They say that April showers bring May flowers, which is probably true. However, the other thing that April showers have been bringing us this month is high releases on some of the best rivers in Maine. Supplementing the sub-par snowfall of this winter, heavy rains have been bringing rivers like the Cathance, Swift, Sheepscott, and others up to great levels for the Bowdoin Outing Club whitewater program to get back on the river and work on its skills.
In that spirit, a group of 12 Bowdoin students is currently taking an American Canoe Association (ACA) whitewater instructor course through the Outing Club with hopes of developing whitewater skills, having a great time, and becoming certified by the ACA as a whitewater kayak instructor, or, as we like to call them in the course, whitewater gods.
BOC director Michael Woodruff, co-director Stacy Linehan, and Linehan's husband Ryan, are instructing the course. They have already taken the students from the raging Sheepscott River to the Maine Swift River and all the way to the vaunted Parker Head, where the waves are so big that sometimes children from Phippsburg have trouble wading there.
However, now that the skills warm-up is finished, the course is expected to be moving on to bigger water when students go out today. "This is a great opportunity for paddlers to work on their leadership skills," Linehan said. "It's rad."
And rad it is, as these student "hair boaters" move on to more challenging whitewater, craving only the thrill of adventure and searching for an early grave. The names of those who survive may go on to join the ranks of whitewater instructors who have gone before them-names like Cook, Northrop, and Rudner. Those who fail can know that, as they slowly asphyxiate beneath the raging water, they died shooting for the stars. Just kidding, it's not that dangerous. We're all having a very good time.
In other Outing Club news, school is almost over and you haven't gone on nearly enough trips. There are too many great ones going out this coming weekend to miss out. On Saturday there will be a sea kayaking trip leaving from Bethel Point, and on Sunday there will be a day hike going out. The weather is supposed to be incredible, so don't miss this opportunity to get outside and spend some time in this beautiful state. By the way, just so you know, I always say the weather is going to be beautiful, but if you were astute you would realize that even the Orient's Fast Features weather forecast can't predict seven days into the future; I make up the beautiful weather forecasts every time. I hope that it isn't a breach of trust. It could be nice. Regardless, I think that you should go on the trips.
Finally, if you're reading this on Friday, don't forget about the campus-wide showing of the beautifully realized bird movie "Winged Migration." As one critic puts it, this movie will "make you want to soar." But then you would have to be a bird, and eat regurgitated food, and possibly get shot by my southern roommate, which wouldn't be fun. The movie is incredible, though, and much better on the big screen. Dessert and hors d'oeuvres to follow, 6:30 p.m. in the OLC.