2010 Hockanum River Canoe and Kayak Race

The BEARS provide end-to-end radio communications and safety spotting for the participants and for the public's safety.  Approximately 25 volunteers participated on April 11th.  The race started at the Quality Inn on the Manchester-Vernon line, and continued through Union Pond, worked its way through Laurel Marsh, and ended at the dam behind the McDonalds on Burnside Avenue in East Hartford.

The water was very high and swift, and many boats ended up capsizing and going through the rapids backwards, sideways, or upside down.   In spite of this, the BEARS successfully tracked all 132 boats and everyone was accounted for by the end of the race.

The photos below were provided by John Gianopoulos.

BEARS club president Paul Gibson, N1TUP, at the starting point, being interviewed for an East Hartford publication.

Some of the BEARS and Manchester Emcomm volunteers who reported to the start line on Tolland Turnpike.  Others, not in this photo, reported directly to their positions along the Hockanum River or to the finish line in East Hartford.
Note the use of our brand-new surveyor's vests.  Kudos to Dan Thayer, W1CDT, for finding them, and for Greg Vinci, N1ZXL, for facilitating their purchase and distribution.  We sure stood out in the crowd!
AB1GL, seated at table, relayed the boat's bib numbers and start times over the air so the finish line and all the spotters in between could check them off as they passed so we knew if any were missing.

What's the point of kayaking in April if you can't have fun with it?

Canoes racing on the Hockanum River

Net Control, Cathy Phelps, KB1JKA, keeps track of EVERYTHING from her station inside the CP-6 vehicle.

The Manchester CP-6 vehicle, courtesy of the town of Manchester and the EM director Don Janelle, KB1DAJ.

This vehicle was parked behind the McDonalds and has radios, antennas, heat, cooling, lights and seating for radio operators.

CP6 is a communications command post vehicle owned by the town of Manchester and maintained by volunteers from the town's CERT and EMCOMM teams. The original vehicale was an ambulance, donated to the town by Pratt & Whitney.  It has been refurbished and fitted with radios, antennae, and generators.  It is used to support the CERT, mountain bike and canine search and rescue teams, and Fire Police during emergencies and public service events. It can be deployed in minutes and provides a dry, warm platform for radios, electronics and their operators.

Another view of Net Control, looking forward from the rear of CP6.  Cathy, KB1JKA, endured both heat and cold as the day wore on, but did a great job keeping the sometimes chatty BEARS under control during the race.