CASKA: Chicago Area Sea Kayakers Association

Chicago River Waterway Risk Assessment

by Tom Heineman

 

3/27/2012- 3/28/2012
I attended the two day Risk Assessment of the Chicago River waterway sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard. I officially represented CASKA and unofficially represented the non-commercial paddling community using the Chicago River. Dave Olson (Chicago Kayak) and Charles Portis (Water Riders) represented the commercial tour and kayak rental businesses operating on the River. Susan Urbas represented the nonprofit Chicago River Rowing and Paddling Center and the Port Development Safety Council.

Other stakeholders included representatives of the passenger tour boats, passenger ferries, barge operators, private yacht associations as well as the Friends of the River and the Friends of the Parks. On the regulatory/governmental side were representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Army Corp of Engineers, the Chicago Police Marine Unit, the EPA, the National Weather Service, the Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Park District. In total there were 30 participants.

The U.S. Coast Guard uses a private contractor to conduct these risk assessments. They use a methodology to document and score risks related to vessels, traffic conditions, navigational conditions and the potential consequences related to these risks. All participants were involved with determining risks and assigning weights to these risks.

 

The second day was devoted to determining and assigning weights to various mitigations related to the highest areas of risk. Not surprising, the biggest risks were related to small craft (this would include yachts as well as kayaks) and the projected increases in traffic volumes, especially, but not limited to human powered watercraft.

There was a sense that the commercial traffic on the river presented relatively low risk considering the highly regulated nature of their business and the certification requirements of the pilots of these boats.

The passenger tour boats, ferries and barge operators explained the challenges they faced with the increasing kayak traffic. Visibility issues at sunrise, sunset and also after dark were mentioned. Waterway conditions that presented challenges were mentioned: 45 degree bends in the river, glare off of buildings, narrow channels, etc. All of the stakeholders had concerns about the competence of some of the paddlers who rented kayaks. Some of the stakeholders had concerns about groups of kayaks on the river that didn't seem to be well managed. Concerns were expressed about the increasing numbers of paddlers on the river with the new paddling centers coming on line and additional vendors.

Concerns were expressed about private powerboats as well. Most concerns were shared by both the kayak community and the large commercial boat operators. There were particular concerns about the high traffic areas from Wolf Point to the locks; in particular the area east of Michigan Avenue.

On the plus side, the stakeholders at this event did recognize the safety efforts that some of the kayak vendors and rowing and paddling clubs were making. They appreciated the use of VHF radios for communications with the kayak groups on the river. There seemed to be an acceptance of the need to share the river with all types of watercraft.

Some of the mitigations that were proposed were:

 

• better screening of clients renting kayaks
• education of renters as to the rules of the river and the hazards inherent in paddling on the Chicago River
• classification of sections of the river by color code (similar to ski runs - green, blue, black)
• signage at access points with safety considerations and hazards inherent in different sections of the river
• signage at critical points on the river oriented towards kayak safety
• maps with hazard identifications at both access points and to be handed out by vendors to their clients
• safety discussions with renters of kayaks as well as those on guided trips
• better enforcement of wake laws
• better lighting on night paddles
• better DNR screening of vendors being licensed to rent kayaks and non-renewal of licenses of problem vendors
• emergency egress points along the river (such as ladders) in sections of the river where escape from the water is nearly impossible
• formalization of the Port Development Safety Council so they can exercise more influence in addressing continuing concerns on the river

 

You should know that most of these mitigations were proposed by the kayak community representatives.

There will be a follow-up meeting in about a month with conclusions from this assessment. There will be an opportunity for stakeholders to influence the final report and recommendations at that time.

Thanks go to Keith Heger, Gary Mechanic, Tom Lindblade, Jim Des Jardin and others who gave me ideas to bring to the meeting. I shared all of your ideas and concerns.

St. Patricks Day: Kayaking on the Chicago River

by Mary Fairchild

My daughter and I had a bird's-eye view as we were herded over the bridges along with some 350,000 others who came out for the annual St. Patrick's Day festivities including the dyeing of the Chicago River this past Saturday.  The paddle tour was organized by Paddle & Trail, Geneva Kayak, and CASKA.  

Geneva Kayak instructor Mark Anderson  (pictured above, photobucket link) was the architectural docent who led the paddle.  Chicago's architectural heritage is one of the finest in the world.  Not only does the river provide a unique setting for viewing Chicago's architecture, but, on this day in particular, the vivid green dye creates a whole new intensity to the scene. 

This year's paddle was a balmy 80 degrees when we are usually expecting our last bout of snow in the city. 

One magnificent seven-mile paddle.   

CASKA’s 2012 Trip-Planning Meeting and Safety Presentation

Approximately 30 Chicago-area paddlers were on hand for a two-part meeting for CASKA members and invitees this past Saturday, March 2, 2012.  Paddlers were wielding pens and paper, not paddles and PFDs, and dressing for immersion was not required. 

The meeting started with a hearty discussion about trip-planning and upcoming CASKA events.  The votes were tallied from two CASKA polls that gave members the ability to voice their opinions on official CASKA paddles prior to the meeting.  Longer, multi-day camping trips emerged as the voters’ favorite, but members are also interested in a variety of shorter paddles. 

Voting Results 

The focal point of the trip-planning portion of the meeting was filling CASKA’s official calendar, which can be found at the CASKA website.  Recent events posted include: the world’s largest paddlesport expo – Canoecopia; the St. Patrick’s Day Chicago River paddle co-sponsored by CASKA, Geneva Kayak Center (GKC), and Paddle and Trail; and a smorgasbord of Midwest sea kayak symposia.  As far as CASKA-specific paddles, Tom Heinemann and Bill Burton have graciously agreed to host monthly Wednesday night paddles. 

There are sure to be many more CASKA and non-CASKA events that will be posted.  Please stay tuned for details, and if you have any ideas, contact a board member or share them as a comment to this post, on Facebook, or on the CASKA YahooGroup.

After the trip-planning portion of the meeting, Police Chief Larry Pitchford of New Buffalo, Michigan gave a first-hand account of the tragic event that occurred in October 2011, where one young kayaker lost his life and two others were rescued.  Chief Pitchford shared the details that were lost in the news accounts of the incident.  Ryan Rushton of GKC was also present to share his perspective.  Ken Stetler of the Northwest Indiana Paddling Association (NWIPA), our sister club to the south, has a detailed write-up of Chief Pitchford’s presentation posted on the CASKA blog. 

Rescue helicopter and break wall  at mouth of Galien River

The Chief’s presentation is an important reminder that the sport we love and enjoy brings with it risks that we are obligated to understand and appreciate each time we launch.

 

Jim Tibensky: Texas Legend

By: Tom Bamonte

I was deep in the heart of Texas this weekend, San Marcos to be exact. San Marcos is the home of the Power Olympic Center, which is headed by Ben Kvanli, a talented whitewater/slalom paddler. What attracted Ben to San Marcos is the San Marcos River, a spring-fed river that rises in the town and has a constant 72 degree temperature all year round. In the last decade the town built the Rio Vista whitewater park, which has three drops and has been outfitted with slalom poles.

Rio Vista Whitewater Park

Rio Vista Park--Another view

People come from all over to train. When I was there I met the slalom team from Alberta, another team from Nevada, and a military group that was studying the possible use of kayaking as a form of PTSD treatment for returning vets. (What a good gig--go kayaking on Uncle Sam's dime and for a good cause.)

When I arrived Ben said we were in for a rare treat. Recent rains had broken the grip of the drought and Ben thought we could run Onion Creek, which is only possible about once every three years. It apparently is a nice run with a big drop near the end. 

Twenty of us got boats and gear loaded. Along the way, we saw a bunch of other folks with whitewater boats. Indeed, I have seen more whitewater boats than cowboy hats in Texas thus far. My sense is that Texans keep them handy for when it rains because there is not a lot of steady whitewater in Texas.

We arrived at the launch, put in, paddled a quarter of a mile and found our way blocked. We were either too late or Onion Creek never was runnable that day. Not an auspicious start. We reversed course and headed back to San Marcos.

On the way back I rode with Ben. I asked him if he knew Jim Tibensky because I thought that they were both at the 1996 Olympics. Ben's face lit up. He said that Jim had been an "incredible teacher" and, in words echoed by many Chicago paddlers, Ben recounted that Jim "had taught me more about the forward stroke than just about anyone." Ben said that Jim came along at a crucial time in his paddling career and was a really good influence.

I was pleased to establish a Chicago-Texas connection. We later put in at the Rio Vista park and I was able to demonstrate that as a whitewater paddler I'm a decent sea kayaker. After about 4 straight hours in my boat, I hauled myself out on a rock ledge, ready to call it a day and head back to Dallas.

Along came a lithe fellow with cat-quick steps. He said he wanted to give me three things to work on. It was clear from his body language that the list of things I need to work on is much longer. I listened to his suggestions, all good ones, but feared that he might want to work further down the long list and that might discourage me from whitewater paddling forever. 

So, to break the flow I asked him out of the blue, "you wouldn't happen to know Jim Tibensky would you"? That stopped him in his tracks. "Of course, I remember Jim. We raced against each other a few times. Every time I thought for sure I had trained sufficiently to beat him but somehow he always bested me." Again, sound familiar?

The gentleman was Jim Stewart. I hope to run into him again my next trip to San Marcos and get his instruction before I spend another four hours reinforcing bad habits (but still having fun).

Jim Tibensky--Texas Legend. 

Chicago River Kayaking: Don't Get Caught Up Creek Without a Paddle

By Mary Fairchild 
One kayak tour, Flickr Pictures here, waited huddled along the seawall, some holding onto parked boats, as many large boats made waves as they squeezed by to go under a bridge.

When it comes to kayaking the Chicago River, some don’t give it a second thought, while others wonder if what they are doing is safe.  Erring on the cautious side, I pulled up a few blog posts from our past CASKA trip reports on the Chicago River that may help address concerns with the recent addition of four boathouses being built along the river. 

CASKA trip report:  “Lot’s of confidence and NO BULKHEADS!” At the parking lot we ran into a nice couple putting into the river in recreational boats. They had PFDs, lots of confidence and no bulkheads. I asked them how they would get back into their boats if they tipped over and they didn't have a clue. I offered a few tips, pitched the CASKA safety center to them and hoped that love would conquer all….When we returned, I was heartened to see that the young couple's car was gone, suggesting that they had returned safely.

Chicago River Canoe and Kayak:  Because of the seawalls and larger boats in the main stem of the river, we prefer that you be confident you won't tip over. Complete beginners may find the traffic a lot to handle… Children: under 10 are not allowed on this trip; ages 10-17 great discretion is advised.  A parent must accompany these children, and some paddling experienced is required.

CASKA trip report:   Not A Lot Of Room For A Kayak--Stay Alert On The River (see last picture in article).

When I watched this WateridersVideo and read about the new boathouses this week I wondered about the recreational boats being used as well as the continued lure to bring young children and beginners in this area. On my 90 minute Architecture Cruise this fall the boat traffic was busy, big, and fast.  One kayak tour, Flickr Pictures here, waited huddled along the seawall, some holding onto parked boats, as many large boats made waves as they squeezed by to go under a bridge.

 Chicago Parent Article, 6/13/11:  Imagine getting a view of the Chicago skyscape from a duck's perspective. That is what participants in a kayaking tour of the Chicago River can expect….kayaking is a fantastic family activity adults and kids of all ages will enjoy.

Chicago Tribune:  Shoreline water taxi captain Marcus Carson can rattle off stories about the close calls he's seen on the Chicago River. He tells of kayakers who didn't follow basic maritime rules, who disregarded horn signals or paddled too close to the choppy wake left by large boats like the one he pilots.

As more and more people are lured to kayak the Chicago River it will be good to share how to stay safe and choose the right place on the river due to your abilities. 

CASKA Kayak Safety link:  There are certain two word combinations in the English language that most of us among the living would prefer not having associated with our names. "Accident Report" and "Organ Donor" come to mind fairly rapidly. This is the beginning of a series of simple questions that you can ask yourself before you leave land to aid you in avoiding that rather dubious recognition. …I'm going to define recreational kayaks as those that are less than 14 feet in length that are made for calm water, near shore usage. They may not have hatches, bulkheads or a rudder and may have a large open cockpit. Generally speaking they have inadequate flotation to be paddled ashore when they are swamped - they'll float, but not if they are trying to support your weight as well.  Michael Gray

CASKA:  Imposing walls along the Chicago River. The primary obstacle is that imposing wall along Wacker Drive—a sheer cliff rising at least 10 feet up from the water.

CASKA: Boat Traffic:  Tour boats leave a significant wake, and the small rolling waves act as a stabilizer, incessantly, gently, pushing you closer to the wall. (However, when in doubt, Jay said, use your hips and tilt slightly and balance the boat.) Then again—you could just tie up on a pylon or row away with your food until you're out of the boating traffic. There's a low stone entranceway beside O'Brien's Riverwalk Cafe; and an old rusty ladder near Dearborn Street. Either would work as temporary anchors.

CASKA: Chicago River Paddle:  ….We did not paddle on the main branch because of the heavy tour boat traffic.  I personally found paddling in the downtown area architecturally and scenically spectacular, but was made slightly uncomfortable from the high volume of tour boat traffic.

CASKA:  Kayaking Chicago’s Shores:  I …expressed my concern for future boat traffic and possible hazards in the area to watch for. …Coincidentally, as we headed south near the next harbor a motorboat came peeling out without warning.  …At the end of our trip we practiced some rescues in the harbor.  It is recommended that all kayakers should practice self- and assisted rescue techniques until they are routine.  I’ll have to admit; too often I just forget what I learned because I never do it again…. 

Fortunately there are less busy parts of the Chicago River but then there is still the concern about the water quality.  Since he took office in May, Emanuel has vowed to clean up the river, but he declined to address if the river would ever be swimmable—Sun Times. 

 The main concern for water contact recreation  generally is bacterial levels.  While bacteria are integral parts of any natural system, some kinds, in sufficient numbers, can cause gastrointestinal illiness, skin and ear infections, respiratory illiness, and sometimes worse problems.  Bacteria levels can change rapidly with rain and storms.  The odds of a person getting sick increase with the amount of bacteria that enter the body.  A small amount is unlikely to affect most people—boating where people may get splashed occasionally, is much less risky than swimming.

To limit any risk, don’t enter the water for several days after a significant rainstorm.  Storm flows spike bacteria, which decrease after several days.  Don’t swallow water.  Don’t enter the water if you have cuts or open sores.  These are pathways for bacteria to enter your body.  Wash after swimming.  People should exercise caution, especially children, the elderly and anyone with a compromised immune system.

On August 18, 2011, the IllinoisPollution Control Board adopted rules establishing recreational use designations for the Chicago Waterway System (CAWS) and the Lower Des Plaines River (LDPR).  The rule created four categories of recreational use designation for the CAWS and the LDPR:  Primary Contact Recreation, Incidental Contact Recreation, Non-contact Recreation, and Non Recreation. 
Here I am momentarily "up creek without a paddle."  What else is wrong with this picture of me with family a few years ago when I was a beginner?  Where are our PFDs?  The water in this area was very deep and look at the cliffs behind us—no shoreline.  My son, on the far left, tipped his kayak at least 5 times because he has a big torso.  At least we had an experienced guide along that day and kayaks with bulkheads.  The fast current behind our boats accidentally took my paddle downstream during this shot and we had to go retrieve it.  I had no extra paddle!  Oops.  I got in the habit of no PFD and getting a tan for quite awhile until the following year when I took a kayak lesson and read over my list of required equipment to bring on my first kayak expedition.  I did get a spare paddle to have after that day, however.

Four New Boathouses:  The four boathouses, which cost about $4 million each, will provide kayaking and concessions, and will be built within two years, city officials said.  The idea is to pay more attention to Chicago’s other major body of water and “make the river not something you drive over, but something you bring your kids to,” Emanuel told reporters at a South Side park, one of the future boathouse sites, which will be funded half by private and half by city money….Still, advocates who have sued the district are worried that disinfecting wastewater isn’t a guarantee the water will be swimmable. They note that there are other ways sewage can get into the water, such as when heavy rainfalls overwhelm the sewer system.  Emanuel and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, who also attended, declined to discuss in detail any concerns about water quality, saying many kayakers already make use of the river.  Since he took office in May, Emanuel has vowed to clean up the river, but he declined to address if the river would ever be swimmable. Chicago Sun Times

CASKA Kayak Safety:  Err on the side of caution, especially when paddling solo. The greater your training and paddling experience the greater the range of conditions you should be able to handle with relative safety.  Many of these clubs/businesses/retailers offer lessons. Participate in these whenever possible - they are excellent ways to improve kayaking skills and techniques. See the organizations' websites for details:  Chicago Kayak ; Geneva Kayak Center ; Great Lakes Kayak ; Kayak Chicago ; Lincoln Park Boat Club ; The Northwest Passage .

 

Of Flying and Landing

by Haris

 

Labor Day at Portage's Lakefront and Riverwalk Park was ushered by the 10' waves and 20+ knot winds. The parking lot up the dunes was nearly full nevertheless—even if the air temps hovered just above 60 degrees.

There were a few boardies in the water as well as friends in white water boats and an occasional body surfer. I was playing in surf near shore with my son and watching Dave, Eric and Kelly work hard to paddle their stubby boats out through the wind and then skip bounce back to shore riding the white stuff. Smiles on their faces said it all! It was easy to see the advantages of short boats on the ride back to shore. So much easier to turn and maneuver. They did not really get stuck in bongo slide position and had a full 180 degree control of their craft. They also did not seem to outrun the waves and stayed on the slopes longer. The down side, and of course there always is one, is paddling out. Long boats have a somewhat easier time doing that in high winds and steep surf.

I had myself a couple of rides in the confused water-air mix as well. Did not go out past the shoals and rode the waves already broken on them. Even in this zone of much reduced impact rides were short and broaching and pitching ubiquitous. After I wore out my son (and myself) I went for more and was gifted with a first-of-a-kind experience.

Progression in surfing goes something like this: lots of side slips and capsizes at the beginning, short rides near shore on small frothy waves soon thereafter, good lower gut slamming as you venture out through bigger and bigger stuff with experience. Gut punching leads the way for chest and head full-contact sparring. Then come violent capsizes at the hands of big breaking waves, bouncy bronco rides after the inevitable broach. Eventually follow the pole vaults and inadvertent back-surfing when you take on more than meager human powers can contend with on the way out. The goal of all of this are those long rides on a perfect waves that take you from way out there to shore faster than you will ever be able to paddle on your own.

Kayak in the act of flipping

Kayaking on flat water is already a lot like flying. Being able to look down and see your shadow through the clear water following you on the bottom is the closest I'd been to flight. If you bought into this metaphor, then accelerating down a steep wave face is your own private Jonathon the Seagull experience.

There's also a literal flight you can take in your boat. That one happens when you have enough forward speed, race up the face of a steep wave on the way out and launch off its back. On rare occasions you can launch with enough momentum so that the entire boat is in the air and the landing takes a distinct double-kaboom form—stern usually lands first and then the rest of the hull. Pole-vault or the time when your bow cartwheels over the stern (or the other way around) can also be considered 'flight.' It's just not a very elegant kind.

Yesterday I experienced a new kind of flight in the kayak. Also not very elegant either but by far the most ferocious I've ever had while in the cockpit. This was the first time that I was actually worried for my body. There was that other time when a bow of a cart wheeling water-logged kayak landed on my head (luckily, helmeted). This time I was still in the kayak doing a similar kind of landing with it.

Before I saw the video, I recalled that I was not able to line up for a run in front of a breaking wave and she broached me immediately.  I distinctly recall diving—not edging, not leaning—into the face of the power in order to avoid being flipped.  Surprise: video does not lie and it shows me paddling out and pitching backwards in front of the oncoming wave traffic. Apparently, there was some mild case of amnesia involved…

Evidently, I can't tell what happened from memory but within a second or so of the encounter I dropped hard on the bottom of my boat, and on my own precious bum.  It is entirely possible that I am making all of this up as well but I can swear I felt the jolt travel all the way up my spine, to the neck, and into the jaws.  What I can reconstruct from the video is that the pitch backwards did not flip me completely. The stern was driven under water by the initial contact with the wave and, like a bobber, it surged from the water upwards. That flung me on top of the braking wave in action. The boat barely skimmed over the tube—the top of the breaking wave—and I fell straight down from there through nothing but air. Fully upright.  Landed square on my bottom—flesh on concrete.  People on shore said the drop was 3-4 feet. From the cockpit it felt like 3-4 stories. What I can see in the video is that the spray from the impact flew 10 feet up into the air and about three times as wide.

Big ball of spray is all generated by the impact

After the landing, for a moment there I was ... reaching out to the higher powers, I guess.  I did not move and was just hoping that nothing broke. And I don't mean the kayak…  Thankfully, nothing did.  I briskly paddled to shore and called it a day.  Did not catch many rides for the day (if you don't count body surfing with my son).  Too much power, too much wind, too much messy water all over the place, and enough luck used up for one afternoon.

For those of you who do this kind of stuff I have a question and a moral. First, I really don't care to repeat this experience ever again. What antidote you may recommend to prevent this kind of impact? Please share.

As a reflection, I can't help but go in my head to that dark "what could have been" if I decided to do a layback roll or brace while in the air. I could have landed with my spine on the back of the cockpit rim. Hmmm…

Warm Water Surfing: What's Not To Like?

By: Tom Bamonte

What's not to like about surf practice at Rainbow Beach on a warm August evening (8/3/11) with an enthusiastic paddling partner?

Launch View: Rainbow Beach North to Chicago Downtown 10 Miles Away

Gary Steinbauer Launching

Nice Wave

Sunset

Gary Steers Out Around Amoeba Buoy For First Of About Three Final Circuits

 

Water Music: South Side Buoy Hopping

 By: Tom Bamonte

There are plenty of eminent composers who have been inspired by water. Handel's Water Music, Debussy's La Mer and Weezer's Island in the Sun come to mind. But on a warm Saturday morning Pierre Kornak and I decided to journey to a gong buoy about eight miles out in Lake Michigan where the water makes the music.

Pierre Cutting Nice Figure In His Epic With Distant Skyline

It was a day of buoys. We launched at the Calumet Park boat ramp on a warm day with soft winds and no waves to speak of.  We went a mile east to a buoy marking the south side of the shipping channel leading into Calumet Harbor. Here we spied the first of several large ships that reminded us that the southwest "corner" of Lake Michigan is a busy commerical shipping area.

 

Calumet Harbor Buoy With Freighter in the Distance

We then proceeded about 7 miles due east to a gong buoy designated R "2" on the applicable chart.  As we approached the buoy we caught another ship steaming out to mid-lake.

 

Approaching R "2" Gong Buoy

By this time we could hear the "music" produced by the buoy. It was decidely more ambient in nature than the one hit "Timothy" from the group called the Buoys or the music put out by the contemporary group from Maine called Buoy or by the rapper Buoy Royale or even the recent song entitled "Gong Buoy: Pacific Coast" by a band called Village of Spaces.

Gong buoys have a distinctly different sound than a bell buoy, more complex and arguably more interesting. (You compare and decide.) 

The Music Maker: Gong Buoy Seven Miles East of Calumet Harbor South Entrance

Most gong buoys, like this one, have three gongs, which allow for different notes. As we found, even modest waves can prompt the gong buoys to put out a nice stream of music. As someone who is a afficianado of ambient music I felt right at home in the sounds. The music is made by the action of the waves on the buoy the music and is thus ever changing, 24/7/365 creativity.

Alas, we didn't stay long to enjoy the soundscape, what with miles to cover and, deliciously, the approaching wake kicked up the freighter. The wake was traveling in roughly our intended direction to the next buoy to the northwest so we hitched a ride for what felt like about a half mile. In about an hour the buoy marked "B R C 'D'" on the chart appeared. It marks a wreck and water as shallow as 21 feet deep. We didn't see the wreck, but had a snack and drifted southwest, our direction back to the launch.

 
Buoy Marking Wreck

From here we proceed west southwest to a "RACON" buoy located about two miles from the breakwater entrance to Calumet Harbor. "RACON" stands for the Radar Beacon type of buoy. A RACON buoy "responds to a received radar pulse by transmitting an identifiable mark back to the radar set.  The displayed response has a length on the radar display corresponding to a few nautical miles, encoded as a Morse character beginning with a dash for identification." Now that we've cleared that up, on the images:

 
RACON Buoy R "2" Two Miles Northeast of Calumet Harbor Breakwater Entrance

The actual radar beacon kind of looked like one of Poseiden's tools on a nightstand.

RACON Beacon

From here we paddled about three miles through the breakwater entrance and back to the boat ramp. In all, we covered over 21 miles, visited four buoys, and crossed several busy shipping lanes. But most of all, we had journeyed well to hear some sweet water music.

Trip Report - July 9, 2011 - Gull Beach

For many, coastal kayaking provides a different vantage, opportunities to view the vast expanse of a large water body, a cliff face that could not be seen from shore, or a costal city’s skyline.  On July 9, 2011, four modern-day urban kayaking explorers went looking for their own unobstructed views of the industrial area occupying the shore of the far southwest corner of Lake Michigan.  Our reward was lunch at an uninhabited beach, at least by humans, known as Gull Beach.

Tom Bamonte, Tim Philosophos, Wendell Martin and I met at the Calumet Park boat ramp (a designated Lake Michigan Water Trail launch site) at around 7:00 a.m.  Tom, Tim and I were paddling in sea kayaks, Wendell in his Va’a outrigger canoe.  It was my first time witnessing an OC-1 on the water.  I think Tom, Tim, and I all enjoyed paddling alongside (or in my case behind) a different craft and inquiring about paddling techniques and strategies.  Wendell willingly shared details about his boat and demonstrated various paddling techniques.

Wendell Martin in action

After we were on the water, we identified what we thought was the entrance of Indiana Harbor, which is located on the northwest side of what Tom described as the industrial carbuncle.  The carbuncle is located on Indiana’s Lake Michigan shoreline and juts out on a northeast axis.  The harbor occupies a small portion of the carbuncle.  According to the most recent version of the NOAA chart, the carbuncle is home to LTV Steel and Inland Steel and includes stacks and ruins.  The outer portion of carbuncle, again according to the chart, is being filled, presumably to expand the steel plants that currently occupy it.

Several landmarks tracked our voyage to Indiana Harbor.  The old State Line power plant was the first landmark.  Along the way we also saw the two casinos that are located on Indiana’s shoreline.  Tom and Tim discussed whether a casino paddle was in order and we imagined sidling up to the blackjack table in a drysuit.

We reached the Indiana Harbor after an hour or so of paddling.  Paddling into the harbor, we were greeted by the mocking laughter of hundreds sea gulls.  Although we hoped to witness an incoming barge, none entered the harbor.  Instead, we only heard and felt the loud thunderous booms that echoed from the steel plants.

 

Opening of Indiana Harbor

 

Our lunch stop was still about an hour paddle away, so we pushed on, skirting the break wall that contained the carbuncle. The break wall seemed to be interminable as it curved slightly for several miles.  The break wall was also corrugated, leading to irregular reflecting waves produced from the passing powerboat wakes.  We quickly realized that paddling near the break wall in rough conditions could be very challenging 

 
The never ending break wall

The break wall finally gave way to a small inlet about halfway down its length on the southeast side of the carbuncle.  As we paddled past a pier and into the inlet, the water was a turquoise green.  An uninhabited beach, Gull Beach, lay just inside the inlet.  It was readily apparent that we were unwelcome guests in this secluded spot.  Sea gull cackles erupted as we pulled our boats onto the shore. 

There was an eerie silence as we scanned the beach and its backdrop.  An outhouse located nearby and fishing rod holders on the pier provided reassurance that humans had at some time in the past been to this spot.  The sea gull carcasses littering the beach, however, led me to believe that this was not a place frequented by sunbathers.

Postcard photo of Gull Beach

 
Gull Beach natives

After lunch and rounding the southeastern end of the carbuncle, we set a direct course for what we thought was the opening of Calumet Harbor.  Not long into our return paddle Tom noticed a large barge approaching from behind.  Because we were paddling in the shipping channel, this came as no surprise and forced us to readjust our course to the south.

Upon returning to our put in and after contemplating our paddle, Gull Beach was burned into my memory.  While its mystery was no more, it whetted my appetite for future journeys to lesser-known destinations, industrial or otherwise.

By Gary Steinbauer

Photos courtesy of Tom Bamonte

Voyage of Discovery: Dave Strauch's Calumet Harbor Portage

 

By: Tom Bamonte

In this age of Google Earth and ubiquitous GPS it sometimes seems if there nothing new to explore and name. That would seem especially true on Chicago's lakefront, traversed by millions of vehicles, pedestrians and boaters each year. Leave it up to Dave Strauch to discover something new here in our home paddling territory.

Five of us met at the Jackson Park boat ramp on Sunday, June 26: Dave, Denise Poloyac, Zach Carrier, Gary Steinbauer and I (that's four lawyers, but who's counting). Conditions were near perfect for a pleasant summer paddle--not too warm, not too windy and water not too cold.

We headed for the 68th Street Crib and then turned south and paddled towards Calumet Harbor. The harbor is surrounded by a massive breakwater with an entrance on the northeast side. Large ships regularly slip behind the breakwater and head up the Calumet River as far as Lake Calumet.

We should have plotted a course before we left because the route from 68th Street Crib to the opening in the breakwater is not readily apparent to the naked eye. Nevertheless, we were able to find the opening without going too far out of the way.

Northeast Entrance to Calumet Harbor

Once we were inside the breakwater our goal was the Hammond Lakefront Park and Bird Sanctuary, which lies between State Line Generating Plant on the west and the casino complex to the east. The sanctuary has an easy beach for landing and walking trails. It is a decent alternative to the more manicured and crowded Calumet Park complex that stretches north of the power plant.

Beach at Bird Sanctuary

After an early lunch we headed back. A ship and barge passed in front of us in the channel that runs through Calumet Harbor. This was a potent reminder that anyone who paddles in this area must keep an eye out for big boats, which move surprisingly fast. The edge of the channel is marked by a couple of buoys and one should take care to stay outside the channel except when making a direct crossing.

 Calumet Harbor Entrance: Shipping Channel in White

Inexplicably, I had gotten the idea that it would be a good exercise for us to paddle to the north edge of the breakwater and then haul our boats over the breakwater. Remembering some of the conditions a group of us had encountered in Maine last summer, I thought this would be good practice for hauling boats in rocky environments and getting in and out of our boats in somewhat challenging circumstances. A portage over the breakwater also would cut down on the distance of the return trip by sparing us having to paddle out to the northeast opening.

When I shared my idea the lack of enthusiasm with which it was greeted was immediately evident. Zach summed up the sentiments of the rest of the group, "why should we risk breaking our legs," so we opted to retrace our route. Later, when I saw the condition of the north breakwater and the slippery rocks I realized that this probably was a wise group decision.

During our discussion of whether to scale the breakwater, Dave wondered aloud if it were possible to cross the breakwater right where it ran into the land at the old Republic Steel site, which lies just north of Calumet Harbor. When we passed out through the entrance to the breakwater we decided to hug the breakwater until we hit the shore just to see if there was a doable crossing where breakwater met land. Along the way we steered close to the massive rocks that make up the breakwater--rock gardening Midwest style.

Dave turned out to be right. On the north side of the junction between land and the breakwater there is a pocket beach. It has a steep slope and might feature dumping waves in conditions.

Breakwater Meets Land: Pocket Beach to the Left

It is maybe 100 yards from the beach over the base of the breakwater to a rocky but serviceable launch site on Calumet Harbor.

Launch Site into Calumet Harbor to Dave's Right and Behind; Beach is to his Left

I suggest we should call this stretch "Dave's Portage," as it was Dave who first thought of the possibility of a shortcut into (and out of) Calumet Harbor. It is a doable, shorter alternative to paddling out and around to the entrance to the breakwater. The beach offers the opportunity for a break and a whiz and maybe even some surfing and boat control practice opportunities in the right conditions.

Unfortunately, my camera battery died before I got a decent set of pictures fully documenting the portage and a portrait of Dave for posterity. I also can't vouch for the legality of stopping at the beach and making the portage, but the area seemed just about as empty as it can get in a major metropolitan area.

On our way back we hugged the abused shoreline of the razed steel mill site and crossed north through a stretch of open water to Rainbow Beach, where we practiced a few rolls and rescues. From here it was a short glide back to Jackson Park Harbor, where we encountered Jim Des Jardins and Beverly Serrell heading out on the lake in . . . a sailboat. I felt sorry for them that they weren't in kayaks, but they seemed happy as clams. We soon made it back to the boat ramp, having covered a bit over 17 miles.

Dave's Portage. Imagined, discovered and explored. A spirit of discovery rewarded even in our own much paddled back yard.