splish, splash!!
Let's just say that my weekend up at Lake Isabella put a new perspective on things =).
I've been anticipating the day where my feet meet the whitewater, and Sunday was it. While driving up the road, which was a swift 15 minutes from our campsite, it was all I could do to contain my excitement...we crossed over the river on a bridge and made an immediate right into the parking area. My first reaction was, "wow, there are too many people here!". People were swarming toward the building in droves, well, what seemed like drove ;). In actuality, there were multiple trips going out at the same time, so only 4 boats of 6 left with out tour group.
We were told wet suits in June/July were not needed, however, upon our arrival, they informed us that the snow pack had continued to melt and the river was flowing at a chilly 35 degrees! OK...so...rent a wet suit!! Ewwww was my initial reaction! Those things are so skin tight you have to pull them on and peel them off! In the end they saved me from being oober cold out on the river though =).
So...geared up with wet suits, life jackets, and helmets...all 24 rafters and 4 guides boarded a bus and rode to our warm-up launch location. We had to carry the rafts down to the river edge along with the necessary paddles. Those rafts are quite heavy! Then came the very thorough safety talk...how to save people, how to actively swim, where to go if you fall out, what to do if we hit a hole or rock...I was beginning to get a bit nervous! My dad and I were assigned to the lead guides raft. We climbed in, and paddled forward, backward, left back, right back, everything Ellen ordered, we did.
The first run was a calm one, with some class III rapids mixed in, with names like Ewing, sidewinder, and Big Daddy. We hit Big Daddy first and each of the 3 other rafts had a swimmer, where one of the rafters fell out. Luckily they were rescued by their raft members almost immediately. Our raft remained intact =). At out take out point, we carried the boats to the bus, loaded them and traveled to our next stop at the top of the Limestone run.
The Limestone run, Ellen warned on the bus, was a big step up from our warm up, as it was mainly class IV rapids. That portage was the most strenuous. I had to carry two boats down to the river, which was a long hike with a boat on your shoulder! Once at the launch point though, it was all excitement. We hit brush creek, Limestone, joy's Diner, and betties Bakery. All class IV fantastic runs! =) We had some boats lose paddles and a couple swimmers along those runs. There were swells all around us and when you hit a hole just right, the water comes over your head...But you just have to keep paddling to ensure you're not stuck in the hole...it's exhilarating!! =)
We stopped for lunch...full on sandwich bar with everything you could ever want on a sandwich! Then we took the bus to our last run. I got a birthday song from Ellen and the rafters on the bus =) Hehe, it's weird having random people singing happy birthday to you!
Our final launch was the highlight of the day. Our launch put us right into the cable...a huge rapid with tons of potential. Ellen guided us skillfully and we hit every dip, curve, swell, hole and splash possible. It was amazing. She would say "FORWARD, FORWARD!!!" and I would be trying to get to water, but the wave would take the boat up high enough where there was no water for me to reach, I was paddling air! Then, I could just see us entering a deep dip and whoosh, water over my head, and more paddling! =) We made it through with no casualties and we gave a paddle high five. Then turning back, we had to slow our raft to catch people and paddles as one of the rafts tipped, sending all it's passengers downstream. Our boat was in good position to gather a few paddles, Phillipe's boat rescued 3 rafters, Amanda's boat rescued 1 and 2 managed to swim their way to shore. We got everyone back to Jermaine's raft and the trip continued. At the wall, we paddled into an eddy and shot out, bouncing every which way, nearly losing the entire left side of the boat...WOW...that was one of my favorite sections of river =). We passed through lots of trees which they call "strainers" and through Pepsi Challenge, which turned out to be a good bumpy challenge =).
It was sad to see the day come to a close. While I was exhausted and while my shoulders are still slightly bruised, it was hard to have to get out of the river. I will never look at a river in the same way...each section becomes a class and a run...each stretch is beautiful in a new way now. *sigh* I now have to recruit people to join me in this new tradition...hehe...every spring/summer anyone?! =)
I've been anticipating the day where my feet meet the whitewater, and Sunday was it. While driving up the road, which was a swift 15 minutes from our campsite, it was all I could do to contain my excitement...we crossed over the river on a bridge and made an immediate right into the parking area. My first reaction was, "wow, there are too many people here!". People were swarming toward the building in droves, well, what seemed like drove ;). In actuality, there were multiple trips going out at the same time, so only 4 boats of 6 left with out tour group.
We were told wet suits in June/July were not needed, however, upon our arrival, they informed us that the snow pack had continued to melt and the river was flowing at a chilly 35 degrees! OK...so...rent a wet suit!! Ewwww was my initial reaction! Those things are so skin tight you have to pull them on and peel them off! In the end they saved me from being oober cold out on the river though =).
So...geared up with wet suits, life jackets, and helmets...all 24 rafters and 4 guides boarded a bus and rode to our warm-up launch location. We had to carry the rafts down to the river edge along with the necessary paddles. Those rafts are quite heavy! Then came the very thorough safety talk...how to save people, how to actively swim, where to go if you fall out, what to do if we hit a hole or rock...I was beginning to get a bit nervous! My dad and I were assigned to the lead guides raft. We climbed in, and paddled forward, backward, left back, right back, everything Ellen ordered, we did.
The first run was a calm one, with some class III rapids mixed in, with names like Ewing, sidewinder, and Big Daddy. We hit Big Daddy first and each of the 3 other rafts had a swimmer, where one of the rafters fell out. Luckily they were rescued by their raft members almost immediately. Our raft remained intact =). At out take out point, we carried the boats to the bus, loaded them and traveled to our next stop at the top of the Limestone run.
The Limestone run, Ellen warned on the bus, was a big step up from our warm up, as it was mainly class IV rapids. That portage was the most strenuous. I had to carry two boats down to the river, which was a long hike with a boat on your shoulder! Once at the launch point though, it was all excitement. We hit brush creek, Limestone, joy's Diner, and betties Bakery. All class IV fantastic runs! =) We had some boats lose paddles and a couple swimmers along those runs. There were swells all around us and when you hit a hole just right, the water comes over your head...But you just have to keep paddling to ensure you're not stuck in the hole...it's exhilarating!! =)
We stopped for lunch...full on sandwich bar with everything you could ever want on a sandwich! Then we took the bus to our last run. I got a birthday song from Ellen and the rafters on the bus =) Hehe, it's weird having random people singing happy birthday to you!
Our final launch was the highlight of the day. Our launch put us right into the cable...a huge rapid with tons of potential. Ellen guided us skillfully and we hit every dip, curve, swell, hole and splash possible. It was amazing. She would say "FORWARD, FORWARD!!!" and I would be trying to get to water, but the wave would take the boat up high enough where there was no water for me to reach, I was paddling air! Then, I could just see us entering a deep dip and whoosh, water over my head, and more paddling! =) We made it through with no casualties and we gave a paddle high five. Then turning back, we had to slow our raft to catch people and paddles as one of the rafts tipped, sending all it's passengers downstream. Our boat was in good position to gather a few paddles, Phillipe's boat rescued 3 rafters, Amanda's boat rescued 1 and 2 managed to swim their way to shore. We got everyone back to Jermaine's raft and the trip continued. At the wall, we paddled into an eddy and shot out, bouncing every which way, nearly losing the entire left side of the boat...WOW...that was one of my favorite sections of river =). We passed through lots of trees which they call "strainers" and through Pepsi Challenge, which turned out to be a good bumpy challenge =).
It was sad to see the day come to a close. While I was exhausted and while my shoulders are still slightly bruised, it was hard to have to get out of the river. I will never look at a river in the same way...each section becomes a class and a run...each stretch is beautiful in a new way now. *sigh* I now have to recruit people to join me in this new tradition...hehe...every spring/summer anyone?! =)
