Oct. 2026 HCKC Newsletter

UPCOMING TRIPS & EVENTS

KEEP AN EYE ON OUR CALENDAR FOR UPCOMING EVENTS THAT MAY BE ADDED AT SHORT NOTICE.  THERE WILL GENERALLY ALSO BE AN EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENT

ELECTION

Remember to vote for the board check email for ballots

VOTING ENDS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ANNUAL MEETING NOV. 8                                                   

Annual Meeting Nov. 8

• Location: Forest Park Inn, Noblesville IN

• Address: 701 Cicero Rd. Noblesville IN

• Start Time: 12:30...ends 4:30/5:00

Agenda

•  12:30--1:15pm:   Sign in;  Place swap meet items; (consider bringing photos of boats for sale with all pertinent information), social time; snacks/coffee

•  1:15--2:00:  Skipper's welcome, followed by fleet presentations

•   2:00--2:25:  Trip leaders' recognition

•    2:25--2:40: Break to review swap meet items

•    2:40--3:15: Business Meeting with the election and announcement of the new board  

•    3:15--3:30--Surprise! (sorry, no clowns or exotic dancers involved)

•    3:30--3:40--Dinner buffet table is set 

•    3:40--4:30--Dinner, Social, & final swap meet haggling

•    4:30--? Clean up by volunteers...Thank you!

***HCKC will provide the main course. Members are asked to bring a side dish: vegetable, starch, salad type, dessert. To avoid considerable duplication, registrants will be contacted 10 days before the event with a recommended contribution. Non-alcoholic beverages will be available.

Thanks to all members for contributing to the successful outcome of this event.... For questions, contact: marianndvs@gmail.com 

COMBINED CANOE & KAYAK / SEA KAYAK TRIP 

Halloween Ghost Ship Paddle - Oct. 31

Sponsor Vicki Tillotson

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate, Sea Kayak and Flat Water

Expected distance 8-12 miles.

Combined IYAK and HCKC event.

We will meet at the launch site, Tanners Creek Boat Ramp, at noon and launch shortly after that. We will be using the easternmost boat ramp. We will paddle upstream on the Ohio River to see the Ghost Ship. After that we will either paddle further up the Ohio River, downstream to Aurora and beyond, or return back to the ramp and paddle up Tanners Creek, depending on what the group would like to do.

RUTABAGA

Many of us have done business with, or have at least heard of Rutabaga Paddlesports.  Unfortunately, the business is coming to an end.  The owner did his best to find a buyer but was unsuccessful.  Please take the time to read his words here.

PAST TRIPS

9/3/2026 White River: Anderson put-in @Derby Park to Lafayette Trace Park in Strawtown

River Stats: CFS 214 @4.5 ft.; 15 miles; 5 hours with 2 stops

The river gods accommodated this 18 boat hybrid trip with the Iyakers. A crisp 58 degrees at the launch site ended in a 74 degree beautiful sunny paddle.

Personally a good level of flow for this trip is 200 cfs; other trip reviews mentioned 180 and 190 were doable and a little boney in places. Our trip had very few scrapes, with 5 areas of faster moving water in s curves and a few rock dodging areas... which made for boat control practice.

My thanks to Vicki Tillotson who helped make this hybrid trip possible.

Trip Leader: Mariann Davis, HCKC; Vicki Tillotson: Iyak

Land Between the Lakes Oct. 9-11

This trip was designed to be a combined trip for the Seakayak and the Canoe & Kayak fleets, but all participants brought their sea kayaks. There was a total of 9 paddlers. Friday was a beautiful day; nine paddlers crossed Kentucky Lake from Hillman Ferry to Cemetery Island. We ate lunch there and explored the island. We were surprised to find aardvarks on the island. After lunch we crossed back across Kentucky Lake and watched a south-bound cruise boat travel down the channel. We paddled around an old quarry where many people had added graffiti over the years.

The forecast for Saturday was not too good with the remnants of Hurricane Isaias headed our way. Two of our group (that were not going to be able to paddle Sunday) decided to paddle south from Hillman Ferry to Smith Bay and back. The weather held off and they were able to get in a nice 7.75-mile trip in, including a stop at a sandy beach. The rest of the group went to see the Elk & Bison Prairie. We were able to see some bison, saw one distant elk, and heard one elk bugle. Afterward we went to find a nearby moonshine festival. It turned out the festival had been postponed due to the forecast. We decided to visit the planetarium. There were some interesting exhibits about the Land Between the Lakes, but the planetarium show was a little disappointing because it seemed to be more for children. We finished the night off with a pizza run.

Sunday the remaining seven paddlers put in at Honker Bay on Lake Barkley. This lake is generally shallower than Kentucky Lake. We had been warned about Invasive Carp, but all started out well with various bird sightings, including white pelicans. Unfortunately, one of our group was struck on the shoulder by a large carp. She was able to keep her kayak upright, but we were all a little “carp-shy” after that. We ate lunch at a nice spot that looked like someone’s camping area. We walked up to an old cemetery and looked at the headstones. Luckily we had no further carp incidents on our return trip.

Trip sponsors Jan Rugaber & Judy Thompson

NEW MEMBERS

We welcome our new HCKC members. We hope you will take advantage of the many opportunities you have as a member!

New Members listing for this month will be combined with other new members in a future newsletter

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