In this episode of Following Waters, I sit down with Chad Hoover—kayaker, kayak bass fishing pioneer, creator, and one of the most authentic voices in the outdoor world.

We cover a lot of ground—kayaking, bass fishing, Chad’s time in the Navy, his artwork, and the books he’s written—but this conversation goes far beyond any one discipline.

At its core, this is a raw and honest conversation about mental health, identity, and what it takes to stay grounded in a world that can feel overwhelming.

Chad speaks openly about loss, including the devastating reality of veteran suicide in America, and shares how time on the water—and connection to community—has played a critical role in keeping him steady through it all.

This episode isn’t just about paddling or fishing.

It’s about choosing a life that keeps you close to what matters—being outside, staying connected, and finding a path that supports long-term mental and emotional health.

If something in this conversation resonates with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need to hear it.

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Chad Hoover: @kayakbassfishing

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Lauren Byrd joins Following Waters for a conversation about discovery, resilience, and building community through paddling.

Lauren’s roots run deep in the Southeast — growing up spending time in and around the waters of the Smokies. But like many river stories, her path wasn’t linear. After time in the Soldier Recovery Unit, paddling entered her life in a new way — not just as recreation, but as something grounding and restorative.

In this episode, Lauren reflects on finding her way back to the waters of the Southeast and why returning there later in life felt like coming full circle. We talk about the RV lifestyle and what it means to build a life around competition, travel, and community. Lauren shares her experience in freestyle kayaking, her hopes for the future of the sport, and the importance of visibility, inclusion, and accessible entry points for new paddlers.

We also dive into her newest project — Paddle Calendar — a one-stop platform designed to help paddlers find events, festivals, competitions, and pool sessions across the country. It’s an effort to make the community more connected and easier to navigate, especially for those just finding their way in.

This conversation is about more than competition. It’s about returning to place, building something that didn’t exist before, and finding purpose in the rhythm of life on and off the water.

Mentioned in this episode:

JointheACA

JointheACA

In this episode of Following Waters, Brett sits down with Erik Amason to explore a life shaped by water, discipline, and an unrelenting pull toward risk.

Erik grew up paddling on the Potomac River, where his early relationship with whitewater set the tone for what would become a lifelong pursuit of challenge. He devoted years to slalom kayaking, chasing the Olympic dream and committing fully to the process—even when it ultimately meant not making the team. That experience, defined as much by effort as outcome, became a foundation rather than an ending.

From there, Erik turned toward a second major calling: serving as a Navy SEAL. He spent nine years in the Teams, including combat deployments, and talks candidly about what that chapter demanded of him—physically, mentally, and relationally. After leaving the military, Erik found his way back to the water, not as an escape, but as a continuation of the same internal drive that has shaped his life since childhood.

Today, Erik is deeply engaged in cutting-edge whitewater paddling, consistently pushing into consequential terrain and big drops. He reflects on near-death experiences, including incidents in places like the Royal Gorge, and the difficult conversations those moments have required—especially with his wife. Throughout the conversation, Erik wrestles openly with what it means to carry a persistent desire for risk, even as life, family, and perspective evolve.

This episode is an honest exploration of devotion, identity, and the through-line of challenge—how the same impulse can shape an athlete, a soldier, a partner, and a paddler across very different chapters of a life.

@amasonerik - Instagram Handle

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In this episode of Following Waters, host Brett Mayer sits down with Marc Hunt, a true keystone figure in the southeastern paddling community, to explore a life shaped by rivers, relationships, and a deep commitment to community well-being—on and off the water.

Marc’s story is not one of chasing a predetermined path, but of staying open—listening closely when passion appeared, and having the courage to follow it. From his early years on the water to co-founding Sunburst Adventures, Marc reflects on how business, advocacy, family, and river stewardship became deeply intertwined over the course of his life.

Rather than separating work from passion, Marc allowed them to inform one another. The result is a career—and a community legacy—built on care, responsibility, and long-term thinking. In this conversation, we trace how those values took shape, how they were tested, and why they continue to matter today.

1. Marc’s early experiences on the water and how they shaped his sense of purpose
2. The founding of Sunburst Adventures and the complexities of building a values-driven river business
3. How advocacy, family life, and professional responsibility intersect in meaningful ways
4. What it means to truly “follow your heart” without losing sight of community impact
5. The importance of staying committed to people and places over the long haul
6. Why strong paddling communities don’t happen by accident—they’re built through care and participation

Marc’s story is a reminder that meaningful lives are often formed not through certainty, but through attention—by noticing what lights us up, listening carefully, and choosing to stay engaged even when the path is unclear.

This episode invites listeners to reflect on their own relationship with water, work, and community—and to consider what it looks like to follow the spark when it appears.

Mentioned in this episode:

JointheACA

JointheACA

In this episode of Following Waters, host Brett Mayer sits down with Greg Felt for a wide-ranging conversation about rivers, water law, and what it really takes to create durable outcomes for water systems in the American West.

Greg lives in Salida, Colorado, where he has been guiding and outfitting fly-fishing trips on the Arkansas River since 1985. His early connection to water came through recreation, fisheries, and the places he loved to spend time. Over the decades, that connection deepened into a career spent navigating the complex intersection of water law, management, ecology, agriculture, and human relationships.

Greg has served fourteen years as a director of the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District, three years with the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, and was appointed in 2020 by Governor Jared Polis as the Arkansas River Basin representative to the Colorado Water Conservation Board. He currently serves as Chairman of the Chaffee County Board of Commissioners.

In this conversation, Brett and Greg explore why understanding water systems where you live and paddle matters—not just for policymakers, but for anyone who cares about rivers and landscapes.

1. How Greg’s path from fishing guide to water manager unfolded over time
2. Why non-consumptive uses of water—like recreation and environmental flows—cannot succeed in isolation
3. The importance of relationships, trust, and collaboration in water management
4. A plain-language look at the Colorado River Compact and the challenges it presents today
5. The Shoshone in-stream flow water rights success story, and why it matters for fish, agriculture, recreation, and downstream users
6. What participation actually looks like for citizens, paddlers, and river advocates
7. Why water systems are inherently complex—and why long-term engagement is essential

This episode is a reminder that rivers don’t just flow through landscapes—they flow through legal systems, governance structures, communities, and competing needs. The outcomes we see on the water are shaped by decisions made far upstream in time, policy, and relationship-building.

Whether you’re a paddler, angler, landowner, or simply someone who wants to better understand how water works where you live, this conversation offers insight, context, and perspective on the long work of following waters.

Mentioned in this episode:

JointheACA

JointheACA

JointheACA

Jack (Jay) Ditty is an emergency room physician, lifelong paddler, and the creator of the Safety Break. In this episode, we sit down to explore the intersection of paddling culture, risk, medicine, and responsibility — not from a place of fear, but from experience and care.

We talk about Jay’s path into paddling, how years in emergency medicine have shaped his understanding of risk, and why he believes the paddling community needs better, more honest conversations about safety. Jay shares the origin story of Safety Break, what he’s learned from hosting difficult conversations, and how storytelling can help normalize preparation, reflection, and humility on the water.

This conversation digs into the tension many paddlers feel: pushing personal limits while also recognizing the responsibility we carry — to partners, families, first responders, and the communities we paddle in. Jay offers a thoughtful perspective on how we can hold space for progression and consequence at the same time.

A grounded, practical episode for anyone who paddles — especially those who care deeply about the long-term health of our community.

Mentioned in this episode:

JointheACA

JointheACA

JointheACA

In this episode of Following Waters, we sit down with Joe Cook of Georgia River Network to unpack one of the most important — and least understood — water access debates in the Southeast: Freedom to Float in Georgia.

Georgia is home to some of the most beautiful and biologically rich rivers in the country, yet paddlers, anglers, and river users often find themselves caught in conflict over where they are legally allowed to float, wade, or stop. At the heart of the issue is a murky mix of 19th-century law, modern recreation, private property concerns, and public trust — and a growing movement to clarify what access really looks like in a changing state.

Joe helps us understand:

1. How Georgia’s river access laws evolved — and why they’re so confusing today
2. What “navigable waters” means in Georgia (and why that definition matters)
3. Where conflicts between landowners and paddlers most often arise
4. Recent legislative efforts and advocacy work around Freedom to Float
5. What’s at stake if access continues to be restricted or left unclear
6. How everyday river users can stay informed, engaged, and respectful

This conversation isn’t about winning arguments — it’s about finding balance: honoring private property rights while protecting rivers as shared public resources that connect communities, ecosystems, and generations.

Whether you paddle every weekend or have never thought about who “owns” a river, this episode offers a clear, thoughtful look at why access matters — and how it shapes our relationship with water.

Find out more at Georgia Rivers

Mentioned in this episode:

JointheACA

JointheACA

Bryan Kirk’s story doesn’t start with podiums or product lines — it starts on the Delaware River, learning moves bit by bit near his grandmother’s farm, building a relationship with water that was patient, playful, and deeply rooted in family. Those early days were followed by long stretches on the Potomac River with his dad, where time together mattered as much as time in the boat.

Support came in quiet but powerful ways: a first RPM from his mom, a Grand Canyon trip as a graduation gift from his dad — moments that didn’t just reward progress, but affirmed a path. At Virginia Tech, a series of fortuitous friendships helped Bryan lock in on the process, not outcomes, and sparked a fascination with freestyle moves that eventually felt less like a hobby and more like a calling.

Faced with a “real job” option after college — including work at a gravel mine using his degree — Bryan made the harder, riskier choice: to major in kayaking, commit fully to progression, and see where the process would lead. That decision carried him from dedicated paddler to designer, team leader, and longtime force at Wave Sport, helping shape how freestyle kayaking looks, feels, and progresses.

Throughout the conversation, Bryan reflects with deep gratitude — for family, for mentors, for friends, and for a journey built one move at a time. It’s a story about trust, patience, and choosing a life shaped by curiosity and care rather than certainty.

This episode is about family, freestyle, progression, and the quiet courage it takes to keep showing up — gas up the truck, pack some PB&Js, and go kayaking.

Instagram: bkayaker

Mentioned in this episode:

JointheACA

JointheACA

JointheACA