Avon Day 2

(Sorry a bit of a delay in this post. I was just recovering, and getting some pics to show.)


Day 2 dawned, foggy and cold, and we got to see it all after taking the option of staying 100km away back in the comforts of Perth and avoiding the Bogan factor (Drunk Powerboat pissheads at the campsite.)


The first section was through the dreaded Ti Trees again. Went Ok, didn't get too lost. The mist made it all a bit eerie, now i didn't know the channels and couldn't see them either. Made it down the first few rapids, Supershoots, Donegans Crossing, and a ford. Now in the valley a 40km section of interspersed rapids, trees and flat pools, my hands were so frozen from the cold air that I couldn't feel my paddle, let alone the direction grip. I braced on the edge of my paddle and this was my first [of many] swims at Emu Falls - not even in the rapid but in the pool between the two drops. Swam down the second drop behind my boat and was soon good to go again.

Not too long after, the trouble started. I got stuck in a section of trees after taking the wrong channel through, and in the process of worming my way out, I half filled my boat with water. As I popped out of the trees, I was into a rapid and my now very heavy boat nose dived into a rock.
The rock won and my boats fibreglass nose was split in two. I stopped on the bank got out the trusty Duct Tape, and with much struggling got a makeshift band-aid onto the nose. Cold hands didn't help. Now at least I could use my trusty knysna pump to keep the water from rising too fast.



I had a good run through Lookout and Championship rapid, not that I knew which was which or when they were coming.

This rocks - or that rock!

The valley went on forever. Especially with lots of stops to fix the nose after the tape was worn off by rapids, a couple more swims - the most painful in Syd's rapid - where I got my line horribly wrong. A small incident with a Ti tree mid-rapid, luckily Kevlar bends, and only the deck fibreglass cracked. More tape.

Syd's Swim - painful

Eventually I came out to Bells rapid - the end of the Valley. I had practised this on Friday so had my line sorted and weaved my way down the 300m of rapids - all good. Much to the disappointment of the huge crowd. By this stage I was well down in the placings and just thinking of finishing.



A quick refuel and re-tape and it was back onto the river. From here there was 30km left of tidal flatwater. I caught up a lot of boats on this stage - but there's no much joy or satisfaction in passing geriatrics in plastic bathtubs. This part went ok, except for the fact that my seat had finally ripped loose from the boat, so each time a pushed on the pump my seat moved a bit back, And I had to pump lots.


Across the finish line in 8:43:05 - my longest ever K1/2 paddle. Making my total time 13:19. Placed about 27th of 43 K1's that started and 271/380 or so boats. Some small consolation was that Saffas won both the teams and individual event.



A great race - very long by SA standards, and coming into it not knowing 90% of the rapids in a fibreglass boat was nerve-racking and perhaps a little silly. Awesome water levels - the best in 10 years apparently. The funniest part: checking in to fly home carrying my boat on my shoulder no worries - didn't cost a cent - what a pleasure!

Thanks to my awesome support crew, for looking after me so well for the weekend!


[photos in no particular order]