Paddlerat collective

Guide village

Gratitude to John Chase a wellspring of knowledge and insight. Big and small picture, he brought it all into focus for this cohort of Paddlerats pursuing American Canoe Association (ACA) Instructor Certfication. He has a podcast???? YES HE DOES!

Paddling The Blue Podcast

John interviews inspiring paddlers from across the globe doing great things from the seat of a kayak. If you want to learn about sea kayaking destinations, trips, and personalities from the world of paddlesports, he has you covered!

Please check out this awesome podcast on Spotify or Apple, paddlingtheblue.com, and also linked in our linktree. (We especially love the episode with our dear friend )

As insightful, additional thank you to Pamela in this course!

Warmest congratulations to the paddlerats who completed ACA Instructor Training. Continue to excel and inspire others in the Collective.

Double digit temperatures is a tropical vacation compared to what we experienced last week. The paddlerat homie, taking full advantage.

📷 peace and blessings. Gratitude to those unnamed.

is the dude. We love him.

Photo by

Safety first, always. PFD, drysuit, know your limits, stay hydrated, check weather, share your float plan, learn from others, love like there’s no tomorrow.

Peace and blessings to the paddlerat collective, the cold water crew, and to those unnamed.

Watch out y’all. We got a paddlerat crew headed north. Here's to you, intrepid explorers, setting off on your adventure! Be in a kayak, laugh some laughs, make some memories.

Big ups to the dude, .soul for organizing a float plan and securing campsites.

Peace and gratitude to the Potawatomi and Menominee people and their ancestors who have deep connection to the lands we will be visiting.

Celebrate the life of our friend Ryan, their contributions, and the indelible mark they left on all of us. He was more than just a member of our community; they were a friend, a musician, teacher, creator, technician, paddler, guide, drinking partner and a source of joy to many. Their kindness knew no bounds, and their personality touched the lives of all of us.

As we reflect on Ryan's life, we remember the countless moments of joy, laughter, and shared experiences together. He made our community a better place, and their legacy will continue to inspire us.

Thank you for sharing this moment here with us, to reflect on the gift of his presence in our lives and the moments we shared. We will paddle their memory forward by continuing to spread kindness and love in our community. You will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

Maine, 2016 Dude… what a trip…

Please find the link in our story highlights collecting funds to distribute amongst his family.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ytc2s7-ryan-deffet-family-fund?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

Gangster with a capital G.

Superfly shout out to paddlerat, . They lead BURP, the Bugs in Urban Rivers Project (how awesome is that name?) and have trained countless community scientists to identify aquatic bugs that help us understand the health of our rivers. Steph, thank you for mentoring all these beautiful people, providing avenues for involvement and exposure to science.

Wonderful, inclusive, welcoming, radiant. Steph, a true river hero.

Peace and blessings to those unnamed

Check out the link above!

With overflowing jubilation we are delighted for the release of “Paddle Rat” written and illustrated by athlete and artist

In the beginning of things, there was nothing but water everywhere and no land could be seen. On the waves, a canoe floated, and a man sat in it and wept because he had no idea what would happen. After a while, a muskrat climbed up on the canoe and said, "Greetings, grandfather! Why are you crying?" The man answered, "I have been here a long time, and I cannot find any land." The muskrat replied, "But there is earth under all this water!" The man asked the muskrat to get him some land, and the muskrat dove down and came up again with both paws full of mud. He dived again and brought up a ball of earth in his mouth. The man did not think this was enough land to live on.

The man asked the muskrat if he was all alone, and the muskrat answered no. The muskrat gave out a call and the animals chiefs of the water swam up to the canoe. The first to come was a white muskrat. "I hear that you want to see us," he said to the man.

"Yes,” answered the man, “I want you to bring me some earth so I can make the world.

Potawatomi Oral Tradition | Milwaukee Public Museum. (n.d.). https://www.mpm.edu/content/wirp/ICW-137

Photo by the talented

Chicago is located on the traditional unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations. Many other tribes such as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac, and Fox also called this area home. The region has long been a center for Indigenous people to gather, trade, and maintain kinship ties. Today, one of the largest urban American Indian communities in the United States resides in Chicago. Members of this community continue to contribute to the life of this city and to celebrate their heritage, practice traditions, and care for the land and waterways.

Belong

spitting knowledge about the river bottom, freshwater mussels, and removing pollutants from the waterway.

Fun times at the wild mile block party.

River guide