Kayakers cruise waters near Rock Falls each week

ROCK FALLS – If you ask the Yak Yak Sisters, the only thing better than cruising on the water is doing it with a few dozen friends.

Karen Miles and Carolyn Hohenboken have been kayaking on the Hennepin Canal for more than a decade. Their group unofficially started in 2014 after Hohenboken’s husband got the women a kayak the previous fall.

“Just like a flash of lightning, we were hooked,” Hohenboken said. “After that, you could find us on the canal, chatting and yakking away.”

“Some people go to a bar every Wednesday at 5 and talk with different people. My kayak is my barstool, just without the alcohol.”

—  Yak Yak Sisters co-founder Karen Miles

They started inviting friends and anyone else who wanted to come along, but their numbers quickly grew, making group coordination difficult.

“People kept asking us to remember to invite them to our next outing,” Miles said. “After we had about 40 people with kayaks, I decided we needed a Facebook page.”

The group meets at 5 p.m. every Wednesday at the Hennepin Canal 40 boat launch near 2400 First Ave. in Rock Falls. They follow the canal up to the dam at the Hennepin Canal Feeder Bike Trail on East Second Street before turning back around.

The trip takes about two hours to complete at a leisurely pace, but you can turn around whenever you like.

“This was a blast,” said Beverly Van Soelen of Bettendorf, Iowa. “I’m so happy Karen reached out to me. She’s the kind of person who really encourages people to try new things, and I’m always up for a new adventure.”

The group also gathers for other activities such as biking, exercise classes, movie night and winter hikes in local parks using snowshoes.

“Some people go to a bar every Wednesday at 5 and talk with different people,” Miles said. “My kayak is my barstool, just without the alcohol.”

The group is free to join and open to all ages. There is no cost to kayak on the canal, and those without a kayak can rent one through the Rock Falls Tourism’s Rent.Fun self-service app. The cost is $30 for the first two hours and $10 for every hour after. Paddles and life jackets are included. Visit the Yak Yak Sisters’ Facebook page for information.