Greetings paddlers!

The summer vibe is still going strong at WCC! This past two weeks, our dedicated outrigger teams have been absolutely crushing it in Hawaii and California! They truly embody the spirit of aloha. Well done all!

As we head into fall, we hope you have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the river and make the most of your Washington Canoe Club. We have a full schedule of events for the upcoming fall season to keep us active and connected. Onward to an amazing autumn!

To stay informed, check out valuable information posted almost daily on the private WCC member's Facebook page. Make sure to check out 😍 Our Instagram 😍

In this issue: 

• A list of upcoming events at the club that you won't want to miss
• A brief note about safety at the club
• Jim McClellan's quest to paddle around the world
• Liz Pennisi's story of small-world experiences at WCC
• Stephen Weiss congratulates Bill Woodruff on his Marathon Nationals Trifecta
• Outreach and Adventure with WCC's Summer Community Partnerships
• Liz Pennisi's informative interview with Dan Rauch about the plants and wildlife we encounter this time of year
• A note about recycling
• New WCC swag and how to get it
• A brief recap of the 2023 racing season
• Shout Out!

Crab Feast!

Saturday, September 16, 1 – 4

Rain or Shine

It's mallet time!!! One of the long-standing traditions at the Club is to gather on a hot day and enjoy steamed crabs with wonderful friends and family. Let's come together and bid farewell to summer with a smash as we pick crabs and socialize! In addition to crabs, we'll have burgers, hot dogs, sides, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. Vegetarian options will also be available.

Volunteers needed. As you know, this is a volunteer-run club and it takes many hands to throw a successful party. It is also a great opportunity to connect with like-minded members, new and old, and learn what goes on behind the scenes of the fun. No experience is needed to volunteer: you will be provided with all you need. If you are interested in volunteering, please add your name to the volunteer spreadsheet next to your choice of task (set up, registration, food table, clean up, etc) or reach out to Suzanne Zweizig smzweizig@gmail.com.

Please do your best to RSVP to the Evite so we can make sure we have plenty of crabs. There will be some tickets available at the door as well.

WCC PARENTS, PLEASE JOIN US FOR

Fall 2023 Intro to Sprint Paddling – Sunday Boot Camp for Kids

WHAT:

A weekly 90-minute introduction to sprint canoe and kayak paddling done for WCC member kids (and their friends.) It will occur at WCC and will be run by WCC leadership volunteers and members of the juniors sprint team.

WHO:

Open to all children of current members as well as members’ friends between the ages of 10 and 13. Please email the WCC Commodore (commodore@washingtoncanoeclub.org) with questions or to let us know you’ll be attending. We want to make sure we have enough volunteers and boats ready for each weekend’s program.

WHEN:

Starting on Sunday, September 17th, and running thru Columbus Day weekend (October 8th), this group will meet from 10 to 11:30 am Sundays and have fun on the river! There will not be a Sunday session on October 1st due to a previously scheduled event at the club - instead we will hold the session on Saturday, September 30th.

WHY:

The purpose of the camp is to introduce new kids to sprint paddling in a low-pressure, fun, manner. They will learn the basics of sprint canoe and sprint kayak and begin to feel the fun of going fast in tippy boats. Ultimately, if some of these kids get hooked on paddling they will be invited to join the WCC sprint racing team.

COST: Free of charge!

Parents are welcome to stay for the 90 minutes and help but are not required. Start and end times are fixed, however, and parents will need to be back to the club to pick up kids at 11:30.

We are once again delighted to host long-time community partner Team River Runner for their biggest fundraiser of the year.

They need racers, sponsors, and volunteers. This is a 1 mile flat water paddle followed by a 3 mile run/walk/handcycle, with all kayaks and gear provided. Open to all ages, abilities and disabilities! Solo and team options are available.

It’s always great to have WCC racers supporting TRR as they continue to serve our veterans.

Volunteers are organized by TRR.

Sign up to race.

Sign up to volunteer.

Congratulations to WCC's Brett Strogen who took second-place at the TRR make-up race in May.

Middle States Regatta

Saturday, October 7

Registration is OPEN!

WCC will be hosting 200-meter and 500-meter sprint races for all types of boats in the morning, followed by a 10-kilometer distance race (ECORA points series race for OC1/2).

The race will occupy the club/grounds starting with setup at 7 am until cleanup at 3-4 pm. Onsite parking is limited and will be reserved for race volunteers. There is ample pay parking along the waterfront as well as at several nearby parking garages: Georgetown Parking

Boat drop-off: Volunteers will be on hand to assist with boat drop-off and pick-up.

Registration: Last day of registration is Wednesday October 5th. There will be no race-day registration. 

Merch: We will have shirts and other merchandise available for purchase at the race.

Food: BBQ after the 10K is included in the race fee.

Volunteers needed! From gate control to helping with the after-race BBQ, to clean up, we have a job for you! Email race organizer Stephen Weiss (stephen.weiss05@gmail.com) if you can help!

DC Preservation League and Capital Pride Alliance Crab Feast Fundraiser

Saturday, October 14

TBD



More info will be sent via email once we have it.

Oyster Roast Fundraiser

Sunday, October, 22 (Time and Price TBD)

Let's all get together and celebrate a great paddling season with a traditional WCC oyster roast!

We'll shuck and feast on Kent Island's finest oysters (raw, steamed, fried, and possibly chowdered), along with other food and beverages.

We’ll be selling performance t-shirts and hats if they are not already sold out. A silent auction is also taking shape. More info will be sent via email once we have it. Well need volunteers to help with registration, setup, merch sales, and clean up.

Contact organizer Lisa Man to help out.

The Frank Havens Memorial 10k

Saturday, November 4

(Scheduling around Chattajack this year)

Race Sign-up at 9:30 am

Mandatory Racers Meeting at 10:15 am

Mass Start at 11:00 am

$25. per person

The Washington Canoe Club is once again proud to host the Frank Havens Memorial 10K race, honoring the WCC’s Gold & Silver Medalist Frank Havens. The 10K racecourse on the Potomac is in honor of Frank’s Gold Medal World Record win in the C-1 10,000m distance at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952.

There are many classes to choose from, including Short Boat (up to, but not longer than, 16’ long) and Long Boat (16.5’ and up). All canoes must be fat, slow, non-racing, open canoes made from non-racing materials (i.e., no Kevlar, carbon boats) and must be paddled with 2 people each using a single blade paddle. Dressing in Halloween finery is strongly encouraged.

$25 per person will get you a great race, a delicious post-race lunch, and, if you’re fast enough, the best award in all of sport! Cool T-shirts will be available for purchase and there will be a raffle. $15 for lunch for non-racers.

Post-race, stay and enjoy a nice lunch, awards ceremony, and a chance to linger and enjoy the company of WCC members and friends from near and far.

Not able to race this year? WE WILL NEED VOLUNTEERS.

ISO folks to help as race officials, food prep and serving, and as always… clean-up. Email Jim Ross to volunteer.

POSTPONED:

Wine Tasting Fundraiser

Join us for an exquisite Wine Tasting Fundraiser, featuring the expertise of professional sommelier and Masters Sprint Coach, Thom Crockett. This event is still in the planning stages, and we are excited to announce that it will be rescheduled for November or sometime in the spring depending on schedules. A "Save the Date" notification will be sent via email once we have finalized the details. You won't want to miss it!

WCC First Friday Mixers!

What better way to unwind than with a happy hour at the boathouse? Meet and greet happy hours from 5 to 8 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. Bring your own drinks and food and join new and longtime members for a fun, relaxing evening – stunning sunsets included.

The last FFM of the season is October 6.

Around the World in Thirty-Two Years

By Jimmie McClellan

In May of 1991, while in my forty-seventh minute sitting bored in my doctor’s waiting room, I picked up a magazine from the stack of antique reading materials on a corner table. Thumbing through the pages I came upon a photo of George Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The caption above the photo read: “George and Arnold dare you to accept their challenge.” I thought about this message for a minute. I was thinking I had a good chance to take George in a fair fight. I might even take Arnold in an unfair fight. But it seemed a bad idea to take them both on at the same time.

As I read on, it turned out that they wanted me to earn a Presidential Fitness Award. One way to get a cool patch and a letter signed by both George and Arnold was to paddle 200 miles in three months. Since I was already doing that, I tore the entry form out and the magazine and got started. Four months later, Arnold sent me my patch and my certificate.

Having proven that I met the standards of the President of the United States for physical fitness, what worthy goal could remain in life? Satisfying the requirements of the Award meant that I had to maintain a record of every mile I paddled. I decided to continue logging in my miles with a goal of paddling a distance equal to the distance around the earth at the equator. That distance is 24,902 miles.

Thirty-two years later, on August 20, 2023, I reached the 24,902 milestone at the finish line in front of the Washington Canoe Club. There was a small commemorative ceremony attended by two ducks and the resident black snake. I padded for a total of 5321 days and I paddled every month of every year from May of ’91 to the present.

Jimmy McClellan at CanMas on the Welland canal in Ontario

Along the way, I competed at Club Regattas, US Nationals, and at the Canadian Masters. Jay Goodrow and I won two silvers and a bronze at the World Masters Games in Portland. I won a gold medal in a K4 with Jack Brosius, Frank Havens, and Jay Goodrow at CanMas in British Columbia. No one before or in the decades since our gold had a faster time. I am betting neither George nor Arnold can say they paddled with such a distinguished crew.

From Spearfishing in Hawaii to Paddling on the Potomac: An Unlikely Connection

By Elizabeth Pennisi

When Ken Kim moved from Hawaii to the Washington D.C. area almost a decade ago, he had no idea anyone paddled outrigger canoe on the East Coast. And he still might not have if it were not for a chance encounter with a bright blue dry bag off Kaimana Beach in Hawaii. Originally from Honolulu, he took the pandemic-era “work from home” literally and spent several months teleworking in paradise. One February afternoon last year, he and a friend were swimming out with their freediving gear to go spearfishing just off the Outrigger Canoe Club when a bit of blue caught his eye. He dove 15 feet down and retrieved what turned out to be a “High Noon” dry bag filled with a phone, credit cards, keys, and photo ID belonging to a Samantha Stewart from Arlington, Virginia. He assumed she was just an unlucky tourist but found her on Facebook and Instagram and sent her messages saying he’d leave her stuff at the Kaimana Beach Hotel and that he hoped she could get it back. (She did, a few days later).

Ken Kim spearfishing off Kaimana Beach in Hawaii

In her Facebook picture, Sam was on an OC1, and the water looked quite familiar to Ken. Then it dawned on him she was on the Potomac River back in DC. “I immediately googled ‘Outrigger Canoe, Washington DC,’ and the Washington Canoe Club came up,” Ken recalls. A few months later, when he got back to Washington and met the men’s outrigger coach, Nate Day, he was surprised to see that Nate had the same High Noon bag. “I asked if he knew a Samantha Stewart.” And, of course, Nate knew Sam quite well, as she had learned to paddle at the WCC and then has gone on to excel in Hawaii at outrigger. The dry bags are SWAG given out at outrigger races because High Noon is a sponsor, and every outrigger racer has at least one. “I’ve never met her or spoken to her other than that brief Facebook exchange,” says Ken, but has heard a number of stories from his WCC teammates and hopes to paddle with Sam at some point.

As if that wasn’t enough of a weird “small world” experience, when Ken went to his first men’s outrigger practice, someone named Tim lent him a paddle. Only by chatting about Ken’s work at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and finding out Tim supported the Federal COVID response, did Ken start to wonder whether this “Tim” was a close friend of his father’s whom Ken was long supposed to look up. “Is your last name Manning?” he asked. “I’m Karl’s son.” And sure enough, he’d finally run into his father’s friend.

That sold Ken on the WCC. “That day, I asked Nate, ‘where do I sign up?’” Now a member for about a year, he’s still trying to get used to paddling in cold weather and after dark, but he says, “my only regret is not coming out sooner.”

Member Spotlight - William "Bill" Woodruff

By Stephen Weiss

This year's USCA Marathon Nationals Canoe/Kayak races were held in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna River. Representing the Washington Canoe Club and the WCC Masters Sprint Kayak team coached by Thom Crockett in the event was none other than Bill Woodruff.

Bill completed what is known as the Marathon Nationals Trifecta. On Friday he completed the Unlimited Boat Class event, on Saturday the Touring Class event and on Sunday he got back out on the water and completed the Surfski event. Each race covered an out-and-back double six-mile loop for a total of 12+ miles of racing per day, a grueling assignment.

Bill made it onto the podium with a second-place finish in both the Touring and Sea Kayak events. Overall he was quite pleased that his hard training this year allowed him to successfully complete all three legs of Nationals.

Outreach and Adventure: WCC Welcomed Community Partners and Wraps Up Summer Camp Sessions

WCC members hosted Community Partners, DC Public Schools, and Jubilee Youth Services in July. As if that weren't enough, the final session of our canoe, kayak, and SUP summer camp also finsed up.

Hosting community, educational, and charitable groups is one way we fulfill our club’s objective of “Expanding paddlesport opportunities and encouraging and engaging a diverse group of paddlers at all levels.”

Thanks to Jim Ross, Chris Brown #1, Tim Johnson, and members of the elite juniors sprint team for organizing and working at these events. You gave a great experience to a lot of local kids. Thanks to Mark Baird for the great photos and for sharing them to our WCC member's Facebook page!

Junior and National world team member Liam Schuette and Denise Schlener get a beginner situated.

WCC's Canoe, Kayak, and SUP Summer Camp

Great work by Erin Rhodes, Sam Rhodes, Alistair Leith, Riley Johnson, and others who helped teach kids to paddle and get comfortable going fast in tippy boats!

Jubilee Youth Services Learn to Swim and Canoe Program

The captain of this enterprise is Dickson Carroll who for years has been working with Chris Brown #1 to bring kids to the Club to learn to paddle in preparation for a traditional canoe adventure on the Shenandoah. Now, in its 30th year, the tradition is a vital part of Jubilee Youth Services’ Activity Zone summer program and includes swimming lessons and practice paddling on the Potomac.

DC Public Schools Outdoor Pursuits Program

Outdoor Pursuits focuses on engaging children in hands-on outdoor learning, fostering strong connections to the natural world, and promoting healthier lifestyles.

The Soul Trak College Ambassador’s Cohort returns on Wednesday, Sept 27.

Contact Jim Ross if you are interested in volunteering.

Great Blue Heron. All photos courtesy of Dan Rauch

Above, On, and Under the dock. Notes about Late Summer’s Nature

By Elizabeth Pennisi

Above the dock:

If spring is all about babies, late July and August are all about living life the fullest to fatten up for the fall migrations or winter respite. Gone are the little ducklings and goslings, but there’s still lots going on in the Potomac, says Daniel Rauch, a wildlife biologist for the D.C. government. This year for the first time, he surveyed local wildlife from the water, having finally gotten a kayak to help do his work. And, he says, there was so much more to see from the water than from the paths where he usually walks. In February, Dan gave a wonderful presentation via Zoom to WCC members and last month, he discussed what’s going on in this time of year.

Keep an eye on the sky, he advised. The baby bald eagles at Lorcom Lane fledged in late June and the brown with mottled wings juveniles (see photo) are out on their own, venturing farther and farther up and down the Potomac—with ranges approaching 200 miles. Once down to 487 breeding pairs across the lower 48 states, Rauch counted 22 active eagle nests between Great Falls and Mount Vernon this year, with large trees along DC’s waterways encouraging them to set up home here. He attributes this comeback to the improved water quality of the Potomac such that it sustains a thriving population of fish.

Meanwhile, the young osprey may still be still hanging out with their parents—the closest nest is north of Chain Bridge. From hatching, it takes them less than three months to begin following mom and dad around. They spend the next five to seven weeks learning to be expert anglers. And by the time the family heads back to Central or South America in September, they will be nabbing their prey 75% of the time. (Those much more independent eagles are successful only 50-60%, likely explaining why they sometimes spend their days harassing their smaller cousins to get fish that way).

Female merganser

On the water.

As you paddle upstream, watch out for the common mergansers. Males have dark green heads with white bodies and a pointed reddish bill; females have rusty brown necks and heads with a punk rock haircut. They are new breeders to this stretch of the Potomac with nesting pairs near Fletcher’s Cove and Roosevelt Island this past spring. These days they can often be seen between Fletcher’s Cover and Key Bridge swimming in a family group and diving for small minnows. Wood ducks and mallards are also quite abundant mid-summer. To the amateur, the species may be hard to tell apart—except for colorful males—but says Rauch, “they are shaped differently and feed differently.” Female wood ducks have a bright white teardrop shape around the eye.

In the trees along the shore, bright Baltimore orioles and Eastern bluebirds abound, at least through mid-August. The noisy chatter mid-air comes from Eastern Kingbirds, with their black heads, white bellies, and white tail tips as they chase down insects. “If you see a little black bird take off after a bigger bird, it’s going to be a kingbird,” says Rauch. “They are just saucy.”

Eastern Kingbird and Eastern Bluebird

Great Blue herons are ever present. These majestic gray-blue birds often stray north daily from a rookery in Oxon Cove, on the western shore of Prince George’s County, where the river is broad and floodplain, wide. They can be up to more than 4 feet tall, with a wingspan of up to 79 inches. In August, they are joined by the all-white Great Egrets (but they do have black legs). Though never more than 41 inches tall, with a wingspan of just about 55 inches, they have long beautiful plumes that a century ago almost caused them to be hunted to extinction. In flight, both are quite graceful, with their heads tucked in an “S” and their long legs stretched out behind them.

Most boaters dread the surfacing of aquatic plants, particularly hydrilla, which is not native to this area. But celery and starweed (also called stargrass) are native and when they show up, so do canvasback ducks, with their white bodies and dark chests. Stargrass makes delicate yellow blossoms. Rauch welcomes this mid-summer ecosystem. “It’s a great habitat for wildlife.” The thick mats help clear up the water and provide shelter for snails and fish that attract shorebirds. Some years the hydrilla are flusher than others—it all depends on whether rain fills the Potomac such that swift currents scour the bottom and wash away the growing plants.

Northern Watersnake

Under the dock

Let there be no confusion, says Rauch. The snakes that hang out by the water and sometimes under the dock are most likely non-venomous Northern water snakes. Copperheads are much more rare in the District, but can be farther upstream by Carderock. The two species are easy to mix up, as both are brown with large heads. The copperhead’s head is more triangular and the pattern on its body is hour-glass shaped (Hershey kisses), while the water snake’s is more bulbous and widens in the center.. Still, best give water snakes wide berth, Rauch cautions, as this snake can be quite aggressive.

Don’t be confused either about the turtles—especially the really big ones—that slip off logs as you paddle by. The Native Eastern Painted Turtles, with their olive brown shells and yellow or red stripes on their head max out at 7 inches. The non-native Red Eared Slider—a pet that too often has found itself in local waterways–can be almost a foot long and is distinguished by the red “ear” patches. The Northern Red Bellied Cooter can be even bigger, especially the females. From a distance the three species can be challenging to tell apart.

Midsummer wildflowers abound not quite under the dock, but along the shoreline. The tall, bright purple New York Ironweed (see photo) is in bloom. Look for lavender mistflowers and yellow sneezeweed, among others. A member of the daisy family, sneezewood grows 4 feet tall. Along flatter spots, such as the Little Island inlet of Roosevelt Island, American water horehound produces an array of tiny white flowers and if you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the white, five-petaled swamp rose mallow—each blossom lasts just one day. In August, tall Jerusalem Artichokes produce heads of yellow blossoms, while the mauve blooms of another plant with edible tubers, groundnut vine–also known as wild bean or Indian potato—are just disappearing. The ground nut’s tubers have three times as much protein as potatoes, according to Melanie Choukas-Bradley, author of “Finding Solace at Theodore Roosevelt Island.”

So in between workouts, take a look around and see what you can see.

Recycling in DC and at WCC

The DC Solid Waste Education & Enforcement Program (SWEEP) has confirmed that recyclables put in the dumpster should not be inside bags, which is what the Club has been doing for a while.

We realize it’s tough for folks to lift the heavy bin to pour the recyclables into the green dumpster if there's no black bag liner, so we would appreciate shifting to the following steps:

• Continue using bags like we've been doing.
• When the bin gets full, take it to the dumpster area.
• Instead of tying a knot in the bag, hold the bag above the dumpster and pour the loose contents into the dumpster.
• Take the empty bag, and a) if in good shape, reuse it for a trash or recycling bin, or b) stuff it into a plastic bag collection container.

Thanks to Brett Strogen for his good information. Let's all work together to make this happen.

Gear up with some new WCC merchandise!

Get some performance shirts (in either blue or white) and race hats and visors in high-visibility neon yellow or white!

These quality items from Headsweats can be yours for $35 a pop. All proceeds will be donated to the Club.

For those of you who have asked about new hats/visors from Headsweats - this is for you! The neon yellow can be seen from a long way off and in most weather conditions, which is very important for safety and to show off your paddling speed. White was the most requested color from the last order of hats, so we’ve got those, too!

The high-performance shirts come in both men’s crew neck and women’s v-neck cuts and are perfect for your next workout. They are made with breathable, moisture-wicking fabric and 100% REPREVE® recycled polyester.

Place your orders now via these links: shirts and hats/visors. The payment link is in the order forms. Payment can be rendered via paypal or credit/debit card.

Your order is complete upon payment.

Any purchased merchandise will be left at the club for pickup. Email Lisa Man to coordinate the delivery.

Limited quantities are available! Don’t miss out!

WCC Coaches: Rachel Shackelford, Cheryl Zook, Lisa Ramm (Women’s Outrigger), Nate Day (Men’s Outrigger), Joe Cafferata (Rec Outrigger), David Podloch, Gavin Ross (Junior’s), Thom Crockett (Master’s Kayak), and Kathy Summers (SUP)

The 2023 Racing Season

The WCC Coaches, Teams, and individual competitors have had a great season competing and winning nationally and internationally! Outrigger championships are still taking place in California. We'll have more on these races in the next issue of Currents.

Fall is a great time to check out our teams to find out if competitive paddling interests you. Most hard training is winding down and WCC's coaches are all eager to expand their winning teams. Stay tuned for more information on our new unlimited canoe! It's an exciting time for outrigger racing with new paddle designs to try and lighter faster team canoes.

Here are brief recaps and links for race results. We apologize if we left anything out. Coaches and teammates frequently post updates and great race photos on the WCC member's Facebook page.

Congratulations to WCC's outstanding athletes for a great racing season! 🥇

RACE RESULTS

NCA Monumental Outrigger Canoe Race 2023

Results | Photos

Cayuga Lake Crossing

WCC's women's and mixed OC6 crews battled winds and waves to secure first-place victories in Taughannock Falls State Park in Trumansburg, New York. WCC racers also dominated the small boat races!

Results

Blackburn Challenge

Results | Photos | More Photos

American Canoe Association (ACA) Sprint Canoe National Championships



The WCC junior team raced hard and well as well as a few seniors and masters, temperatures peaked at 116.

• 20 athletes ranging from 13 to 73
• 18 gold
• 11 silver
• 12 bronze
• 3 years running undefeated in senior men's c2 and c4 all distances
• WCC finished 4th overall in points
• 2 new athletes' 1st nationals
• Several athletes 1st time winning medals at nationals
• Several athletes 1st time winning gold at nationals

Congratulations everyone!

Broadkill River Canoe and Kayak Race

Congrats Stephen Weiss for another stealth win.

WCC’s new Unlimited canoes dominated the Chesapeake Bay Paddle 2023 change race.

The race raised money for Oyster Recovery Partnership, Chesapeake Conservancy, and Water Keepers Chesapeake. It’s the only OC6 change race on the East Coast right now and WCC took first and second place! Change races are long distance (this was 24 miles) with paddlers switching in and out of the canoe from the water every few miles.

Here's the Bay Paddle 2023 race recap video with a kick-off by WCC's Marshall Hoskins and Lisa Ramm

The race, and the Kent Island Outrigger Canoe Club, were featured in Chesapeake Bay Magazine.

It takes a lot of good organization and support to get teams and boats to away races so a huge thanks to all who support and participate in our racing programs!

A big shoutout to Jan Wehebrink and his wife Maribel Jimeno for their many years as beloved WCC members. Jan and Maribel are moving back to Europe, and we can't express enough gratitude for all they've done for the Club over the years. We wish them all the best on their journey ahead. You will be deeply missed.

If you know of a WCC member who should get a shout-out let us know.

September's Team Newsletter is Gloria Vestal and Liz Pennisi



If you have an idea for a contribution to the next issue of Currents, get in touch at Newsletter@WashingtonCanoeClub.org.

We love hearing from you!