Tandem at the Scantic Spring Splash - March 29, 2024

Opening Ceremony 

I’ve always loved watching the carnage at the Scantic Spring Splash Canoe and Kayak Race – especially the tandem canoes. I have run the Scantic many times in my solo whitewater boat and once in my Yellowstone Solo. This year I wanted to try a tandem run, so I partnered up with Aaron for a run in my Mohawk Whitewater 16.

The Scantic arises in Hampden, MA (southeast of Springfield) and flows general southwest for 40-miles to join the Connecticut River in South Windsor, CT. We would be running the "Expert Course" from Quality Avenue in Somers to the Powder Hollow Barn (South Maple Street) in Hazardville – about 5-miles. There are 4 class II+ (maybe class III) rapids - Trestle, Stokers, Chimney and Staircase.

Running the drop at Stokers

I dropped off my boat at the put-in and headed down to the barn to register with Aaron and pick up our bib. We then caught the shuttle bus back to the put-in. After the mandatory safety meeting we got on the water at around noon with our class – Men's OC2 - Masters.

Even with the dam release the river was low at .75-feet, 22 cfs on the Broad Brook gage. The race starts off with 2.5-miles of quickwater, and we scraped and bumped our way down the upper section. The removal of the Springborn Dam in 2017 created the first major rapid – Trestle. We went right under the first bridge, and then left under the railroad bridge and got hung up in shallow water - should have stayed right.

Running the shoot at Staircase

Shortly after Trestle is Stokers - a 3-foot ledge that needs to be run about 10 feet off the left bank, moving right after the drop to avoid the rock pile at the bottom. We ran the drop fine, but got hung up on a rock just downstream.

After some more quickwater the next major rapid is Chimney - an “S” turn through some rocky ledges that is generally run down the center (maybe center left). It was low, but we were able to work out way down the center and run the two drops at the bottom. 

View of Staircase from the bridge

The last rapid is Staircase, which is exactly what you would expect - a series of ledges that look like a staircase with a large shoot at the bottom. You need to stay to the left as you approach the shoot. We did out best to stay left, but got hung up on a rock above the shoot just the same.  

It is always cool paddling under the bridge at the finish line to the cheers of the spectators above, but then we got hung up on another the rock below the bridge. We eventually crossed the finish line in second place. We hung around to get our trophy at the awards ceremony.

Link:

My Pictures

My short video of the run

Aaron's longer video of the run

Stuck on Staircase Video

Spring Splash Video from Staircase

Scantic Spring Splash website