tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55317059160848460352024-03-05T10:42:19.028-08:00Dreaming of WhitewaterDaan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-44175194615796578382013-11-30T14:11:00.000-08:002013-11-30T14:11:27.362-08:00Fantasy FallsCheck out our trip down Fantasy Falls in California from this summer.<div>
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To see the full write up go to <a href="http://dreamingofwhitewater.com/">Dreamingofwhitewater.com</a><br /><div>
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Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-41361526464410101402013-08-28T12:41:00.000-07:002013-08-28T12:41:36.625-07:00Making an Improvised Stretcher<div class="MsoNormal">
Last summer in New Zealand we watched this video: <span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/54896465">http://vimeo.com/54896465</a></span>. At
minute 3.30 there is an accident where somebody hurts their back pretty bad.
While we were watching, we were cringing at their extraction method and asking
the question "is there a better way"? I think that the best resource
that we have for packaging someone with spinal issues for transport is a
(their) kayak. It can be dragged, lifted, modified and destroyed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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If I found myself in a situation where I though that my back was broken, I
would want my friends to look after me and do what ever they had to make sure
the situation didn't get any worse. If this means chopping up my kayak, then I
would say go for it. </div>
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During some downtime this week in Canada, we tried out what system we would use
(on a kayak that was broken and retired). <o:p></o:p></div>
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First we chopped out the cockpit to make a hole big enough
to slide a person into. We did this using our river saws.</div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
next step was cutting some holes in the bottom to thread our slings through the
kayak. We made the holes with a small pen blow torch and a knife.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACbugFVOTFiP-zv4IH1Kd5ZnftB6UtL2wKaTPkskXu5HXU9zijXjsjnKi9zf1QxL15OfVHGqYj4B4D1Z6yock7Fnb7AazFZK2iyCqldztFPUeQAAzdKiOBRegrkqDd6EdgpZhMwVNR2iJ/s1600/IMG_3749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACbugFVOTFiP-zv4IH1Kd5ZnftB6UtL2wKaTPkskXu5HXU9zijXjsjnKi9zf1QxL15OfVHGqYj4B4D1Z6yock7Fnb7AazFZK2iyCqldztFPUeQAAzdKiOBRegrkqDd6EdgpZhMwVNR2iJ/s640/IMG_3749.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
slings are used to keep the patient in place. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnf8ozj49_aaIfmrnrHr9WA1FQ6cmlac7OV5c2Uisr6W0_Iby-73xnUvYPbrdGG-4MPsVJiPg9O5d-iYlms5Sd3rq4lGa701fcIAATpzneh9tzdZ-8Sdvctx1S2jje3W25HadiZRFmQkq/s1600/IMG_3751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnf8ozj49_aaIfmrnrHr9WA1FQ6cmlac7OV5c2Uisr6W0_Iby-73xnUvYPbrdGG-4MPsVJiPg9O5d-iYlms5Sd3rq4lGa701fcIAATpzneh9tzdZ-8Sdvctx1S2jje3W25HadiZRFmQkq/s640/IMG_3751.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Slings are used to make a full body harness<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PSyfxvelsNdiXI07FXboI7984SMz8BQ4H9u_9Q_mwvRYmxXA8oWvlxUPpOAqhNlpldLCD6__2hE7xo5gJicEHYA3Tf7DDLa6Hs2r7xB67spOnEGqUO4f4PIKBUL6b9faSRqw0lYXok7t/s1600/IMG_3753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PSyfxvelsNdiXI07FXboI7984SMz8BQ4H9u_9Q_mwvRYmxXA8oWvlxUPpOAqhNlpldLCD6__2hE7xo5gJicEHYA3Tf7DDLa6Hs2r7xB67spOnEGqUO4f4PIKBUL6b9faSRqw0lYXok7t/s640/IMG_3753.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
end loops of the kayak can be used to make an attachment point for hauling. I
would use a separate safety line that goes directly to the victim as
a back up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZ5lIYbz4ZELJvVxz1-V3H2QrhhPMMJECCj19b631sGsyLcuK-AdFjJ1YKD4fgVocfYfNJUzKdoaNUe1oa-rNmc1fw_bQOGmU9zJ7kwbNQ9Zn-_aghJMgr18Jjl0yqC-LWwJlKvPhe18X/s1600/IMG_3752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZ5lIYbz4ZELJvVxz1-V3H2QrhhPMMJECCj19b631sGsyLcuK-AdFjJ1YKD4fgVocfYfNJUzKdoaNUe1oa-rNmc1fw_bQOGmU9zJ7kwbNQ9Zn-_aghJMgr18Jjl0yqC-LWwJlKvPhe18X/s640/IMG_3752.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rata
was secure in the stretcher and didn't move at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYl9QnSqhm9X3kAYChyphenhyphenJBQEcv2-UpsrVsbm2tp7jDDqgdEg3LoRdD1s_owzYj0GUe3A7SOWs_2m6ogwAx5HC-uqgNvakjAUuIqkBL7LUhINaGWY34MMjytGsH6oXmNvukyGA_wHxjaV-Sd/s1600/IMG_3755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYl9QnSqhm9X3kAYChyphenhyphenJBQEcv2-UpsrVsbm2tp7jDDqgdEg3LoRdD1s_owzYj0GUe3A7SOWs_2m6ogwAx5HC-uqgNvakjAUuIqkBL7LUhINaGWY34MMjytGsH6oXmNvukyGA_wHxjaV-Sd/s640/IMG_3755.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Handles
could easily be added to the sides to allow for easy carrying. You can use
the center pillar to make a neck collar and head support.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77j8m83UbzLbZuzCHh3X2EqLgAoJaZUP2nfTi0CyjNr0EueKkzNxAn7L12gVrLKojWs_MzTlgI5-iYlIZO3Y8p0i-gUTP1NL9Z44RSoLne9tgcj5fWFjCYlCXtEk87EIh4lAXahubvhYq/s1600/IMG_3760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77j8m83UbzLbZuzCHh3X2EqLgAoJaZUP2nfTi0CyjNr0EueKkzNxAn7L12gVrLKojWs_MzTlgI5-iYlIZO3Y8p0i-gUTP1NL9Z44RSoLne9tgcj5fWFjCYlCXtEk87EIh4lAXahubvhYq/s640/IMG_3760.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Once we were done, Lief had a chainsaw which made it very
easy to finish cutting up the kayak to recycle it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEd7bQP8rVF0PtXjVtpW1vPgidRIAgKrkqYXpTis58-GwsjINNXJkDcICl4lRheU9WMKuuDxYSSLcS5vkQULkC_LL3ge59URq5BRbjP7NFZt6egM8nlcHsSyXTD0hPoLTu4WNoJ5YClyW/s1600/IMG_3780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEd7bQP8rVF0PtXjVtpW1vPgidRIAgKrkqYXpTis58-GwsjINNXJkDcICl4lRheU9WMKuuDxYSSLcS5vkQULkC_LL3ge59URq5BRbjP7NFZt6egM8nlcHsSyXTD0hPoLTu4WNoJ5YClyW/s640/IMG_3780.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rata
enjoying it a bit too much. Safety first. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-73363216917036389502013-08-15T14:50:00.000-07:002013-08-15T14:50:20.123-07:00Rogers Creek, British Columbia: One Year Later<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At the moment, we are kicking about in Whistler, BC. We are with our friends Phil and Rata (Two Dash Productions) and have picked up a couple of Idaho boys by the names of Sam and Mike. There is an abundance of paddling to do around the area, from quick Cheakamus laps to full day adventures like Tatlow Creek, and everything in between.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A few days ago, we got on Rogers Creek which is a couple of hours north of here. It is a tributary of the Lillooet River and is famous for its' triple, back-to-back 20-footers. Daan and I had our first foray into Rogers Creek about a year ago. With just the two of us, it made for a pretty good adventure. You can read about that trip here: <a href="http://dreamingofwhitewater.com/resources/DW-Magazines/Issue-Four/DWIssueFourLR.pdf">Dreaming of Whitewater Magazine</a> (Issue #4).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This time round, we had a team of six. Having spent the evening prior soaking in the Tsek Hot Springs, we were ready to go. The road up to the put-in is pretty steep, but in way better condition than last year. One of our vehicles is more of a low-clearance and low-gradient cruiser, so we did a couple of trips up in the other rig to save hiking up with our boats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Driving up the put-in road, we checked out the falls and were pleased to see that the flows looked great down there. Once you are at the top of the hill, it is a hike-down into the river. Daan picked a stellar line through the second generation forest, which had us at the river in good time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Picking our way down through some (manky) boulder gardens, there were a few fun drops before we got the the last eddy before the three waterfalls. Scouting from river left, we got a phenomenal view down into the gorge and everybody got pretty excited. The drops look amazing, clean and pretty friendly. Not to mention, the lighting made it all look even better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rata Lovell-Smith charging #1.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The three drops are each around 20 feet high. Once you are into the gorge, you are committed until you finish the third drop. The first drop is a spouty-ledge into an aerated, moving pool. The second drop is run left of middle, into a beautiful green pool. The pool is spectacular, as you look up around at the gorged in walls and lush green forest above. The third drop is a near vertical slide, best run on the right, which fans out into a friendly pool below.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Daan Jimmink making #2 look way too easy (as always).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Photo//Jess Matheson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The author (Jess Matheson) looking for air on #2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Boise Boy Mike Thurmond getting "amongst it" on #2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Phil Palzer on #2 repping it for the Kiwis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rata making her exit move, a ferry to the right to line up #3.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Photo//Daan Jimmink</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: start;">Looking back up at the series of drops is truly breathtaking. Such good waterfalls in such a fantastic environment. The drops were so good, that a bunch of the team went back for more (you can hike up river left).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Daan enjoying #3 for the third time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The other Boise Boy Sam Wells with "The Line" on #3.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rata hucking #2... Such an awesome place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There was just the one kerfuffle. Rata lent her spray deck to Sam (his one is prone to implosions), via Mike carrying it back up to the top. Getting his boat across to the left back saw the spray deck fall out and start making its' way downstream. With all available people searching every possible nook and cranny, we eventually found it a few rapids downstream where it was gently beached on a rock, happily rocking side to side in the current. It was a good save!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While we were searching, the team also cut out a log that was in the run-out of one of the last good rapids. You still had to limbo move under the massive log just below (think head-height) but it cleaned things up a lot. A few more moves saw us at our exit point, where we hiked a short distance back up to the road.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was initially a little underwhelmed about going back into Rogers, having been on the gruesome-twosome mission originally and finding that a little stressful. But it turns out with a great team and a beautiful warm and sunny day, Rogers is an truly an incredible place to be. What I remembered as being manky in there, still was, but there was much more good stuff than I remembered. The drops are well worth going for, and I would love to get back in there for trip number 3.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">//Jess</span>Jess Mathesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07108141830574480410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-65098307380061609922013-07-27T22:00:00.000-07:002013-07-27T22:00:33.887-07:00West Coast, NZ: The Wangapeka<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Think lush, green temperate rainforest. Add recent rain, a hungry-for-paddling team and (finally) some free time... And you have a deal. In March, amongst our busy stretch of teaching kayaking, we managed to escape to the Westport. In all honesty, there are possibly better places to escape, but on the back of some rain and rumours of some pretty fun paddling, we headed over for the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Picking up Mr, Matty Coles - our Westport tour guide, and in between driving shifts - we planned our day. A Wangapeka in the morning, a Ngakawau in the afternoon, then back to Murchison that evening. Too easy! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Wangapeka came to easy fruition. It is a short journey north of Westport, and then a short walk (30 minutes or so) along an old mining trail to the put-in. The Wangapeka is a bit of a local staple, keeping people honest and inspired between dry spells. The river needs rain. It's a sweet Class III-IV trip, runnable at a range of water levels and tucked into classic West Coast bush. There were five of us: Matt, Rata, Soph, Daan and myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All Photos//Daan Jimmink.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The walk-in follows an old mining trail.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtiLeToayPm9UuK2foiVgeMSUcC28ujxHvQgt49VrMEB1_a1JKDmwb1OpfjxH-ZDBrK2erjtZymxNQ27hWJoke9TCA2fEQ4Ft2Z50In9lm5txOhR-ThMeIdxEgn0IfFPHWnpx2HDquJc/s1600/IMG_7727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtiLeToayPm9UuK2foiVgeMSUcC28ujxHvQgt49VrMEB1_a1JKDmwb1OpfjxH-ZDBrK2erjtZymxNQ27hWJoke9TCA2fEQ4Ft2Z50In9lm5txOhR-ThMeIdxEgn0IfFPHWnpx2HDquJc/s640/IMG_7727.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> At some point during the walk-in, the trail changes sides of the river!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0umBw51AO5GNRlszxreqYcuk_Fo0lFNdfjo_GTifj3jfXWrTw-aSay4W1IShfcTlnoLkacMfU5soDiGmP0OQUYDPyasmJ3XkM0Wlwhwu5MU5WmZ7QJVC9zM2AEwxGHvZCKE4F90TPhms/s1600/IMG_7751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0umBw51AO5GNRlszxreqYcuk_Fo0lFNdfjo_GTifj3jfXWrTw-aSay4W1IShfcTlnoLkacMfU5soDiGmP0OQUYDPyasmJ3XkM0Wlwhwu5MU5WmZ7QJVC9zM2AEwxGHvZCKE4F90TPhms/s640/IMG_7751.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Everyone needs a local. Enter Matt Coles. We miss you!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfmGVzZ3TnEvk_wgP27erZK5IwFUfFJGWw1H8DgNd_0_Gkca2D1-qYFioAfTWjfZiyhRsuqkvPYeC08cbvH-Om8WaJLk4zju1tFLdpqQoVmhUYF6i6qo0m2YU8OesF0QJT-LL9zwh2LY/s1600/IMG_7760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfmGVzZ3TnEvk_wgP27erZK5IwFUfFJGWw1H8DgNd_0_Gkca2D1-qYFioAfTWjfZiyhRsuqkvPYeC08cbvH-Om8WaJLk4zju1tFLdpqQoVmhUYF6i6qo0m2YU8OesF0QJT-LL9zwh2LY/s640/IMG_7760.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Girls on the mission... Soph and myself.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPy24Z7X9qgiR38dvRmSHVk5-EBE5RySyA0D6xjZYMtbftLg7GUqh1CmX6Kuk52mhQ43l4V0FFIwaU1A5fnv3kE2aasgFtqkRrgTw0i25bkKrveisOzi4A2gvyae694aisWm89uZmnjxQ/s1600/IMG_7770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPy24Z7X9qgiR38dvRmSHVk5-EBE5RySyA0D6xjZYMtbftLg7GUqh1CmX6Kuk52mhQ43l4V0FFIwaU1A5fnv3kE2aasgFtqkRrgTw0i25bkKrveisOzi4A2gvyae694aisWm89uZmnjxQ/s640/IMG_7770.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Classic West Coast rain-run colours.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNSrqs2sX29OEDoPODJH33mu20XWea99S-L2DE4UI-v6WuwGSapmsrdwemBCpxZMH-qYaW7WZ5o365qzQeBjykhkpVDa1UuGi_vA-7TuQHk7XLt2vuV8b0k9JJ3EXrA3RpXViu0qOPug/s1600/IMG_7782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNSrqs2sX29OEDoPODJH33mu20XWea99S-L2DE4UI-v6WuwGSapmsrdwemBCpxZMH-qYaW7WZ5o365qzQeBjykhkpVDa1UuGi_vA-7TuQHk7XLt2vuV8b0k9JJ3EXrA3RpXViu0qOPug/s640/IMG_7782.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Soph steezin' it up.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1stWM_PZ5A6L3CeWuUxnyk76wvD331kIS8N1B6xAlUl4Wy1dF2NbM4HOwhq-X-lswWqW4npIC_lUfKv1QfFNDD9qypjww-Okz9Jor-WM9v9MqCvnjI7Sonk2nz_tF8EPUzFIgJeG0Mz0/s1600/IMG_7789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1stWM_PZ5A6L3CeWuUxnyk76wvD331kIS8N1B6xAlUl4Wy1dF2NbM4HOwhq-X-lswWqW4npIC_lUfKv1QfFNDD9qypjww-Okz9Jor-WM9v9MqCvnjI7Sonk2nz_tF8EPUzFIgJeG0Mz0/s640/IMG_7789.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Colesy on a hot date with his Nomad. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFBI99e0EAzy3G8L9mz8CZUgKyC9oRH0vMdLuAZZ8iZp1GQ0o11Lgg19Cu2aQdkTKkaJT73bLYi4Z9ozNUlN8TrrfBgxWuVcb9LuJKg4-SUJ8kzNC5ICX0wDvQSBDgGcLK6ww1A1__Sc/s1600/IMG_7799-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFBI99e0EAzy3G8L9mz8CZUgKyC9oRH0vMdLuAZZ8iZp1GQ0o11Lgg19Cu2aQdkTKkaJT73bLYi4Z9ozNUlN8TrrfBgxWuVcb9LuJKg4-SUJ8kzNC5ICX0wDvQSBDgGcLK6ww1A1__Sc/s640/IMG_7799-2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rata... What is that?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Wanagapeka was a good little mission... Happy days! Jess.</span></div>
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Jess Mathesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07108141830574480410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-15593907892905254352013-05-17T18:04:00.000-07:002013-05-17T18:04:30.129-07:00Two Days on the Upper Whitcombe, New Zealand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This year has been a very busy one for all of us at the New Zealand Kayak School. Lots of cool people and awesome courses - river rescue, playboating, advanced groups, intermediate groups and beginner groups. Because of the busy months, we did not have much time to get our much needed fix for adventure. So the first chance we got, we headed down to the Best Coast (West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand) for the two-day trip on the Upper Whitcombe. </div>
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We had a great team with Ben White, Jess Matheson, Phil Palzer, Rata Lovell-Smith, Soph Steezy Mulder and myself. </div>
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We called up Danny Reedy (the helicopter pilot) for a price and to see if he was available for the morning. Everything pieced together nicely. </div>
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Recent floods have left their marks on the Whitcombe, changing some rapids a little bit and changing other dramatically. Most of the changes were for the better, which is always a good thing. The rapids keep coming on day one, and don't stop until just before Prices Hut. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTh1fzC1Eqnzr2wljJMu2z3qBZo1WUi4qp8Z6e_jx4S6roKwJJMDcY9yHhMeyRcaijxKDgIsOfV3tXV2Gp3PxltSMB1bFsVwlW_b7uwLMkhtiyhg3CUQVcewlP54LHpNcuvI1THyP90Be/s1600/IMG_3632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTh1fzC1Eqnzr2wljJMu2z3qBZo1WUi4qp8Z6e_jx4S6roKwJJMDcY9yHhMeyRcaijxKDgIsOfV3tXV2Gp3PxltSMB1bFsVwlW_b7uwLMkhtiyhg3CUQVcewlP54LHpNcuvI1THyP90Be/s640/IMG_3632.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unloading at the put-in.<br />
Photo//Jess Matheson</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKfQ-Zs2_G7DBNkyWlehbsDE56ZcC2M627GsIsyD_zu_b94S5RxCRseWvOxP2Nb7sNu2ZpJoZ85_NP-ZjPW5YXRcVsqVyVcliLw4cEUnQSzJ6dcjKwD81j8jpIKihLrOagYav6bj3CVDd/s1600/IMG_6873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKfQ-Zs2_G7DBNkyWlehbsDE56ZcC2M627GsIsyD_zu_b94S5RxCRseWvOxP2Nb7sNu2ZpJoZ85_NP-ZjPW5YXRcVsqVyVcliLw4cEUnQSzJ6dcjKwD81j8jpIKihLrOagYav6bj3CVDd/s640/IMG_6873.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rata probing the centre line.<br />
Photo//Daan Jimmink</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phil finding out what the Whitcombe is all about.<br />
Photo//Daan Jimmink</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rata on her first Boof To Swim.<br />
Photo//Daan Jimmink<br />
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A full-on seven hours of kayaking got us to the hut. This is where the rest of the hard work started! As we flew into the Upper Whitcombe, we got the pilot to drop off our food and over night gear at the hut. The bags weighed a lot more than they should have because of all of the awesome food, wine, bacon, eggs, milk, snacks and treats. Everyone suffered from multiple food comas trying to eat as much of the food as possible. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rata serving up breakfast in the morning.<br />
Photo//Daan Jimmink</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before the food comas set in.<br />
Photo//Daan Jimmink</td></tr>
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Day two has more fantastic kayaking, and also contains my favourite section of the run - Prices Gorge. Lots of very clean rapids that just keep coming at you and only one short portage. At the bottom of Prices Gorge you still have the regular Whitcombe day trip to paddle, which is where we got into a great rhythm as everyone in our team had been down this section a number of times. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phil skirting (what used to be) the Toilet Bowl.<br />
Photo//Daan Jimmink</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben about to enter the light.<br />
Photo//Daan Jimmink</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmZle1TxwPXQKM9EA3vkg7-CrOwSb8ZpDIjUFLR7kO5SgohDkObyDV4SSDImDlrdGapCNkHAdfonum4sWqMHewYSR0a9fhTE5BJ1ZqkyM3KranDC7IpZZbI-EotizHoi-1ZQX0qWw0_SW/s1600/IMG_7024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmZle1TxwPXQKM9EA3vkg7-CrOwSb8ZpDIjUFLR7kO5SgohDkObyDV4SSDImDlrdGapCNkHAdfonum4sWqMHewYSR0a9fhTE5BJ1ZqkyM3KranDC7IpZZbI-EotizHoi-1ZQX0qWw0_SW/s640/IMG_7024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jess, waiting for her crucial stroke.<br />
Photo//Daan Jimmink</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RxoMOZfo8PELhRy0DLwgAQCx642jT8YX_XMRNJp3mVXziTTUhJrae7ur_GeePfLwwpoIiAY6687C7mp_pXIORW_NkLyc1vcSdM7EVVbG8xJYVnMfBsiHA-QAOQiPy_HUW6uOS1eLPygJ/s1600/IMG_7036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RxoMOZfo8PELhRy0DLwgAQCx642jT8YX_XMRNJp3mVXziTTUhJrae7ur_GeePfLwwpoIiAY6687C7mp_pXIORW_NkLyc1vcSdM7EVVbG8xJYVnMfBsiHA-QAOQiPy_HUW6uOS1eLPygJ/s640/IMG_7036.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soph, loving her nomad.<br />
Photo//Daan Jimmink</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaMpG7xmBoj5B7Y5Xhvkxa-U7B48J3qN1l6fdupmC07NqMf6kdRibXWrkCPKqcRqM373W0ZhVKZb54VwQMxnxWUoQ71Fnw-UXXLQuiAydJfsFmo7qoi4nPlh1t4_yhHmV6ugCYkee5s9s/s1600/IMG_7043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaMpG7xmBoj5B7Y5Xhvkxa-U7B48J3qN1l6fdupmC07NqMf6kdRibXWrkCPKqcRqM373W0ZhVKZb54VwQMxnxWUoQ71Fnw-UXXLQuiAydJfsFmo7qoi4nPlh1t4_yhHmV6ugCYkee5s9s/s640/IMG_7043.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rata, just before her triple fist pump.<br />
Photo//Daan Jimmink</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpWWNB1OA0d854EGr-fdcApNvs5A-Vd1N53iy6mym_u-tT93GmEtXfbf99Iraq-hOqeR93ckbSExK0cGv_KJ7hHl6YG9PbpGO9WfuD_ufxvssb18E6n66EEABXXbZQmJcuWUr5yy1lKLi/s1600/IMG_3659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpWWNB1OA0d854EGr-fdcApNvs5A-Vd1N53iy6mym_u-tT93GmEtXfbf99Iraq-hOqeR93ckbSExK0cGv_KJ7hHl6YG9PbpGO9WfuD_ufxvssb18E6n66EEABXXbZQmJcuWUr5yy1lKLi/s640/IMG_3659.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Me on the on of the big ones on the second day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Photo//Jess Matheson</span></div>
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13 hours of kayaking and four rapids that weren't run by our team. A great couple of days. Can't wait to get on more of the two-day heli trips on the coast. </div>
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Till next time... Daan.</div>
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We are pleased to bring you Issue #4 of Dreaming of Whitewater.</div>
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This issue is a bit later than expected, we have had a really busy summer. We hope that you enjoy this issue - we have had a lot of fun shooting pictures and putting it all together. </div>
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In this issue you will find.</div>
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<li class="li1">The Crooked River, New Zealand</li>
<li class="li1">Chelan Gorge, WA, USA</li>
<li class="li1">Rolling</li>
<li class="li1">Gear to carry in your rescue vest</li>
<li class="li1">Rogers Creek, BC, Canada</li>
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And of course some of our favourite shots in the Gallery section.</div>
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<a href="http://dreamingofwhitewater.com/resources/DW-Magazines/Issue-Four/DWIssueFourHR.pdf">Click here to view Issue #4 in High Res</a></div>
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<a href="http://dreamingofwhitewater.com/resources/DW-Magazines/Issue-Four/DWIssueFourLR.pdf">Click here to view Issue #4 in Lower Res (Faster Download)</a></div>
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We value your thoughts, feedback and support so please get in touch with us. We are always looking for more ideas!</div>
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Please help us share Dreaming of Whitewater with more people by clicking "Like" on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Dreamingofwhitewater"><span class="s1">Facebook</span></a> </div>
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And finally, a big thankyou to everyone who has helped us out during this issue... The people we have paddled with, recreated with, taught with and stayed with; those we free-loaded from, travelled with, used internet from and everyone in-between, to help bring Issue #4 to the world! </div>
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Happy paddling,</div>
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<i>Daan Jimmink and Jess Matheson</i></div>
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CEO's, Editors, Gophers, Photographers and Stunt People.</div>
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<br />Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-15388909276452515692012-06-12T11:41:00.000-07:002012-06-12T11:41:36.382-07:00Dreaming of Whitewater: Issue Two... If you haven't already, check it out!If you haven't checked out Issue Two of Dreaming of Whitewater yet, make sure you take some time to read it - it's free. We are currently working hard on Issue Three which will be out in August.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://dreamingofwhitewater.com/resources/DW-Magazines/Issue-two/DW-Issue-Two.pdf" target="_blank">Click here to go to the link</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">http://dreamingofwhitewater.com/resources/DW-Magazines/Issue-two/DW-Issue-Two.pdf</div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-43798501680159673922012-06-10T22:41:00.000-07:002012-06-10T22:41:23.562-07:00New Sweet Bearsuit Elbow Guards<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">If you haven’t had the chance to check out the new Sweet Protection Mountain Biking line, then you should take a look. I was very excited about the new range of mountain biking gear, but not for the reason you would think. I biked a bunch in the past but always managed to hit trees or break stuff, which was never good for me and meant that I needed to fix my bike a lot. I was excited because Sweet has started making elbow guards that I can use for paddling.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7s1G2C04Iu80ifObvPQw-iPGDeeisozBKdDq8X01YdGprbAgb3KUTTduAEe2LzUYwwue5AYj9k7uXzHSVt_RU-2RWg8HpkLQd_R69PM0WFYjNWTuvle_zccPnv13bwW78goT6SdEk-hX/s1600/bear_suite-elbow_pads-black-v02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7s1G2C04Iu80ifObvPQw-iPGDeeisozBKdDq8X01YdGprbAgb3KUTTduAEe2LzUYwwue5AYj9k7uXzHSVt_RU-2RWg8HpkLQd_R69PM0WFYjNWTuvle_zccPnv13bwW78goT6SdEk-hX/s400/bear_suite-elbow_pads-black-v02.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The new Bearsuit Elbow Guards are a simple, pull-over-the-arm model, with a strap that holds it in place. The fabric on forearm is thin, kind of like neoprene, but it has a slightly sticky side that keeps it in place. It fits well over a dry top. The actual protection comes from a foam layer that is soft to touch but super hard when hit. The foam layer is know as EVA, and it is flexible, shock proof and waterproof. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I have used them on a number of occasions and they look awesome and feel great. They have protected my elbows a couple of times already. They require less adjusting than the forearm-elbow guards from SixSixOne, and they are less bulky than the Shred Ready elbow guards. The Sweet design allows for a great range of motion in a pretty low profile fit, while still giving great protection.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9V2Ici7nQPvzOm1EgYUIcLi_d2f16fwKokBTypbvrAqpQNR8x6u70J1NCyEMCT5hih5PrsBOp-eIkI_1GJoMBwMAP0d-AlVA8qcnhcONdkg8PNxTin3eWc4xtVTDr9XxRFliPmrSnAY-z/s1600/IMG_3986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9V2Ici7nQPvzOm1EgYUIcLi_d2f16fwKokBTypbvrAqpQNR8x6u70J1NCyEMCT5hih5PrsBOp-eIkI_1GJoMBwMAP0d-AlVA8qcnhcONdkg8PNxTin3eWc4xtVTDr9XxRFliPmrSnAY-z/s400/IMG_3986.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Myself on Little Niagara, Hospital Rock on the Kaweah River, CA </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US">Photo//Josh Neilson </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I would recommend getting a size bigger than your regular fit if you are going to wear them over top of your dry top.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">These elbow guards are a great addition to my kayaking kit and to the Sweet line up. Look out for them in stores, on riders and on the water. <o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-12811760818127341282012-06-08T18:20:00.000-07:002012-06-08T18:20:05.489-07:00The Good Kind of Devil... Devil's Canyon, Middle Feather<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Typically in California, you finish one mission and are immediately planning the next. The South Merced was no different - as soon as the team was off the river and waiting for the shuttle, the wheels began rolling for the next mission. From Yosemite, we did a mad dash north in the night to be at the Middle Feather by morning for a two day trip through Devil's Canyon. The team: Tyler Fox, Jim Bob, Daan and myself.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Devil's Canyon is usually done as a three day trip as the area is amazing and the camping very good. Not for us though... We had two days to paddle, a flow of 2500 cfs and an airport commitment the day after. Fortunately there is a shuttle driver up the Feather so logically we called him to help out.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Not so logical was the conversation that ensued. After first declaring that he was not the "shuttle guy", he proceeded to lecture me about the perils of trying to paddle the river in two days without someone who had done it before. There was a lot of banter before we finally compromised on leaving his place at 8.30am.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We rolled in with five minutes to spare and realised (quite quickly) that we weren't going anywhere fast - welcome to Feather time. A bit of last minute packing and squishing freed up the front passenger seat for our shuttle guy. Taking his seat he then removed his hat and unfurled the longest (and roughest) mullet I have ever seen, about a foot from my face. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our shuttle passed by wonderfully. We were in constant fits of laughter and I had tears rolling down my face within the first ten minutes and it didn't stop until we waved this guy goodbye from the river. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Once on the river we settled in for a decent day on the river. Things started out gently and soon fell into a rhythm of rapids and pools. One of the many great things about Devil's Canyon is that there are no long stretches of flatwater. The gradient keeps things moving consistently and along with our 2500 cfs of water, we were flying. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uqkmdxmskDkimBQaF8QPSaIeI1S8BBGVATZJ9n7MnW957GVjoZKQQNY9ySoZk8Z5GevdPgQKT4ldXdRDKpLORH7M90wBBrIcNGkTYdwmgT7riRPrKS7qtyx-m4w01q-NTcrqLQmB43Bq/s1600/IMG_0750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uqkmdxmskDkimBQaF8QPSaIeI1S8BBGVATZJ9n7MnW957GVjoZKQQNY9ySoZk8Z5GevdPgQKT4ldXdRDKpLORH7M90wBBrIcNGkTYdwmgT7riRPrKS7qtyx-m4w01q-NTcrqLQmB43Bq/s400/IMG_0750.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Myself on an early rapid... It keeps getting better and better!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Tyler Fox</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Although sunny, it wasn't a particularly warm day so we didn't stop too much. B</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">y the looks of the camping available in the first part of the run, it was no wonder to us that people choose to do this trip over three days. We were through the first canyon before we really knew it and quickly getting </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">deeper into the run. There were a few quick scouts but mostly super fun read and run grade 4+. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnxJwb6orz2dvSMd7jjTM6S4Bv_mlT9VxN8KAMutDmfWNcHXDHnjVMB3Yw9t0oSIEujhJhF0v08w2AB_D9ET629VeVSzxAIMDO9YkToJvEql-ftPufEvSDrK8to8-XzRRUfsxF_Bq_HjJ/s1600/IMG_0755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnxJwb6orz2dvSMd7jjTM6S4Bv_mlT9VxN8KAMutDmfWNcHXDHnjVMB3Yw9t0oSIEujhJhF0v08w2AB_D9ET629VeVSzxAIMDO9YkToJvEql-ftPufEvSDrK8to8-XzRRUfsxF_Bq_HjJ/s400/IMG_0755.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A rare stop: Daan enjoying his breakfast some six hours later.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You may note the half gallon of milk.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Tyler Fox</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_NzKk5obDWjSddNa4NW32AYyD5FO3OFD5oZw19QjNPAMFqFQOrf7IxGfBGl7ALDinR6gG-YLc-QUWYVfV_MJPjQ8Ua9xc060_zM-cTKr3PK5Db-5vH6U5q9SbQQg55KdCfIenaRlaAQf/s1600/IMG_2728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_NzKk5obDWjSddNa4NW32AYyD5FO3OFD5oZw19QjNPAMFqFQOrf7IxGfBGl7ALDinR6gG-YLc-QUWYVfV_MJPjQ8Ua9xc060_zM-cTKr3PK5Db-5vH6U5q9SbQQg55KdCfIenaRlaAQf/s400/IMG_2728.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Feather goodness... Drinking from a side creek</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Daan Jimmink</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZ9PBfXcSFTbnvttPQzWvkb8ZIziwI5tYpboSHxu4WMosK5WH-KgBUptZ_TPgE1JSv-IC2Z-oSRPeLgIRaW4g9id4bXztN44n4goZZ1tgrqplOBo4Jd2nPqH__TyaQRHexvZHp6hXCCtG/s1600/IMG_2716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZ9PBfXcSFTbnvttPQzWvkb8ZIziwI5tYpboSHxu4WMosK5WH-KgBUptZ_TPgE1JSv-IC2Z-oSRPeLgIRaW4g9id4bXztN44n4goZZ1tgrqplOBo4Jd2nPqH__TyaQRHexvZHp6hXCCtG/s400/IMG_2716.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mr Fox in an unexpectedly-steep rapid</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Daan Jimmink</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We paddled the second canyon which passes under the Pacific Crest Trail. The rapids kept coming which kept big smiles on our faces. As our afternoon wore on we were starting to get cold so were on the hunt for a good spot to pull up for the night. Jim Bob had actually done this run before but for the life of him could not remember much about it. To his credit, he did vaguely remember camping below the second canyon. Soon enough, we found a beach with our names on it (well, not really but you know what I mean). Steak, honey whiskey, gummi bears and M and M's... Yes, please.</span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilU08gTkhkGSF5jhoz_93hgG47i7_kKKc1SGScamBuAvRZxknUwoco5X2WTgcZxGtXteV4ySu8GpnmbK3r5FZr_d10ohbxL63Jd7NTrKiqHMeNLrkU-eIVF6e-eRDod0Hk5Yz1C62fUePk/s1600/IMG_2800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilU08gTkhkGSF5jhoz_93hgG47i7_kKKc1SGScamBuAvRZxknUwoco5X2WTgcZxGtXteV4ySu8GpnmbK3r5FZr_d10ohbxL63Jd7NTrKiqHMeNLrkU-eIVF6e-eRDod0Hk5Yz1C62fUePk/s400/IMG_2800.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What was left of the afternoon sun!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Daan Jimmink</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjpCLwgZiYaI5ebkwgcjbUpETTQtCk2l51mT-KLGqTNYMCeLDSk5CE4HttITRKVSj0XwvVTjMtwKvF4D6RGvUVgQnPOSDAKYwvkBTiCeT64J2ksqc7jITJc1Fei_XAZCGPoz_cdFL_ACk/s1600/IMG_2779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjpCLwgZiYaI5ebkwgcjbUpETTQtCk2l51mT-KLGqTNYMCeLDSk5CE4HttITRKVSj0XwvVTjMtwKvF4D6RGvUVgQnPOSDAKYwvkBTiCeT64J2ksqc7jITJc1Fei_XAZCGPoz_cdFL_ACk/s400/IMG_2779.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Daan and Tyler warming up while talking business</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Jess Matheson</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For what seemed like a pretty mellow campsite, it turned out to be more eventful than the river was. There was a bald eagle and some salamanders. I also intercepted a rattle snake on the beeline for my sleeping mat, and found shortly after an angry scorpion that I had been sitting on. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFbGdMvaZZhKbiOQaoLTBSBRb9MBEFnpo4SUzyVHiv5r_Llle9NT36miUq-rukpZCLnH9MRhnaHXCE4Ha9_gn8UkZ0T0DBfkokOmnR-RSRpLAb8onpm8kLB5dCMzvLp8xCox7c_hNRW-U/s1600/IMG_2744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFbGdMvaZZhKbiOQaoLTBSBRb9MBEFnpo4SUzyVHiv5r_Llle9NT36miUq-rukpZCLnH9MRhnaHXCE4Ha9_gn8UkZ0T0DBfkokOmnR-RSRpLAb8onpm8kLB5dCMzvLp8xCox7c_hNRW-U/s400/IMG_2744.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">He was just leaving.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Daan Jimmink</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This was only part of our evening entertainment. The wind picked up to epic proportions. Nothing like a sandy beach in the wind for a good sleep.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6tmzKfuzt9WYs6jEn6e7K3GFLpRwsMIprWxqYG8kqCpkGtUSvwPiPow5uJ0HzSjX4Fofxmnz302YApu7GadD8QXpPGcO9VFwiseuSCvVCTGiyuc9Z5qNVsiAnXhu_fxLQGpTo_ETQNEs/s1600/IMG_0764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6tmzKfuzt9WYs6jEn6e7K3GFLpRwsMIprWxqYG8kqCpkGtUSvwPiPow5uJ0HzSjX4Fofxmnz302YApu7GadD8QXpPGcO9VFwiseuSCvVCTGiyuc9Z5qNVsiAnXhu_fxLQGpTo_ETQNEs/s400/IMG_0764.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Big is good. Boat size for windbreaking...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tyler's invention.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Tyler Fox</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEG0cOQnz7chnwITAFb8Go4v8ttwtcGgT4CSdlFP1LR8xLb5jc2H5NlwJBb5VBP9VXMVsQ_qmrwPLYwh_OZqWPmrXyZBGhgJVVXi0TQlIF1KsfVp-xP8yWbOvpGLB_D26ifXVo0I2ANq4/s1600/IMG_2751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEG0cOQnz7chnwITAFb8Go4v8ttwtcGgT4CSdlFP1LR8xLb5jc2H5NlwJBb5VBP9VXMVsQ_qmrwPLYwh_OZqWPmrXyZBGhgJVVXi0TQlIF1KsfVp-xP8yWbOvpGLB_D26ifXVo0I2ANq4/s400/IMG_2751.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Windier than it looks!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Daan Jimmink</span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After a reasonably disrupted sleep, we were up and off again. Not sure where we were, how far we had gone, or how much we had left to paddle - we got on the water early (by Kiwi standards). We paddled about half an hour and came across a pair of paddlers camped up on a sweet beach eating breakfast. They said it was about three or four hours to the take out so we would have heaps of time to get there in time to meet our shuttle driver at 6pm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We got into some beautiful granite rapids in some amazing little gorges which was really fun paddling. We had a sweet couple of hours of paddling and had enough time to take a few pictures!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCM81Jpv8a4fZhtBmFLHvZKD46ccJCHiEcLWL54f4c9e1GaXC3o64WLMiOyWMCIQwZQuQYv8t77FvnSnorXkGJ_Eyxc3gGkXzLM3mlDhnrTHxIgzw8kKqa70f-IRamP5uak_D5fChs_SEZ/s1600/IMG_0778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCM81Jpv8a4fZhtBmFLHvZKD46ccJCHiEcLWL54f4c9e1GaXC3o64WLMiOyWMCIQwZQuQYv8t77FvnSnorXkGJ_Eyxc3gGkXzLM3mlDhnrTHxIgzw8kKqa70f-IRamP5uak_D5fChs_SEZ/s400/IMG_0778.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Daan somewhere in yet another rapid</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Tyler Fox</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qpM9t8Uo8itORvFHshOziiHQFhsUJBL0FdcjJyXNRN-UPZHFT4ll4ytoJAWP1UjRZ44A_-gDYq9ztD5e6cwixc8WPSannAQ9o46gvJ6El_f69xcwWGq6BzVffFjhrKMJuYbEhF9k1Tmg/s1600/IMG_0786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qpM9t8Uo8itORvFHshOziiHQFhsUJBL0FdcjJyXNRN-UPZHFT4ll4ytoJAWP1UjRZ44A_-gDYq9ztD5e6cwixc8WPSannAQ9o46gvJ6El_f69xcwWGq6BzVffFjhrKMJuYbEhF9k1Tmg/s400/IMG_0786.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Jim Bob figuring out the line for the second time</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Tyler Fox</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YNl1XlV2ulqQTFMx6BjF_kZCixqALM0oLUVvgWdZW5yFY84F4ioEXLIWPKbtZtUC0lUYM58xXlEIdLpsDnppP37cvjofCkqlODMV6MEgaOY3SqHTflOQtjcV76-5u7Jzgnybjkalc3ba/s1600/IMG_0955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YNl1XlV2ulqQTFMx6BjF_kZCixqALM0oLUVvgWdZW5yFY84F4ioEXLIWPKbtZtUC0lUYM58xXlEIdLpsDnppP37cvjofCkqlODMV6MEgaOY3SqHTflOQtjcV76-5u7Jzgnybjkalc3ba/s400/IMG_0955.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Endless, good volume boulder gardens</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Tyler Fox</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwkEkj3fhycm6ktmfpHTVr_GHwTCvFy-MNfDuKTDws9OAOPHCDgJtpRb-m0AyaUSP-oqGJt9gqDhFfJnJJaZyAQ0Wx5ZITY-FRMZMzCy6v5EWJ-lNxLwXwQD2jsU951WJdZGbBoweMpMY/s1600/IMG_2810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwkEkj3fhycm6ktmfpHTVr_GHwTCvFy-MNfDuKTDws9OAOPHCDgJtpRb-m0AyaUSP-oqGJt9gqDhFfJnJJaZyAQ0Wx5ZITY-FRMZMzCy6v5EWJ-lNxLwXwQD2jsU951WJdZGbBoweMpMY/s400/IMG_2810.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tyler living the Cali life.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Daan Jimmink</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIR6kLz1lE0_IW3uGrKnotfkNRd2ed76empJZFoZ8_P1emKTl8JlqOS52pogCi8_SoA49vj7yyFxKY8KMlg7nPMR6Ng2OCCJ4CSS6gWVZvKyqOdRrPVUWSfCcTCrDcsXegt14-NFn3ef2/s1600/IMG_0891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIR6kLz1lE0_IW3uGrKnotfkNRd2ed76empJZFoZ8_P1emKTl8JlqOS52pogCi8_SoA49vj7yyFxKY8KMlg7nPMR6Ng2OCCJ4CSS6gWVZvKyqOdRrPVUWSfCcTCrDcsXegt14-NFn3ef2/s400/IMG_0891.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This looked kind of meaty... Daan amongst it</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Jim Bob</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrFON2FMG6oomOioCyTxKnlrokChHi8JonV7jjbQ4ogs1L4nFE3V8oQcI1TKRa-OtNL5ZLL6nrNsLxqBqGAfkGlVXhKwRG_XNbebHmAAhnx3QN5RHeB15EWsACdGmIGNwjI4SLttaahro/s1600/IMG_0939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrFON2FMG6oomOioCyTxKnlrokChHi8JonV7jjbQ4ogs1L4nFE3V8oQcI1TKRa-OtNL5ZLL6nrNsLxqBqGAfkGlVXhKwRG_XNbebHmAAhnx3QN5RHeB15EWsACdGmIGNwjI4SLttaahro/s400/IMG_0939.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Devil was happy this day!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Tyler Fox</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3rpkrXbwgUipJSmUdMqu-uapybIvSny6iD9s0O-Z6vMtbANGEI6VU_Zgk43ZtSouLZRrSYXQshHoTpOn6bIspBYqAkdlnPYp5OQIdGHa9rx4dDpUV5k3W8TYRnouOS50cbBKO4tUFzJ0/s1600/IMG_0941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3rpkrXbwgUipJSmUdMqu-uapybIvSny6iD9s0O-Z6vMtbANGEI6VU_Zgk43ZtSouLZRrSYXQshHoTpOn6bIspBYqAkdlnPYp5OQIdGHa9rx4dDpUV5k3W8TYRnouOS50cbBKO4tUFzJ0/s400/IMG_0941.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The only must-run of the trip - Helicopter - cause you would need one to get around it.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo//Tyler Fox</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The two paddlers we saw earlier blitzed past us a little later. We had no chance of keeping their pace (locals who know all the lines) so settled back into our rhythm. Jim Bob did remember where the portage was which was helpful. We hopped out and climbed around, and as we were coming back down to river level met the paddlers again - Cody and Morgan - who showed us down the rest of the run. In river awesomeness, they also took us back up to our vehicle (at the shuttle guy's place) as we were well early after all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Devil's Canyon is an incredible trip and possibly quite underrated. In terms of consistent gradient, heaps of rapids, wicked camping, not much flatwater, sweet scenery and overall good, multiday grade 4 - 4+ (at 2500 cfs) this trip is well recommended. We all agreed that we would go back for sure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cheers to Jim Bob, Tyler, Daan, Morgan, Cody and Steve for a sweet trip.</span>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-29835022547900630822012-06-02T07:15:00.000-07:002012-06-02T07:15:48.368-07:00The South Merced<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since arriving in Cali, the flows have been awesome and are holding out well. We went straight from the Yuba to Upper Middle Cosumnes. The UMC is a great run - small volume (500 cfs) and steep. Tyler and Taylor both knew the lines so showed Jess and I down it. Lots of very fun rapids and a great warm up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the UMC we decided to go to the South Merced. It was flowing at 800 cfs and not fluctuating too much. Jim Bob, Chris Madden and Mark Shackleton joined our team of Jess, Tyler, Taylor and myself. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We tried to leave Coloma nice and early. Tyler, Jess and I packed one vehicle and drove to Taylor's place to pick him up but he hadn't quite started to pack yet. After a long drive we finally made it to Yosemite National Park - the South Merced begins at Wawona and finishes outside of the Park. This meant the last part of the drive was stunning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were at the put-in at 3pm and ready to put on the water by 4pm. It was definitely a later start then I was keen for. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuwS9OznbrjG__Aoyp3ayiM9hYAVY2q6Adw-2LPOdrusLAtBF22uZD0PZM_owg-LEh5pl-kr9SDwaUhR3iNkfRxMvzE8gajCAD4lLNjASuAqxWB_iLY2LUbhrIgEMMeEhCAWY5QmlFbkc/s1600/IMG_0654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuwS9OznbrjG__Aoyp3ayiM9hYAVY2q6Adw-2LPOdrusLAtBF22uZD0PZM_owg-LEh5pl-kr9SDwaUhR3iNkfRxMvzE8gajCAD4lLNjASuAqxWB_iLY2LUbhrIgEMMeEhCAWY5QmlFbkc/s400/IMG_0654.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the put-in, gear everywhere!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wawona, Yosemite National Park </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Tyler Fox)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the put-in, we made good time down to where we camped. We didn't hop out of our boats much so photo taking wasn't a priority. It was also cold which motivated us to stay in our boats and keep moving.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzp8eNtGDcJ3kW6PodWcSJEhy-TZZQ7yCJ4O98ZzdQ5IVoMN1q6IBE_yvpEwSIc7TFMPc8ioXa7XrUKk1up_Bo-ImZ0_UKyO7aUAS2Wc51VkrH0FalRsosPHVqvoWiPmrYM80UlxSyR3n/s1600/IMG_2504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzp8eNtGDcJ3kW6PodWcSJEhy-TZZQ7yCJ4O98ZzdQ5IVoMN1q6IBE_yvpEwSIc7TFMPc8ioXa7XrUKk1up_Bo-ImZ0_UKyO7aUAS2Wc51VkrH0FalRsosPHVqvoWiPmrYM80UlxSyR3n/s400/IMG_2504.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our campsite, river in the background.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> (Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had a great campsite with lots of wood around. Taylor made everyone very jealous when he pulled out steaks from the back of his kayak. We passed round some honey whiskey and told stories till it was dark.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the morning we were greeted by another team. They had paddled the river a week ago, and were back for the one-day mission. We tried to keep up with them for a couple of minutes before deciding that paddling in a group of 11 wasn't a good idea. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On day two the rapids kept coming, lots of awesome slides and clean drops. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPDb0N5bo4LxgKmXnYks3bwFPDOWkN-r_nESPXeEJZ9NLsJgIpk-4yX6TbOFU75D6qtUGL4ix9ixyGj2YOIcm4gwDz7zZKq7XNo_MX2USIqUy4riPES7V39H8CbSIFljwYNeowVS2STj7/s1600/IMG_2517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPDb0N5bo4LxgKmXnYks3bwFPDOWkN-r_nESPXeEJZ9NLsJgIpk-4yX6TbOFU75D6qtUGL4ix9ixyGj2YOIcm4gwDz7zZKq7XNo_MX2USIqUy4riPES7V39H8CbSIFljwYNeowVS2STj7/s400/IMG_2517.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Super Slide </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueUypv_RzRm55Bln12wb3S4ePSU0HD9lLDcjBp2dt6R8bIEDUFbzUnQ2HxvDOBLZ9x55SAv3yyOMG8SWHntmp-CV_og3FEeMXHRUzamEJApyq3WBWM5lE-Nhp25JuQDZqFinmbEtDjSNk/s1600/IMG_2553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueUypv_RzRm55Bln12wb3S4ePSU0HD9lLDcjBp2dt6R8bIEDUFbzUnQ2HxvDOBLZ9x55SAv3yyOMG8SWHntmp-CV_og3FEeMXHRUzamEJApyq3WBWM5lE-Nhp25JuQDZqFinmbEtDjSNk/s400/IMG_2553.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Taylor Cavin on the entrance to Super Slide<br />
(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Y-DgTmuZaq9j43K9W6Uls6-X26ehAVTSvxJLqQpR3KFuKskDKEg8YNrPzY-WQtcH73hohON0-fuKIoVuP9rlEhyphenhyphenAIiNlqPtF4a8a7u92fzIb3yHIJR8pvWLKJlgCLfohU-ouughOBB8K/s1600/IMG_0678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Y-DgTmuZaq9j43K9W6Uls6-X26ehAVTSvxJLqQpR3KFuKskDKEg8YNrPzY-WQtcH73hohON0-fuKIoVuP9rlEhyphenhyphenAIiNlqPtF4a8a7u92fzIb3yHIJR8pvWLKJlgCLfohU-ouughOBB8K/s400/IMG_0678.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Mark at the bottom of Super Slide<br />
(Photo//Tyler Fox)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1q2YjwZwhj0T_CFWiFBcxXm5xopERzm0I57kYX-bCc96Ol8MxW4QF0qMDlPYCTwDHkVOcEB1QwZj6KwpHBTv0tq86bRVogqgsQ7XegFtVXD2AdZtkeeiCMsT0HeVqgI6x4iZORazPmlT/s1600/IMG_0709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1q2YjwZwhj0T_CFWiFBcxXm5xopERzm0I57kYX-bCc96Ol8MxW4QF0qMDlPYCTwDHkVOcEB1QwZj6KwpHBTv0tq86bRVogqgsQ7XegFtVXD2AdZtkeeiCMsT0HeVqgI6x4iZORazPmlT/s400/IMG_0709.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taylor Cavin pointing the Green Boat where it needs to go </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Tyler Fox)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqHV_0zJ2OGCrph_afk3zC_vCBHjB6l22gKBhE2tPi6E3B7_d2arPWAt1W2BIFzJBVI_RfLp-YzIhyphenhyphen4PKGrOR6rXA3hhJbbTs3koy66VGwcxqpYeZzv-Bk-bJBCqbaaIqwOaqlRbYU6On/s1600/IMG_2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqHV_0zJ2OGCrph_afk3zC_vCBHjB6l22gKBhE2tPi6E3B7_d2arPWAt1W2BIFzJBVI_RfLp-YzIhyphenhyphen4PKGrOR6rXA3hhJbbTs3koy66VGwcxqpYeZzv-Bk-bJBCqbaaIqwOaqlRbYU6On/s400/IMG_2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Chris Madden on the entrance to Super Slide<br />
(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJI8wu1sG9w5jqjg5qVZQg8lUiPklL3YbAPc7XCki2eYhTBeb7OLOfkcYmgwRulrJBg6-oxhZyfUYz9QJK2sRJp65PcaU1gBr686IOKcDBY7urASyYW0pHPFI-5zmdpPDt_mSlafp1NK5/s1600/IMG_2608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJI8wu1sG9w5jqjg5qVZQg8lUiPklL3YbAPc7XCki2eYhTBeb7OLOfkcYmgwRulrJBg6-oxhZyfUYz9QJK2sRJp65PcaU1gBr686IOKcDBY7urASyYW0pHPFI-5zmdpPDt_mSlafp1NK5/s400/IMG_2608.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taylor on his forth attempt to leave the eddy </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb56pppEF9awd-0gG6oA798G0yl7cm1Ky-RyK6ocDyHXUwP93hKevqjvr5DqxROXHY0c_eAZc5CLIA4cV3A8fUJkjWOd68XG9lWjmQa9YN7YUCbnoDQ9Zvo4H6EkX_orGZY-2jmT53l3L4/s1600/IMG_2650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb56pppEF9awd-0gG6oA798G0yl7cm1Ky-RyK6ocDyHXUwP93hKevqjvr5DqxROXHY0c_eAZc5CLIA4cV3A8fUJkjWOd68XG9lWjmQa9YN7YUCbnoDQ9Zvo4H6EkX_orGZY-2jmT53l3L4/s400/IMG_2650.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Mark on a clean slide<br />
(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_NK0dhHG_XnZmumT7OsPpmAWHsk_YQCpRm0brz-E7APFpBlBW0kEs69nWbe9YWAYKnFDyhJoI68WedZZp7SR3XtoF4URvF6yyuLioE6soRcj4JSj1Zs5Emmaf-DXFIJUJlAQNTiWNk7m/s1600/IMG_2690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_NK0dhHG_XnZmumT7OsPpmAWHsk_YQCpRm0brz-E7APFpBlBW0kEs69nWbe9YWAYKnFDyhJoI68WedZZp7SR3XtoF4URvF6yyuLioE6soRcj4JSj1Zs5Emmaf-DXFIJUJlAQNTiWNk7m/s400/IMG_2690.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tyler on the same clean drop<br />
(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDHKKmgXcKj9A0-qvQlZtjQL71rETWOYtfk4o45JUtnDAJ0OkTMi28DkrfEpKY_Jl0k-N4KjjAiqtRxucSZ8z434w3M-bVpnjIZJsM4ZSGvBuWlWU0ymCu5N5YONaDhWaoEi0snu3eFaz/s1600/IMG_2683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDHKKmgXcKj9A0-qvQlZtjQL71rETWOYtfk4o45JUtnDAJ0OkTMi28DkrfEpKY_Jl0k-N4KjjAiqtRxucSZ8z434w3M-bVpnjIZJsM4ZSGvBuWlWU0ymCu5N5YONaDhWaoEi0snu3eFaz/s400/IMG_2683.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mark on line in a manky rapid </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The run took a lot longer that I thought, but this was mostly to do with the size of our group and the fact that only Taylor had done it before. Taylor had done the run once about four years ago but his memory had faded. We got to the take out at 5pm. We still needed to do our shuttle which took an extra two hours. This was the last thing that I wanted to be doing at the time. I think the 800 cfs was a great flow in the South Merced and meant that everything had good coverage while still having a bit of push. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks to everyone for a great trip.</div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-34718865755736293922012-05-23T08:37:00.003-07:002012-05-23T08:37:36.789-07:00Back to Cali! South Yuba: 49 to BridgeportIt has been a while since our last update. March was busy writing the second issue of the Dreaming of Whitewater magazine, and April was a random month of bits and pieces - mostly catching up with family and getting ready to fly out to the States.<br />
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We flew with Air New Zealand this year and had a very smooth flight from Wellington to Auckland, then direct from Auckland to San Francisco. Once we arrived in the States it took a couple of days to get things together. Getting the truck ready (which by the way, started up first try) and finding a kayak for Jess to paddle while we waited for our new ones to arrive. Once we got all the pieces together, it was time to go boating.<br />
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We teamed up with Taylor Cavin and Tyler Fox for a (slightly juicy) warm-up run on the 49 to Bridgeport section of the South Yuba. 1,800 cfs and a few weeks out of our boats made for a fun trip. This section has some really cool rapids and it was a great way to kick off the Cali season.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47SFvpz1GMiis1fxMetKFmUWjSh4rIHbFDM3U_GlTde2OYog_1yx9rtv-RcZlqi96rjyC4_Y2sQHrJMWbtc3TvprNgEzJU6WfUzmxWCvCIQK5_lTKG1bSDWlkM1S_Tn6xU8Iu1Aa-xYbk/s1600/IMG_2495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47SFvpz1GMiis1fxMetKFmUWjSh4rIHbFDM3U_GlTde2OYog_1yx9rtv-RcZlqi96rjyC4_Y2sQHrJMWbtc3TvprNgEzJU6WfUzmxWCvCIQK5_lTKG1bSDWlkM1S_Tn6xU8Iu1Aa-xYbk/s400/IMG_2495.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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Tyler Fox on Corner Pocket </div>
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Photo//Daan Jimmink</div>
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More updates coming soon... Been busy paddling!</div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-14674704877263730412012-04-21T01:36:00.000-07:002012-04-21T01:36:23.911-07:00Issue Two of Dreaming of Whitewater is ready.Over the last four months Jess and I have been working hard to bring you Issue Two. The Dreaming of Whitewater magazine is a free digital magazine, you can view it online or download to read later.<br />
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aGIdqoEI2qdRVxH-q-GrKIw3lzeOkmFkkutV-Unx-TGJmk08TovW9BGSU5jLefCBraoJUK1YfWYgZS3G88Trv0sIbU9DNseFkYsR9b2XM5WiRJSITZ6990ZjxRZqY1r-6mft4jzGOHuL/s640/DWW+Issue+two+title+cover+page.jpg" width="452" /><a href="http://www.dreamingofwhitewater.com/resources/DW-Magazines/Issue-two/DW-Issue-Two.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.dreamingofwhitewater.com/resources/DW-Magazines/Issue-Two/DW-Issue-Two.pdf</a></div>
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We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed making it.</div>
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Daan Jimmink and Jess Matheson</div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-49730165346181324362012-02-25T14:40:00.000-08:002012-02-25T14:40:31.559-08:00The Mighty Waitaha<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With a bit of time off and a bit of money in our pocket it was time to head to the West Coast. With Dando out of the air this year it has meant more time flying with Danny Reedy. The downside to flying with Reedy is that he parks his helicopter in Hokitika which adds to the both the flight time and cost of flying. Dando parks his helicopter 20 kms closer to the mountains thus closer to a bunch of kayaking runs. To keep costs down we have been joining with other groups to share the cost of flying - and then doing our own thing once on the river.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The weather looked good and the Waitaha was a run that I hadn't done before. In my team was Pete Lodge, Toni George and Mike Verberne. I also managed to find a team of five who were keen to share the chopper to the put in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Waitaha started off with lots of awesome boofs and picking lines through boulder gardens. As a team we were able to stay in our boats most of the time and boat scout most of the rapids.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBxEz2HgeS1eTX8mWH3CQGbEiSsNuVDQ7VlzMKyTJ2l5iz8dL9elZXPtumzP5kRORWkgX6oKc_uGnwjmxEMxBS0OOpYy4mYR9L6i1LunZyxOndv_WLMvDc1PEIIAH0x0tf7Vwg2KHEemR/s1600/Waitaha+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBxEz2HgeS1eTX8mWH3CQGbEiSsNuVDQ7VlzMKyTJ2l5iz8dL9elZXPtumzP5kRORWkgX6oKc_uGnwjmxEMxBS0OOpYy4mYR9L6i1LunZyxOndv_WLMvDc1PEIIAH0x0tf7Vwg2KHEemR/s400/Waitaha+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pete Lodge riding the wall</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavLlxaPQKIyk4tYZo2liXdQZqElPrG8XppjRJ2FwcsiH3ndmvT-Ny7SzW7aCkVbN_nVZ6if7mpQNfePPoL2LbUcho9aSdT00jL6H9ZEWB6ikCWEvRXHXOZQ-x61EbfXgId-T-r12XATjz/s1600/Waitaha+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavLlxaPQKIyk4tYZo2liXdQZqElPrG8XppjRJ2FwcsiH3ndmvT-Ny7SzW7aCkVbN_nVZ6if7mpQNfePPoL2LbUcho9aSdT00jL6H9ZEWB6ikCWEvRXHXOZQ-x61EbfXgId-T-r12XATjz/s400/Waitaha+2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toni giving it some style</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyF9IKHt4z2Q_3_VZtRB4-8hGqg03i1dAQspyByf8Oq45u9jvs_Mwo0KhZJnQxycJBgQoSF5-ZDXuLj4O2bVzOePDnnvA7MLEjh8JQC_auCzrLCwAidy0lkOLWhsJgNplh_Y0OzvYVa90C/s1600/Waitaha+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyF9IKHt4z2Q_3_VZtRB4-8hGqg03i1dAQspyByf8Oq45u9jvs_Mwo0KhZJnQxycJBgQoSF5-ZDXuLj4O2bVzOePDnnvA7MLEjh8JQC_auCzrLCwAidy0lkOLWhsJgNplh_Y0OzvYVa90C/s400/Waitaha+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Toni letting her hair down</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwQfKwDjyFJYYwfJ-0GUAWaH0rfVETfFx8K8NO4ZCn0BQf5IHFhGvBJ_Z3t0mCc1p_am8pz1A7X-gUyvRnspxINXaBcLYaO4gBwsB4uXdUDwHBOn-zpohCBiBy01fMxIUVLnbWN4lvq7z/s1600/waitaha+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwQfKwDjyFJYYwfJ-0GUAWaH0rfVETfFx8K8NO4ZCn0BQf5IHFhGvBJ_Z3t0mCc1p_am8pz1A7X-gUyvRnspxINXaBcLYaO4gBwsB4uXdUDwHBOn-zpohCBiBy01fMxIUVLnbWN4lvq7z/s400/waitaha+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me on a clean sliding boof</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Toni George)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After about half an hour of paddling we got the "Big Drop" or "Nikki Kelly's Drop". This rapid seems to have changed a lot, which I wasn't complaining about. It was a very nice ramp to a clean boof, a very fun rapid.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1U1avr8j1MFC-AnPqHYiKdBbb6Fqt0v8NJiO-dw0GmZ6SfkAhJ0Ivi4Etd0GiCn2wUM_wrqTuPI4IV7Tr6Xpv0AWxoeG5i8-wCe45WjR62t3-DlYJQkB1gomQVBUqC32pjCiiVwNo6RK/s1600/Waitaha+(38+of+116).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1U1avr8j1MFC-AnPqHYiKdBbb6Fqt0v8NJiO-dw0GmZ6SfkAhJ0Ivi4Etd0GiCn2wUM_wrqTuPI4IV7Tr6Xpv0AWxoeG5i8-wCe45WjR62t3-DlYJQkB1gomQVBUqC32pjCiiVwNo6RK/s400/Waitaha+(38+of+116).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Scouting the Big Drop. Toni thinking about how much Si would have loved this run</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYprEmnnd5PkYqgBoCITecTsFymqSX-wMshl-FRf92esTfPNouhz1SbJ0Qo3NUxME5MMzjSEpGdwQJIG8PQZhnoJ-N80aseVGf6qofMySM9pgVmAO5D-ftULnxlNI_NgGjpj6fLmbg-uP6/s1600/Waitaha+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYprEmnnd5PkYqgBoCITecTsFymqSX-wMshl-FRf92esTfPNouhz1SbJ0Qo3NUxME5MMzjSEpGdwQJIG8PQZhnoJ-N80aseVGf6qofMySM9pgVmAO5D-ftULnxlNI_NgGjpj6fLmbg-uP6/s400/Waitaha+6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pete Lodge showing us how it's done</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ457MKfV9q7VoF6C56yTWaPG5zCoyZbrUdDuITLDWMO8eMdI2-Obbf7XOTE5amRSpa-j3as6sO-XkATiGi-GYl_N3hpXjlnXFX83mqgG-tMDSk1dsjM5OX4DBnObZuFKioz_5TJwW3k_o/s1600/waitaha+6b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ457MKfV9q7VoF6C56yTWaPG5zCoyZbrUdDuITLDWMO8eMdI2-Obbf7XOTE5amRSpa-j3as6sO-XkATiGi-GYl_N3hpXjlnXFX83mqgG-tMDSk1dsjM5OX4DBnObZuFKioz_5TJwW3k_o/s400/waitaha+6b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Toni showing me the line</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Pete lodge)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBAt4ggNJhYC4Lry0LpmlVuxRzc_HF1-URZssSZQdHmZGX9W0DxuUtjJyirNqUlNK54lB9VwybXU4J3O9bp_4JepRM6emjRqlxertBxp7v1VsGFdFNB61dvm4YszYO7y_GHM2CM85euONn/s1600/Waitaha+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBAt4ggNJhYC4Lry0LpmlVuxRzc_HF1-URZssSZQdHmZGX9W0DxuUtjJyirNqUlNK54lB9VwybXU4J3O9bp_4JepRM6emjRqlxertBxp7v1VsGFdFNB61dvm4YszYO7y_GHM2CM85euONn/s400/Waitaha+7.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Halfway down the slide</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Toni George)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyWJJoGxjvg7WqSbNtgUgkoSVMRpJ1agk3O_8USmX8tK3sZvZRUDnQS9QTA-wZDd47lYiOHPYt_oX_usryk9OMLuGoJNWNnURhYIw03-TlY6Suv9g0marXLASxeUaPpDxfR5pxna2hPX9/s1600/waitaha+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyWJJoGxjvg7WqSbNtgUgkoSVMRpJ1agk3O_8USmX8tK3sZvZRUDnQS9QTA-wZDd47lYiOHPYt_oX_usryk9OMLuGoJNWNnURhYIw03-TlY6Suv9g0marXLASxeUaPpDxfR5pxna2hPX9/s400/waitaha+9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Getting into the clean rapids and leading up to the Cave Drop</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Pete Lodge)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7-Dgnpj7GVWvx1tLHgB0jrfhr0m5GT-osdCQU_TBGtIV24iw_hVVixKAr-a7ZJWMTTJHmMqySsGw_wALX2HW1pjCcvDGBz9w_TOA8fX8M24rjoxZef4tlDMutnEORq6mLeW8m_FgTSMU/s1600/waitaha+9a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7-Dgnpj7GVWvx1tLHgB0jrfhr0m5GT-osdCQU_TBGtIV24iw_hVVixKAr-a7ZJWMTTJHmMqySsGw_wALX2HW1pjCcvDGBz9w_TOA8fX8M24rjoxZef4tlDMutnEORq6mLeW8m_FgTSMU/s400/waitaha+9a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lining up the hole before the Cave</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Toni George)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJDQ0pW1xusFbPH5x93CyU3mfFM4YJcmFbbzGr21wdgGznwM_VrNb502VKhuT2lZunSXGg_6dZnngOPSkFrxV1ArfE7iY63IXt4zrInU9DbcJZNzYoSkLTMcOXtEaWiF6Nje7V5TGLvms/s1600/waitaha+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJDQ0pW1xusFbPH5x93CyU3mfFM4YJcmFbbzGr21wdgGznwM_VrNb502VKhuT2lZunSXGg_6dZnngOPSkFrxV1ArfE7iY63IXt4zrInU9DbcJZNzYoSkLTMcOXtEaWiF6Nje7V5TGLvms/s400/waitaha+12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Entering the Cave</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Pete Lodge)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonnV1992F2rq_AlCW6DY_1SXgznS7Bzlo4HNxF_oH4mIm4jKf-Vi227fWK10jCTXE77vOvTc42Mso3k5VFd8puedzfV94Gq2WVygREPbYUC3hrJOUZrcT7tlHvIo3t7GJca1Z089vieNF/s1600/Waitaha+12b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonnV1992F2rq_AlCW6DY_1SXgznS7Bzlo4HNxF_oH4mIm4jKf-Vi227fWK10jCTXE77vOvTc42Mso3k5VFd8puedzfV94Gq2WVygREPbYUC3hrJOUZrcT7tlHvIo3t7GJca1Z089vieNF/s400/Waitaha+12b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toni have a casual surf in the hole after the Cave</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdu0fpIctik7EpZ-RMLvzymft3qYeRXys3WLJNwOcPzuSkWSCpD8XUJWp9b4WgE8G2cKCwy0vX4q1VuNKKFrIdHOu3Q-_zIWPN19HYP0OdH9gmpKw5GumQr7X8O-lJfm-_M7Onl7kQT5X/s1600/Waitaha+12d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdu0fpIctik7EpZ-RMLvzymft3qYeRXys3WLJNwOcPzuSkWSCpD8XUJWp9b4WgE8G2cKCwy0vX4q1VuNKKFrIdHOu3Q-_zIWPN19HYP0OdH9gmpKw5GumQr7X8O-lJfm-_M7Onl7kQT5X/s400/Waitaha+12d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mike clearing the hole</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Daan Jimmink)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZkS6Q0BCVAhoqgOwzA3VJ3kj1D1aHYXpgzFr_i08xue5kEMtxnrDbRlq71TgMl9Fwh8-9Cj5uFWeRusJNlO5bXj3T4NN5sItoTLi09F7zfLMdJWfHDut39CYzdSpOVae5XWEhXPerGeA/s1600/waitaha+13b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZkS6Q0BCVAhoqgOwzA3VJ3kj1D1aHYXpgzFr_i08xue5kEMtxnrDbRlq71TgMl9Fwh8-9Cj5uFWeRusJNlO5bXj3T4NN5sItoTLi09F7zfLMdJWfHDut39CYzdSpOVae5XWEhXPerGeA/s400/waitaha+13b.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A nice slot rapid</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Pete Lodge)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhha6Y5yh3eLBn3bFvBB5JGbBXMj3RUA53ffpBLrFKp3Fa0l9WT5uUcLAF4HBOYGTKZwngqq2E_YIC5tUEf53s5hEKSnz7Z8h3yxalCSZduSuzzLwEmXtBwkbAvP6cPToP3aZUYNW75z_iA/s1600/waitaha+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhha6Y5yh3eLBn3bFvBB5JGbBXMj3RUA53ffpBLrFKp3Fa0l9WT5uUcLAF4HBOYGTKZwngqq2E_YIC5tUEf53s5hEKSnz7Z8h3yxalCSZduSuzzLwEmXtBwkbAvP6cPToP3aZUYNW75z_iA/s400/waitaha+14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">More classy drops</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Toni George)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhKkYqkptnnbIkajNFnxZ78XApznUGDEuT-IP3E4OpMp7EhFuy6HyHPLEisDbgSyteYyrD91uEEYImAtDtEe8C5fQwuDtMhsSMBbFb-HBVCrGJ_LEbnozzsNsJC5PvBM6SQ7vaR2sBMAs/s1600/waitaha+14b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhKkYqkptnnbIkajNFnxZ78XApznUGDEuT-IP3E4OpMp7EhFuy6HyHPLEisDbgSyteYyrD91uEEYImAtDtEe8C5fQwuDtMhsSMBbFb-HBVCrGJ_LEbnozzsNsJC5PvBM6SQ7vaR2sBMAs/s400/waitaha+14b.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Coming up to the second portage of the day</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo//Toni George)<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">From the put in we made great time to Morgan's Gorge. At the entrance to the Gorge we spent a while looking in to see if we could find a way through. With the our team not wanting to commit and not having any information on what the Gorge currently has in store, we decided to walk around it. The guide book says it should take an hour to walk around but it took our team closer to two hours. We liked the look of the last rapid of Morgan's George so seal launched into the river for the last part.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOXYK5mcSvzqBJY2UtNmq3pWZnK3_4BHiWMtsHPblGDrw10Zoqed7F-mKsEKi9h7yVRohQrkM_NkzMydfInznn0InkwnSXc5htjjH83wwy_Jsp6kbMXU8iOpG8vvM089-2RVhmrUfKZLC/s1600/waitaha+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOXYK5mcSvzqBJY2UtNmq3pWZnK3_4BHiWMtsHPblGDrw10Zoqed7F-mKsEKi9h7yVRohQrkM_NkzMydfInznn0InkwnSXc5htjjH83wwy_Jsp6kbMXU8iOpG8vvM089-2RVhmrUfKZLC/s400/waitaha+15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The last rapid of Morgan's Gorge<br />
(Photo//Pete Lodge)<br />
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</div></div><div style="text-align: left;">I probed the first hole with a below-average line and ended up geting a solid beating which was close to a minute. I was stable a couple of times but it wasn't letting me out. After about 30 rolls I put my knee through my skirt, went deep and flushed downstream. Swimming/falling off the next three ledges got me to the flat pool at the bottom. My boat stayed in the hole for another five minutes before flushing down to me and my rescue team. Probing means you go first, which is all good until it isn't. In this case the only way to have been rescued from the hole would have been from downstream side, but everyone else was still upstream - it's not usually a good idea to paddle something while someone is getting thrashed in there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">From the bottom of Morgan's Gorge there was still an number of awesome rapids down to the take out.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKRngrwjvrCcXZOSZqYC19qXsjw_p3gTS3cZe7jCNofCgT0bMd24RNQiM-cPl8iR3WfBR25p924aZyIZx4iE-XCGN0EPpTos_nX66qZyLGKy-kFBKTcAEZ_Z2g_UrGOk8e05_5lhQAbNm/s1600/Waitaha+16.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKRngrwjvrCcXZOSZqYC19qXsjw_p3gTS3cZe7jCNofCgT0bMd24RNQiM-cPl8iR3WfBR25p924aZyIZx4iE-XCGN0EPpTos_nX66qZyLGKy-kFBKTcAEZ_Z2g_UrGOk8e05_5lhQAbNm/s400/Waitaha+16.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me doing what needed to be done... The whisky went down well</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo//Jess Matheson)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Later that night we started getting phone calls from friends of the other team that flew up the Waitaha after us. They weren't back yet (well past darkness) and people were getting worried. It turns out that they got lost on the portage around Morgan's Gorge and ended up spending an impromptu night out. They paddled out safely the next day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Waitaha is an awesome day out and next time I will be asking what Morgan's Gorge holds in store.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cheers to the Rotorua crew for turning left at Taihape and ending up on the Coast! </div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-40851117649321372452012-02-11T23:56:00.000-08:002012-02-13T15:40:21.944-08:00Upper Whitcombe, February 2012Most kayakers aren't really known for their detailed planning or long term plans. After some fabulous days of paddling on the West Coast, Daan and I are were attempting to make plans of our own. Due to work committments we were to return to Murchison after paddling on Friday, with hope of coming back the following week. Our loose paddling plan for Friday fell apart and before we knew it, our paddling trip was looking pretty over, until...<br />
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We got a message from some North Island friends wanting to know our plans as they would be in Hokitika later that day. To cut a short story shorter Toni, Pete and Fatty had been for a one day paddling trip to the Rangitikei from Rotorua. Concluding that relative to Rotorua, Taihape was half way to Wellington and Wellington was halfway to Hokitika so they turned left at State Highway One, crossed the ferry and ended up on on the West Coast.<br />
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Suddenly grateful for the spontaneous streak that most paddlers possess, all plans changed. No work for anyone and all play for another few days! The team: Daan, Jared (NZKS Whipper Snapper), Toni, Pete, Fatty, Weka and myself. The plan: an overnight trip on the Upper Whitcombe (which is located on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand). Two other friends Chris and Jamie were coming too, flying into the upper part of the second day then leaving their boats and walking up to meet us at the hut for the night.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2le0pTk8gEyxiZC3RzuIRfGe_HWcbiyLSDAfc1a0uXBk2Wokx0STv2ZddPnwfNdbIOqBmmCqRMbrOPnZOlLkGrQ50TogqNcDJ14SzmIJJjqPxOwMfENefHt5Jqr6t-JVR5rNWe94r5g/s1600/IMG_2624Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2le0pTk8gEyxiZC3RzuIRfGe_HWcbiyLSDAfc1a0uXBk2Wokx0STv2ZddPnwfNdbIOqBmmCqRMbrOPnZOlLkGrQ50TogqNcDJ14SzmIJJjqPxOwMfENefHt5Jqr6t-JVR5rNWe94r5g/s400/IMG_2624Mo4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">How to make the chopper pilot happy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Toni George)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjou1rRbfggld8aY25xrzJ08zukTRyBvLeO_LfLLVHfYt20Fd0pReZTFHKsE3AL0vFDbjQhT_IuJ_7b9RplGwLV1GK1TW8H_EGxY-G4-gsqdZvAGLQe8fjiOtGVowmsSwrp3gy2CtVnY/s1600/Toni1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjou1rRbfggld8aY25xrzJ08zukTRyBvLeO_LfLLVHfYt20Fd0pReZTFHKsE3AL0vFDbjQhT_IuJ_7b9RplGwLV1GK1TW8H_EGxY-G4-gsqdZvAGLQe8fjiOtGVowmsSwrp3gy2CtVnY/s400/Toni1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Toni and Daan doing my favorite kind of shuttle</div><div style="text-align: center;">(P: Toni's Camera)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEwbX9mzGzIul9I2MTGBL7eXEZl7cBpCMh_X7g7zabjS_2RzGXe10Ec-JcaUqKowr3u3fJ7nPmA-b153oVjhjWoUTTqm8hEo2iecPt30ZPCZxsvl03YxvAzh7EPR9bAa7Y4MJezaRYr0/s1600/Upper+Whitcombe+%25284+of+169%2529Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEwbX9mzGzIul9I2MTGBL7eXEZl7cBpCMh_X7g7zabjS_2RzGXe10Ec-JcaUqKowr3u3fJ7nPmA-b153oVjhjWoUTTqm8hEo2iecPt30ZPCZxsvl03YxvAzh7EPR9bAa7Y4MJezaRYr0/s400/Upper+Whitcombe+%25284+of+169%2529Mo4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not far below the put in, looking back up at the glacier</div><div style="text-align: center;">(P: Daan Jimmink)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Once on the river there was a short and easy warm up section before things got steep. If it looks steep from the helicoptor, then you know it's going to be a busy day (and it was). Between the team, everything was paddled bar Masty's Slot and the usual portage at the Whitcombe/Price confluence. Not much carnage which was good - a damaged paddle and one swim. The flow was on the lower side of good which meant that there were some creative lines in a few places but still a heap of sweet boofs and moves. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaG8YgJbmu7P5EmyGwR_ZKZ6YuUk1oddKLD9rxYiaQTXfAL1Xc10QxzzOYhKtFEYFY2zQ9pjpptmjUnw75A7YTFx6FYBFMU80mJ7zGeta9AWLT8_gFu0W2XNGehpRAP5-TKQQQ5idPT-s/s1600/IMG_2656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaG8YgJbmu7P5EmyGwR_ZKZ6YuUk1oddKLD9rxYiaQTXfAL1Xc10QxzzOYhKtFEYFY2zQ9pjpptmjUnw75A7YTFx6FYBFMU80mJ7zGeta9AWLT8_gFu0W2XNGehpRAP5-TKQQQ5idPT-s/s400/IMG_2656.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fatty and Toni stitching together an early rapid</div><div style="text-align: center;">(P: Toni's Camera)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1zB10KlH4DRO9YMY4VWWYf_QPUXIP8sk5Rdl-2WCQoJ8qYNLL9IaUaYF8M5qTpLY7aoqE_3BpUQ4iSlXlkDSlpEFa3U5clkLTv9HgEhZyKHUXR6ehjVN2yIBKgEjTyeLsLgcrnfsr_c/s1600/IMG_2638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1zB10KlH4DRO9YMY4VWWYf_QPUXIP8sk5Rdl-2WCQoJ8qYNLL9IaUaYF8M5qTpLY7aoqE_3BpUQ4iSlXlkDSlpEFa3U5clkLTv9HgEhZyKHUXR6ehjVN2yIBKgEjTyeLsLgcrnfsr_c/s400/IMG_2638.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Weka finding his line</div><div style="text-align: center;">(P: Toni's Camera)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaS-VO_cQ5_uNsxbEKydjH0xlLfs_BkLQ1-cd_EH0MPpxGCer3CEGQIuAmu1TOzI3zRL45fmW8SCguvUezEMp1zsDgzV32_HcElqxkvVy1g_B6x1JV7TvEf4MaOmqUaOPRFNxMyJegFA/s1600/T.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaS-VO_cQ5_uNsxbEKydjH0xlLfs_BkLQ1-cd_EH0MPpxGCer3CEGQIuAmu1TOzI3zRL45fmW8SCguvUezEMp1zsDgzV32_HcElqxkvVy1g_B6x1JV7TvEf4MaOmqUaOPRFNxMyJegFA/s400/T.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of things that Pete does best</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Toni's Camera)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7-qYOAxkK7rPgibR-Mt6Vjk8wetQA0mG_bucxBK0QxWIFfRarHT2iHYTtZPc-_Uq6hEj7Q-FXuNzC6yczCRlvRGer0Z_3I6zJ6oIm6HMeREsAx5Ersmkdrviai_3FDK2zgz4R3LCnws/s1600/IMG_1658Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7-qYOAxkK7rPgibR-Mt6Vjk8wetQA0mG_bucxBK0QxWIFfRarHT2iHYTtZPc-_Uq6hEj7Q-FXuNzC6yczCRlvRGer0Z_3I6zJ6oIm6HMeREsAx5Ersmkdrviai_3FDK2zgz4R3LCnws/s400/IMG_1658Mo4.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Daan making a manky rapid look like anyone could do it</div><div style="text-align: center;">(P: Jess Matheson)<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvb9C-KMkZxTkAYnH5Lu_jr48qkRSdLUll9HJABFgCQMmilc1yynDXqWlnJHcCm94LO8tkqYWC9E31N8v0kxAPQwu0fx6sEqFLuKH_l93YTOhREj_Zr9oNy4ypMCsHXMjNXgRWUpxOgvs/s1600/P2040022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvb9C-KMkZxTkAYnH5Lu_jr48qkRSdLUll9HJABFgCQMmilc1yynDXqWlnJHcCm94LO8tkqYWC9E31N8v0kxAPQwu0fx6sEqFLuKH_l93YTOhREj_Zr9oNy4ypMCsHXMjNXgRWUpxOgvs/s400/P2040022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>His Whitcombe Debut and third heli-trip ever... Jared Mulligan<br />
(P: Pete Lodge)<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbffMBog027RsLszoKJipteVGs_dJOU9ipH-lDDKITCJxTWAssDMKE-OnHEZiMcvngFrM5CUBInBPTiT1jI7AfOIEkd4xoLtWx0wXaPrjy63LDc4E9bZKNGSFPoy3HmVsBWS6ETfW6vac/s1600/Upper+Whitcombe+%252841+of+169%2529Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbffMBog027RsLszoKJipteVGs_dJOU9ipH-lDDKITCJxTWAssDMKE-OnHEZiMcvngFrM5CUBInBPTiT1jI7AfOIEkd4xoLtWx0wXaPrjy63LDc4E9bZKNGSFPoy3HmVsBWS6ETfW6vac/s400/Upper+Whitcombe+%252841+of+169%2529Mo4.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Main line: 0/4 beatings...<br />
Bouldery sneak line on (photo) right: 3/3 beatings</div><div style="text-align: center;">(P: Daan Jimmink)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYF9dyyeYlXIPQyl1nRCizyj_cOuZVpilnqKnjo1qLA3MYiYtcfUIdcLeqUTBFWFvEXF9lruFVxAxSHn9LpZMqpHr6fke57Hc49OgnMxKOP_BCbI9T1799JcymcPtCZYthF4mm1X_oDE/s1600/IMG_1665Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYF9dyyeYlXIPQyl1nRCizyj_cOuZVpilnqKnjo1qLA3MYiYtcfUIdcLeqUTBFWFvEXF9lruFVxAxSHn9LpZMqpHr6fke57Hc49OgnMxKOP_BCbI9T1799JcymcPtCZYthF4mm1X_oDE/s400/IMG_1665Mo4.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Steep and Burly... Daan going for it</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Jess Matheson)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMMFpPrjz4sH4E1uxrruT80pMhzLyyQ3zRM4Ver9GhtnBXyJauCTzeIqXWmzgdFr2lx-QvXqOigglO0SBuhitr1zuHyESyOu1OT_py0QOVzZrupU-RG8hS5rHisZAPrVM9U0JDcLhAUE/s1600/IMG_1679Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMMFpPrjz4sH4E1uxrruT80pMhzLyyQ3zRM4Ver9GhtnBXyJauCTzeIqXWmzgdFr2lx-QvXqOigglO0SBuhitr1zuHyESyOu1OT_py0QOVzZrupU-RG8hS5rHisZAPrVM9U0JDcLhAUE/s400/IMG_1679Mo4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Surveying the damage</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Jess Matheson)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj172w-uobmCCCINztDcTCa_iYxEEn_RUckrepTmakjF1J7bYW7YYhyphenhyphengsIcHTMRu28pWHEQHshHCGBo1gMH-fCTsEcgaTIBjLPUwyK-B1fTc5VtykY0Zg8CmuJHS_Y1ApUE7003kL5ZeWg/s1600/T2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj172w-uobmCCCINztDcTCa_iYxEEn_RUckrepTmakjF1J7bYW7YYhyphenhyphengsIcHTMRu28pWHEQHshHCGBo1gMH-fCTsEcgaTIBjLPUwyK-B1fTc5VtykY0Zg8CmuJHS_Y1ApUE7003kL5ZeWg/s320/T2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Weka on another Whitcombe boof</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Toni George)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHPVZo4grXw7oPB__LLKQWxYO5Lv4iUl6GKKdFACIAgj9cIGKZ67hdpzoBrCw8cijBXOdfo5hdLx8PgFrT4B9N-Bu3g5Fylz-U1WJ-Zg5MWc1K6zZ4e4abiWJnDRxVgbwZ7I17hbjCIs/s1600/Upper+Whitcombe+%252889+of+169%2529Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHPVZo4grXw7oPB__LLKQWxYO5Lv4iUl6GKKdFACIAgj9cIGKZ67hdpzoBrCw8cijBXOdfo5hdLx8PgFrT4B9N-Bu3g5Fylz-U1WJ-Zg5MWc1K6zZ4e4abiWJnDRxVgbwZ7I17hbjCIs/s400/Upper+Whitcombe+%252889+of+169%2529Mo4.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A happy boof as the river paparazzi watches on</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">After seven kilometres or so of reasonably steep water, things get a little steeper as the Prices River meets the Whitcombe. A mandatory portage (apparently there is a line, but it's "awful") saw us putting back in at a sweet spot... One last rapid to run with freedom (and Prices Hut) in the distance. </span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAloA6snv9pZQRTkH6fxL5CYoqjIJXvVu8iqUb-hFgzeFBSDqBYXUt5RplpLWqelW9OGUR6Qgo4JZBqk5rL2dORGGmS0Vz6lKUouKIdp0NTz-mVQvzo2x1TaepyeiudKx6oSVO_KHC-M/s1600/IMG_1700Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAloA6snv9pZQRTkH6fxL5CYoqjIJXvVu8iqUb-hFgzeFBSDqBYXUt5RplpLWqelW9OGUR6Qgo4JZBqk5rL2dORGGmS0Vz6lKUouKIdp0NTz-mVQvzo2x1TaepyeiudKx6oSVO_KHC-M/s400/IMG_1700Mo4.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toni eyeing the last line of the day</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Jess Matheson)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5WQuHLtZR5E_hyOXRzrGmn-jefyX6c68xTk6ff2D3JQD8Nkaq0CkTSnn9jYlE4DOpxjmu7GgIs-VUtwSZ33q6SQfBs6BkNj85bUkTYNk-1p_zfST9zlVnbev4EeUZG1yDCQl0PO1R3I/s1600/IMG_1705Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5WQuHLtZR5E_hyOXRzrGmn-jefyX6c68xTk6ff2D3JQD8Nkaq0CkTSnn9jYlE4DOpxjmu7GgIs-VUtwSZ33q6SQfBs6BkNj85bUkTYNk-1p_zfST9zlVnbev4EeUZG1yDCQl0PO1R3I/s400/IMG_1705Mo4.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pete boofing to freedom, Jared watching on</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Jess Matheson)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIpJ3bGxAqwc-khPju766-odaE3tL_9Na9zPAjVmOILLshmV6xf057CSSeg7dxEoPi7RQeooRJ9AiwAsiNL22xajktEh_yYbz-2UekT0kLkPfh1KmEk0EGsVw8LSyzKE4juxV87ECSrQ/s1600/T4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIpJ3bGxAqwc-khPju766-odaE3tL_9Na9zPAjVmOILLshmV6xf057CSSeg7dxEoPi7RQeooRJ9AiwAsiNL22xajktEh_yYbz-2UekT0kLkPfh1KmEk0EGsVw8LSyzKE4juxV87ECSrQ/s400/T4.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are very fortunate to have gems like this scattered </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">throughout the New Zealand wilderness</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Prices Hut, Whitcombe Valley</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Toni George)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Full bellies and a good sleep set us up for a good start on Sunday morning. Chris and Jamie having walked up the previous afternoon, set off for the their boats as we put back on the river. From the hut there is a small section of easy water before things get busy in Prices Gorge. Beautiful class four boogie leads into some bigger drops including one of New Zealand's best 20 (ish) footers... Leap of Faith. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTENncCm1rKMlpbiy7mjwELHdN8cZ8Hqfqk7_Lc1LMKRHpeH1sHFWVlAt-sIok_l9EaJm8R7An0sVrRn7E2aAxE5hlbrj44l4nlHAqi33ilXusLSjd_ism9QBiMb1ANjh36PnjshpoZU/s1600/IMG_2737Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTENncCm1rKMlpbiy7mjwELHdN8cZ8Hqfqk7_Lc1LMKRHpeH1sHFWVlAt-sIok_l9EaJm8R7An0sVrRn7E2aAxE5hlbrj44l4nlHAqi33ilXusLSjd_ism9QBiMb1ANjh36PnjshpoZU/s400/IMG_2737Mo4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jess on some early morning gold</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Toni George)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtdQljOpBjPKLJKO_Q3UOhRxRqhrSdwmPXYz_Dx5OnBaLWe74GVB0V7DFj5NsrA_3VgDDc2jGY4xeZ5udQdN0k4-hknp4KBgmYfnTEG2fjeunLcAbNndLcZ1X8uBGMHfHbPnycL4yYmo/s1600/Upper+Whitcombe+(158+of+169).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtdQljOpBjPKLJKO_Q3UOhRxRqhrSdwmPXYz_Dx5OnBaLWe74GVB0V7DFj5NsrA_3VgDDc2jGY4xeZ5udQdN0k4-hknp4KBgmYfnTEG2fjeunLcAbNndLcZ1X8uBGMHfHbPnycL4yYmo/s400/Upper+Whitcombe+(158+of+169).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fatty in the middle of Prices Gorge</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSRIezhKToUSWuzEbhq-hGZ1LKZXEYUr8oKqAXo1JpemdZWO9ZFLxShnrCu_T11ore3K3X4KrOsl6xeE3DTJWD3Qfs9eCcFOUMQOrOFwVCmTianDuylsDBjVah_tOmHDTJMtyPNYnM7o/s1600/IMG_1717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSRIezhKToUSWuzEbhq-hGZ1LKZXEYUr8oKqAXo1JpemdZWO9ZFLxShnrCu_T11ore3K3X4KrOsl6xeE3DTJWD3Qfs9eCcFOUMQOrOFwVCmTianDuylsDBjVah_tOmHDTJMtyPNYnM7o/s400/IMG_1717.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daan checking in</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Jess Matheson)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsNSbet47_jA-I223ceZvt2A5r3YBaadJQHNWibjCkjJdpN7ZvYT8BtsLsAFD2BWQtvvVCRSxfv8glAQumJIBBFuBG55EY3eQaeT_98AwbT1rUt2dsy_EbDE4-OsBPA7EUXmVRelvteA/s1600/IMG_1731Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsNSbet47_jA-I223ceZvt2A5r3YBaadJQHNWibjCkjJdpN7ZvYT8BtsLsAFD2BWQtvvVCRSxfv8glAQumJIBBFuBG55EY3eQaeT_98AwbT1rUt2dsy_EbDE4-OsBPA7EUXmVRelvteA/s400/IMG_1731Mo4.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Making sure it's all good, Daan doing his thing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Jess Matheson)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAwHPLdxOnof5cy_0SsqAxQpwovscQXoDSgKFfidq7gtHVaMS8HWt7kXjGvXFwt9kJdmlqwyxj8lg0qICtiud2kFgicmtt3nMcVTSsQ4BAUylNkSvdOwee3Q4ch-b0fy7Bz2fV2quTpM/s1600/Upper+Whitcombe+(135+of+169).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAwHPLdxOnof5cy_0SsqAxQpwovscQXoDSgKFfidq7gtHVaMS8HWt7kXjGvXFwt9kJdmlqwyxj8lg0qICtiud2kFgicmtt3nMcVTSsQ4BAUylNkSvdOwee3Q4ch-b0fy7Bz2fV2quTpM/s400/Upper+Whitcombe+(135+of+169).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toni leading the charge off Leap of Faith</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkDLazIL7FQwLdEkwAwZbdkkBLoWpOPE2LTeKssP5ZA429pbgtgsk8_EKtAh4ycQed4IY_cPzy_8vEjT_npxeflPowgY1bHGyE_Euemlhd7FPnSlPg4RpCxZyv0jhkHKPyTXh5J9EbYM/s1600/IMG_2749Mo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkDLazIL7FQwLdEkwAwZbdkkBLoWpOPE2LTeKssP5ZA429pbgtgsk8_EKtAh4ycQed4IY_cPzy_8vEjT_npxeflPowgY1bHGyE_Euemlhd7FPnSlPg4RpCxZyv0jhkHKPyTXh5J9EbYM/s400/IMG_2749Mo4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daan making the Leap of Faith</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Toni George)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-sR8_4S364MGhcFKInKBphTC_mwK0MNQyfXeOVI355kz0T_cEIAWLUdtmQzg91iVqAfOgt-kvOmtmR1zJFHBTXsdiiUzy4PIvD9LYJYJs65ZfYsDrViv8hfu4rvILFnY_Xj03P1e5Sk/s1600/T3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-sR8_4S364MGhcFKInKBphTC_mwK0MNQyfXeOVI355kz0T_cEIAWLUdtmQzg91iVqAfOgt-kvOmtmR1zJFHBTXsdiiUzy4PIvD9LYJYJs65ZfYsDrViv8hfu4rvILFnY_Xj03P1e5Sk/s400/T3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jared boofing like he means it</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Toni George)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBaAP4Y2xFl8QhghMV2pU3zyl1gfxCDq2wKqa7csds0BYrAFYUiTxwBaupJ6uBFkogBl3tXONqBZrArKZnTqdMDJuT00IAii1iGKvDj-hd0TqmlYsaX-xSrtesiAzE24_KihygQvz5HY/s1600/T6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBaAP4Y2xFl8QhghMV2pU3zyl1gfxCDq2wKqa7csds0BYrAFYUiTxwBaupJ6uBFkogBl3tXONqBZrArKZnTqdMDJuT00IAii1iGKvDj-hd0TqmlYsaX-xSrtesiAzE24_KihygQvz5HY/s400/T6.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toni and Si, somewhere in the lower Prices Gorge</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(P: Toni's Camera)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once clear of this Prices, we settled into awesome class four boogie for pretty much the rest of the day. Not long after Prices Gorge we found Chris and Jamie chilling out in an eddy and ready to go. With a group of nine, we split in two and made our way out through the regular Whitcombe trip (from the Cropp River confluence). </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Upper Whitcombe is a pretty special trip by New Zealand standards, in that multi-day trips are few and far between. This particular trip offers two days of stellar whitewater in a rugged and fairly remote valley. There is a walking route up the Whitcombe which is adventurous, to say the least.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An awesome trip all round... Cheers to the the North Island crew for showing up randomly and being keen to get on the mission!</div>Jess Mathesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07108141830574480410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-64623162088101868682012-02-09T12:33:00.000-08:002012-02-09T12:33:54.787-08:00First Descent of Rocky Creek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a very late write up of a first descent we did on the 13th of December 2011. We had been hanging out on the West Coast doing local trips like the Upper and Lower Kakapotahi, Arahura walk in, Styx and the Toaroha. There was a big weather system that was about to hit the West Coast of the South Island. This river was one that GW boys Barny and Jordy had scouted out at low water and said it was good to go.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So on that information we waited for rain. We didin't have to wait long as late that night it started raining heavily. In the morning we waited a couple of hours for the rain to fill up the river before setting off for the small settlement of Rapahoe. We checked the flow at Seven Mile Creek which is the main river that Rocky Creek flows into. We left a vehicle at a carpark next to the ocean as our take out point. From the take out we drove North for two kilometres to a pullover bay and road with a big (locked) gate. This was to be the start of our walk.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The walk was a little bit dodgy to say the least. We were on DOC land but it was also a combination of old mines, operational drilling sites and helicopter landing pads. We walked fast and kept our heads down. The walk took us about an hour and followed tracks most of the way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the put in the river bed was covered and was easily enough to float our boats. We pushed off, eager to see what was around the corner. The run had numerous clean rapids and just one portage around some trees. There were a few industrial hazards such as rope and wire across the river, which were marking tracks as they crossed back and forth through the river bed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHsPVZWZ0_jPTZLdAWyaRnp2TnCFOSSWjazUMgOVt-BhRcKwLcGXhVvrPzH7t_Ghg_SPc2Jm8Esz_PBlaRYB3PlEpbGGhLceZs2sMHQq8boG5xdwIdXUbxeVgLz_h88Wdn6F8C1x1mRTT/s1600/IMG_1283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHsPVZWZ0_jPTZLdAWyaRnp2TnCFOSSWjazUMgOVt-BhRcKwLcGXhVvrPzH7t_Ghg_SPc2Jm8Esz_PBlaRYB3PlEpbGGhLceZs2sMHQq8boG5xdwIdXUbxeVgLz_h88Wdn6F8C1x1mRTT/s320/IMG_1283.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jordy pushing off at the put in</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Jess Matheson)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocDIL5dgZdDj9W6SsduJyCDuI0XMbSH1pq9gQbLCinKb6Tx9ka7eu0MoLnzEd8ESSoVLM-CdtFnpw8-ME93jimjQ628hyphenhyphen_1pUaeKCnw5R7AcuF8P9Xcklz64QoVwKECUQ52v406lz0LF8/s1600/IMG_9401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocDIL5dgZdDj9W6SsduJyCDuI0XMbSH1pq9gQbLCinKb6Tx9ka7eu0MoLnzEd8ESSoVLM-CdtFnpw8-ME93jimjQ628hyphenhyphen_1pUaeKCnw5R7AcuF8P9Xcklz64QoVwKECUQ52v406lz0LF8/s400/IMG_9401.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jordy running the first rapid of the day</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2syLBUkSAX234Q1bVjgqRqG2hYagVasudETewiHtYDR0lFssDoETZNwQAMs7LHEqsRdlMR5PiZSd0HtKNhTGyNAIQEYLlWXHyTfwyV6keEik9xgWpAM5LOIsoeE76zF4szrI4x6T6MjW5/s1600/IMG_1291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2syLBUkSAX234Q1bVjgqRqG2hYagVasudETewiHtYDR0lFssDoETZNwQAMs7LHEqsRdlMR5PiZSd0HtKNhTGyNAIQEYLlWXHyTfwyV6keEik9xgWpAM5LOIsoeE76zF4szrI4x6T6MjW5/s400/IMG_1291.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Barny on a nice slope to boof</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Jess Matheson)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72hp6bWa61mGXI546j_eP0nrqtZ9S3Tpriw1YZDbRwHZiZ-iXphKMtXuGLWynuQWf95UeVNPHnzef2u_BvsLP943XA5qDz_JWYwiFGfqH3mU4qo9Sh9tfjHblxQrtMnhaEPnxVeCXQCWn/s1600/IMG_1305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72hp6bWa61mGXI546j_eP0nrqtZ9S3Tpriw1YZDbRwHZiZ-iXphKMtXuGLWynuQWf95UeVNPHnzef2u_BvsLP943XA5qDz_JWYwiFGfqH3mU4qo9Sh9tfjHblxQrtMnhaEPnxVeCXQCWn/s400/IMG_1305.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me on a really tight one</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Jess Matheson)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRs_7VRrHb_smS_dLk8Nj8NU8GQENnWNISsAmhotUXZRdOGUXBgBUvbn9XzrMmcY6vchBYzyO_zDG7idyhN_ESt70mAm7erBX0clWCO6yTUSZzU0IDNHdDs3MlxGBS8IdhnKpl-G1C1l_/s1600/IMG_9425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRs_7VRrHb_smS_dLk8Nj8NU8GQENnWNISsAmhotUXZRdOGUXBgBUvbn9XzrMmcY6vchBYzyO_zDG7idyhN_ESt70mAm7erBX0clWCO6yTUSZzU0IDNHdDs3MlxGBS8IdhnKpl-G1C1l_/s400/IMG_9425.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Skux loving the Tuna</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClBmgH3IDiPHsFb1KQ6i-2vgTcytbI8WvaZmVw1-hlIKAzrD8_AnBqX6j44S-sgFvnarttc1pvjdOQdJszBnqbxf-Qlzu6H2wrhA3YuLlKuQK2YDTQWqwraLA2IgL-buaoAdrMOYyq2h_/s1600/IMG_1326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClBmgH3IDiPHsFb1KQ6i-2vgTcytbI8WvaZmVw1-hlIKAzrD8_AnBqX6j44S-sgFvnarttc1pvjdOQdJszBnqbxf-Qlzu6H2wrhA3YuLlKuQK2YDTQWqwraLA2IgL-buaoAdrMOYyq2h_/s400/IMG_1326.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daan lining up a clean boof</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Jess Matheson)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvqQuBuwRXdiWCjfmx7MkuVjFcC-6jSmGlgew9YbnW5aUZYpkiNJEbwobYzKe2iMfXsZAQ0lfNUz7j4p5RDMiU2aDO3Sv609i2uo_z6PyfbyZbbJzeHkr8wVGOs-7oiNcBYeKpxD7_hx4/s1600/IMG_9439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvqQuBuwRXdiWCjfmx7MkuVjFcC-6jSmGlgew9YbnW5aUZYpkiNJEbwobYzKe2iMfXsZAQ0lfNUz7j4p5RDMiU2aDO3Sv609i2uo_z6PyfbyZbbJzeHkr8wVGOs-7oiNcBYeKpxD7_hx4/s400/IMG_9439.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Skux probing a big ramp</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7sbknPscBqko44vxoFL2hLZIjXhcl_RW4yoWRGR9Sk1-UbfaPxV3g67wmzslJL1O9YLFRo2Sn6vfUuOWyPRkifBjudLQk15du_0uSIrAL4hYH6dPhi1_pkfPFBN5CQVJICh1PBmSTabN/s1600/IMG_1355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7sbknPscBqko44vxoFL2hLZIjXhcl_RW4yoWRGR9Sk1-UbfaPxV3g67wmzslJL1O9YLFRo2Sn6vfUuOWyPRkifBjudLQk15du_0uSIrAL4hYH6dPhi1_pkfPFBN5CQVJICh1PBmSTabN/s400/IMG_1355.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Daan ducking to avoid the tree, another nice limestone slide</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo: Jess Matheson)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPg8gE8FyvmfjtyMlBcKCNnKOv3UY0dP95N77GSb_AHv5h6wIWoMUc9NHeYrE0ggom7tkXlDPJSwRxA3NrEaWK22-KJAhhQMNRjnZDtSmX86xjGSgZzlQtc70diJ2WwDNYtXEe6W9Zfyh/s1600/IMG_9459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPg8gE8FyvmfjtyMlBcKCNnKOv3UY0dP95N77GSb_AHv5h6wIWoMUc9NHeYrE0ggom7tkXlDPJSwRxA3NrEaWK22-KJAhhQMNRjnZDtSmX86xjGSgZzlQtc70diJ2WwDNYtXEe6W9Zfyh/s400/IMG_9459.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Barny on the last slide of the day</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It rained the entire time while we were on the river but it didn't seem to come up much while we were on it. It would have been good if we had a bit more water, but in saying that it was a good first time flow. Rocky Creek meets Seven Mile Creek not long after the last slide, which meant good flows for a nice float out to the ocean and the take out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Skux forgot to take the keys with him which left Jordy and I running up to the top. A very smooth first descent - thanks to Barny and Jordy for scoping it out for us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-14201059882497776082012-02-08T18:16:00.000-08:002012-02-08T18:16:01.055-08:00The Styx<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Heading out to the Kokatahi, I thought the river looked good to go. On second opinion, Jess thought it was a little high. On third opinion (Barny and Jordy) it was on the high side of good. The outcome? A better option of walking up the Styx river. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Styx river is in the next valley over from the Kokatahi, and it usually takes about an hour to walk to the put in. We were driving up the 4x4 track to the start of the walk and had got most of the way up when our trusty Landcruiser managed to get itself stuck (who would have thought?). We tried for an hour to get it out but the 4x4 wasn't engaging and therefore we weren't going anywhere. Going paddling and leaving the truck where it was (waiting for the sun to dry the mud) seemed like the best idea. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhth5aiFWGGguqYKylTqYlZvSVkch67PNkLv9cgWhzw3dSJXzwQ0aRMQfyR8QVD3kI0jKp6ue2OZT4K2suhUkFKEmsvsN3mMufRh6Zv-H5Osr8PK6_JCboPPPbeKPI8UVOTjJ6M_VgjxW/s1600/IMG_1228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhth5aiFWGGguqYKylTqYlZvSVkch67PNkLv9cgWhzw3dSJXzwQ0aRMQfyR8QVD3kI0jKp6ue2OZT4K2suhUkFKEmsvsN3mMufRh6Zv-H5Osr8PK6_JCboPPPbeKPI8UVOTjJ6M_VgjxW/s400/IMG_1228.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Well stuck in the mud</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Jess Matheson)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the truck we walked the hour to the put in. The track has changed a lot as many of the side creeks have blown out in recent floods, making the track hard to follow. At the river, the flow seemed to be a good medium. Once at the put in I looked around to find Barny and Jordy - they were pulling a tree out of the first rapid to create a clean line. We got changed pretty fast to stop the sandflies from attacking us. From here we had a couple of very clean rapids.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiQ4Pgk-xkIQSaukWHNozdcydzoMXE8naiCCoIiM3CIAzxofJP5dqO5lWGqu-m0oJy6uQwpsrM1RJIMmoCNfe94spWLLqMF_gDdpxpZKbYoRtfmbNZjc7GSe-yzHCx1LLLVpOqb5pzxft/s1600/IMG_9362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiQ4Pgk-xkIQSaukWHNozdcydzoMXE8naiCCoIiM3CIAzxofJP5dqO5lWGqu-m0oJy6uQwpsrM1RJIMmoCNfe94spWLLqMF_gDdpxpZKbYoRtfmbNZjc7GSe-yzHCx1LLLVpOqb5pzxft/s400/IMG_9362.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jess on the first rapid</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7VEcpXpoRsvKUP-M_YnCxXhrbCwRV48_7YRhyphenhyphenvIdYHViTWaBmLHGcsyqzDAHPl8IdRqPp2pn265y3FV0_bPFWXbxEEceeXZPGlXtli1kKLu6h30Yt_OPtMpqJLccxk7oOWtBEwN1bdbZ/s1600/IMG_9322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7VEcpXpoRsvKUP-M_YnCxXhrbCwRV48_7YRhyphenhyphenvIdYHViTWaBmLHGcsyqzDAHPl8IdRqPp2pn265y3FV0_bPFWXbxEEceeXZPGlXtli1kKLu6h30Yt_OPtMpqJLccxk7oOWtBEwN1bdbZ/s400/IMG_9322.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Barny with Skux in the background</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJUYlhoCdJOWoJywiLuMeIOZL5flc-wE3dk2q_IDouHHdgAfM63dwGK_-Ugr3N5hUr4pC7PjpdKPlo9mc_2pWkLEo-09OdqHPU8zTyHnhgySt6WD88NGBv1XWp-jRuPlgSyCPepJjxKak/s1600/IMG_9371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJUYlhoCdJOWoJywiLuMeIOZL5flc-wE3dk2q_IDouHHdgAfM63dwGK_-Ugr3N5hUr4pC7PjpdKPlo9mc_2pWkLEo-09OdqHPU8zTyHnhgySt6WD88NGBv1XWp-jRuPlgSyCPepJjxKak/s400/IMG_9371.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jess in the good bit</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1vfThX8-UuhTd3WPaJByPn0EZHJZEdwOlMSv1ZoWdfK58abjjYthszpMgeFu6CUM_K6obH9JjGyjV5Vqvj1moVBjCsKdmdEkLGMjOa1m3123N9OAeIx7lQuZuhA0Zt674Z8FxrHV63_o/s1600/IMG_9379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1vfThX8-UuhTd3WPaJByPn0EZHJZEdwOlMSv1ZoWdfK58abjjYthszpMgeFu6CUM_K6obH9JjGyjV5Vqvj1moVBjCsKdmdEkLGMjOa1m3123N9OAeIx7lQuZuhA0Zt674Z8FxrHV63_o/s400/IMG_9379.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jess lining up the boof for the camera</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRrG484WRNsc9GAn01QKHBBbLmhZ0775dnGbNtjkMxSxCkWG5xlQ3TIfQY4msgMqlSnlRv_Wo45Wo_zThB8RgE5HjEWVqkrkdSvh9z65uT7hQlzIcWVEEaMFdnu94Db_-OEvUaM72nh2B/s1600/IMG_9370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRrG484WRNsc9GAn01QKHBBbLmhZ0775dnGbNtjkMxSxCkWG5xlQ3TIfQY4msgMqlSnlRv_Wo45Wo_zThB8RgE5HjEWVqkrkdSvh9z65uT7hQlzIcWVEEaMFdnu94Db_-OEvUaM72nh2B/s400/IMG_9370.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Skux in the same spot<br />
(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3txtwg5HHeZ3gO86F1XKutiU3TVcfW58U0fBqmISglKjmrIASMVxGzdAvhO1C_c0M_qSxZxkY99DfIBkcmm3PBOaib0cpWI0Oc1UOA2HYS9Ry8wl5s-hwkcwjPbDCVeeeNb8tn6aq9Zz/s1600/IMG_9346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3txtwg5HHeZ3gO86F1XKutiU3TVcfW58U0fBqmISglKjmrIASMVxGzdAvhO1C_c0M_qSxZxkY99DfIBkcmm3PBOaib0cpWI0Oc1UOA2HYS9Ry8wl5s-hwkcwjPbDCVeeeNb8tn6aq9Zz/s400/IMG_9346.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Jordy, wishing he had his Tuna...</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3k3OV6rpEYup7s9jYJj_Rbo9q-aCoz7hyphenhyphenHDOFvPx9t0GkNEthuVgiN4Hu_IoiryzUWn6zYfDNZggTo2ecCdlHadbcL5WeYx5scvMgfaVlbmn6YdrJRfhmiOH2tLMUi3jdUyAUuQo8mcWu/s1600/IMG_9382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3k3OV6rpEYup7s9jYJj_Rbo9q-aCoz7hyphenhyphenHDOFvPx9t0GkNEthuVgiN4Hu_IoiryzUWn6zYfDNZggTo2ecCdlHadbcL5WeYx5scvMgfaVlbmn6YdrJRfhmiOH2tLMUi3jdUyAUuQo8mcWu/s400/IMG_9382.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Looking downstream</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo: Daan Jimmink)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">After the first kilometre the river started to become pretty manky. Recent flooding seemed to have brought down a lot of sediment from the side creeks and filled up the main river. The river felt like it wasn't as steep and some of the great rapids on the run were no longer there. We were disappointed to say the least as the Styx has forever been a bit of a West Coast classic walk-in. Right now? All in all not really worth the run. Maybe in a flood or two... Who knows.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">When we got to the truck the mud had dried a bit. Listening to the instructions from the team, I tried again to drive us out. All of a sudden every one was yelling and all I heard was to "drive backwards." Doing as I was told, I drove back and got the truck even more stuck. It was time to get help. Jordy was the chosen one for this task because he is the fastest runner (all that training Jordy). Everyone else enjoyed the cold beer and wine that we had left in the river.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrB37EGI0svTRABECsYtQep9YYpb6sf-JjNYJX3wdegkOC2nVbi5vSmcHVQ_CanbVxr-7Xd0UGuerrxs_wZb3pNclLpxLwydDIsEEz70VHMTiNRB4tP6xtBH869u0cjbXjpKXb6dxAIdB/s1600/IMG_1257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrB37EGI0svTRABECsYtQep9YYpb6sf-JjNYJX3wdegkOC2nVbi5vSmcHVQ_CanbVxr-7Xd0UGuerrxs_wZb3pNclLpxLwydDIsEEz70VHMTiNRB4tP6xtBH869u0cjbXjpKXb6dxAIdB/s400/IMG_1257.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lining up the tractor</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Jess Matheson)</div><br />
Jordy returned with a famers tractor that made light work of getting the truck out. It was now time for more celebrations before the drive to Barny's house.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2q1uX1DX66EPtMQP26EmaJZLV-z9he-nYbCDkTkCo3RMK376An4b4Bnf0w5S276gExmrccOStyz0-e9ZU4U7OQAbd7jTqo9PMQwWwpG45BN8UmhgbvDzpWKdtswV6P9qa3NkH9YgmPF8/s1600/IMG_1264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2q1uX1DX66EPtMQP26EmaJZLV-z9he-nYbCDkTkCo3RMK376An4b4Bnf0w5S276gExmrccOStyz0-e9ZU4U7OQAbd7jTqo9PMQwWwpG45BN8UmhgbvDzpWKdtswV6P9qa3NkH9YgmPF8/s400/IMG_1264.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Celebrating the extraction of the truck</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Photo: Jess Matheson)</div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-89756282261399276452012-01-26T15:20:00.000-08:002012-01-26T15:20:51.913-08:00First Descent of Toaroha Canyon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This misson started like most missions do when living in Murchison: through Skype. After a couple of chats to Jordy during the week, Jess and I decided to head down to the West Coast to paddle the two day Perth. We had completed most of our drive down to Hokitika when we got a text from Jordy saying "We are saving the two day Perth for another day and heading into the Toaroha Canyon". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We headed to Zak's house to find out more. JV and Zak were in the process of cooking an amazing BBQ meal when we showed up. Over dinner we asked them for some more information about the trip... "Mostly grade 4 with about two hours walking to get there". We were keen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next morning was a bit of a slow start because of a few gins the night before. We met at the normal take out for the Toaroha run. The first hour of walking took us along a well formed track in the bush then up along the river bed. Before the track went away from the river again we had a bit of a break, making the most of the readily accessible water and getting ready for the next part of the walk. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaVpXRTeBWaqPVzRp3u4lvqHKCF_g0zbG_s1qbYscdHAL1y5liOE47Fmwm_TwQJD13tNTSSCEhoQJiKm9A9B99hHiyjfnRPMjJFiGSwj22nxAexGfpuKrzZKen0nHFjH4PSRUdc0_pPcB/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaVpXRTeBWaqPVzRp3u4lvqHKCF_g0zbG_s1qbYscdHAL1y5liOE47Fmwm_TwQJD13tNTSSCEhoQJiKm9A9B99hHiyjfnRPMjJFiGSwj22nxAexGfpuKrzZKen0nHFjH4PSRUdc0_pPcB/s400/1.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The nice gentle river bed before the uphill</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo: Jordy Searle</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">From the river bed the track disappeared into the bush, climbing steeply. At this stage I was wishing for my carry system, which I had left at home (because we were going flying). I think we had also well passed the "two hours of walking" mark.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5u5LOSd8zClkcmfCuGWFSucs_i-IIGoFX6m5EljchsH-4t7rJ6suQv7pYYsRmVkrdu1574b-OFJRacg3PR1f0zagnpZBHIOnhd_PkcCHHGKaL_zS1CMq7Y-Oq1U-DjcIrm2H6MRzb2uf/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5u5LOSd8zClkcmfCuGWFSucs_i-IIGoFX6m5EljchsH-4t7rJ6suQv7pYYsRmVkrdu1574b-OFJRacg3PR1f0zagnpZBHIOnhd_PkcCHHGKaL_zS1CMq7Y-Oq1U-DjcIrm2H6MRzb2uf/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Jordy doing it the hard way</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Photo: Zak Shaw</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnSXULiqArAy0sonvxc9kftOrC5eyzNa0Cvh8gg85cQDpRVKfy0pnRyN5QRzzlfl1NFgtsK9pcRtI3kUh6YAvipj8UnzcCKKHoDmciR0uM4cVmU5Sdr3neHMRdpgDx8J8cLi9fXIeUfUd/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnSXULiqArAy0sonvxc9kftOrC5eyzNa0Cvh8gg85cQDpRVKfy0pnRyN5QRzzlfl1NFgtsK9pcRtI3kUh6YAvipj8UnzcCKKHoDmciR0uM4cVmU5Sdr3neHMRdpgDx8J8cLi9fXIeUfUd/s400/2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Zak getting close to the end of the uphill</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Jordy Searle</div><br />
Once we were finished with the uphill, the hard bit started. Access back to the river was down a big slip; loose rocks on top of loose rocks making it very slippery. A few sections were very steep and needed the use of throw bags to lower the boats closer to the river. At the end of the downhill we were greeted with the roar of the waterfall, nice cool water for drinking and the committing gorge downstream. We spent a while contemplating the 50 footer at the put in, but no one was keen to go first.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDaahTLTuTS6ildAKt_FSuPYmrLv9TE81aAEqKWB5xQmtKrRO2x9oo6SgD5Fyqi4_MypsyXb_dQMYsAMfFVx5eIkjYdhUAA84Is6WEBIC-beigUPPn1_rhRYsZPqqSrIuukD0CMHTDCFd/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDaahTLTuTS6ildAKt_FSuPYmrLv9TE81aAEqKWB5xQmtKrRO2x9oo6SgD5Fyqi4_MypsyXb_dQMYsAMfFVx5eIkjYdhUAA84Is6WEBIC-beigUPPn1_rhRYsZPqqSrIuukD0CMHTDCFd/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The 50 footer and the put in</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Zak Shaw</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Once we were on the water the rapids just kept on coming. They were all very clean with one portage and funky seal launch. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzzumXWdDcIFtHaoW4M-hGjD5Tg-AW4d6UJOUfYBpXGBEGfW8G0GoMGCQLoxoAJ8-MNW5SB8pof1ySfv7L3Ab2Y7ynY5jH0MFwhpTobU6iQst2DJWU-Muv6aV08nUq2GyWgxB652GEy-D/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzzumXWdDcIFtHaoW4M-hGjD5Tg-AW4d6UJOUfYBpXGBEGfW8G0GoMGCQLoxoAJ8-MNW5SB8pof1ySfv7L3Ab2Y7ynY5jH0MFwhpTobU6iQst2DJWU-Muv6aV08nUq2GyWgxB652GEy-D/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Keith Riley on the first rapid of the day</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Zak Shaw</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWM3Lo-PVfjqUuxScFS5QX6x6Yj913YE4a-T1Bz6Rtd3exHxUkvjPpcS_hyphenhyphenZkeHS0pCGlCjXxJDPOZdukLdCpO9cHM4t0UFxQNaMXE2HJ9NqcOZUgA4S6qcIG3AE6nynqXHYOHUl7EA_w/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWM3Lo-PVfjqUuxScFS5QX6x6Yj913YE4a-T1Bz6Rtd3exHxUkvjPpcS_hyphenhyphenZkeHS0pCGlCjXxJDPOZdukLdCpO9cHM4t0UFxQNaMXE2HJ9NqcOZUgA4S6qcIG3AE6nynqXHYOHUl7EA_w/s400/6.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kev England on the first clean boof of the day</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Daan Jimmink</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusFJL63NUEvsVWUx9hJr_BS_zPbUAtSRRON_n5iKken3m-TTCGRfiCWE-Ulhrzi2IYv1E7xGG-51CQyfH0mG_evkLOkhPYBiwLi3AuY-g_jgjIiMh1V63pZlInepQxvC6c8n0dKdTQevQ/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusFJL63NUEvsVWUx9hJr_BS_zPbUAtSRRON_n5iKken3m-TTCGRfiCWE-Ulhrzi2IYv1E7xGG-51CQyfH0mG_evkLOkhPYBiwLi3AuY-g_jgjIiMh1V63pZlInepQxvC6c8n0dKdTQevQ/s400/7.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Zak Shaw following into the tight gorge</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Daan Jimmink</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypj-Wybe7K7X9sD-Y-O20ZjnccklixR4MYyAh9ST3-uembGvHiJzOuj8vNNNf_JDzFYQl_k1rkH5ly6VPUPoyyoBuAGIsRilZBMP3mXvu79QQxuULKJkY6GqVeuSl4HM4CxKX6T0agN1T/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypj-Wybe7K7X9sD-Y-O20ZjnccklixR4MYyAh9ST3-uembGvHiJzOuj8vNNNf_JDzFYQl_k1rkH5ly6VPUPoyyoBuAGIsRilZBMP3mXvu79QQxuULKJkY6GqVeuSl4HM4CxKX6T0agN1T/s400/8.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Zak riding the wall of water into a tight slot</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Jordy Searle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctCj2ElQvpYJG79Ct3GEyP9NOjWsYMk8vzLU_fJIwtNOraJ133kjJ62SGPUbxqQs0z4L0gxJRlTBOhlH0LojWKE3nliDtG8mbBThY_gu4pHaDs1UYf4PXgZKUoMTMTmUR6vCOAb-Kbn9M/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctCj2ElQvpYJG79Ct3GEyP9NOjWsYMk8vzLU_fJIwtNOraJ133kjJ62SGPUbxqQs0z4L0gxJRlTBOhlH0LojWKE3nliDtG8mbBThY_gu4pHaDs1UYf4PXgZKUoMTMTmUR6vCOAb-Kbn9M/s400/9.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tight and steep... The rapids stacked up around me</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Zak Shaw</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP75umQIMBUH5WyDq2Cco823iyiuj0yAB6RKb1bGXNDr8Bnz45xOq_EG_qpXe5yM36f0nhXh2r2bxJ8LfyvfBYTc2Qh9QbsyYaEm2ACqgoKDEVdWC0Fu1l7UOlxcxEezkuaaZKpbwqn7s/s1600/9b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP75umQIMBUH5WyDq2Cco823iyiuj0yAB6RKb1bGXNDr8Bnz45xOq_EG_qpXe5yM36f0nhXh2r2bxJ8LfyvfBYTc2Qh9QbsyYaEm2ACqgoKDEVdWC0Fu1l7UOlxcxEezkuaaZKpbwqn7s/s400/9b.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Riding the wall, trying to stay high and dry</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo: Barny Young</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60tWeAD6KMUBLwW7hdH9iLYZkRlLbuWsL2TWxZhR4X3SIHDiTi4nDwwT8KiZOGB3x3WCasmkeCnM42CFs58nBRRe-l9ZAQ938Uvw-l7_WTVEpzpUj_bsZoTwIUmxnUV6DEQ6ZwG3-8dwA/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60tWeAD6KMUBLwW7hdH9iLYZkRlLbuWsL2TWxZhR4X3SIHDiTi4nDwwT8KiZOGB3x3WCasmkeCnM42CFs58nBRRe-l9ZAQ938Uvw-l7_WTVEpzpUj_bsZoTwIUmxnUV6DEQ6ZwG3-8dwA/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jordy and I with not that much space around us</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo: Zak Shaw</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedVzQxQrPjkvtFh-nDd_XQd6L2dKwzCZztPeOTrgkOgZf_V7RrqCYkyU1ZT95dYZb6xWftddcrAzlehqi6tjESRUt7Ck5jNiS66FeFe5QUI7Bc2CcYPHqFNSESKO1jRbPfV8pB2dzcCrH/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedVzQxQrPjkvtFh-nDd_XQd6L2dKwzCZztPeOTrgkOgZf_V7RrqCYkyU1ZT95dYZb6xWftddcrAzlehqi6tjESRUt7Ck5jNiS66FeFe5QUI7Bc2CcYPHqFNSESKO1jRbPfV8pB2dzcCrH/s400/11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Charging into the cauldron... A late boof will get you through</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo: Zak Shaw</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NAi18yBSbJR7WWSzgFKc-FTtqwAGHY_cfb5kEAsJq0XvnzWKQj33Kqh5ESFpDj2Sm5DHukp7CFHZp7Ll34AyJpH7FMTLDtQgPhWR6uG4yilMupYPBRPy0hBZT35GQ5ZRzFxMWmUc-5q2/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NAi18yBSbJR7WWSzgFKc-FTtqwAGHY_cfb5kEAsJq0XvnzWKQj33Kqh5ESFpDj2Sm5DHukp7CFHZp7Ll34AyJpH7FMTLDtQgPhWR6uG4yilMupYPBRPy0hBZT35GQ5ZRzFxMWmUc-5q2/s400/12.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Keith clearing the cauldron</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Jordy Searle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-MKl3STvBwvEXeTvl95lMY936LsgDtqfNFsLAP4UK-W-VMQAlHYYLz2Yctd6z0aNeo6zYblwmvJXnq5o-GrFt0q5WzjCgOOWdFY70QNygmJJuEFycDzDOml7LwDp41xka9brKw4IOTL7/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-MKl3STvBwvEXeTvl95lMY936LsgDtqfNFsLAP4UK-W-VMQAlHYYLz2Yctd6z0aNeo6zYblwmvJXnq5o-GrFt0q5WzjCgOOWdFY70QNygmJJuEFycDzDOml7LwDp41xka9brKw4IOTL7/s400/13.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">JV keeping his speed</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Daan Jimmink</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BV5OaLOF6Noh_fkGJxSiQmsHwCHk2u5MbbKOAmed_ENb2bxA8kohoIa0W8DPN4lUWf5uOsZ23cORSQisKSCKYl-l5fm_vt5YduBJ1fQnVJucEV3pawch1N8AqdPLruT3oM8LZM8Jq0NF/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BV5OaLOF6Noh_fkGJxSiQmsHwCHk2u5MbbKOAmed_ENb2bxA8kohoIa0W8DPN4lUWf5uOsZ23cORSQisKSCKYl-l5fm_vt5YduBJ1fQnVJucEV3pawch1N8AqdPLruT3oM8LZM8Jq0NF/s400/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Barny, post seal launch around the portage</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Zak Shaw</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnP2XncPWksCzF9dsK2xuu5cVqi7ewyjts3B3SAqHqCsw-qJ5Nds1Y9Ft8sJWz3gTU3t16CcF3k542xiGG-3U8E3T6YpuNg37AhwV-WybJevsTehE0SNZmyyy3VaeqzyGQVFp2_e1XCCe/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnP2XncPWksCzF9dsK2xuu5cVqi7ewyjts3B3SAqHqCsw-qJ5Nds1Y9Ft8sJWz3gTU3t16CcF3k542xiGG-3U8E3T6YpuNg37AhwV-WybJevsTehE0SNZmyyy3VaeqzyGQVFp2_e1XCCe/s400/15.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Keith Riley, with all cameras focused on him</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Daan Jimmink</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1-35UefCfeXxsHPmAnyLrStT74kPXSp6OgXziFG12JXxEprdrYu5rTQ-PtDhs7rr7TCQG_5RFbEVOY0Q90I0EsHY4x9tB16_plxO0GMR3g_nmz_8_UZUHX0LirZWin8ZM91uEINoXENh/s1600/15a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1-35UefCfeXxsHPmAnyLrStT74kPXSp6OgXziFG12JXxEprdrYu5rTQ-PtDhs7rr7TCQG_5RFbEVOY0Q90I0EsHY4x9tB16_plxO0GMR3g_nmz_8_UZUHX0LirZWin8ZM91uEINoXENh/s400/15a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">JV boofing like a champion</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Daan Jimmink</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_OMrbpCid0PVfrxaTDTrsr9jr6uAruJD5Xk3zFvoM4XkTlDaStMZzZj_dqMtZM5l-Fb1mrizuyIv2Y8lJTWuUw3yl5tDbQeQpH8VzaaddIP-5cQJpJc-zOXSteZJTBX21jMmco9LBEXX/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_OMrbpCid0PVfrxaTDTrsr9jr6uAruJD5Xk3zFvoM4XkTlDaStMZzZj_dqMtZM5l-Fb1mrizuyIv2Y8lJTWuUw3yl5tDbQeQpH8VzaaddIP-5cQJpJc-zOXSteZJTBX21jMmco9LBEXX/s400/16.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Zak hitting a clean centre boof</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Daan Jimmink</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_ivT2fiveV9Btt-4GXNQW7cTb7DBre93enRkHCsYukRiRipqpKkl-uUaJTv3xKnAfZMtVEHqfsFuCwO_pFgEAZg4y2RNmQdC96ew3tLu3ES1GQznESmC7wqVerlrx10wWSIOJKfyvInQ/s1600/17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_ivT2fiveV9Btt-4GXNQW7cTb7DBre93enRkHCsYukRiRipqpKkl-uUaJTv3xKnAfZMtVEHqfsFuCwO_pFgEAZg4y2RNmQdC96ew3tLu3ES1GQznESmC7wqVerlrx10wWSIOJKfyvInQ/s400/17.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Enjoying some boogie water</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Jordy Searle</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrD4pYz23Vy447wTFd-8SF5w8w_69Xt9jIgW1083Mmx66zxQIK72OhK8_nkPDuROAcQwfgAaP5TUd0HLpVh7cC96ZC11siSzAROzHX7g6RmpMBGUod2rDk4Qvv28ZHXJd_21v8AwNGOMc/s1600/18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrD4pYz23Vy447wTFd-8SF5w8w_69Xt9jIgW1083Mmx66zxQIK72OhK8_nkPDuROAcQwfgAaP5TUd0HLpVh7cC96ZC11siSzAROzHX7g6RmpMBGUod2rDk4Qvv28ZHXJd_21v8AwNGOMc/s400/18.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Just another big hole</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Jordy Searle</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The rapids kept coming in pretty quick succession, all of them being scoutable (some with a bit of imagination). There was a high commitment factor with this trip because of the number of must-runs with sketchy places to run safety. We got to the big rapid of the day which dropped into a very tight gorge at the end (just for something different). At the entrance to the big rapid by back band broke leaving me a little looser in my boat than I would have liked.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46JVwxCkGThW1q3BU1RyPhE4Ok0LlHfhbhkL1LbEUIozlR4xnSOJSHqX-uPPZ-FgR17ULW9a13VOBWHBBXYcRPNtEj3vDDcNU4w5nI3U_hpIMIs9hx_Gj8VFRRJ_EN4RbJuBT_lsLOWtZ/s1600/18a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46JVwxCkGThW1q3BU1RyPhE4Ok0LlHfhbhkL1LbEUIozlR4xnSOJSHqX-uPPZ-FgR17ULW9a13VOBWHBBXYcRPNtEj3vDDcNU4w5nI3U_hpIMIs9hx_Gj8VFRRJ_EN4RbJuBT_lsLOWtZ/s400/18a.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me probing the big one</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo: Barny Young </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheePQckVDybzlyAazyz3Za-csV2QzCMVFdw6eoBSo502i7XX5NvpKzRuhcrGc-jQt0n5DcivS0Jk-GVw0XdbAlymKQLpct6g3qHf_A0mj0nAaApRPBzAUJwKOnEW-L2re-fUtJv8qVBaY1/s1600/19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheePQckVDybzlyAazyz3Za-csV2QzCMVFdw6eoBSo502i7XX5NvpKzRuhcrGc-jQt0n5DcivS0Jk-GVw0XdbAlymKQLpct6g3qHf_A0mj0nAaApRPBzAUJwKOnEW-L2re-fUtJv8qVBaY1/s400/19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Barny on the big one, JV running safety</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Zak Shaw</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXnOSB-aAF3MHBpUIYulng2VIFGBa73na34-vw_4nikIb1nf55Ngjb9PqWkgSKtk7XmmE1qkLZkpmhYPNd2qS8JWAMgN_XvusrtYwOnvGwJshNFAfP4yAWVz1YwHEmoAWG6lyL5ajwLrs/s1600/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXnOSB-aAF3MHBpUIYulng2VIFGBa73na34-vw_4nikIb1nf55Ngjb9PqWkgSKtk7XmmE1qkLZkpmhYPNd2qS8JWAMgN_XvusrtYwOnvGwJshNFAfP4yAWVz1YwHEmoAWG6lyL5ajwLrs/s400/20.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">JV stonking the big one</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Daan Jimmink</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihl8j6DWAWjzXEJMA9eMKnuZJOn_VDzB2kzguw8droi-RGz0DVxgYh3RbCfuVEGKwE8F428w8-OvDg5fsfkhn-C9uzwDTPO3qv5pqwaJAygoi7OG_cURntcOP1CIBXG146eWSJHJZ3Yoag/s1600/IMG_4874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihl8j6DWAWjzXEJMA9eMKnuZJOn_VDzB2kzguw8droi-RGz0DVxgYh3RbCfuVEGKwE8F428w8-OvDg5fsfkhn-C9uzwDTPO3qv5pqwaJAygoi7OG_cURntcOP1CIBXG146eWSJHJZ3Yoag/s400/IMG_4874.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Me on the last drop of the trip, a funky lead in to a cleanish 20 footer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Jordy Searle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Toaroha Canyon is an awesome addition to the kayaking of New Zealands' West Coast. The down sides: you have to walk for it, you have to commit from the start and that if you have a swimmer in there it might be difficult to deal with. The plus sides: it is a low water run, you don't need to fly, you can call it tramping as well as kayaking, the scenery is outstanding and the quality of the rapids is high.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I think it is a classic and can't wait to get back in there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cheers for everyone who canyoned the run earlier - very helpful to know that it was good to go. Thanks to Zak Shaw, Justin Venable, Kev England, Barny Young, Jordy Searle, Keith Riley and Jess Matheson for a great day out.</div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-39595963139894223352012-01-10T12:35:00.000-08:002012-01-10T12:35:26.082-08:00Grand Canyon 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">While I was in the States this year, I spent 15 days safety kayaking on the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. The Grand Canyon was the last trip that I did before returning to New Zealand. I went down there with a great bunch of people and the flow was a healthy 16,000 cfs. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
Here are a bunch of photos I took. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hope you enjoy...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bVddu_lH_YN7T6wYkBHF5MFcmTrJRtRjjyJVn7RMrzRWEyi_ri6642PtFMOIvjEWjeVX41ygcSNoonSIaNMjWmtDpWpcEtorAE4IHm4wwLalet0zxE6XfUhqZ6CmKqbnhUhQLJ5Bttzj/s1600/Grand+Canyon+2011+%2528272+of+277%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bVddu_lH_YN7T6wYkBHF5MFcmTrJRtRjjyJVn7RMrzRWEyi_ri6642PtFMOIvjEWjeVX41ygcSNoonSIaNMjWmtDpWpcEtorAE4IHm4wwLalet0zxE6XfUhqZ6CmKqbnhUhQLJ5Bttzj/s400/Grand+Canyon+2011+%2528272+of+277%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKeWsKyT66CoFtvLziMWWoyMkQFWkoWlrX_9aU462m0AKw41HQ8Nj7HabYjw4f3w8Y_ugh-HxEaZfgqYWVp9MdYjTxoo6fbn26v3NNB7f_zTr91Ux7fGUn5xO8lEiBbgpJtY4DaI6ZNYZ/s1600/Grand+Canyon+2011+%2528264+of+277%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKeWsKyT66CoFtvLziMWWoyMkQFWkoWlrX_9aU462m0AKw41HQ8Nj7HabYjw4f3w8Y_ugh-HxEaZfgqYWVp9MdYjTxoo6fbn26v3NNB7f_zTr91Ux7fGUn5xO8lEiBbgpJtY4DaI6ZNYZ/s400/Grand+Canyon+2011+%2528264+of+277%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-84866025819082793672011-12-11T18:24:00.000-08:002011-12-11T18:24:15.605-08:00NZKS Staff Trip on the Mokihinui<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Each summer the staff of the New Zealand Kayak School get on a team mission and undertake some kind of adventure together – this year we had plans in motion for a two day caving trip at Harwood’s Hole in Abel Tasman. In typical New Zealand fashion, the weather changed and we could see (courtesy of metvuw.com) a huge weather system with a lot of precipitation, slowly approaching the country. We soon abandoned the caving trip as the team wasn’t really into the prospect of cave diving.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sure enough it rained. And rained. And rained some more. Someone came up with the idea of getting into the Mokihinui for a two-day trip, which was likely to be fantastic on the back of all this rain. We put the plan together and headed off a day early to paddle something on the way to Seddonville. Having left Murchison, we were turned back at Inangahua as all the main roads were closed because of flooding and slips. All was not lost as we got stellar high water trips on both the Mangles and the Matiri that afternoon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a second attempt, the team left early on Tuesday morning for Seddonville: Mick Hopkinson, Soph Mulder, Shannon Mast, Matt Coles, Jared Mulligan, Daan Jimmink and Jess Matheson. The rain had stopped and the roads had reopened. We left a vehicle at the Seddonville pub and drove further north towards the Little Wanganui and start of the Wangapeka track. This made our heli shuttle a lot shorter.</div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YxuDRQkwjw3wL2gy9YLxku4Lz5XFOU_mSy5vurGyCPny6CgLc7800pvr1o8eYClywM0QnS85pA_Aw1qGJT4fOmwSC3FU-EK4aQGIPUPkwuaqDcnOKtAgAkUsTHyJy3eYVPm9Ngq_kjb9/s1600/GOPR0139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YxuDRQkwjw3wL2gy9YLxku4Lz5XFOU_mSy5vurGyCPny6CgLc7800pvr1o8eYClywM0QnS85pA_Aw1qGJT4fOmwSC3FU-EK4aQGIPUPkwuaqDcnOKtAgAkUsTHyJy3eYVPm9Ngq_kjb9/s400/GOPR0139.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both;">Shannon and Soph waiting for the chopper </div><div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We flew into Johnson Hut in Johnson Creek, which is a tributary of the North Fork of the Mokihinui. Four hours or so on the North Fork saw us at the confluence with the South Fork, which then becomes the Mokihinui proper. We took our overnight gear to stay at the Mokihinui Forks hut.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgS3Lx63ra_6dORbrTL1r7LhT1RQnF23I53tqdyp3NzX12rpuv07z7SCn6Y2UxTk-KUhhCqtN33ImTKLbHuQrLknfuLQTYn0HR8Hf2Z5SQYsIl8QHXjkELNB4fPDAEGGkNbEYuJsQlUYB/s1600/mokinui+%252831+of+97%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgS3Lx63ra_6dORbrTL1r7LhT1RQnF23I53tqdyp3NzX12rpuv07z7SCn6Y2UxTk-KUhhCqtN33ImTKLbHuQrLknfuLQTYn0HR8Hf2Z5SQYsIl8QHXjkELNB4fPDAEGGkNbEYuJsQlUYB/s400/mokinui+%252831+of+97%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Stuck in the wilderness, ready for an adventure</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_jQWh0SIxKJdtfLUXPgISYRRcvAwe1srDEdm2XcLS8E9im9xjOfnRdPBS9dXoAHM8T15fxUg0Oy2rWsMCc1_m7DW8YeTUHu68C306FGz71n31He_zJlzQbwFp_qzrhxqIUECubSGpCpv/s1600/mokinui+%252848+of+97%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_jQWh0SIxKJdtfLUXPgISYRRcvAwe1srDEdm2XcLS8E9im9xjOfnRdPBS9dXoAHM8T15fxUg0Oy2rWsMCc1_m7DW8YeTUHu68C306FGz71n31He_zJlzQbwFp_qzrhxqIUECubSGpCpv/s400/mokinui+%252848+of+97%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mick leading the way: Johnson Creek was just a trickle at the put-in</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From our put in we had a kilometre or two of fun boulder gardens on Johnson Creek down the to the North Fork. Johnson Creek was a little low (it clears up first after rain) which cost the team a bit of skin in places. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once in the North Fork, we had a fantastic flow. The weather had cleared up too so not only was the water good but the weather as well. The character of the North Fork is bigger volume boulder gardens with some cool rapids and some sticky holes. The paddling is super fun with a bunch of great boofs and fun moves. The scenery is beautiful. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8zGcfrECYKFXizmel6gpPdVUT-063drvYBroEbm2_oMLzvzdOPiKKXCLL5Gy6b07NoNE_iXeadZvsJ7KDiW0IcgyD_S7k4yBH1EqGIlZ7HMxNeg2jLdbSM0aEVzq_hHLQJOzQ2vL4URB/s1600/Daan+Mokihinui-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8zGcfrECYKFXizmel6gpPdVUT-063drvYBroEbm2_oMLzvzdOPiKKXCLL5Gy6b07NoNE_iXeadZvsJ7KDiW0IcgyD_S7k4yBH1EqGIlZ7HMxNeg2jLdbSM0aEVzq_hHLQJOzQ2vL4URB/s400/Daan+Mokihinui-1.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daan on the portage</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPfRLGbEGdmF_R6q2JIIOLc3cRFzKV6BnWp5KvqK-rHpxzPwhh_C0XksvKwm2ag1WP3STJhCowPdyt-GLEY1RrN5o2a9QFKo7Y8hcDTijvh5VKZLQPSABGHCFTUw9158xvHKFNOCY07Yg/s1600/mokinui+%252867+of+97%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPfRLGbEGdmF_R6q2JIIOLc3cRFzKV6BnWp5KvqK-rHpxzPwhh_C0XksvKwm2ag1WP3STJhCowPdyt-GLEY1RrN5o2a9QFKo7Y8hcDTijvh5VKZLQPSABGHCFTUw9158xvHKFNOCY07Yg/s400/mokinui+%252867+of+97%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jess getting a great line on one of the many clean boofs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMLsNLMGmeeH237HwAYSS3dl_gr3gtNgBRajXMhhMGunYYzFsqRprXi_gVF9LRvUi3NUERFPyB3DV61gsb5bGH9QAKZ1vL06h9kVG3PXFikwXHSUwmTi3__OYCUXKRD_nSAA425sG1aaw/s1600/mokinui+%252891+of+97%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMLsNLMGmeeH237HwAYSS3dl_gr3gtNgBRajXMhhMGunYYzFsqRprXi_gVF9LRvUi3NUERFPyB3DV61gsb5bGH9QAKZ1vL06h9kVG3PXFikwXHSUwmTi3__OYCUXKRD_nSAA425sG1aaw/s400/mokinui+%252891+of+97%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matt getting ready for the boof to meltdown</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_VHRgDrE3pfNBR5Q1qB3Oo0Pfy4C6QEygf88D9_BuhlYC8MPO3nseqtm4eGAXVcZ0979yvfzJRSVmEhrqJvQTiqqJEKtmJ5Pv_wa_24XJkOZBmKnQlqs4aF7lL3JJbbj7XqmeVeDzf18/s1600/GOPR0161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_VHRgDrE3pfNBR5Q1qB3Oo0Pfy4C6QEygf88D9_BuhlYC8MPO3nseqtm4eGAXVcZ0979yvfzJRSVmEhrqJvQTiqqJEKtmJ5Pv_wa_24XJkOZBmKnQlqs4aF7lL3JJbbj7XqmeVeDzf18/s400/GOPR0161.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jess finding a great line, the bleeding has stopped on the knuckles</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvXXZS3xVX5N_3KVMhborfdc-VyyO2wIKcROa1gHO4PP6i5iXpj4XMHoU7wZyoZ8sON5LFWoz1gKIdyowGOgmgYOl3R7K8J5YDHOeQPjxsR-QXwfu9d_eDlNbSGISrZVxzlDsLLk7pT-g/s1600/GOPR0203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvXXZS3xVX5N_3KVMhborfdc-VyyO2wIKcROa1gHO4PP6i5iXpj4XMHoU7wZyoZ8sON5LFWoz1gKIdyowGOgmgYOl3R7K8J5YDHOeQPjxsR-QXwfu9d_eDlNbSGISrZVxzlDsLLk7pT-g/s400/GOPR0203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jess keeping it together during a giant surf</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGspJFfZ-Zs0L-0zbfPxx8UpSuDu2xlvGtj7CdDm9rTmQ86ToVXxlVEyOzqFUP8F__88g2ZXwuMBl0seyByzvvRTvCFONDpwQFLBQ4qhKe792-d4C8i8lLfzcoWC0yzedk3Ns6I-EnuvPo/s1600/GOPR1134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGspJFfZ-Zs0L-0zbfPxx8UpSuDu2xlvGtj7CdDm9rTmQ86ToVXxlVEyOzqFUP8F__88g2ZXwuMBl0seyByzvvRTvCFONDpwQFLBQ4qhKe792-d4C8i8lLfzcoWC0yzedk3Ns6I-EnuvPo/s400/GOPR1134.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bit of a rest after some entertainment</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Five hours later, some good entertainment and a stack of rapids and we were at the Earthquake “Lake”. The 1929 Inangahua Earthquake sent an enormous slip into the river just below the confluence, which blocked the whole river off and created a huge lake as the river back up behind the earthquake slip. The slip has worn down over time and so the river runs through it these days. Above the slip there are huge tree trunks towering out of the middle of rapids, and clusters of tree stumps to navigate through. The river is slowly claiming it’s way back through the debris.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Forks Hut sits on a second-tier terrace above the river looking out over the confluence. We made ourselves at home and settled in for pots of tea, a yummy dinner (thanks Jared) and a few games of Hearts (Black Bitch, Mariah). The hut toilet sits on the next terrace below and had been victim of recent flood. The river had gotten at least half way up the toilet structure and had left a thick mat of silty goodness over everything. Mick, well educated through his years of international kayak travel and exploration, told us how to get around the silty-problem Asia-style.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAC6lg38SD3vsUZIxwQsGJUeXkRfDM07H0xoVD6F_RmPuGqkQ-38ILvPWk5_kUDTTxzD7JBfo9yWJlXSHM_RymD_uJMTFTQ1u_Oxgl6urspgAvjXKWjsNO2ctBFAMgbxEuN97LXzJ7HG6J/s1600/GOPR1172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAC6lg38SD3vsUZIxwQsGJUeXkRfDM07H0xoVD6F_RmPuGqkQ-38ILvPWk5_kUDTTxzD7JBfo9yWJlXSHM_RymD_uJMTFTQ1u_Oxgl6urspgAvjXKWjsNO2ctBFAMgbxEuN97LXzJ7HG6J/s400/GOPR1172.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Mick still charging at 63</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAkppYLdX7vi56-UwovLlPwuMq7-4Phgi6w9hdm7IRzw1MxsbzcHOdwH0OSbAlScbXRB4Ohh9YU9FNQIbkpZ527aCOb3Tt_Io-_vr11PVtV_kx6IyADge_1impP2WbLOtsSQV_86XJVcO/s1600/GOPR1691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAkppYLdX7vi56-UwovLlPwuMq7-4Phgi6w9hdm7IRzw1MxsbzcHOdwH0OSbAlScbXRB4Ohh9YU9FNQIbkpZ527aCOb3Tt_Io-_vr11PVtV_kx6IyADge_1impP2WbLOtsSQV_86XJVcO/s400/GOPR1691.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bit of a boat scout</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0l_EyCG7Bmt8N9wBXKj5z4Rav2xInAEfxefA9BF_TjZWDtFgqabJqztF2Fwlf20lb9CScjr-6bLTmLj_fitSyOilA8KL-zr3hERkZ3IEbxgmLqUxmkGsMdLOn34dnpsoPFM0SikFnE55/s1600/GOPR2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0l_EyCG7Bmt8N9wBXKj5z4Rav2xInAEfxefA9BF_TjZWDtFgqabJqztF2Fwlf20lb9CScjr-6bLTmLj_fitSyOilA8KL-zr3hERkZ3IEbxgmLqUxmkGsMdLOn34dnpsoPFM0SikFnE55/s400/GOPR2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nearing the end of the North Fork of the Mokihinui</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>We were on the river about 8am and made quick work of the Mokihinui down to Seddonville. The Mokihinui valley is absolutely stunning and even more so as it was shrouded in mist. It was forecast to rain on day two and true it did. As we came out of the last gorge part, the weather really started to pack it in just in time for us to battle it out on the open flats in pissing rain and strong winds.<br />
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</div>After an awesome feed at the Seddonville pub, Soph and Shan took off to the do the shuttle while the weather got worse and worse. We sat in front of the fire playing cards until their return. By that stage the river had risen to full flood stage and we were happy to be finished.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Mokihinui is currently under threat from a hydro scheme that would see an 80m high dam built just upstream of Seddonville that would back up the Mokihinui River to the Forks. This wouldn’t dramatically affect the North Fork but would mean that the section would finish in a lake at the Forks and a long flat paddle out to the dam. The Mokihinui from the Forks down would be completely flooded and lost forever. The area is super rich in flora and fauna including the endangered Whio (Blue Duck) and long-finned eel. It would be a tragedy to see such a special place be drowned. If you get the opportunity to get into the Mokihinui then do, because who knows how long it will last for. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jess Matheson</div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-91571858565036522122011-12-07T01:57:00.000-08:002011-12-07T01:57:13.176-08:00Issue one of Dreaming of Whitewater<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dreamingofwhitewater.com/downloads" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TAEYGc6P_7zACCSqxlH-DsCHeLlUVso7xcKtT_MmBVnvqKKxL0ZUUPsuKL-enI4v680b8sjUcoCR1Ss3JJc5-t7131-6XK7nNlL276Nzif_EAoEJ_dfetdnR3dRaKlRU9dvLZsstVyYG/s640/Untitled-1.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Issue One of Dreaming of Whitewater is ready for download</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.dreamingofwhitewater.com/downloads/" target="_blank">http://www.dreamingofwhitewater.com/downloads/</a></div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-33154359537248304102011-12-04T11:06:00.000-08:002011-12-04T11:06:04.128-08:00Upper Cherry Creek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With some time off we made tracks for Cherry Lake to see what the flow was doing. There were a lot of people in the car park who looked like they had been there a while. One of the down sides of kayaking is that the sport involves a lot of speculations: will the weather be good, what are the levels and who has been in there already. These factors sometimes blur judgements. People were saying that the flow was still too high and that it would be at a good flow in three or four days. I wasn't keen to wait and hear from the first crew down as to what the flow was like, so decided to paddle West Cherry Creek (which flows into Upper Cherry Creek) and find out what the flow was for myself. I easily convinced Matt Coles and Shannon Mast to check it out with me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nc2ik7jrjqoYJXqDUZXyfJT9H3Cc1ECoHwJZfWl2lft35WRKrQwphhIXDDpzCRAm6JjGaucGKIke6sgnLL_-DnwrHGy1LV0KC0TKArWV11w69QXHEAPsYrT6Wpi2-fs9ZuIHRQHrOK0s/s1600/Upper+Cherry+Creek+2011+%252812+of+284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nc2ik7jrjqoYJXqDUZXyfJT9H3Cc1ECoHwJZfWl2lft35WRKrQwphhIXDDpzCRAm6JjGaucGKIke6sgnLL_-DnwrHGy1LV0KC0TKArWV11w69QXHEAPsYrT6Wpi2-fs9ZuIHRQHrOK0s/s320/Upper+Cherry+Creek+2011+%252812+of+284%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shannon Mast on West Cherry Creek</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The flow in West Cherry was low but as soon as we joined Upper Cherry it had a lot more flow. It was quite a bit higher than when I did Upper Cherry last year. We made good time through the lower gorges, I remembered most of the rapids. I thought that we needed to be going into Upper Cherry Creek the next day or the day after. When we got off the river we tried to rally a few other people.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXN8tOpFEsnJb-A8K3OUZ67QWzm5ove5mMVy6d0TpFuZTEQ-i1NT0FL8GsUhysjoMfucWV6qyYu52k7moDH-5_lb3T9RQ1D7I4ipbvmKF5f-phShRCCugX08M2pwkJ_DYxur3TLsdY1qtA/s1600/IMG_0528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXN8tOpFEsnJb-A8K3OUZ67QWzm5ove5mMVy6d0TpFuZTEQ-i1NT0FL8GsUhysjoMfucWV6qyYu52k7moDH-5_lb3T9RQ1D7I4ipbvmKF5f-phShRCCugX08M2pwkJ_DYxur3TLsdY1qtA/s400/IMG_0528.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cherry Lake in the back ground</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next day was spent with Shannon, Jess and Matt shopping in Groveland, picking up some shirts and doing a bit of emailing. We went back to the lake to do a bit of swimming, packing and carbo loading while we waited for more people to arrive. At 9.30pm Lou Urwin, Tyler Fox and Josh Neilson turned up. We drove up to the put in to wait for Tera Muir and Dave Maurier who were turning up late. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early the next morning, six people started walking while three of us did the shuttle. The plan was to start walking at 5.30am but we managed to lose one of the vehicles during the shuttle which cost us an hour. The walk took around five hours this time, which I was happy with. This time the differences were walking fast, eating lots of energy gels and only taking my boat off my back when I needed more water. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we arrived at the put-in most people were shattered so we spent a good couple of hours in the sun. At the put we found Taylor Cavin and Tom. The first day was going well, lots of fun whitewater and great boogie water. We camped a bit earlier than we thought, but fading light and a few cold people meant that it was the best thing to do. We camped just above Cherry Bomb Gorge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDANrbgJlAV3rgMYCHxWm6G9lDa1osC001sADgj0F9kHJxng05iZt-YiZqgR_mg6nnkIPEoinCS_3ol_FGmww5Wcz11_GTKy2qpgUPNK39LuvDv9-cJddv1djZ4VvPdWLQWptYTp6fnOZ/s1600/Upper+Cherry+Creek+2011+%252879+of+284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDANrbgJlAV3rgMYCHxWm6G9lDa1osC001sADgj0F9kHJxng05iZt-YiZqgR_mg6nnkIPEoinCS_3ol_FGmww5Wcz11_GTKy2qpgUPNK39LuvDv9-cJddv1djZ4VvPdWLQWptYTp6fnOZ/s400/Upper+Cherry+Creek+2011+%252879+of+284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jess on Breakfast slide</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UEmNiwBoX_wPbcaEldotu6jU6e3gAAtn5YSD3SK0aEvAXapck_sPcTrYVr7R6zjgdnTNNLZHIXaSglNGAa0QY93Hmk0sFnGnVnYnLfthFSkvvqm76PtmrSNefrVdYRE0I3r6STJA7qNy/s1600/Upper+Cherry+Creek+2011+%252859+of+284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UEmNiwBoX_wPbcaEldotu6jU6e3gAAtn5YSD3SK0aEvAXapck_sPcTrYVr7R6zjgdnTNNLZHIXaSglNGAa0QY93Hmk0sFnGnVnYnLfthFSkvvqm76PtmrSNefrVdYRE0I3r6STJA7qNy/s400/Upper+Cherry+Creek+2011+%252859+of+284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tera on the same rapid with a different line</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDNDm4i8k0yAdM9fmZBAu41cjECTAv3GKSvWMPa6AAbXfrIL4x4Tx3XiM0qKB12kW3VAfcJMkROvUdw2CjYP87lizx0PTs9WAg2llj_ZtWXhQfjpQrrgXpo2od44Z62UBzHAEG-14s-y-/s1600/IMG_7142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDNDm4i8k0yAdM9fmZBAu41cjECTAv3GKSvWMPa6AAbXfrIL4x4Tx3XiM0qKB12kW3VAfcJMkROvUdw2CjYP87lizx0PTs9WAg2llj_ZtWXhQfjpQrrgXpo2od44Z62UBzHAEG-14s-y-/s400/IMG_7142.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matt draining the "Pitonicon"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflylGdzsTO5kVh-0suw6gsTc5JJGvmkpqfwkeYiCPDnqawJ7UiakyQZR4NHiWj_wnxCAUg9p6zXmsC-ch4CIBrOOg4H1dJ1K1ni4xsLDXrA9AvfeLdk67wL7E_WnmcP-r7wF7tUfUl_Vp/s1600/IMG_0543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflylGdzsTO5kVh-0suw6gsTc5JJGvmkpqfwkeYiCPDnqawJ7UiakyQZR4NHiWj_wnxCAUg9p6zXmsC-ch4CIBrOOg4H1dJ1K1ni4xsLDXrA9AvfeLdk67wL7E_WnmcP-r7wF7tUfUl_Vp/s400/IMG_0543.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking at our camp site</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheg2kwd4HJwZ3wNlXJYROhGXzmLpy7rpfHseXIdOO2GbbrGC6lKyyFdtRhhLMQ4fgsINBHY8n-E2SeFGt9ykHkI8dBbpBdzAN7jF8AyHntgHlWrtJJwhhN0FNfonXmauTP3wHjJYnKSXsI/s1600/IMG_0550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheg2kwd4HJwZ3wNlXJYROhGXzmLpy7rpfHseXIdOO2GbbrGC6lKyyFdtRhhLMQ4fgsINBHY8n-E2SeFGt9ykHkI8dBbpBdzAN7jF8AyHntgHlWrtJJwhhN0FNfonXmauTP3wHjJYnKSXsI/s400/IMG_0550.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Boats and gear everywhere</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnOe7LSll5a5s3Gu2kJf7lMxHNUEI_Q1AF5xLi9Bc9ZAbAvlTdTEHXfGMDknJYGToOoASWVARmu6piStpLRO8An03MG7WM-bNTK-VtWybh3Yc3ibxFyh_SoTBV7VYwwWl3bUd45xtiP6C/s1600/Upper+Cherry+Creek+2011+%2528147+of+284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnOe7LSll5a5s3Gu2kJf7lMxHNUEI_Q1AF5xLi9Bc9ZAbAvlTdTEHXfGMDknJYGToOoASWVARmu6piStpLRO8An03MG7WM-bNTK-VtWybh3Yc3ibxFyh_SoTBV7VYwwWl3bUd45xtiP6C/s400/Upper+Cherry+Creek+2011+%2528147+of+284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tyler Fox on Cherry Bomb</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZTgix62-urzT5fpcDkX6sVaByf2khkXuiV41DNZqu1aFY90u-AiTKn8oBmfjOnr0x4IDko77wNf6CDB8OLMyuvW563ZX_amgUVSgJznzB6snr6_rj0bsBJwy4TUbi9WHX2J272jz5Ky7/s1600/Upper+Cherry+Creek+2011+%2528267+of+284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZTgix62-urzT5fpcDkX6sVaByf2khkXuiV41DNZqu1aFY90u-AiTKn8oBmfjOnr0x4IDko77wNf6CDB8OLMyuvW563ZX_amgUVSgJznzB6snr6_rj0bsBJwy4TUbi9WHX2J272jz5Ky7/s400/Upper+Cherry+Creek+2011+%2528267+of+284%2529.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me on Cherry Bomb</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After paddling Cherry Bomb Gorge, we decided to stay at the camp just below. Flintstones camp is one of my favorite places in the world, quiet, scenic and it has rapids right there. There happened to be a group of Italian nudists who were camping there as well. When they noticed us heading their way, they did manage to put some clothes on quickly. Lou, Tyler, Josh and David had to get back to work so they kept on going so they could finish that afternoon. We spent the rest of the day doing laps on the Jedi Slides. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the morning of the third day Shan and I went back up to run Cherry Bomb Gorge again. We managed to team up for a world class rescue below Cherry Bomb Falls. Someone managed to drop into the weir sideways and have their sprayskirt ripped off. We did a live bait rescue of the swimmer, got him to the side then jumped back in and grabbed his kayak.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhHxM6vnx7CPOLuhsZ70etEnSzLVute5kxPewVXXb-Q1U0fWjD3nkQ7w1SDTHkdPA74LU5Gc1buvC3jKmMp70w0hFpDkC9joShr4emhDC1iGGbvTykMVVNcXK5sX232i5E9n6YwoTYV3T/s1600/IMG_0598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhHxM6vnx7CPOLuhsZ70etEnSzLVute5kxPewVXXb-Q1U0fWjD3nkQ7w1SDTHkdPA74LU5Gc1buvC3jKmMp70w0hFpDkC9joShr4emhDC1iGGbvTykMVVNcXK5sX232i5E9n6YwoTYV3T/s400/IMG_0598.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me on the Tea Cups, bottom of the Jedi Slides.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back at Flintstones, we grabbed the rest of the team and our overnight gear and set off to do the rest of the trip. There is still a lot of white water below Flintstones. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpgYfiVqAHqK3pNbDg0nF9kTqSKQ1MIVYYRDrBL-UTaW7XsxbxsxYtNhQDeLx_6pPjXFiVHQbRH5q04eVVsZM6SZ8dCQ7PtbNIIk2B03z1O6b8FZwCXt1ia8uWBkvo1RJMwRDpZetLTWk/s1600/IMG_0790.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpgYfiVqAHqK3pNbDg0nF9kTqSKQ1MIVYYRDrBL-UTaW7XsxbxsxYtNhQDeLx_6pPjXFiVHQbRH5q04eVVsZM6SZ8dCQ7PtbNIIk2B03z1O6b8FZwCXt1ia8uWBkvo1RJMwRDpZetLTWk/s400/IMG_0790.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matt Coles styling Double Pot Hole</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfoBLKFBJ4FPBC7NXc2162wcuLbDZ88CrZNM2qmgvBwg4eQ-HQUB6NNFLCo-8GcYkVHRtEGPBQoOCG8znhtsa_d7VxenupNRB7yDHLU4M8lyBX2PKVm1yFRul_GPJGM6tsofbvVpxDibL/s1600/IMG_4944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfoBLKFBJ4FPBC7NXc2162wcuLbDZ88CrZNM2qmgvBwg4eQ-HQUB6NNFLCo-8GcYkVHRtEGPBQoOCG8znhtsa_d7VxenupNRB7yDHLU4M8lyBX2PKVm1yFRul_GPJGM6tsofbvVpxDibL/s400/IMG_4944.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me on Waterfall Alley (Photo: Kristof Stursa)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKkSR93Pr39JFtzr2FfhksrCAisGXTJj9uZB1-94Qvhd4MYOiUM-kIGaSs_8QKvAjRsEtB8T6JBK_RapY1tE9s_7ubFgUn7F0p9yKuxhIMJm3CHZ1U_dJHJQSVKwevXnjG6RRx3VPRzcZ/s1600/IMG_4998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKkSR93Pr39JFtzr2FfhksrCAisGXTJj9uZB1-94Qvhd4MYOiUM-kIGaSs_8QKvAjRsEtB8T6JBK_RapY1tE9s_7ubFgUn7F0p9yKuxhIMJm3CHZ1U_dJHJQSVKwevXnjG6RRx3VPRzcZ/s400/IMG_4998.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Almost at the end of Waterfall Alley (Photo: Kristof Stursa)</div><br />
Already looking forward to getting back in there next year. Thanks to everyone who I paddled with down there. We were pleased to get out safely.Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-50662354175730984022011-08-14T18:42:00.000-07:002013-04-12T06:07:50.388-07:00Three days in the Devils Postpile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After having an awesome time on Upper Cherry Creek (story to come soon) Jess, Matt, Shannon and I headed to Sonora for some well-earned R and R. Checking the flows online at Starbucks it looked like the Devil’s Postpile (Middle Fork of the San Joaquin) was the next big adventure. With a quick call to Taylor Cavin we now had a team of three – Shannon, Taylor and myself. We were still looking for another member to join our team but most people had work or other obligations. While we waited to hear back from other people, we had a daytime mini movie marathon. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With a good night of sleep behind us, we met up with Taylor in Sonora. We decided to rally to Mammoth in one car after Jess kindly offered to do shuttle. The goal was to put on that evening but with the drive taking longer than expected, Dan Menton (group member #4) rallying straight from UCC and Kevin Smith inviting us to his house for a BBQ in Mammoth Lakes, the put on was delayed until the morning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Flows still holding steady, we made our way into the Devil’s Postpile National Monument. We put on the Middle San Joaquin just above Rainbow Falls. This was a bad idea because the paddling took roughly three times longer than the walk would have, due to lots of wood in the river. After walking round Rainbow Falls we put back on the river.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A short section of whitewater and one rapid, called Mini Rainbow Falls, we started the biggest portage of the trip. It was about an hour, on river left, before we got back to the river. Once putting back on, the river felt very pushy. It was a tight gorge with boulders sitting on solid bedrock. We made our way down one of the best rapids of the trip – a clean 15 foot drop into a 5 foot drop into a 5 foot drop. The variety of rapids was huge. Small waterfalls, 300 foot slides, chunky holes and tight gorges all with beautiful scenery. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZYUJ2stBU_-_DDgkyOQ-_I3-kC5YM99GuLOlfRmV3mWca4amabzGmJBoXpOXJJi_RBbLlwQXj-2B7BdiDfowYFbAzFI80U-AcyTXgDNZiPnpXXE1yNrlM0cuNtx7kfZacy16ZshIMbE6/s1600/untitled+%25286+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZYUJ2stBU_-_DDgkyOQ-_I3-kC5YM99GuLOlfRmV3mWca4amabzGmJBoXpOXJJi_RBbLlwQXj-2B7BdiDfowYFbAzFI80U-AcyTXgDNZiPnpXXE1yNrlM0cuNtx7kfZacy16ZshIMbE6/s1600/untitled+%25286+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZYUJ2stBU_-_DDgkyOQ-_I3-kC5YM99GuLOlfRmV3mWca4amabzGmJBoXpOXJJi_RBbLlwQXj-2B7BdiDfowYFbAzFI80U-AcyTXgDNZiPnpXXE1yNrlM0cuNtx7kfZacy16ZshIMbE6/s400/untitled+%25286+of+367%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mini Rainbow Falls</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIwkz8PNueIl5newZbtYkOzbaiyvaQtZTIAVTeQHf6rL9T4LrNsvSqrd2KSAvmNi9tkeOnBshSz0Wt3SbO3EXHgNQMcufdpslRl2Ha-rayLNwtbg5LgplOoPNxe9CrMzxsyRu9QXc1IMb/s1600/GOPR0724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIwkz8PNueIl5newZbtYkOzbaiyvaQtZTIAVTeQHf6rL9T4LrNsvSqrd2KSAvmNi9tkeOnBshSz0Wt3SbO3EXHgNQMcufdpslRl2Ha-rayLNwtbg5LgplOoPNxe9CrMzxsyRu9QXc1IMb/s400/GOPR0724.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me on the first clean 15 footer</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4lTOFZNRLa6tflG8RJU28EjDF9EXEFMNWOk97JgLYQMm81ytfjpqP6lxxkoSjQBI3-YpVZK8OdAfj9iCc8PVJrjBe0dusDJTTsm3RuD9gscKsozV0fwUaLn_vwz3w6Std4SHEEBSmZkJ/s1600/untitled+%252817+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4lTOFZNRLa6tflG8RJU28EjDF9EXEFMNWOk97JgLYQMm81ytfjpqP6lxxkoSjQBI3-YpVZK8OdAfj9iCc8PVJrjBe0dusDJTTsm3RuD9gscKsozV0fwUaLn_vwz3w6Std4SHEEBSmZkJ/s400/untitled+%252817+of+367%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taylor Cavin</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkTutb8EJjbDZ0o-QRhektEUCFccNL2_kk5u_yoObtv17IaI7up-zwEbEWz9TVLzY7wXNfG9wBSKQuGwrtSd-DLmFFTbgW7wzapx9qO5wjY4l7UlVhYK3n2nnTZdNJporakUl9vjiUsB6/s1600/untitled+%252857+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkTutb8EJjbDZ0o-QRhektEUCFccNL2_kk5u_yoObtv17IaI7up-zwEbEWz9TVLzY7wXNfG9wBSKQuGwrtSd-DLmFFTbgW7wzapx9qO5wjY4l7UlVhYK3n2nnTZdNJporakUl9vjiUsB6/s400/untitled+%252857+of+367%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shannon Mast getting ready to keep his nose up</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrojSEAW3JPEwxMWm0q6YcROf_gXahhvY2u_K_34S1WABA6v_Mo6vuw9keVkIKk4ZIyf1nouj6wA0G3Fg1QF3ym2sba6c8-ce1CPKpTfmrcCRBy-UenlG8CUx41HAS16swkaBFhyphenhyphenDYq3fI/s1600/GOPR0726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrojSEAW3JPEwxMWm0q6YcROf_gXahhvY2u_K_34S1WABA6v_Mo6vuw9keVkIKk4ZIyf1nouj6wA0G3Fg1QF3ym2sba6c8-ce1CPKpTfmrcCRBy-UenlG8CUx41HAS16swkaBFhyphenhyphenDYq3fI/s400/GOPR0726.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dan Menton in a tight gorge</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qe6C0WeT2Pt7EqCGWP0QZ7q4SOe298Vd7yW7Vl63lwtd0LqI_4L5TbE1hIlv4NWy6G34P0NMI5AOeqEm3JhzDCtOjTEVH31sghWwFoEX2zD3CT-zItAiEUh57Asz5XPYD9SEx4To4bJJ/s1600/GOPR0726-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qe6C0WeT2Pt7EqCGWP0QZ7q4SOe298Vd7yW7Vl63lwtd0LqI_4L5TbE1hIlv4NWy6G34P0NMI5AOeqEm3JhzDCtOjTEVH31sghWwFoEX2zD3CT-zItAiEUh57Asz5XPYD9SEx4To4bJJ/s400/GOPR0726-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dan still in the tight gorge</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lctr7NaiV9lA2ETFQu0c_N9jlF-zsIuOnDKdUuxXPsyGy0N0esAlKtVC7gAVTQOPQtz4oUup-hN0xvi7mKJL2eFPZcjdbfHn9cvY4uNnRLftyFl7Lak9t9ywQTkxN7285tNofXcaLFq3/s1600/GOPR0730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lctr7NaiV9lA2ETFQu0c_N9jlF-zsIuOnDKdUuxXPsyGy0N0esAlKtVC7gAVTQOPQtz4oUup-hN0xvi7mKJL2eFPZcjdbfHn9cvY4uNnRLftyFl7Lak9t9ywQTkxN7285tNofXcaLFq3/s400/GOPR0730.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seal launch into Crazy Fan Falls</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FLEUAv9Bq7Cb4YgApLzi67XvNy8WaD6eK9H9aIhApRAE0nK5BeyChz31yQjQ75Bd0iZ7ptiVn49vNaYcRo4flgUjUUhfYQopao_nx44ck2UHNZXCn7ucT7slzj8UgXDhWzs7fJ3XdQZ4/s1600/untitled+%2528114+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FLEUAv9Bq7Cb4YgApLzi67XvNy8WaD6eK9H9aIhApRAE0nK5BeyChz31yQjQ75Bd0iZ7ptiVn49vNaYcRo4flgUjUUhfYQopao_nx44ck2UHNZXCn7ucT7slzj8UgXDhWzs7fJ3XdQZ4/s400/untitled+%2528114+of+367%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking at the Crazy Fan and Dan</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSxgeRLtKM4JLllx7YqCuz8-j4PvSTRbLEo9ofRztVl6ieNhYJmSAURRNo1P5vLm773lV0LvVvy7bCJBtf7HRY-nMNpn1S4qlJBRkWQwz3cgkpvz6Pm-juwJM2GNTTJ8Re8wp59T8xF3-/s1600/GOPR0731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSxgeRLtKM4JLllx7YqCuz8-j4PvSTRbLEo9ofRztVl6ieNhYJmSAURRNo1P5vLm773lV0LvVvy7bCJBtf7HRY-nMNpn1S4qlJBRkWQwz3cgkpvz6Pm-juwJM2GNTTJ8Re8wp59T8xF3-/s400/GOPR0731.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Start of the slide section</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DTiTmugfDNGR0LCkC25vGLMgGQUWRhiD9f-D5JYPzOAOyX8KGvDg-XMBBnoPNbfdPlRy8zgc3rzwI8y9M-HQClVClVjHxlv4dXlI5tXo0KjTt72IqEz-IJoA-rVP7XiXeCCPce7V6wqk/s1600/GOPR0732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DTiTmugfDNGR0LCkC25vGLMgGQUWRhiD9f-D5JYPzOAOyX8KGvDg-XMBBnoPNbfdPlRy8zgc3rzwI8y9M-HQClVClVjHxlv4dXlI5tXo0KjTt72IqEz-IJoA-rVP7XiXeCCPce7V6wqk/s400/GOPR0732.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More slides</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Md4cwDj5ZcRE_GYhM_8A8iCD_GiQKZmljcy3kvhzqp23OTXTLzKVpwgDlrhRzHNPA7ihQHpN0Qhl9oiXdmbiQ5VcTOEpIqWI-xLEmq9Yz6-COE8IxxmkwAIyui1g1GVGst1fXAZbh6bu/s1600/GOPR0733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Md4cwDj5ZcRE_GYhM_8A8iCD_GiQKZmljcy3kvhzqp23OTXTLzKVpwgDlrhRzHNPA7ihQHpN0Qhl9oiXdmbiQ5VcTOEpIqWI-xLEmq9Yz6-COE8IxxmkwAIyui1g1GVGst1fXAZbh6bu/s400/GOPR0733.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Best for last, the 300 foot slide into boof</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While paddling through Waterfalls Gorge, Mexico Gorge and Boof-O-Matic Gorge there was very little portaging. The ones that did need portaging were all at river level and quite short. Once we exited Boof-O-Matic Gorge we arrived at our campsite for the night, just upstream of Fish Creek (a tributary on river left).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7T0DPsTYMAkZVJOBAAeoK0YUpzQ_ZSkhitKIMYLbam7gruckb5HHa3wSmccaOq_Hg3cjV9vXu_eG0842dYYh4JbPWFKcwMhR2Qn2PMQdl0s5X7m8L9gU6nY3bY4o6PLTE2Eofzyfg34g/s1600/GOPR0734-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7T0DPsTYMAkZVJOBAAeoK0YUpzQ_ZSkhitKIMYLbam7gruckb5HHa3wSmccaOq_Hg3cjV9vXu_eG0842dYYh4JbPWFKcwMhR2Qn2PMQdl0s5X7m8L9gU6nY3bY4o6PLTE2Eofzyfg34g/s400/GOPR0734-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Entrence to Waterfalls Gorge</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfCasrbf1rx9-4AUXkuIktZHuBQvJQ74YBJ3L7jcT52d-LV4hB5vldZ1F4eaOMEzwWSLxNbyscteeQ7LAPe6SEl9FbbQq7rLMpxFuJ4J6WgZxSE6MRTA0sXpBEdzSPWSoYVijx2gO2OfT/s1600/GOPR0738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfCasrbf1rx9-4AUXkuIktZHuBQvJQ74YBJ3L7jcT52d-LV4hB5vldZ1F4eaOMEzwWSLxNbyscteeQ7LAPe6SEl9FbbQq7rLMpxFuJ4J6WgZxSE6MRTA0sXpBEdzSPWSoYVijx2gO2OfT/s400/GOPR0738.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Perfect 20</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4v6X9le5QdBwBAK4gj1nxE9W7_seV_92LkceQBH3H8yApvenCYJm_otsvhyphenhyphen7n8Sgn1Hmcpe3gvSSeiUrBhtbLqbFOE4v2233S39aVrcMTLyphyphenhypheng7q7p_Yw-myedzve5rEu2I_5ognaE0/s1600/GOPR0744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4v6X9le5QdBwBAK4gj1nxE9W7_seV_92LkceQBH3H8yApvenCYJm_otsvhyphenhyphen7n8Sgn1Hmcpe3gvSSeiUrBhtbLqbFOE4v2233S39aVrcMTLyphyphenhypheng7q7p_Yw-myedzve5rEu2I_5ognaE0/s400/GOPR0744.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Boof-O-Matic from the ramp</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecidSFDyucLUjuwRuZwe1v52_1Clj7j8DomPEMgFnbledJGvA1t2BG6hRRR9e2SNzfyiyXT5-SrlOThKumVG1R78-TV-rpsk-yoeCd_DMX2xSEFxxm7P3sl10njrtE1vHOTmPFKaUSada/s1600/untitled+%2528177+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecidSFDyucLUjuwRuZwe1v52_1Clj7j8DomPEMgFnbledJGvA1t2BG6hRRR9e2SNzfyiyXT5-SrlOThKumVG1R78-TV-rpsk-yoeCd_DMX2xSEFxxm7P3sl10njrtE1vHOTmPFKaUSada/s400/untitled+%2528177+of+367%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of the many fish caught on the trip, great fishing everywhere</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a beautiful night, but an hour into my sleep I was awoken by Taylor and Dan when they found a rattlesnake. The snake was quite big and had 14 rings on his rattler. We spent a while chasing it out of camp before we could go back to sleep. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the morning we forgot to give Taylor a timeframe so at 10.40am we put on the river. Fish Creek came in quickly adding a lot more water than we hoped. The gorges opened up to a wider valley floor that gave things more of a big water feel. We had paddled about an hour when Barny Young and Blue Eyes Nick caught up to us. They had set off three hours earlier in the hope to catch us. The were trying hard to catch us after Charles King got his boat stuck the day before and they had spent three hours trying to extract it. The boat stayed, so Charles had to hike out which meant that their team was down to two.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzur3MsBT_C2Ame77KQmGA32KpKKsy8NTw9_gIML52jV7ufggHhm2n5-gcWgjDRChPyeKbbmh7nIQGCWrD8VYw7qLMwLHqyjbdOjlDAhk2u7DQPbNKC0_FfsBenAbqy6OGIxXZ63chjNS/s1600/GOPR0748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzur3MsBT_C2Ame77KQmGA32KpKKsy8NTw9_gIML52jV7ufggHhm2n5-gcWgjDRChPyeKbbmh7nIQGCWrD8VYw7qLMwLHqyjbdOjlDAhk2u7DQPbNKC0_FfsBenAbqy6OGIxXZ63chjNS/s400/GOPR0748.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">An early boof on day two</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The rapids of the day were steep, bouldery and mostly good to go with a few river level portages thrown in there. Just after lunch we arrived at the entrance to The Crucible. The first rapid is a portage on river left requiring team rope work. It took us almost as hour for all six of us to be back in our boats below the portage. On second thought this rapid could have been portaged on river right starting upstream at the Miller Crossing bridge, which would have saved time and not been as risky. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9p0ufnyeC3rHzCGnv9dGNwakvKnrFuOgvdkvL8l9XYApkKHRmlG9kTwQnwRsJOMoF5j00XQ3jpj7u6LG26OwY0uwCG8iN89rwZ9MtSNbaJl6SXUtpdoNAAvWFbliAepnzq5WkYXPXzDx/s1600/untitled+%2528184+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9p0ufnyeC3rHzCGnv9dGNwakvKnrFuOgvdkvL8l9XYApkKHRmlG9kTwQnwRsJOMoF5j00XQ3jpj7u6LG26OwY0uwCG8iN89rwZ9MtSNbaJl6SXUtpdoNAAvWFbliAepnzq5WkYXPXzDx/s400/untitled+%2528184+of+367%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Team Portage</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOjSJLhTqpjUPLM0fKtmmBlg8QJxURIJf8xkwCx9rOecCvUv2vRk4gl_VVGAUWK__iDMjMgLmov-_A4qDsceKPnKsOpiUBVJFo7BbYJaxjSPVLsCHGojOsPCc2RUbcxoG1jI4BpXuzCRN/s1600/GOPR0754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOjSJLhTqpjUPLM0fKtmmBlg8QJxURIJf8xkwCx9rOecCvUv2vRk4gl_VVGAUWK__iDMjMgLmov-_A4qDsceKPnKsOpiUBVJFo7BbYJaxjSPVLsCHGojOsPCc2RUbcxoG1jI4BpXuzCRN/s400/GOPR0754.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking into the Crucible</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We paddled a few more rapids then got to a big one with a log in the middle. We decided to portage on the left. After putting back on we found ourselves stuck in the gorge with no good eddies and all the water going under some downstream boulders. I saw a crack upstream that I knew I could climb out of, but not with my boat. Barny grabbed my boat as I started to climb up the wall. Once at the top of the gorge I attached a rope to a tree for other people to climb out on. I climbed back down to water level and used my sling, attaching to the front of each boat, to hold them in place so each person could climb out and up without losing their boat. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a few more tricky portages we were exhausted but managed to find a good campsite. The downside to camping in the middle of The Crucible is that you still have the must-run rapids downstream which can make it hard to sleep.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpn6varY7TWl7zL8xSMu7m_1K96eWDni3bFfTOTmCWlRuNmCN8Kiy0np1LURWrdVXcwWI7dizpolaPWLZjVKStrF4agW0S9FDdCqnGAvLmCSNeEQcPYgsNy424z9qWjnO9u6gUUHts_Oz2/s1600/untitled+%2528203+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpn6varY7TWl7zL8xSMu7m_1K96eWDni3bFfTOTmCWlRuNmCN8Kiy0np1LURWrdVXcwWI7dizpolaPWLZjVKStrF4agW0S9FDdCqnGAvLmCSNeEQcPYgsNy424z9qWjnO9u6gUUHts_Oz2/s400/untitled+%2528203+of+367%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Day two camp, fish on the hot stone</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Learning from the previous morning, we gave Taylor a timeframe. Up at 6am and leaving at 8.30am, in the hopes of being on the water by 9am (we left camp at 8.45am). Within half an hour we were looking into the crux of the run. Barny and I managed to run a sneak chute on river right of the first rapid so that we were able to set up safety for everyone else. The next rapid was Broken Arrow, which had a good line down the middle. With a big pool and no real way to scout the next two rapids, Nick probed the double right line that ended with everyone getting backlooped in the bottom hole. The last rapid of the gorge was a pothole on the left – everyone got a good boof in and then we had made it out of The Crucible. We took a few moments to rejoice and take in the awe of our surroundings - one of the grandest places I’ve ever been</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVXgvMggonLWYSp0JHEdj_Fk51xLUkT6mFjCOzGKtBal7bIXLRzql7tew2BWPTfvnqTuax-4M6n4UqT65YnAeARWiqK904ZOTgysimbBPbX47TUZEPq12w16e9DEsT-jDvE2SEXp5kbDt/s1600/GOPR0759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVXgvMggonLWYSp0JHEdj_Fk51xLUkT6mFjCOzGKtBal7bIXLRzql7tew2BWPTfvnqTuax-4M6n4UqT65YnAeARWiqK904ZOTgysimbBPbX47TUZEPq12w16e9DEsT-jDvE2SEXp5kbDt/s400/GOPR0759.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rapids leading into The Crucible</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5toNmc2mGo2CdCqAJlMik5VQfUZfRpKc6sfgKJGQ0GH9gkUMzuwreoWT2EXv7LwF7j1erRUBgP7riw1utwH1wiBABYt7iGx85rwRaHx_p-O0vnZI4gCeH0obdw4-NTzWQwcCaBOEQgXjX/s1600/GOPR0760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5toNmc2mGo2CdCqAJlMik5VQfUZfRpKc6sfgKJGQ0GH9gkUMzuwreoWT2EXv7LwF7j1erRUBgP7riw1utwH1wiBABYt7iGx85rwRaHx_p-O0vnZI4gCeH0obdw4-NTzWQwcCaBOEQgXjX/s400/GOPR0760.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking into the first must-run rapid</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdVBshdBRsQdKpjrbROoess1nqrEA2KeNoIloz-gwrLEassU3IdyGcXq0H9-LD9D9NsTsLuE3WZ_kiBFI2A-MRT4VGnyreUJ4HB4stsxOPctCUJFInpzee07ZpkUw8NzKcut6uJCgS3-_/s1600/GOPR0761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdVBshdBRsQdKpjrbROoess1nqrEA2KeNoIloz-gwrLEassU3IdyGcXq0H9-LD9D9NsTsLuE3WZ_kiBFI2A-MRT4VGnyreUJ4HB4stsxOPctCUJFInpzee07ZpkUw8NzKcut6uJCgS3-_/s400/GOPR0761.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">High flows, pushy water</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoRolHJDND4rAiqM0-WU-rQlPplB21__Xz1kzOBqBqZrLv9kKTc9CqIYj4R_Txg-tY92r_Z5l7Bmh-HWH7IoeD4GQd9AcYRS9ndjUhFUXq-rdH7NlKeyEx4iBK1R9ykezH5CxLp_tGF3r/s1600/untitled+%2528246+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoRolHJDND4rAiqM0-WU-rQlPplB21__Xz1kzOBqBqZrLv9kKTc9CqIYj4R_Txg-tY92r_Z5l7Bmh-HWH7IoeD4GQd9AcYRS9ndjUhFUXq-rdH7NlKeyEx4iBK1R9ykezH5CxLp_tGF3r/s400/untitled+%2528246+of+367%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Shannon boofing the left line</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYk8qAhb-rngwqXT00_Uk4jFnkFL0peE-ADYCb7FYpaWq5zq2xpS9XzrlaFtxRhttqO-F6IyjChZngjWg8HO_SAbOAl_mVTmvEk_rCRt15yNTdGibkre62mWWFhFMDQ5Yx3dtfk9l1BiJ/s1600/untitled+%2528282+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYk8qAhb-rngwqXT00_Uk4jFnkFL0peE-ADYCb7FYpaWq5zq2xpS9XzrlaFtxRhttqO-F6IyjChZngjWg8HO_SAbOAl_mVTmvEk_rCRt15yNTdGibkre62mWWFhFMDQ5Yx3dtfk9l1BiJ/s400/untitled+%2528282+of+367%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taylor above Broken Arrow</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcdkfpaIM0ZRslnqE6Affo7WHd9-iiIaaDCyxlAg1bNfvI4Dq4T8VdmvT4i8XRJEP6UxfXSNmAZvbXu5MgCvzzrnAadXN3o1rA6-PwZIhoazzn5gi7duCU5XDrGb0msxaZz7E-6gihLah/s1600/GOPR0762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcdkfpaIM0ZRslnqE6Affo7WHd9-iiIaaDCyxlAg1bNfvI4Dq4T8VdmvT4i8XRJEP6UxfXSNmAZvbXu5MgCvzzrnAadXN3o1rA6-PwZIhoazzn5gi7duCU5XDrGb0msxaZz7E-6gihLah/s400/GOPR0762.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Boofing Broken Arrow</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngkm5-xgAHsb4B3f-IbY6-8miDFUtsxYBa9QLf1W7YbFKbXxj6E4tPnwobgpVFgCLVzzyvB-oXqwcfvgKbNVhtHRHTiU-ha8aT0ZSk79IxBILl0pAPZX8hpeRipMdYuOaZH5RkPLBM18Z/s1600/GOPR0762-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngkm5-xgAHsb4B3f-IbY6-8miDFUtsxYBa9QLf1W7YbFKbXxj6E4tPnwobgpVFgCLVzzyvB-oXqwcfvgKbNVhtHRHTiU-ha8aT0ZSk79IxBILl0pAPZX8hpeRipMdYuOaZH5RkPLBM18Z/s400/GOPR0762-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The first blind rapid, we went right</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPAT4peTX-PqXR_vJgWaZvTxJDgfDLCHDUhcekfC_njiso2e3Y3BvsOfRGJ0cOZJhUH5XrqiR2zAVX2QJiPHATT4w20NFRUj8-bVfSQ4JP_m7eq13EM03IDupoC8ftx-WnA86FGMvTBIG/s1600/GOPR0762-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPAT4peTX-PqXR_vJgWaZvTxJDgfDLCHDUhcekfC_njiso2e3Y3BvsOfRGJ0cOZJhUH5XrqiR2zAVX2QJiPHATT4w20NFRUj8-bVfSQ4JP_m7eq13EM03IDupoC8ftx-WnA86FGMvTBIG/s400/GOPR0762-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Second blind rapid, right again into back loop</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the bottom of The Crucible to the lake was a mixture of great rapids and obvious portages. The South San Joaquin and other tributaries were still flowing at a good level meaning that the last section was still very pushy. Taylor’s description for the line on one rapid was “Down the right and fight… There will be holes... Go for it, Daan”. Even the last rapid into the lake saw most people get tail-stood. </div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYBdzqken8j96-elys_aLYAflm9_aTH9BJrrscIBl2MTgrdl-IqAlfNPFPcGD7Xs2XYf5uIS2CIA_UAscSaAM-we9g9Gi3V3Z9Eh0JGNIqK00ZJ-B2PCmEN1f7yuF14zxwB8K01sbrVzp/s1600/GOPR0764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYBdzqken8j96-elys_aLYAflm9_aTH9BJrrscIBl2MTgrdl-IqAlfNPFPcGD7Xs2XYf5uIS2CIA_UAscSaAM-we9g9Gi3V3Z9Eh0JGNIqK00ZJ-B2PCmEN1f7yuF14zxwB8K01sbrVzp/s400/GOPR0764.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Just after the Crucible, water falls on river right</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27Y6JSNHYH9z48KLpf9s2nH9ckxdEgS58YolQGobucQP-AjaMWPCJKUEwEnCQP8Xm300-V5z-8-t_kmTvwk2oKQuXRqwr-El1c3tSlj8EXXPMcWA8KUmtI-jOWlQmACCTyYS1AJ7gjmTZ/s1600/untitled+%2528301+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27Y6JSNHYH9z48KLpf9s2nH9ckxdEgS58YolQGobucQP-AjaMWPCJKUEwEnCQP8Xm300-V5z-8-t_kmTvwk2oKQuXRqwr-El1c3tSlj8EXXPMcWA8KUmtI-jOWlQmACCTyYS1AJ7gjmTZ/s400/untitled+%2528301+of+367%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taylor fishing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4IlU4QIyKzrGdaZJKm6BfKuasnrzUzG7r1x8g2LuR2-Uy6JXQ1VxsapaYvmOFjkRw1Lh8xiD4ZylF-odygUipPW6MOOIj8DhBHRPv8RxjCptHBs6tW9NfZ9L_a65-VRsvkDMNezifdK7/s1600/untitled+%2528304+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4IlU4QIyKzrGdaZJKm6BfKuasnrzUzG7r1x8g2LuR2-Uy6JXQ1VxsapaYvmOFjkRw1Lh8xiD4ZylF-odygUipPW6MOOIj8DhBHRPv8RxjCptHBs6tW9NfZ9L_a65-VRsvkDMNezifdK7/s400/untitled+%2528304+of+367%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Such a beautiful place</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMD-PujdGVOH2J3gEqqmyFaJEKuhY75wAMMWVWd9VvWTOiVEH1PhVpTzGVhDdmrWUiGsKm4H2fPEclXZodm0U4SJwRcoi3AEuLDgpoIinjjVMA1GbfijVIVfEBoYJ1oM0mu7NqxphpcxtH/s1600/GOPR0768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMD-PujdGVOH2J3gEqqmyFaJEKuhY75wAMMWVWd9VvWTOiVEH1PhVpTzGVhDdmrWUiGsKm4H2fPEclXZodm0U4SJwRcoi3AEuLDgpoIinjjVMA1GbfijVIVfEBoYJ1oM0mu7NqxphpcxtH/s400/GOPR0768.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More pushy rapids</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6G_UfAxtAETBPNIshspRnh7wKmZU_x5fVI6JbZmNL_TQa7ptlDH9he3RpYCMaaMUzjlfOmaLti4ESp96sJsERmncUG9oZmKqJdI7LiqRtI-f8DIBonQ-76nkBp24mJniNw5ne4y9eNsIM/s1600/untitled+%2528345+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6G_UfAxtAETBPNIshspRnh7wKmZU_x5fVI6JbZmNL_TQa7ptlDH9he3RpYCMaaMUzjlfOmaLti4ESp96sJsERmncUG9oZmKqJdI7LiqRtI-f8DIBonQ-76nkBp24mJniNw5ne4y9eNsIM/s400/untitled+%2528345+of+367%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Barny on Kidney Breaker</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-P7Q6Irm2WmBzddO_6rF65HJFz24qcKGlttmiTZSuceVKBcUtYXMAHtzqhPOF5neW9uC80fRAdxn2IDnuxDzPep1R9pbzyKh67MzrTx0oM3cq1Tzu14Zfx82xX9MHbjJ3w-DGprroLzpi/s1600/untitled+%2528363+of+367%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-P7Q6Irm2WmBzddO_6rF65HJFz24qcKGlttmiTZSuceVKBcUtYXMAHtzqhPOF5neW9uC80fRAdxn2IDnuxDzPep1R9pbzyKh67MzrTx0oM3cq1Tzu14Zfx82xX9MHbjJ3w-DGprroLzpi/s400/untitled+%2528363+of+367%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taylor getting his stomp on</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Once on the lake there was a seven mile paddle out to the boat ramp. Barny spent the first half an hour drafting behind me and talking to everyone on a jet ski. After a few attempts he managed to get us a ride on some jet skis. Getting towed behind a jet ski was more complicated than first thought, so the jet ski drivers took us to their camp and upgraded our ride to a jet boat. The remaining hour and a half paddle out was completed in seven minutes. Shannon, Dan and Taylor weren’t as lucky so they had to paddle the seven miles unassisted. On the brightside, there was cold beer and chips waiting at the boat ramp for them.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNweQFF51ZAUht12kvuokLKkKKXyAKCK9nJY-edibyf0eYU3TbSh7nWvPQqbx2ILlcyAANGLcH2KKNAqnQ8rbgsL0dAvwo1RvJ5kN3AauKC_6A00jdPaPETrfAFQDCzSaMnGRQ6aW2C11/s1600/GOPR0785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNweQFF51ZAUht12kvuokLKkKKXyAKCK9nJY-edibyf0eYU3TbSh7nWvPQqbx2ILlcyAANGLcH2KKNAqnQ8rbgsL0dAvwo1RvJ5kN3AauKC_6A00jdPaPETrfAFQDCzSaMnGRQ6aW2C11/s400/GOPR0785.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The boat ride back</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall the flow we had was high however it did fill in a few of the nastier holes and it gave a bit of cushion where there would normally be sieves. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next year Taylor and I are going to hold the first annual Devil’s Postpile Fishing Classic - a multi-stage competition including largest fish, best cooked fish and the most catch and release in an hour.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Cheers to Jess for the shuttle (a small feat in itself).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-37441636874919177042011-07-30T21:54:00.000-07:002011-09-10T01:12:00.651-07:00Royally Thrashed on Royal Gorge<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The big decision this week was where to go... Within a few days Royal Gorge, Dinkey Creek, the South Merced, Devil’s Canyon and Bald Rock Canyon had all come in. For our group of seven: Daan, Shannon, Matt, Lou, Tyler, Gordy and myself – Royal Gorge was on. We shanghai-ed a driver (Ryan), a wagon that could fit all (Mum) and we were off.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fI-MT9s6FnLDQnrOxIv6huPm6i4fA-TN2st1j4oGuHtD2Hob7KKbPAMMUHzUlJbR0um78_ZS8vOa7xL0LdnTuaUFvHOnuQ3VTB7Z_8iZlRStB1zauNOEKP1TY1MjVwEI0ZcBaPIiwjI/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fI-MT9s6FnLDQnrOxIv6huPm6i4fA-TN2st1j4oGuHtD2Hob7KKbPAMMUHzUlJbR0um78_ZS8vOa7xL0LdnTuaUFvHOnuQ3VTB7Z_8iZlRStB1zauNOEKP1TY1MjVwEI0ZcBaPIiwjI/s400/IMG_0041.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mum, in all her glory</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some major fluffing around, a few wrong turns, some 4WD action, lots of snow (for July), an empty gas tank and one big truck to hitch a ride with meant that we were finally at the river and starting to paddle at 5.30pm. Royal Gorge is a three day wilderness trip up high on the North Fork of the American. Royal Gorge itself is 16 miles (two days) and then a long paddle out on Generation Gap and Giant Gap (26 miles on day three). 5.30pm was less than ideal for a start on day one.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycg51_emzQw9B27Q7Srkum0543AEVMVBlsUtr8aoT-fK6URWC9XAEibIYJH7yTCur99Qwyli_5B_EVDywGQpXXlOZ1gKRW07oZpLoz3hhAGTczF0E6wVmzOrYffk2E-wF_TSYVIqU2j4/s1600/GOPR8967-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycg51_emzQw9B27Q7Srkum0543AEVMVBlsUtr8aoT-fK6URWC9XAEibIYJH7yTCur99Qwyli_5B_EVDywGQpXXlOZ1gKRW07oZpLoz3hhAGTczF0E6wVmzOrYffk2E-wF_TSYVIqU2j4/s400/GOPR8967-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hitching a ride down the last five miles (Pic: Tyler Fox GoPro)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgrKqokKCOW7jWy2JDc3ZPyrvGOeY4GlBvwsbhS2V6WwhpgZD87mRaPkexYL4G6ufV1Qosu7uRy9mukEkViPwgn_Y1sFd7WUXM1041XA_7cmX5vv3Jnn8VkJeHbRY_CAXodq7Kfez4Yk/s1600/GOPR8967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgrKqokKCOW7jWy2JDc3ZPyrvGOeY4GlBvwsbhS2V6WwhpgZD87mRaPkexYL4G6ufV1Qosu7uRy9mukEkViPwgn_Y1sFd7WUXM1041XA_7cmX5vv3Jnn8VkJeHbRY_CAXodq7Kfez4Yk/s400/GOPR8967.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The latest Bromance... Matty and Shan (Pic: Tyler Fox GoPro)</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The locals kindly reminded us that the first five miles would be through private property so we would not be able to stop until after then. Some fun rapids, an induction into Royal Gorge portaging and fading daylight saw us ignore the plentiful “No Tresspassing” signs and pitch an incognito camp about three miles in.</span></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_JW4otW55AYAOmneCJYGWmQH1x5DyBJFLXmSSjJxynyOO9bFOi33Vi90u98TfykULL6p-JNjjs_niTiXTe2ZfRUxAPCwLBlayEdBvaXDQoGRuqPI5kSirba-ow1llLtlTThr86c2qC0/s1600/IMG_0091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_JW4otW55AYAOmneCJYGWmQH1x5DyBJFLXmSSjJxynyOO9bFOi33Vi90u98TfykULL6p-JNjjs_niTiXTe2ZfRUxAPCwLBlayEdBvaXDQoGRuqPI5kSirba-ow1llLtlTThr86c2qC0/s400/IMG_0091.JPG" width="266" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Daan checking out some early Royal action, late on day one</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YqrKdhzT0wbFrLXjLuhwf0NFemc6ukmz0meBR6_5_xDCmOL81UpSkCfzRwD7Hgy6bsYZCUrYGUx8eQlbCvmYXyx1ulY8myhvL1RZq6VxKcYF9wsMkftXSiaSOrj5QACHRBKGOl7w6_E/s1600/IMG_6526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YqrKdhzT0wbFrLXjLuhwf0NFemc6ukmz0meBR6_5_xDCmOL81UpSkCfzRwD7Hgy6bsYZCUrYGUx8eQlbCvmYXyx1ulY8myhvL1RZq6VxKcYF9wsMkftXSiaSOrj5QACHRBKGOl7w6_E/s400/IMG_6526.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sweet campsite on the first night </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNmKj2kVPttNlXSXH4kUEcsfanBJ7w5f1LDXlIDyTCZLhKKCM7I_jHssV11aYgEKy8zfOURuCtugJQ6OPg-0QHOptIK2j120RN1v5_IowTaI8mjwCGRxrqD1iUzcAB8eirmgsnWoQjHk/s1600/IMG_6542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNmKj2kVPttNlXSXH4kUEcsfanBJ7w5f1LDXlIDyTCZLhKKCM7I_jHssV11aYgEKy8zfOURuCtugJQ6OPg-0QHOptIK2j120RN1v5_IowTaI8mjwCGRxrqD1iUzcAB8eirmgsnWoQjHk/s400/IMG_6542.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ShanDog chilling out</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We woke early, planning for a big day to catch up on what we should have paddled the first day. Daan’s night of sickness didn’t help so much, so it was around 9am by the time we got on the water. The next part had some cool rapids through a couple of mini gorges before we got to Heath Springs (about four miles in). This is the home of Heath One (clean 40 foot drop) into a short pool then straight into Heath Two (60 foot drop). It’s a spectacular place.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvK0gyS3UT8FEOg2bS1U0zwAedHclNK4YPiow6K99j9uT3-NNLxq7-X2SXgIJGYRO4I9IQeA-U8UE26doaam09TKgI96R-5bKYstcNI_rDuhcM0XkxDG1kZES0-kYx3RuRV_FprBww30/s1600/IMG_0169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvK0gyS3UT8FEOg2bS1U0zwAedHclNK4YPiow6K99j9uT3-NNLxq7-X2SXgIJGYRO4I9IQeA-U8UE26doaam09TKgI96R-5bKYstcNI_rDuhcM0XkxDG1kZES0-kYx3RuRV_FprBww30/s400/IMG_0169.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shan on the Breakfast Drop</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fVrWag8FycwHX3DnfP9N0J8qtVCIYnCqxKZe2E7SLylwhQLDIaq2DjGDC-5hyphenhyphen4Brd0pV-cSEl4xa3Jc3yQYxLhNR4UROQq-CANvc1V0jfIpr7mJvW4OGYaC9Vq01Ylk9zC3Fjj2vTx0/s1600/IMG_0369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fVrWag8FycwHX3DnfP9N0J8qtVCIYnCqxKZe2E7SLylwhQLDIaq2DjGDC-5hyphenhyphen4Brd0pV-cSEl4xa3Jc3yQYxLhNR4UROQq-CANvc1V0jfIpr7mJvW4OGYaC9Vq01Ylk9zC3Fjj2vTx0/s400/IMG_0369.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heath Springs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0mDqx4Lp5ixLmt_49oZqCbt3fEyhzJacT2NMHFE5vySR-DLbFVTRBe-O6Q7Aury9C_qg6c_DIeuvfX5BTmk-P4CO8Skmlkv-5-PTjpG-85gG244aDD9yTov87NkNJCMZjwhhjLxPJMI/s1600/GOPR8974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0mDqx4Lp5ixLmt_49oZqCbt3fEyhzJacT2NMHFE5vySR-DLbFVTRBe-O6Q7Aury9C_qg6c_DIeuvfX5BTmk-P4CO8Skmlkv-5-PTjpG-85gG244aDD9yTov87NkNJCMZjwhhjLxPJMI/s400/GOPR8974.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Looking at, and into Heath One (Pic: Tyler Fox GoPro)</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A bunch of the team fired Heath One, resulting in a couple of clean lines, one skirt implosion, two broken paddles and one swim. Matt’s swim wasn’t so bad (he got to the side pretty quick). The problem was that we didn’t manage to rescue his boat or paddle before they disappeared over the horizon line of Heath Two (there is still debate whether the paddle was in two parts or one, video footage suggests still in one piece). Sure enough his boat ended up in the massive and severely undercut cave on river left. The pool and cave at the bottom of Heath Two are completely walled in except for a decent drop exiting the pool. You can drop into there and then paddle out… Or you end up abseiling in. </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNj6qOt81mibQyrMCDe-YfJERryodX81ept4A017A7zEQKhYEPOM5DvCzPYS5TMXkqTP9pdmqJrjxosrcfkXUtC73zlTKV1DpMA0xXU-y2Xm4ypbquBP_mEG0CGsatvpd_RzBdPapxuJw/s1600/IMG_6618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNj6qOt81mibQyrMCDe-YfJERryodX81ept4A017A7zEQKhYEPOM5DvCzPYS5TMXkqTP9pdmqJrjxosrcfkXUtC73zlTKV1DpMA0xXU-y2Xm4ypbquBP_mEG0CGsatvpd_RzBdPapxuJw/s400/IMG_6618.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tyler Fox givin' her on Heath One</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglytmUC79yO5cSXZt1d1V7IptiYY5WOZecNm7vA-C0LP63u2PgbklGiGEBGFB5MwAZyPBvWJN73KEmBlWut-ia8Gd4GfmThSrxf61I-e4n9PINcvorVY45KT7ZYrlDt6H6pREhm8g0CIM/s1600/IMG_0339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglytmUC79yO5cSXZt1d1V7IptiYY5WOZecNm7vA-C0LP63u2PgbklGiGEBGFB5MwAZyPBvWJN73KEmBlWut-ia8Gd4GfmThSrxf61I-e4n9PINcvorVY45KT7ZYrlDt6H6pREhm8g0CIM/s400/IMG_0339.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Matt Coles on Heath One, before things got exciting</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlb0eMsXjl3BkMDhYxALHELty47P0PRMFFHbzK4yxe8zeQYj6HGkYojkMb0AaocCw1IEPH1yo0O_N_6ERDJL6pKPhLWBMUOEwnxg5OdGKEYdwiaTBk_deckcigddQHAffZ54QxyWt3MeU/s1600/IMG_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlb0eMsXjl3BkMDhYxALHELty47P0PRMFFHbzK4yxe8zeQYj6HGkYojkMb0AaocCw1IEPH1yo0O_N_6ERDJL6pKPhLWBMUOEwnxg5OdGKEYdwiaTBk_deckcigddQHAffZ54QxyWt3MeU/s400/IMG_0377.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking into Heath Two... The cave is on river left, out of sight </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We set up a solid anchor in a massive crack on river left, using six of our seven throwbags and almost every biner and prussick on hand. Matt abseiled 60 feet down, clipped a line onto his boat and then prussicked back up. The boat got hauled up and around, and two hours later Matt and his Pitonicon were reunited. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTewTg2LBrSdINdWbxs_YkItEXB0qJLtQrs4neC_6FHUtRWui6ISK8NTqx7u4pPRx-mognGxbA1XO5EICw84eO_RoFhiJTfiWc7_fyPDspjYdyFCCtkDgKXka_6unGN7p5mWLA8Sbt0o/s1600/IMG_0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTewTg2LBrSdINdWbxs_YkItEXB0qJLtQrs4neC_6FHUtRWui6ISK8NTqx7u4pPRx-mognGxbA1XO5EICw84eO_RoFhiJTfiWc7_fyPDspjYdyFCCtkDgKXka_6unGN7p5mWLA8Sbt0o/s400/IMG_0352.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boat retrieval: Matt scenic-ascending out of Heath Two</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So now, around 12.30pm and having lost a bit of our ‘flow’ we started walking around Crux Gorge, below Heath Two. We were certainly thinking about the fact that it was lunchtime on day two and we were still technically paddling day one of Royal Gorge. On a steep descent back to the river, I slipped and didn’t let go of my boat fast enough. There was some forward flipping action down a reasonably steep rocky bank before finally coming to a fortunate stop. One seriously sprained ankle and a smashed elbow, thanks.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So on my bum, with Lou helping out and the boys shuttling boats around, we all made it back to river level. The in-between paddling of the “big drops” is mostly Class IV – IV+ boogie with a few bigger drops scattered in there. We had some nice boulder gardens and drops down to Rattlensnake - the end of day one for most, but for us 3.30pm on day two.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrevHds2BnK46g_mQmvqSKG0Grub3vqtEpB0La_vY2wUEOM-5rud4vVAVMf8JgjIyY4D4QlSIDs5UOHXCv4lJYYxt8TE07W1Mk5VEf95RNhA_45EOCsYzrfDQDxDxkkOm16I1SWUa-xs/s1600/IMG_0418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrevHds2BnK46g_mQmvqSKG0Grub3vqtEpB0La_vY2wUEOM-5rud4vVAVMf8JgjIyY4D4QlSIDs5UOHXCv4lJYYxt8TE07W1Mk5VEf95RNhA_45EOCsYzrfDQDxDxkkOm16I1SWUa-xs/s400/IMG_0418.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lou firing it up on day two</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rest of the afternoon passed pretty quickly, mostly because people were starting to get tired with scouting, portaging and carrying my boat (because I really couldn’t). We passed Scott’s Drop (a milestone) and started portaging Wabena about 6.45pm. A steep, below average, rocky, vicious manzanita and poison oak-infested portage that seemed worse than it probably actually was. We were tired. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We camped up on a beach below Wabena, happy to have a fire and looking forward to food and rest. Before long we heard a helicopter, which proceeded to circle us super low and numerous times before finally landing on the beach across from us. As it turns out, we weren’t the only ones to have an adventure that day. The chopper was on the hunt for Heath Springs to heli-evac out a guy who had broken his back earlier that day.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Waa3CgeZ8ecj2SfNasx3jvtNsp8Gku8S9EG9EBVU-crnhM08eDDmIYZmZCBhm-MXQ6WsBQZcAu0rYzbUtyQcnFKHX3VDtMvDtx1XTlHv1m5TD0VHNzOqUzHxdvYU9nlHp4CPEOtkjlc/s1600/IMG_6752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Waa3CgeZ8ecj2SfNasx3jvtNsp8Gku8S9EG9EBVU-crnhM08eDDmIYZmZCBhm-MXQ6WsBQZcAu0rYzbUtyQcnFKHX3VDtMvDtx1XTlHv1m5TD0VHNzOqUzHxdvYU9nlHp4CPEOtkjlc/s400/IMG_6752.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rescue chopper that wasn't for us</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another early start and we were on the water again. Getting my foot into my boat was a mission, as was the ensuing pain. The paddling seemed to mellow a little and we felt like we were making good time. We had left a vehicle at the trail between Generation Gap and Giant Gap, in case we wanted to get out early (it was also so we could potentially finish Royal Gorge early and get to Dinkey Creek). The day dragged on and on, as did the miles of paddling. At best, we estimated that we would have had perhap four miles left of Royal Gorge and then 12 miles on Generation Gap. Turned out to be the longest '16' miles, ever. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By 4pm we were starting to think we had missed the trail, which would mean paddling Giant Gap (14 more miles) that evening with pretty much no food, but half a bottle of Jagermeister. We weren’t really looking forward to a potential night out either. But as things would have it we paddled a rapid that did a 90 degree bend, followed soon by a small tributary on river right and a footbridge across the river. 5.30pm and we had made the trail. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just 2000 feet of vertical gain and two miles of steep switchbacks between us and the end of Royal. Tired, broken, sick, injured, hungry and thirsty it took the better part of 2 ½ hours before we all met at the top, shuttle done and with chips, beer and Gatorade… Happy to be done.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidw5LrTTt1zICL_Hd2snzjpUqNYvtNZUPP-dDCuIf9l9WevPafkzeoD9zxAme3zGOSmBMBHaEpcYrVS9mSJv51iJZYTdtu6LwXPYX9QuciWROoC4SJn10bOiFEXcDbtQXmgLSc39R-aPA/s1600/IMG_0437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidw5LrTTt1zICL_Hd2snzjpUqNYvtNZUPP-dDCuIf9l9WevPafkzeoD9zxAme3zGOSmBMBHaEpcYrVS9mSJv51iJZYTdtu6LwXPYX9QuciWROoC4SJn10bOiFEXcDbtQXmgLSc39R-aPA/s400/IMG_0437.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Matt and Lu celebrating</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGjNPTu12wcNuU_LnrTAFRI9lodWHxNDxLiuKxMZunzxPjOpm6NxUK11PpG1joHxJquTB_YBP_j80rr4_nM0NAf698BMPfvNp39hk7hBvALPysAtgjlTQEJR8VnTTv5wE59RlzWc2MrI/s1600/IMG_6815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGjNPTu12wcNuU_LnrTAFRI9lodWHxNDxLiuKxMZunzxPjOpm6NxUK11PpG1joHxJquTB_YBP_j80rr4_nM0NAf698BMPfvNp39hk7hBvALPysAtgjlTQEJR8VnTTv5wE59RlzWc2MrI/s400/IMG_6815.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Royally bitten on the hike out</span></div>Jess Mathesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07108141830574480410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-14746400976764128812011-07-28T18:46:00.000-07:002011-09-10T01:11:59.218-07:00South Silver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a few runs where I really felt like I spent a lot of time thinking, the idea of going into South Silver sounded great. This run is like an amusement park with lots of clean drops and awesome slides. This run definitely falls into Ben Jackson's PGA category: PGA stands for Post Granite Awesomeness. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This run contains great rapids including Autobahn, Skyscraper and Plastic Surgery. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We drove from Coloma to find the take-out which happened to be the easiest part of our day. We checked the flows at the take-out and it looked like we had a good medium flow. From here we took a while to find the put in, a few wrong turns saw us back at main road. We found a group of kayakers also looking for the put in, they managed to point us in the right direction. We put on the river at 4.30pm, just as well it's a quick run. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Shannon, Matt and myself boogied down stream, making quick time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Such a fun run. Enjoy the photos...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrA75hb2t47wMVZJU3b8OIFqkJmC2L7bTgghP_HGtE5-J5f6lVkNWbbXvo-3BDKJq0zMc8wvFVXFuylIW7iPtRlQ2OaScgzG01XfvxllI_KTN8uHtxMB5utzBXSmov5uFc5F4FimQeF0lr/s1600/GOPR0015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrA75hb2t47wMVZJU3b8OIFqkJmC2L7bTgghP_HGtE5-J5f6lVkNWbbXvo-3BDKJq0zMc8wvFVXFuylIW7iPtRlQ2OaScgzG01XfvxllI_KTN8uHtxMB5utzBXSmov5uFc5F4FimQeF0lr/s400/GOPR0015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shannon on Autobahn</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22twbRlFrHxZgK4l4r3ce4ibmCI8FhQp3CoMmDHg44qve-TI08ZXKiODqkWGcV5vke8KaKi_fpREvcC3Uk8jTU9P4sokbcc_c0fDyxay9tZZNobfXuvx1vvEWUhjRc918vlUE-4xAALqK/s1600/GOPR0015-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22twbRlFrHxZgK4l4r3ce4ibmCI8FhQp3CoMmDHg44qve-TI08ZXKiODqkWGcV5vke8KaKi_fpREvcC3Uk8jTU9P4sokbcc_c0fDyxay9tZZNobfXuvx1vvEWUhjRc918vlUE-4xAALqK/s400/GOPR0015-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Shannon on the bottom of Autobahn</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6AeVuo_h9KgS89tcod4CqslFdIRRGCpKAFhoVUogDQCk8OY2Bsj75egiYaNBogM6Wj6o6v8nteynQdFec9UQl_2t9de6ZbLOxynkej-t_pKlAKq34RXMERkKy5ZnHBrDzh5MuuUoGsdq/s1600/GOPR0016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6AeVuo_h9KgS89tcod4CqslFdIRRGCpKAFhoVUogDQCk8OY2Bsj75egiYaNBogM6Wj6o6v8nteynQdFec9UQl_2t9de6ZbLOxynkej-t_pKlAKq34RXMERkKy5ZnHBrDzh5MuuUoGsdq/s400/GOPR0016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Matt on Autobahn</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBfx8KdI9so8neP6spEi36oSmomw7Ymgbgfcy_PIg9aWy5YpibI1jnw65QmN4TTv9DayWcXz9r-MBw0A1kCJczbsc5HBNoSiv9aKS-B1DjW5cl_oBRmDlFHAheeMNTKOicpdFxiEEiq5H/s1600/GOPR0019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBfx8KdI9so8neP6spEi36oSmomw7Ymgbgfcy_PIg9aWy5YpibI1jnw65QmN4TTv9DayWcXz9r-MBw0A1kCJczbsc5HBNoSiv9aKS-B1DjW5cl_oBRmDlFHAheeMNTKOicpdFxiEEiq5H/s400/GOPR0019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Shannon</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCXqiEhyqWJYtg5tKmmCRHbGk3Vs2wxMnBBaCZm6nP4hmndxPBq7TL1BKSp6X-1WzxXKUHSN_eJFIUlXHHLd-285FdYEGxbZT-xdyfsU6HK9IDgUKZZlPuIjOeRfw-WDFG0U4Wjm4zy0U/s1600/GOPR0020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCXqiEhyqWJYtg5tKmmCRHbGk3Vs2wxMnBBaCZm6nP4hmndxPBq7TL1BKSp6X-1WzxXKUHSN_eJFIUlXHHLd-285FdYEGxbZT-xdyfsU6HK9IDgUKZZlPuIjOeRfw-WDFG0U4Wjm4zy0U/s400/GOPR0020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Matt facing the wrong way</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpN-zCyQDf8jDu7o7iQIf2K2OJlDqit9Duux9ML_qurPacF5ciCHNggTySOvVBLlfpskKGjhos3MawlPIIZAevJ3W1b-l_p280pF1EfgPVWvqEqKLRJ7uxTD_a9wVs9QqQMFiMf15cX-y/s1600/GOPR0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpN-zCyQDf8jDu7o7iQIf2K2OJlDqit9Duux9ML_qurPacF5ciCHNggTySOvVBLlfpskKGjhos3MawlPIIZAevJ3W1b-l_p280pF1EfgPVWvqEqKLRJ7uxTD_a9wVs9QqQMFiMf15cX-y/s400/GOPR0021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Me stomping down</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukETeziK0OZcilBtu78oQIExE7-cAsZZJYDEhOeUmHWEed0b9oIDtaiuPKocyOD6q-uXCC_uemdoxOeZXenyIjKLwg_EZUST2rUaGCA3iMFi5KSrytm0DwCv4LUcm8f45s2ADxnqGM_2f/s1600/GOPR0022-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukETeziK0OZcilBtu78oQIExE7-cAsZZJYDEhOeUmHWEed0b9oIDtaiuPKocyOD6q-uXCC_uemdoxOeZXenyIjKLwg_EZUST2rUaGCA3iMFi5KSrytm0DwCv4LUcm8f45s2ADxnqGM_2f/s400/GOPR0022-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Getting ready for a soft landing</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrWH6C7x1veJaVHn82GJKTy1yBNFc2VOM1mFVpj3ryGzxCrztQeu_ENbXeeIIwFgeKACEKGk29ChnwDfJ0WWDJKuG6D8F1x0FXoKxlhxmRsLSM1fNx-sMIKt-DzT3S0qarI6QfyZz6YQ7/s1600/GOPR0022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrWH6C7x1veJaVHn82GJKTy1yBNFc2VOM1mFVpj3ryGzxCrztQeu_ENbXeeIIwFgeKACEKGk29ChnwDfJ0WWDJKuG6D8F1x0FXoKxlhxmRsLSM1fNx-sMIKt-DzT3S0qarI6QfyZz6YQ7/s400/GOPR0022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Getting the nose sky high</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOZ_R9VPpVLnTDwBX_ee7Rapub-jjNK007rCscJRboTQzMtIVSp6eTrdtG91ZsXDk5rCG8OGVhVfGA1ZdxyCqRzGNlqJSzZ_91PVTgmuHhrIWRdgM8O9oIL7STgj5vva4B5R_U-chnSOj/s1600/GOPR0024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOZ_R9VPpVLnTDwBX_ee7Rapub-jjNK007rCscJRboTQzMtIVSp6eTrdtG91ZsXDk5rCG8OGVhVfGA1ZdxyCqRzGNlqJSzZ_91PVTgmuHhrIWRdgM8O9oIL7STgj5vva4B5R_U-chnSOj/s400/GOPR0024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Running the pot holes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3olLvKol7OyzNKPETdGA1Z90EaAq3dAbztGrEC-hBAWO0HCIvxcl4WYRlcHWoDRjp8nBrX5JIgy1r4hE8jf8pSDNtJMkvvZpvt0Z1EszNf2jNnbPxjeby6IbQEcCQKhvZppAl9G7Ekkx/s1600/GOPR0025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3olLvKol7OyzNKPETdGA1Z90EaAq3dAbztGrEC-hBAWO0HCIvxcl4WYRlcHWoDRjp8nBrX5JIgy1r4hE8jf8pSDNtJMkvvZpvt0Z1EszNf2jNnbPxjeby6IbQEcCQKhvZppAl9G7Ekkx/s400/GOPR0025.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the top of Skyscraper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQR377WNsD5heKsUmrd4iwiH62emREvcPuPTb0Gwo5Wv12g1-NGU7Iui-M0JYKsoNH8B3yc3LmPohgUh7v68GpStwuHEgKxdmMPocY6Pl6TOsXayHnru7SsDnfYXJwoaj23jYyDhfSZzAB/s1600/GOPR0025-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQR377WNsD5heKsUmrd4iwiH62emREvcPuPTb0Gwo5Wv12g1-NGU7Iui-M0JYKsoNH8B3yc3LmPohgUh7v68GpStwuHEgKxdmMPocY6Pl6TOsXayHnru7SsDnfYXJwoaj23jYyDhfSZzAB/s400/GOPR0025-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the bottom of Off Ramp</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WE2aSdnwmGED9_v8SDTvsKrRpT388dOWarr4pZq3O8FLupYiiKOQBFgVfrSRNmSxyRt1tE9uJ0zuFYNc936shHpEzkz7crxF-45B4R_Mij-xbkADRN4Vbqp6tgRP3QaSg6NYJAp4-CTT/s1600/untitled+%252823+of+518%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WE2aSdnwmGED9_v8SDTvsKrRpT388dOWarr4pZq3O8FLupYiiKOQBFgVfrSRNmSxyRt1tE9uJ0zuFYNc936shHpEzkz7crxF-45B4R_Mij-xbkADRN4Vbqp6tgRP3QaSg6NYJAp4-CTT/s400/untitled+%252823+of+518%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me at the top of Skyscraper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhModrq8FhHCR3zREON3wr_utXQR4G7gP46wzGuESwZZwb0qZOokqNvP1p1liQy0mrTt3_h1btoKxoyoys0aO6GMInp77dXRDuDquUXE6q_rXTDcqzmiBTWizK4m6LgH9MVOVQGHrk8gdg7/s1600/untitled+%252858+of+518%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhModrq8FhHCR3zREON3wr_utXQR4G7gP46wzGuESwZZwb0qZOokqNvP1p1liQy0mrTt3_h1btoKxoyoys0aO6GMInp77dXRDuDquUXE6q_rXTDcqzmiBTWizK4m6LgH9MVOVQGHrk8gdg7/s400/untitled+%252858+of+518%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On the last section of Skyscraper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQEXZPtwhKXUmVytdu-m1RWSpBQGz8uZK8X2RmKmajXIDuXhVZuAvsxiovYwHPL2PBK1L5MZR1TnGrTynuwhCdK70R4tEObHRqo-RoKZhZi-n1_dI4M7fIkfCV9PJvP3ln7EPQCTUOgVS/s1600/untitled+%2528115+of+518%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQEXZPtwhKXUmVytdu-m1RWSpBQGz8uZK8X2RmKmajXIDuXhVZuAvsxiovYwHPL2PBK1L5MZR1TnGrTynuwhCdK70R4tEObHRqo-RoKZhZi-n1_dI4M7fIkfCV9PJvP3ln7EPQCTUOgVS/s400/untitled+%2528115+of+518%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Off Ramp</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mFabQgnHh8XwQWvvKYds3E2pXHcPZmF2IbY_HfiVAzino1Ixq84W1-ecF4J8R_Fyqye5Rb6LL1PaNMFXSRTkOwCf5mQP0OfG6fFF7QJ5cx5NeO-G68jnpijTti7gKC697ksH-lbq8F4W/s1600/GOPR0026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mFabQgnHh8XwQWvvKYds3E2pXHcPZmF2IbY_HfiVAzino1Ixq84W1-ecF4J8R_Fyqye5Rb6LL1PaNMFXSRTkOwCf5mQP0OfG6fFF7QJ5cx5NeO-G68jnpijTti7gKC697ksH-lbq8F4W/s400/GOPR0026.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shannon at the top of Sky Scrapper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60hvzvKv6DPxAz3sJLbH9D1PLP7kGXQJAMGOXv8pgsfXqfM7XHbfhMtk6oIY66aUeyY_EbZnxVYw6HPIxMU2bagHOeEUtLssRN-fmiM5sEj5SVrBUIjs3HDfAwZzKrirZ5jq8pNpLCzOg/s1600/GOPR0026-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60hvzvKv6DPxAz3sJLbH9D1PLP7kGXQJAMGOXv8pgsfXqfM7XHbfhMtk6oIY66aUeyY_EbZnxVYw6HPIxMU2bagHOeEUtLssRN-fmiM5sEj5SVrBUIjs3HDfAwZzKrirZ5jq8pNpLCzOg/s400/GOPR0026-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Shannon about to land sideways</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYxeLu09M7vDIPUG8wM_uZ90ESrc8A-BJEYK_jIVKS-15gd7OMY3znSPG2PHg-tZwClOiYpR3rC6J4xsFbydEt5Q2sZdmlq6oBY38txSZhDZZEqz6pjv3SdUaItBFewTZGwJKJjGs5zEl/s1600/untitled+%2528144+of+518%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYxeLu09M7vDIPUG8wM_uZ90ESrc8A-BJEYK_jIVKS-15gd7OMY3znSPG2PHg-tZwClOiYpR3rC6J4xsFbydEt5Q2sZdmlq6oBY38txSZhDZZEqz6pjv3SdUaItBFewTZGwJKJjGs5zEl/s400/untitled+%2528144+of+518%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zHS6j0phwm1ixOViIf2FVJM03ziQ3dx3Tf4eyoE9QgA6lIjTJGWe1e55ZHLOMxPFYuV8o5G5g02LW2teLm0DfZHifxy_M3EpMOu-MSuTVpPbmeKFgeC92QUOGsuwEB-NtEuMIeoA4N3a/s1600/untitled+%2528205+of+518%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zHS6j0phwm1ixOViIf2FVJM03ziQ3dx3Tf4eyoE9QgA6lIjTJGWe1e55ZHLOMxPFYuV8o5G5g02LW2teLm0DfZHifxy_M3EpMOu-MSuTVpPbmeKFgeC92QUOGsuwEB-NtEuMIeoA4N3a/s400/untitled+%2528205+of+518%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Shannon on Off Ramp</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yJCRNhnof7ham__cREyd1VfQsu5wXSQ-5Plzwv3Xtf6EbElcU73agiREpdC0lw_e3ciRes_kIy2TmkHnA9iBV0RtDmT5_CWqr7mYrhUVojmJJ5QGq5SDFopS7vvV6osXRTGYH5YY9Qe8/s1600/untitled+%2528312+of+518%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yJCRNhnof7ham__cREyd1VfQsu5wXSQ-5Plzwv3Xtf6EbElcU73agiREpdC0lw_e3ciRes_kIy2TmkHnA9iBV0RtDmT5_CWqr7mYrhUVojmJJ5QGq5SDFopS7vvV6osXRTGYH5YY9Qe8/s400/untitled+%2528312+of+518%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Matt on Plastic Surgery</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu9Y7nmBBTqXv5zUb39vqR492WivN2bHTWkG31sHqJp7QVNO61BnAUOs3HaUK0ZsqQ8ioW-HONPX5SbkwAz-1ol_XPluFtnaRXoNu9VQEQZnTx09v0rRBmbqHTWwZXW0DIAFDLCHFDX-G/s1600/GOPR0030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu9Y7nmBBTqXv5zUb39vqR492WivN2bHTWkG31sHqJp7QVNO61BnAUOs3HaUK0ZsqQ8ioW-HONPX5SbkwAz-1ol_XPluFtnaRXoNu9VQEQZnTx09v0rRBmbqHTWwZXW0DIAFDLCHFDX-G/s400/GOPR0030.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Plastic Surgery</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1772er_z75eOqyH1D5Qbfgc6VSCzGIjrwYZV1FLqW5kvnrThlFF2ZxCWxdBUUCc5wTHYEBD7sHOzEfw4b-w2-ARHM5qS74vQvlZaMcjPanJ4c05_ORg5rhOBm4kChb0LOC44LsVc8iOI/s1600/untitled+%2528433+of+518%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1772er_z75eOqyH1D5Qbfgc6VSCzGIjrwYZV1FLqW5kvnrThlFF2ZxCWxdBUUCc5wTHYEBD7sHOzEfw4b-w2-ARHM5qS74vQvlZaMcjPanJ4c05_ORg5rhOBm4kChb0LOC44LsVc8iOI/s400/untitled+%2528433+of+518%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTaxZBV0nszKsoVaLhoXwdKEL1_EWXV7DDGyr41Lb6Q3smVrZZt6KUP7tsTumG4Q4F7WsudPiH6t9eHblqHIJUay19DS_-4FE9IZF8AjvHlHidtSfFGf-SzvqvV7Wp7yRIG3rPaUbV0mzO/s1600/untitled+%2528460+of+518%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTaxZBV0nszKsoVaLhoXwdKEL1_EWXV7DDGyr41Lb6Q3smVrZZt6KUP7tsTumG4Q4F7WsudPiH6t9eHblqHIJUay19DS_-4FE9IZF8AjvHlHidtSfFGf-SzvqvV7Wp7yRIG3rPaUbV0mzO/s400/untitled+%2528460+of+518%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Burning Man</div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531705916084846035.post-66369800039379227172011-07-26T21:10:00.000-07:002011-09-10T01:11:58.087-07:00Kidder Creek and the Scott River<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I ventured out to Etna (Northern Cali) with the idea of doing a couple of runs around the area. PK had mentioned that the Scott River was a great trip out at a good flow. Rush suggested doing Kidder Creek as well. Sounded like a good day out, two new runs in a day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kidder Creek was the first on the list. It's a small creek that flows into the Scott River . To get to the put-in you take a road towards the mountains, between Etna and Fort Jones. The road takes you next to the river most of the way. On the drive up I was surprised at how small the run was, not a lot of volume in a very small gorge. There was maybe 200 cfs at the put in, maybe less. It has a couple of very cool rapids and it also had a little bit of braided river bed. Jess and I joined Zak, Rush and Ben for this run. Rush was the only one in the group who had done this run.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first part of the run has lots of small, tight drops with some good boofs in a tight little canyon. Around the halfway point of the run we came to a tree that crossed the river. It had a sneak chute on the right under the tree, and a smashed up jet boat on the left. The jet boat was a crazy thing to see on this run because the river has some reasonable gradient in places, is narrow in lots of spots and had only just enough water for our kayaks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeD9bD9xOgHgqRPmqborJVuIXbjLVeyAKdanjkWzHdnRPETAmPsmnmvls1yYRrrA-ZwAiKvlXCoIQDs8ExnjssqJxRKKp5QXLeExiFHnNMvI1Lo7XndaRUZuRjL523ei6Rfr5uf3PbEg-t/s1600/GOPR0629-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeD9bD9xOgHgqRPmqborJVuIXbjLVeyAKdanjkWzHdnRPETAmPsmnmvls1yYRrrA-ZwAiKvlXCoIQDs8ExnjssqJxRKKp5QXLeExiFHnNMvI1Lo7XndaRUZuRjL523ei6Rfr5uf3PbEg-t/s400/GOPR0629-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jess and I on the first rapid</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdzQwTesh7u3AG8dh04Tf5VzhxL-LHovxW6iZnknBXdvq__7q6-yikB9s1gvALsKERkqIQ6fZxwCns2NQ_OQzdwshF63WzpST-6CDyo1_Jhhg7oqQ9ate48NmCEHgNOIDBsM-gvjKup00/s1600/GOPR0629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdzQwTesh7u3AG8dh04Tf5VzhxL-LHovxW6iZnknBXdvq__7q6-yikB9s1gvALsKERkqIQ6fZxwCns2NQ_OQzdwshF63WzpST-6CDyo1_Jhhg7oqQ9ate48NmCEHgNOIDBsM-gvjKup00/s400/GOPR0629.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jess lining up a boof</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSr9hRikL7ezBmTXmMWQS_TeXTyVczIsvjVM1dI4kdX_jD7m6h67uE9ucrts2RRNzVySFWy98roCIp_xpLj5PefhEjihdykgxqVH2ectZsCx5B4ntYjoj22eBJem3wiJsZjrWka79Hwi2K/s1600/GOPR0629-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSr9hRikL7ezBmTXmMWQS_TeXTyVczIsvjVM1dI4kdX_jD7m6h67uE9ucrts2RRNzVySFWy98roCIp_xpLj5PefhEjihdykgxqVH2ectZsCx5B4ntYjoj22eBJem3wiJsZjrWka79Hwi2K/s400/GOPR0629-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nearing the end of the first rapid</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy4a9K0qQ3EhSPqr3gCOy_Bi6j6jDbg7TTscWLhbKez7BR2b_aATGU4ASySnLcG6g4_AXILs_eDzJU2sBr7Rp7SQe19Rt42ZoC985F8dTq12bMQsvyMu3Hh81giR_bSq5dKOSivZmmbnq/s1600/GOPR0629-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy4a9K0qQ3EhSPqr3gCOy_Bi6j6jDbg7TTscWLhbKez7BR2b_aATGU4ASySnLcG6g4_AXILs_eDzJU2sBr7Rp7SQe19Rt42ZoC985F8dTq12bMQsvyMu3Hh81giR_bSq5dKOSivZmmbnq/s400/GOPR0629-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The tight exit of the first rapid</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkRB-vWX9CO8IHkb_zo9zbz51bAIpnuO2-61QsiZu5QpNUrZFC0NpK-Y7nlgHMDpGSctFS0YZKWthqdDmDInodhbxaUo3YI9pmEnf5-6XC3LtiQ90wpmqCcPg7-Oe4vtfZfasEWyHJzLf/s1600/GOPR0630-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkRB-vWX9CO8IHkb_zo9zbz51bAIpnuO2-61QsiZu5QpNUrZFC0NpK-Y7nlgHMDpGSctFS0YZKWthqdDmDInodhbxaUo3YI9pmEnf5-6XC3LtiQ90wpmqCcPg7-Oe4vtfZfasEWyHJzLf/s400/GOPR0630-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lots of cool chutes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRqHfh20CYLFq99L55vZjvWv7v4jzfz3x_QBxORA0yo9ZZ8DRXikBg8dmmecfRUgC7Sg_MfHEpagU1qpv__JMxamkzcTaqkOCt2tIZpIKMsuvlAfFuRp9Xj0mWvvRBU4aceycXlXl_Zid/s1600/GOPR0630-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRqHfh20CYLFq99L55vZjvWv7v4jzfz3x_QBxORA0yo9ZZ8DRXikBg8dmmecfRUgC7Sg_MfHEpagU1qpv__JMxamkzcTaqkOCt2tIZpIKMsuvlAfFuRp9Xj0mWvvRBU4aceycXlXl_Zid/s400/GOPR0630-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtm-k6VaLvoF-iDU75idEsz4z3zlqOKAIE92f3MZmgpK0bqAj3zBkwjQl50eIWmPwQe9Pkq_FL-P0qGY_ZlUAm9FxZnuuZ6TDV1oDCrH2diLYJTNgr_AEKJvodFcP6YyIwc3zxp68nuYw/s1600/GOPR0630-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtm-k6VaLvoF-iDU75idEsz4z3zlqOKAIE92f3MZmgpK0bqAj3zBkwjQl50eIWmPwQe9Pkq_FL-P0qGY_ZlUAm9FxZnuuZ6TDV1oDCrH2diLYJTNgr_AEKJvodFcP6YyIwc3zxp68nuYw/s400/GOPR0630-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jess</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2M5P6dn7st2Rxffw4vNNqlb7sNfOSLERYj6kbixQJi5NzTyjlFApjRVfE_9fYV18zRiWbNYKKG9BkzmaImyjec8tGKoOFrJZ3YBjE-REf2h7iNjP3R0Kk8sgRqjDEwf-1aG8TGFuI6sae/s1600/GOPR0630-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2M5P6dn7st2Rxffw4vNNqlb7sNfOSLERYj6kbixQJi5NzTyjlFApjRVfE_9fYV18zRiWbNYKKG9BkzmaImyjec8tGKoOFrJZ3YBjE-REf2h7iNjP3R0Kk8sgRqjDEwf-1aG8TGFuI6sae/s400/GOPR0630-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Looking at the jet boat from upstream</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2DB0A-P00AMk53IH0a3Op8fEZ3ulBofNP89utjjmZ1GSvqqeCaE-2hbONCyT-dK2xWSRtloZ0GkGkjFots4inbQiH3sewtffOt-BSdU12Jchb28OLND73RlWyNDiixrx2ViKbyIyLDIG/s1600/GOPR0630-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2DB0A-P00AMk53IH0a3Op8fEZ3ulBofNP89utjjmZ1GSvqqeCaE-2hbONCyT-dK2xWSRtloZ0GkGkjFots4inbQiH3sewtffOt-BSdU12Jchb28OLND73RlWyNDiixrx2ViKbyIyLDIG/s400/GOPR0630-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">And looking back up at the jet boat</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzdcMN5VzqYMEjjRC9MLRkJi0PK_nOQn_NEH9X2Qd_RYVKrkiFwdYEj0PykSE0QMDuLP9D19mzbfyVKLkUIaPZLXrWcg_e6zgGPV2S-HyHZ_22vs_17ZLzl1KIWjhJL1xrh2vdYIRDL3T/s1600/GOPR0630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzdcMN5VzqYMEjjRC9MLRkJi0PK_nOQn_NEH9X2Qd_RYVKrkiFwdYEj0PykSE0QMDuLP9D19mzbfyVKLkUIaPZLXrWcg_e6zgGPV2S-HyHZ_22vs_17ZLzl1KIWjhJL1xrh2vdYIRDL3T/s400/GOPR0630.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jess almost getting pulled back by a sticky hole</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">From here Zak, Jess and myself drove towards the Scott river to do a 20 mile section. The style of this run was good but the quality of the water was a down side. The water was very murky - this is mostly from local agricultural run off. I prefer pristine water ways that you can drink. The whitewater was more of a river feel with lots of big holes and pour overs. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At the take-out we were met by an angry local. We were about to take out on his land, which he wasn't at all happy about. As soon as we started talking to him he chilled out a lot - this way mainly due to the fact that none of us were from America and he had been watching the news story about the stranded Emperor penguin in New Zealand which he was eager to talk about. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYgnuxH5c1Zc_ef7flgchI8KdOFDVw98taQV7NMQAbeIpMjbI0iAR0ojR0czfd9iIOmpyq5WSY-bqi2Qknj1U6f_siKSHkuIHYFei01nx7SGMmP4MYQUDpi1W3fRlYxSWOjhdZAbLy8qe/s1600/GOPR0635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYgnuxH5c1Zc_ef7flgchI8KdOFDVw98taQV7NMQAbeIpMjbI0iAR0ojR0czfd9iIOmpyq5WSY-bqi2Qknj1U6f_siKSHkuIHYFei01nx7SGMmP4MYQUDpi1W3fRlYxSWOjhdZAbLy8qe/s400/GOPR0635.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rock rail slide on the Scott</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrEa5Lr_x01ORHtj5fpvDK-2Gbu1vhq07_txZOG3-w46qTGW3xvlFZnxrLJafWrsrA7gW3jjioAy42WZt0VaN0FIPyHDVqpSpRRRFrNeTNjNwOLZ30Al4_qJy62aFn4UPhc-r7KATXmeK/s1600/GOPR0637-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrEa5Lr_x01ORHtj5fpvDK-2Gbu1vhq07_txZOG3-w46qTGW3xvlFZnxrLJafWrsrA7gW3jjioAy42WZt0VaN0FIPyHDVqpSpRRRFrNeTNjNwOLZ30Al4_qJy62aFn4UPhc-r7KATXmeK/s400/GOPR0637-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jess leading the way</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnYxnYBSKWb9boXpXpsJdJEoNnM_CU0r-uYMiZpNvVYRfZhAotZBfQ6-MGsZPNy4EEbmwNLM4TGOmoqak9EGTthp0IBi_hzov6p_9D4iOW8Scau1yK4A4eRwxwXS1r_aFGE-5_mzRyL-_/s1600/GOPR0637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnYxnYBSKWb9boXpXpsJdJEoNnM_CU0r-uYMiZpNvVYRfZhAotZBfQ6-MGsZPNy4EEbmwNLM4TGOmoqak9EGTthp0IBi_hzov6p_9D4iOW8Scau1yK4A4eRwxwXS1r_aFGE-5_mzRyL-_/s400/GOPR0637.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of the many big holes</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0IBCa42zxEF9N2rOh69ozNtX0W1ZptdVJUeDx2O7smHyovgYK1a-tQCdokKNzgupUBHPKCmc39RO8Xct5_bYvAYjiBEDDws7aFokp2gXmmCMvC83G5A7W7flxE8N-YpSzDXLDHIlBLl0/s1600/GOPR0638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0IBCa42zxEF9N2rOh69ozNtX0W1ZptdVJUeDx2O7smHyovgYK1a-tQCdokKNzgupUBHPKCmc39RO8Xct5_bYvAYjiBEDDws7aFokp2gXmmCMvC83G5A7W7flxE8N-YpSzDXLDHIlBLl0/s400/GOPR0638.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lining up another hole</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qh46rXLznZhZ2mnYaSwRBSbvBY-JfilbVCnPcsGlv9ARRBP0OSofZRMuDzues2yvjyJWnQaMItxgd5iCb9VGji0Ay-pgJp1izZGvBvn-ka2qVpkzEEVzSHA2bVnEbSmzkW8yGwHtc8QK/s1600/GOPR0639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qh46rXLznZhZ2mnYaSwRBSbvBY-JfilbVCnPcsGlv9ARRBP0OSofZRMuDzues2yvjyJWnQaMItxgd5iCb9VGji0Ay-pgJp1izZGvBvn-ka2qVpkzEEVzSHA2bVnEbSmzkW8yGwHtc8QK/s400/GOPR0639.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Zak getting air</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76G5gtFAMI6qA08QRXXMykSldIF_56f6WMa9RD4Sf_vR9XBUiscSiiBJbxpOfni-DOJUPa2H2i10cfL8upjCbYWrpo2c1HJFOIkXmrX9ss2h1Wa-HF8SttuqZFdfngNnLIvOthp3q2knU/s1600/GOPR0640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76G5gtFAMI6qA08QRXXMykSldIF_56f6WMa9RD4Sf_vR9XBUiscSiiBJbxpOfni-DOJUPa2H2i10cfL8upjCbYWrpo2c1HJFOIkXmrX9ss2h1Wa-HF8SttuqZFdfngNnLIvOthp3q2knU/s400/GOPR0640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And yet another big hole</div>Daan Jimminkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335655990318256534noreply@blogger.com0