How to play in whirlpools by: Joe Bowers

While at Keeners you might get the opportunity to kayak and swim in whirlpools. Most of the time whirlpools are fun things to mess around in but if you're not careful and break some of the keener whirlpool rules you might get hurt. Now here are the Keener whirlpool rules:

1. Only one person allowed in a whirlpool at a time.
2. If you are swimming in a whirlpool at higher water levels two life jackets may be required.
3. If you are swimming never go into the same whirlpool as a kayak or you might get bonked in the head.
4. If the water level is super high and the coaches say don't swim into the whirlpools, DON'T GO INTO THE WHIRLPOOLS. (At higher levels the sea monsters get angry when you're swimming in the whirlpools)
5. Sometimes the coaches will tie a rope around you and then pull you out if the water is super high and if there is a chance that you might hit a convergence.
6. This is the most important rule. Always listen to the Keener coaches they know what they are doing and will keep you safe as long as you follow their instruction.

Living with all the Keener Girls by Alex S.

Through all my time at keeners I've come to appreciate how well all the girls have been getting along. What are the chances that you put 10 girls together for 3 weeks and they all come out friends?  The reality is it that it all depends on how each of them decide to present themselves for the time being, even with as much time as you spend on the water a good deal of time is still spent with your cabin mates. Whether you choose to hang out and socialize at all with the people you live with can totally change your time at keeners, and I believe spending that time the best you can is completely worth it.  If you're not sure how to do so then you're in luck, because today I'm sharing with you my steps to having the best cabin time you can.

step 1- socialize
The first and probably most important step of getting along with your cabin mates is to get to know them, it is pretty much impossible to get along with people really well if you don't know them.  Sometimes getting to know people can be intimidating but don't worry you don't need to ask somebody's life story to get to know them. In fact it could be as little as watching a movie together or playing a game, although my favorite and most affective way to hang out is to have a dance party.

step 2-doing your chores
Chores are a very small part of keener living and due to that they're generally over looked, however doing them is a very important step to keeping a good cabin relationship. Chores are actually very easy if you complete your part, but they become a lot more complex once somebody decides that it wouldn't hurt if I don't do this, and suddenly one person is stuck doing a pile of dishes that aren't theirs.

step 3-be agreeable
It may seem obvious to you but another huge part of getting along with your cabin mates is being agreeable. So if the majority of your would like to watch a movie don't decide that you should watch a different movie. Keep in mind that you all have a common goal when living together and that's getting along so don't work against each other, work together, if it helps create a system, what ever works for  your cabin.

In conclusion like I mentioned earlier its not very hard to get along as long as your trying and though those are only 3 steps they'll probably give you a good start to getting along with your cabin, and soon enough you'll all be friends if you aren't already.

Our Trip To The Petawawa -Kaelin Friedenson

On Wednesday morning we got up at 6:30 and loaded on to a the bus and a van to drive 2 hours to the Petawawa river. When we got there we had to walk an hour hike to get to the put in and when your hiking with a Zen it really hard. But after that the day hit awesome we got in our boats and slid into the river. The first rapid was really fun it was about a 8 foot drop which we ran a few times. On the second rapid there was an easier line down the left side of the island and on the right there was a steep slide into a big hole. When I ran it I started of right and paddled hard and when I can to the shallow part I stopped and flipped over. Luckily I went through the hole upside down which helped me go through the hole instead of getting stuck. When I got to the eddy I looked at my boat and saw a huge gash in the bottom of my boat. Luckily it wasn't all the way through and I was able to continue. After that there were some more rapids that were really fun but one that really stood out was the last one. It started out really shallow with little waves and as I was going through I saw someone who got pinned. So I cot an eddy and jumped out of my boat ran up to him and flipped him over. He was fine and we both went into the eddy behind an island right before another 8 foot drop. I went off first and it was pretty fun. After that drop there was some fun wave trains until the take out. When we got to the take our we loaded up, got dressed into try clothes and drove back to Keener vile. 

My journey to keeners by Cian Butterly

Last year when I heard about keeners I knew instantly that going would be the best experience I could possibly have to take my paddling to the next level. So I asked my parents and unsurprisingly they said no. Flying across the Atlantic to kayak was just not sane in their eyes.
Autumn came and I became focused on attending events in Ireland and school took over my weekdays. Keeners slipped to the very back of my mind. Then at the end of the year as the Christmas holidays came to a close I looked online and saw that session 2 was sold out. I knew that if I wanted to go I had to act fast. I gathered all of the necessary information, I prepared my speech and I presented it all to my parents in a serious manner. This time they realized I was serious and willing to commit to work for my shot at coming to keeners. After a few weeks deliberation I had flights booked and was on my way.
In my mind everything I did from January to August was all just leading up to something that I could hardly believe was going to happen. Every cent I earned I saved, every training session was to get me up to the standard that I felt I should be at coming to keeners.
Now as the end of theses incredible three weeks nears I look back and see how far I've come since I first heard of keeners. How much I've learned on and off the water. Even before getting here, keeners was teaching me valuable motivational skills I never had before.
I have gotten the chance to paddle with some of the best kayakers in the world on one of the best rivers in the world and for that I am so thankful. I worked hard to get to keeners but I'd do it all twice over for the most amazing three weeks of my life.

The Importance of Paddling With Your Friends-- Jonah Bussgang

During my time at Keeners, I have made amazing friends and tried new, crazy things. I have grown as a kayaker and I have learned a plethora of new tricks and skills. I can honestly say that none of my achievements could have been possible without my peers encouraging me and helping me out with new tricks. To be perfectly honest, I am a big fan of peer pressure (within reason of course). It is important to have friends by your side to encourage you. While you obviously don't want to be pressured into doing things that you know aren't safe, or you are not capable of, it's important to challenge yourself. With the encouragement of your peers, you will be surprised what you can accomplish even if you never thought you could do it. In addition to doing things you never thought were possible, kayaking with your friends makes the experience so much more enjoyable. Paddling in the flat water together and telling jokes, cheering each other on when someone is getting beatdown, and getting exited when your friends sticks a cool trick, is what makes the sport of kayaking so fun. At Keeners, I have learned to spin, cartwheel, double pump, loop, and round house. The coaches at Keeners have been amazing in teaching me these awesome tricks, but when the coaches are not around, it is my friends that explain the movements and techniques to me. These friendships that I have made at Keeners will last a life time on and off the water. 

Yakistan is so lit, it is in flames - Abby Holcombe

Fire it is something that you typically don't have to deal with being a kayaker. However, there are some situations where you might be baking for your very much so loved keener mom, Anna, a birthday cake. I decided to go ahead and preheat the oven while making the batter one of my friends, Anne walked in and noticed this smoke. I turned around noticing a smell myself to see Anne opening the oven with flames. I started to scream fire fire fire! And then I ran out the door to go find Anna or another adult. 

So I was running to the common room, the Thunder Dome, screaming, “YAKISTAN IS ON FIRE YAKISTAN IS ON FIRE!!!!!” I come up to the Thunder Dome and start yelling at all the kids saying, “GO GET ANNA YAKISTAN IS ON FIRE HELP HELP HELP!!!” I was so concerned and luckily I found our coach TC and he ran back to Yakistan with me. As soon as I walked back in the door the fire was out and Anna and all the amazing people in Keenerville were surrounding the oven. Long story short we still made a cake but decided to use White House’s oven instead because ours was smoking hot since we decided to store our food in the oven. So if you ever go to Keeners make sure you stay in Yakistan because it is so lit it is in flames!

How to be a Keener-By:Andrew Burgoyne

How to be a keener

Step one: You need a keener shirt

The keener shirt is a reflection on wilderness tours. You want to wear it proudly and respectfully.

Step two: meet the coaches

Their is Anna Bruno, Steven Wright,   Clay Wright, Dane Jackson, Dren Orton, Nick Troutmen. So you have met the coaches

Step three: The next day. 

So you wake up at keeners and you have a kitchen that you share with some people, if you are with good people they will make breakfast for everyone eating with you. So some great breakfasts to make are Pancakes with eggs and bacon. 

Once you are done breakfast the people that didn't cook get to clean the dishes. Don't eat and leave do the dishes. 

Step four: Go Kayaking

So after all the breakfast you need to go to the thunder dome, Anna or Steven will tell you what you what we would be doing for the day. After everyone races to everything be last in the water because if you are last in the water then you get to wear the water wing of shame. 

Step five: Lunch

Finely food. So you would be stoping at the lunch site and you ether can cook lunch for everyone or you can get food that other people made for you. I do cook for everyone because one you stay warm back there and two we say "give more then you take." I love that saying and I agree with it witch I love cooking for everyone in keeners and the raft trip. Just before you leave you need you pick up at least 10 peaces or trash.

Step Six: getting off the water

Once you get to the takeout you can do two things one do flat water tricks or two get out of your boat brig it up to the Trailer and load all the boats. It didn't sound fun but you learn how to load a trailer and you could be invited to go on trips with you because you know how to load the boats the right way.

 Step seven: off the water 

So now you are off the water and now people will start to unload the trailer and when your boat comes down you grab your boat and paddle and you put it in the boat rack that we have. After you go to your room get changed and ready for dinner. You will need your keener shirt of sweatshirt. Once you get back you can have some free time where you can watch a movie or make a video edit or text/ call your parents or friends. Until 10:15pm. At 10:15 you will go back to your room and get ready for bed.

That is most of the things that happiness at keeners.