Humiliating Swims: Top this

[ridinshockgun]

Spent last week at the Arkansas and had a blast. My first full day we ran the Numbers at 1700 all the way to BV. Everyone had a clean run, blah, blah. Had a blast and was very impressed.

Went back to camp, had a couple beers. We were kind of tired but still decided it would be a good idea to then ride to Salida and play in the hole.

I got there early and was out there with maybe two other boaters. So, no line = lots of hole rides in a short period of time. Add the fatigue from the morning's 12 mile paddle and flatlander lungs and you get lots of resting required. I kept getting out of my boat to rest but wanted to go back in. Basically after about 5-10 seconds in the hole I was winded each time

Finally I went in, did a few spins, then went for a loop and didnt quite make it (like all of my tries). Time to pop right back up like I had done everytime the past couple hours. Try 1 no, 2 no, 3 (wtf is happening), 4 (no fucking way).......12 (ok fuck it, Im out). I was all the way past the bridge when I pulled out and just swam to the next eddy. I didnt count the rolls, everybody sitting there watching did, I don't think it was 12 but it was a lot. I was just too tired to roll the boat, period. At one point I remember laying under water thinking, "this is not going to happen here".

So, of course there were quite a few people standing there watching, including my whole group, and a video camera which I had given to someone to take video.

With the exception of this Monday incident I had a great time out there last week. I was impressed by the really continous, big water. It just doesnt keep going like that in the SE and rarely is it that big. We basically boat scouted everything except for Sunshine in RG and #5. This added a whole new excitement to everything.

It seems like the reservoir was still dumping water because the level dropped really fast on Friday to about 1000. The Numbers was still fun at that level, actually I think 1 and 6 were harder because there were more holes.

Thanks to the guy who showed us this:


Me in #5 at 1700 cfs



Some carnage from our group at Sunshine:

[MarsB]

It happens. Playboating is strenuous, especially so after a long river run and not being used to altitude. You wore your ass out and couldn't hit your roll. No big deal.

[cloudpeak]

If you have to swim, it seems to me you picked a great place to do it.

The Arkansas and Salida are pretty cool.

[DamRepublican]

try being a beginner c1er (the only one) on a wave for the first time having a 60% roll while alot of people watch, yeah I swam alot today.

edit: very nice pics on the river, wish we had that much water left on the gally

[ridinshockgun]

The McSwim is a move that is done by many but mastered by few.

I think the classic moment was "I think you lifted your head man"....."No fuckin shit, shutup".

[Storm11]

My only swim of last season was at the lower wave in Salida. Lost my noseplugs and popped out of my thigh brace.
If only my swims from this year were so non-chalant (pinned boat/dislocated shoulder)

We're all between swims....

[Tye 1on]

Punching out after a dozen roll attempts? That's humiliating? Location: Grand Canyon...Sure, was in a raft, but try smackin the wall at the Paria Riffle [class 1.5 maybe], cracking the spare oar, then 10 miles later, at Badger, the first real rapid [just an easy run down the middle], getting washed off the seat, grabbing the oar on the way out, and climbing up it to get back in, only to find the other oar [with no lanyard...yet] had gotten loose and was floating down unaccompanied by the boat.

Passengers looking back at me and asking "do you really have a clue wtf you're doing?"......priceless

Running the rest of the river incident free? Damn fun.

[mr_gyptian]

second date. the young lady I was squiring had been kayaking for over six years. I had kayaked exactly twice. We/she decides a mellow run on the upper C would be a good idea. I attempt every single way out of this I can to no avail. the Upper C is about as easy as water gets in Colorado. alas, we head out.

we drop in at Yarmony.

she decides I need try a wet exit. we'll call this exit #1. it was a hot day. so getting wet wasn't a big deal.

we paddle into the first rapid. she decides to roll through fakey/switch. mainly to watch me flail. miraculously, I make it through the rapid and am thinking I'll atleast not completely embarass myself.

not so fast. rapid #2, I make it almost completely through and inexplicably point my kayak at the only obstacle I needed to avoid. this rock flipped me like Kaiser Soeze. I exit and she gets my paddle as I swim with my kayak to the side. laughs ensue. I'd cut my self as I came out of the boat, no big deal.

rapid #3, the S rapid. once again, I make it through about 90% of the rapid and then dump myself. this time I tag my thigh on a rock. think nothing of it, and get back in.

I make it out of rapid #4, no problemo. some, not much of my pride is intact.

what seemed to be light bruises in the cold water ended up being nasty contousions. I could barely sleep that night as I think my body was fevering out to try and heal.

I'm progressing well with the kayaking this summer, not so well with the girl.

[mtcham]

try being a beginner c1er (the only one) on a wave for the first time having a 60% roll while alot of people watch, yeah I swam alot today.

edit: very nice pics on the river, wish we had that much water left on the gally

Looking pretty good here.


I guess a half hour roll practice coming down the river wasn't quite enough.




Let's see, one sixer for each tow..............

[Yonder_River]

Everyone is between swims for sure. I swam at the Golden playpark a couple years ago.

I just took my first one in awhile last Thursday on the Top Tye. Sucked back into a six foot ledge drop, rode her for a few seconds, then remembered the three behind me that were about to boof on my head. Didn't take long for me to pull the cord on that one.


p.s. DamR: ditch the pro-tec

[DamRepublican]

Let's see, one sixer for each tow..............

ehh I owe you guys about ten cases for all the times ive been towed out...heh im getting good at swimming at least

and yonder that protec is the bees knees women dig the hair out the holes look (yes i am that cheap but my head is still intact)

edit: I did hit some combat rolls though

[teledave]

Seal launch to near swim. 'Nuff said. Thanks for the bow rescue.

[madturtle]

Met up w/ a few other guys I met on GCP (a paddling list serve) to paddle the Tuolumne on Saturday. This was my 2nd class 4 river (18 miles and 18 class 4 rapids). Had a few flips but pretty much everything was going great and I felt really strong. So towards the bottom I started getting a little more aggresive and hitting the holes a bit more...

Came up on the steamboat rapid and peaked down into the hole from above while I still had time to skirt around it if need be but thought "I can handle that" and tried to boof it. Oh FUCK! The river decided it was time I learned a little lesson in respect and sucked me back so hard I almost got whiplash . Did about 4-5 cartwheels/flips/rolls and then my boat got ripped off of me and spit out. As much as I didn't want to swim at that point I was thinking whatever get's me out. Only problem is my boat got spit out but I didn't. So I kept trying to reach out, down, whatever with my paddle to catch the downriver current but nothing was working...full on washing machine action going on here. Apparently from the outside everyone cold hear my paddle hit the rock and were getting pretty worried. Eventually paddle got ripped out of my hands and I thought "Oh shit now how do I get outta here?" About 4-5 more rag doll flips in the hole each one ending in me getting yanked right back in; eventually I sank deep enough that I finally got spit out. Popped my head up gasping for air to realize one of the commercial rafting outfitters was beached just below watchng the whole thing w/ about 4 rafts and their photographer. Once they realized I was OK got a great big round of applause followed by a "DUDE that was an epic swim!!"

River 1, Madturtle 0

[ridinshockgun]

Now, see, that's a good swim.

[Tye 1on]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^great story tortoise

funny, in the old days [Perception Dancer....] we used to scout those rapid thingys...Glad it turned out ok, isn't it amazing the thoughts that go thru your head when you're being worked by a force stronger than you?

[Tye 1on]

Now, see, that's a good swim.

those two words do not belong together. Total oxymoron.

[smolakian]

I swam in the Golden playpark yesterday...a few times! It was my first time on the river on a kayak and I don't have a reliable roll yet. Plus, there were about a million spectators. It was still fun. I leaned back in the shallows and bashed my face into a rock and my teeth almost went through my lower lip...I think I'm gonna take a roll class in the pool.

[Yonder_River]

(yes i am that cheap but my head is still intact)

Don't worry, it won't be for long.

[ridinshockgun]

Don't worry, it won't be for long.

I learned that lesson first hand. DamR search back and you'll find the pictures.

[DamRepublican]

yes as soon as some extra funds come my way i am in the market for a good helmet, but seeing as i only started hitting heavy(er) whitewater this year i wanted to be able to get the basic equipment, now that I am getting better and plan on going on to bigger water a new helmet is next on my list.

And i think I have seen the pictures before.