Although I regret having let down friends who were initially expecting me on the middle yesterday for some healthy phaffing sessions and maybe a bit of paddling intermixed, I do not regret my trip down the Petawawa - town section.
(quick message informed them of my defection and not to wait for me at Champlain)
Although Rob and I were delayed by the numerous garage sales and meeting an old colleague, we managed to arrive at said rendez-vous time (Pfiouuuu!!)
The put in was filled to capacity with boaters.
The car pooling was quick. The river section starts nicely with a bit of current to warm-up, practice eddy-in/out and get acquainted with my rented kayak.
The flat sections go quick as the current has a good pace (at that level, which was 5 under the bridge).
The main rapids were Train Track, Lovers and Suicide (or so I recall) and we had lunch with entertainment provided by Larry and Wendy in a wonderful little hole. I forgot the name of that smaller rapid section.
It is interesting to see how group dynamics are. In this nice group of mature paddlers, Larry often provides entertainment and comic relief with great style.
Train Track was a solid warm-up for several of us not so sure of our skills.
At Lovers, I decided to follow the "grown-ups" and have a go at it.
Boy was I intimidated....
Need to thread a small hole and then hit a super rooster tight in between a big nasty whole taking about 3/4 of that branch and a big rock. Larry showed us a perfect line.
I followed Bill with my stomach in a nut. Well, not quite. Bill went a bit for far right and had to plunge, with sufficient prayers I managed to hit the rooster to a T.
Never been so high in the air in a kayak!
The kayak fan-tailed the rooster with the nose pointing down and giving me a grand view of the void past the big rock.
Free roller-coaster ride...
Landed and past the first next holes, I was still not quite believing I made it through and didn't handle the last hole well.
Next came the eskimo roll practice in that rented boat...1, 2, 3, barely, but enough....thanks Larry for keeping an eye one me!!!
(Christian has good footage of everyone through it)
Somewhere between me and my rental, we must have done something good...has acknowledged by Rob's high-5.
[Highlight#1 of the day]
Suicide was not as intimidating, at least where we took it but still required some decent maneuvering and I was quite happy with my bouncing off the 2nd and major hole with a big carve. The end was also scarier than Bill stated, that is until you were actually in it...bom, bom, bom. Like dropping the last 3 steps of the home staircase on your bum...
The next highlight of the day was the playboating at the lunch spot.
There after a few runs through the hole to feel the rental, I had a wicked run with half a dozen spins and 180s, and half cartwheels and I must have looked the part 'cause I felt in great control...good boat, good boat...
OK, time for me to sign off and return that rental with a quick stint at Champlain for more last minute "testing".
Great day! Great Day!!
(Thanks to everyone present for making it such a memorable day...)
I hope Christian will add some of the footage...
LD
