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| Trip Guidance Information | Trip Checklists | ||||||||
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Members and non-members of the MS Canoe & Kayak Club are welcome to participate in club trips and events. Non-members regardless of age must pay $5.00 per day to participate on club trips.
2007 Trips Being Planned
If you would like to lead a trip, contact Larry Estes at 601/924-3689.
September 28-30 - Mississippi Whitewater Paddlers Reunion - We'll meet at the Nantahala River in Wesser, North Carolina to see new and old friends. We'll paddle the Nantahala River at least once if not twice during the weekend and perhaps the Ocoee River in TN on the return trip home. Lots of action on both rivers from kayaks, canoes, 4-8 person rafts and 1-2 person Duckies. Contact Jim Trunzler at 601/892-4492 or 601 331-1071 if you would like to participate.
Saturday October 13 - Club Cookout - We'll get together at 4:00pm to 8:00pm at Crystal Lake in Jackson to cookout, paddle, fish and just talk and have fun. Bring your favorite items to grill and your favorite beverages. The club will provide the charcoal for the grills - perhaps bring a small grill if you have one. Don't forget to bring your boat and fishing gear/frisbee/football/birding binoculars. If there is interest we'll have some casual instruction for canoeing and kayaking for those interested. Directions to Crystal Lake: Get on I -20 and take Exit 47B for Flowood. Go to the first traffic light which will be Hwy. 80. Continue straight through this light for about 3/4 mile and turn left at the sign for Crystal Lake. Follow this park road to the picnic area and look for our club and boats.
October 19 - 20 - Deer Island Overnighter (south of Biloxi) - I plan to arrive at the Lighthouse parking area, near the Casinos no later than 10am Friday morning. We will paddle to the southern tip of the island to camp, (distance of about 5 miles). The skill level is dependant on the ever changing weather and water conditions, but generally is rated easy. Realizing that a Friday launch isn't practical for many, I would welcome any day paddlers for Saturday. Contact Steve Tew at 601-853-4979 between 7am-1pm.
October 26-28 - NOC's Guest Appreciation Festival (GAF). GAF will again be held at the Nantahala Outdoor Center on the Nantahala River in Wesser, NC. It's the Nantahala Outdoor Center's (NOC) biggest gathering of the year. Get your hands on new and used boats, bikes, outdoor gear and clothing - there is lots of boats and gear and at bargain prices for the most part!!! NOC will move out 2007's gear to make room for more in 2008, which means you'll save big on all sorts of outdoor equipment. Plus hundred's of other paddlers are there selling their used boats and equipment - a real chance to find the boat for which you've been looking. Stay and celebrate at GAF 2007 with the guest costume contest and the 5th Annual Club Cup Competition. MCKC will participate again this year if we can get members joining us there and participating. Enjoy great food, music, manufacturers' demos and so much more. Presently we have three campsites reserved at Lost Mine Campground for the weekend of fun. If your interested in joining us, contact Larry Estes at 601/924-3689.
November 16 - 18 - Black Creek Canoe & Kayak Trip - This will be either a one or two night paddling trip on Black Creek just south of Hattiesburg. If you're only interested in a day trip on Black Creek that will be possible as well. Please contact Bob Marsh at 601-853-3419 if you're interested in this trip. Trip Rating: Easy
Saturday December 1st - Ross Barnett Reservoir Paddle - The planning for this trip is still underway but the initial plans are to put-in at Ratliff's Ferry around 9:00am but this time is very flexible. Trip Rating: Easy. Contact Jen Sidley at 601-454-9507.
Sunday December 9th (Tentative) - Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) - Jennifer Buchanan with Grand Bay NERR is interested in leading a trip for us through the reserve. If you've never been to the reserve you need to go. Check out their website at Grand Bay NERR. This trip will probably be done on Sunday December 9th. Trip Rating: Easy. If you're interested in this trip, please contact Jennifer Buchanan at 228-475-7047 ext. 109.
Saturday December 1st - Ross Barnett Reservoir Paddle - The planning for this trip is still underway but the initial plans are to put-in at Ratliff's Ferry around 9:00am but this time is very flexible. Trip Rating: Easy. Contact Jen Sidley at 601-454-9507 or organic_jen@yahoo.com.
Sunday December 9th (Tentative) - Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) - Jennifer Buchanan with Grand Bay NERR is interested in leading a trip for us through the reserve. If you've never been to the reserve you need to go. Check out their website at http://grandbaynerr.org/recreation/activities.php. This trip will probably be done on Sunday December 9th. Trip Rating: Easy. If you're interested in this trip, please contact Jennifer Buchanan at jen.buchanan@dmr.ms.gov.
Friday December 14th - Club Pot-Luck Dinner: Get ready to for some fine eating as we hold our club pot-luck dinner on Friday December 14. We're going to get together for our last meeting of the year and have a Pot-Luck Dinner. The meeting/dinner will be at the Church of the Creator in Clinton at 6:30pm. Bring a food dish, dessert, bread, etc. that will feed 6 to 8 people. To keep things inexpensive for the club, please bring your on eating utensils, plate, cup, and serving spoon/fork for your dish - we'll remind you of this by e-mail the day before. The club will provide unsweet tea and ice. Bring your on beverage (non-alcoholic or alcoholic) if you desire. We'll have a short business meeting either before or during the dinner to discuss any issues and activities. Directions to the Church: Go to Clinton on I-20 and take Exit 34 - Clinton-Raymond Road. Go south on Clinton-Raymond Road like you are going to Raymond. Go 0.7 miles from the interstate and look for the church on the left side of the road. If you have any used paddling, camping or hiking gear to sell, bring it and perhaps someone will buy it at this meeting. We'll have a small area setup for used gear for sale. See you there!
Saturday December 15 - Red Cross CPR & First-aid Course Professional: This will be an all day activity at the Red Cross building in Jackson. For those of you who are trip coordinators or looking at coordinating trips for the club, the $60.00 fee will be paid for by the club. Others are welcome to participate as well. If you're interested in participating, contact both Larry Estes at 601-924-3689 and Cindy Foster at the American Red Cross Central MS Chapter at 601-353-5442 ext. 103 so you can be signed up.
Saturday December 22 - Reservoir Paddle: We'll put-in on the Reservoir (location to be determined) and paddle a total of about 4 to 5 miles. We may do a paddle whereby we temporarily take-out at Cock-of-the-Walk for Lunch - just an idea. We may have the Reservoir to ourselves but in either case we'll have a good leisure paddle. If you're new to canoeing or kayaking, this will be a nice introduction to paddling, be it on the cold side. Don't let not having a boat stop you as we'll find one for you to borrow but give us plenty of time. Trip Rating: Easy. Contact Larry Estes at 601-924-3689.
Kayak Classes - We'll be having another Kayak Roll Clinic as soon as we have eight to ten people signed up. Learn the basics of rolling a kayak during these 2-hour class sessions that meet from 7:00pm to 9:00pm each Tuesday night. Participate in as many or as few of the sessions that you desire. This clinic is targeting members and non-members who want to join us on some flatwater and whitewater kayaking and canoeing trips. The clinic fee is $45.00/person or $10.00/person per pool session and an indoor pool will be utilized for the instruction. Kayakers who just want to get some additional roll practice in during the off-season can participate by paying $6.00/per session. This will be a great way to meet paddlers. We'll also need some kayak volunteers to help with the new people in learning to roll. Contact Jim Trunzler at 601/892-4492.
Canoe Classes - This summer the club will be doing some canoe classes for beginner and intermediate canoers. The course will consist of one indoor classroom session followed by one outdoor session on the Strong River just south of Jackson. This course will target members and non-members who want to join us on some of our flatwater paddling trips but also learn numerous paddlling techniques that could allow you to go on some of the easier whitewater trips as well. Canoers that have not had previous training are also welcome so you can learn proper paddling techniques. There will be a clinic fee of $45.00 and most equipment will be provided, unless you have your own. This will be a great way to meet some paddlers. Contact Larry Estes at 601/924-3689
River Service Trips - The Club needs to gather names of those interested in assisting in accessing some of the river put-in and take-out locations. Some of these, especially on Black Creek south of Hattiesburg and Red Creek near Wiggins are in bad shape due to Hurricane Katrina. If any of our members are interested in the late fall and later this winter to assist in tree cutting and debris removal we'll neeed your help. If you have access to a good chainsaw that will be helpful as well. To help, contact Larry Estes at 601/924-3689.
Participation in any of our paddling trips is strictly voluntary and at the paddlers own risk. Before joining us on any trip, each MCKC member should assess his/her own skills in terms of difficulty of the river and conditions at that time. The Trip Coordinator will be helpful in describing the ease or difficulty of the paddling trip scheduled.
Minors may not participate in MCKC sponsored trips unless accompanied by a parent or by a responsible adult appointed by the parent.
Before participating in a scheduled club trip, always contact the Trip Coordinator in advance. This way you can get the specifics regarding the trip, location of put-in/take-out, departure time/location and situations that may cancel the trip. Never just showup for a trip. Trips are free to MCKC and ACA members. Guests are welcome to participate on club trips, but a $5.00 fee is required as per ACA requirements.
Flatwater Trip Ratings
Easy: Trips are less than 8 miles/day with little or no current. Minimum maneuvering skills are required.
Intermediate: Trips are 8 to 12 miles/day with some current. Some basic maneuvering skills may be required.
Strenuous: Trips are over 12 miles/day with some current and or maneuvering skills required.
Whitewater Trip Ratings
Beginner/Intermediate: Class I and II Rapids. Good boat control necessary along with some basic knowledge of eddy turns, peel-outs and ferries.
Intermediate: Class III Rapids. Very good boat control necessary with the ability to perform eddy turns, peel-outs and ferries.
Advance: Class IV-VI Rapids. Excellent boat control necessary including ability to perform eddy turns, peel-outs and ferries in fast moving and turbulent waters. Self-rescue and ability to assist in rescues of others is vital.
Checklists for Trips | ||
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