Surfing the Frankenstorm
Though Halloween was approaching, the eerie warnings flashing across the TV, Internet and from friends and family were real. Hurricane Sandy was moving in from the Atlantic and threatening devastation throughout the North East. As the weather turned grim, most people were staying indoors and watching the “Frankenstorm’s” progress on the news. For whitewater enthusiasts, however, it was like getting week-long private admission to an amusement park. The creeks and rivers that had been dry from the summer’s drought were finally open for exploration.
A "MONSTER" ADDITION TO FIRST WAVES PROGRAM
The river wave at Greenhouse Park is little more than a pile of foam during the hot month of July in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Stonycreek River is the tamest version of itself and instead of whitewater enthusiasts, the park attracts sunbathers, tubers, and swimmers to its shores. What most have overlooked, however, is this wave’s potential as a training ground for the area’s youth to become river enthusiasts. When presented in the right way, the wave can capture the attention of teenagers better than the latest X-box and carve a path for outdoor recreation and education that is widely available but pervasively ignored. This is exactly what the First Waves Johnstown Program is able to provide to underserved youth in the area.
FREE SUP AND SURF CLINIC
The Stonycreek Rendezvous is one of the best whitewater festivals in the country. Held at Greenhouse Park in Johnstown, PA, you can set up your tent on the shores of the Stonycreek River and surf the park wave under the lights at night while listening to local bands and the stomping of dancing feet as the river passes by.