I am a champion. I am a winner. I have won. But I have also failed. And failure is key. Without failure we cannot win. So yeah, I failed and I am happy that I did. I may fall on my face 100 times before I get a bowstall. But that 100 times of failure are the times that I am winning and having a great time. So yes. I have won because I had fun, but not just any type of fun. I had real fun. The type of fun that you remember for the rest of your life. So I am a winner. I have accomplished more than I could ever have hoped. So if I didn't have the best ride, and I didn't get all my moves, I will have fun from all the failure and keep my head high so I can look forward to the next time I try. I am a champion. I am a winner. And I have won the big water beat-down bacon Thursday!
Sunday, 24 August 2014
Friday, 22 August 2014
Sydney: Keener Reflections
This is my third year here and I have found that the first couple days at Keenerville are always a little bit awkward. On our first night here Anna looked around the the Thunderdome and laughed because we were all spread out. Not sitting to close and hardly talking, just letting her fill the silence. Anna said "don't worry you'll all be trying to fit as many of you on the couches as you can by the end of this" and everyone looked at her like she was absolutely insane.
With only 4 of us being returning keeners this session, not many people knew how close knit this group gets. After a couple days everyone starts being more open with each other and realizes that this isn't a normal group of teenagers. Everyone here shares a common love of kayaking and drive to learn. This eliminates any normal high school things such as drama and people not getting along. After a few speeches from our keener mom who truly becomes like a mom to us, everyone feels more prepared for what they've gotten themselves into. After roughly a week everyone is pretty good friends, some closer than others, and everyone knows each other. By this week everyone really has been trying to fit as many people as possible onto the couches under any circumstance weather it's for a quick 5 minute coaches meeting or a long movie.
This is my favourite thing about Keeners because every year is the exact same. There is always a few awkward first days and people looking at Anna like she's crazy when she promises we'll all be bestfriends. Looking back at the end of the session it's hard to believe I've only known these people for 3 weeks. It seems like such a short time to get to know people as well as we all know each other and have people be such vital pieces to our lives. Stevo said in a speech the other day how all they do is "take away a fast internet connection and force us to interact with each other face to face." That's what makes this place so memorable to all of us in my opinion. If we had a good internet connection and other things to do and distract ourselves with, we wouldn't be half as close as we are. But because we are pushed out of our comfort zones and forced to interact and do things with each other, we build a solid friendship.
Some of my best friendships have come from this program and I couldn't be any happier about that.
On a different note, this session at Keeners I’ve learned numerous tricks that I didn’t think I’d be able to do this year. I feel happy with how I’ve progressed and am looking forward to learning even more with World Class. I’ve never even been in a creek boat before and the only ‘creek run’ I’ve ever done was the 7 sisters on the Rouge River. I’m definitely more comfortable in my playboat however I’m really looking forwards to this next adventure. I feel it will give me an entirely new skill set and open up so many more opportunities and I am beyond stoked to see what’s in store for me. I hope that my freestyle background can bring something different to the school and also hoping kayaking that much will help me to improve my freestyle paddling. I’m nervous and excited all at the same time and it still hasn’t really hit me yet that I’m even going..
Cheers,
Sydney.
With only 4 of us being returning keeners this session, not many people knew how close knit this group gets. After a couple days everyone starts being more open with each other and realizes that this isn't a normal group of teenagers. Everyone here shares a common love of kayaking and drive to learn. This eliminates any normal high school things such as drama and people not getting along. After a few speeches from our keener mom who truly becomes like a mom to us, everyone feels more prepared for what they've gotten themselves into. After roughly a week everyone is pretty good friends, some closer than others, and everyone knows each other. By this week everyone really has been trying to fit as many people as possible onto the couches under any circumstance weather it's for a quick 5 minute coaches meeting or a long movie.
This is my favourite thing about Keeners because every year is the exact same. There is always a few awkward first days and people looking at Anna like she's crazy when she promises we'll all be bestfriends. Looking back at the end of the session it's hard to believe I've only known these people for 3 weeks. It seems like such a short time to get to know people as well as we all know each other and have people be such vital pieces to our lives. Stevo said in a speech the other day how all they do is "take away a fast internet connection and force us to interact with each other face to face." That's what makes this place so memorable to all of us in my opinion. If we had a good internet connection and other things to do and distract ourselves with, we wouldn't be half as close as we are. But because we are pushed out of our comfort zones and forced to interact and do things with each other, we build a solid friendship.
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| Friends For Life |
Beatdowns By Jack Carroll
Hey readers it's Jack blogging to you from Keenerville. Unfortunately this is my last blog of this year, but hopefully it will not be my last keener blog. Since Keeners is coming to a close I would like to share one of my favourite part of Keeners which is Bigwater Beatdown Bacon Thursday (BWBBT). As many of you may already know from reading previous keener blogs BWBBT is a day where all of the keeners push there comfort levels. This can be in the form of running new lines, or one of my favourite, getting BEATDOWN!
Getting beatdown is one of the things most kayakers avoid like the plague. For those of you who are not familiar with the term it means going into a spot on the river, loosing control and getting tumbled around. Here at keeners beatdowns are one of the best parts of the week, which is why I would like to share with you my technique for getting the best beatdown in Rightside Phills (a hole on the Ottawa River).
To do this technique you must:
Step 1- Make sure you have friends willing to set safety for you in the case of a swim.
Step 2- Leave your paddle with your safety buddies, as you will not be needing it.
Step 3- Walk up to the top of the rapid and get in your boat.
Step 4- Catch Rightside Phills, this is best done by paddling into the centre of it. This method immediately sets you up in an out of control position.
Step 5- Tumble, this is usually done with little effort.
Step 6- Wait to regain control. If this doesn't happen right away try to roll. If this doesn't work hold in for as long as you can before deciding to swim. (If you have chosen to swim skip to step 10)
Step 7- Side surf to your left and then spin left. Keep your eyes upstream and dive over your left shoulder back into the foam.
Step 8- Repeat steps 5 through 7 until you have had your fill. You can then surf out to either the left or the right. This usually requires some speed.
Step 9- Once you reach the edge you can try to flip over and grab as much water exiting downstream. Looking downstream and digging you downstream edge in can also help if you do not wish to flip over.
Step 10- Once you are out claim it and paddle or swim to the appropriate eddy.
This technique has been thoroughly tested and has been successful at giving out the best beatdowns. including the one I was gifted today. Unfortunately this is my last BWBBT and blog of the year, which is why I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone. I'd like to thank my Parents, my Grandma, Kem, my Aunts and Uncles, as well as Anna, Stephen, Clay, Claire, Juan, Devyn, Nick, Joel, Kalob, James, Joe, the Keeners, and everyone else who's name I didn't mention for making this amazing program possible. Thankyou!
Enjoy the water, until next time,
Jack Carroll
Getting beatdown is one of the things most kayakers avoid like the plague. For those of you who are not familiar with the term it means going into a spot on the river, loosing control and getting tumbled around. Here at keeners beatdowns are one of the best parts of the week, which is why I would like to share with you my technique for getting the best beatdown in Rightside Phills (a hole on the Ottawa River).
To do this technique you must:
Step 1- Make sure you have friends willing to set safety for you in the case of a swim.
Step 2- Leave your paddle with your safety buddies, as you will not be needing it.
Step 4- Catch Rightside Phills, this is best done by paddling into the centre of it. This method immediately sets you up in an out of control position.
Step 5- Tumble, this is usually done with little effort.
Step 6- Wait to regain control. If this doesn't happen right away try to roll. If this doesn't work hold in for as long as you can before deciding to swim. (If you have chosen to swim skip to step 10)
Step 7- Side surf to your left and then spin left. Keep your eyes upstream and dive over your left shoulder back into the foam.
Step 9- Once you reach the edge you can try to flip over and grab as much water exiting downstream. Looking downstream and digging you downstream edge in can also help if you do not wish to flip over.
Step 10- Once you are out claim it and paddle or swim to the appropriate eddy.
This technique has been thoroughly tested and has been successful at giving out the best beatdowns. including the one I was gifted today. Unfortunately this is my last BWBBT and blog of the year, which is why I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone. I'd like to thank my Parents, my Grandma, Kem, my Aunts and Uncles, as well as Anna, Stephen, Clay, Claire, Juan, Devyn, Nick, Joel, Kalob, James, Joe, the Keeners, and everyone else who's name I didn't mention for making this amazing program possible. Thankyou!
Enjoy the water, until next time,
Jack Carroll
Thursday, 21 August 2014
Curtain call by Rose Menominee
So this is my last keener blog post, and it's more than a little bitter-sweet. The entire routine seems so natural right now that I can hardly believe I'm going home in two days. I've gotten so used to waking up and having the Ottawa river in my backyard, I'm certainly going to miss paddling everyday. It's going to be weird to be out in the real world again, because even though I still have the Internet and my cell phone, everything just feels so distant. That the only thing in the world is this river and these people.
Anyways, I should move on, today was also my last big water beat down Thursday, and I was so determined to make the most of it. The very first thing I did was paddle through Phil's hole with no paddle, it was actually a very nice line, I didn't even get tumbled. The next thing I did was try and surf right side Phil's and miss it completely, I was so disappointed! I was done with right side though, I really wanted to surf it, so on my last line I gave it my all and somehow stuck the wave. I was in control for all of two seconds before my edge caught and I was tumbling. At first it wasn't so bad and I was able to roll up long enough to surf for another two seconds then it was back to being beat down. Even though I eventually swam out of that ride I still managed to have a fantastic day!
Keeners has been one of the best kayaking experiences I have ever had, I've improved so much in the past weeks, and I can't wait to be able to share what I learned with my paddling club back home!
the final chapter - Daniel Whiteley
There is no doubt that this 3 weeks has been the best kayaking experience of my life. I have accomplished all the goals i set out to do and there's no way I could be happier. I only had 3 main goals before i got here and they were to loop in a hole, loop on flatwater and because the river is a very safe place to do anything, my final goal was to get a big beatdown which i did today, 2 days before i leave and had my first swim. My beatdown was on right side phils (a hole in the middle of McCoys rapid) which was very bouncy and hard to control but being upside was very confusing and not nearly as scary as i imagined.
Getting my flatwater loop today possibly my biggest achievement because it was extremely difficult and has taken months of practice. Thanks to help of other keeners and the great coaches that are here, it made it much easier for me. It was certainly harder than on a wave because there's nothing to help even slightly so it is all on you. Overall it has been a fantastic experience and the best time of my life.
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| About to drop into Right Side |
Getting my flatwater loop today possibly my biggest achievement because it was extremely difficult and has taken months of practice. Thanks to help of other keeners and the great coaches that are here, it made it much easier for me. It was certainly harder than on a wave because there's nothing to help even slightly so it is all on you. Overall it has been a fantastic experience and the best time of my life.
surfing at habitat 67 with connor
Habitat 67 is the name of a standing wave in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Informally named for the adjacent Habitat 67 housing complex, it has become a popular destination for whitewater kayaking and river surfing. Habitat 67 is such a cool wave that is really fun and safe the only problem with this wave is that if you are to swim it can be supper hard to get back to the eddy. Once you surf you have to get out your boat and walk back up the bank to the get into the top eddy to then get back on to the wave. The wave is really retentive and is good for tricks like blunts back stabs and flat spins you can get some long rides on the wave which is sick. If you are ever in Montreal and want to have funs surfing go check out habitat 67. I went to this wave with the Keeners for are our road trip. We were there for about 4 hours and each person got about five or six rides in as there was around 17 of us keeners. We also had to take turns with the surfers which kind of sucked but oh well. Some of my rides were so good! Flat spins are so fun on this wave and blunts are easy to stick. It was such a good trip I would love to go back! Habitat 67 is the place to go.
Farewell - Keegan Parker
Hello again. This is my third and final blog. Sadly enough, the time to say farewell to Keenerville and the entire Keener family has just about arrived. With only 2 short days left it seems like this 3 week excursion has flown by. I will never forget my time on the Ottawa for it is a river like none I have ever been on with a group of people that are as unique as the river. We, as a group of aspiring kayak youth, have grown to be more then just a random array of kids with a passion for kayaking. We have become small community that reaches across several contries and even continents. So, with my farewell out of the way, let's go get beat down for my last big water beat down/bacon Thursday in right side phills hole in none other then the dynamic duo!!! This should be interesting...
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