How does Fear affect your paddling?

Jared the.canoe.ninja · Mon Dec 20, 2010 2:13 am

Fear what a cool concept. I boat because I am afraid. Started out squirtboating I got my first ride and scared the living crap out of me. I sat in the eddy for about 25 minutes looking at the seam line and wondering if I could ever do that again. I did and that fear is so still there every ride. It makes me feel alive like this is what the meaning of life is all about. Of course now I know how to exit out of a mystery and that fear is not a s strong but there is always a chance it could fail. So I started kayak steep creekiing after two runs, well it just wasn't doing it for me. So hey why not canoe the same rapids.

I poked around a little, and I got lucky enough to come across Tommys video. I was impressed so I bought a canoe and 2 months and 2 rivers later I was hitting up Shahola falls and Raymondskill in the same day. I remember looking at shahola and thinking nope no way I'm in over my head. Its too big, too scary, and what if I swim its a gnarly ride down. There I stood at the bottom broken hearted when that all too familiar voice in my head starts giving me the go ahead. It's the same slogan every time. You only die once. Most people say you only live once I disagree I live every time that fear is strong and I don't think I can run a rapid and I do it anyway. After open boating only two months I have this debate at almost every major rapid I come to and the end result is always the same. I stand at the side scouting walk back to get my boat to walk around the rapid, strap myself in and run it because you only die once right. By only being able to die once I feel like I am able to live every time I push my limits. For me fear is essential to boating like a paddle without it It just wouldn't be fun. looking forward to Hornbecks. the canoe ninja

FullGnarlzOC · Post by **FullGnarlzOC** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 2:53 am

I like that jim... "its only class III, its only class III"

I too have learned that... when it doubt... PADDLE FORWARD HARDDD!!! and let out an "ARGGGGHHHHLLLL!GLLL!"

Wiggins · Post by **Wiggins** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:41 am

What I have noticed is that my reaction to fear is situation dependant for me.

I haven't spent much time in class V (and the stuff I have done many would debate the V rating), but the river still has the ability to elevate my anxiety and stress reactions in a big way. When I am approaching a rapid that makes me even a little nervous I still get amped up. If I scout a rapid I tend to look at the line first, and the consequences second. If I look at it too long, then I start to talk myself out of running it.

What I find interesting about it is that the stress seems to come from the fact that I have a choice whether or not to run a rapid. When the choice is eliminated, and I am committed to run a drop (or I am in the middle of a rapid already) there is no fear or stress reaction at all.

Kyle

Creeker · Post by **Creeker** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:58 am

Wow Jared....way to break out of Lurker mode.....putting your "novice" creds out there and tie yourself into the Tommy Gnar Bandwagon. If they thought tommy was bold wow you're gonna learn them arn't ya. Astonishing boating on the Rkill earlier this month.

FullGnarlzOC · Post by **FullGnarlzOC** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:29 am

Does this bandwagon run on solar power? cuz that would be great...

Todhunter · Post by **Todhunter** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 2:42 pm

I have a wife and very young daughter, so I have to make it back home to them. I have only been boating a little over a year, and I trust the folks I boat with - they know my skill level of paddling, and if they think I can run something, I will go for it, sometimes scared to death. I think my fear will greatly diminish once I get my roll. I have had tons of swims in the last year, with only two being scary. Sometimes fear screws me up - usually very early in the run. I do scout sometimes, but not so long that fear can settle in so much to make me not want to run it.

Post by **PAC** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:50 pm

Fear is natures way of getting your attention.

I'm with Wendy on this... words of wisdom!

Things that only hurt of a short time 30 years ago hurt for 30 years now. TOG point of view!

Larry Horne · Post by **Larry Horne** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:18 pm

PAC wrote:Fear is natures way of getting your attention.

I'm with Wendy on this... words of wisdom!

Things that only hurt of a short time 30 years ago hurt for 30 years now. TOG point of view!

ohh, you got that right!

but am i the only one here that fears sketchy crash and burn boaters more than i fear sketchy rapids?

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:39 pm

I HAZ NO FEER... I HAZ SPESHUL HELMIT

Smurfwarrior · Post by **Smurfwarrior** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:42 pm

PAC wrote: Things that only hurt of a short time 30 years ago hurt for 30 years now. TOG point of view!

Isn't THAT the truth!

milkman · Post by **milkman** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:42 pm

Use fear and fear most complacency (letting your guard down).

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:56 pm

I've seemed to notice several healthy (and unhealthy) differences in the reaction to fear. Some boaters seem thrive on it, others freeze up, some avoid fear like the plaque, and others rather ambivalent toward it. I like to break fear down into warranted and unwarranted fear, and tend to savor a certain amount. One thing I've come to appreciate is what a friend calls a insurance rapid, meaning if he had any - he'd run it. For me there's a inner voice, that will sometimes at unlikely moments fire off a resounding NO. Or sometimes it's a whispered bad inkling - like a omen. Maybe it's Karma, maybe the Lord, could be an over worked guardian angel, but whatever you choose to call it; happenstance has taught me to respect this voice, as it seems to speak with more clarity and knowledge than it's owner (or to whom it's speaking). So sometimes you'll find me NOT run something, that's never been a problem before. But mostly I think, fear is good.

I do know that some of my worst hammering's of all time have been when fear was pushed totally aside, and without near enough resolve

preceded to react with insufficient care.

Walsh · Post by **Walsh** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:06 pm

PAC wrote:Things that only hurt of a short time 30 years ago hurt for 30 years now. TOG point of view!

I guess I'm wired differently than some. Still a couple years shy of 30 myself, several years of whitewater down, eventual goal is to be paddling hard and clean another 30 years from now. I make decisions knowing that those drops formed over millenia and will be there later - my responsibility is to make sure that I am.

Definitely not going to light the world on fire with any video footage, but I like to pass on what little I have learned, and hopefully I get to keep encouraging newcomers along the way. Over a few years that could start to add up. I'm in no rush to get there, but in a sense I do look forward to applying for my TOG sticker one day.

oopsiflipped · Post by **oopsiflipped** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:29 pm

my list of fears:

1) trolls, very scary
2) seeing bad things happen to sketchy boaters
3) macho paddlers with chips on the shoulder
4) trolls

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 6:09 pm

I ain't skeered, but I don't give a dam about the secery, the gettin back to nature, or the comroderery, I am here for the adrienian.

Boatin is a personal choice thing, which rapid to run is a personal choice thing, I will tell you that a rapid is goin to kick your butt ( PLG at the drain of the world rapid) I will tell you not to get on the river in wadders ( Scott on Choah, and Russell Fork) I may even tell you twice. I will not tell you not to run something and I will not tell you I ain't boatin with you, I will shoot video, I will hold a rope, I will even try and help you if you do screw up ( as long as it doesn't put my butt on the line) boatin is a personal choice and no one can or should make up your mind for you.

I do it it is chiken large steaming pile of dog doo to run off and leave someone who "you" think might not have the skills. I will not be afraaid and hide behind some bull large steaming pile of dog doo line like I am scared of skeetech boater swimmin. Just think if Rick and the other of the Ocoee crew had told Jessie they were not goin to go to Niagra falls with him. We would be with out the first hand story and Jessie would have died alone.

If you are skeered just say you are and don't make up four BS excuses. Grow a set or at least quit lettin us know you ain't got none.