If you’ve ever wanted to try whitewater paddling, kayaking or head out to open waters, there are multiple clubs on Auburn’s campus that will let you paddle along with them.
One club, the Outdoor Adventure Club, allows students to go on different outdoor adventures each week, such as kayaking, mountain biking and whitewater rafting.
Cory Garfunkel, senior in physics and president of the OAC, said the club tries to go kayaking at least once a semester. The club went on a whitewater kayaking and mountain biking trip during the weekend of April 8, where students kayaked the Nantahala River in North Carolina.
“We usually don’t [have] a huge number [of people] kayaking, but we tend to grab 10–15 at least each time,” Garfunkel said.
Garfunkel has kayaked in the Coosa River with the club and said it was relaxing.
“It’s a good beginner river,” Garfunkel said. “It’s not very intense [or has] Class 3 or 4 rapids.”
The OAC also puts on a whitewater rafting trip each fall. Brianna Sanguily, senior in biomedical sciences and vice president of OAC, said they go up to the Ocoee River in Tennessee for the trip.
“We usually have about anywhere from 40–50 students go on that trip,” Sanguily said. “I’ve been going every year.”
Sanguily said she thinks whitewater rafting is an exciting sport but not one involving too much danger.
“It’s an adrenaline rush,” Sanguily said. “But it’s not something that, especially with the guides that we go with and how experienced they are, it’s not something that you feel like you’re really going to be put in danger.”
Garfunkel said all of the trips planned by the club are beginner- friendly.
“That’s one of the things that we try to stress on all of our trips is anyone can do it,” Garfunkel said. “We don’t have you just jump right in and do intense stuff right away because that automatically excludes a lot of people.”
The Whitewater Paddling Club allows Auburn students to navigate whitewater and learn how to paddle a kayak. Leaders in the group teach others how to use the kayak and how to navigate in the water, but other options such as rafts, open canoes and stand-up paddle boards are also available.
Devarshi Shah, graduate student in chemical engineering, first started kayaking at an event put on by Auburn InterConnect.
He said he first kayaked in Coosa, Alabama, and has kept up with it for the past year.
“I’m still learning a lot,” Shah said.
Shah found the club on AUinvolve and said he tries to attend some of its events when he can.
Shah said to go with some friends or a pre-established group such as Auburn InterConnect or Auburn Outdoors because trying kayaking for the first time might be scary for some.
“They have some really good, experienced people who can guide them and take care of them,” Shah said. “(Auburn InterConnect) also [has] really good people who are knowledgeable people with them, and they can help you a lot if you want to try.”
The OAC meets on the first Monday of every month in Parker Hall 307 at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, find Auburn Outdoors, the Whitewater Paddling Club or Auburn InterConnect on AUinvolve for a complete list of events and contact information.
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