We don’t get to spend much time with our grandson, Kaden, an active 16-year old, what with studying for drivers license, band camp, band practice, etc. so it was a real pleasure when he came for a short visit. 

Shortly after he arrived, his eyes lit up when we talked about kayaking, so we loaded the kayaks, Kay drove us to Quarry Park below Norfork Dam, we had a really quick lesson, and off we went. 

Water flow was about 4,000 cubic feet per second, providing enough water to avoid dragging over shoals, but not too much to be unsafe.  Kaden took to kayaking like he had done it his entire life.  And of course, he headed for the biggest standing waves in the river.

On Friday, he and KK (Kay’s nickname to our grandkids) kayaked down the Norfork, with about the same amount of water being discharged from the dam.  They were so quick that I was late in picking them up at the confluence.

And then, on Friday, Kaden talked his dad into kayaking the Norfork and they made it in record time, and Kaden was a little wet from busting through every standing wave he could paddle through. They paddled so quickly that we missed a photo opportunity at Ackerman-Handicap Access.