October Journal of Paddlesports Education

The ACA's October JPE is hot off the digital press!   

Highlights to this month's issue include: 

• Paddle Ready App
• SUP PSA - Leashes & Lifejackets 
• Little Known facts about your ACA Office Staff!
• New PFD type changes
• And more...

Check out the October JPE here. 

Recap: ACA Expansion of On-Water Paddlesports Instruction Grant

Todd Johnstone-Wright (right) and Ben Morton (left) on Eklutna Lake in the Chugiak National Forest.

The ACA's Paddlesports Training Grant Coordinator, T.J. Turner, recently wrapped up a year-long grant project with the focus of promoting on-water paddlesport instruction and safety standards on a regional, state, and national scale. 

Funded by the US Coast Guard, this grant project allowed the ACA to conduct 17 courses and certify a total of 136 new ACA instructors. 

We asked T.J. to share some anecdotes from his work that took him all over the country this past year. Here are just a few of the highlights he had to share:

• In Tennessee, we earned a spot on Tennessee's Wildside, to be aired on PBS.
• Paddling in Oregon and watching the sea lions surfing in the river wave next to us on the Willamette River with Sam Drevo.
• There was never a dull moment paddling with the officers of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Gator wrestling is a thing there. Nothing is better than homemade crawfish etouffee.
• In Puerto Rico, we offered a course to Paddle Paradise PR which has since served over 1,000 people with on-water paddlesport instruction. The founder of this company is now State Director of Puerto Rico. Congratulations, Omar!

The grant concluded on September 30, 2014. Thank you, T.J., for all your hard work on behalf of the ACA. And congratulations to all the newly certified ACA instructors across the country!

Practicing rescues in cold water, Essentials of River Kayaking Course in Oregon City, Oregon.

Save the Date: Swiftwater Rescue Conference 2015

Last year's event was so popular, we're bringing back the Swiftwater Rescue Conference in 2015! 

Mark your calendar. This is one event you don't want to miss.

More info on our website. 

Check Out Our New SUP Video!

SUP: Leashes and Lifejackets, makes it clear to stand-up paddleboarders what types of leashes and lifejackets are appropriate for different water venues. This five-minute video is intended to educate all those new to stand up paddleboarding (SUP), as well as those who have experience with the sport but are unaware of leash and lifejacket best practices. Some of the rules and recommendations regarding these pieces of equipment may surprise you.

Top 5 Reasons to Download The New ACA App, Paddle Ready!

Paddle Ready is here, and it's FREE for both iPhone and Android users! In addition to being super simple and easy to use, here are 5 more things Paddle Ready helps you do:

1. Fill out a float plan and email it to your friends 
2. Find an ACA instructor near you
3. Get real-time river forecasting (surf and tidal coming soon)
4. Have Paddle Safety Checklists for various paddling environments at your fingertips
5. Use the Safety and Rescue How-to Videos to keep your knowledge current

Download Paddle Ready today for your iPhone or Android device and let us know what you think. We look forward to taking your feedback into consideration as we continue to expand and improve the app moving forward. 

All app feedback can be sent directly to ACA Communications Coordinator, Catharine Lloyd, at clloyd@americancanoe.org. 

Paddle often, paddle safe. 

Support Paddlesports While You Shop

Amazon Smile is the same Amazon site you know, with one difference--it donates a portion of proceeds to the charity of your choice. 

The ACA is registered through the site, so all you have to do is start shopping from our personalized link and Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to the ACA.

We recommend bookmarking the above link so you can easily access it every time you need to make an Amazon purchase. 

Thank you for your continued support. Together, we're making the world a better place to paddle!

Policy Update: San Gabriel National Monument Designation

In conjunction with the Outdoor Alliance, the ACA supports the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument. Additionally, we are excited to support the Wild and Scenic River designations proposed in H.R. 4858 for the San Gabriel River and its forks, San Antonio Creek, the Middle Fork of Lytle Creek, and Little Rock Creek.

Read more about the efforts to permanently protect the San Gabriel Mountains and its surrounding landscape here. 

Everyday the ACA fields a call, answers an email, or attends a meeting that pertains to public policy issues that have the potential to affect all paddlers, whether you raft in Idaho, kayak the Nantahala River, canoe in the Boundary Waters, or SUP off the southern California coast. Learn more about paddlesport public policy issues here.