I never thought I would be so thankful that I knew how to swim until today. So thank you mom and dad for those years of commitment to swim lessons and weekends spent and swim team. So you might wonder where I'm going with this.... well yes it's another tale of the kayak club.
As I put my freezing cold wetsuit on this morning I though nothing of it. Before I knew it we carried our kayaks over to this side stream, passed them down a short cliff, the hiked down to the base of the stream. This was one of the first times I had ever done rapids in a kayak, but I thought I could handle it. We head down stream and stop about 100 yards before a short waterfall. I'm pretty stoked at this point because I have gone of bridges so this really couldn't be that bad right?!
We start heading down stream and we are supposed to keep 2 boats lengths infront of us. This guy was ahead of me who looked like was going to die.... probably the same expression I had the first time I went off the bridge. Everyone was trying to get his confidence up, and of course I ended up behind him. We were instructed to stay left because there was a large rock on the right. So what does he do.... He goes right... Of course! His boat is now stuck infront of me going perpendicular to the rapids and blocking the entire width of the stream. I can't stop because we are in rapids, so I turn my boat to the side so that I can dock up against him and push him off. He is so scared that he grabs my boat so fiercely that mine flips into the rapids. He is even more distraught.... My boat fills with so much water that it sinks and then reemerges and floats down stream with my paddle. We had a guide 300 yards down stream making sure everyone came out of the waterfall okay so he was able to get my boat. I was able to send the guy who was freaking out over the waterfall, but here I am boatless with one other guide.
We hike off to the side and he give me two options. We can either hike down the street to get our boats and swim. Ummm let me think... I'm not swimming down at 40 degree river with rapids... i think not. So we begin to hike and come upon a house. On one side it boarders the river, on the other side it boarders the stream, there was no way around it. About 3 feet up was a small step, we climbed up and realized we were on the roof of a house. Walked to then end and realized it was about a 15 foot jump to the ground. Well- guess that means we are going for a swim. So I climb down the side, and the next thing I know I'm in the river. Oh, by the way- did I mention by this time there were atleast 50 people on the ridge watching this whole episode. By the time it was over it seemed like there were 100 people.
We start floating down the river to the group. I tried not to go into shock with the temperature of the water so I tried to take my mind off of it. So I started doing deep breathing...hahaha I felt like I was in a birthing class...heck I could probably teach one after those breathing skills! About 200-300 yards later we finally catch up with our group and the boats. By this time I'm pretty sure everyone on the ridge watching this episode has taken a picture, but I decided I'm totally cool with that- may I will see myself on the cover of the next "outdoor explorers magazine"?! who knows. Or maybe they were paparazzi?!
So I finally get in my boat and we kayak the rest of the rapids, and I make sure I stay in front of the guy who was deathly afraid of the rapids. We get to the end of the river, and then got to carry our kayaks back to the shed. 15 minutes with a kayak on your back...awesomeness... you get some really weird looks, oddly, no one wanted to take my picture then, so maybe I will just stick with swimming?
I wish I had pictures to illustrate this adventure, but don't worry, just pick up a tabloid and maybe I will be on the cover?! Who knows?
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