Lookin' for some entertainment...

[Camille]

Despite the beautiful weather here in sunny VA I've been stuck inside working on a paper for school. I'm getting a little antsy for my boat but I'm not letting myself get in one until this dam paper is done. (only 20 more pages to go)
So to at least give me some boater fun (and a temporary distraction) I thought it'd be nice to read some epic c-1 stories. C'mon, I know we've all got 'em. So start bragging!!!!!
camille

[aldenb]

http://www.customkayak.com/html/mystery_trance.html

jim snyder isnt a c-1er, but it's sure a good story. i think the last part really describes something good about boating . . .

good luck w/paper
AB

[Mike W.]

Sorry I don't have time to tell a story. It's going to be 72 degrees tomorrow! I've gotta get ready so we can paddle the Appomattox in the morning You can come along if you want to

Here are some pictures for you to check out though:

http://photos.yahoo.com/wh20crazy

Mike W.

[jdschall]

Here's a story for you...

I went to run the Noli Sunday but despite the warm temperatures the water was very cold. The Nolichucky headwaters run off from Mt Mitchell NC and surrounding mountains. A week or two ago them there hills got between 2 and 3 feet of snow and the river has been running off melt water ever since. At the put in I put on my standard cold weather garb... lots of polypro topped off with a drytop, splash pants, gloves and a hat. I was sweating more than Richard Simmons in a pastery shop next to a happy bar. I was messing around at the put in and rolled. No problem but dam that water was cold and I was instantly chilled. Burrr. Not just cooled down but cold.

We headed down the river a little ways. Played on the little wave under the RR Bridge for a minute and then headed down RR rapid. My buddy Jack got tripped up on a rock and tried a bunch of times to roll and missed, had a short swim and quickly self rescued (Got to love open boaters) and we all ran the rest of the rapid fine.

Next up: On the Rocks. I've run this rapid about 5 times so I decided to probe it with out scouting. Set up for the line thinking I'd catch the eddy on RL then ferry across the tongue and finish on RR. Well I had too much left angle and hit the hole diagonally and did some sort of stern quirt cartwheel thing and ended up upside-down. No problem. Nail first roll. Oh large steaming pile of dog doo. As I roll up I realize I'm 'On the rocks' facing backwards and I have to scramble to get lined up for the next little drop. I run it backwards and sideways. Some how I pin momentarily and I flip again. No problem, roll number 2. Well almost no problem. My brain has been numbed and I'm dizzy, cold and disoriented. Ok I got the roll. Crap. another pour over. Ok, got it. Bad ferry. Bow pearls. up and over the top. (I'm in the g-force and often as not I roll on the 'long' axis of the boat instead of the 'short' axis) No problem - roll number 3. except roll number three ain't happening. Having flipped three times in such short succession in such cold water I'm really dizzy and disoriented so I get halfway up but miss the roll. Now I'm freaked out so I pull the skirt. Hmmmmm these rachet straps are tight. Tug tug pull pull - :::mental note to self - do not tighten them so tight:::. Okay now I'm out of the boat. Where's the paddle - ok got the paddle. Got the boat. Swim. dam its cold. Must find eddy. Washing toward Jaws. Swimming + Jaws = bad + human mystery move. Swim harder. Whew. Found eddy. Hmmmm eddy moving. Swim find another eddy. Whew this one's not moving. Get to shore. Not swimming Jaws = good. Pant Pant Pant. Whew. I don't feel to good. Dizzy. Ugg. Shaking.

Everybody else caught up to me and asked if I was alright. I felt warm but I was shaking and dizzy. I sat on a rock for a minute. Then dumped the boat and got back in. But only after trying to pick it up full of water to dump it and then dropping it on my foot. My toe is a pretty shade of purple now. Jack suggested that we run on down to Jaws and that I should get a bit to eat and see what happens while they played in the hole. So we did that. I barely made the cheat line at Jaws. I got out on shore and really couldn't think. Then I remembered to eat. So I ate. But I never got rid of the shakes. At some point I decided it was time to walk out up the railroad tracks. A bunch of PNP guys showed up and we asked if we could take one of their cars down to the take out where our car was and they we're nice enough to let us. My buddy Jack decided he was going with me because he claims I wasn't making any sense and didn't want me driving a strangers car if I was that messed up. I really don't recall being that out of it but I guess that's the nature of the beast. Anyway we walked out avoiding trains. And all was good.

Anyway I probably paddled 1/2 mile and was in the water a grand total of 30 seconds. I was even dressed properly. The water was that cold. I just had a bad day. Thanks to my buds for getting me off the river and making it an easy descision to walk out.

In retrospect I believe that due to the high air temperature (about 70F) and the cold water temperature (about 35F) I just went into shock when I hit the water. I've paddled cold water plenty of times but not with that kind of delta T between water and air (except maybe the Nanny in the summer time). It was a very weird experience for me.

There's your story.

Hope you enjoyed it. I didn't.

Dave.

[Mike W.]

Dave, remember that you were the one to bail on my Appomattox trip . I'm glad that you're ok. Being cold can really mess with your head.

I ended up doing the App. 3 times last week :

Monday: I took two OC-1er's down for their 1st time . Got the more timid one to put her paddle over her head while surfing a break in a dam . Everything was good that trip untill VA State rapid (target rock). Before we put in she said that she wanted to scout any class III's. I'm thinking we have to carry up to run jughandle anyway & we can scout Va state from the island. She decided not to run jughandle. After pipeline she says that she's feeling good (she looks a little tired after 4 hours on the water ) & says about Va state "lets just run it". OK, I tell 'em what to look for, what to avoid, where to eddy out & which way to swim if neccesary. She hits a wave sideways & is out of the boat before the gunwale hits the water . We got her out quickly & other than a scraped leg & bruised ego she's ok.

Thursday: A long time C-boater buddy & I put on late, so it's a quick trip. We watched two bald eagles playing in the air as we ease down the lake. The 1st rapid that we really stop to play at: I decide to try to catch the wave at the top . Stupid me, I'm in that horribly slow big ez. I miss the wave . Then, I don't catch the eddy high enough. I flip after hitting a rock sideways. Well technically I didn't actually flip all the way (too many rocks, not enough water). I'm bouncing my head & off-side shoulder along the bottom. I decide to switch hands to roll up. As I switch hands I momentarily hang up on a rock & push up enough to get a breath. I wash off of that rock & another one flips me to where I wanted to be in the 1st place. Now I have to switch hands again to roll. I roll up at the bottom of the rapid & sit in the eddy for a few minutes gathering what few wits I could & watch my buddy run the rapid perfectly (he didn't try for that top wave though). The rest of the trip was great.

Saturday: The same long time c-boater buddy, an oc-1'er & a k-1'er. All have done the river many, many times. Nobody has any trouble . Everyone surfs a bunch. Another great day on the river. The 'yaker even got video of us at Va state

I've got some photos up of the three trips. If you want to see them, go to: http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/wh20cr ... /wh20crazy

Hope the paper is going well.

Mike W.