Kayaking misadventure

[WinkHPD]

Well, here I am at the top of a nice class IV rapid, one that beat me up pretty good just a few weeks ago when I swam the lower portion of it. I would show you the bruise, but this is a family publication...

Normally I make this nice class V move into the rapid to set me up, called a toilet bowl move for the way it swirls you around the rock and into the correct current, but for some reason I missed the move and sling shotted to the left about ten feet, putting me in a bad position.

I wish I could say I made a great turn and followed the pink path, but I slung so far out that I barely made the blue path...

 

[chrono]

I don''t know anything about kayaking but you sure looked like you had loads of fun.

 

[WinkHPD]

Which put me here, going OVER this rock instead of to the right of it (when looking down river, to the left of it in your view) which would have let me turn to to the left to avoid a nasty hole call seymour, because if you get into it you WILL see more fish!

 

[Lorelei]

Glad you are ok Wink and I hope you aren''t in too much pain with your bruise!!

 

[WinkHPD]

Here I am coming down, with my momentum still carrying me to my right, when I need desparately to be going to my left...

 

[WinkHPD]

Now I am in a HORRIBLE place, you can see the top of the hole just beneath me. I managed to make an incredible turn and run like a rabbit along the top of the hole before finally breaking thought the far river left side of it and escaping to boat another day!

 

[Lorelei]

YIKES!!!!!

 

[WinkHPD]

This shows you the path that I took

 

[WinkHPD]

Obviously the previous picture was shown just at the initiation of my back sweep which pivoted me around and allowed me to turn the sweep into a forward bow draw and power stroke, I am told I looked sort of like a windmill I was turning the blade so fast.

Here I am breaking through the hole, some people prefer to float over them, but I find that over rated when I am in a hurry...

 

[chrono]

Eek! Too exciting an adventure.

 

[WinkHPD]

And finally I am back on track, fortunately the upload is small enough you can not see the drowned water rat look on my face...

Wink

 

[Kaleigh]

YIKES is right Wink!!!! Glad you''re ok!!!

 

[oshinbreez]

Wow Wink. What an experience. Glad you came through with just some bruises.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/6/2007 3:48:05 PM
Author: Wink
And finally I am back on track, fortunately the upload is small enough you can not see the drowned water rat look on my face...

Wink

I think I can see a wee hint of a grimace!

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 8/6/2007 3:47:35 PM
Author: Chrono
Eek! Too exciting an adventure.

LOL! It was plenty exciting, especially since I managed to stay upright and to finish the rest of the rapid, including the part that hurt me, as if I was actually a good boater. It was another great day on the river, and another bit of excitement to make my time in the office just that much more enjoyable. I really love working with people, but about once a week it is good to take some time off to go recharge the batteries!

I walked with quite a limp for about three weeks after getting hurt, the blood moving from my gluteus maximust down into my thigh ached almost as bad as the original injury. Kept me out of my boat for two weeks, a real rare thing for me, thank goodness. I was so anxious to get back into that rapid, sort of like getting back on the horse that threw you...

Of all the sports I have ever done, this is far and away the most exciting and the most rewarding, and ironically one of the safest, provided you stay in your boat. I have more close calls driving to and from the river than when I am in the river, water is remarkably forgiving.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 8/6/2007 3:53:09 PM
Author: oshinbreez
Wow Wink. What an experience. Glad you came through with just some bruises.

The bruise was from another trip, three weeks earlier, when I swam the last twenty yards of the rapid and hit a rock with my hip going over a 5 or 6 ft drop.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Ya know, I am thinking this might make a fun avatar...

 

[AGBF]

I find it hard to follow exactly what happens as you kayak (even when you lay out a path in color) and what your choices are, Wink, but you manage to convey the terror involved. I am glad you are alive and more or less well. I hope that your bruises heal quickly.

Best of luck!

Deborah

 

[Skippy123]

Wink,
that looks like an amazing adventure!!! You little dare devil you!

Who took the pictures? How did you get started doing this adventure kayaking; how long have you been doing it? It looks like a blast and something I might like to try someday! Very cool dude!

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 8/6/2007 4:37:18 PM
Author: Skippy123
Wink,
that looks like an amazing adventure!!! You little dare devil you!

Who took the pictures? How did you get started doing this adventure kayaking; how long have you been doing it? It looks like a blast and something I might like to try someday! Very cool dude!

There was a raft trip coming down the river. Our instructor is one of the owners of the company and they had a photographer on hand to photograph the rafts. She is married to one of the sons of my instructor and thought it would be fun to take some photos of us.

I started in 1976 right after we moved back to Boise, but after three years put away my boats for awhile as my wife needed help with the kids on the weekends. Twelve or thirteen years later I got back into it with my son, who is a world class big water boater.

Wink

 

[canuk-gal]

Hey Wink:

Quit it!

Whose gonna make our blingy stuff if you get hurt? Sheesh...

cheers--Sharon

 

[Dee*Jay]

Wow, what a ride! And Sharon is right--you better be careful!

 

[perry]

I''m glad to see that you are having fun. My problem is that I look at those pictures and say to myself... That''s a great place for a gate, and another here, and their.

I''d love to see you negotiate the gates I''d set up...

Another issue: water is remarkably forgiving. While true, the rocks arn''t

However, you are correct that as long as you wear the right safety gear and know how to swim a rapids (or at least how to get to safety) that serious injuries Kayaking are rare. In my 25+ years of kayak race judging, with some recreation, I have seen some really knarly water and lots of pinned boats and people who have bailed out. I have never seen a real bad injury. Bumps and bruses are common though.

Have fun, you are more capable than I. That water is bigger than what I can safely paddle (but I can most likely swim it).

Perry

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 8/6/2007 7:01:28 PM
Author: canuk-gal
Hey Wink:


Quit it!

Whose gonna make our blingy stuff if you get hurt? Sheesh...

cheers--Sharon

LOL, if I don''t hit the river once in a while I can''t make the blingy stuff if I go crazy...

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 8/6/2007 7:39:51 PM
Author: perry

I''d love to see you negotiate the gates I''d set up...

LOL, I think I got about four 50''s on the top gates, I ran the bottom ones pretty clean though!

Wink

(A 50 is what you get when you miss a gate, pretty much puts you out of the race)

 

[monarch64]

Can I call you Wink "Evil Knievel" Jones now? LOL! I''m impressed--great pics! I definitely think you should use the one for a new avatar!!

 

[risingsun]

Date: 8/6/2007 4:21:01 PM
Author: Wink
Ya know, I am thinking this might make a fun avatar...

I agree! Your current avi is far too formal

 

[partgypsy]

Glad you made it through without capsizing!
I don''t understand most high risk sports, but from your description I can see that kayaking in addition to being physical has a mental/problem solving aspect about it that can be quite compelling (especially when your gluteus maximus is on the line)!

Tubing down a slow running river is my kind of excitement.

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 8/7/2007 12:09:51 AM
Author: risingsun

Date: 8/6/2007 4:21:01 PM
Author: Wink
Ya know, I am thinking this might make a fun avatar...

I agree! Your current avi is far too formal

Agreed, I can not stand it so I have made the change back to something that will remind me of how much I love kayaking, when I do it right, and when I do it wrong, thus getting the "opportunity" to correct the problem. This is my first post with the new avatar.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 8/6/2007 4:36:46 PM
Author: AGBF


I find it hard to follow exactly what happens as you kayak (even when you lay out a path in color) and what your choices are, Wink, but you manage to convey the terror involved. I am glad you are alive and more or less well. I hope that your bruises heal quickly.

Best of luck!

Deborah

Thank you my Queen!

When adrenaline flows the bruises cease to exist and the joy envelopes your soul.

Wink