Safe kayaking requires knowing how to get back in your boat in case of a capsize. In this video Chris Martin from Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers takes Emily Deem from WLUK TV through some the the steps to an assisted kayak rescue.
Check out more safety and paddle event information at the NEWP website.
The North East Wisconsin Paddlers, Inc. is hosting its 2012 Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 28 at McGuinness Irish Pub in downtown Appleton. Tim Pflieger, of Team Leadership Center in Door County will be our featured speaker. His presentation, “Paddling the Lighthouses and Coastlines of Door County,” will give you an entertaining and informative overview of beautiful places in Door County that are also kayak friendly!
The agenda and other details are all provided on our club website at www.WisconsinPaddlers.org, or go directly to the Annual Meeting page at http://www.wisconsinpaddlers.org/about-us.
Also – we still have openings in our Appleton YMCA Kayak Essentials Class, beginning Sunday, January 23rd, so sign up now and bring a friend. We also have openings in our upcoming Green Bay Broadview YMCA (Starts 2/12) and Two Rivers High School (starts 2/20) classes – all the information is on the website.
Lastly, we have been busy putting together our 2012 set of events. Hear more about all that at our annual meeting, or check it out on the website -
On behalf of North East Wisconsin Paddlers, Inc.
Jeff Mazanec President 2012
Jan 28 2012 – 3:30 PM
McGinnis Irish Pub
201 S. Walnut St.
Appleton
Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers 2012 Annual Meeting. Open to the public.
NEWP will take care of some club business, elect their slate of officers for 2012, and discuss plans for classes, events and other activities in 2012. The pub is located at 201 S. Walnut Street in Appleton, just a few blocks from the YMCA. After the business meeting is concluded, stay tuned for the feature presentation and a great opportunity to network with your fellow paddlers.
Agenda
Feature Presentation “Paddling Door County’s Lighthouses and Coastlines”
With over 315 miles of coastline (and 13 lighthouses, more than any other county in the U.S.), Door County is truly a kayaker’s paradise.
Join Tim Pflieger on a visual journey highlighting Door County’s lighthouses and unique coastlines. Discover some of his favorite off the beaten path paddling spots, and learn of the natural history of the area and some of the best waterside eateries in Door County.
Tim is well known in Wisconsin paddle circles as an outfitter, instructor, coach, EMT, motivational speaker and all around great guy! His presentation will includes great pictures and insightful information on great places to paddle in and around Door County.
Voyager Canoe leaving lock #4
The final video from the Appleton Locks group paddle on September 24th. 119 canoes and kayaks enjoyed a fun outing on the Fox River in Appleton. Paddlers started at Lutz Park in Appleton and traveled to Sunset Park in Kimberly, traveling through the 4 Appleton locks over the 6 mile paddle. Check out the previous 4 videos to see the entire trip in video.
Thanks for watching this final segment of the Appleton Locks paddle.
Enjoy videos from part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4 of our paddle journey through the Appleton locks.
Fox River Appleton Locks Oneida St. bridge
Appleton Locks Paddle 4th segment video from our group paddle on September 24th. This video is of the group paddling through the locks from Appleton Lock #3 to Lock #4 with 119 other paddlers. Thanks to Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers for organizing this group paddle outing.
Check out videos from part 1, part 2 and part 3 of the Appleton Locks group paddle.
Kayaking between lock #2 and #3
This video covers the segment from the 2nd lock to the 3rd lock in Appleton. Check out the previous 2 Appleton locks videos and watch for additional segments on our way to Kimberly.
Check out the video from the first segment and the second segment video of the Appleton Locks Paddle and stay tuned for the next segment in lock #4.
morning mist at the Lutz Park boat landing
The Fox River at Lutz Park in Appleton was covered in mist as we prepared to launch 119 canoes and kayaks into the river on September 24th for the 2nd Annual Appleton Locks Paddle.
The weather cooperated for our 6 miles on the river to Sunset Park in Kimberly. Highlights of the trip were traveling through the 4 Appleton Locks, a bit of history from the lock tenders family reunion that was also a part of the paddle and the eagles we saw on the river right in the heart of the city.
Enjoy the slideshow from the trip.
Video from the paddles will be available soon.
The big paddling event of the year in the Fox Cities is the Park to Park paddle. Saturday, July 24th at 9:40 is the scheduled launch. The paddle starts at Shattuck Park in downtown Neenah and goes through Menasha passing through the lock before entering Little Lake Butte Des Mortes on the way to the finish at Lutz Park.
More information about Park to Park can be found on the Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers website.
This map will give you detailed hilights of the paddling route.
June 5th was a beautiful day for the first Fox Wisconsin Heritage Paddle of 2011. A group of over 30 paddlers met at the wayside across Hwy 33 from the Fort Winnebago Surgeon’s Quarters in Portage. We had a variety of kayaks, canoes, 2 stand up paddlers and even a voyager canoe joined up on this first leg of the paddle on the Fox River.
The journey from Hwy 33 to the Portage Canal was about a mile on the winding and fairly narrow Fox River. When our group reached the Portage Canal we encountered our first of 3 portages. We were also lucky enough to enjoy a historic re-enactors battle performance at the canal.
After a short break to enjoy the re-enactors camp we began the paddle in the weedy canal. The Portage Canal is only partially restored. It was very weedy for the beginning of June and became very narrow as we approached the 2nd portage. After the 2nd portage canal paddle became much easier in the restored sections. We had a long tunnel paddle under a road and traveled through an old non working lock to the final portage to the Wisconsin River. This 2nd portage had the longest carry but we had a paved trail and sidewalk right down to the sandy shores of the Wisconsin River.
The 6 mile paddle from Riverside Park in Portage to Dekorra was beautiful. We were floated and paddled with the current. Development along the river is mostly buffered by trees, creating a natural experience right on the edge of the city of Portage. We had an eagle fly right by us about 2/3 of the way on the river. The Wisconsin River is full of sand bars that shift and change with the flows of current. Wide and mostly shallow, the Wisconsin River around Portage is an easy and enjoyable paddle trip for all abilities.
Here’s an overview of the Portage paddle.
Portage celebrated its annual Canal Days Celebration June 4 and 5 this year and we’ll be kicking off our Fox Wisconsin Heritage Paddle 2011 by passing through their canal. Our trip will pick up from last year’s Fox River Heritage Paddle with a short trip down the Fox River from the Fort Winnebago Surgeon’s Quarters to the Historic Indian Agency House and then proceed through the Portage Canal with a few short portages in the City of Portage to the Wisconsin River just above Riverside Park. We’ll continue down the Lower Wisconsin River to end the trip at Dekorra. This trip totals about ten miles, but includes several minor interruptions for portages and plans for lunch at Riverside Park. Those who would rather hike the two-mile Wisconsin River Levee Trail from the Surgeon’s Quarters to the park can join us after lunch to paddle down the Wisconsin River to the end of the trip.
Why was this route chosen?
As we made plans to continue our rediscovery of the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway, it became apparent that completing the link through Portage is critical. Not only the symbolic high-point of the fur trader route through Wisconsin, it is also the true “high point” of the route! Passing from the Fox River, through Portage, and into the Lower Wisconsin River establishes the link that connects the entire Parkway!
The North East Wisconsin Paddlers and City of Appleton Parks and Recreation Department are teaming up to offer our very popular Kayak Essentials class in the summertime! The classes are June 6, 7 and 8th. After more than 20 years of teaching this class indoors, this will be the first opportunity to take it outdoors, but still in the comfortable environment of a clean swimming pool! From learning key skills here, it will be an easy and safe step to venture out into “real” water!
Classes will run from 6 to 10 p.m. each evening, with a mixture of discussion time aided by video clips and wet time in the pool. Here is the class description as presented in the City Recreation Department’s Summer Guide:
314706 – Kayak Skills Class: This is the class you have been waiting for! The Kayak Skills class emphasizes safety, enjoyment and skill acquisition for all entry level participants. Learn about basic kayak maneuvers, outfitting your boat to fit your needs and basic safety principles. Upon completion of this class, there will be an optional outing on the Fox River so you can put your skills to use immediately. Instruction is taught by members of the Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers. Kayaks will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own to class.
Participants must be 10 years old or older and register with a parent if under 16. The class number is 314706-S1; Kayak Skills Class. Cost is $70 for residents of the City of Appleton; $95 for non-residents.
The goal of the NEW Paddlers is to encourage and advance paddle sport education and safety. Whether it is whitewater, surf, canoes, or kayaks, we look to bring together likeminded individuals with whom we can share our passion for paddling.
