Jeff Jackson, Author at Paddling Magazine

The Secret Key To Kayak Cross Success At The Olympics

Jeff Jackson — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 11:00:22 +0000

I am a big fan of racing. So, of course, I’m excited kayak cross will be appearing at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. It’s the newest addition to the Olympics whitewater events lineup. The secret key to kayak cross success at the Olympics If you’ve somehow escaped the most exciting news in the slalom community […]

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The More Things Change…

Jeff Jackson — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 19:00:03 +0000

Looking back on 25 years of Rapid, I can’t help but feel nostalgic. A lot nostalgic. Now published as Paddling Magazine, I somehow have contributed to every single issue but one. I honestly don’t know how many articles this amounts to. As I attempt to look back over that span of time and memory, it […]

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Wave Theory: Is The Classic Kayaker Greeting Making A Comeback?

Jeff Jackson — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 15:06:45 +0000

I used to drive a Volkswagen Westfalia van. Just out of college, kayak on the roof, Tevas on my feet—I thought I was pretty cool. For full-time guide life the Westfalia was pretty ideal, except that it broke down all the time and, with the motor in the back, could not blow enough warm air […]

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The Essential Rescue Skill Outdoor Programs Stopped Teaching

Jeff Jackson — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 12:00:40 +0000

I was not much of a reader as a kid. In third grade, I won the Most Improved Reader award, which makes me think I was pretty bad at it. Yet, my parents regularly took me into town to the library as part of their attempts to make me less feral. I can’t imagine what […]

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3 Pieces Of Rescue Gear Worth Spending Extra On

Jeff Jackson — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 12:00:05 +0000

Pop quiz. Which three pieces of paddling safety equipment would you choose to spend a little extra on? Take a minute to think about it. Don’t read further until you have your list of whitewater rescue gear worth investing in. Which whitewater rescue gear is your best investment? While there is general agreement on which […]

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Dream Trip: How To Turn Your Paddling Fantasies Into Reality

Jeff Jackson — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 11:00:25 +0000

I have a friend who loves to plan trips. The ratio of trips planned versus taken is probably 10:1. Whether remote expeditions in foreign countries or unlikely routes close to home, planning paddling dream trips is what he does for fun. There is always a route in the works with miles measured, logistics considered and […]

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Why Portaging Doesn’t Make You Less Of A Whitewater Paddler

Jeff Jackson — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 12:00:39 +0000

One of the loneliest places in the world is in the slow drift leading into a stiff rapid. The quiet and calm, the river’s current compressing and picking up speed, and a roaring horizon line falling away in the near distance. It’s not a spot for second thoughts, but in that instant I often wonder—is […]

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Why River Trips Give Our Life Meaning

Jeff Jackson — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 12:00:25 +0000

Jeff Jackson has the answer to every and any existential crisis.

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The Intangible Truth About The Meaning Of Real Adventure

Jeff Jackson — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 12:00:54 +0000

There’s a thin blue line a dozen miles from my house on satellite photos. It is insignificant enough it doesn’t even have a name on Google Maps. In these stay-close-to-home days, even the most insignificant lines on the map take on significance. I’ve passed by this little stream countless times over the years with only […]

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2020 Was A Record Breaking Year For All The Wrong Reasons

Jeff Jackson — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 12:00:10 +0000

I’m excited for spring, and I’m sure you are too. With a year of COVID-19 behind us, we have a better sense of what to expect this paddling season. Last year, we didn’t know what we didn’t know about this pandemic. Now at least, we know what we don’t know. Last spring, my local area […]

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