Arctic Cowboys add female paddler to 2022 Northwest Passage expedition

Arctic Cowboys add female paddler to 2022 Northwest Passage expedition

Rebekah Feaster, shown here during the 2021 Texas Water Safari, plans to join the Arctic Cowboys expedition through the Northwest Passage this summer. Photo by Ashley Landis/Texas Water Safari

The Arctic Cowboys, a crew of Texas-based paddlers who will attempt to kayak the Northwest Passage this summer, have added a fourth athlete to their team – 31-year-old Rebekah Feaster.

Feaster will round out a lineup that now includes expedition leader West Hansen, along with veteran paddlers Jeff Wueste, and Jimmy Harvey. Joe Watson is the team’s research coordinator. If they complete the expedition, they will become the first to kayak the 1,900-mile passage.

Hansen headed an expedition down the entire Amazon River in 2012 and paddled the Volga River two years later. In 2020, he led a group of kayakers up the Texas coast, from South Padre Island to the Louisiana border.

The Arctic Cowboys expedition – and no, they’re not changing the name despite the cowgirl element – will begin in late July and take an estimated 60 days. The team will paddle from Pond Inlet on the northeastern side of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago to Tuktoyaktuk in the southwest. Along the way they’ll face a slew of challenges, likely to include polar bears, sea ice, storms, and frigid water.

Rebekah Feaster Arctic Cowboys

Rebekah Feaster drives a canoe during the 2021 Texas Water Safari. Photo by Sandy Goynes Yonley

Feaster brings youth and skill to Arctic Cowboys

Feaster brings solid paddling chops to the team. She has finished the Texas Water Safari, a 260-mile non-stop paddling race from San Marcos to the Texas coast, eight times, and holds the record for the youngest female to complete it solo. (She was 18 in 2009 when she nabbed the record.) She credits her father, a veteran paddler, and canoe teachers Peter and Kathie Derrick, for teaching her paddling skills.

“I like really hard challenges,” she said via a call from Italy today. “There’s something in me that whatever is the hardest thing, I’m going to pick that.”

Feaster hasn’t paddled since last July, but is training for an Ironman triathlon taking place this June.

“Honestly, when I was trying to decide if I wanted to do this, my initial answer was yes, absolutely,” Feaster said. “Then I started thinking about it and I was, ‘Oh shit, that sounds kind of miserable – and polar bears and whales and I don’t know what else is up there.’ And I don’t like cold water. It’s definitely going to be tough for me. I’m a Texas girl and I love heat.”

Hansen is confident in her abilities. He describes Feaster as a “badass paddler” who is “probably faster than the rest of the team.” She’ll bring the advantages – and disadvantages – of youth, he says, and notes that her personality and ability to rise above the fray are spot on for joining the group.

“The life experiences of a woman are different than that of men, so Rebekah’s potentially different perspectives or approaches with regard to expedition nuances or decisions in the field will be a welcome change from the decisions we’ve made during previous expeditions,” he says.

Feaster eager to add female perspective to adventuring

Rebekah Feaster Arctic Cowboys

Rebekah Feaster will attempt to paddle the Northwest Passage with the Arctic Cowboys this summer. Kate Tart photo

Feaster agrees.

“They’ve always had just dudes on the team for this type of adventure,” she says. “When I have to deal with my period and all the things that involve adventuring as a female – I think it’s going to be good for them. I think it will help them appreciate women in the crazy adventure world. I think they need some young blood on the team as well. I’m looking forward to it.”

She says she loves laughing, and the Arctic Cowboys are known for their story telling capabilities and senses of humor.

“They’re just old geezers who are ridiculous,” she says. “I’m looking forward to them making me laugh, because I know that will happen a lot.”

She says she’s also prepared for “come to Jesus moments” and confrontations.

“I will cry at points, but we’ll have to work through it,” she said. “I feel like I’m going to have some miserable moments where I have to dig deep. But this kind of feels like next challenge. This is a totally different kind of adventure that’s going to break me in a lot of ways, but in a good way.”

Feaster graduated with a music degree from Baylor University, and is a pianist. As much as she’d like to bring her instrument on the trip, she’ll likely have to leave it behind. “The weight seems like a bit of problem, though maybe I’ll bring a harmonica,” she says.

Feaster is currently living in Italy, where her husband is serving a two-year assignment as an F16 pilot with the U.S. Air Force. She’ll travel to Austin in July to join the Arctic Cowboys team.

 

 

 

 

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I steered a 30-foot canoe down the San Marcos River

I steered a 30-foot canoe down the San Marcos River

Texas Water Safari

We launched our canoe at Staples Dam. Pam LeBlanc photo

Since the first time I stood on the bank of the San Marcos River and watched the big boats go by during the Texas Water Safari, I’ve wanted to race in one of those extra-long canoes.

This year, I’m getting that chance. And during a training run Sunday, I sat in the driver’s seat of a five-human boat and – for the first time ever – steered it down a cypress-lined stretch of water.

The Water Safari, for the uninitiated, is a 260-mile paddling race between San Marcos and the Texas coast. Teams of one to six people pile into long, skinny canoes and start paddling. Many don’t stop – not to pee, not to eat, not to stretch their legs or snooze – until they cross the bay and touch the wooden finish sign in Seadrift. Along the way, they drag their boats over bobbing mats of logs, dodge gar and alligators, brush off hundreds of spiders, wallow in mud, try to avoid snakes, and face extreme heat and exhaustion. All they get at the finish is a little patch.

texas water safari

Pam LeBlanc relaxes at the finish of the 2019 Texas Water Safari. Chris LeBlanc photo

It’s alternately fantastic and horrific. (And yeah, there’s something wrong with anybody who signs up for it.)

I did the race in 2019 with two other veteran paddlers – Sheila Reiter and Heather Harrison. Those two women got me to the finish in 53 hours and change, even though I felt like I’d been run over by an 18-wheeler for the last 12 hours.

This year, I’m racing as part of a five-person team.

texas water safari

Deb Richardson steers our boat down the San Marcos River between Staples and Luling on March 27, 2022. Pam LeBlanc photo

Yesterday, our team ran the 31-mile stretch of river between Staples and Zedler Dam in Luling. Our usual driver, Deb Richardson, steered the first 25 miles down the river, dodging gravel bars, rocks, and fallen trees. Then we pulled over and she told me to swap seats. It was my turn to drive.

Our boat is at least 30 feet long. It looks like a missile when it’s loaded on the roof rack of a truck.

texas water safari

Here’s my view from the driver’s seat in the back of a five-human canoe. Pam LeBlanc photo

When you’re sitting in it on the water, all you can see is the back of the person in front of you. The boat doesn’t bend, either, which makes it important that whoever is driving it positions it carefully as the river winds its way across the state.

The San Marcos River is filled with stumps and branches and obstacles that reach out of nowhere to grab you. But with the help of the other paddlers, who called out directions and dipped paddles to pull the nose of the boat around obstacles, I managed to navigate the 6 mile stretch without any major incident.

It simultaneously scared the pants off me and thrilled me. It takes finesse. I’m learning how to let off the rudder at just the right time to avoid getting sideways or hitting anything. I’m also trying to learn how to catch the current to get the best push.

Sunday’s run felt great. I’m super excited that I’ll be able to take the helm for a small stretch during the race. Terrified, too, but thrilled.

Stay tuned for updates.

texas water safari

The boat looks like a missile on top of a truck. Pam LeBlanc photo

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What’s it like to swim through an underground river? I found out at Honey Creek Cave

What’s it like to swim through an underground river? I found out at Honey Creek Cave

swimming in an underground river

Bill Steele, left, gears up before swimming through Honey Creek Cave. Pam LeBlanc photo

I’ve squeezed my way through limestone caverns and swum in creeks and rivers all over the Lone Star State, but until recently I’d never done both at the same time.

Last weekend, speleologist Bill Steele led me through a watery section of Honey Creek Cave, the longest known cave in Texas. I’m working on a story about Steele for a magazine, but can’t shake the feeling of what it was like to swim through an underground river.

I wore a full 3-millimeter wetsuit, fins, and a caving helmet with lights for the adventure. We hiked down into a shallow canyon, where a rocky opening in the cliff wall led to the watery highway.

swimming at Honey Creek Cave

We walked through a tall hallway to reach the underground river at Honey Creek Cave. Pam LeBlanc photo

The water was cold and about 20-feet deep, and once we stepped off a ledge and into the river, we couldn’t stand up. I balanced a dry bag containing my camera on a kickboard and pushed it in front of me as I picked my way through the dark passage, trying to avoid the stalactites that clung to the ceiling.

That was tricky – thousands of them dripped down, forming curtains of mud-colored straws and carrots. Now and then a few tree roots dangled into the water.

The whole experience felt vaguely like a scene from “Les Misérables,” only without the stench. This was beautiful – a fresh river formed by rainwater filtered through layers of limestone.

swimming in an underground river

Naomi Arcadia adjusts her snorkel before swimming through Honey Creek Cave. Pam LeBlanc photo

At one point where the ceiling came to within a few inches of the water’s surface, we removed our helmets, passed them ahead, tipped our heads back and floated delicately beneath the rocks.

Spooky, yes, but beautiful, too. The formations hanging from the ceiling reflected in the water when I pointed my light downstream.

swimming through an underground river

We waded down a shallow stretch, then eased into the deep part of the river. Pam LeBlanc photo

We swam for about two hours, pausing at one end when we reached a small waterfall.

That was just enough. My fingers were getting numb, and I needed to get out and dry off. But when I did, I took with me some surreal memories that I’ll never forget.

And out there in the bright sun, it didn’t feel at all spooky.

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When in Lubbock, visit Prairie Dog Town

When in Lubbock, visit Prairie Dog Town

prairie dog village

Hundreds of black-tailed prairie dogs live at Prairie Dog Town in Lubbock. Pam LeBlanc photo

If you decide to visit Prairie Dog Town in Lubbock – and you should – bring carrot sticks or sweet potato chunks, and a camera with a long lens.

The black-tailed prairie dogs that live in the park are always up for a snack, but vegetables are better than the junk food that some visitors toss their way. Also, the critters are most active at dawn and dusk, so time your visit to the park, just off Interstate 27 near Parkway Drive accordingly.

Kennedy N. Clapp established the town in the early 1930s, with just four prairie dogs. They’ve flourished.

Drop by today and you’ll be rewarded with easy views of chubby little dogs popping up out of what looks like tiny dirt volcanoes that stretch across a field. You’ll also find a pavilion, explanatory signage, and sidewalks.

Black-tailed prairie dogs were once found across West Texas, but by 1994, 98 percent of their population was lost. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, fewer than 8 million remain in Texas, but the population is relatively stable.

prairie dog town

Prairie dogs are closely related to ground squirrels. Pam LeBlanc photo

They live in an elaborate network of burrows and tunnels, with special rooms for nurseries, food storage, toilet facilities and more. In the wild, a prairie dog lives 4 or 5 years, and females typically produce litters of three to five pups, once a year.

They’re very social, which makes them fun to observe. They stretch, “kiss,” stand guard, and groom one another. They’re about the size of a papaya, if it had brownish-yellow fur, legs, and a short tail.

Prairie dogs are not dogs, by the way. They’re more closely related to ground squirrels – only stouter. They were named for their barking calls.

About Pam

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Staffing shortages force Barton Springs closures

Staffing shortages force Barton Springs closures

Barton Springs closure

Starting March 21, Barton Springs Pool will close every Monday and Wednesday due to staffing shortages. Pam LeBlanc photo

The staffing shortage has hit the city’s most iconic swimming hole, Barton Springs Pool.

Starting March 21, the chilly, spring-fed pool in downtown Austin will close Mondays and Wednesdays, in addition to its regular closure from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday for cleaning.

The staffing shortage dates to March 2020, when the Austin Parks Department cancelled lifeguard training due to the pandemic. Training resumed a year later, but the department still hasn’t caught up with the deficit.
Not just any lifeguard can work at Barton Springs Pool. Because of its unique features, like a natural bottom, special Open Water Guard certification and training are required. Besides guarding visitors at the popular pool, guards there also assist with training throughout the season.

Related: Ten reasons swimming in a lake, pond or river beats a swimming pool

About 100 trained lifeguards are on payroll and ready to work, but only 23 are certified as open water guards.

Barton Springs closure

The city of Austin needs lifeguards to staff its swimming pools, including Barton Springs. Pam LeBlanc photo

The Aquatic Division will keep Barton Springs Pool closed on Mondays and Wednesdays until more guards can be hired, trained, and certified.

The Barton Springs closures will not affect the daily 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. swim times, which will remain “swim at your own risk” without lifeguards.
According to a press release from the City of Austin, Aquatic Division officials will try to keep the pool fully operational from March 12 to 20, but with staffing levels so low, temporary capacity limitations may be imposed if there are any fluctuations in staff availability.

For other swimming options on days Barton Springs is closed, go to AustinTexas.gov/Pools.

Apply to be a lifeguard at lifeguardaustin.com

 

 

 

About Pam

I’m Pam LeBlanc. Follow my blog to keep up with the best in outdoor travel and adventure. Thanks for visiting my site.

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