The Gobbler @ Elkader Whitewater Park

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The Gobbler loves to gobble me up and spit me out. 

The Gobbler is the nick-name given to the whitewater wave feature in the brand new Elkader Whitewater Park in Elkader, IA. This park was built when they removed a low-head dam on the Turkey River, right next to downtown.


Low head dams often look small and 'runnable', but they are a huge hazard to boaters and anyone unfortunate to flush over one because they generate recirculating currents that trap and drown people each and every year. No one, under any circumstance, should ever expect to survive a trip over a low head dam. During a training session, I heard the swiftwater rescue instructor tell the local volunteer firemen that The Gobbler is 1,000x safer than the low-head dam it replaced.

The whitewater wave at Elkader

This photo shows the view of the whitewater feature from Main Street. The smaller feature on the far side of the river is considered a fish ladder and according to the locals, is a place where smallmouth bass hang out. The bigger wave on the near side is where the boaters spend most of their time and when boaters aren't around, folks show up to fish. The feature was designed and constructed to create a raised wave at the bottom of the outflow, large enough to allow a kayaker to surf, facing upstream, on the face of the wave.  Well, it allows skilled kayakers to surf. It offers the rest of us a big challenge just to get up into it and come out right side up if we are lucky.

My first day at The Gobbler, I was afraid to even attempt to get on the wave, because I wasn't sure my roll would work in the swirling currents coming out of The Gobbler.  On my second day, I discovered my roll and mind would both work in 'combat' so-to-speak, so my roll was officially elevated from "pool" to "combat" status. With that mental hurdle achieved and acknowledged, the FunFactor became greater than the FearFactor and I was ready to face off with The Gobbler.

This was my first attempt.

Yes, it gobbled me up and spat me out, but I am not easily defeated.  Again and again I went into combat and my roll was tested frequently. Occasionally, I remained upright when it flushed me out. Small victories, often enough, to make me want to do it again and again and again. I was hooked.

As I made the long drive home, I wondered when I might get another chance to tackle the Gobbler. Turns out, just one month later, I was able to return for two days of a gobbling good time.

On my second trip to The Gobbler, I had the most fun I've had in a very long time. I surfed, attempted 360* spins, and pulled off a couple of boogie board surfs on a board Sam brought.  A dozen different boaters showed up that day and a party atmosphere developed (stone sober- I've never seen a whitewater kayaker drink while kayaking). I loved watching Marty seal launch his kayak off the rocks, dive straight down nose first, then pop up into the air and do a front flip. Wow!

The Kellog family

When my body told me it was time to quit, I couldn't tear myself away.  A couple of local guys showed up with their kids who had a blast boogie boarding, tubing, paddling and getting rolling lessons from dad.
One lucky girl's father buddy-surfed with her in her kayak in The Gobbler.  It was wonderful to be surrounded by that many smiles and witness adults having as much fun as the kids.

Boogie board surfing.

I've met a bunch of new friends at Elkader: some who routinely make the 1.5 hr drive from Cedar Rapids, some local beginners, some locals experts coaching the beginners and introducing their children to the fun of moving water.

Elkader built a beautifully engineered, safe, simple feature that draws me in from 5 hours away and makes me want to return again and again and again.

Kudos to Elkader!

Sioux Falls?  Lets help make a whitewater park happen here!

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