RI7ER JOURNAL POSTS

Enjoying the canyon wall shade in the morning, we dozed and awakened to our wonderland. Coffee first was the plan, but for some unknown reason the stove refused to work. I spent the next hour cleaning and pulling apart the stove and pump to no avail. During this time Scott and Ine retrieved our kayaks and ropes that were still 20 m up the gulley where we had abandoned them in our exhaustion the afternoon before.

On their return we got on water and eddie-hopped and portaged upriver to the base of Rapid #5. What an incredible sight. We looked up a steep and unforgiving class 5+(6) rapid. Big volume technical with a possible portage on river right. A house-sized boulder precariously balanced on a few smaller car-sized boulders amazed the eye at the exit of the rapid. The rapid was so steep we could not even see upriver to Rapid #4.

Departing we paddled through Rapid #6 ( the easiest of the Gorge), a class 3 with easy moves.

Next up was Rapid #7 which i believe Scott and I could and should have run, but the hole at the bottom looked like it could give you a wide-awake early morning spanking. We ummed and aahed whether to run with a final decision to all portage.

Rapid #8 saw only me running, a drop on top left and then zig-zagging to finish off on bottom left. I chose a good line, but chose shitty spots for Ine and Scott to film and do safety.

The long technical Rapid #9 below Ararat was calling our names. I was getting edgy to run and did not scout all the options and paid the price. A slow entrance with Scott following me, the river picked up pace with the gradient, moving into the crux i made an indecision 2 thirds down and dropped into and got stopped by a backed up hole. I was surfed, flipped, attempted to roll and got pushed onto my back deck. A smack in the face by a rock whilst in the hole and i decided to bail. Scott managed to eddy out briefly then chased after me. He also found himself surfing another hole but managed to hold it together and claw himself out. I swam down the left and he boated successfully down the right. A few photies of my face and i decided to get `back on my horse´. I paddled Ine´s boat down successfully on the far left run.

Rapid #10 was next, a short and steep one where i got splatted with my heavy stern and for a split second thought i was going to eat rock again. Scott plowed his way successfully down the centre.

Our last rapid for day, #11, a long rapid with a few spots to avoid. A chunky run down river left of the right channel for Scott and myself. Ine boated the left channel weaving her way between a 1000 obstacles of rock.

Was an epic long day in the Augrabies Gorge, camp had us hiding in the shade till sundown and then P´n Pay noodles and sauce for dinner after our first coffee of the day. Sleep came fast.

By Rob Wilson