Every year the Baltimore Canoe Club puts on a race down the Jones Falls that helps bring awareness and raise money for this ailing waterway. The Jones Falls is a stretch of river that runs along and under the main highway artery into downtown Baltimore, the Jones Falls Expressway. The river is highly polluted by the many industries along its shores, but the Jones Falls Watershed Association is taking steps to clean up the river.
The river is mostly class 1/2 with a short section at the end with a few class 3 drops. The run culminates with a 12 ft. drop know as Round Falls, a super clean and easy to run man made dam. Because of all the flat water the people that truly race during this event bring out the long boats. This year Jason Sullivan took home the win with a time just over 40 min. in a glass DR racing boat. I came in second for a second year in a row in a 17 ft. plastic sea kayak. Clean 12 fters. in a fast 17 ft. boat are fun!
Before the race I got up early and helped out with the live news coverage of the event. Hal Ashman, from Ultimate Watersports, and Pat Hamlin, from Upper Yough Outfitters, were also on hand to help promote the event. I had some fun in my Fluid Solo doing a big seal launch into the river. Check out the following link to see the live new spot:
http://wjz.com/video/?id=21026@wjz.dayport.com
See you on the river- Bryon Dorr
