Each service is described from the dock outward, because that is the order the work happens in. If a service is not listed, it is because we do not do it well enough to put it on the board.
G
Group River Days
A group river day is built around the people in the boats, not a fixed route. At booking we ask about ages, swimming confidence, and how many people have been in a moving current before. The dock hand then sets a start window that fits the morning flow and matches hulls to rowers so nobody is fighting an oar that is too long. On the day, the group meets at the oar rail, collects a throw bag per boat, and walks the plank together.
The day includes the launch, a mid-run bank stop for water and a gear check, and a landing at a takeout that the shuttle has already confirmed. A dock hand is on the water with the group from the first slip to the last. Families with young children are usually matched to a calmer stretch with a wider bank; school and workplace groups often take the longer run with two short stops. Either way, the plan is written on the board before the group arrives and read aloud at the briefing.
H
Gear Shed Hire
The gear sheds sit above the slip line with their backs to the canyon wall, which keeps them dry through the spring climb. Inside, shelves run from deck to ceiling, each end labeled with a plain tag so a crew can find a dry bag, a repair kit or a spare blade without opening every bin. Shed hire is available by the weekend, the month or the whole season, and the key tag matches the berth number on the dock board.
A shed is more than a locked room. We check the ventilation, keep a moisture note on the door, and sweep the floor between hires. If a hull is stored on the rack, the rack position is written on the tag so it can be found at launch time even when the shed is full. Crews that hire for a season also get a shelf inventory sheet so a return at the end of the year is a short conversation rather than an argument. You can leave your own gear, or hire the standard kit that we keep on the bay shelves.
C
Shuttle Run Coordination
A river day fails at the takeout far more often than at the launch, so shuttle work starts early. When you book, the dock office records where the group expects to land and how many vehicles are involved. A driver plan follows: who drives, which vehicle waits at the takeout, and when the pick-up window opens. The plan goes onto the shuttle board and is confirmed with a phone call the evening before.
On the day, the driver meets the group at the yard long enough to hand over a printed board that shows the route, the landing description and a contact number. Trailers are loaded with the gear not needed afloat, and the takeout vehicle is left with a spare water jug and a first aid kit. If the water rises and the landing changes, the driver is told before the group launches so there is no scramble at the end of the run. We do not promise a shuttle we cannot staff, and we do not leave a crew guessing about a pick-up.
D
Dockside Storage Lockers
Lockers stand at the head of the plank under the office window, close enough that a dock hand can see them all day. They are sized for keys, phones, medication, wallets and a folded layer. Each hire takes a fresh numbered tag, and the number is written next to the crew name on the gate log. That single step means a lost tag can be traced before the group leaves the yard.
Lockers are available for a single day or kept through a shed hire. People who walk the bank rather than ride the water often use a locker while they fish, and crews that come back on consecutive weekends sometimes keep one booked for the month. We empty and wipe every locker at the end of the day, and anything left behind is held in the office for a set period before it is dealt with under the terms of service. A locker is a small thing, but it is the reason a car key does not end up at the bottom of a canyon.
L
Season Launch Support
Season launch support is the quiet work that makes the busy weeks possible. Before the first group arrives, the dock crew checks every hull for wear at the chine, tests the oar locks, inspects the buoy lines and opens each shed to check for moisture. Launch notes are written for the season: which slips are open, which shelves hold the standard kit, and which routes are running while the water is still high.
Season holders can book a walk-through of the dock with a hand who will be on the plank through the summer. That walk covers the oar rail, the shed tags, the locker bank and the shuttle board, and ends with a printed dock map for the crew file. We also use this period to sort the repair queue, restock the throw bags and test the lamps that mark the plank after sunset. Launch support is not a marketing event. It is a checklist that we work through until every berth is ready to take a boat.
B
Safety Briefing Sessions
Briefings happen on the plank before anyone boards, and they stay short enough to hold attention. A hand covers the current of the day, the two signals the group will use, how to brace in a moving boat, and what to do if a hull turns. Every person gets a turn holding a throw bag and hearing the call that goes with it. We keep sessions to a small number of people so a parent can ask a quiet question without holding up a crowd.
Sessions run for groups before a river day, for shed holders at the start of the season, and for anyone who wants a stand-alone refresher. We tailor the content to the water: a calm family stretch gets more time on boarding and balance, while a longer run gets more time on currents and eddies. Nobody leaves the plank without a personal flotation device fitted on the body, not carried in a hand. The briefing ends with a clear statement of the route, the landing and the contact number on the board.