LAist: Kayaking the LA River, Part 1

Tom Andrews

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:29:34 -0800

Thanks Rhodie, Your comments have me quite confused. You mentioned on the other posts that you didn't believe this? Oh well, here is a link to the story in The Los Angeles Times, maybe that will answer some of your questions. Link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/07/dear-feds---tur.html We had a film permit that allowed us to be in the water. It does seem strange but it really happened and it went very well. Cheers, Tom Andrews

Rhodie

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:18:56 -0800

Oh, and fantastic photos, Tom (I can't believe you went along the whole day. Kudos2U.)! You look at the photos and you're convinced that someone either doctored these photos or misplaced the captions ("This CAN'T be in Los Angeles!"). But here's the rub... if the group started in the Sepulveda Basin, which is a "TNW," then was the group doing anything illegal by boating in it? Somebody please help me on this one.

Rhodie

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:14:47 -0800

The blurb here isn't entirely accurate. I read that the group's mission was to prove that the river was a "traditional navigable waterway" (that legal distinction thingy), and that proving that it is "navigable" is just one test for that determination. Am I wrong? The blurb also says that at this time of year (mid-summer)the river is not navigable -- but the group went the whole 52 miles... so how is this statement true? Please clarify, LAist.