Paddle to Perfection: Kayaking in the D.C. Area

WHEN FOLKS COME to D.C., they often have big plans to rock the boat. Luckily, when that doesn't work out politically, there's another — more literal — option immediately upstream.

"This is probably the single best city in the country for kayaking," says Stephen Wright, packing up after a morning of hard Potomac River paddling with his friend James Sneeringer. "It's wild to think that this is only about 10 miles from the heart of D.C."

Both Wright and Sneeringer are expert kayakers — Wright is the national freestyle champion, while Sneeringer teaches kayaking at Valley Mill Kayak School — so they appreciate the challenge of running suburban Maryland's Great Falls and its surrounding rapids. But they emphasize that it's a great location for beginners, too.

"This is probably one of the best places to learn I've ever been on," says Sneeringer. "The water's warm and deep, you don't have to worry too much about rocks, and there are good access points."

Wright adds, "Plus, there's so many things you can't see unless you're on a kayak." Frequent paddlers report spotting turtles and deer, and blue herons sunning themselves on the high granite cliffs.

Several kayak schools can teach beginners the basics. For about $100, schools such as Outdoor Excursions, Liquid Adventures and Valley Mill provide boats and gear — including helmets, life vests and a "skirt" that attaches the paddler to the boat — together with three-hour classes that give overviews of strokes and safety.

During the first lesson, instructors aim to give students a sense of the river's power, while equipping them with tools to control their boats. The lightweight vessels are designed to easily switch directions, so students master a variety of paddle strokes that help them keep the kayak moving in a straight line. They also learn specific skills like "ferrying" — how to paddle across a strong current without being swept downstream.

For novices who are squeamish about getting flipped upside down while strapped into a kayak, instructors will walk them through a step-by-step process for averting disaster. The first step is simply getting used to going under while inside the kayak. Eventually, students learn the full "wet exit": unhooking the skirt from the boat and slithering out to freedom.

Comfortable? Then get ready to feel the burn, because it's certainly a great workout — for the upper body and abs, of course, but also the hips and lower torso. Engaging core muscles so that the hips fluidly sweep from side to side with each paddle stroke keeps the kayak gliding smoothly. That gives women, with their lower center of gravity and more flexible hips, a natural advantage, notes Sneeringer.

Seeing world-class examples just requires a trip to the river. In addition to Wright, several athletes who train locally are headed to the Olympics. There are legends, too, like Tom McEwan, who made history when he was the first to head over Great Falls in 1975; he now owns Liquid Adventures. "It's a nice atmosphere, and people are very supportive of each other," he says.

Everyone's welcome to join the community this weekend for the annual Potomac Whitewater Festival. Beginners can cheer on kayakers from the sidelines during the Great Falls race and get a taste for whitewater themselves with intro clinics and demos.

"This is the only event of its kind in the nation, with so many events for a variety of skill levels," said Risa Shimoda, director of the festival. "Really, it's a celebration of kayaking, a celebration of paddlers' access to this wonderful resource, the river. We're very lucky to have it."

Written by Express contributor Amanda Abrams
Photo by Preston Keres/TWP