So, imagine you need to find a lost kayaker. After a short search, amazingly, you find her, alive and uninjured. But as you start to take her home, she goes into labor! Medical help is hours away AND you need to get her across the river to get to the road.

This is what the Kayak Amelia staff had to deal with this past weekend! Now calm down, we're not usually asked to birth babies but this was part of the Wilderness First Responder course final exam for the KA guides. Rachel, George,CJ and Joe completed (and passed) the 80 hour intensive course taught by Carolyn Woods from Boundless Adventures. Through classroom lessons and intensive hands-on real life scenarios (with lots of fake blood and even eviscerated bowels) they learned to deal with all sorts of medical emergencies, from bites and stings to compound fractures and, yes, birthing babies.

They all worked really hard for this certification and we're very proud of them. Check out some of the photos

bike accident scenario

 

CJ and Rachel get the "Mom" ready for delivery

 

the team must build a raft from items found around them

 

Here comes the head!!!

 

The raft is complete but it can only support one person. Savannah (cute dog) is enlisted to tow the raft across the river

 

Mom and new baby ready to go

 

Looks real, doesn't it!

 

George gets his WFR card from Carolyn

Do you know the connection between Central Park and our northeast Jax history? On a recent visit to New York we visited Central Park and were surprised to see Heckscher Playground located in the southwest corner of the park. Since Heckscher is not all that common a name, I wondered if there was a relationship between the oldest playground in the park and the gentleman who built our road. With a little research I discovered these interesting tidbits.

August Heckscher Sr. (1848-1941) was born in Hamburg, Germany and moved to New York in 1867. A real estate magnate, financier, philanthropist, his generous offer to donate the funds to build the 3 acre playground was hotly debated at the time. It seems many NY residents at the time preferred a ‘pastoral experience’ in the park without the sights or sounds of playing children. Fortunately they lost the debate and today there are swings, seesaws and ballfields for all to enjoy.

Although he never visited Jacksonville, August Heckscher saw the need for a road that would allow motorists to get to ‘nature’s playground’ on Ft George Island. Completed in July,1929 Heckscher Drive went from New Berlin to “Pilot Town” where an existing county road continued on to Ft George Island. It was a 16 mile long toll road with seven bridges. Although he saw it as development tool for Ft George Island, the road also allowed the public access to fish, picnic and boat in the area. Upon state acquisition in 1944 the tolls were removed and traffic could now flow freely between Jax and Ft George Island.

I just had to share with you this great video about the Okefenokee Swamp done by GA Public TV. Our friends Chip & Joy run Okefenokee Adventures, think a much bigger version of Kayak Amelia with fresh water and gators. It is an absolutely enchantingly beautiful place to paddle. And the best thing is, it's only about an hour from Jacksonville and Amelia Island. We did a multi day camping trip in the swamp with Chip & Joy last fall. It is the ultimate 'get away from it all' trip. For three days we saw only a handful of people, but lots of wildlife and nothing but trees and water from horizon to horizon. Check out the 30minute show at www.gpb.org/georgia-outdoors (make sure you click on the 'Episodes' tab to see the entire show)

Here's a touching story I'd like to share with you. About two weeks ago I received a call from a young man in the Navy. He was coming home after being deployed and wanted to surprise his girl friend with one of our used Pungo kayaks for her birthday (note this is a sit in kayak). He said he was arriving home the day before their planned outing and would not be able to pay me to hold the boat for him.

His plan was to tell her they would rent kayaks and go out for the day, then tell her the kayak was his gift to her. He called the office at least three times as he worked his way back home, to make sure the kayak was still there. "Don't worry, I'll have it cleaned up waiting for you" I said.

They arrived at the office and started filling out the rental paperwork. She asked if we had sit on top kayaks because a friend told her they were better (remember the one waiting was a sit in style). The young man's smile faded just a bit, but I bet he just melted inside. I did my best to explain all the reasons why the sit in kayaks would be better for them that day. It worked, she wanted the sit in. All smiles again!

They went around out back and there were their two kayaks waiting and one had a big red bow on it I had dug out of our holiday decorations box. He said "Happy birthday" and they had a loving hug. It actually took her a bit to realize the present was more than just the trip that day. She was going to be taking the kayak home. "Now I get it, that's why you were hunting around for some rope before we left home."

It's stories like this that make the long hours and occasional angst, all worth while. I love my job!

Jody