As you may all remember, this winter, I lost my new Villain in an undercut rock at Blakeney rapids in Almonte. Went today and ran the same channel again. I have a strong belief that when you mess up something and get hurt, scared, you have to do it again..otherwise..it will haunt you... Like that channel in Blakeney..Been haunting me for 2 months.. I knew I was gonna go back when the time was right..And this AM..m buddy Chris and I went to pick up his first whitewater kayak at Paddleshack..A Wavesport Fuse 64...Nice green play/river runner! I was trying to think of a friendly beginner spot with no conseuqences where I could bring Chris. While I was contemplating a Villain, something came in mind... I had remembered the channels at Blakeney to be quite deep and friendly where the rapids meet the bottom pools so I decided to bring my fried there.. I outfitted him with my cold weather paddling gear... might be warm enough for me to paddle in shorts and bare chest but for a newbie..Water is freezing! haha! Took him a few minutes to get used to the tightness of a drytop neck seal but didnt we all at some point!?
While Marc and CJ were checking out the bigger class rapids, I taught him a few safety rules, strokes, signs, ferries and whitewater kayaking basics.. I am by no means a teacher but it did the job fine for an intro day! After an hour or two of little trickle.. I brought Chris to one of the class I - II rapids that flow into a large recovery pool.. The rapid's about 250 yards and fairly deep.. I had Marc and CJ set up safety in 2 different eddies and gave Chris the go...His angle was wide open and with no idea how to brace yet he flipped over...Chris had a hard time pulling the skirt off as on the easy peasy Level Six, the handle is on the side and not in front after 15 seconds, he got to it and pulled but it wouldnt come off.. CJ head for him to "hand of god" rescue him but as he lifted... Chris had taken the skirt off his waist...
Surely enough, Chris was shook and took him a few seconds to regain composure. Lets say that it was a great ice breaker.. After I spoke to him, he still seemed stoked about the experience and wanted to run the last half of the same channel again. This time, without flipping over and ferrying in properly witch he did just fine!!
Well be practicing wet exits and rolls in flatwater for this week and perhaps a bit of ferries and whitewater again on Sunday!
Here are a few pictures of him! :)
Chris Scouting the Bigger Stuff!
The Bigger Stuff
Chris not too happy with the tightness of the gear! lol
At the bottom of a class V
Chris practicing ferries and strokes!
Chris practicing his underwater skills!
You gotta empty the boat! And breathe in floating dead pigg smell.
Gettin some tips from Marc!
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