Hey...
This year there was much more water than normal (approx. 138 m^3/s). According to Wayne Donison, who's been there almost every year, that was the highest he'd seen at the festival. It was really nice to see Larry and Dani have a crack at the 'big' rapids! Our little group had (almost) 100% success in Rock'n'Roll, which was big and fun--this river does start with a bang. Saturday I am quite sure my boat became completely airborne after going through a huge rooster tail, just to land in fast green water (I thought of Alice, going through the mirror, or maybe a circus cannonball man). Sunday for some reason we went further right, and most uf us hit a vertical wall of water that felt like an elevator, or a catapult!
...And the river finishes with an even bigger bang too: Hollywood was really impressive, with no exposed rocks--but strange black 'waves' at the bottom that had a tendency to stop you rather rudely... Imagine the nastiest, muddiest, steepest portage, then you walk (or slide) down a steep muddy bank to put-in directly in the rapid, one boat at a time. You can't see the rest of the rapid, it goes down steep and veers to the left. You have to paddle really hard to the left, in water completely white--no green tongues--with 3-4 foot waves hitting from all directions without warning. If you succeed in moving far enough left, then the 'green highway' appears: a crazy ride to the bottom, the rapid has so much slope that you can punch through anything by then (except the 'black' waves...). This rapid took its usual toll, but Larry and Luc styled it with no (apparent) effort on Sunday.
However, the real beasts with fangs this year were Buttonhook and Elbow... For one, not hard enough to the right, for the other, not enough to the left... In Elbow, as in Hollywood, after a tough portage you put-in at the top of the rapid, no scouting: you just know that you need to paddle to the left to catch an eddy around the corner. How hard left do you need to paddle? Let's say that Dani's rides were entertaining, for us and for her we hope...
The rest of the river offers amazing rapids, some flats to catch your breath and on the gossips. Of note was Zipper, which did not disappoint. The real fun is to drive towards the last wave, the biggest one on the river, and try to get some air time.
I say that Dagger Nomads, Jackson Zens, Karmas and Villains have passed the test. Liquid Logic Jefes on the other hand apparently got an F....
Finally, the bugs weren't too bad, even if it rained the whole time almost.
--C.