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

IT’S NOVEMBER??? WHERE HAS 2009 GONE???
. Looks like we have drained the Paddling Calendar for 2009; guess it’s time to start filling up another Paddling Calendar for 2010.
. Actually, some of our paddling friends are enjoying the joys unique to paddling in late fall, when Mother Nature removes her curtain of green leaves, revealing the rocky bluffs, highlighting the gnarled cedar trees, and exposing more wildlife. For those who are properly prepared, it can be another great time to be on the water. Make certain that a float plan, paddling partner(s), appropriate clothing (with backups), and plenty of energy food are part of your outing. Darkness comes early at this time of year; would you be prepared to create a shelter, build a fire, and spend the night, if necessary?
. Here’s wishing our friends at the DNR River Programs all the best as the state proceeds to address a serious budget shortfall. In just a few short years, Nate Hoogeveen has built a small but dedicated and effective team which has made incredible gains in the development of safer and more accessible paddling opportunities across the state. Maintaining that momentum would continue to benefit Iowa ’s recreation opportunities, environmental awareness, and economy.
. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to one of our favorite paddling people, Robin Fortney, who had surgery on Oct 26. Robin is often credited as the “Eveready Battery Rabbit” behind the creation of Central Iowa Paddlers, and is active in Iowa River Revival, the “River Rascals” youth program, and so much more. Cards and notes of encouragement are welcomed at 688 Polk Blvd, Des Moines, IA 50312-2351.
. If you’re looking for a “special” winter paddling event in Iowa, you might consider the Dec 5 Annual Skunk River Paddlers “Waffle Float.” The Belgian Waffle Breakfast is a fundraiser for the Des Moines Arboretum, is not sponsored by Skunk River Paddlers, and is not a prerequisite for the paddle. On the other hand, participating in the waffle breakfast does not require paddling the icy river. Some years the paddling is more challenging than others; check it out: http://www.paddlingiowa.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=1703&highlight=waffle
. The holiday “gifting season” is coming, and while some folks’ dreams may be filled with sugar plums, we’re wondering what our paddling members have on their wish lists. Please forward your ideas (real or humorous), and we’ll share them in the December 1 SIW News Bulletin. greggpeggystark@yahoo.com
. November dates to keep in mind: Daylight Savings Ends Nov 1 (set clocks back 1 hour); Veteran’s Day Nov 11; Thanksgiving Nov 26

BR
Gregg

IN THIS ISSUE:
= Cold-weather activity ideas for fair-weather paddlers.
= Jones County Oct 10 Wapsi Canoe Float was canceled.
= Clinton County Oct 17 Wapsi Canoe Float was canceled.
= Jones County Water Trail Construction Underway on Maquoketa River ?
= Clinton County monthly paddling events scheduled for 2010.
= Updated DNR Water Trails website.
= IRR continues to advocate for improvement of Iowa water quality.
= Astronomy: Full Moon Nov 2, New Moon Nov 16; Leonid Meteor Shower Nov 17.
= IOU website for winter visitors.
= Single link to all County Conservation Dept websites.
= Buy-Sell-Trade; need a canoe or kayak?
= Links to websites, newsletters, cleanups, other great "paddling stuff."

COLD-WEATHER ACTIVITIES FOR FAIR-WEATHER PADDLERS:
. The more hardy Iowa paddlers, properly prepared, frequently paddle every month of the year. And those with the appropriate time and resources may head to warmer climes for their winter paddling. But, how do the balance of fair-weather Iowa paddlers survive a few months off the water? Here are a few ideas to pass the time until spring arrives:
= Clean your boats and apply a preferred protectant (303, armor all, wax, or whatever).
= Clean, reorganize, repair your paddling equipment.
= Maintain your vehicle, roof rack, and/or trailer so they will be ready to go when you are.
= Make wish lists for Christmas and the spring boat shows.
= Consider year-end contributions to your favorite paddle-friendly organizations.
= Renew membership in your favorite paddling group(s).
= Read a paddling-related book.
= Build a boat or paddle.
= Volunteer to initiate a paddling outing in 2010.
= Plan (& budget) for paddling trips to Boundary Waters, Ozark Rivers, or other classic paddling/outdoor areas.
= Plan to participate in regional events like the Great River Rumble, Villages of Van Buren . . .
= Volunteer to help organize or participate in clean up events in 2010.
= Polish your outdoor photography skills with a community college class, or by joining a local amateur photography club.
= Increase your knowledge of the night sky and special astronomical events with a visit to the = Cedar River Amateur Astronomers website and/or one of their public programs.
= Participate in some of the indoor/outdoor events listed in the County Conservation Fall/Winter newsletters.
= Sign up for the sticksinthewater Yahoo! Email Discussion Group.
= Add notes to the last page of your 2009 calendar: Indian Creek Nature Center Paddle Fest Date TBD, Iowa Paddling Expo February 12-14, Canoecopia March 12-14, Iowa Rivers Revival Annual Conference Date TBD.
. Do you have more suggestions? Please forward them along to be shared in our next issue. greggpeggystark@yahoo.com

JONES COUNTY OCT 10 “FALL COLORS & ARCHAEOLOGY” FLOAT CANCELED:
From Michele Olson:
Saturday, October 10; Wapsipinicon River .
The masses have spoken. We have canceled the Oct. 10th Fall Colors and Archaeology Canoe Float scheduled for tomorrow.
Thanks much,
Michele Olson
Jones County Conservation Naturalist, naturalist@co.jones.ia.us

CLINTON COUNTY OCT 17 CANOE FLOAT CANCELED:
From Chuck Jacobsen:
. We canceled the float. Though we ended up with a sunny day and not the rain snow mix predicted, the air temperature was not sufficient for paddling without wet / dry suits. I'm getting together a complete schedule for next year and may have that out to you by the end of the day.
Chuck Jacobsen
Clinton County Conservation Naturalist, 563-357-0759 / 563-847-7202

MAQUOKETA RIVER TRAIL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE; PICTURED ROCKS CLOSED:
From Larry Gullet:
. We are working feverishly at Pictured Rocks. We started closing the area each day at about 5 PM and it opens about 8 AM. The entire river access area is under excavation and we are not recommending use of the area for several weeks. The new latrine and pavilion are being relocated out of the flood plain and work is moving forward with the slabs and foundations in place. Masons and contractors are expected to start work on the structures sometime this week. . We need river levels to cooperate!
Thank you
Larry Gullett, Director, Jones County Conservation

CLINTON COUNTY PADDLING 2010:
. Clinton County Naturalist Chuck Jacobsen forwarded their schedule of monthly paddling events for 2010. We’ll provide more details in future news bulletins, but here’s a quick rundown on some very interesting paddling opportunities:
= Apr 17, Water Trail Dedication and Wapsi River Float, Walnut Grove Park, Toronto, IA.
= May 15, Rock Creek Water Trail Float, Rock Creek Park, Camanche, IA.
= Jun 19, Mississippi Bluffs Float, South Lake Park, Sabula, IA.
= Jul 17, Pool 13 Float, Thomson Causeway (Thomson, IL) to Fulton Marina (Fulton, IL).
= Aug 21, Isles of the Mississippi float #1, 19th Ave Boat Ramp (Clinton, IA) to Swan Slough Boat Ramp (Camanche, IA).
= Sep 18, Isles of the Mississippi Float #2, Swan Slough Boat Ramp (Camanche, IA) to Rock Creek Park (Camanche, IA).
Chuck Jacobsen
Clinton County Conservation Naturalist, 563-357-0759 / 563-847-7202

IOWA DNR RIVER PROGRAMS WEBSITE UPDATED:
. You can find paddler resources, maps & brochures, instruction programs, rental services, safety & regulations, boater education, a map of dam locations, grant applications, a water trail toolkit, river cleanup plans, and more on the updated Iowa DNR River Programs website: www.iowadnr.gov/riverprograms/index.html
. Please feel free to offer suggestions or comments to John Wenck,
River Programs Outreach Coordinator, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
515/ 281-8969 john.wenck@dnr.iowa.gov

IRR CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVED IOWA WATER QUALITY:
From Roz Lehman:
· River advocacy interest and efforts are increasing around the country and the time is now to demand change and accountability for the condition of Iowa’s rivers. Iowa Rivers Revival is organizing our 2nd River Congress in January 2010 to strengthen an advocacy network to urge Iowa legislators to act to improve the care and condition of Iowa ’s river. Please respond to this e-mail for more information and if you are interested in participating. More information is coming in early November.
· Attend and participate in the upcoming Antidegradation meetings with the legislative Administrative Rules Review Committee (ARRC) and Iowa DNR on Tuesday November 10th. The ARRC has requested DNR conduct a regulatory analysis on the proposed Tier 2.5 waters (Outstanding Iowa Waters) found in the latest draft of the Antidegradation rule package. This analysis will be published on Wednesday October 21st, and the public comment period will end on Tuesday November 10th. This regulatory analysis is an agenda item for the November 10th ARRC meeting at 11:00. November 10th is also the date of a scheduled public hearing at the Wallace Building Auditorium at 1:00.
. For articles, information, and links to recent news items about Iowa water quality, go to: http://www.iowarivers.org/Default.aspx?tabid=92 and click on “recent river related articles”
Rosalyn Lehman, Executive Director, Iowa Rivers Revival
515-202-7720, rlehman@iowarivers.org | www.iowarivers.org

SIW STEERING COMMITTEE SEEKS YOUR INPUT:
. We'll be using the cooler months to regroup, schedule some informal member meetings, and plan for paddling in 2010. Please 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.

ASTRONOMY FOR PADDLERS:
. Websites tell us to expect a Full Moon on Nov 2, New Moon on Nov 16, Full Moon again on Dec 2. Looking ahead, Winter will start Dec 21; the Winter Solstice is the shortest daylight period of the year.
. Watch for the Leonid Meteor Shower Nov 17: “Typically the Leonid shower is a weak display, with fewer than a dozen meteors per hour radiating from Leo’s Sickle. But the parent comet, 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, tends to create narrow concentrated streams that can produce brief but prodigious displays. That was the case during the late 1990s, and we might be in for a reprise this year. A predicted pulse of activity on November 17th — with hundreds of meteors per hour — will involve contributions from the comet's spewings in 1102, 1466, and 1533. But the outburst will last only a few hours at most, and the timing is more favorable for eastern Asia than the Americas .” Quoted from info on 2009 meteor showers at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/36787804.html

HAVE YOU BEGUN TO MEET YOUR IOWA WINTER BIRD VISITORS?:
. The official website of the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union is a terrific resource for serious birders or those of us who just have a beginner's question or a bit of curiosity. The site includes reports on rare (at least to Iowa ) sightings, bird photos and checklists, distribution maps, quizzes, news items, and info on how to report your sightings. Check it out: http://www.iowabirds.org/

OPPORTUNITIES TO BUY, SELL, OR TRADE PADDLING GEAR:
. Is there anything in your garage that needs to be set free? Do you need space for “winter toys?”
. Want to Buy two used kayaks, Des Moines area, BJ Towe bj@everythingittakes.net
. Pair of Hobie Outback kayaks for Sale, 1 yr old $1400, 5 yr old $1100, 319-929-2212, CR Gazette.
. BIG Canoe for Sale; Pelican Square Back, Ram-X hull material, 16'3", 43" wide, flat bottom, tri keel, 123 lbs., capacity 1100 lbs, 53 cu ft cargo, motor mount on transom, rated for 5 hp, $750, Webster City, Cornboy on paddlingiowa.com.
. OLD Canoe for Sale; 1952 Old Town Wood & Canvas, good paddling shape or restore it, includes sail & leeboard, 2 paddles, asking $1,000 OBO, Des Moines, on paddling.net (not paddlingiowa.com).
. Canoe for Sale; 1964 Herter's Fiberglas Square Back, restoration project, reasonable offer, Cornboy on paddlingiowa.com.
. Accessories for Sale; Castle Craft Stabilizer Floats, telescope to 6 ft spread, attach without tools, $100, cornboy on paddlingiowa.com.
. Canoe for Sale; 2006 Wenonah Prism, Kevlar Flex-core, Alaskan Ivory Gelcoat, black aluminum trim, foot brace, tugeyes, grab loops, wood web seat with backrest, spare kevlar bucket seat, $1400, Des Moines , Dick Howard at 641-223-0088 cell, rhow@dwx.com.
. Kayak for Sale ; Pyranha H2 Zone C1, river-runner/creekboat, $350, more info/pics on paddlingiowa.com.
. Kayak for Sale; Dagger Agent 6.2, playboat, orange, $450, on paddlingiowa.com.
. Canoe Trailer for Sale; lightweight multiple canoe trailer with covered box for gear storage, 1 7/8" ball hitch, $400, Iowa City, on http://cedarrapids.craigslist..org/
. Craigslist Cedar Rapids currently has several canoes & kayaks listed for sale, including a $350 Perception Swifty 9.5' kayak in CR, $450 Perception Prodigy 10' kayak in Iowa City, $700 Pelican elite 12' kayak in Decorah, $180 Shell Lake fiberglas 16.5' canoe in Anamosa, a $1200 Grumman "Iowa Hawkeye" canoe in Iowa City, a $400 Old Towne Guide 16' canoe in North Liberty, Check them out at: 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:
All gone. See you in 2010!

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 Fall Newsletter:
http://jonescountyiowa.org/Documents/Fall%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 Newsletter:
Http://www.naturallylouisacounty.com/

CENTRALIZED WEBSITE TO ACCESS ALL COUNTY CONSERVATION DEPARTMENTS:
. Use this centralized website to 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/.
Skunk River Paddlers http://www.skunkriverpaddlers.org/.
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. If you have an interest, please contact sticksinthewater@yahoo.com.

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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