Bulletin E-Edition:
KAYAKERS are on a ROLL
By Kate Ramsayer / The Bulletin
Published: November 30. 2009 4:00AM PST
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Stephen Junkins, of Bend, pops back up to the surface while working on his rolling technique in his kayak at Juniper Swim & Fitness Center on Sunday evening.
Photos by Andy Tullis / The Bulletin
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In the relative warmth of Juniper Swim & Fitness Center’s indoor pool, kayakers got to practice their rolls and other safety maneuvers Sunday evening.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn how to roll,” said Brian Tappan, of Bend, who was flipping over, then moving his hips and sweeping his paddle to pop back up. “As opposed to (on) the Deschutes, which is pretty cold this time of year.”
Every Sunday this winter, from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m., Juniper offers an open kayak session, for up to 12 paddlers to use the pool to practice righting themselves.
It’s a good opportunity for kayakers to hone their skills so that if they capsize on a river, they know exactly what to do, Tappan said. Plus, it’s a chance to meet other kayakers, and to get in more time on the water, even when it’s dark and cold outside.
Now is a great time of year for kayaking in Bend, said Stephen Junkins, who brought two different boats to practice in Sunday evening.
“Yesterday I skied in the morning and kayaked in the afternoon,” he said. “It’s good living.”
But paddlers can’t comfortably practice rolling in the chilly weather, Junkins said, And practice is key to being able to roll after capsizing, which is where the open sessions at Juniper come in.
“You’ve gotta be able to roll very reliably,” he said. “It’s a pretty important resource for paddlers to have this.”
In a play boat — the kayak equivalent of a sports car, he said — Junkins maneuvered in all different directions, sticking one end of the kayak under the surface of the pool, then swinging around to balance on the other end.
The boat is built like a surfboard on the bottom, he said, which comes in handy when a river has standing waves.
“You can do cartwheels, spin, surf it,” he said — at least until another paddler comes up and wants to take a turn.
Bruce Smith, of Bend, was practicing on a sea kayak. He taught himself to roll in the pool, he said, where the conditions are a lot calmer than the ocean. And since he only gets to the coast a few times a year, the pool sessions are a way to get more paddling time in.
“It’s an opportunity to get in the water, play in the boat,” Smith said. “You see familiar faces each week.”
The sessions cost $8 for people who live within the Bend Park & Recreation District, and $10 for those who live outside the district, and reservations are recommended.
In addition to Juniper’s open kayaking sessions, Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe also offers Sunday classes to teach people how to roll and to brace, which keeps paddlers from flipping over in the first place, said Geoff Frank, the store’s owner.
The winter classes and open sessions, he said, are a way to “keep brushed up on the skills so you have more fun on the river.”
Kate Ramsayer can be reached at 541-617-7811 or at kramsayer@bendbulletin.com.
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