Day 10 - 'I went canoeing' (Scout 1st April 2012)

It's all change today as the weather takes quite a dramatic turn dropping to a cold and windy battling day. We set off pushing hard for a good mission to cover a lot of miles but it quickly turns into a survival battle to even just move forwards. With some of the biggest rapids so far the prevailing head winds pick up the waves and making hitting the lines that little bit harder. The rapid that stands out today is Crystal, a class 9 big bouncy long rapid that we all shoot in style. JB picked out an awesome line punching the corner of the big entry wave before cutting hard left to avoid a sticky hole and then charging the centre  of the rest of the run. We shoot it perfectly and it feels amazing driving around in the whitewater mess. Not just taking the simple lines but instead really working the rapids. Antoine and Anne take 1 raft and Andy takes the other. Towards the end of the day me and JB take on the raft from the frenchies which is a great change from paddling. It is unbelievably hard work paddling an 18 foot loaded raft into a head wind! Especially as there is very little flat water. Everywhere is either a rapid or a bodily surge mess. 

Cloudy, windy but still amazing

Claire and Scout chilling on the raft

We arrive at camp and settle into the visual routine of unpacking kit, sorting gear, setting up camp. Just as we have finished unloading the raft and as the tent is pitched. A dark cloud rolls in and a storm begins. Kit starts flying everywhere. Chuck, Antoine, Anne, Rob and Ted are up in the kitchen area battling to stop dinner, tarps, pots and pans flying away whilst me and Andy are acting as human anchors in the tent. Scout and JB are left to sort / supervise the rest of camp doing an amazing job chasing down roll mats from the river, moving bags, spinning the tent, tiring everything possible down to kayaks and rocks and pumping drinking water!  20 mins later (possibly less) the heavens open and the storm continues windy and wet. After an hour the storm moves on and camp returns to normal. Shattered and soaked everyone eats quickly before collapsing into bed!