Issue 8: The Photo Annual

THE DIRTBAG’S GUIDE TO WHITEWATER

the photo Annual

Benn Fraker ‘Go Left’ Green River Race, NC Regina Nicolardi Photo

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Dan McCain and Ben Sigler run Upper Falls on Washington’s Lewis River with broken hand and pinky repectively. Paul Thomson Photo

An unknown paddler boofs Ram’s Horn on the Upper Wind. Paul Thomson Photo

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Dan McCain and Josh Sheldon Spirit Falls, WA Paul Thomson Photo

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Dan Rubado, Little Klickitat, WA Nate Merrill Photo

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Tyler Curtis, Ottawa River Scott Martin Photo

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Gene Loosemore on Taitnapum Falls, WA. Paul Thomson Photo

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Eric Adsit Oswegatchie River, NY Scott Martin Photos

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DJ Sco Stairca Delawa

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ott melts down on Iron ase, Raymondskill Creek, are Water Gap, PA

Joe Potoczak ‘Flirting With Disaster’, Raymondskill Creek, Delaware Water Gap, PA

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Nate Merrill Callaghan Creek, B.C. Eric Adsit Photo

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Gus Kilgore Canyon Creek, WA Eric Adsit Photo

Clendinning Lake, B.C. Eric Adsit Photo

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Editor in Chief Eric Adsit

Cover Photo Reginal Nicolardi

Words Regina Nicolardi Nick Gottlieb Larry The Bum Emile Elliot

Photos

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Regina Nicolardi Scott Martin Paul Thomson Nate Merrill Nick Gottlieb Emile Elliot Alex Loren

con tribu tors

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Lines and Light Photography can be summed up as the manupulation of lines, light, and time. So can kayaking. And life.

Lines are important because they give us something to follow, to draw, and to cross. Light let's us see those lines, it pulls us towards them or away to other things. Time... time gives us the space to make decisions, to interact with those lines, and to forget about them.

I don't remember the first photo I took, or what first fascinated me about pressing down the shutter release, but somewhere along the way I realized that photography was a way to capture a moment in time and to tell a story.

To say that a great photo is worth a thousand words is not only cliche, it's entirely false. A great photo tells a story, asks questions, and evokes a feeling or feelings that trascend any written or spoken language.

Picasso once said "Art is a lie that tells the truth." In that sense, photography is one of the most artful of the arts, manipulating the lines and light we can objectively agree upon into a truth our eyes are incapable of seeing alone.

Now before all you dirtbags out there fall asleep, or worse, reopen the tab loading the latest episode of BrownFlowTV, I promise I'm done getting all mushy about art and photography.

Photos (and yes, video too) are the most popular way to express our experiences on the water and off. This issue celebates that by showcasing the photos that tell their stories in the best way possible.

-Eric Adsit, Editor-in-Chief

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Dirtbag Superlatives WestXEAST: The Year In Review Getting The Shot

Behind The Shutter

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The Dirtbag Superlatives Meet Larry. Larry the Bum.

Oddly enough, no one that didn’t have some stake in this contest was interested in passing judgement on who was the biggest dirtbag in each category.

So when we found Larry the Bum sleeping next to the dumpster behind the local paddle shop, we traded him a ten dollar handle of vodka for his take on the Dirtbag Superlatives.

He did drain that bottle pretty quickly, so we can’t be held responsible for his choices or justifications.

-Eds

Fastest Booty Beer First of all, is it too late for me to enter? Larry wins the chugging contests at the Bumolympics every year, don’t matter if it’s out of a can or bottle or shoe.

Secondly, if there ain’t no competition I don’t see why you need my help to decide who the winner is. Dave Rea all the way. Plus he’s drinkin’ one of them fancy beers that sometimes still have a little booze in them when they throw ‘em out behind The Nines.

Most Likely to Live in Their Vehicle Larry would live in this guy’s vehicle every day if he could. You know if he keeps that canopy locked? And where he’s parked?

Tom Whipple must have it figured out if he’s confident enough to pop open the hatch to chat with (harrass?) the ladies. Now that you mention it, Larry shared a meal or two with that guy this summer... thought he was one of us.

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Is he even wearing pants?

Shuttle of the Year

Vehicles are like moving homes, and Nick Gottlieb’s entry looks like a home big enough to fit Larry and all his friends. And friends make things cheaper.

While Friehoffer’s entry did show off the dirtbag lifestyle, it looked like he could only carry a couple kayaks. Gottlieb’s has 5, and 2 huge bananas. And Larry loves bananas.

Don’t even get me started on that airplane entered

by Eric Adsit. Do you know how much jet fuel costs??

Most Likely to Bum a Shuttle Ride Even though that Harrison Rea guy reminds Larry of this total math geek named Ted he went to highschool with, and since Tom Whipple lives in his vehicle, Jam Boy is this years winner of shuttle bum.

Who can say no to zebra stripes? No one.

Shuttle Bunny of the Year Hannah Goldstein. One of you dirtbags came by here yesterday and gave me a bottle of expensive wine to choose his girlfriend as a winner if anyone mentioned that name. He also said not to say anything about the wine...whoops.

That tie-die wearing loony Tony get’s a close second, I hear his kid is a real brat, and he makes a mean burger.

Most Repaired Boat Larry fixes things all the time,mostly with stolen ducttape, but he’s never seen anything like Tommy Hagg’s canoe. Using no parking signs is something I might try on my tarp.

Jesse Wilson has a strong entry too, was the boat originally green or red?

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The Dirtbag Superlatives: T Dirtbag King and Queen

The last thing Larry wants to do is put a number on how much something or someone is loved (except booze, which is infinity), so he thinks all these couples deserve recognition.

Toby MacDermott and Erin Savage are both great kayakers, and they’re photo is in a heart, so you know they’re in love.

First Runners-Up (Tie)

Adam Elliott and Susan Hollingsworth-Elliott are professional dirtbags. Constantly planning their next adventure, this duo frequently complement eachother’s freelance work and paddling goals. Recently married, and no strangers to dirtbagging at river put-ins and raft bases, these 2 would have probably won with a hearrt shaped matte.

Susan even tolerates Adam’s beard, and if that’s not true love, Larry doesn’t know what is.

First Runners-Up (Tie)

Daphnee Tuzlak convinced Nick Gottlieb to roadtrip from New England all the way up to the Yukon. Maybe convinced isn’t the right word, more like enabled (which is a word Larry’s parole officer uses a lot), since he may as well have left his car behind and paddled his way there.

Now they’re back in Vermont, training hard for the King of NY race series and making mockumentaries about eachother.

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The Dirtbag Couple of The Year Second Runners Up Catharine Hull broke her hand on her first date with Ben Schott. Then they finished the river, and climbed a snowcovered mountain on the way home. While Larry suspects some sort of bribery, Catharine accepts “Crazy Ben’s” antics, and has even volunteered to get in a dynamic duo with him.

Ben proposed a few miles down river from their first date, and whether it was purely to ensure her safety for the remainder of the trip or because she really meant it, Catharine said yes. Larry will be making an appearance at their whitewater wedding in July 2014.

Third Runners Up Scott Martin and Ashley Eldridge-Martin are a photography/boating duo that have mastered the art of having fun.

Making frequent trips to Northern NY, these two may as well have a second home to base their SUP, Whitewater, and hiking adventures from.

Long-Distance Couple of the Year Harrison Rea and Hannah Goldstein have been navigating 13 hour timechanges and international phone fees for months, but they still manage to make it out on dinner dates.

You may recognize Hannah as the shuttle bunny of the year, so you know she tolerates Harrison’s paddling addiction pretty well. She doesn’t even get mad at him when he spends an extra day living in the BC wilderness on a flooded Class V river... well, not REALLY mad.

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West Coast stouts went off early and often, starting with Harrison Rea on Celestial Falls The Little White had a late start to the season this year, but that didn’t stop Nate Merrill from charging hard on his first lap down Spirit Falls.

A certain unnamed and unnofficial slalom served up some great brews as well as a lesson in why boating and alcohol don’t mix. Trevor Sheehan chugged his way down the course along with many others, but no one seems to remember who came in first place.

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westXeast The NW Creeking Comp kicked off a long season of Canyon Creek laps and featured one of the best turnouts in the history of the Comp. Here, Jeremy Bisson pulls the critical late boof on Big Kahuna, while the typical crowd of onlookers provides support from the pool below.

Idaho’s Middle Fork Salmon opened access to the Boundary Creek put-in this season earlier than ever before. Unaware of this, Michael Jorgenson and crew began their 4 day blitz to the takeout at Vinegar Bar on Marsh Creek, covering over 200 miles.

Ashlu Creek continues to see a growing number of hardcore visiting Commitment Canyon during scheduled releases. Stephen Cameron and a crew from the Portland, OR area rallied north for a few laps guided by Dan Patrinellis’ hazy memory.

Eric Adsit Photos

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westXeast Vermont’s New Haven Ledges Race finally got the water levels it deserves leaving those with local knowledge of high water lines comfortably at the head of the pack.

The King of New York Race series which kicked off at the Black River Festival and resumed at Beaverfest came down to a nailbiting finish that risked the crown finding it’s way to Quebec. Jared Seiler saved the nations dignity at Moosefest in October.

The wettest June in Lewis County’s history yielded some amazing whitewater paddling.

Among others, the Independence River was flowing strong for weeks at a time, leaving Chris Peck with ample time to dial in the lines and stomp drops for the camera.

Wavesport announced the latest in their long line of successful playboats, the Mobius. The endless surfing opportunities at all flows on the Ottawa river make it the perfect place to dial in a new boat, and it appears Tyler Curtis has spent plenty of time in his backyard doing just that.

The Floateo featured in NY’s Black River Festival is so popular even Darth Vader couldn’t resist. Held in late July every year, the Black River Festival presents all kinds of opportunities to cause a ruckus in a boat, pool toy, or the Hudson River Rafting Company’s base.

Labor Day weekend should be changed to Beaverfest weekend, that’s how most paddlers know it anyways. With 3 stretches of classic Adirondack whitewater that only run during September (One of which only runs one day a year), Beaverfest attracts all types. For those looking for the extra step in difficulty, the nearby Raquette River offers up the hardest dam-release rapids in NY. Here, the Beaverator Kid digs in for some redemption laps over 5 years after his initial “incident.”

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Eric Adsit When it comes to getting the shot, photographers can get a little crazy. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been so focused on nailing the exposure or timing for a shot that I forget to scout the rapid I’m about to run and eat it when it’s my turn to go.

It gets worse. In an effort to get a new angle on a classic drop, I’ve climbed crumbling walls, clung to midstream rocks in my boat, and balanced on log jams. Sometimes, the photos don’t even turn out very well, but it’s a risk I can’t not take. Some of you might think I’m crazy, but I’m not the only one.

I’ve enabled plenty of others in their quest for “The Shot,” helping set up a slackline for Alex Loren to dangle from at Big Brother on Washington’s White Salmon, and belaying Scott Martin as he climbed a tree to get an elevated vantage of the Ottawa’s Corner Wave.

Every once in a while we take a spill, drop a lens, or miss the shot we worked so hard to create, but more often all that’s lost is the occasional lens hood or cap. And at the end of the day, whether we got the shot or not, we’ve got a story to tell. And that’s all we’re really after anyways.

In this article, some of our favorite photographers share the stories their images might hint at, but never fully explain.

To start, we have my shot from the Ohanapecosh River near Mt. Rainier in Washington. I walked and crawled my way out to the middle of a precariously balanced log some 20 feet above the river. The bill on my helmet made it difficult to look through the viewfinder, so I left that back on shore.

In this case, I was better off shooting low and wide (seen in “Fantasyland, Issue 6 of TDBG), as the higher vantage point flattens the drop.

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Getting the shot

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Regina Nicolardi There are two specific instances that come to mind about ‘getting the shot’. Aside from being a photographer I am also a boater. I find the things I do for a photo are not far off from what all paddlers do to get to, or scout their rapids for the day. I scramble in and out of gorges, jump rocks, ford shallower sections of water. I’ve dangled from branches, laid on my stomach over edges of earth looking through my lens, sometimes with someone to hold my legs, other times not. You commit to your shot like you commit to your line, the rest just fades into the background.

So, it isn’t until I end up at events with spectators or other photographers that I realize maybe I do get a little out of hand trying to get a picture!

In 2012 at the Great Falls Race on the Potomac River I was moving around from spot to spot. At some point I ended up shooting over the final drop on the Virginia line ‘the Spout’. It was a behind shot as the paddlers were falling off the horizon. Loved the shots; ended up being some of my favorite from the day. A few months later I stumbled upon a photographer’s website, from DC who also was shooting the race that day. As I was scrolling through the post I saw myself in one of his photos hanging over a 25’ drop, camera snapping away, not another person next to me, and not a care in the world.

The other event was this year at the New England Whitewater Triple Crown. It’s a two day event with three disciplines and endless possibilities for new angles. During the finals of the Wildwater event I decided it would be fun to get some water level shots from an eddy just below a crux move. So into the water my Nikon and I went to fire off some shots. As I stood there between racers, camera above head, I could see the cameras along the riverbank being pointed at me. I amusingly assumed I’d end up on some ‘epic fails’ list should this not work in my favor.

Sure enough I maintained my footing and made it out with a shot or two. Here’s one of Joe Potoczak at the same event.

Having said all that, I’m thinking 2014 will involve some harness rigs and some remote cameras!

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Getting the shot

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Emile Elliot Here is a quick summary of what I use for taking underwater photos/video of squirt boating.

I wear my 4/3mm hooded wetsuit, flippers, and a snorkel and mask. I use my gopro hero2 with the special 'dive housing' with the flat lens. (newer Gopros come with stock flat lens housings). For video I always shoot in 720p at 60fps. For taking photos I set the camera to the highest quality and set it to the timelapse mode, taking photos every half a second. I made a 2ft 3/4'' PVC handle wrapped in pipe insulation that i mount the Gopro to with the handle bar attachment . The insulation makes the camera float in case I drop it in the river. The handle also helps reduce camera shake for smoother looking video.

I think the newer Gopro cameras have a camera raw option. The white balance seems to be all over the place when using these cameras underwater and using the raw quality setting gives you a lot more control in post processing your images for more accurate color correction.

-Emile Elliot Joel Meadows adds that the hardest part is the commitment to snorkel and swim within the mystery circle. You have to constantly swim and body ferry in the current, paying attention to eddy lines, sharp boat ends whipping around close to you, and holding your breath and diving down deep when needed, which is all tough by itself. Making sure you are getting smooth and properly framed images/video on top of all of that physical activity is what it really boils down to.

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Getting the shot

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Alex Loren While Alex was unable to comment on what it was like dangling from a highline above a 30 foot waterfall, I can take a stab at it, having crossed that same line to set safety for Harrison Rea. The idea was simple: Get a photo of a classic waterfall that’s been shot from nearly every angle, and produce something unique. I don’t remember who brought it up first, but as soon as it was said, it needed to be done... a highline at the lip.

A late start and chilly day prevented more people from showing up for the shoot, so my hopes of getting my own shot from the line were out of the question. The burly cave at the base of Big Brother was enough of a factor at these flows that safety needed to be set... just in case.

We rigged the line using slackline webbing and good ol’ fashioned mechanical advantage. A couple stout trees were perfectly located for our anchors, and after some impressive nonverbal communication from opposite sides of the river, we had the whole system set in under two hours.

Light was fading fast in the canyon, so we knew we really only had one chance to get the shot. I set up on river left with a throwbag and camera, confident Harrison would crush it.

Alex worked her way out to the middle of the line, feet dangling only a few feet above the boof flake.

She seemed comfortable out there, and after a big thumbs up to Harrison, she lined up the shot while he lined up the drop.

As you can see, Harrison styled it, and Alex did a great job highlighting the hazard of the cave and the depth of the drop.

-Eric Adsit

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Getting the shot

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Scott Martin In August 2012 I spent a long weekend staying with Tyler Curtis on the Ottawa River. The extreme heat gave us plenty of excuses to focus on paddling in the early morning and evening, primetime for getting some stellar photos.

The level was slowly but steadily dropping, allowing us to catch various features at great levels. Corner Wave near the bottom of McCoy’s Rapid was coming in glassy and steep, but the shots from shore weren’t what I was looking for.

On the second to last day I decided to climb a tree a little ways upstream and shoot from there.

Climbing one hand in front of the other, I made the final stretch, reaching for the next sap covered limb to pull myself up to a stable position high up in the branches. I attached a throw bag around my harness and threw it down to Eric Adsit to put me on belay.

Now set, I took a deep breath, gave Tyler the “All good, send it” look, steadied my legs and looked through my viewfinder. After shooting a couple rides, Eric belayed me down the tree, with tiny branches flying everywhere.

The shots I got do a great job depicting how big the Ottawa really is, and give it a backyard feel that perfectly describes Tyler’s relationship with it.

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Getting the shot

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Behind the Shutter: Scott Martin Scott’s an unnassuming guy, a great kayaker, even better friend, and insanely talented photographer. He’s nailed four of the last seven covers in TDBG, but almost never has photos of himself.In fact, he won’t have any idea this article exists until nearly a month after it’s published.

moosefest in northern NY, three or four years ago. Our friendship was solidified on an unforgettable trip down the Oswegatchie, and grew through many trips scouting the gnar in northern PA, long drives to Gauleyfest, and many adventures throughout the Adirondacks. It was even his idea to start this Originally from Capetown, magazine.

South Africa, Scott has made a home with his wife Scott’s equally at home in Ashley Eldridge-Martin just the seat of a playboat or a outside of Ulster, PA. creeker, throwing loops on the Ottawa or boofing big at I first met Scott at spring Rainbow on the Oswegatchie

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Through it all, he’ll have a camera in hand and a grin on his face.

Above all else, Scott Martin lives a life filled with passion fueled by friends, family, and an unerring pursuit of sharing happiness.

Scott is one to look out for in 2014, starting his year out on the Grand Canyon, with many adventures to follow.

Check out his website at scottmartinimages.com

Oswegatchie River, NY

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Oswegatchie River, NY

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Oswegatchie River, NY

Otter Creek, NY

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Timeless

The New Haven Ledges and the people that call them home.

Vermont’s classic New Haven Ledges provide the perfect training grounds for aspiring creekers to master their skills. With boulder gardens, slides, a waterfall, and of course the namesake ledges, this river is one locals just keep coming back to for more. Nick Gottlieb’s photos capture the essence of the Ledges, and the different styles of the people that call them home.

-Eds

On any given day you’ll find certain people out on Vermont’s New Haven Ledges.

Ed Clark defines “local” living just a few minutes upstream of the put-in of the river and working as a doctor just a few minutes downstream. He’s so local that he doesn’t call anyone to go paddle because it would take too long waiting for others to show up. Odds are, if you get there planning on doing a few laps before work, he’s already done a few laps and left.

The younger generation is no stranger to squeezing runs in between obligations. Ryan Mooney manages to balance high school, college applications, and ski racing well enough to be able to hop over the gap for a few New Haven laps whenever it comes up.

Once in a while, boaters you’ve only ever seen in pictures of obscure New England first descents in Alden’s guidebook will show up at the New Haven. Robyn Battaile doesn’t come down that often, but when he does, he’ll leave you wondering why you’d never met him before.

Daphnee Tuzlak, originally of Whitehorse, Yukon, makes up more or less the whole transient crew of Middlebury College kayakers right now and paddles it more than most Vermonters (except Ed, of course).

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Clockwise from left: Ryan Mooney pulls the trigger on a boof so classic they named it All American.

Ed Clark on the same.

Robyn Battaile cruises through the last hole above Toaster.

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Though Toaster has gotten smaller the boofs keep getting bigger

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Clockwise from left: Ryan Mooney boofs big at Toaster Hugh Pritchard digs in during the 4th annual New Haven Ledges Race Ryan Mooney plays catch-up at high water on the Ledges.

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All American Boof provides fun for all ages...

And Nationalities Yukon, CA local Daphnee Tuzlak puts down the landing gear 53

To Stories yet to tell...

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Unknown ‘Go Left’ Green River Race, NC Regina Nicolardi Photo

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