Level Up!!

This morning, was dull and boring, mainly focused on math.  The real fun of the day came in the afternoon.  I did my biggest rapid in my entire life!  I did extremely well on a class lll run, and had a celebratory seal launch afterwards. 

Today, I boated my first class lll rapid.  Just to make sure nothing had changed since our last scout a couple days ago, we walked over to the bridge and checked out the rapid a second time.  After entering the rapid, one had to move through two large lateral waves, over immense boils, and miss a giant hole by a hair.  To either side of this, were rocks, drops, and even bigger holes than the one that was tricky to miss at the bottom.  My support team consisted of Mom, Dad, and Nora (a class lV-V boater.)  We did not plan to do a long run, just the one rapid.  Before running it, Nora and I walked to the bottom from where a better view of the run could be seen than from on the bridge.  We watched the line that my parents took when they came down the rapid before us.  With building emotion we walked back up to the put in.  Mom stayed at the bottom of the rapid to document.  Going down the rapid with me were Nora and Dad.  Dad lead the way, followed by me and then Nora. We slid in the water and as I past through the first waves, happiness fell upon me.  The rapid had begun and I was a class lll boater.

The rapid was quick, and I missed all the nasty holes and rocks.  I was so relived when I turned into the eddy where mom was waiting.  This called for a celebratory seal launch!  The four of us (Nora, Dad, Mom, and I) paddled up to a rock that looked too good of a seal launch spot to miss.  A seal launch is a kayaking term for getting in your boat and sliding off a high rock into the water.  It can be a fun game, or it can be vital to the entrance of an extremely remote and difficult kayak run.  With little difficulty we got my dad's boat and my boat up on the rock.  I went first, and this being my first seal launch, was surprised at the wonderful feeling.  I glided through the air and smashed into the water and below the surface, only to come flying back up.  I was so excited that I decided to do it again, but was still hungry for more.  The next time Dad and I did it at the same time!  We both smashed into the water and shared the amazing feeling.  I did the same with my mom and launched ‘till my hearts content.  Soon the fun was over and I walked back up the steep trail that led to the hostel. 

The Seal Launch (Photo by Mom)

Mom and I Seal Launch (Photo by Dad)

Wow, what an amazing day.  I would never have dreamed of a class III run.  It has always just been “something I can’t do” in my mind.  Well, there I was, smashing through the waves.   The seal launch was also a thrilling and a perfect way to end the rapid.  Amazing!



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