[GStarkCR]

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SIW NEWS BULLETIN
"STICKS IN THE WATER" PADDLERS
July 1, 2009

IT’S JULY—IS YOUR SUMMER HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY?
= It’s the start of July, essentially the midpoint of the year, closing in on the midpoint of the paddling season for most Iowa paddlers. Our Iowa weather has been unpredictable, which is to say, "normal." And, river levels have been a bit high, including the Cedar River which was uncooperative for the volunteers of Project AWARE.
= In spite of all this, there have been some really nice paddling days and water levels. Just ask Nick and the other folks who like to paddle the small creeks when the water levels are right. You’re not aware of the creek paddling? That could be because these paddlers have to utilize the sticksinthewater@yahooGROUP email exchange to organize within a very short time frame. Follow CanoePam’s instructions in this SIW News Bulletin to get yourself "in the loop."
= "Hats off!" to all of the Project AWARE organizers and volunteers who dealt with all of the changes, the heat, the storms, and still managed to extract tons of trash from our area waterways. I’ll forward a report from the DNR as soon as possible.
= July includes a variety of organized paddling opportunities around our region. The Annual Canoe Van Buren (July 11-12) weekend float and camp will run from Selma to Farmington on the Des Moines River, http://villagesofvanburen.com/canoe-vb.htm. The Paddlefest in Adel (July 11) includes races, boat displays, swap meet, environmental presentations, food, & music, www.northraccoon.org. The annual Paddle & Portage Race (July 18-19) will again challenge paddlers in Madison, WI, http://www..badgerstategames.org/node/329. And this year’s edition of the Great River Rumble (July 25-Aug 1) weeklong paddle/camp will cruise down the Mississippi from LaCrosse, WI to Dubuque, IA, http://www.riverrumble.org/.
= Clara Swan is our initiator for a July 18 float on the Turkey River, Elkader to Motor Mill or Garber. Clara’s love for the Turkey and the flood-recovering community of Elkader are quickly evident. Consider coming early, staying late, dropping a few bucks in the local economy. Every Iowa paddler should experience rounding the bend on the Turkey River, as the iconic four story stone mill comes into view. Check out the details in this news bulletin, and let Clara know if you’re opting for the 6 mile or 18 mile option.
= We’re open to suggestions on how to proceed with the weekday evening paddles. Different night of the week? Stay with Pleasant Creek & MacBride? "Up & Back" on local rivers when levels are a bit lower? Thursday night boat and burger at Stone City? Send your ideas/opinions to sticksinthewater@yahoo.com. We’ve scheduled only July 8 at Pleasant Creek, just in case paddlers want to consider a little full moon paddling. The balance of the schedule is open for now; we hope to have some ideas and a better schedule by the second week of July.
= We recently rejuvenated the SIW Steering Committee, and quickly learned that paddlers enjoy and appreciate trip reports as a way to learn about opportunities, prepare for future activities, and generally build enthusiasm. So, please send me your trip reports for inclusion in the SIW News Bulletin. I’ll be glad to assist you with a bit of editing, so don’t be bashful.
= We really appreciate the input from our members: Carol Sweeting & Larry Gullet gave us the heads-up on a couple of bridge construction river hazards. Carol Sweeting is selling two nice kayaks in Iowa City (see Buy, Sell, or Trade). Melisa Jacobsen is recruiting volunteers for a Lower Wapsi channel clearing on July 13 & 14, and the annual August Lower Wapsi Cleanup with more channel cleaning (see Calendar). Larry Gullet shared info re a July 21 North Fork Maquoketa preservation meeting (see article). Gail Barels is working on a Linn CCD paddle float, tentatively in September (see Calendar). Thanks to Woody Woodward and Bill Schoon for providing the trip reports in this issue. For new kayakers or those interested in pursuing kayaking, Seatasea is sponsoring a July 25 ACA Course "Intro to Kayaking," http://www.seatasea.com/. Anyone interested in assisting volunteer construction efforts in support of Iowa Water Trails can subscribe to a no-obligation email notification of upcoming projects & opportunities; contact DNR Water Trail Construction Coordinator Luke Wright at lukewright60@yahoo.com.

Now, let’s go paddling!
BR
Gregg

IN THIS ISSUE:
= Bridge construction river hazards on Iowa & Maquoketa Rivers.
= Rejuvenated SIW Steering Committee seeks your input.
= Wed Evening Paddle, Jul 8, 6pm – dark, later if you want to try paddling under a full moon, Pleasant Creek SP, north of Palo.
= Turkey River Float, Sat Jul 18, Elkader to Motor Mill or Garber.
= North Fork Maq Preservation Meeting July 21.
= Iowan paddling down the Yukon River.
= Report on Disorganized Cedar River Float
= Report on Grand Marais Wooden Boat Show & Paddling Sea Caves at Bayfield.
= 2009 Paddling Calendar.
= Links to County Conservation Dept newsletters and paddling events.
= Single link to all CCD websites.
= Buy-Sell-Trade; need a canoe or kayak?
= Astronomy: Full Moon July 7, New Moon July 21, meteor showers coming.
= Links to websites, newsletters, cleanups, other great "paddling stuff."
= CanoePam’s guide to joining the Sticksinthewater Yahoo! Group email exchange.

RIVER HAZARD ALERT:
Bridge Construction Hazard On The Iowa River:
On Thursday, June 18, 2009, passage on the Iowa River by boat was restricted in Iowa City from south of Sturgis Ferry Landing near the new McCollister Bridge. To facilitate construction of the bridge, a cable was installed across the river to establish a tie off point for construction barges. Depending on the water level, the river may be passable on the very west edge of the river, but it is recommended that boaters temporarily avoid this area. It is anticipated that the cable will be removed in mid-July. (Iowa City Recreation Department)
Bridge Construction Hazard On The Maquoketa River:
"Jones County has begun construction to replace the Eby’s Mill Road Bridge over the Maquoketa River northeast of Scotch Grove. Demolition of the existing structure is underway. Removal of a large brush snag will also be accomplished at this time. Once all removals are complete, a temporary causeway will be constructed out into the channel to provide access for construction of the new bridge. It is anticipated that construction of the new bridge will be completed by the end of the year.
Canoe traffic is encouraged to avoid this stretch of the Maquoketa River the rest of this summer and fall. We do not want to see anyone injured during construction of this bridge and strongly encourage everyone to stay off the river in this area." (Jones County Engineer’s Office)
Note: This is mile 15 on the "Maquoketa River 3" trip in the "Paddling Iowa" book, pgs 90-91.

REJUVENATED SIW STEERING COMMITTEE SEEKS YOUR INPUT:
We recently invited a few folks to get together and provide some mid-year guidance as a rejuvenated informal steering committee to Sticks In the Water. It was an interesting discussion, generated a few action items for further research, along with consensus on the following:
SIW should remain a very informal network of paddlers, avoiding many of the constraints, hassles, and potential liability of a formal organization, committees, dues, elections, position statements.
SIW should continue to focus on communicating with paddlers, particularly paddling opportunities and trip reports to encourage more people to actually participate in paddling.
SIW should identify more paddlers willing to initiate a paddling event, whether by recruiting paddlers with experience or by pairing willing new folks with experienced ones.
SIW should continue to provide information on issues, but leave any position statements or activism to other organizations.
SIW should leverage its significant distro of email addresses toward expanded paddling activity through increased use of the yahoo.group email exchange and development of a website.
We'll be meeting again in a couple of months, so please feel free to share your suggestions, concerns, or general thoughts on improving SIW with any of the following: Joe DeLory, Nick Gaeta, Kent Kinion, Lisa Nagle, James Peters, Tom Sabotta, Bill Schoon, Kevin Stalnaker, Pam Stalnaker, Gregg Stark, Bill Thomas, or Joe Trumm.

WED EVENING (FULL MOON?) PADDLE JULY 8 AT PLEASANT CREEK:
We’ll be at Pleasant Creek SP, north of Palo, but there is currently road construction in the area, so watch for email updates as we get closer. We’ll be a day late for the official full moon, but if the weather cooperates, it should still be impressive. We’ll have the usual 6pm-dark paddling, then for those who want to hang around or come late, we’ll try to do a little paddling in the moonlight. The DNR requires paddle-powered craft to be able to display a white light at night. Boat lights or headlamps are suggested.

"TURKEY RIVER FLOAT"
SATURDAY, JULY 18 FROM ELKADER:
What: "Turkey River Float" small river flatwater paddling event.
Where: Turkey River, Elkader to Motor Mill (6 miles) or Elkader to Garber (18 miles). Gather & put-in at Elkader; South Main St, west side of river, below the fire station (from the south on Hwy 13, turn left on Hwy 56, one block right to Main St. See map link below.
When: Sat, July 18, 9:00 am shuttle; takeout time dependent on choice of trip length, tour stop, paddling pace on last 12 miles, etc. Rough estimate out at Garber 4-6:00 pm.
Initiator Contact: Clara Swan, 319-321-3032.
Registration: Registration is not required, but it would help Clara and Larry to know how many folks might be in the group touring the mill, and how many will be opting for either the 6 or 18 mile paddling option. Contact Clara at 319-321-3032.
Details: We’ll run shuttles to the takeouts promptly at 9:00 am, then launch as soon as possible. Larry Stone will be ensuring a guided tour of the Motor Mill (scheduled to be open 9-5 that day, no charge, donations encouraged), an impressive structure with a very interesting history (see link below). Please note the options for a shorter trip with takeout at Motor Mill and a longer trip with a takeout at Garber.Food: Bring your own lunch and snacks; plan to take them along in your boat. Lunch at MM?
Equipment: Usual boats, paddles, PFDs, and paddling gear appropriate for the weather.
Safety: Usual PFD, whistle, drinking water, sunscreen, hat, water shoes, basic first aid, dry clothes.
Driving Time & Directions: 2 hours should be ample driving & unload time (Clara says 1.5 hours driving) from Cedar Rapids via I380 north, CR-E34 (Toddville) exit, East on E-34 (County Home Rd), North on Hwy 13 through Central City, Coggon, Ryan, Manchester Strawberry Point. Mapquest indicates 78 miles or 1 hr 40 min to Elkader. Plan accordingly starting from other locations.
Resources: A map of the river, shuttle instructions, and general information re this float may be found on pages 136-137 in the "Paddling Iowa" book. Link to map of Elkader & put in: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=fire+station+elkader+iowa&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&cid=1681499696930814908&li=lmd ). Link to Motor Mill: http://www.motormill.org/ Link to Elkader, access to restaurants, accomodations, campgrounds: http://www.elkader-iowa.com/
Sunday Paddling?: For anyone interested in paddling on Sunday, Clara suggests the Volga from Osborn Nature Center to Littleport, dependent on water level.

NORTH FORK MAQUOKETA PRESERVATION MEETING JULY 21:
Jones County Conservation Board news release:
With increased participation in the paddle sports, the Jones County Conservation Board is studying the North Fork of the Maquoketa River from Cascade to Jackson County. As part of the planning process officials from the Conservation Board, IDNR and National Park Service met with landowners along the river last fall to get input about future development for public use and use of the river by paddlers. The intent of the Board is to do everything possible to help keep the river the way it is and designate it as a "wilderness" or "undeveloped" water trail. The Conservation Board would now like to get input from the public about how they feel about the river and access to it. The meeting will include short presentations from Larry Gullett - Jones County Conservation Board, Nate Hoogeveen - IDNR Rivers Program Coordinator and David Thomson - National Park Service Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance Program. After the presentations, participants will break into small groups and provide input to help the Conservation Board develop a planning and policy approach to help preserve the North Fork.
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Location: Temple Hill Church School (http://iowajones.org/churches/RCTempleHill.htm )
Time: 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM (at the latest)
In order to help plan the sessions the Conservation Board is requesting that people pre-register for the program. You may pre-register by calling the Jones County Conservation Administrative Office at 563-487-3541 or email your name and contact information to jccb@co.jones.ia.us

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR IOWA WATER TRAIL SURVEY PARTICIPATION:
The survey link to the 8 additional questions is now closed, but Mimi Wagner forwards her appreciation, reporting "There was a great response for the second round of questions also." You can follow ongoing progress toward development of the comprehensive statewide Iowa Water Trail Plan at the Iowa State Architecture Lab web site: http://creekcommunities.design.iastate.edu/

IOWAN ADAM BROOKS SOLO PADDLING 2300 MILES ON YUKON RIVER:
In recent years, Iowan Adam Brooks has solo paddled the length of the Mississippi River and the length of the Missouri River. What has he been up to lately? From his website:
"I enjoyed last year's hike on the Pacific Crest trail, but this summer I'm heading up to Whitehorse, Canada where the Mighty Yukon River starts it's long journey across the interior of Alaska and on to the Bering Sea. It's going to be a hard trip. The river is 2300 miles long, towns are few and far between, the bears are big, and the mosquitoes legendary, but the people will be great, the wildlife amazing, and the scenery should be the best you can find this side of heaven.
"If you've read my Mississippi River trip, you know that cancer has touched my life in a profound way. My mom died after a long battle with brain cancer in 1994, and I lost my dad to lung cancer in 2005. Cancer is a horrible disease. It kills and maims indiscriminately. I want to use this trip to help fight this awful disease. That's why I'm using my 2300 mile trip as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society."
Adam launched his kayak on June 7. For more on Adam’s regular progress updates, along with trip & gear planning and a link to contribute to his cause, check out: http://www.myriverquest.com/index.html

REPORT ON THE 22nd ANNUAL DISORGANIZED CEDAR RIVER CANOE FLOAT:
Info from trip "dis-organizers," forwarded by Woody Woodbury:
This year’s float was held June 13-17, covered 65 miles in 5 days, from Otranto to Janesville on the upper Cedar River. Laurie Hughes, one of the chief "disorganizers," reported, "What a great float this year! We had four out of five days of excellent weather, very fast water, and exceptional company! There were a total of 25 participants"
This is a very minimum-organization, low-budget event, but donations have already been received toward 2010 expenses. Sounds like we’ll have another opportunity to paddle with the "merry band" next year, and we’ll rely on Woody to keep us informed.

REPORT ON WOODEN BOAT SHOW & CAVE PADDLING:
From Bill Schoon:
"Greg Ellyson & I exhibited our wooden boats at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, MN. They celebrate the Summer Solstice with a Wooden Boat Show. There are all kinds of activities from Friday through Sunday, and lots of people attend. We spent most of our time answering questions about how we built our boats. There were lots of canoes and row boats, but only 4 kayaks, two of which were skin on frame. Greg got lots of oohs and aahs for his kayak and I had lots of questions about my 12 foot lap strake canoe. If you aren’t aware of the North House, google them and check them out. It is well worth your time.
"After Grand Marais, we went to Bayfield to paddle the sea caves on Monday the 22nd. The temp was chilly and the water was cold. Not unusual for this time of the year. When we got to Meyers Beach to put in, we found there to be big swells as well. So Joyce decided to hike out to the caves, 1.8 miles, and Greg and I paddled our 17 foot tandem. This proved to be a wise decision. The water in Superior is up from two years ago and the cave landscape is much different than the last time we were here. We did not enter any of the caves because the swells were pounding directly into the face of the cliffs and into the caves themselves. Two things were happening. One, the sound of the waves inside the caves was like thunder and could feel the sound. Second, the reflected energy of the water coming back from the cliffs and caves made for some interesting paddling. We were paddling about 20 yards outside the cliffs. Our tandem is like a truck, so it is very stable, but we di get an interesting ride. On the way back to the put in, the swells were to our back and we were able to surf some. It also rained on us a bit, but we were already wet from the swells, so it was no big thing. All in all, it was a great day paddling."

REPORT ON CREEKING WITH NICK:
Nick Gaeta seems to get the credit or blame (his enthusiasm attracts a lot of ribbing), depending on how the trips turn out, but there is a small core of dedicated creek paddlers in our midst. When the water level is right, you’re apt to find them on Prairie Creek, Big Creek, Buffalo Creek, Indian Creek, or even lesser known small waterways around our area. There are no USGS gauges on these streams, so the crew has developed a method of tracking "air" between the water and index points on road bridges. They now have a pretty good database of the levels which constitute decent paddling.
Before you jump into creeking, it is recommended that you have decent paddling & safety skills. A shallow-draft, highly-maneuverable canoe or kayak can also be a big help. This is not the technical "creeking" of firehose water speeds and 40 foot drops, but you do need to be able to quickly react to currents and obstacles.
If you’re interested in this style of paddling, you can connect with Nick, Joe and the other creek paddlers by joining the sticksinthewater@yahooGROUP email exchange.

ASTRONOMY FOR PADDLERS; WATCH FOR METEOR SHOWERS:
Websites tell us to expect a Full Moon on Jul 7, New Moon on Jul 21, Full Moon on Aug 5.
The Delta Aquarid meteor shower will peak the morning of July 28 with a rate of 20 meteors per hour, visible in the South. They will be competing with a half moon.
The Perseid meteor shower will peak the morning of August 12 with a rate of 60 meteors per hour, visible in the Northeast. They will be competing with a half moon.
For more info on 2009 meteor showers: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/36787804.html

OPPORTUNITIES TO BUY, SELL, OR TRADE PADDLING GEAR:
Warmer weather seems to be encouraging listings of used canoes, kayaks, and paddling gear. Is there anything in your garage that needs to be set free?
Kayak for Sale; Dagger Charleston, 15’, dual hatches, skeg, stored inside, sky blue, $650, Iowa City, Carol at 319-541-2385, 57flipper@gmail.com.
Kayak for Sale; Necky Manitou, 14’, dual hatches, skeg, stored inside, used once, $850, Iowa City, Carol at 319-541-2385, 57flipper@gmail.com
Accessory for Sale; New Bending Branches Kayak Kickstand, lists $50, sell for $25, see at http://www.bendingbranches.com/gear/kickstand.html , contact gallke@yahoo.com, Iowa City
Canoes for Sale at "Bullwinkle’s Bargain Barn"; Dagger Impulse 13’ ABS solo $350 firm; two Dagger Phantoms 11-12’, one at $600, one at $450; Dagger Genesis 13’ ABS Royalex solo $350; Dagger Impule 13’ ABS Royalex solo $350; contact Bullwinkle via PaddlingIowa or 319-277-5945, Cedar Falls.
Canoe for Sale; Alumacraft, 17’, stored indoors, $600, Iowa, listed on Paddling.Net by smutz.
Canoe for Sale; Old Town Discovery Sport, 17’, square stern, w/5hp Yamaha outboard, $1,650, Davenport, IA, listed on Paddling.Net.
Canoe for Sale; Wenonah Sundowner kevlar, 18’, 42#, wood gunwales & yoke, cane seats, $1,500 OBO, Iowa, listed on Paddling.Net by gerrywordehoff.
Craigslist Cedar Rapids currently has several canoes & kayaks listed for sale or wanted, some in the $400-$500 range. They come and go too quickly to make listing them here worthwhile, but they may be worth a look. http://cedarrapids.craigslist..org/
If you’re looking to buy, sell, or trade, here are some websites to check:
http://cedarrapids.craigslist..org/
http://www.paddlingiowa..com/phpBB/viewforum.php?f=5
http://www.paddling.net/Classifieds/forSale.html
http://www.seatasea.com/ClearanceBoats.htm
http://www.canoesportoutfitters.com/Deals.htm

SIW 2009 PADDLER PLANNING CALENDAR:
(SIW-initiated events in bold)

July 1; ***CANCELED***; SIW Wednesday Evening Paddle.
July 4th ***CANCELED***; "Evening Fireworks Paddle" on Cedar River at Cedar Rapids; initated by Joe DeLory. Canceled due to fireworks moved to Kirkwood CC.
July 6; Seatasea Watersports Free Demo Paddle, 4:30-7pm, Pleasant Creek, Palo; http://www.seatasea.com/
July 8; SIW Wednesday Evening Paddle, 6:00 pm-dark, possible full moon paddling, Pleasant Creek, Palo.
July 11-12; Annual Canoe Van Buren, weekend float/camp from Selma to Farmington on the Des Moines River; http://villagesofvanburen.com/canoe-vb.htm.
July 11; Paddlefest at Kinnick-Feller Park, Adel, IA, river races, food, music, canoe & kayak display, swap meet, photo show, environmental displays & presentations, www.northraccoon.org
July 13-14; Lower Wapsi Channel Clearing, Melisa Jacobsen 309-737-9016, http://www.lowerwapsicleanup.org.
July 15; SIW Wednesday Evening Paddle, 6:00 pm-dark, location TBD.
July 18; "Turkey River Float," Elkader to Garber, with a tour of Motor Mill along the way; options for 6 or 18 miles; pages 136-137 in "Paddling Iowa" book; initiated by Clara Swan (319-321-3032), assisted by Larry Stone.
July 18-19; Paddle & Portage Race, Madison, WI. http://www..badgerstategames.org/node/329.
July 20; Seatasea Watersports Free Demo Paddle, 4:30-7pm, Lake McBride; http://www.seatasea.com/
July 22; SIW Wednesday Evening Paddle, 6:00 pm-dark, location TBD.
July 25-Aug 1; Great River Rumble, LaCrosse, WI to Dubuque, IA, weeklong paddle/camp on the Mississippi River, coordinated meals, campsites, transportation of gear, some SIW members already registered; http://www.riverrumble.org/.
July 25; ACA Course "Intro to Kayaking." http://www.seatasea.com/
July 29; SIW Wednesday Evening Paddle, 6:00 pm-dark, location TBD.
August 5; SIW Wednesday Evening Paddle, 6:00 pm-dark, location TBD..
August 10; Seatasea Watersports Free Demo Paddle, 4:30-7pm, Robins Lake, CR; http://www..seatasea.com/
August 12; SIW Wednesday Evening Paddle, 6:00 pm-dark, location TBD.
August 15; "Des Moines River Run Garbage Grab"; free event followed by free celebration dinner & entertainment, www.riverstewards.org.
August 19; SIW Wednesday Evening Paddle, 6:00 pm-dark, location TBD.
August 21-23; "4th Annual Lower Wapsi Cleanup"; Melisa Jacobsen 309-737-9016, http://www.lowerwapsicleanup.org. st 22; ACA Course "Intro to Kayaking." http://www.seatasea.com/
August 24; Seatasea Watersports Free Demo Paddle, 4:30-7pm, Pleasant Creek, Palo; http://www.seatasea.com/
August 22; River Float Suitable for Novices, initiated by Kevin & Pam Stalnaker, location TBD.
August 26; SIW Wednesday Evening Paddle, 6:00 pm-dark, location TBD.
September 14; Seatasea Watersports Free Demo Paddle, 4:30-7pm, Robins Lake, CR; http://www.seatasea.com/
September (tentative); Wapsi River Float, Linn County Conservation Dept, route & date TBD.
October 10; Jones County Conservation Dept "Fall Colors Float", route TBD.
Possible Full Moon Paddles, 2009 full moon dates May 9, Jun 7, Jul 7, Aug 5, Sep 4, Oct 4.

LINKS TO COUNTY CONSERVATION SITES, NEWSLETTERS, & EVENTS:
County CCD newsletters are gold mines of outdoor activities for all ages. Even CCDs without a newsletter often provide a calendar of events. Here are some noteworthy electronic publications from around our area:
Link to Jones County Spring Newsletter:
http://jonescountyiowa.org/Documents/Spring%20Summer%202009%20Final.pdf
Link to Linn County Spring Newsletter:
http://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Linn/Park/News/92/CURRENT-NEWSLETTER-AVAILABLE.aspx
Link to Clinton County Spring Newsletter (to be posted later this week):
http://www.clintoncountyiowa.com/conservation/eehome.htm
Link to Dubuque County Spring Newsletter:
http://www.dubuquecounty.org/Portals/0/Conservation/Spring2009.pdf
Link to Jackson County Spring Newsletter:
http://www.jacksonccb.com/files/Spring_2009_JCCB_Newsletter.pdf
Link to Johnson County Kent Park Info:
http://www.johnson-county.com/conservation/kentpark.shtml
Link to Louisa County Spring Newsletter:
http://www.naturallylouisacounty.com/

AREA COUNTY CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT INFO:
Eastern Iowa County Conservation Departments are gearing up to present their spring event schedules and newsletters. We will try to highlight their paddle events, but we encourage you to watch for all of their outdoor events and activities via their websites, calendars, and newsletters. Special thanks to SIW member Jim Peters, who cued us in to a new centralized website from which you can access conservation department information & websites for all 99 Iowa counties: www.mycountyparks.com. Very convenient!

LOTS OF LINKS TO GREAT IOWA PADDLING INFO:
US Naval Observatory; sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, moon phases, etc. http://aa.usno.navy.mil/.
Star Date Online; solar system, planets, comets, meteor showers, etc. http://stardate.org/..
"Paddling.Net" national paddlers website providing access to boat data, test reports, classified ads, and advice about paddling and paddling activities from around the country: http://www.paddling.net/.
"PaddlingIowa" mother of all Iowa paddling info, including paddling opportunities, trip reports, classified ads: http://www...paddlingiowa.com/.
"Sticks In the Water" email site at sticksinthewater@yahoo.
"Sticks In the Water" group site at http://groups.yahoo.com.
"Sticks In the Water" discussion topic section on paddlingiowa.com under Community/Forums at at http://www.paddlingiowa.com/phpBB/viewforum.php?f=24&sid=1ce9cee0d339a2a8dcf9a611f23b 7aee.
Central Iowa Paddlers, based in Central Iowa, broad participation http://www.paddleiowa.org/..
Saukenuk Paddlers Canoe and Kayak Club, Quad Cities http://www.rivers-end.org/saukenuk/.
Iowa Whitewater Coalition, based in Central Iowa http://www.iowawhitewater.org/.
Iowa Rivers Revival www.iowarivers.org.
Iowa DNR home page: http://www.iowadnr.gov/index..html
Iowa DNR publications: http://www.iowadnr..com/pub..html
Iowa DNR, Iowa Water Trails: http://www.iowadnr..gov/watertrails/user.html
Iowa DNR, Iowa Water Trail Construction Volunteer advisory: email Luke Wright at lukewright60@yahoo.com.
Iowa DNR/ACA "Smart Start for Safe Paddling" brochure http://www.iowadnr.gov/watertrails/files/smart_start.pdf.
Iowa DNR, Fishing Reports: http://www..iowadnr.com/news/currentfish.html
Iowa DNR guidelines for display of registration decals and numbers, other legal requirements: http://www.boat-ed.com/ia/ia_specific_images/pdfs/IA_handbook_its_the_law.pdf
IOWATER-sponsored cleanup events across the state: http://www..iowater.net/StreamCleanupEvents.htm.

SIW SEEKING "INITIATORS" FOR PADDLING EVENTS:
The SIW Steering Committee is looking for a few paddling event "Initiators" to help share the load of getting SIW associates out on the water more often. Per the Common Adventure philosophy, "Initiators" of these paddling events are not serving as outfitters, instructors, or paddling experts. Their role is to schedule and coordinate an event, including dates, times, put-ins, take-outs, shuttles, basic route information, and provide common sense reminders re planning & equipment (see the SIW events above for examples). If you have an interest, please contact the editor.

EDITOR’S NOTES:
Thanks for the words of encouragement, calendar items, and story ideas; please keep them coming! We apologize in advance for any errors or omissions.
Email your SIW News Bulletin corrections, news items, and story ideas to "SIW Editor" at greggpeggystark@yahoo.com.
If you do not wish to receive future copies of this SIW News Bulletin, please send an email to sticksinthewater@yahoo.com with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.
All other email address changes, subscription adds, or inquiries about "Sticks In the Water" paddlers should be emailed to sticksinthewater@yahoo.com.

BECOME A SIW MEMBER:
"Sticks In the Water" is a canoe and kayak paddling network, centered around Johnson, Jones, and Linn counties in Eastern Iowa, working to provide area paddlers with expanded opportunities to enjoy more time on the water, in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. We respect your privacy and will not share your email address with any other organization or company. To become a member of SIW, email your regular name (first & last) and your email address to sticksinthewater@yahoo.com.

SAFE PADDLING:
The Sticks In the Water paddling group embraces the "Common Adventure" philosophy, under which individual paddlers recognize that paddlesports & other outdoor activities inherently include some risk of injury or death, and assume responsibility for the safety of themselves & the members of their party. The "initiators" of SIW events are not necessarily outfitters, instructors, or paddling experts. That said, we strongly encourage all paddlers to wear PFD’s, avoid on-water alcohol, & utilize proper equipment, training, & procedures in pursuit of a safe & enjoyable paddling experience.
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