Spitfire Emotion Kayak

So I got my son Dominic a kayak for his birthday. Needless to say he wasn't that happy about it. No surprise to me I knew what his first reaction would be. He is a sit in the house all day type of kid. He also says he hates kayaking even though he never went before. I am sure it will be a struggle but I believe wants he gets the hang of it he will love, especially in the summer on those hot day.I am so excited and can't wait to take him out on his new spitfire kayak.

Big features in a small package! Semi-flat shallow ""V"" hull provides a surprising amount of stability, speed and tracking for an 8 foot kayak. The Spitfire is lightweight and easy to load, transport and store. The Spitfire is designed for stability, performance and fun! It's Semi-Flat Shallow ""V"" hull will give you a surprising amount of speed and tracking for a kayak this size, and has unmatched stability from any kayak in its class. The extra volume and high capacity (up to 240 pounds!) make this kayak the perfect fit for just about any sized paddler from kids to grandparents. The paddler sits on the top deck with minimal constraints. All Emotion Kayaks' Sit-On-Top models are self-bailing. Water that enters the cockpit drains out through scupper holes - tubes that run from the cockpit and tank well to the bottom of the hull. The hulls are sealed making them practically unsinkable. Sit-On-Top kayaks also allow you more freedom of movement, even standing. All of our models are equipped with bungee deck rigging, tank wells or hatches to provide plenty of storage for all of your gear.

Our Schuylkill River Adventure!

This past March my sister and I thought we would suit up and head out for a little paddling adventure. Despite the weather we still had fun. Nobody fell in so that was a bonus.

We started at PETER YARNELL PARK at the Berne Bridge in Hamburg and finished up near the Cross Keys Bridge. We were thinking about going further down to JIM DIETRICH PARK but we weren't to sure do to the weather.

42nd Annual Schuylkill River Canoe/Kayak Regatta Keystone Canoe Club - Saturday, May 5th, 2012

I hope we have enough rain so everyone can come out and participate in this event. Looks like it will be a lot of fun!

http://keystonecanoeclub.com/regatta/

The Schuylkill River Canoe/Kayak Regatta, held on Saturday, May 5, 2012, is sponsored by the Keystone Canoe Club (KCC), and is sanctioned and insured by the American Canoe Association (ACA). The Regatta is a race held annually for 42 years, to promote water safety and paddle sports. It is an opportunity for paddlers to test their paddling skills against each other and the river. The 13 mile race starts at Peter Yarnell Park (just south of Hamburg, PA) and ends at Jim Dietrich Park (just north of Reading, PA).

This stretch of the Schuylkill River ranges in depth from 2-3 feet, and contains alternate sections of calm water and water with some riffles and low ledges, making it ideal for the novice and occasional paddler. The race also offers a challenge for more competitive paddlers. Different classes of competition are offered to cover a broad spectrum of paddling interests and abilities. This beautiful section of the river passes under six bridges and offers many interesting vantage points for spectators.

This lively event brings together racers of all skill levels and ages. Enjoy refreshments and lunch, available for purchase, as you get to know fellow racers in a beautiful park. While enjoying lunch, the top three winners of each class and age bracket will receive awards, a 50/50 cash raffle will happen, along with a free raffle for participants!


Fees

For ACA members, the pre-registered race fee is $25. For non-ACA members, the pre-registration cost is $30. That includes the $5 ‘event membership’ fee, which is liability insurance for this event. Please mail the registration early enough to get to us by May 4th. If you register on race day, add a $10 late fee. Please preregister to save yourself money and help us out. A free t-shirt is included for those who pre-register, or the first 75 racers!




Where to go on Race Day

On May 5th, check-in starts at 8 am, while the race starts at 11 am. ON MAY 5th, COME TO PETER YARNELL PARK AND CHECK-IN FIRST. Leave your boat at the start at Peter Yarnell Park when you check-in. Then you can move your car to the take-out at Jim Dietrich Park. We provide a shuttle bus back to the start at 9:30 AM, in time for the Competitor’s Meeting at 10:30. Directions to put-in and take out are provided in the registration packet.





Registration

To register, download, fill out, and print the 5-page Registration Packet and don't forget to fill out and sign the liability releases. Mail with one check for the combined Keystone Canoe Club (KCC) and American Canoe Assoc. (ACA) fees, payable to the Keystone Canoe Club. You do not have to join KCC to participate in the Regatta. If you are already an ACA member, please bring your card to the race and make sure it is current.


More Information

Information on race classes and times, awards, fees, directions and contacts are all in the registration packet. If you have any questions, please contact: Sandy 610-857-5687, Larry 610-823-1482 or Tina 610-334-7606. You can also check the Keystone Canoe Club Message Board in case more information is needed as race day gets closer.Don't miss this great race for any skill level - register today!

Weather

The weather has been great but we need some rain!!!!

Billie's Swamp Safari, Florida Everglades

http://www.billieswamp.com/




Billie's Swamp Safari.......What an amazing place to visit. Billie Swamp Safari is located on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.It consists of 2,200 acres of untamed Florida Everglades preserved in its pristine state by the Seminole Tribe of South Western Florida.

To learn more about the tribe click here: http://www.semtribe.com/

There is such as an abundance of wildlife roaming free on the reservation. It is such a nice place to visit because the animals are well cared for while being in their natural habitat.Big Cypress Swamp has more than 1,600 animals that roam wild on the property.

Continue reading below to see pictures and find out about our personal encounters at the safari...............


We made a few stops on our way down to the safari.......There were so many new things to see. So different than traveling in PA. The further south we went the less stores and traffic. It was great. There were so many diffrent canals filled with beautiful birds and reptiles.We also passed plenty of cattle ranches and orchards.


In the picture below is a canal with hundreds of cracked egg shells along the shore line. We were told that they might have been from birds. When I fist saw them I was afraid that they might have been from baby alligators. Yikes!!

When we pulled up to the safari it was surprisingly empty, must have been the off season.

When we got there the first thing we did was hop onto a swamp buggie.

The ride was pretty cool. We rode around and got to see some of the animals on the reservation. The tour guide also told us some history about the tribe.

This little fellow here is the ostrich that almost bit me while pecking away at the bars on the swamp buggie.

We were planning on spending the night until we actually saw what our rooms looked like. We probably would have stayed if we were a little more prepared and if the huge alligator pictured below wasn't right in back of our bungalo.

After the swamp buggie and walking around a bit we decided to go on an air boat ride.....

And last but not least......This is the little baby alligator I got to hold. The kids chickened out so mom had to do it. You would be surprised how soft an alligator actually is.....
( Unfortunately my actual picture got deleted ) O Darn!!!!

WATCH THESE VIDEOS FOR SOME COOL FOOTAGE FROM BILLIE"S SWAMP SAFARI

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/nat-geo-wild/full-episodes-1/swamp-men-1/ngc-panther-down/

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/nat-geo-wild/full-episodes-1/swamp-men-1/ngc-panther-down/




Stay tuned for additional episode of Swamp Men
in the Fall!


YOUR JOB MAY HAVE YOU SWAMPED, BUT
EVERY MAN HOLDS HIS OWN IN THE WILD!

Nat Geo Wild Follows Professional Swamp Men Who Rescue, Relocate and Rehabilitate Wildlife Deep in Florida’s Everglades

Nat Geo WILD’s new series Swamp Men, premiering Monday, May 3, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, rides along with Ed and his staff as they work to maintain safety at the Safari. They are considered among the best wild animal wranglers, and each day brings new tests of their skills with bears, alligators, wild hogs and panthers that inhabit the Everglades. Ed’s dedicated staff includes Paul, expert alligator catcher; Cory, animal trapper; and newbies Matt, Lawrence and Shea. All share a passion for wildlife and a willingness to get down and dirty, as they face new swamp adventures every day.
[more]
“This is part of the Everglades.
This is a dangerous place.
If you ain’t careful, you could get
hurt real bad out here.”
— Ed Woods