Come Paddle with the YouTube-Famous “Lady in Red” Canoeist, Marc Ornstein!
If you’ve ever seen this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzTR-EyjanM&list=RDEzTR-EyjanM&start_radio=1
Or this episode of Portlandia riffing on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OVpSpmXVo8&list=RDEzTR-EyjanM&index=2
Then you may have gotten a small (silly) taste of a very cool sub-discipline in canoeing called freestyle (not the whitewater one). Alton Chewning likes to call it “canoe ballet.” For me it has _completely_ reconnected me to the fun and joy of playing around on flatwater and slow moving currents. It’s also paid noticeable dividends in my boat control, confidence and just plain enjoyment on whitewater.
Following their teaching a private lesson (not a club clinic) Friday evening and Saturday, Marc and his wife Molly (both professional instructors – previously through ACA and currently through USCA) have kindly agreed at my request to take to the water a 3rd day for no charge just to socialize with we the good paddlers of the CCC.
Location is Saxapahaw: (1) If the gauge at Red Slide shows something around 3 feet we’ll run the sax to union bridge section of the haw. This is a _beautiful_ section of the haw rarely paddled. It has some easy and fun class I/II- rapids to start out, one rather engaging class II rapid called Eagle Falls just before the long but beautiful flatwater section begins taking you to the union bridge takeout. (2) If the sax to union bridge section isn’t good water, we will go upriver to Saxaphaw Lake – the site Marc taught our club clinic at in 2025.
Marc is happy to demo a tad, but the paddle will not be a course or class of any kind. It is an opportunity to connect with a wonderful person and paddler.
Hope to see you there!
Jason
PS – If you have any interest in the non-club private lesson Friday evening and Saturday day, please email me directly. Also, last year the clinic had one or two interested bystanders paddle around and watch. That is welcome for the private lesson.
All participants in any Carolina Canoe Club (CCC) trip do so as common adventurers. The CCC or its individual members may coordinate paddling trips but no one is considered leader of a trip. As common adventurers, all participants take the responsibility for making their own decisions including, but not limited to, whether it is safe for them to participate on any particular water body, what equipment they need and use, the routes they may choose to paddle, whether their skill levels and abilities are adequate for the activity or whether climate and water conditions are appropriate for their participation. Participants are exclusively responsible for their own safety.
Individual coordinators for all CCC activities set requirements per their sole discretion. The CCC does not necessarily endorse or approve requirements set by coordinators.