The leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter, and it's long past time for you to learn how to ferry your whitewater kayak. Join us for a half-run of Fife brook where we focus on class II river skills: catching eddies, ferries, attaining, peeling out, surfing, and more. With practice will come mistakes, so expect to spend a good chunk of this trip underwater!

This trip is geared towards folks who have already had some class II whitewater kayaking experience and want to really practice boat control skills. But it's also open to beginners who are up for a challenge!

River info. We'll be paddling the second half of the Fife river, about 2.5 miles class II water in the Berkshires.

Logistics. This is a full day trip. We'll leave between 7-8 AM and drive 2 hours to the river, run a car shuttle, and put on. We'll be on the river for 4-5 hours, and start driving back to Boston around 4 pm to be back around 6pm. Bring water, a light lunch, and snacks to last the whole day. Wear clothes and shoes you are comfortable getting wet. It will be cold!

Pre-trip meeting. 7-8 PM Friday, Oct. 9 at the MITOC boathouse/N52. Bring any gear you are uncertain about.

Costs. $15 for kayak rental, $15 for wetsuit rentals, gas (expect around $20-$30 / person). MITOC offers generous fee waivers for anyone worried about these costs. We will ask you to pay the rental fee at the pre-trip meeting.

Boat sizes. Boat sizes are approximately by weight. If you are near the border, you can safely size down (for a more playful ride) or up (for a more stable one). Here's a rough guide:

• S: 90 - 140 lbs
• M: 140 - 185 lbs
• L: 185 - 240 lbs