Hi everyone and welcome to our Spring 2021 issue of Currents!
In this issue, we have lots of great and timely content:
- A fun and informative piece by editor Mary Stapp about river otters making a comeback on the Potomac
- A great write-up by Mary on endurance adventures
- An article on the importance of staying vigilant on Potomac River water quality by Kathy Summers
- A dock etiquette refresher
- Results of the recent Little D on the Monocacy Race
- Updates on buildings and grounds by the ever-devoted Jim Ross
- Welcome to our new members
- Team announcements, including new team boat Covid protocols
- A shout-out to Stephen Weiss for his work on the WCC grills
and more!
If you’d like to join our newsletter team or have a contribution idea, just shoot us an email. |
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Just a quick technical note, dear readers… Gmail “clips” email messages that it deems too “content-heavy” – which this newsletter certainly is! So make sure that when you come to what you might think is the end of the newsletter, you click on “view entire message.” You will know you’ve come to the end when you get to the shout-out! |
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River Otters are Making a Comeback |
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Since Club members love a good competition, my bet for most adorable river dweller would be the North American river otter.
Perhaps “Coolest” would go to the American eel, which I saw a fisher-person catch during the pandemic, but the “Cuteness” award would go to otters. Right?
“Find river otters, and you will find healthy streams and rivers,” Smithsonian National Zoo assistant curator Rebecca Sturniolo wrote in her introduction of river otter pups to the zoo in 2019.
Voila! One of our members posted on the WCC Facebook page, a sighting on February 21: “hey WCC peeps.....fun and rare sighting today of a river otter....I've seen them only in winter and this is the first time in the tidal section. It was on the DC shoreline, above Hens & Chickens and we followed it all the way into Fletcher's Cove. It even climbed out on a rock once.”
That may have been purposeful – to mark its scent. “[River otters] spend a significant portion of the day scent-marking territory by urinating, defecating, scratching and rubbing their scent glands on rocks and trees,” according to the National Zoo’s fact sheet on the animals.
They are also more active during twilight hours and at night, except in winter, when they are more diurnal, which comports with our member typically sighting them in the winter. An academic paper published in 2008 in BMC Biology also said they don’t migrate unless food is in short supply or the water becomes polluted.
North American river otters are typically brownish-gray, two to three feet in length, with a long tail that tapers to a point. That would make them easy to distinguish from a beaver. Their mouth and nose also differ from the buck-tooth-looking beaver; an otter has a wider, more delicate snout with long whiskers. Its ears and eyes are on top of its head so they stay above water while swimming along. They can travel long distances underwater, staying as long as four minutes. They also have a special third eyelid that protects their eyes (and sharpens vision) while underwater.
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Photo courtesy of Tammy Tideswell |
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Mostly, river otters eat fish, but they are at the top of the river’s food chain and can be aggressive. In 2017 a black lab was injured but survived when a pack of otters attacked her on American Lake in Lakewood Florida. (Naturally, Florida game officials said it would be ok to shoot the otters if the homeowners were to get a license. Only in Florida!)
A similar attack occurred in 2018 on Vancouver Island. According to (an entirely different) Facebook post, Goldie, a 60-pound Golden Retriever spotted an otter while swimming and decided to investigate. Turns out, one otter was three otters who did not cooperate with the investigation. They tried unsuccessfully to drown the dog. “As much fun as it is to watch otters running along the beach, swimming, and playing [they]. They are not the kind of creature you want to meet in a dark alley,” the Facebook poster, Goldie’s apparent veterinarian, wrote.
Hard to imagine this would be a problem along the Potomac, since sightings are so rare. And, phew, no dark alleys. But the North American river otter population is making a comeback, according to a June, 2020 U.S. Fish and Wildlife report. Although they have “never been considered a globally threatened or endangered species,” their range and numbers declined significantly through the 1970s because of habitat degradation, the report states.
Reintroduction of the animal to its historic ranges and water quality improvements may have contributed to 22 states recording increasing numbers in the 2016 nationwide survey. “We estimated that river otter distribution increased by 10.2% in the continental United States and by 13.7% in the contiguous United States during an 18-year period,” the report states.
So that is the good news. With warming weather, river otters are likely becoming nocturnal again, so maybe it will only be the moonlight paddlers who get to see them. Please report back to us. |
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Woman hikes for 70 days, crossing upper Minnesota in the depths of winter.
What drives this madness?
Last September Chris Hopkinson paddled his SUP down the Chesapeake to raise money for oyster conservation. He made the 203-mile passage in nine days, and Oyster Recovery Partnership reported he raised $188,000 for oyster conservation in the Bay (something we can all get behind). His journey was chronicled in Katie Sheridan's short documentary Power of the Paddle. |
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Chris on his journey down the Chesapeake Bay. Photo courtesy of Katie Sheridan. |
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Another report came from his pain management clinic, one of Hopkinson’s sponsors. In their interview with him, he says, “The first day I probably fell in close to 20 times. I started in Havre de Grace and the conditions were the worst on day one. It was like 15-plus knot winds, three-foot waves. Literally just got thrown down and across the bay to Rock Hall. I was completely beaten up.”
The 46-year old ultimately attributed his success to supporters on boats, and friends who joined him occasionally. He said he got emails and texts encouraging him along the way. The pain management clinic twice administered an IV and peptide therapy that kept him feeling good.
Now he has helped to organize a similar event this September, the Bay Paddle. And it is only scheduled to take 8 days! From August 27 to September 3, 2021 you will travel from Havre de Grace, Maryland to Virginia Beach, just as Hopkinson did last year.
You can register here – solo or in teams of 1 - 16. You can SUP, kayak, canoe, Outrigger Canoe, surfski. War canoe, anyone? Here is the Course Map.
Why might you do this, other than to raise money for Oyster Recovery Partnership and the Chesapeake Conservancy?
There is a longish story in the New York Times about the Polish man, Aleksander Doba, who crossed the Atlantic three times. It’s filled with adventures and mishaps, pain and fear. At the end, writer Elizabeth Weil says that Doba “has reimagined the concept of crisis, just as he has reimagined the concept of suffering. A crisis, in Doba’s worldview, is an opportunity for triumph.
“So Doba moves toward the crisis, just as he moves toward the suffering. By choosing it, he casts himself in the role of hero, not victim. He gives himself control.”
So, who’s in?
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WCC PADDLERS ARE CONSISTENT CONTENDERS IN NATIONAL ENDURANCE RACES |
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Staying Vigilant on Potomac River Water Quality |
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We live in a city with CSO’s, or Combined Sewer Overflows, systems designed to carry surface water, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater all in the same system to the treatment plant. But when there is a big rain event and the system cannot handle it all, there are outflows (pipes) along the river where the excess is dumped directly into the river, exactly as it is, untreated and raw. That is why it is always recommended to stay out of the water for at least 48 hours after a big rainfall. And that is also why, especially in the summer, the river can stink after a big rain, especially if it has been a while since we had a big rainstorm. |
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We need to be very vigilant about when the river really smells, has clear lines of discoloration, and/or is foamy and it is a beautiful summer day with no rain or at least no rain for a few days. If one or all of those conditions are present, we absolutely MUST report it. DC Water had been known for making “mistakes” and allowing raw sewage to discharge until someone reports it. I was that someone last October but not before 9.5 MILLION gallons had been dumped into the river, over approximately 4 weeks, literally just upriver from us at CSO29 (just before Three Sisters, on our side). |
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The photos you see here are examples of what to look for. The ones that show a clear line of discoloration are mine and they show the sewage being discharged directly into the river from CSO29 (just upstream from WCC). In this example, the water was warmer (ew!) and had a very foul odor, but I didn’t smell or feel it until I prone paddled right into it! It was diluted enough by the time it got to the WCC that you couldn’t see this color distinction but we could certainly smell it from our docks. The other photo shows foamy water taken by Potomac Riverkeeper, Dean Naujoks, at the Key Bridge Boathouse dock around the same timeframe. If you ever see either of these or notice a strong smell, please report it straightaway to DC Water and copy it to the WCC Board and Dean at Riverkeeper.
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Go to:
Please copy on all communications:
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This is a gross subject, no doubt, but please don’t let it discourage you or anyone else from enjoying our otherwise beautiful river; we just have to be smart about how and when we use it and absolutely report anything suspicious right away. The river has come a long way in healing in the last decade and it is our responsibility to continue to advocate for and protect it so that it will be a healthy and viable river for all times. On that note, look who appeared in Fletcher's Cove on April 14, last seen in 1970, and an endangered species, a Shortnose Sturgeon! Proof that caring and advocating for the health of all waterways works! |
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We hope you enjoy this Morrissey tune set to a psychedelic raccoon video as much as the editors did. |
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Please Don't Block the Dock |
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Spring paddling season is in full swing and the docks are bustling with activity. Here is a friendly reminder of club dock rules.
“BOATS and SUPs ON DOCKS: Boats placed on the club dock shall be arranged leaving the front of the dock for immediate arrival or departure or loading and unloading. No boats and SUPs, except for the OC6 Outrigger Canoes (or others designated by the aquatics committee), shall be left on the docks, even temporarily. All vessels and equipment must be put away immediately following use. Boat slings are for assembling, disassembling, repairing, and cleaning only.”
It’s good standard practice to have all your gear ready on the dock so when you bring your boat or board down you can launch quickly. The same applies to returning to the docks. Clear the boat from the front of the dock immediately by moving it to the back (mind the rudders and skegs) or transfer it to the slings for cleaning.
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Meet Erica Bell. Erica notes, “living in West Virginia for 16 years gave me access to the Greenbrier River where I kayak and canoe every summer.” She is interested in working with the Entertainment Committee and in Marketing. Welcome Erica! |
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Meet Karl Grass. Karl notes, “I got hooked on kayaking after reading an article in the local paper about the first-hand experience of paddlers who were part of the initial Everglades Challenge along the west coast of Florida. The idea seeped into my brain and nearly 20 years later I’ve put in thousands of miles in the Gulf of Mexico, the Everglades, along the Mississippi, in Lake Superior, Quetico, and various parts of the Pacific. It turned out to be the source of some great friendships, adventure, and protection against mid-life crises. I’m now looking forward to paddling the Potomac and nearby waters. My wife Kathy and I currently live in the Sarasota, Florida area and we are slowly transitioning to DC. We’ll spend a few months in DC this summer and I’m very excited and looking forward to meeting everyone at WCC soon.” Likewise, Karl! Karl is interested in working with the Membership Committee. Welcome Karl! |
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Meet Hugh Hilliard. Hugh notes, “[I] spent my teenage years whitewater kayaking and canoeing, and have continued to enjoy both flatwater and whitewater canoeing, kayaking and (more recently) paddleboarding. I like the exercise and spending time out on the water in nature with family and friends.” Hugh is interested in working with the Building Restoration Committee. Welcome Hugh! |
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Meet John N. Maclean. His interest in paddling springs from “many decades of paddling in the East and West, canoe and kayak.” He is interested in working with the Communication Committee. Welcome John! |
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Meet Natalie Keoleian. Natalie notes, “I loved kayaking as a child, and am excited to be able to start getting back into it regularly and learning other forms of paddling too!” Natalie is interested in the Building Maintenance/Grounds, Building Restoration, and Community Outreach Committees. Welcome Natalie! |
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Club Operations and Maintenance |
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New Projects on the Horizon |
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One of the docks is in need of replacement simply due to age, so we have begun to purchase materials for construction of a new dock section. This dock will be right next to the low-rider dock and will also be designed and built as a low-rider dock.
The Alumacraft canoe rack has been relocated to the upstream side of the club and is back against the fence parallel to the war canoe rack.
A new rack was built for WCC-owned canoes and is in front of the Alumacraft rack. This means that all club owned canoes are now located in the same basic space on two separate racks.
Plans are in the works for the installation of a 4’ wide self-closing pedestrian gate in the downstream area that will solve the problem of non-members wandering into the club. The gate will have a manual lock that is a push-button keypad, which will eliminate the chain and double padlock situation for folks walking in. More information on the location and installation timing of the new gate will be forthcoming.
From the editors: Many thanks to Jim Ross and Peter Swiek for all your hard work making these projects happen!
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The new location of the club canoes. Happy paddling! |
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WCC Coaches: Kelly Rhodes (Women’s Outrigger), Nate Day (Men’s Outrigger), Joe Cafferata (Novice Outrigger), Kathleen McNamee (Junior’s), TBD (Master’s Kayak), and Kathy Summers (SUP)
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The OC6's are Rigged and Ready for Team Practices |
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Thanks to the women’s outrigger team lead by coach Kelly Rhodes, two of the five OC6 (six person outrigger) canoes are rigged and in use for practice by the women’s and men’s teams.
Men who are interested in outrigger paddling and competition should reach out to Nate Day, at [email protected]. Women interested in the same should contact Kelly Rhodes at [email protected]. |
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WCC Team Boat COVID Protocol |
On Tuesday, April 6, the club’s board approved the use of six-person team boats, in line with the following protocol. The protocol was proposed by the outrigger steering committee and agreed to by the members of the men’s and women’s outrigger teams. (The protocol also applies to non-outrigger team boats larger than 2-person).
The protocol is in line with current WCC, DC, and Federal guidelines, as well as those used by local rowing teams and US Rowing, and will be updated as necessary.
Team Boat Protocol:
- Get in, train, get out approach;
- Don’t come to practice if you are not feeling well;
- No shared equipment other than the OC-6s;
- Coach maintains a list of people who are fully vaccinated (2 weeks after completing vaccination sequence);
- Masks on when on dock or land (use in the boat at individual discretion);
- Maintain physical separation as much as possible while on dock and land;
- Unvaccinated people paddle in pods (no more than 9 per pod);
- Fully vaccinated paddlers may move between pods at coach’s discretion;
- No more than 2 crews loading or unloading at one time;
- Boats launched/pulled up by pod (with aid of vaccinated paddlers as necessary);
- Team members testing positive for COVID will notify their respective coach and the WCC Board;
- In such a situation, the coach will inform the pod members and any potentially exposed vaccinated paddlers;
- Team members testing positive for COVID or with known exposure to someone infected with COVID will follow WCC guidelines on returning to club activities.
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WCC Paddlers Race for a Good Cause
The Little D on the Monocacy
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On Saturday April 24, several WCC paddlers and volunteers participated in the Little D on the Monocacy race, the first canoe and kayak race held on the historic Monocacy River in Frederick, MD. The race is held in memory of Little D, who bravely fought metachromatic leukodystrophy until December 28, 2018. It was a wonderful day to raise money to help the lives of terminally ill children. This was the best year ever, in terms of attendance, donation totals, and weather. Donations from this race will benefit Gilchrist Kids Pediatric Hospice Program. To learn more about Little D, you can visit the Little D on the Monocacy Event Site or this Facebook page. |
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WCC RACE RESULTS:
6 Mile
Male Youth Kayak 12-16
1st - Sam Rhodes 1:02:10 (check out Sam’s epic run here)
Open Class
1st - Erin Rhodes and Becca Schuette 1:00:27 (Alumacraft)
12 Mile
Mixed Stock C2
1st - Doug Brooks and Stephanie Kiefer 2:24:08 (Alumacraft)
2nd - Jay Gopal and Mike McErlean 2:24:54 (Alumacraft)
C2 Pro Mixed
1st - Kelly Rhodes and Dan Havens 1:57:58
2nd- Lisa Ramm and Will Rhodes 2:02:44
Congratulations to all and thanks for donating to this worthy cause!
Check out the WCC website gallery page for more race photos from the Little D and other races and events. Thanks to Bonnie Havens and Gloria Vestal for taking photos of the race. |
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Thanks to Stephen Weiss for giving the WCC grills some much-needed maintenance this spring. Stephen has replaced all of the rusted-out burners and “flavorizors”, and does routine maintenance on Saturday mornings. He’s also taking over propane duty from Blaise Rhodes who kept us lit for many years (thanks Blaise). Please help out by cleaning the grills and utensils after you use them. Utensils should be stored in the bucket in the foyer. Shoot Stephen an email if there are any problems with a grill so he can fix it.
Thanks to everyone who takes out the trash, wacks the weeds, and cleans up around the club on a regular basis.
If you know of a WCC member who should get a shout-out (and there are many), let us know.
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Show Your Club Spirit and Look Good Doing It! |
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Any item can be customized with your name.
The WCC Squad Locker stores have a wide variety of club-branded items for members of all ages (including infants and toddlers). All items allow for personalization through the ordering process. Embroidered items, can put your name (or mantra) on the sleeve. If an item has a printed logo, you can get your name (or nickname) on the back or sleeve. Hats are personalized on the back band area. Both shops are periodically updated and changed, so keep checking back. If there’s something you would like to see offered, let us know.
Thanks to Bonnie Havens for all her hard work on the stores.
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Reminder: If and when you visit the Club, please be mindful of the rules currently in place during the COVID-19 emergency. The rules (and related updates) are available on the website.
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THANK YOU to all club volunteers |
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If you have an idea for a contribution to the next issue of Currents, please reach out to one of your newsletter team members:
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