Tuolumne White Water (I guess) Rafting, more or less
Why not take all of me
Six of us, all but one full grown, some more than others, males, loaded (overloaded) into the raft, got instructions that stuck about as well as preflight and pushed off into the river. We flew thru one set of rapids and yelled in pleasure. Wow, what fun. And we flew.
The raft slammed into and folded slightly on to a boulder in ferocious current and when our guide yelled “high side” We searched our memories for the earlier instructions and promptly High sided to the low side, being unclear on the concept. I was instantly, cataclysmically, helplessly, hopelessly catapulted into the “raging torrent” in what the book California White Water describes as “Mile 0.4 Nemesis (class IV): another low-water nightmare just after a sharp left-hand bend. The Nemesis is a big boulder cluster about half way down. At low flows there are no clear routes, but it is safest to run left of the obstacle. “
Truer words were never written. Never go over, into and around both sides of the obstacle, the obstacle being basalt (i just like the word; it could have been any stone like, hard impervious element) and enormously unyielding.
And
Nothing was said about over under around and through in you life vest and helmet either. ( and may I just stop for a moment to give thanks for the helmet here too)
The roar was so loud you couldn’t think but I dont think I thought anything deeper than Ohhhhhhhh hellllll! the whole time any way. It was just, Grabbed by the slashing counter rotating currents, thrown headfirst down a raging chute, smahed off rock after boulder, covered by waves, immersed, popped up, spun, thrown slammed, gasping for breath like a steam engine, inhaling water, caromed off more rocks, and “YES! if I could get to the left,…” yeah, swim, splash ineffectually, struggle like a maniac to the left, find smooth beautiful bottle green, glassy, but ferocious current to the left about four feet wide pouring between great boulders,
( ok, I was seeing things from a very low, sometimes below, water level, and just snatches of it at that) and just when it looked hopeful, straight forward again into a beautifully smooth rock and spun back into the current at exactly right angles from the shore and around into a narrow slot where there was a small fairly sharp rock sticking up in the middle of the three foot notch, Hope awoke, leaped up, and ….I grabbed and held for life. “Ok, ok!, I’m finally stopped for a second! Lets breathe! Oh Yeah, Air. Air again! That is so much better than foam and air and water or no air at all. Well, hell, unlikely as it just seemed I might survive this!
Look, if I can get my right foot up on that two foot away seven foot tall large sail fin of a rock in front of me, yeah, got to try, there’s nothing else, right;. right, Got it, Oh man a chance. Reach around with the right hand and find a hold, like Rock climbing.. Got it, now lever up and over the little rock and get a hold for the left hand but oh, for the love of heaven dont’t fall back into the current . Oh, hell, its not a quarter inch wide, but…. Left leg around and over and side ways crabbing on the rock and YEAH, out of the water!!!!”
Lurched up with the right hand to the top of the boulder and grab the edge. Now left hand up and lets pull astraddle of the rock… No I guess not. No strength left in the arms and more or less just hanging there breathing twice to the second.
Cling and wait for strength. Work around the left edge of the rock while trying to keep feet locked onto the only two narrow three inch long and one quarter inch wide holds and see another flatter rock two and a half feet away, two feet forward and just below me . And the river keeps roaring and surging at my feet. Try to get lifeless battered legs up and forward. Manage to struggle onto the pedistal and stand up.
Stand for two minutes struggling not to fall back into the current and do nothing but gather strength and breath still two breaths to the second. i shouldhave been hyperventelating but just seemed to be catching ulp. Now I see boats way down there waiting at the bottom of the rapids arranged to pick me up . Give them the return pat on the head signal signifying “I’m all right”.
And there are people just below me in a raft, in an eddy. Don’t trust dropping back into the water so edge around to the left of the rock and yeah, long step onto unstable rock (or perhaps it was me that was unsteady) but got it and man I’m out! And no exclamation mark is adequate for the pure joy of the moment. Helping hands, reaching for me from a boat.
It seemed like ten seconds and … but must have done two hundred yards. No time to think , no way to plan, its was just slam smash, tossed and thrown, shot from one slot to the next, sluced thru channels, no chance to swim, no way to fight the current, couldn’t get feet in front,, cause couldn’t control anything, the power of the river is so absolutely awesome in narrow “schuts” the you just get thrown and spun and if lucky grab a breath now and then. (And like an idiot I had obeyed instructions to hold on to the paddle. That thing goes first thing next time.) I had so little strength left at the end that I couldn’t do the smallest normal thing. Felt limp and feeble. Inhaled water and am still coughing it now and then after two days.
I’m not sure if any of this is accurate, it happened so fast. And i bet for experienced floaters it was just, ” well he fell out of the raft and got wet”. (I like to make the most of what ever little adventures come my way) i.e., http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldprof/
Wow! What an experience! You don’t get that sitting home in front of the computer. This goes right into “the best experiences I have ever had in my life” file. Man i still smile hughly when ever I think of it. I am not kidding. Once it was over it was just remarkable. I’ve smilled so much my cheeks are going to hurt; along with everything else of course. i am black and blue from knee to toe. Badges of honor. I am going to put on shorts and mow the lawn. Women love that sort of thing. No one has to tell me stuff like that. I am just intuitive.
but if you are one of my kids, i don’t want to hear of you even thinking of this.
More later when I get a chanc to process the second descent into the malestrom. Cause I did it again in a Class IV and 1/2 rapid. They don’t call it rapid for nothing either. Ok, yes, I am ashamed of that last sentence.
But just let me give a word of advice here. If you plan on going into the lower rapids minus your raft guide and friends, tighten that life vest as tight as you can stand it and then have a friend pull it tighter cause its gong to be held on your body by your nose otherwise. Nuff said.
There is this. When ever I close my eves I see green water, foam and rocks.so I am tending to open my eyes a lot when I normally have them closed.