Sunday, November 23, 2014

SeaGnar - 2014 FilmFest

This year was the second coming of Sickness in the greater Seattle area.



I'm glad everyone had a great time. I apologize for the hiccups at the end. But then again, we had JP, so it all worked out!



Once again Silver City Brewing and New Belgium Brewery both kicked down to keep the masses hydrated.

Sara tests out the Dagger Nomad's legendary beer capacity.


Tom O'Keefe auctioned off a brand new Wave Sport Recon to help raise funds for American Whitewater. The silent auction brought in $650 towards this awesome cause.


This year we had 15 entries. Videos from all over the Seattle drainages and a couple from our Southern brothers and sisters in the Hood. 15 videos meant almost two hours of carnage, shit-talking, beatering, dubstep and awesome.

Steve, Kesley, Christina, Emily and Dan from Cascade Paddlesports went way out of their way to create a pretty awesome setup for us. Thanks again!


Voting was tough, but in the end it came down to 3 videos:
Brett Barton's - Mexico Part 2


Mexico part 2 from Creek Sides on Vimeo.

Pricilla Macy's - 2 Girl 1 Boat
& Mike Hagadorn's - The Grand.


Our Kokatat Maximus Prime life jacket and case of delicious beer went to Mike Hagadorn and his video - The Grand.
Mike takes home the win and the glory.



Thank you to everyone that came out to watch our videos.



Thank you to everyone that submitted a video, helped with the set-up & break-down and brought ice!   



I think I can speak for everyone that came, when I say that the space we were given was incredible. The Cascade PaddleSports layout was perfect and their staff bent over backwards to create a comfy movie watching experience.


Thank you Dan and Steve! The projector was awesome and the burgers were great.


Thank you to our sponsors: Kokatat, Silver City Brewery & New Belgium Brewery. I don't think anyone went thirsty on Friday night and we have these awesome companies to thank for it.


Until next year!




Updated 12.10.14

All 15 video contest entries in order of appearance.

Paul Carrico gives us a video showcasing the mayhem and awesome that is the Upper Wind Festival from 2014.



Upper Wind Whitewater Festival 2014 - Pacific Northwest Whitewater Kayaking and Rafting Competition from PNW Kayakers on Vimeo.



Colby Bishop takes us on a tour of his first season here in the PNW.



Northwest Part 1 from Colby Bishop on Vimeo.



Brett Barton takes us south of the border and into the land of tacos, cheap beer and warm whitewater.



Mexico part 2 from Creek Sides on Vimeo.



Reigning Champ; Megan Kelly puts together an awesome edit of a self support mission down Hells Canyon.



Hells Canyon 2014 By MPK from Megan Kelly on Vimeo.



Wes Heustess show us some good lines and some not so good lines.





My entry for the evening; Bromancing the Salmon is the story of 11 men from Seattle on the South Fork of the Salmon.



Bromancing the Salmon from daniel patrinellis on Vimeo.


Jon Ehlinger teams up with Jeremy Bisson to take us down Tumwater Canyon this past spring. The water is high, cold and super sick.





Priscilla Macy comes out swinging with the ultra sick and super classy: 2 Girls, 1 Boat.



2Girls1Boat Filmfest Entry from PMacy on Vimeo.


Open a beer and get to know the Characters that lurk in Washington's dark regions. Nick Hinds takes us down all the classics, with all the right people.





Emile Elliot comes out the gate swinging with an awesome video. There is carnage, canoes, playboating and some great editing.





Scott Waidelich brings reports on local conditions here in the PNW. Top Tye, Robe and Ernie's Gorge shows why Seattle is the place to live!





Andy Lockey is just plain sick. Check out what you can accomplish with a video camera, awesome friends and tons of Der Towne.



Full Face Chronicles - September from Full Face Andy on Vimeo.


Mike Hagadorn took everyone to task this year and brought home first place with his amazing video of a trip down the Grand Canyon.


The Grand from Cloud Level Media on Vimeo.


Ellie Wheat, another Champion from 2013's video contest, shows us why she and the crew all spend most of their hard earned money and all of their free time freezing their hands off kayaking here in the PNW.





Sam Grafton is a local charger who not only ran the Stikine this year. He ran it 3 times... and ran a little rapid called Site Zed to boot. Watch as the prodigy shows us down some of the biggest whitewater in the world.






Thanks again to everyone that came to our event. Thank you to all the awesome people who spent hours behind a computer screen, putting together something that we could all sit back and enjoy.


Saturday, September 27, 2014

Chelan - 2014

Oh September... I love you for your sunsets, your comfortable temperatures and your sweet-sweet Chelan creek.


September means a few things for us here in the PNW. It means pumpkin-spice lattes and Uggs will be returning to our lives. It means sweating is almost done for the year. Disgusting. It means that we get to get back in our drysuits soon!


September also means Chelan.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

This year the action was off the water for me.


Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Seven weeks post shoulder surgery had me sitting on the sidelines and watching the action from the canyon rim. But I had good company and cold beer, so life was good.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Right out the gate, I knew the weekend was going to be different. Sara and I pulled up to a line of cars a couple miles outside of Index, at almost 9pm. 

Flying the new dji around the put in. The boys took off in three groups.

A semi-truck rolled over on the two lane road that is the most direct route to Leavenworth. We had cold beer and a happy dog so the wait was bearable. After a bit the lawn chairs came out and the camera got set up for some long exposure shots.

Flying the new dji around the put in. The boys took off in three groups.

The stars were out in full effect. Not a lot of light pollution in Index.


Following the kayakers from river right; the topography of the landscape surprises me. I'm so used to seeing this canyon from river level. It's gorgeous! 


The flat water stretch that boaters have to get through before Entrance Exam looks so out of place in Washington. 
The water that courses down towards the Columbia is almost a neon blue color. It's the visual equivalent to that first sip of cold beer after a long day in the sun.


Entrance Exam sneaks up on you. One minute it's canyon sightseeing and the next its falling into this deep crack in the Earth.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,


The entrance ledge.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

The first ledge.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

The middle ledge.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Entrance Exam is the make or break for me. I love this drop but I hate that last hole!

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,


Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

One of the hardest things I had to deal with while shooting was the intense winds that are racing up the gorge, towards Chelan lake.

With the camera on a tripod and two human bodies as a windscreen, I was still getting too much camera wobble at anything over 200mm to get a quality shot.

Jeremy Bisson lays down some treats with a super clean Entrance Exam line.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Ryan Young drops in to say hello.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Fred Norquist


Chelan Slide is a beast of a drop. Sam explains the pros and cons...

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,


It just wasn't the same without Brett Barton to show us all how it's done.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Most op for the safe left line.


The entrance to the main drop has a terribly sticky hole.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Sometimes people step up to the plate. Alex Podolak with a super sick line.
Photos by Sara Yoshimura.


Immediately below is 6 feet of glory: Super Boof.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Like always; the intense Eastern Washington sun destroyed my hopes of having the correct exposure.


The wind also wreaked havoc while taking off and landing the dji phantom.

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Jeremy Bisson.

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

One of these years I will convince a team to wait until noon to put on so that we can get the canyon while it's completely lit up with sunshine.

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Super Boof looks intense from 400 feet above.

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Throne is immediately below Super Boof. Sara Yoshimura grabbed some photos of the boys running it while I filmed with the dji.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Jeremy Bisson.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Issac takes a shot at the Throne.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

My first two trips down the Chelan Gorge, Pinnacle was a mandatory portage. People stopped to look at it but that was it. 


That all changed when Rob ran it and showed the masses that it went better than it looked.


Due to the lay of the land, I was not able to get a good shot of Pinnacle while the boys were firing it off. I could essentially only see the entrance, first move and the exit from the drop.

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Watching was a nail biting experience; waiting for your boys to get to the bottom after they commit.

Next up is Extra Credit:

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Sam stands guard over the nasty sieve that makes Fat Lady such a white knuckler. Everyone had great lines through this big girl, and made the last drop look like a breeze.

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Fat Lady

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

All in all. another amazing Chelan experience in the books. The folks over at Chelan PUD are some of the coolest, most stoked non-boaters I've met. 

Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

Their warm welcome, hospitality and understanding of kayaker customs is out of this world.

Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,


The takeout is nothing but smiles and exaggerated boofs.


Meta Data: Chelan Gorge, Chelan Gorge Kayaking, Chelan Gorge Washington, Chelan Gorge AW, American Whitewater, Tom O'Keefe, Entrance Exam, Chelan Slide, Meat Locker, Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Pinnacle Falls, Extra Credit, Fal Lady, Chelan PUD, Dagger Mamba 8.6, Dagger Mamba review, Dagger Mamba is fucking sick, Evan Garcia, Lane Jacobs, Isaac Levinson, Rush Sturges, Abe Herrera, Alex Podolak, James Byrd, Kevin Holte, Fred Norquist, Sean Madden, Xavier Engle, Will Grubb, Sam Grafton, Jeremy Bisson, Tom Potter, Steve Bailey, Ryan Young, Connor Dixon,

This amazing weekend is only possible because of the hard working folks at AW. Pay your dues, donate your time, do what you can to support a cause like American Whitewater.

Until next year!


Chelan 2014 Teaser from daniel patrinellis on Vimeo.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Deer Creek - 2013

I only got into Deer Creek once this past season.
I love this run!

Deer Creek, Oso Washington, Badass Rivers, Kayaking near Oso, Oso river, Adrian Wigston, Brad Xanthopolous, Brock Gavery, Sean Lee, Mike Nash, Mamba 8.6 Creeker, Dagger Mamba 8.6

So while I was living in Everett for the winter I thought I would get on Deer Creek at least a handful times. We had some odd weather parterns for the 2013 winter and the Stilliguamish didn't get very high very often. The only time that Deer Creek came in was on a Saturday morning when I was getting off of a 12 hour shift.



Deer Creek, Oso Washington, Badass Rivers, Kayaking near Oso, Oso river, Adrian Wigston, Brad Xanthopolous, Brock Gavery, Sean Lee, Mike Nash, Mamba 8.6 Creeker, Dagger Mamba 8.6

Adrian had called me the night before and told me he was gonna rally. I texted him at about 5am and said that I had left the front door to my appartment open. I fell asleep thinking I was in the clear and that people were gonna bail. I was wrong.


Deer Creek, Oso Washington, Badass Rivers, Kayaking near Oso, Oso river, Adrian Wigston, Brad Xanthopolous, Brock Gavery, Sean Lee, Mike Nash, Mamba 8.6 Creeker, Dagger Mamba 8.6



Deer Creek, Oso Washington, Badass Rivers, Kayaking near Oso, Oso river, Adrian Wigston, Brad Xanthopolous, Brock Gavery, Sean Lee, Mike Nash, Mamba 8.6 Creeker, Dagger Mamba 8.6


I woke up to a Llama in my livingroom at 8am and it was time to start the coffee maker and get all my gear together.

Deer Creek, Oso Washington, Badass Rivers, Kayaking near Oso, Oso river, Adrian Wigston, Brad Xanthopolous, Brock Gavery, Sean Lee, Mike Nash, Mamba 8.6 Creeker, Dagger Mamba 8.6



So we were off. I have to say that I was definitly not having the best of days on the water. I was a little gripped and this didn't translate well in the canyon. I was missing strokes and missing lines. I walked Hudson and the double drop rapid. I also took the scariest sneak-line I've ever taken when I opted out of the Next large rapid after Hudson. All in all it was still a great day on the water. Even the shittiest day on the water is better than your best day on dry land. Huge shout out to the motivated crew that had to hoof it into Deer Creek.


Here is a quick edit I threw together of our run down Deer Creek in March of 2013. I was delerious and out of my mind so for some reason I only have levels from the night before we boated. I feel that Robe was in the vicinity of 7.8 feet? My river log has Deer Creek on 3/2@ 0239 level 1402 cfs.



Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Don't kayak in Leavenworth!!

The weather is amazing all the time.


There are attractive people everywhere.


There are more sausages and beers than an army of kayakers could drink.


...and last but not least; the kayaking is just too good to be true.


So, don't bother. It's definitly not worth the drive...



Kayaking in Leavenworth from daniel patrinellis on Vimeo.


Music: Wu Tang - Slow Blues

Monday, June 30, 2014

Jah Bisson runs POW at 9,000 cfs



Jeremy Bisson is a beast. A kind and super under-rated paddler; Jeremy really doesn't mind letting it all hang out sometimes.


After a couple great laps from the Dam to the Red Bridge on Tumwater Canyon, Jeremy decided to fire up POW.


Needless to say; I offered to shoot and "set safety"...







Paddler: Jeremy Bisson
Music: Willy Moon - Railroad Track

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Upper Lempa - El Salvador

Upper Rio Lempa.
El Salvador
May 31 & June 1, 2014



After my recent run on the Upper Rio Lempa, Central America paddling expert Greg Schwendinger of MayanWhitewater.com (MW) informed me mine was the first run down this river since his last descent in 2003.

That led me to ask how such a quality canyon could go unseen by kayakers for more than a decade.

Several things combine to make this one difficult to tackle. Unfortunately for my visit, all the cards were stacked up in my contra. I think I redefined “off-the couch.” While I’m active, surf daily, and take my boat out into the ocean every so often, I hadn’t paddled on a river since July 2013 when I left my beloved state of Washington for surfing and a business venture in El Salvador.

It wasn’t long before I pined for the river. Having Washington paddlers like John Ehlinger and Brad Xanthopoulos visit me in the tropics reminded me that I can’t hide out down here forever. Not only did Brad show up in El Salvador with a suitcase full of microbrew, but he also helped me weld my cracked Nomad with the quality welding strips Jeremy Bisson donated before I crossed into Mexico last year. With a welded boat, an impending rainy season, and beta from the MW site, my eyes focused on two particular runs:

1 - Rio Jiboa
2 – Upper Rio Lempa

My main interest in the Jiboa run (other than its quality confirmed by Greg Schwendinger and Rocky Contos’ descent in 2010) is its proximity to my house.  However, the level on the Jiboa seemed less cooperative while the Lempa sat just above what Greg described as a good flow. Lempa Time.

Mayan Whitewater's river description of Upper Rio Lempa:
http://mayanwhitewater.com/rivers/salvador/lempaupper.html

A lot has changed in El Salvador since 2003. Along with increasingly crowded surf lineups, there is also a sick new highway that makes the Upper Lempa takeout a breeze.

After reviewing MW’s listing , I decided that a more practical shuttle route was available. Considering that I had never run ANY of the well described sections of Lempa, I decided to tackle the entire 26km stretch starting from the Citalá bridge at the border with Honduras all the way down to the “new” takeout at the bridge in the town of Santa Rosa Guachipilín. The existing shuttle suggested several hours of driving on rugged roads. I decided I would rather spend extra time on the river versus in the car. Using Google earth, it appeared I was only adding ~6km (3.7 miles) to the run.

Shuttle Route for Upper Lempa


I might be the only whitewater paddler in El Salvador, so unfortunately this descent included just one kayak. I took the day off on Friday to ensure I had everything ready for the trip. I adjusted outfitting, corralled my dry bags & carabiners, and put together a list for the hardware and grocery stores.  I arrived at my girlfriend’s place on Friday evening and we took it easy so I could rest up for the big weekend.

Saturday morning was ominous in San Salvador. Steady, heavy rain blitzed the city from all angles. The weather report I had seen for the region of El Salvador where I would paddle looked favorable, so I remained optimistic. After the 1.5-hour drive to the takeout, the report was confirmed. Blue skies and a nice, low first-time level. The gauge read just under 1.1 meters on May 31, but the river at the takeout looked low, and scrapy. After confirming our take-out meeting spot was legit, we then left in the same vehicle for the put-in. 20 minutes past the famous alpine town “La Palma” sits the Citalá bridge. I was disappointed to find that what absolutely HAD to be Rio Lempa bore no sign on the bridge to confirm. I didn’t want to risk putting onto some nearby tributary (levels were low and scrapy at the put-in too) so I asked a few locals if indeed I was gazing into Rio Lempa’s waters. “Cabal, ese es Rio Lempa”. 3 people told me I was in the right place. The last person told me that I could cross into Honduras without waiting in line. Boom. that was the confirmation I needed.

Early on Lempa Flats. Just below Citalá bridge.


Eugenia left me at the put-in at 2:30 pm and I started my descent. According to MW, I had 1.5 hours of class III paddling before getting to the “Ruta del Jaguar” class IV section. Not taking any chances, early on I scouted 2-3 times. The first rapid, a distinct boulder garden, required scouting to pick a clean route through its channels. That one was manky and shallow. I then continued down for approximately 1 hour until getting to second scout. I couldn’t tell from upstream, but there was a very cool passage through the river right side, cuddled against the canyon wall. After paddling (err scraping) down the center to left line, I noted from downstream that river right was good to go.

Second Scout 

 Soon after second scout came third scout, which appeared to be the rapid MW discussed as having the “blind left curve”. On hard river left sat a nasty undercut shoulder dislocating fanglike beast. That side was quickly identified as undesirable. I had to spend several minutes here getting a clear view of river right and what lay after the “blind left curve”. The line was center to hard river right, and then around the blind curve. Opting instead for the 90 degree left turn, I later saw that I missed a nice boof, up against the large boulder 10 feet downstream of the turn. This rapid was fun, class IV, and not too pushy.

Third Scout
Some Beta on Third Scout

One drop down from third scout came “Left Boof”. This rapid channeled river left onto a sweet launching pad into a clean pool within constricted rock formations. The center line on this rapid looked manky.

Left Boof

From there I continued downstream in uninterrupted fashion for approximately 2 hours. There were maybe 2 scouts between “Left Boof” and where I camped for the night, still above the harder canyon section. Both scouts I encountered after “Left Boof” turned out to be clean, simple, good-to-go Class III+ or IV- rapids, but with limited visibility from upstream.

Lempa Rock Formations

View from Downstream on river left after scouting. There was limited visibility upstream on this one. Boat scoutable.

This one was simple but should be scouted. There are undercut rocks on river right. Stay center.

I passed a few decent looking spots to camp, but nothing really jumped out at me. I wanted to get as far down the canyon as possible to ensure I had enough light the following day.  Without doubt, I started my descent on Saturday too late. We lost time on Saturday with our insurance stop at the takeout to make sure we had an agreed upon meeting point, finding the put-in, and we just left home too late. Typical.

I had enough light after making camp to forge a rain shelter, organize gear, and get a spread ready.  I used my paddle to shovel nearby sand and create a flatter sleeping area under the tarp. Dinner consisted of pre-cooked chicken sausage, an apple, cheese, water, an orange, and a PBH (Peanut Butter & Honey).

Sure enough, after a day of bluebird skies and 4 hours in a kayak where a splash of water was no detriment, it began to rain. It was light but somewhat steady. Enough that being outside the rain shelter was uncomfortable. With dry clothes on, I wasn’t cold. I had a thin rain shell jacket to keep me dry but avoid getting hot. My rain shelter was pretty close to the ground and uncomfortable for anything but lying down. Using my boat as a backrest, I ate dinner in the rain-free zone and it became completely dark just before 7:00 pm. I hadn’t worked hard enough to fall asleep that early. Fortunately the rain stopped. Safety meeting. I puttered around the campsite for a few hours, checking out the awesome rocks near the shoreline and was alerted by the presence of two large spiders whose eyes blazed with the peripheral glow of my headlamp. 

It started raining again around mid-night, after I had fallen asleep. My rain shelter was in the flattest area of the campsite, but it certainly wasn’t the widest. A large rock wall angled around 30 degrees created one extreme of my sleeping area while the roots from a large nearby tree marked the other. Rain splashed off the side of the rock like faint mist that was just damp enough to irritate me. I changed positions to place my head at the opposite end of the shelter.  That side was getting splashed a little now too due to the wind, but I was wearing my hooded rain shell and that side appeared better than the opposite end. As the wind fluxed, I restlessly attempted to sleep comfortably, all the while kicking up grits of sand onto my therma-rest. I forgot to bring a ground cover.  Typical. I remember saying to my self repeatedly that “it could be so much worse”, which was true. I was dry with the exception of a minor dampness either near the top of my head or my feet. If I wouldn’t move around, I could keep sand off my sleeping pad. But it was hard to sleep. I thought about the potential of the river level spiking,. The rain was still relatively light. I made a few trips outside of the rain shelter to adjust its angle and allow less rain to enter.

I dosed off for a few hours before waking again. The rain was harder now, and the wind was vigorous. Although I was dry and warm enough, sleeping became a significant challenge. Then I heard a low rumble that became louder, followed by the obvious sound of increased water flow at the nearby stream feeding into Lempa. Headlamp on. Shoes on. WTF. I responded quickly and eyed a location to move boating gear. Water from that stream came within 15 feet of where I was sleeping before the sound grew weaker and the water level ebbed. The scare lasted close to 10 minutes. Miniature flash-flood.

Rough Night

At cockcrow the river level was notably pumping. The place where I had pulled my boat out of the river the night before was now completely underwater, along with the 3-foot rock that was sitting atop that bank. I remember not panicking, but immediately shifted from thoughts of an awesome Sunday to a “game-on” mentality. First task was getting sleep. The rain had completely stopped, I was still dry, and after a rough night I was able to fall asleep and remain that way for nearly 3 hours.

My original plan was to wake up early on Sunday, and start my descent as soon as possible. It was 9 by the time I had my gear together, food ingested, and was ready to start. Before gearing up, my teeth chattered, but I wasn’t cold.

Increased Flow on Day-Two.  Citalá Gauge - 1.4m.

The first hour of paddling was awesome. The river remained wide and the flow was powerful. In my head I repeated the advice from Mayan Whitewater: “Crux Move: patient scouting”.

Remember when I mentioned redefining “off the couch”? Let’s go ahead and review this list. I hadn’t been on a river for 10 months, I was descending a new river solo, in a class V canyon, the flow was significantly higher than recommendable, l was low on drinking water, tired as fuck, in a loaded down boat.  

I scouted. And I scouted patiently. No chances. I found MW’s overall description to be accurate:  The upper Lempa is classic Central American class V creeking in a steep secluded canyon. The scenery reminds me of California. The pool-drop rapids are varied and high-quality, with some drops getting quite big. When boat-scouting, I recommend doing so extra-defensively since I found several rapids drawing me in a little too close for comfort. The river provides some challenges to everyone, yet when it gets too challenging there is always a portage option over the boulders…. the drops seemed to get bigger and trickier towards the end of the canyon.”

I had to portage 3 times, and 2 of the three were extremely difficult and tiring because of the weight of my boat. On the first portage, I scouted from the wrong side of the river. I had already hiked all the way downstream and back before realizing that I would not run the rapid. and needed to first get to the other side.

The rapid I just described is the one pictured in the MW listing. Here is a look at the same spot on June 1, 2014:

Crux Canyon

Another significant rapid. View from the Scout

View from the boat
Lunch Hole
Crux Move in "a long road to a big hole" right below this hole all the current feeds into the big one, alongside the large rock 40 feet downstream on river right. No margin for error in this hole above it. There was a line to the left of this covered rock to the left of my bow in the picture. But it was hard to make. I tried and missed.
More cool rock formations from Day 1
This one looks burly in the picture but it was the best rapid on the run. It has a straightforward toungue right down the middle, its clean and it went smoothly. You just have to get past this entry wave first..

Just as described in MW, the rapids were more challenging closer to the end of the run. Since I didn’t know where the end of the run was, I maintained absolute focus for each horizon line, each ledge, and each river bend. I took water at regular intervals, and had an orange at lunch. I came to a rapid that I later described in photos as “A long road to a big hole”. This one was a clean big-water style rapid that would be an absolute blast if not for a massive hole on far river right below the crux of the drop. Unfortunately all the water feeds into that hole and feeds into it quickly.  I decided to run the rapid, and in real-life it was as just as hard to get left of the hole as it looked while scouting. In the video clip, you can see me skirting just left at ~ 01:15.

There were several significant rapids below there and the final rapid of the canyon, which was the steepest of the entire run. After portaging it, I was able to get a clearer picture of the canyon walls at the bottom of the drop and now consider it to be runnable even at the high flow.

Last Rapid in the Canyon Section

Immediately after that last drop, the scenery changed and I appeared to have reached the end of Lempa’s most challenging section, unscathed. My hopes were confirmed when I saw typical El Salvadoran street dogs running along the banks of the river barking at me. I passed a couple fishermen bearing looks of disbelief and saw people herding cows on the hillside. 

The fun continued in Class III+ to IV- fashion all the way to the takeout.  I passed several quality surf waves and one with large eddy service. Pleasantly surprised, it only took me around 30 minutes to get from the end of the canyon section to the bridge where Eugenia was waiting for me.  Along the way there was a hammock bridge with a small store on river right. You wouldn’t know it was a store, but if you have my luck, you’ll see people down by the water and they can point you in the right direction.  I only had a 10 dollar bill with me, and without change the owner donated two small plastic bags of Agua Cristal to my cause (In El Salvador we drink out of sacks). I guzzled them down and thanked the owner for her kindness. She asked me why the school buses with rafts never came anymore. 

At this point morale was at an all-time high for the trip.  I had survived the canyon, I was hydrated, and according to the locals I had not far to go for the bridge at Santa Rosa Guachipilín. They told me that from their small village of Caserío Lempa it was a 30-minute drive to the take-out bridge. A few fun surf waves down, I caught sight of a cell-phone tower and sent a text to Eugenia that I made it out safely. I celebrated with a safety meeting.

The take-out bridge at Santa Rosa Guachipilín was 2-3 river bends down from the view of that cell-phone tower, and it marked the end of my trip.

In a show of excellent character, the car had 3 cold beers waiting for me, and I got to sip them on the way home while Eugenia drove. I was only 15 minutes late for our scheduled meeting time.

Now that’s boom.


Adrian Wigston, reporting for Fluid: As a Lifestyle, from El Salvador.