milkman wrote:To me, creeking is running a creek. Something steep, often continuous and narrow. In fact, it's generally named/classified a "creek" on the map.
Seconded, to me creeking is high gradient, low volume paddling on technically demanding rivers.
Though Afon, Allt, Burn, Beck, and Water are what I look for in the name of a creeking river on the map.
Joshua Kelly - "More George Smiley than James Bond"
CBoats Moderator - Not necessarily representing the CBoats staff though...(I'll use words like "moderator", "We" and "CBoats" to make it clear when I am)
May I gently add to this list in french, for some more diversity and complexity:
To my paddling friends it is simply "Descendre" or "Jouer dans l'eau"
To most others "Se pèter'a'yeule en canot"
To my wife "Juste une tite rivière"
To my buttyakers friends "pagayer pour vrai"
But I sure do agree that it is not that simple to explain to anybody at first hand...
How about we do a poll to seek a new term for it? I would gratefully give one broken paddle or other gear (talk about a meaningful trophy) to anybody that comes up with something that sound appealing enough...
OC1_SURFER wrote:Not sure, but I think Paddle Power is wanting a "layman's terms" explanation of what we do. What do you tell a friend at work, a family member or any other person who doesn't have a clue if they ask what you are doing this weekend? You don't want to spend half an hour explaining it, so you need a short term to describe it so that they get an idea. If you just say "canoeing" or "paddling", most envision a leisurely float down a class I stream or a lake. And you'll get something like: "Yeah, me and my girlfriend did that last summer...flipped over and lost all of our beer."
Now if you were a butt-boater, you could just say "kayaking", and most folks get the picture. Man! Those guys have it easy! And I admit that I have committed the mortal sin of using this term just to make it easy on myself. I felt so guilty afterwords.
We open-boaters are definately in a dilemma here, and C1er's have it even worse. I've used the term "whitewater canoeing" before, but normally just get a confused look from the person. I usually just say "I'll bring a picture to show you tomorrow". I've even thought about carrying a photo in my wallet for just such an occasion.
Guess I should have been a golfer.
Prater
oh, in that case...
a simple, i'm paddling whitewater and let it go at that
I've got a whitewater terminology question for any French-speakers on the board.
What does "lettres à la poste" mean? I remember reading that phrase several times in Giles Fortin's book. As in:
" . . . offre un festin aux amateurs de lettres à la poste."
Letters to the post office?
I wasn't sure if it was some late-70s Quebec paddling slang, or what.
***
My favorite whitewater term though has to be the way some Brits say "inspection" instead of "scout" -- as in, "make an inspection of the beck during the tea interval." Just introduces that element of Scotland Yard that I think is missing from many boating trips.
I am not a Quebecois, but originally from Switzerland, so the meaning of the expression couldbe slightly different in QC than what it is on the other side of The Pond that, but as far as I know referring to something going 'comme une lettre a la poste', it roughly means some thing going 'smooth as silk' or 'without a hitch'.
TGG!
Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing - Henry David Thoreau
Alden wrote:My favorite whitewater term though has to be the way some Brits say "inspection" instead of "scout" -- as in, "make an inspection of the beck during the tea interval." Just introduces that element of Scotland Yard that I think is missing from many boating trips.
Alden
You've met team tea then? It's surreal to get out at an eddy, gather some twigs and kindling, and boil a kelly kettle for a cuppa [tea], awesome though!
Joshua Kelly - "More George Smiley than James Bond"
CBoats Moderator - Not necessarily representing the CBoats staff though...(I'll use words like "moderator", "We" and "CBoats" to make it clear when I am)
Alden wrote:
What does "lettres à la poste" mean? I remember reading that phrase several times in Giles Fortin's book.
Ah Fortin... The first Quebec whitewater classic. Did you know by the way that this book (unfortunately not available anymore) did evolve in a web site, WWW.MYOSIS.CA
Many river descriptions, maps, directions, updated levels and a forum where you can see where people are going and how to meet them for the day. Be sure to check this one out if you ever drop by la belle province!
Regarding "Lettre à la poste", I it is what you call simply a "ferry", I beleive; Using a wave to cross a river from shore to shore by surfing on it, drawing a slight angle and getting dragged.
When I try to explain my friends at work what I do during weekends, I tell them I go rafting but I use my canoe. If they do not understand, I show them that picture on my computer. http://www.rabaska.qc.ca/galerie/album100/IMGP0748
"Une lettre à la poste" (from a french expression: easy like putting a letter in the mailbox) It is used to describe when you do a Ferry without paddeling when you just surf a nice wave across the river. It is like putting a letter in the mailbox, you put the boat at the right spot and the river gets you where you want.
NOW that's my favorite one 
