Welcome to the river, kid.

I'm the newest of the Gnar Fairies, my name is Kait Clow and I'm here to represent the ladies up here in Canada. I grew up in a small town one hour north of Toronto called Everett. My backyard was a dream come true; acres of Forest and a beautiful river to explore started the fire in my soul that is my passion for the outdoors!

I was never really into sports until I discovered snowboarding; after a few bumps and bruises I was in love. I've always been lucky that my parents were encouraging and supported any of my dreams. I started racing snowboard cross at 12 and soon after I joined a team the Ontario Snowboard Club (OSC.) My life became a whirlwind of races and training. Competing in provincial, national and north american races I was riding with the best of them. Until that one day... Its the race that changed everything. Halted my Olympic dreams. I had a crash at a Mont. Tremblant national race and my season ended shortly after that; I was on the wait list to get knee surgery to build me a new ACL.

So life took a big turn for me. I didn't give up in my dreams; just changed the direction. I signed up to study Outdoor Adventure (ODA) at Algonquin college. Two years of playing in the Ottawa Valley from the river to the forests I felt like I was home again. I worked hard, played hard and partied hard with some of my favourite people in the world, my fellow ODAs.

After two quick years I had fallen in love with not just the Ottawa River; but white water in general. I felt a new challenge. Learning how to kayak was one of the

most challenging, frustrating and rewarding sports I had even tried. I bought myself a playboat and started searching for jobs in the valley.

This past summer I worked at OWL Rafting on the Ottawa River as a raft guide and video kayaker. It was a busy summer and if I wasn't working on the river I was playing on waves, improving my skills and falling more and more in love with this sport.

With the IFC freestyle world championships on the Ottawa River I was able to boat with some amazing kayakers who pushed my nerves and my skills. Surfing garb wave and baby face all summer long has me stoked for next season when the river will be high, cold and burly again.

Being part of the Gnar Fairies wasn't ever planned, it just was a case of connections that happened to work-out. I need to throw out a huge thanks to my Kiwi buddy for connecting me with Gnar-Lee.

In a few days I leave for a month long adventure in the UK and Iceland with some family and old friends. Once I get home i'm off for the winter to Whistler-Blackcomb BC to work as a ski and snowboard instructor. I can't wait to share my gnarly upcoming adventures with all of you!

- Gnarly Kait

PS to check out my personal adventure click here for my BLOG or follow me on Instagram: @believenkait

Giving Back

Good karma. Bad karma. Our whitewater universe has a whimsical way about it that makes us do funny things in order to appease our river gods. We have our bootie beers, confessions, and hilarious videos... but, you know, it's funny... aside from all that, our community is truly one in which we take care of each other and our world. Whether or not that's to allow for some good river karma is up to your own interpretation, but I find that our giving back to this dirtbag community truly enhances our intense experience and provides us with a way to spread the respect we have for nature.
In the waters we find our sanctuary, so it only makes sense for us to protect such precious places that give us the freedom we find in paddling. Through volunteering our time to assist in conservation efforts, we are able to demonstrate our appreciation to these natural arenas. We preserve so that we might give future generations a chance to experience the enlightenment and delight that is whitewater.

New River

Photo by Lee Turner

Even teaching others about this sport gives us the karmic outlet to pass on what we have learned and bring awareness to our wild and wondrous environment. Girls at Play, American Whitewater, Team River Runner, Gnar Fairies, Dirt Bag Paddlers. These organizations and others like them help to facilitate our charitable spirits and show others of what they are truly capable. We find ourselves drawn to bringing these individuals into this incredible world, giving them an opportunity to find something they may have been looking for, such as confidence, adventure, or even courage. It's powerful for us to see this progression, and we feed off of these satisfying emotions we receive when we see others succeed.

HanGnar practicing her sweep 

Photo by Lee Turner

Some of us will donate our time by instructing, others by writing, and some with art. Our goal is to inspire and give back to the rivers and community that fostered us as beginners. Go out with someone new to whitewater and show them how to roll. Volunteer at your next festival or river clean up. Write about your experiences in a blog post. These are true ways to spread good karma. Get involved and continue to make our way of life even more fantastic.

-Gnar Lee

Here are some of the organizations I mentioned. Please check out their websites and learn more.

http://www.watergirlsatplay.com

https://www.americanwhitewater.org

http://www.teamriverrunner.org

http://dbpmagazineonline.blogspot.com

Also, Gauley Fest 2015 is still in need of volunteers! Sign up with the link below.

http://www.formstack.com/forms/AW-gauley_fest_volunteer_registration

The Swim

We've all had that one swim.
The one that shakes our very foundations and forces us to question our sanity. It becomes one of the greatest obstacles to overcome as a paddler. One moment we are perfectly in tune with water, the next we are simply its plaything as we fight for the safe embrace of the shore. It's an intimate experience with river that leaves you terrified and stripped of the confidence you thought sound. Not only does the swim leave you bruised and battered, but now all of a sudden you have a mental game to play.
You make jokes. You paddle on. Drink that booty beer. Tell yourself you're fine. But something is missing though that you are failing to admit..
You're not okay. In that moment, you saw your limits and the river humbled you in a way that makes it hard for you to realize the true gut-wrenching effect it had. You have experienced genuine fear.
For some of us, it's making excuses not to paddle for a while. For others, it's setting limits to certain classes of whitewater. And perhaps for the smart few, it's hanging up the skirt for good. In truth, to get back in your boat is one of the hardest things to do. To push back that fear and tell that little voice in your head to just shut up.
We know just as the river takes away, it can also gives back. We recognize the importance of fear and we adorn a new respect for the whitewater that continues to call us home. Only we know how the healing can begin by embracing the river once again. It's one of the many lessons we have to learn in the sport in order to progress not only in skill but in life. We are the resilient few who continue to push ourselves to our limits, each time discovering of what we are mentally capable. We understand the consequences more than anyone else, yet to paddle gives us strength in the chaos.

-Gnar Lee

Photo by Dan Stoffle

I had one of my toughest swims a couple of weeks ago on the New near Meat Grinder when the water was at a pretty incredible level. My drysuit leaked and filled with water as I swam a long way down steam. Completely exhausted, I finally floated into an eddy where a support raft of friends picked me up and we paddled the rest of the way. Within 24 hour period I had to manage some severe river anxiety and get right back in the boat for the Cheat the next day. If it hadn't been for the support of my friends and teammates, I don't know if I would have had that kind of strength to come back in that short of a time span. In the end, I'm glad I made the right decision to carry on and have a fantastic day on the water. While I am taking some time off to recollect myself, I'm also planning my next trip back up to WV to the New and its exciting possibilities. 

Anna's Intro

 Hello my name is Anna, also known as Anna Bomb Sierra on facebook. I often get the question, how did a girl born in Guatemala living in Chicago get into the world of white water?

My very first river trip was down the Pacuare with Exploradores Outdoors.  A two day life changing experience, I was 15 at the time reading Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. I was an impressionable kid and since my time on the Pacuare, I made it my life's goal to go back to the river.

 I kayaked the Artic Ocean on an expedition from coast to coast and I rafted the Strada in Norway, before having the privilege to go off to college. 

 I studied Recreation, Sports, and Tourism Management with a focus on ecological and sustainable travel. I had some experience in the business aspect of the industry by the time I moved to South America but none on the water. After my father passed away- I used my inheritance money to volunteer as an intern for Rios Ecuador. This is when I finally found a way to learn about rivers. 

And I learned a lot more than I expected. I thought I wanted to be a raft guide and obtained my guide in training certificate from Steve Nomchong's Rios Ecuador and the International Rafting Federation. After spending some time on the rivers in Ecuador, I realized the most fun you can really have on a river is 1. swimming rapids and 2. kayaking. I learned the name of every rapid on the Jatunyacu by swimming every rapid on the Jatunyacu.

After my brush with boating machismo I moved to California to work for O.A.R.S.  because I felt comfortable in an office setting and I did not feel confident in my river skills. After taking lessons from Dan Crandall's Current Adventures and  taking a Swift Water rescue course from Julie Munger,- I felt ready to learn more about the currents and how to have more fun on the river!

After a brief stint back home in Chicago I decided to peel out of my eddy and hitchhiked to Occoe Fest. I had an insurmountable feeling that the river was calling my name. After reading an article about EJ (Eric Jackson) on Rapid magazine, I found out that the World Freestyle Championships would be held in Bryson City, NC. I found out Occoe Fest would be happening prior to Worlds, so me and my backpack made our way to the first kayaking festival I ever attended.  

I called that month long trip the Southern White Water Circuit, I attended The World Championships of freestyle kayaking, Gauley Fest and Guest Appreciation Festival (GAF) at Nantahala Outdoor Center. I met Lee Turner at the US National White Water Center in Charlotte, just another one of the gems down here in the South. Since I was born in Guatemala, I really felt I needed to explore the rivers of my homeland. And last fall I finally did just that!  Not only did I raft two different rivers with my sister, but I also got a chance to showcase my riverboarding skills at the up coming Riverboarding World Championships held in Guatemala 2015. 

I will be training on my riverboard or you can probably find me kayaking at Hell Hole on the Occoe River on an evening session. I have since moved down to Tennessee (the dirty doormat of the south) and have explored some of the steep creeks and playboating spots in the area. 

Woman and the River

So many voices are being heard on the concept of female empowerment, a subject we Gnar Fairies hold close to our hearts and mission. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that we are still outnumbered in the arena of the great outdoors. So few women choose to fully immerse themselves in the wild ways of nature and learn from what this earth may teach us. We are rarely encouraged by men and even our own sex to pursue this lifestyle and chase our fears down the river. Many ask why this point of empowerment is such a big deal, and the reason is because people are still asking that question.
As women, we face several challenges that stunt our growth as individuals. Even statistics show that as girls hit adolescence their physical activity drops due to becoming more self-conscious of their bodies. This trend continues throughout their lifetimes as long as they are given no guidance or outlets to build on confidence. I was lucky enough to have parents that supported my love for nature and heavily established gender equality between my brother and I. The real world doesn't work that way though. Many go without that kind of upbringing or encouragement and, thus, sexism and oppression remain evident in our society as well as the outdoor community.
We see men and even some women continue to hold the standards that limit the female psyche to what we think others believe us capable. Instead of breaking down barriers, we find ourselves maintaining them by accepting the constraints set upon us due to our gender. I, myself, have run into young male paddlers that have held me back despite my progression in the sport. They would tell me I wasn't ready or they didn't think I had the mentality for more than Class III. To female paddlers who have encountered similar circumstances, my advice is to find new friends. There are so many others out there willing to teach you and allow you to thrive in the environment you love.
We women can be those who influence others and create a safe, non-judgmental   atmosphere for girls to prosper. Female paddlers need to continue to grow as a community and inspire one another instead of hindering our potential. Let us get the adolescent youth involved and show them that they are not alone in this fight for confidence and independence. Even as our numbers continue to grow out there, feed the momentum with leadership and vision.
Do what the river teaches us, to conquer fears and strive for the gnarly. Let the force of the current reflect our strength and power with every stroke. For on the water, there is no distinction. We are all equal in the river's might.

Gnar-Lee

Photo by Tallulah Fest 

Lee (left) and Kim Zamora (right)

My First Boat

A boat. It is the essential tool that all paddler's must have. I mean how can you be a paddler if you don't have some kind of boat to paddle around?! This is the most crucial piece of equipment that a paddler owns. Which also means it is one of the biggest problems a new paddler has to deal with. You can only borrow and rent a kayak for so long before you begin to desperately want your own kayak.  This is what eventually happened to me. I mean borrowing so many different types of boats helped me figure out the make and model I was mainly interested in. However, I needed to start obtaining gear if I was going to begin progressing as a paddler.  And so my boat hunt began. I looked for months trying to find a good first boat. I wasn't going to spend a ton of money on it, because I knew this boat was going to be a beater boat. I mean I am very new to this sport and I am going to screw up a lot before I start to get it right, No sense in spend money on a boat that is most likely going to end up getting pitoned, bent, oil canned to hell, or cracked. That is just asking for heart break.
Eventually, I was led to a used 2012 Dagger Nomad 8.5 on a used gear page on Facebook. (Thanks again Jevon!)  I cannot truly express in words how joyous I was when I finalized the sale with the owner.  I finally felt like I was a kayaker. I finally owned my own boat. I no longer had to grovel to borrow someone's gear.  I now had more opportunities open up for me to go kayaking!
Thankfully Gnar-Lee was able to pick it up in Charlotte for me and weld the crack on the bottom too! (Thanks Lee and Thank you Jevon again!!) I must also admit that when she sent me pictures of my boat on top of her Honda, I did a glorious happy dance in the middle of the App State parking lot. (people starred and I didn't care!)
She was also able to bring it to me In Asheville so I could take it down the river for the first time. I took it down section 9 of the French Broad with a couple of friends. The boat handled great and I only swam once. Which is a huge improvement for me, I generally swim twice every time I paddle. Now I just can't wait to practice my roll in it and continue on my kayaking adventures.
Also, the Dagger Nomad is a great boat. If you are a beginner and want a proven and forgiving design, GET THIS BOAT.

Han-Gnar

Humanity at its Finest

In this day in age, we witness all the hateful things happening in our world and country. The things I see on the television or hear on the radio send me into a whirlwind of emotions from empathy to disgust. It's hard to see what good humanity has to offer, that is, until you get on the river. The comradery, ethics, and attitudes found in the paddling world brings to light the fantastic qualities of which mankind is capable.
The friendships we make on the river are unique. My friend Rob Mock said it perfectly when he told me why he loved to paddle. He said that it didn't matter what level you were at, the people you paddle with will see you at your most vulnerable. In that instant, whether you're getting worked in a hole or swimming, they can see that true moment of fear and human weakness. We form trust and a bond in this distinct way that can only be seen in a community like ours. Whether it's happening to you or you simply bear witness and lend a helping hand, this deep understanding truly is one of the most miraculous elements of paddling.
That aspect of comradery transfers into an area of ethics that seem absent from our everyday lives. It's the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I can't speak for all of us since there are always exceptions, but I have found most paddlers hold this ideal close to their heart. Doug Ammons covers this same standard in his book, Whitewater Philosophy, when he states, "The simplest ethical acts are things you learned as a kid [...] These are respect and care for others. They include going after a swimmer, helping with shuttles, getting lost gear back to its' owner, or making room for somebody in an eddy. The most important of that underpins the others is helping those in need. This feeling, more than any other, forms the bond of the river." I, myself, have yet to have an incident where I have not been helped or that I have not helped another. It's a beautiful thing to feel obligated to assist your fellow man in such an uncertain arena as that of the river. We have all been there. We all understand.
While both friendship and ethics play such a huge part in the paddling experience, it's the attitudes of those you surround yourself with out there that makes all the difference. Yes, we are all serious about what we do, but we are also doing something that makes us the happiest people in the world. All the anxiety of real life melts away and we find nothing but pleasure in the beauty and power of the nature that surrounds us. At the end of the day, we are doing something we love, and the attitudes we have on and eventually off the water just perpetuate that. It's one of the reasons paddling whitewater is the sport I've chosen to pursue for the rest of my life.
So when you are driving home and you've had the worst possible day or people have just been unkind, remember that you belong to a select few that are actually trying to make the world a better place. Our love for paddling and one another makes us one of the best communities among humanity. That means something.

Gnar-Lee

I just want to thank all the amazing people I've paddled with over the years that, in a way, helped me write this. You are all incredible individuals and every day on the water with you is truly a pleasure. I appreciate all that you've shown me.

Photo by Jessica Dawn