Training Log Archive: princess

After much discussion with the oracle last night we decided the weight (several kg) of rescue equipment behind the seat of the Mamba is affecting the trim of the boat (hence all the swimming). I will try moving the seat forward before the next trip.

Significant Rapids List (from the Gauging station to Big Rock)
The Flume
Playwave Rapid
Haystack (head left)
First Drop (head left, easy drop)
Double Ti Tree Tunnel (right of first tree, hard left straight after to avoid second tree)
Second Drop (head left, fast current drop, try and put some right in to miss tree)
Oh Shit Drop (paddle around right of rock into drop entry, head hard left and ensure boat is pointing to left on landing to avoid large rock)
Whirlpool Run (point boat right and go hard to miss swirling whirlpool under rock)
The Wall (lean on the wall on the left)
3 Options - None good (try the middle route, head slightly left and drop hard down the rock face rather than following the current left)
Rock Slide (enter the slide on the hard left, as far left as possible)

The planets must have been in alignment, as the sun, the weather gods, the water corporation and the bosses (both mine and the oracles) all co-operated to allow us a day on the Collie River.

A fantastic water release gave levels of 1.16m at the gauging station on the Upper Collie where we put the boats in. (We couldn’t put in at the dam face as the somewhat inconsiderate construction workers have installed a temporary gravel causeway with small pipes next to the bridge. However we are very happy that they are fixing the dam so it doesn’t fall down, as that would not be fun). We shuffled the car to big rock and walked back to start the paddle. It is so nice to be whitewater paddling in summer clothes in the sun!

We had a short play above the flume before bouncing down through the curl of white water on the flume, where I left the oracle to try and surf on the wave there while I played in the current and eddies further down. The oracle set me a challenge - S-turn into an eddy, ferry-glide across the current to a mid-stream rock and punch out the far side to paddle back up to the start point – and we both tried it with different techniques (and varying success as far as good lines go). I got hung up in a little hole when I tried to be a smartie and surf across it, almost flipping when I caught the tail of my boat, before working back across and popping out the other side. I didn't have a dummy spit, pack up my boat and paddle and go home, so that’s progress I suppose!

I was absolutely stoked when I managed to do a high turn across a strong current around the top of some rocks, turning my boat in a very small space and getting a great line down through the white water above the play wave. Shows my progress, as last summer I would never have tried the move, much less nailed it! I also had a go at surfing across the play wave, I did ok going river left to right, kept missing it (due to lack of commitment!) going right to left. (It has a steeper entry on river right).

Bounced over the haystack rock further down with a good line, although I got hung up on some of the rocks at the base – it is almost impossible not to get hung up in there though. Followed the oracle down the first waterfall, then I headed first down through the ti tree tunnel bouncing over rocks and around large trees. Got an ok line around the first (mid river) tree, completely forgetting that there was a second tree which you need to get hard left to miss. Consequently hit the damn thing (muttering “lean onto the tree, lean onto the tree” the whole time) although somewhere in there my brain said “grab the tree” which was a really stupid idea. Gained an excellent deep tissue bruise on my right elbow/arm and wrenched a few things around. Not my brightest moment, as I know very well that grabbing a tree when you’re in the current is a very good way to damage yourself. At least I didn’t fall over and pin myself against the trunk, which would have been even less fun. I must try and remember that tree next time (although I say that every time we go down).

We bounced down the second set of falls, swirling past another damn tree – I leaned into it, didn’t grab it, and things went much smoother (and less painfully). A gentle paddle down to Oh Shit Drop, where I once again spent the whole time going “oh shit oh shit” as I tried to avoid getting swept down the alternate (suicidal) channel before (apparently) getting the right line down the drop (according to the oracle), landing fine before catching my tail and spending some time upside down trying to get in a roll position. Went for a crappy roll attempt, which popped my deck, and I got out to find myself up against the strainer log in the middle of the river with a boat full of water. The lovely oracle threw me a throw bag and swung my boat and I onto the rock shelf bank so that we didn’t have to swim down the next set of rapids. Emptied boat, re-inserted myself and headed on down through some bumps and bounces before wussing out completely at The Wall. I took the chicken chute option (sliding down a rock face with a shallow water flow) while the oracle made the rapid look really easy, sliding perfectly around the wall on the big fluffy pillow of water, then playing on the holes and through the current while I sat in a quiet eddy.

I followed the oracle down a bouncy “nothing to it” drop before the last two rapids – caught my tail at the top and spent the next 30m upside down wondering how the hell my “rock brace” (off my paddle) was avoiding becoming a “face brace” as I slid over rock after rock managing to shred several holes through my buoyancy vest, which says a lot for how shallow and fast it was. I love my helmet! Went for a half-assed attempt at a roll, hung my paddle on a rock and decided swimming was a better option on this one. Came up to find I was now in a deep pool, and realized if I’d waited a few seconds and done it properly I would not now be swimming. Idiot. Swam from a rock in the middle of the pool to the bank and went through the “empty out boat, insert idiot” routine again.

The last two rapids of the trip were the “3 Options – none of them good ones” drop and the Rock Slide (at big rock). As I was by now pretty tired from all the swimming, I managed to slide fine down both of them by going with the “listen to the oracle, point downstream, and go with the flow” option.

Trudged up to the car and counted up my scrapes and bruises – definitely a fantastic day out, and my skills (and confidence) seem to have come a long way since the last time I was on the Collie River. I’m ready for another run (when I can move my right arm again).

C • Hooray! 2