(11/5/06)
(The Fluid Demo Fleet in full force at the '06 Dickerson Open House.)
Dickerson is an artificial whitewater course created in the discharge channel for the coolant water from the Mirant Power Plant. The course was designed as an Olympic Slalom athlete training center and is run by the Bethesda Center of Excellence. The course is about a 45 min. drive upstream of Great Falls of the Potomac.
Every year Liquid Adventures Kayak School, lead by Tom McEwan, and the BCE hold an open house on the course. This is a great opportunity to get the DC area boating community access to this amazing whitewater training asset. If you get hooked and would like to return to paddle the warm waters of Dickerson all winter you just need to contact Liquid Adventures or the BCE.
I learned many of my riverrunning skills while paddling Dickerson over the years. Teaching on the course has also taught me many lessons and sharpened my river rescue techniques:) Paddling the course with Tom McEwan is what really made the difference and made me progress so quickly. If your ever in the DC area and want to truly learn about how to be a solid paddler be sure to look up Tom and his school Liquid Adventures.
This year's open house was tons of fun. The weather wasn't even that bad, as it is usually brutally cold and possibly snowing during the open house. The Fluid boats were demoed out all day with the Solos being the stars of the show. I only got one run in on the course in a Solo since the rest of the day they were all being demoed by others. People seemed to also really take a liking to the H2O paddles that I had for demo. There were colorful blades all over the course all day. Fluid and H2O Team member Seth Chapelle was also on hand to show off the may freestyle possibilities availble on the course.
(Me having fun on the little surf wave at Dickerson.)
Be sure to come out to a Dickerson Open House or contact Liquid Adventures about paddling on the course. You will be amazed at how much fun it is and how much you can learn about your paddling quickly.
See you on the river- Bryon
(All photos by Helene Scalliet)
