A Knack With The Kayak Veteran Paddler Loves Challenge

The Spokane River’s raging waters have forced organizers of the Spokane River Canoe Classic, one of the community’s largest water sports events, to move Saturday’s event to the peaceful confines of Liberty Lake.

Pat Harbine, a longtime Spokane resident and Classic participant, however, has not let the river’s high levels stop him from engaging in the sport he truly loves: river kayaking.

Harbine, a 65-year-old physical therapist, has been on the Spokane River at least six times since April.

The river, generally, is still too dangerous for beginners, but for experts like Harbine, it is the closest place to satisfy their appetites for kayaking.

Harbine remembers his days as a beginner.

In the late 1960s, Harbine and one his Spokane neighbors decided they were going to build two wooden kayaks. They built Harbine’s first. The neighbor lost interest before they got around to his, but Harbine was soon hooked on the sport. By the time he was in his 40s, he was racing competitively.

Harbine has seen a lot of changes in kayaks since he made that wooden boat close to 30 years ago.

“Kayaks have evolved a lot since the 1970s,” he said. “They went from wood to fiberglass to plastic.”

In addition to the changes in the material composition, according to Harbine, kayaks are now shorter, and you sit much lower.

The excitement and challenge of kayaking have kept Harbine’s interest through the years.

“Kayaking is a humbling and heady sport,” he said. “You might be on top of the world after running some difficult rapids, but the very next moment, the river may dump you, and you’ll be swimming.”

Harbine has done his share of swimming while running the rapids through the years. In all, he has kayaked on close to 30 different rivers. He characterized the Spokane River as a good practice river, and the Seafish River in McCall, Idaho, as the most difficult challenge he’s faced.

“Kayaking is a thinking sport,” he said. “Each river has its own hydraulics, for better or worse.”

Harbine liked the public attention rafting and kayaking received from “The River Wild,” a recent movie starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon. The films had a number of spectacular rafting scenes, but Harbine didn’t like some impressions the movie gave.

“Unlike the movie’s portrayal, you never see just one raft alone on the river,” he said. “You should always be with experienced boaters.”

Harbine has been involved in the 10-year-old Spokane River Canoe Classic in some capacity since its inception. He has raced at least five times, and has also served as a member of the safety boat crew.

Harbine has seen the race go through several changes through the years.

“It started as a family race, but for a few years, they brought in some top notch racers from Canada,” he said. “Today, it has moved back toward a family orientation.”

This year is the first in Classic history that the river has been so high the race had to be moved to an alternative location.

“We regret moving it, but it is the prudent thing to do,” said Classic organizer Cory Brewer. “The river is moving too fast, and there is too much debris.”

In addition to his individual kayak pursuits, Harbine has been involved in the Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club for 20 years. The club schedules trips throughout the year and has monthly meetings from September through May. The club organizes family trips and teaches classes on canoeing and kayaking.

“The 20-year-old club has a membership of around 250 households,” said Brewer.

If you are interested in joining, contact Brewer at 838-4224 or Peter Nufer at 624-3667.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: The Classic What: Spokane River Canoe Classic When: Saturday Where: Liberty Lake public park (Registration will be at Corbin Park near Post Falls) Cost: $10 per paddler, $15 for those who wish to help the Classic’s Spokane River conservation effort; prizes, T-shirts Skill levels: beginner to expert Info: Cory Brewer, (509) 838-4224