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YouTubeAnother coastless surfer popped in the store yesterday and was telling me about how when the O'Shaughnessy dam lets out, it causes a 400 yard surfable wave. I have a few questions and needs I am hoping I can get some help with.
1. I didn't want to be one of those sad bastards that sat in his basement and stared at a board that couldn't get use, plus we left California in a two door hatchback, so I got rid of all my surf stuff (board, wetsuits..) and now find myself needing new stuff. Craigslist is not seeming like much of a resource. Anyone know someone selling a longboard for some crazy reason? I'll get a suit off ebay but don't want to pay to ship a board if I can avoid it.
2. Any kayakers know of any reliable standing waves?
3. Does anyone else do this?
Columbus Underground Messageboard » General Columbus Discussion
Kayakers and Surfers in Columbus
[26 posts] [8 contributors]
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Tigertree
771 N. High St.
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Posted 1 year ago # -
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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I don't think there's any wave like that on the Scioto, or they'd be finding fishermen and coolers washed up around Griggs. Since there's a USGS stream gauge immediately below the dam, so you can see how much they're letting through:
Posted 1 year ago # -
Tigertree
771 N. High St.
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I don't know, AHall's Elena confirmed and I have no reason to doubt the guy that told me. It's not a constant flow, I think it is every so often. I think there are probably some standing wave spots around too that some Kayakers might know about.
Posted 1 year ago # -
GW_Justice
Grandview Hts.
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This whitewater website lists the Scioto as having runnable rapids below the O'Shaughnessy Dam.
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/3104/#zzqguidijgf6akfRiverMainGadget19
From the comments (hit the tab) there is not agreement that this rapids exists. I assume because it only is runnable at the highest release flow from the dam.
This Tuber seems to confirm that it does exist (and check out how it ends - yikes!)
Get the Flash Videos Posted 1 year ago # -
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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OK, now I see what you're referring to, I took "surfable wave" to mean a wave that you can ride on a surfboard.
That is a small channel just below the east end of the dam. There is some pretty territory there but it's quite a brushy srcamble to get to it. Strictly speaking that's not a natural channel; it has carved out that much since the dam was built in the early 1920s.
With that much water, he could have kept going all the way to Griggs. You'd just have to watch out for boulders and snags, because no matter what the river height may be, there are always large stones just under the surface and they can tip you if you hit them off-center.
It's beautiful, though, I don't know why more people don't check it out.
ETA be advised, the main parking lot at Oshay is still closed, but you can park across the road in Area A.
Posted 1 year ago # -
GW_Justice
Grandview Hts.
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I think there must be confusion between the Scioto and the Olentangy by the person who was talking to Tigertree.
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/3092/#zzqkfevq2lscm4eRiverMainGadget19
This page shows a good surfing wave, but it is on the Olentangy up in Delaware.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Tigertree
771 N. High St.
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Wow! Hopefully there are a few spots, that wave looks perfect. Now if I can just find someone selling a decent board locally so I don't have to pay more for shipping than the board. And yes, I have already put in a call to Homage to host a real Olentangy River Classic.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Tigertree
771 N. High St.
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There are two ways to surf a river. While I have mostly been talking about basically riding the current before now, this would really be my preference if I could find a spot like this
Get the Flash Videos Posted 1 year ago # -
Spunjer
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tigertree, i know exactly what you mean... i'm originally from hawaii but moved here awhile back. the only thing that's keeping my sanity in check is the flowrider in pki, which happens to be a leftbreak. bad thing is, the place only breaks from memorial day to labor day, lol.
regarding river surfing: i did it once on olentangy when i saw a picture of a kayaker riding a standing wave. well, actually, booged it. the first thing that came to my mind when i saw the pic was "i can ride that..." the following spring i checked it out; it's for real! longest i've ever been on a wave before wiping out. a friend of mine from florida mentioned it yesterday, and now i'm getting the itch of doing the river once again since the flowrider is not running...Posted 1 year ago # -
Nitsud Regnifloh
Valerio Heights
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that sounds like fun. a friend of mine and i did the new whitewater section of Buck Creek in Springfield and had a blast!
at the time they had 3 sections like this, and are adding (added) another.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Nitsud Regnifloh
Valerio Heights
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as big as it seems in the picture. i dont think it really changes. most of the run was nice and calm, relaxing, then you hear the roar! YES!
Posted 1 year ago # -
GW_Justice
Grandview Hts.
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That photo above seems to show a kayaker without a helmet or PFD. Those are not expensive items. I know that it seems unlikely they would be needed, but there are lots of accidents that would have been prevented by using these basic safety items.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Nitsud Regnifloh
Valerio Heights
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we didnt have helmets, but my friend decided to go sans PFD too, not i, said the fly. his call, not mine.
Posted 1 year ago # -
groundrules
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Whatcha mean by 'new' and 'adding' whitewater sections? did they construct something, or remove a lowhead or what?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Nitsud Regnifloh
Valerio Heights
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they removed some dams and added rocks to bottle neck it down. it worked really well, except that some children have tried to swim in the rough current. since then i believe they have increased "security" and added the last whitewater section.
Posted 1 year ago # -
10sun
Columbus, OH
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I've got a whitewater kayak if anybody wants to borrow to run rapids with.
Fully equipped: spray skirt, airbags, et al.
I never get around to using it anymore.
I am on the upper end of being able to fit into it at 6'2" 210#s, so if you are smaller than that it would probably fit you well.Posted 1 year ago # -
groundrules
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Nitsud Regnifloh wrote >>
they removed some dams and added rocks to bottle neck it down. it worked really well, except that some children have tried to swim in the rough current. since then i believe they have increased "security" and added the last whitewater section.that's pretty cool. i didn't know about that. just checked out a few youtube videos. do you know anything about when or how often it's runnable? or under what flow conditions? The shitty thing (literally) about ohio rivers is that it's during times of high flow where the water is often most full of either agricultural run off or combined sewer overflow.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Nitsud Regnifloh
Valerio Heights
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gr, i dont...i am from that area and knew that it was created, where to put in, get out, and that's about it.
sorry.Posted 1 year ago #
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