A reminder of how quickly things can go "bad"...

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:02 pm

... even to the best of us.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/vide ... 243&ref=nf

Luckily Eli was alright... and well padded.

JayDavis · Post by **JayDavis** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:50 pm

Safety is always a big consideration. I mean, it is class V Gorilla, on the Green Narrows, after all!

I hiked up there the weekend before the race. No way I'm running that, ever.

Eli · Post by **Eli** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:06 am

I'm embarrassed to admit I had a similar, although less dramatic (and without the backward ejection) version of that same snafu in the first Green Race.

After running the Pencil Sharpener, I advise canoers to ferry all the way to river left before turning back to charge through the notch. This gives you stronger left to right momentum, allows you to visualize your target, and keeps your stern off of the left wall. This was the 2nd time I cut back early and my intent is for it to be the last!

Anyhow, I hope my ride and swim, followed by Wes' solid performance for the OC victory will inspire others to compete next November. In this year's race 6 ladies, 6 handpaddlers and 4 C-1's competed.

If we pad up and practice during ALF and in October, I know we can have a great showing of OC's in 2010.

Think about it...
Eli

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:37 am

Don't worry about it Eli, I've even swum on that river/ I'll give you some pointers durin ALF

Eli · Post by **Eli** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:43 am

Thanks Louie...if I had remembered the painters I might have been able to pull my Prelude out of the speed trap!

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:46 pm

Well it might have to been some long painter, looks to me like you didn't surface till about twenty feet past the hole.

On a lighter note, I hope you have a ball in Mexico, good good white water less than 60 miles from the beach, dirt cheap food, very friendly people, happy to see gringoes and a for a chance to practice English. BTW I can give you some of my wifes cousins phone number. I would love to get another contract down there so I could show you all the non tourist hang outs. I know of at least five more 1st D's and well every time me and PLG got lost we found a new river.

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 3:26 pm

Craig Smerda wrote: ...
Luckily Eli was alright... and well padded.

I'd say it was way less luck...

...and more skill, being prepared, and intestinal fortitude - in landing that bad boy in some way besides upside down. Instead of plan dumb luck happening.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:07 pm

philcanoe wrote:
Craig Smerda wrote: ...
Luckily Eli was alright... and well padded.
I'd say it was way less luck...

...and more skill, being prepared, and intestinal fortitude - in landing that bad boy in some way besides upside down. Instead of plan dumb luck happening.

It sure was skill that saved him from a whuppin' Phillip... I just don't know that I'd care to do any kind of "roll practice" at the lip of Gorilla. How about you? I find it highly unlikely that a paddler of lesser skill in the same scenario that Eli ended up in might have fared as well. Regardless... Eli was still lucky and I'm glad he's o.k.

Do you remember my beat down just below Gorilla when I got a bad seal launch, flipped, rolled up full of water, missed my line, got hammered then sucked from my boat and swam almost into Rapid Transit but I was fortunate enough to catch a rope from some kayakers? I still do... my left heal reminds me every so often of that day. Catching the rope... skill or luck?

Wanna race OC-2 together at the Green Race next year Phil? If one of us is lucky and the other is skilled... we might live to tell about it!!!

beereddy · Post by **beereddy** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:58 pm

Safety fail

Walsh · Post by **Walsh** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:47 pm

beereddy wrote:Safety fail

Do tell.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:47 pm

beereddy wrote:Safety fail

It's kinda hard to throw someone a rope that is going 87mph underwater bro.

beereddy · Post by **beereddy** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:57 pm

Nr 13 can't help at all . Ropes are too long.
Flatwater part not covered

yarnellboat · Post by **yarnellboat** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:03 pm

Beereddy, What kind of code are you talking? Say what you mean.

Pat.

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:46 pm

Craig Smerda wrote:Do you remember my beat down

a 200 percent fur sure safety fail

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:06 pm

philcanoe wrote:
Craig Smerda wrote:Do you remember my beat down
a 200 percent fur sure safety fail

60% (new 100%)???

100% (old 50%)???

200% (old 100%)???

Whatever it was it was bigger than the first time I paddled it... LOT'S BIGGER!!! It was my call to let Tenzin push me in my boat off the cliff... which I regretted about 11.3 seconds later.

I payed him back by keeping him from running over Sunshine backwards though.

Twas a bizzy day on the water my friend...

(Irony... you recall that half the crew didn't paddle that day due to car-sickness from the ride to the put-in?)

Here's a GREAT view of the Notch and Gorilla!!! It really shows you how tight and how important it is to be on your game.

http://www.cboats.net/cforum/viewtopic. ... 2620#52620

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