JEFF’S WET WORLD OF WHITE WATER ADVENTURE

Well, as you can tell this is my first blog on here so please bear with me on this until it is up to speed.

Last week my brother-in-law Wesley Bradley and I were mailing each other about doing some boating this past weekend and he threw up the idea of going to the Little and making  a descent down the lower part.  I shot him an email back saying “LET’S FIRE IT UP”.  We made some arrangements and I done a little shopping to gear what gear I could, since this was my first voyage in “natural water”, and have never done any-type of boating in cold water.

We started out about 7 Saturday morning and stopped to get some grub. By the time we got to the Sinks, there were some of Wes’s buddies there that I hadn’t met.  We all went around shaking hands and meeting a few new faces.  After all that was done it was time to check out the Sinks!  Everyone picked out some lines and what not and started to fire it up.  At this point I was just doing some filming since it being my first time and all.  Everyone hit pretty good lines down to the Elbow.

At that point I was ready for it.  I put in just past the Elbow and we all headed down.  The first little rapid was a little one in which I took a plunge and tried to roll a few times but the paddle kept slipping in my hands and all I was doing was slicing the water. Unfortunately I swam that one.  After getting a reality check on the water temp. I gathered my composure and got back in.  I shoved off and we headed on down.  I went a good while with dry hair then once again SPLASH! I waited, and took an interesting upside down ride to the bottom of the rapid.  I could actually feel the point at which the rapid ended.  It was like hitting a wall of some sort. That’s when I relaxed and bamm! There it was….. a nicely executed roll.  First one ever in the “Real World”.  Man it felt great!!!!!  After some internal gloating we took off again once more.  After Wes and Natalie talking me through some rapids and giving points, especially Wes’s big FOUR, I done some good bracing and whammo I got pinned on a small rock.  I couldn’t believe how strong the water was for it’s size.  I did a kind of……. sort of……if that’s what you wanna call it…… back deck roll and I was out.  So, once again we are on our way.  Things were great talking among new friends and learning about white water while looking through the crystal clear water thinking THAT’S COLD!  We got to a class III rapid, I guess, and I got all messed up because it was my biggest encounter so far.  I managed to guide my way through it nicely and was at the point just after the foam and started celebrating when all of the sudden an eddy of death grabed me and suprised me.  I tried to roll a few times but my stupid head wouldn’t stay down.  Let me remind you that this is really the first time I had been in a creek, especially with my gear on.  I learned my roll in the pool with no gear, so I am still getting used to the whole gear thing.  That’s another story.

Any way I swam that one too with laughter.  I got back in and things were great from then on.  We finaly got to the end and started negotiating the final stretch of “COLD” white water and splash. Flipped again.  This time there were alot of spectators and I wasn’t about to go out like a chump with a crazy colored helmet.  I set up relaxed and did what came natural. Paddled up to the take out and celebrated a good first time run. 

Sorry I didn’t really know the names of the rapids, but that comes in due time.  Until then,

C-ya on the water!