Wheee-haw!!

Took the newer (to me ) boat out on the local river this eve. Its flowing fast and is roughly 18″ above normal right now. Where the restrictions are normally narrow are now wider but more rocks under surface and wilder.

I have a huge learning curve ahead of me. Didn’t run into any issues I couldn’t handle, but not being able to head back upstream cleanly (she likes to re-route above a certain speed and heading upstream simulates that), I did not want to head to the next set of shoals where the water is even crazier. (Almost halfmile downstream and the water flowing there is moving fast right now. Coulda made the trip down in 5 minutes but it would have taken an hour to get back and a fight the whole way. Long boats have the advantage here.)

But this lady knows how to dance!!!! I was doing things that scare the hell outta me in Duh!kee. Hard leans with a wide brace, draws, eddyline peels,,, nothing really wild as the water isn’t ‘white’ but it is fast and choppy. I know my limits and much more in an unfamiliar boat, using techniques I am fuzzy about at best, would be a recipe for disaster.

About an hour on water, hard paddling the whole time, and I’m wet head to toe, even though I did not capsize,,,, what can I say, I’m playing in water, expect to get wet, Right?

This could grow on me.

It will definitely help my skills on the other boats. (Building confidence is no small part of skills). And while I have not rolled her, I have been practicing hipflicks and she responds quite similar to Duh!k in that respect. Get the roll down here. I’ll get it down in the others.