Camp News
Holiday Huck Reunion
January 11, 2010
During the summer of 2009 Falling Creek ran a high adventure paddling program called HUCK. (HUCK means running a waterfall). With the recent break from school several members of HUCK got together to paddle, tell tales, and relive the trip from this past summer.
This mini reunion consisted of Ben Williams and Doug Koziol representing the staff, and Will and Joey who were both Falling Creek campers and HUCK paddlers.
The crew met in the parking lot of Hooker Falls in DuPont State Forest and suited up for a wonderful day of paddling on a great section of river. The adventure was focused more on staying warm and dry than paddling hard whitewater, as 6 inches of snow covered the forest. Once suited up we looked more like space explorers than kayakers, and the looks from the parking lot confirmed it!
Putting on allowed us to test our snow kayaking skills as it involved sliding on the snow before hitting the water at mach 3! Doug shows us how it is done in the photo above!
After entering the water, the river offered up some great rapids like Diagonal Slide, Many Different Ways, and the infamous Hooker Falls. Each of these rapids requires different paddling skills. Joey and Will showed theirs by expertly navigating each challenge with grace and poise.
Hooker Falls is the keystone rapid of this run with its striking backdrop and 15-foot plunge into Cascade Lake, it makes for amazing pictures and paddling.
Labels: dupont, huck, paddling, staff
0 CommentsAwesome Asheville Attendance
November 20, 2009
On Sunday Frank and Elizabeth Tindall hosted the Falling Creek Camp movies at their home in Asheville. It was a great time to reconnect with the existing campers from the area, and the new families interested in camp had a chance to meet a large group of staff and alumni who came to support FCC.
Asheville, North Carolina
Gordon and Laurie Strayhorn directors and owners of Camp Illahee for girls in Brevard, showed their camp movie at the Tindall's right before our FCC movie show. Gordon and Laurie are alumni of Falling Creek. They met here in 1983 while Gordon was the program director and Laurie was on the paddling staff.
Other alumni included David Brown, who came with his son Joey, a veteran camper who will return for his fifth summer in 2010. David and his brother Bucky were the heads of the paddling program when Yates and Goody were campers in the late 70's and early 80's.
Joey has followed his father's and uncle's footsteps in becoming a great paddler, having the opportunity to experience the HUCK Paddling Adventure this past summer. Check out this incredible trip by watching the trip movie on our website.
Ellison Smith, who served as a camp doctor, brought his son Matt who will be returning to camp this summer. Matt has signed up to be a part of the 2010 HUCK Adventure, as well.
Phil and Jessica Hoffmann drove over from Brevard where they own and operate Looking Glass Outfitters. Phil is a former FCC camper, staff member and director.
There was a banner group of top Falling Creek staff (Staff Bios) in attendance including the entire Pharr family, Jim Goodrum, Nathan Newquist, Ben Williams, Robert Kirby, Natasha Johnson, Jim and Nancy Kurtts and Steve Longenecker. Jim is returning to FCC for his 41st summer and Steve for his 32nd summer. Courtney Long helped SFL present Lil Red the Screech Owl, who is the newest addition to the FCC Birds Of Prey Family, for the families to meet. Jim, Mary Ellen and Sydney Parham, drove an hour and a half to be at the show!
What an amazing way to finish our Falling Creek Camp Movies Fall tour. We are so thankful that we had a chance to visit almost 40 cities where we were able to reconnect with many of the current campers, staff and alumni and introduce our awesome camp community to the new families who came to learn more about camp. We want to especially thank all of our family representatives for serving as such wonderful ambassadors of Falling Creek and opening their doors to host these fun camp gatherings.
Please keep in touch with our regular news updates and visits to your area when we are interviewing staff.
Know of an awesome young man in your neighborhood or church who is in college now and would be a super role model on our staff? Please let us know how we can meet him.
Our Falling Creek crew sends Happy Thanksgiving wishes to you all!
Labels: alumni, huck, movie show, staff
0 CommentsThe Green River Race
November 11, 2009
In football you have the Super Bowl, in baseball you have the World Series, and in Hockey you have the Stanley Cup. In the world of whitewater paddling, you have the Green Race.
The uniqueness of the Green Race lays in history of the event. It was started by friends and it has continued to be run by friends and supported by volunteers. For the racers it is a chance to showcase the river that they love so much, and for a chance to win the small handmade glass trophy.
Andrew Holcombe
Sporting events create their own feel and excitement, and for some the event seems to start weeks ahead of time. For me the changing of the leaves, the cool mornings, and the line of eleven-foot-plus kayaks on top of car roof racks driving on I-26 between Saluda, NC, and Hendersonville, NC, means it is once again time for the annual Green River Narrows Race.
Andrew Holcombe
The Narrows of the Green is a world class stretch of whitewater tucked away on the Henderson and Polk County line. With Falling Creek's proximity to the Green river, it seems that each year several campers, counselors, and alumni show up to watch the race... and a few brave souls that compete.
Along the banks of the Green River on Saturday, I ran into Mel Ringler (counselor), Asa Walker (camper), Corey Hopkins (counselor), Andrew Smith (counselor), James Boyd (camper and counselor), Adam Secrest (counselor), Polk Deters and his son Scout (camper and counselor), Michael Welch (camper), Steve McGrady (camper), Brent Denys and his father (camper), Sean Thompson(camper), Charles Jordan (counselor), Annie Martin (counselor), and Andrew Holcombe (Huck counselor).
The Gorilla Rapid
The race is roughly a mile long and the winning time this year was 4:18 which was set by Andrew Holcombe and is the current course record. The course is made up of several class IV and V rapids, with Gorilla being the marquee rapid of the event.
Gorilla is a five-foot-wide flume that drops 18 vertical feet, truly a remarkable sight. Standing and watching paddlers come through the notch and soar off the horizon line of Gorilla every minute for well over three hours, can take one's breath away.
- Ben Williams
Labels: alumni, huck, paddling, staff
0 CommentsThe Jez Wins Nationals
November 05, 2009
Congratulations Jez!
Jez just finished competing in the Australian National Freestyle Kayak Championships last weekend, and won first place in C1. He also placed third in the OC1 and fifth in K1.
That now makes a total of six National Championships wins for Jez. Way to go!
Photo courtesy of Jez.
Jez is one of FCC's top paddling instructors and plans to return for his fourth summer in 2010. Jez is the driving force behind the The Huck Trip, and he is one of the trip's leaders.
If you're a paddler, check out The Huck.
0 CommentsFCC in FL
October 23, 2009
Miami, FL
Yates made his way down to the southern tip of Florida on Sunday to show the camp movie at Betsy and Art Murphy's home for the Miami area families. It was a beautiful day with the temperatures getting to a high in the low 70's. Their sons, Teddy and Anderson will be returning to Main camp this summer.
Naples, FL
On Monday, Yates traveled to Naples to reconnect with a number of FCC families. Susan and Jeff Nunner hosted the show. Their son Alex will attend Main Camp this summer and Sam will attend the August Session. Also in Naples, Doug Newell, a Falling Creek alumnus from the early 70's, came by to be a part of the fun and see the new DVD.
West Palm Beach, FL
Yates had the pleasure of driving back to the west coast of Florida on Tuesday to show the movies at Tim and Inge Skelly's home in West Palm Beach. Their son Tommy will be coming back to June camp for his 5th summer. Tim and Yates were campers and counselors at camp for 12 years (1978-1989).
Mariano and Andres Garcia came by to provide their support. They were a part of the B.A.M. Father/Son Weekend at camp in late September.
Paul R. took time out of his busy schedule to come by as well. Paul is a junior in high school and will be returning to Main Camp for his 5th summer. Paul is also one of the stars of the new HUCK Paddling Trip video. If you have not seen this yet, take a look at the amazing accomplishments these boys have worked up to over the last couple of years paddling at Falling Creek.
On Wednesday, Yates trekked up to Tampa to connect with a good mixture of returning campers and families new to Falling Creek. Preston and Laura Farrior hosted the show. Their sons Gator and Wyatt are FCC campers and Gator will be returning to Main camp for his 6th summer.
Orlando, FL
Yates then drove to the middle of the state to connect with the families in the greater Orlando area. Lori and Robert Brand hosted the show for their first time. Their son Robert attended camp for the first time last summer and will return to the August 2-week session. Robert, Sr. went to Charlotte Country Day with Yates and was a star running back for the Buccaneers.
Dr. Floyd Livingston and his son Erickson attended the show. Floyd was the camp doctor during the first week of Main camp last summer and his wife Kathrynn was a nurse during all 4 weeks of Main camp. Erickson is coming back to Main camp for his 5th summer and both of the Livingston's will be a part of the Falling Creek medical team again this summer.
We want to thank the Murphy's, Nunner's, Skelly's, Farrior's and Brand's for all their hard work in organizing and hosting the Falling Creek Camp movies this past week in Florida.
Labels: alumni, huck, movie show
0 CommentsAwesome Adventure Awaits!
October 08, 2008
Want to take your paddling to the next level? The Huck is for you!
The Huck is an 8-day whitewater paddling adventure trip. It is for boys aged 13-17 and focuses on skill improvement, leadership, and character development.
The trip will be lead by Jez Blanchard, world champion paddler and Falling Creek paddle staff memeber, and features guest appearances by other professional paddlers on the Jackson Kayak team.
To read more about the trip, the requirements, or why it's called The Huck go the the Huck Page.
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