come to be very passionate about. Although all of this is fantastic and all! 

But, that's not what I came here to talk about on this wonderful night. 

I am actually here to talk about the days where things are not so happy. This beautiful Keenerville is not full of ecstatic paddling teenagers that just want to push each other on the water. NO! I am here to talk about that one day where Keenerville feels empty. The terrible day where the happy kids that are gathered together to do the one thing they all have in common; paddle.

This if of course the dreaded Saturday of the 3^rd week of every session. This year, I actually had the dreadful opportunity to experience what happens after they leave. The aftermath of the excitement, and the joy. I can honestly say, it was more then depressing! I felt terrible seeing the people I have grown very close to simply leaving. Not seeing them smile and laugh, and not seeing them in their boats in pure joy. 

Session One Keeners on the Upper Pet. I Miss These Guys Already! 

Even while writing this I get tears in my eyes. I know they are once again happy, with their family's back at home. But I hope somewhere, deep down in their hearts, a part of them is still here. Paddling the worlds best river, with the worlds best instructors, with that one of a kind family they have grown to love and embrace. I can only hope that this second session can be half as amazing as the last one. 

Until next time!