What the worst that could happen?

Josh packing more kayaks ontop a Kombi than is stricktly legal.

So we pick up the boats from Josh the legend paddler guide. We then meet him 7am next morning and he offers to give us a lift up the start - 7 kayaks on one car good going. Or as he says "peice of piss". As we are busy getting ready I am chirping away about how good and cheap South African Carbon paddles are. Mine breaks in two in my hands - and I look like a fool. Lucky I have another one.

We meet up with a singaporian guy out for the race and paddle down the 67km serction with him. Firstly we almost loose him in as the river splits into 10 braided channels, eventually meet back up and carry on. All is going well, river is low (30 cumecs), comming up to the much publisised rapid, we ask our trusty paddlin companion the line done, as he went down a week ago. No worries we'll follow. As we commit to the rapid Neil and I look at each other and we know sh1t is about to happen. Completely the wrong line (left instead of right) aiming for a huge rock with the only chance for escape blocked by our "trusty" singaporian friends boat. I T-bone the rock go over(under) and swim. Down left channel, through the rocks, I manage to swim to the side and start emptying when Neils boat comes through. Finsih the empty and sprint down the river in my boat to get his boat to the side. No dramas, except Neils back section of his boat is only tentaticely holding on to the rest, I have a gash in the nose of my boat. Duct tape saves the day and we continue - our egos in tatters.

Neil fixing his boat

Anyway so we spent last night fixing boats, and will spend some more time today - mine is done but Neil's may need some more work. But otherwise all is good. The small gash on my shin should heal ok for the race on Saturday.