tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14129329613844689872024-02-20T18:12:37.835+02:00The Nile ProgressionWill Clark's blog from the White Nile Uganda, Worldwide kayaking adventures brought to you from the banks of the mightiest river in the world...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-2721867086037455372011-01-26T22:29:00.007+03:002011-01-30T11:01:47.579+03:00The Polela River, South Africa...<div style="text-align: justify;">Here's an amalgamation of photos from 2 days on the Polela River in South Africa. It's a super fun river with a few nice drops and trickier rapids with loads of fun continuous sections in between. Enjoy.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTe3ycRufGJiME2OsBGtXlkG4EX9g186JaaqtO74EHFV7lJ2oKKzNRFWdivUS-7Ppd1FBR-EduqJ52fkrMRgLRi1GPBfGFGnMGo_5pjJ2p4o_ap5u9IKtfbuQ1rl6D4-XWF_EKVYL0UDI/s1600/IMG_2463.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTe3ycRufGJiME2OsBGtXlkG4EX9g186JaaqtO74EHFV7lJ2oKKzNRFWdivUS-7Ppd1FBR-EduqJ52fkrMRgLRi1GPBfGFGnMGo_5pjJ2p4o_ap5u9IKtfbuQ1rl6D4-XWF_EKVYL0UDI/s400/IMG_2463.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567881569190153378" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Will Clark approaching the first main drop, photo Guy Anderson-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWyCGG35I/AAAAAAAACWc/32JUC_yjExY/s1600/IMG_2491.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWyCGG35I/AAAAAAAACWc/32JUC_yjExY/s400/IMG_2491.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567881563125243794" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-It was this guys first time paddling waterfalls! He did land the right way up! - Photo Guy Anderson-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVb83Z3WBFhowIFdzPqWU4MVOu2g1SbSJ58eU7JN_gx3cQhDDWLni6WgheCW_gkCLq97CkqatYyGH2Gu8NxYMf_0YUcRmiS2P0S2A5EUWQfH_N0BuVoU6s3qKJMAWaydLY8qU52OdD3Q/s1600/DSC_0341.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVb83Z3WBFhowIFdzPqWU4MVOu2g1SbSJ58eU7JN_gx3cQhDDWLni6WgheCW_gkCLq97CkqatYyGH2Gu8NxYMf_0YUcRmiS2P0S2A5EUWQfH_N0BuVoU6s3qKJMAWaydLY8qU52OdD3Q/s400/DSC_0341.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567881328202739666" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Guy Anderson on the river right line-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWj0NeVOI/AAAAAAAACWM/6pOJiFS1sj4/s1600/DSC_0051.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWj0NeVOI/AAAAAAAACWM/6pOJiFS1sj4/s400/DSC_0051.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567881318879876322" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Tom McLay also on the river right line-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWjuUr6ZI/AAAAAAAACWE/AVJIUmOKp1Q/s1600/DSC_0138.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWjuUr6ZI/AAAAAAAACWE/AVJIUmOKp1Q/s400/DSC_0138.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567881317299513746" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Tom on the next, smaller drop-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWjgvhhRI/AAAAAAAACV8/u5z8LY9DQTU/s1600/DSC_0158.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWjgvhhRI/AAAAAAAACV8/u5z8LY9DQTU/s400/DSC_0158.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567881313653982482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Andrew Pollock on the same drop-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpxK6VclqEc9zSIrCfvDy5_-IGFS3z6QzWPzxPVnXGA1mNsZ-eSgdMoZJY-WI32NL_mPU34hEP0sWD3_ssSPl0jWBkC7r81eRcJEhPpi8uo8OoqUyjUCH41dneT6V2WPoRerUCn0XuHM/s1600/IMG_2502.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpxK6VclqEc9zSIrCfvDy5_-IGFS3z6QzWPzxPVnXGA1mNsZ-eSgdMoZJY-WI32NL_mPU34hEP0sWD3_ssSPl0jWBkC7r81eRcJEhPpi8uo8OoqUyjUCH41dneT6V2WPoRerUCn0XuHM/s400/IMG_2502.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567880897500531186" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Will Clark on the entry to 'Te-Bone Re-Bone"-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YG7FTFAhR0JVLxAF5Vf787n8G_zBzwVs_njN7-u-6FcKfah6fAPhmnmDGnd3ckKjA_zS0uduM7XEc0Y8l1NLF28JJOjS_QYaL6nUPx641OinXV0NhG70HmROU2LsdTQC8B1mDSVPuEo/s1600/IMG_2515.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YG7FTFAhR0JVLxAF5Vf787n8G_zBzwVs_njN7-u-6FcKfah6fAPhmnmDGnd3ckKjA_zS0uduM7XEc0Y8l1NLF28JJOjS_QYaL6nUPx641OinXV0NhG70HmROU2LsdTQC8B1mDSVPuEo/s400/IMG_2515.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567880900634112834" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Will coming through to the last drop-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWLDyGX6I/AAAAAAAACVk/q5RIcx1wxf8/s1600/DSC_0183-small.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWLDyGX6I/AAAAAAAACVk/q5RIcx1wxf8/s400/DSC_0183-small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567880893563297698" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-The last drop on Te-Bone Re-Bone-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWLC3vU_I/AAAAAAAACVc/X3VBDbTFkMk/s1600/IMG_2528.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUWLC3vU_I/AAAAAAAACVc/X3VBDbTFkMk/s400/IMG_2528.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567880893318517746" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-A nice angle showing our nice new Fluid spray decks by Seals-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOglluGDqrvcnFU_IRGWN-Y5tF1hdQ19sW_6SppVzh1CkDvcYsvVoLN_skEc08XH_kIjHW9cQMijNaTjTN0hnCVq574zAUih4jpkMqZbJjkdlbff94bjVHp1eZr5AiezOAOoWxzVnvK8o/s1600/DSC_0211.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOglluGDqrvcnFU_IRGWN-Y5tF1hdQ19sW_6SppVzh1CkDvcYsvVoLN_skEc08XH_kIjHW9cQMijNaTjTN0hnCVq574zAUih4jpkMqZbJjkdlbff94bjVHp1eZr5AiezOAOoWxzVnvK8o/s400/DSC_0211.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567880423893616002" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Tom on the same drop-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUVvvnJvWI/AAAAAAAACVM/jqw8V40ixE4/s1600/DSC_0222.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUVvvnJvWI/AAAAAAAACVM/jqw8V40ixE4/s400/DSC_0222.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567880424292203874" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Oh yeah if you get pushed left it gives you a kicking!!-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUVvY0OBsI/AAAAAAAACVE/bBT3hqzPLQY/s1600/DSC_0249.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUVvY0OBsI/AAAAAAAACVE/bBT3hqzPLQY/s400/DSC_0249.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567880418172995266" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Oops, that'll be a bootie beer then...-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUVvAmKUkI/AAAAAAAACU8/qTWmNpXJ48M/s1600/DSC_0263.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TUUVvAmKUkI/AAAAAAAACU8/qTWmNpXJ48M/s400/DSC_0263.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567880411671581250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Nice job Tom!-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ok, that's the photos from that trip, I went and spent 4 days up in Zimbabwe after that, I'll put some photos from that trip up soon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Happy Paddling.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-44451978149779640322011-01-23T23:14:00.002+03:002011-01-23T23:44:06.105+03:00South Africa... ...it's a mini adventure...I've just spent a week in SA before flying up to see my parents in Vic Falls for a few days. Well this is my hire car, because of reasons known as Polly getting mad and pulling the steering wheel off his own car this was our shuttle vehicle for a week...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQosvZyg0OlakXj8xqZElDB54VGZiRms_mmdCyJyGgORFe2ENeesCjdseMhciaqEPb624WMg4d_8lD6B4eUJMyRxSvgWNb99L6C02brG9nGp3G1irWyIAU3hUKmyacuT2Cw2v2WqVBaw/s1600/DSC_0013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQosvZyg0OlakXj8xqZElDB54VGZiRms_mmdCyJyGgORFe2ENeesCjdseMhciaqEPb624WMg4d_8lD6B4eUJMyRxSvgWNb99L6C02brG9nGp3G1irWyIAU3hUKmyacuT2Cw2v2WqVBaw/s400/DSC_0013.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565482622419622802" /></a><br /><div>Only problem which I admit in this photo is hard to see is that the wheels were made of lego and even puddles were a problem.</div><div><br /></div><div>After checking out the level of the Polela River we had to call our friends to give us a push after I slipped off the road and the front grounded out!!</div><div><br /></div><div>I love hire cars!!</div><div><br /></div><div>More pics from our South African adventure to come soon...</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-55396558902215640492010-12-17T22:16:00.011+03:002011-01-03T12:12:36.960+03:00Nile Kayaking Festival 2010 - Round Up<div style="text-align: justify;">Well like a snowboarding movie once said - 'That's it that's all'. The Nile Kayaking Festival 2010 is over. Gone, finished for another year. But not before I do a quick round up for you folks with some results and photos.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So here we go.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Freestyle results.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Women</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Emily Wall</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Kiely Eversole</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Jesse Stone</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;font-size:13px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Men</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Julien the Frenchy</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Quintin from WCKA</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Timmy Flowers</div><div><br /></div>Highest placed Ugandan overall (both race results and freestyle) - Hassan Kanoli - winner of a brand new Fluid Kayak!!<div><br /></div><div>Well here's a few more photo's from the freestyle event and a couple of others from the Boda Boda X as well - in no particular order...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TSA0OqqCrrI/AAAAAAAACUY/_Nxbw7q3YMo/s1600/DSC_0834.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TSA0OqqCrrI/AAAAAAAACUY/_Nxbw7q3YMo/s400/DSC_0834.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557499366748630706" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Quintin from WCKA-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TSAmxu2ncJI/AAAAAAAACUM/oWPzfz4G940/s1600/DSC_0814.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TSAmxu2ncJI/AAAAAAAACUM/oWPzfz4G940/s400/DSC_0814.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557484576007745682" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Julien the French man playing up to the crowd-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfy5qOz6zF9-suIcz3tehbzhBexTHUpNpf8dCEAyP25cs55Pd2ZVQGdLJH6Yoi4BzHMl93drOwIoc3iqj2MdO851z9LW2T3ktlaGLtNLnzvLjn5BuLl4r3GgMXsCna-H2kUkymPnpao4/s1600/DSC_0791.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfy5qOz6zF9-suIcz3tehbzhBexTHUpNpf8dCEAyP25cs55Pd2ZVQGdLJH6Yoi4BzHMl93drOwIoc3iqj2MdO851z9LW2T3ktlaGLtNLnzvLjn5BuLl4r3GgMXsCna-H2kUkymPnpao4/s400/DSC_0791.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557484571702498338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Timmy Flowers-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TSAiscfvKKI/AAAAAAAACT4/3JKXBKw761Q/s1600/DSC_0740.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TSAiscfvKKI/AAAAAAAACT4/3JKXBKw761Q/s400/DSC_0740.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557480087134087330" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Jason Craig-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TSAisPvcMHI/AAAAAAAACTw/DLY4BKVInSQ/s1600/DSC_0680.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TSAisPvcMHI/AAAAAAAACTw/DLY4BKVInSQ/s400/DSC_0680.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557480083710292082" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Timmy Flowers-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TR3YJnOeeOI/AAAAAAAACTg/FEgtGRda88s/s1600/DSC_0569.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TR3YJnOeeOI/AAAAAAAACTg/FEgtGRda88s/s400/DSC_0569.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556835174905182434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Jesse Stone-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKRh9dyO6WuT5D7nId5HJwDcNXN6WaQvKNvdQy5T83yvThhqAkb-Hbvl_jhlKpqaUDRfZdrPTniXDbX2V0cTu4D3VBqB3A6hyhEhBPpcZ10XqSB2Mxt8iGKECqYBsLs8B8H8hbp9T_So/s1600/DSC_0646.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKRh9dyO6WuT5D7nId5HJwDcNXN6WaQvKNvdQy5T83yvThhqAkb-Hbvl_jhlKpqaUDRfZdrPTniXDbX2V0cTu4D3VBqB3A6hyhEhBPpcZ10XqSB2Mxt8iGKECqYBsLs8B8H8hbp9T_So/s400/DSC_0646.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557882476563018418" /></a>-Kiely Eversole getting some big air in the finals-<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TR3TtlSZ6YI/AAAAAAAACTU/5S1IpSjvnYY/s1600/DSC_0560.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TR3TtlSZ6YI/AAAAAAAACTU/5S1IpSjvnYY/s400/DSC_0560.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556830295301941634" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Emily Wall-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TR3PvRGdlkI/AAAAAAAACTI/WVPqm2Fxo7w/s1600/DSC_0270.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TR3PvRGdlkI/AAAAAAAACTI/WVPqm2Fxo7w/s400/DSC_0270.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556825926196368962" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-The pig getting cut up after the Boda Boda X-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TR3PvH3EiwI/AAAAAAAACTA/7urazQCWY8g/s1600/DSC_0190.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TR3PvH3EiwI/AAAAAAAACTA/7urazQCWY8g/s400/DSC_0190.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556825923715894018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Me DJing during the Boda Boda X-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkWIUrU0PQP9JOZ7vYq_Yn86K-KRuC8ku6owVQU1Q1sAHW9ayBkC9L-ao2SnJ7WXFdGsZCP7LNaQ2H5lU3Z_tCAvBx0CrGJOCu2Kg6zAK3TKaPVMjrxT2yPr0Lv8yNQoz-X562NdveIs/s1600/DSC_0056.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkWIUrU0PQP9JOZ7vYq_Yn86K-KRuC8ku6owVQU1Q1sAHW9ayBkC9L-ao2SnJ7WXFdGsZCP7LNaQ2H5lU3Z_tCAvBx0CrGJOCu2Kg6zAK3TKaPVMjrxT2yPr0Lv8yNQoz-X562NdveIs/s400/DSC_0056.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553154211123907122" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Reuben Connely rocking out to the tunes!-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TRDEVDSsyzI/AAAAAAAACSQ/Qrs-qdAvMp8/s1600/DSC_0015.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TRDEVDSsyzI/AAAAAAAACSQ/Qrs-qdAvMp8/s400/DSC_0015.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553154206487857970" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-More funnels-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TRDEUfTed9I/AAAAAAAACSI/kqqJRu4ppmk/s1600/DSC_0001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TRDEUfTed9I/AAAAAAAACSI/kqqJRu4ppmk/s400/DSC_0001.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553154196827437010" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Reuben coming in over the line with his son watching from the side-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well that's about it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope everyone had a great new year - I know I'm only just recovering from ours now - 3 days later!! I'm off down to SA in a couple of days hoping to get a few days creeking - apparently the rivers are up!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Happy days!!</div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-22125679127102061482010-12-15T15:20:00.004+03:002010-12-15T16:54:21.236+03:00Nile Kayaking Festival - Photo Competition...<div style="text-align: justify;">For the last few years we've been running a photo competition at every kayak festival here on the Nile. The competition is in memory of Ben Holland - a great friend of ours who was an amazing photographer and lived here on the banks of the NIle, but sadly passed away a few years ago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even though the festival itself had almost no funding this year, the photo competition had a cash prize of $200 - donated very graciously by Darryl Rurka - the winner from a few years ago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyone could enter 3 photo's which were then put into anonymous folders for impartial judging. In all 11 people entered, here's the top 5.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JzYhfJ0dZwc7rF32rQ6O0LiPAskA6Xd2LITrKWejVfPJ4PXnUWd7OdTf3RsWhQIyGKSjiuRgFbqeEFhVYRQUQEcdIYXF3YtVn5y186Fe71Wyuk67RQaTI_unzMY3egREpUA9F8CRHFw/s1600/1.1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JzYhfJ0dZwc7rF32rQ6O0LiPAskA6Xd2LITrKWejVfPJ4PXnUWd7OdTf3RsWhQIyGKSjiuRgFbqeEFhVYRQUQEcdIYXF3YtVn5y186Fe71Wyuk67RQaTI_unzMY3egREpUA9F8CRHFw/s400/1.1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550884573315718018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-The Winner, Emily Wall's photo of Quintin from WCKA throwing a backstab-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJvDDOU7pwZPw1swcwLW1JoXAG_YpaY9Vjwn7h9n63z5BgD-Ih-X5xHpiJjfRcOkx1JRuMLMY0sGXNc_jGQL0Yok8AHHHZpJe5WxZnbnX4U37lt27m17kRfUudkidvO2OieOxRQQDayw/s1600/2.1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJvDDOU7pwZPw1swcwLW1JoXAG_YpaY9Vjwn7h9n63z5BgD-Ih-X5xHpiJjfRcOkx1JRuMLMY0sGXNc_jGQL0Yok8AHHHZpJe5WxZnbnX4U37lt27m17kRfUudkidvO2OieOxRQQDayw/s400/2.1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550884571021394354" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-2nd, Will Clark's photo, the end of the Boda Boda X-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0A6Cki8dL-gsgAxkZYpsmMKcy8XqZ3fnyg6qtCkLn1ofI270__cLzaqSUbRdSK7JYXJ8YNFGmxahsNwB89v0mTE3Xm0d5Zi3EGfJ2BQJMvaan7fvC3C8HI9vumXiq3fU87e7VlIAszc/s1600/3.1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0A6Cki8dL-gsgAxkZYpsmMKcy8XqZ3fnyg6qtCkLn1ofI270__cLzaqSUbRdSK7JYXJ8YNFGmxahsNwB89v0mTE3Xm0d5Zi3EGfJ2BQJMvaan7fvC3C8HI9vumXiq3fU87e7VlIAszc/s400/3.1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550884565656340962" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-3rd, Maddy Leslie's shot - Hassan on the wave and Charles cheering from the bank-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbVy8sqHjaNf2eHrJ8U5dRn2Lda77Wu8XHble3w28em30U1IfrKXZQ59IKiEGGULF5aR8MAZgOUIHY5PyIDf4lx7wPKaiik12-uJ4Z5qejYK8w89b6UV8et7GMuXDJvzWi01ffXh62Qk/s1600/4.1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbVy8sqHjaNf2eHrJ8U5dRn2Lda77Wu8XHble3w28em30U1IfrKXZQ59IKiEGGULF5aR8MAZgOUIHY5PyIDf4lx7wPKaiik12-uJ4Z5qejYK8w89b6UV8et7GMuXDJvzWi01ffXh62Qk/s400/4.1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550884557477780978" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-4th, Will Clark's shot, Julien the Frenchman - one handed airscrew!!-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9yWsN3OgR12PqXh8C59HrTVAbhqOy9Qhqd_Po-UV_diILIqiRiZowAFGhVW06XgPxYBTxjpYYrNABsEl_V2ZjgVgOqIXLx69ZX6vJz3u4_oNkKOSNz-NWtJbREFMnjTssDtBQvZmu0o/s1600/5.1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9yWsN3OgR12PqXh8C59HrTVAbhqOy9Qhqd_Po-UV_diILIqiRiZowAFGhVW06XgPxYBTxjpYYrNABsEl_V2ZjgVgOqIXLx69ZX6vJz3u4_oNkKOSNz-NWtJbREFMnjTssDtBQvZmu0o/s400/5.1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550884543943951746" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-5th, Emery from WCKA's shot, Charles at the freestyle competition-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sweet, I'll put some more shots from the freestyle competition up soon..</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-90546591651101557552010-12-07T15:21:00.003+03:002010-12-07T15:48:01.812+03:00Nile Kayaking Festival 2010I'm sat in the organisers tent - the Boda Boda X has just finished and the Nile Kayaking Festival 2010 is now well and truly underway. I have a cold Club in my hand and the tunes are pumping. It's another classic day in Uganda and we're all having the best day ever!!<div><br /></div><div>The results from the Boda Boda X are as follows...</div><div>1. Hassan Kanoli</div><div>2. Yusuf Basalirwa</div><div>3. Charles Luttaya</div><div>4. Timmy Flowers</div><div>5. Doug Greaves</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's some photo's from today, I'll be sure to put more up soon. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sweet!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiIR-fEvfAYpTJMkONUqtzX-3dBXRUodnAdXZdb8A60SmrHoSsKFqPH8vEk1sNAJEiN6BD_1x5mw6yhtNX7evu6ray9ZVrhtPcImO2aYTEFoYOJWcyIOP7GtxtPLKBtaDmzUfvE2Da17I/s1600/DSC_0282.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiIR-fEvfAYpTJMkONUqtzX-3dBXRUodnAdXZdb8A60SmrHoSsKFqPH8vEk1sNAJEiN6BD_1x5mw6yhtNX7evu6ray9ZVrhtPcImO2aYTEFoYOJWcyIOP7GtxtPLKBtaDmzUfvE2Da17I/s400/DSC_0282.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547918855690381458" /></a>The Pig we're gonna eat in a couple of hours!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4qzWFohrI/AAAAAAAACRI/TMAam4hotxE/s1600/DSC_0276.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4qzWFohrI/AAAAAAAACRI/TMAam4hotxE/s400/DSC_0276.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547918852557932210" /></a>Dougy after he recovered from the race<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4qzEfwM2I/AAAAAAAACRA/IsD-Dsb1yPk/s1600/DSC_0214.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4qzEfwM2I/AAAAAAAACRA/IsD-Dsb1yPk/s400/DSC_0214.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547918847835648866" /></a>Broken - Doug and the guys after coming in over the line.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4qyl_pM_I/AAAAAAAACQ4/RzeuDLTNeHM/s1600/DSC_0210.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4qyl_pM_I/AAAAAAAACQ4/RzeuDLTNeHM/s400/DSC_0210.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547918839647908850" /></a>For some a funnel of beer was a bit too much after the race!!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4qySg2NsI/AAAAAAAACQw/1ftwWPxBggI/s1600/DSC_0191.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4qySg2NsI/AAAAAAAACQw/1ftwWPxBggI/s400/DSC_0191.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547918834418464450" /></a>Tony from NRE enjoying himself.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4ppUqnBYI/AAAAAAAACQk/-VblBaPvOH8/s1600/DSC_0176.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4ppUqnBYI/AAAAAAAACQk/-VblBaPvOH8/s400/DSC_0176.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547917580865832322" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4ppEMYB5I/AAAAAAAACQc/gTTQNTXy_X4/s1600/DSC_0111.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4ppEMYB5I/AAAAAAAACQc/gTTQNTXy_X4/s400/DSC_0111.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547917576444053394" /></a>The Boda Boda drivers waiting for the competitors to come in at Silverback...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4po-a3lBI/AAAAAAAACQU/GKxMxRAJiMc/s1600/DSC_0109.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4po-a3lBI/AAAAAAAACQU/GKxMxRAJiMc/s400/DSC_0109.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547917574894228498" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnk6WYnOwMml9t59CFeSEai_txyaarcbbbGL8CSD-PKADUj9RjeEf10ChhqFXxdVH5SMRJROqMZlASPC78iycxwgK-DuUElgSaaR0ydEs6qTI_fhSYfKxE7HFHvO-QRN7GSkJ_eimUWM/s1600/DSC_0104.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnk6WYnOwMml9t59CFeSEai_txyaarcbbbGL8CSD-PKADUj9RjeEf10ChhqFXxdVH5SMRJROqMZlASPC78iycxwgK-DuUElgSaaR0ydEs6qTI_fhSYfKxE7HFHvO-QRN7GSkJ_eimUWM/s400/DSC_0104.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547917569145724194" /></a>Mass sprint towards Bujagali<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyd5dixKzYt2xisUEw6uvvVPpwbcgXeLmh2O6qsLAl3Z1sW6NA9M7H2MHNEaOKvD5q8sATmoqKL9ty0KgU3LqYjFsElgzHO4HFcSSHA2T-VZneyRwVBtonh55OeiTeU3eL6oJNFJ-cmg/s1600/DSC_0073.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyd5dixKzYt2xisUEw6uvvVPpwbcgXeLmh2O6qsLAl3Z1sW6NA9M7H2MHNEaOKvD5q8sATmoqKL9ty0KgU3LqYjFsElgzHO4HFcSSHA2T-VZneyRwVBtonh55OeiTeU3eL6oJNFJ-cmg/s400/DSC_0073.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547916235744794450" /></a>The start of the race<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4oatAFc_I/AAAAAAAACP4/z59ITyneETY/s1600/DSC_0057.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4oatAFc_I/AAAAAAAACP4/z59ITyneETY/s400/DSC_0057.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547916230188692466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4oabR70jI/AAAAAAAACPw/ZY5sjgUBsms/s1600/DSC_0047.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4oabR70jI/AAAAAAAACPw/ZY5sjgUBsms/s400/DSC_0047.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547916225431720498" /></a>The guys setting up the obstacle course<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4oZ45F3PI/AAAAAAAACPo/nnXLbEtzuvY/s1600/DSC_0034.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/TP4oZ45F3PI/AAAAAAAACPo/nnXLbEtzuvY/s400/DSC_0034.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547916216200715506" /></a>The Boda's before the race.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Well all good now - the next race is who can get drunk the fastest!!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-39090582229274677552010-08-27T11:35:00.002+03:002010-08-28T21:15:24.419+03:00Zambezi...I just made it down to the Zambezi. I arrived Sunday afternoon and after a few beers ended up getting the job as safety kayaker for a Water by Nature multi-day trip heading out the next day.<div><br /></div><div>So here's a few pictures from that trip. Enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/THd95VcDcII/AAAAAAAACMQ/SNJ_6DRERT0/s1600/DSC_0003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/THd95VcDcII/AAAAAAAACMQ/SNJ_6DRERT0/s400/DSC_0003.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510011093071917186" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Water by Nature truck-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aTN9nLdI1wBG_Dc2MXzypjznRflJ2tIzo9XhxOz0aB1xbXwuI1dZeDfoZGY5pIfspw8VHhX94Bl-w9CGaPtm1ie2caZ6waF47EjuygcsMGXkb0MogsIxy7SlRypTzT_vAHUUmJcnOkg/s1600/DSC_0082.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aTN9nLdI1wBG_Dc2MXzypjznRflJ2tIzo9XhxOz0aB1xbXwuI1dZeDfoZGY5pIfspw8VHhX94Bl-w9CGaPtm1ie2caZ6waF47EjuygcsMGXkb0MogsIxy7SlRypTzT_vAHUUmJcnOkg/s400/DSC_0082.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510011088899513778" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Davis in the gear raft paddling over to the beach at number 26-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIZnKxTf7jySs7ReIz0k3KCXjFjwrHsYN1E0B7XuciKW1CeafZ_yy24Q5Ypuo-4qZHHTWoIf_op5QhYi5L7Z00_ejpNomNtUMxFLnbrnbkuDhbP_TkJYXsLjrvRqH-BiC4bp2XUczOG0/s1600/DSC_0142.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIZnKxTf7jySs7ReIz0k3KCXjFjwrHsYN1E0B7XuciKW1CeafZ_yy24Q5Ypuo-4qZHHTWoIf_op5QhYi5L7Z00_ejpNomNtUMxFLnbrnbkuDhbP_TkJYXsLjrvRqH-BiC4bp2XUczOG0/s400/DSC_0142.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510011082698491730" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-The moon's reflection from our camp at number 26-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKMdGLXWShwEVnM_627P1rrDnm_jGjCdCfU5Eor4yi5KVCXRQ0PvLmVNdIb3fe_gxjA09mZiTSiaCI_IcGqdslKfoWVkDH8uWjYUAz5HfgQW5_9dJcqBQeuzv2G2HN0xhzjFsyfYVpdQ/s1600/DSC_0235.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKMdGLXWShwEVnM_627P1rrDnm_jGjCdCfU5Eor4yi5KVCXRQ0PvLmVNdIb3fe_gxjA09mZiTSiaCI_IcGqdslKfoWVkDH8uWjYUAz5HfgQW5_9dJcqBQeuzv2G2HN0xhzjFsyfYVpdQ/s400/DSC_0235.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510011075712696242" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Portaging the rafts around Chimumba falls-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1wxoTbgQSOkExwqK1EKz7Eyg04ZTUmLGy08AMAofUvfqYglYasTsh-8yzR0Vsz8Rq1PAp9LkbfXGA0rdKPk5_UnGfsjWK_G4uHicrScVXSVSCudD754mcneZghClq59Xe9ikdgO5Zb0/s1600/DSC_0278.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1wxoTbgQSOkExwqK1EKz7Eyg04ZTUmLGy08AMAofUvfqYglYasTsh-8yzR0Vsz8Rq1PAp9LkbfXGA0rdKPk5_UnGfsjWK_G4uHicrScVXSVSCudD754mcneZghClq59Xe9ikdgO5Zb0/s400/DSC_0278.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510011072671703202" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Our camp at Moemba falls on the Zimbabwe side-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpS87QiP0E6csmWoZYy5GVfk93wwHpEgh3GTt3iVTdZAVOnLLaVYHYKFB_StkLix5NGVPsvYafWM7zAt1iFvzwVs6DNSBQp7srZ9yOhNgo-LzNps3AfwHzSmJVARSGhflBlni2Un14JCU/s1600/DSC_0292.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpS87QiP0E6csmWoZYy5GVfk93wwHpEgh3GTt3iVTdZAVOnLLaVYHYKFB_StkLix5NGVPsvYafWM7zAt1iFvzwVs6DNSBQp7srZ9yOhNgo-LzNps3AfwHzSmJVARSGhflBlni2Un14JCU/s400/DSC_0292.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510009992593803058" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Kids out fishing below ghoast rider-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/THd85OlSm0I/AAAAAAAACLg/vvqdVIyeWZY/s1600/DSC_0326.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/THd85OlSm0I/AAAAAAAACLg/vvqdVIyeWZY/s400/DSC_0326.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510009991719983938" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Helicopter packed up with gear for a short flight back up to Moemba-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HombPkwOxJH91qZp84gGQOKl77mvdlhjF4pKJHntvesJ7BSmC6jzY9o58qfXbhvOBqN4EJVYOxBImE9QuINEwrpUjq5O_WITjo7hKK8RJJzT8evmTUhi2AVnfejjbfo8RCX3R3zD8QE/s1600/DSC_0342.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HombPkwOxJH91qZp84gGQOKl77mvdlhjF4pKJHntvesJ7BSmC6jzY9o58qfXbhvOBqN4EJVYOxBImE9QuINEwrpUjq5O_WITjo7hKK8RJJzT8evmTUhi2AVnfejjbfo8RCX3R3zD8QE/s400/DSC_0342.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510009977666842690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Dam Site from the air-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6YIjzwIPJfKE1RJii46Xb5zUWYV3UmTjFULp7Rad1JIyE2S6PKgsJ8Xs-upZN-MeXdecDHIpoefaj39BdEjwQBuYG8yf5Bf9CRpM4d-yfpReSeyXl5cbXqhgRjp4ddZ99ZfpyVRFkIk/s1600/DSC_0390.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6YIjzwIPJfKE1RJii46Xb5zUWYV3UmTjFULp7Rad1JIyE2S6PKgsJ8Xs-upZN-MeXdecDHIpoefaj39BdEjwQBuYG8yf5Bf9CRpM4d-yfpReSeyXl5cbXqhgRjp4ddZ99ZfpyVRFkIk/s400/DSC_0390.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510009974740666018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-We had an interesting drive back with bald tyres and no 4 wheel drive!-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/THd8344Xo_I/AAAAAAAACLI/n20uR3oUisA/s1600/DSC_0396.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/THd8344Xo_I/AAAAAAAACLI/n20uR3oUisA/s400/DSC_0396.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510009968714556402" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">-Eventually we totally destroyed the tyre-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More photos soon.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-32034448032638991832010-05-25T08:50:00.012+03:002010-05-27T23:10:41.780+03:00Five-day expedition down the Umzimvubu<div align="justify">In April I flew down to South Africa to meet up with fellow Fluid Team paddlers to paddle the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Umzimvubu</span> river in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Transkei</span>. It was a chance to meet some more of the team, for all of us to get together and throw around ideas about new designs, get feedback from current designs, have some fun and show off the boat of the moment - the Detox!</div><div align="justify"><br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0mf4jVTgVyi3jZCGYRWruVVAGgUNCTGmZk9Vreuvo9ojTWOluV2lu_3mlDkVZEZ8OWG_Py8dz6vT8uOxHIoISrEeryIRo2u3r3It6_Ry8HKT1T9_tvMK_ttdsWbWSfD8-1nB238A-QY/s1600/DSC_0039.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475581778528398370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0mf4jVTgVyi3jZCGYRWruVVAGgUNCTGmZk9Vreuvo9ojTWOluV2lu_3mlDkVZEZ8OWG_Py8dz6vT8uOxHIoISrEeryIRo2u3r3It6_Ry8HKT1T9_tvMK_ttdsWbWSfD8-1nB238A-QY/s400/DSC_0039.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Celliers</span>, David and I may have over shopped-<br /></p><p align="justify"><br />I flew into Jo-burg where I was met by <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Celliers</span> Kruger and David <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Arnaud</span> - the owner and the team manager of Fluid. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Unfortunately</span> my bags didn't come with me, and after a few hours waiting for the next flight to come in they still hadn't made it. So the next day after delaying the start of the trip me and David went for a quick paddle on the local run to test out the carbon Nemesis while we waited for my bags to be delivered.</p><p align="justify"><br /><br /></p><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq16N1wUiBtn6eqJdLmdp4-Vqd-IX-scxrIDElFD_s2_43dGgo-aRgW98TXG4SVWaUP4KLFttJ-B6_MO5oHQOxEOwsOEErJy_wArHoLtsbIq8guOT04ncS58si5R7LSEOVJACmzGDY8sA/s1600/DSC_0096.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475820545173234338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq16N1wUiBtn6eqJdLmdp4-Vqd-IX-scxrIDElFD_s2_43dGgo-aRgW98TXG4SVWaUP4KLFttJ-B6_MO5oHQOxEOwsOEErJy_wArHoLtsbIq8guOT04ncS58si5R7LSEOVJACmzGDY8sA/s400/DSC_0096.jpg" /></a> -The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Transkei</span> and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Umzimvubu</span>-<br /><br /></div><div align="justify">After a six hour drive we met up with the rest of the crew at The Falls Backpackers, right in the sickest paddling area of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Transkei</span>. 12 in all we hung out and packed up our things and got ready for the 5 days of paddling that lay ahead. A long drive with 12 of us crammed into 2 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">bakkies</span> we got to the river.<br /><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4I2Qp0I8I/AAAAAAAACKs/TADA9JYNh00/s1600/DSC_0491.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475823925205410754" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4I2Qp0I8I/AAAAAAAACKs/TADA9JYNh00/s400/DSC_0491.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a>-Medium Detox in action, pilot, Andrew <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kellet</span>-<br /></p><p align="justify">No one really knew what to expect on the first few days, maps seemed to suggest a decent gradient, but with low levels we had a pretty <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">cruisy</span> time. Everything was read and run except for the odd exception, but the were plenty of fun grade 3 rapids, and it was just awesome to be in good company on a long <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">multi-day</span> in the middle of an amazing place<br /><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3k2gbJkSiR_jHlcyTC7Jd3G0-2FYqXVcZD8ZUQq4is1ZzeL59vWV6pD8HJhvVLxwMSHuH2jW3-ZIJOpX1fDS-29THOo2JUWva5C5kYoHO4lGxBv-NPdFxp1g6UbkNEJ2XnoAvxFB72AI/s1600/DSC_0478.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475823921511220114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3k2gbJkSiR_jHlcyTC7Jd3G0-2FYqXVcZD8ZUQq4is1ZzeL59vWV6pD8HJhvVLxwMSHuH2jW3-ZIJOpX1fDS-29THOo2JUWva5C5kYoHO4lGxBv-NPdFxp1g6UbkNEJ2XnoAvxFB72AI/s400/DSC_0478.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a><br />-Kayak/windbreak/Kitchen/Bedroom-<br /></p><p align="justify">Days were spent paddling, evenings spent cooking and swapping stories and nights spent looking at the southern cross and wondering whether it was going to rain and get us wet (for those of us not in tents).</p><p align="justify"><br /></p><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAHLwNa9E3El6YHMKBMT3kz5RTCT_KWgoXW9r7UgyBL8esR0LZ_5Ks2aHmZ9KNrjiVvax56Ws9O8WOZu0BROO_V_qftv2jFg2U7dTclSR0ftEnbWqEPyzxhGw44A3nzB7RH9M5TzBWoo/s1600/DSC_0399.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475822538459258802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAHLwNa9E3El6YHMKBMT3kz5RTCT_KWgoXW9r7UgyBL8esR0LZ_5Ks2aHmZ9KNrjiVvax56Ws9O8WOZu0BROO_V_qftv2jFg2U7dTclSR0ftEnbWqEPyzxhGw44A3nzB7RH9M5TzBWoo/s400/DSC_0399.jpg" /></a><br />-"So you're saying we're in South Africa?? I don't believe you!"-<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5B1v30EHZy6UFwlhFhkLK-ZFrxsBCIvmHZ2Vwe4uvA5d5pvCQ4o3B2TKOf37dCgX7hWd1vSnNy4ZhG6uMkavtxkbABdfHR4fU-8eGRPRTmS4LoFi8elREFjuycPcema6-EJ6atOcq-Gs/s1600/DSC_0040-small.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475082209738470642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5B1v30EHZy6UFwlhFhkLK-ZFrxsBCIvmHZ2Vwe4uvA5d5pvCQ4o3B2TKOf37dCgX7hWd1vSnNy4ZhG6uMkavtxkbABdfHR4fU-8eGRPRTmS4LoFi8elREFjuycPcema6-EJ6atOcq-Gs/s400/DSC_0040-small.jpg" /></a><br />-The pack approaches the falls-<br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">For me the highlight of the trip came on day 3 when we made the waterfall. Me and Polly got a start ahead of the group so we could go get some shots of everyone else coming in. As we spent some time exploring everyone was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">unanimous</span> that they <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">weren't</span> running the main drop. It is big and was definitely pretty sketchy at the levels it was running - maybe with more water it will look more appealing.<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_tmQdjZW6I/AAAAAAAACH0/gH40NXJvllc/s1600/DSC_0025-small.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475082204996000674" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_tmQdjZW6I/AAAAAAAACH0/gH40NXJvllc/s400/DSC_0025-small.jpg" /></a>-Local women at the falls, the one on the right just got back from the spa-<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hyzVndhD9yhg32lw7LXliKBW0elXugEQOyJ__jbWjxE7BvchVdUEu8fj2vVj4uS9AToJPYAVJUkR7IJKWnHVFWi0dwhiPzgHCN9X3SL9iA_4QmiaFcvd7lpHyTk24ZjxwwnMPaqLsAI/s1600/DSC_0056.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475581780880064722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hyzVndhD9yhg32lw7LXliKBW0elXugEQOyJ__jbWjxE7BvchVdUEu8fj2vVj4uS9AToJPYAVJUkR7IJKWnHVFWi0dwhiPzgHCN9X3SL9iA_4QmiaFcvd7lpHyTk24ZjxwwnMPaqLsAI/s400/DSC_0056.jpg" /></a> -The big one - tricky lead in, will go with a bit more water-<br /></div><div align="justify"><br />So someone had the plan to lower the boats from the cliff and for us to walk around and pick them up - only problem the walk was about 2km!!<br /><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475581785930842434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4qtGrdhYTwC8aZUbQ8tGGCTCu2r5QY8auZg26y4QiSVy5VGYjA93_w-WqG2wRru5_dtHOZLs0gQe0onrgMaMljpmFLPVd8bwlBRxyVnLwtzLv05JtpEgMiObXuyHz6YCJnlxsZY_Pnw/s400/DSC_0074.jpg" /><br />-Hugh Du <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Preez</span> styling the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">mank</span>-<br /></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="justify">Above the big drop were a couple of smaller little chutes - Hugh eyed one of these up - though it was pretty manky and no one else was keen. I on the other hand figured there must be something else to all of this. And whilst half of the group prepared for a portage on river left I grabbed <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Scotty</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Reinders</span> and waded and jumped from rock to rock over to the right side. Over here we found a nice smaller waterfall, a little <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">boof</span> and a rock slide to end on. The beauty of it all was even if none of it was runnable it was easily portaged.<br /><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475083237789228482" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_tnMlAfXcI/AAAAAAAACIg/_-BdSTIk6hQ/s400/15293_10150184984220484_666040483_12327778_447331_n.jpg" /><br />-Yep that's a waterfall. Photo Adrian <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tregioning</span>- </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I took a little while checking it out. It wasn't that it was very big but it had rocks on the left half way down and on the right at the bottom. So you didn't want to mess it up. Me and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kellet</span> got ready to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">huck</span>.<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475082211407010962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuH83OkYB0hUUe8TsIToqe5HlCyD4hQOtbbc9S2U_jyH16RcCKm5ZHxyPkAcy6eYhG2uAw9lM3lrXcW5NI59R9ynnykxpCSV9Z8u_QI9lKIG_fedmAJUcf5NvlN5RWVWUMMlk89cH74VM/s400/DSC_0108-small.jpg" /> -<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kellet</span> fires it up- </div><div align="justify"><br /><br /><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475820556371760738" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4FyKxSFmI/AAAAAAAACJY/2QGyUOYOzak/s400/DSC_0114.jpg" /><br />Andrew <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kellet</span> had a sweet line, getting turned sideways a little at the lip but managing to pull it back around and land straight. Some nice shots of the Detox in action right there... <div align="center"><br /><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475083245150953026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEC8b7Mdt_ATvLWxX9rCwE10w6eEAAfOXJqZu1caIgku0szxiHHwU-ucX07b3QO9vpOM3P-dPhN-e9GUg0e-BJoGUe9cYfBLgp-vmBiqDURvL3QuZHS-ezgcTduxF4I20Cl7fz7ATPsk/s400/15293_10150184985835484_666040483_12327822_6319063_n.jpg" /> <p align="center">-My turn, Photo Adrian <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tregoning</span>- </p><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">My turn next and I also got pushed a little sideways, however I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">didn't</span> get it all the way straight at the bottom. I landed a little over rotated, but right where I wanted to away from the rocks and had a nice soft landing so all good on that one! Nice to hit some steeps again after a long time in a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error">playboat</span>! After we ran it Phil also fired it up, landed rather flat and put a big dent in the boat. After our progressively worsening lines everyone else left it be!</div><div align="justify"><br /> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4FyUZ9GKI/AAAAAAAACJg/43TgzlFWqu0/s1600/DSC_0161.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475820558958270626" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4FyUZ9GKI/AAAAAAAACJg/43TgzlFWqu0/s400/DSC_0161.jpg" /></a> -<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_28" class="blsp-spelling-error">Celliers</span> looks up at the falls-<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtIFw2RDBJcGsODVo-2FlxAOX2woQ3OeRTWn2scHr4pCCmiyQF8DQiJwmfVmYGJTRC7uvt_lMhRWTIATH6vCakKI5F5RT2NHZ8oHeogJJlnLuWP65lzvrgbjJhCb2xnB3odDDZAUtZvg/s1600/DSC_0176.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475821579231602322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtIFw2RDBJcGsODVo-2FlxAOX2woQ3OeRTWn2scHr4pCCmiyQF8DQiJwmfVmYGJTRC7uvt_lMhRWTIATH6vCakKI5F5RT2NHZ8oHeogJJlnLuWP65lzvrgbjJhCb2xnB3odDDZAUtZvg/s400/DSC_0176.jpg" /></a><br />-The big man himself <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_29" class="blsp-spelling-error">Celliers</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_30" class="blsp-spelling-error">boofing</span> the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_31" class="blsp-spelling-error">Vubu</span>-</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="justify">Next up after a spot of lunch by the falls a little <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_32" class="blsp-spelling-error">boof</span>. And then to the last slide. The slide after a quick scout looked runnable, but after closer inspection wasn't too great - a bit more water and it would be sweet but at this low level no one was keen. So we just threw the boats off and jumped off the cliff instead. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_33" class="blsp-spelling-error">Yeee</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_34" class="blsp-spelling-error">Haaaa</span>! </div><div align="justify"><br /> </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_upChA1UrjLUF_VA3v-OcakPBgJw53N53CUn7LdaRUnaX6DboYEr8HouqGfuneLqBUnuVyvThTQbWPfB-4rvGu7qfcFguxBHjE0o1UoPZKT0KS4I0i5rzxrpzhE5UV5uN6xXP_BqlGqc/s1600/DSC_0261.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475821584420265650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_upChA1UrjLUF_VA3v-OcakPBgJw53N53CUn7LdaRUnaX6DboYEr8HouqGfuneLqBUnuVyvThTQbWPfB-4rvGu7qfcFguxBHjE0o1UoPZKT0KS4I0i5rzxrpzhE5UV5uN6xXP_BqlGqc/s400/DSC_0261.jpg" /></a><br />-Better to lower these with a rope eh?!- </div><div align="center"></div><div align="justify"><br />Oops, what I meant to say was that throwing the boats off was a great idea until we tested the theory with young Scotty's boat and hit a rock and split the stern, sorry <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_35" class="blsp-spelling-error">scott</span>. So ropes it was!!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXVBi9FbDupVXHqM6fJngASw2IJNl0Gl74RzGSmEeKwGOVmr77799f03khPdETfaI8xmYx90xhH_nFsZxAuROmxwp1syW30cTvI7y708U5XDc04oOzGIjci5uJnpHf-0umacWt790WnE/s1600/DSC_0343.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475822531408186978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXVBi9FbDupVXHqM6fJngASw2IJNl0Gl74RzGSmEeKwGOVmr77799f03khPdETfaI8xmYx90xhH_nFsZxAuROmxwp1syW30cTvI7y708U5XDc04oOzGIjci5uJnpHf-0umacWt790WnE/s400/DSC_0343.jpg" /></a><br />A nice little jump off the cliff and we were back on our way. Our 3rd day on the river we only paddled about 4km - as opposed to 40+km on days 2 and 4, however after the fun of the waterfall we decided to relax on a nice island we found, sip a little whisky and enjoy the night.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4Gtmylu4I/AAAAAAAACJ0/uE4U2ZMJoCw/s1600/DSC_0210.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475821577505717122" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4Gtmylu4I/AAAAAAAACJ0/uE4U2ZMJoCw/s400/DSC_0210.jpg" /></a>-Andrew Pollack cruising the rapids-<br /><br /></div><div align="justify">To be perfectly honest with you I think the above photo is from day 2, or maybe day 4, probably not in the right place, anyway it was one of many fun little rapids that kept us entertained on the way down the river allowing the group to reform and check on how everyone was doing. Often if we were paddling for 40+km we would be spaced a few <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_36" class="blsp-spelling-error">kms</span>, everyone in little groups, those at the front looking for lunch / camp spots and those of us filming and taking photo's waiting at nice rapids for the rest to catch up so we could get it documented.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4HlWbSmII/AAAAAAAACKQ/uzp0Voy-Sm0/s1600/DSC_0382.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475822535185700994" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4HlWbSmII/AAAAAAAACKQ/uzp0Voy-Sm0/s400/DSC_0382.jpg" /></a>-Sunrise- </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"><br />I took this photo whilst still in my sleeping bag. Time was around 6am, morning after the waterfall so day 4. From under my tarp I see a funny glow, peek out and see this awesome sight. With my watershed bag at arms reach I managed to fire off about 4 shots before the colours faded into white and the land got brighter.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BAjBipeYh6vyd4LhazYFG1uVBS5x43xo92PrP1r5n-Te9vH2lyj20jeomD8g77kwJhvBNlVPEKlL0KBcEbDTPQnzFJ-CqlHgNd61ZfLP544BlmvxV9Gb0Lm1w0sCbU8WSgubLYiNI40/s1600/DSC_0493-small.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475083234794372722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BAjBipeYh6vyd4LhazYFG1uVBS5x43xo92PrP1r5n-Te9vH2lyj20jeomD8g77kwJhvBNlVPEKlL0KBcEbDTPQnzFJ-CqlHgNd61ZfLP544BlmvxV9Gb0Lm1w0sCbU8WSgubLYiNI40/s400/DSC_0493-small.jpg" /></a>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_37" class="blsp-spelling-error">Eee</span> Orr-<br /></div><div align="justify"><br />After a 20km paddle before lunch on day 5 we stop where we think is the take out. If we miss it we have to paddle to the ocean. Fuck that. Anyway we had a long lunch, the drivers <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_38" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">aren't</span> coming to pick us up. They are coming. They're not coming we're staying the night with no more supplies other than a packet of smash. They are coming? You're sure? Yes. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_39" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ok</span> we're on. Let's take photo's of donkeys and local kids with shit on their faces and drink some beers!! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_40" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Happy</span> days <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_41" class="blsp-spelling-error">Umzimvubu</span> Expedition 2010 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_42" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">success! </span> Sweet river, awesome crew, awesome boats, cheers <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_43" class="blsp-spelling-error">Celliers</span>/Fluid and everyone else on the trip!!<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><br /> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8_0Q9-mobdXMaS_bz78qPkDsTZHFzVMFONPkXMaHiIt3F0OOzRk30hFIzvXQvBfWYLmev6gvbJAKY4T9imcNJuSJe1fT3kFMHtrujUhDQmTa-WTueQHcRVaI_g8PjDuajNPB9UgWkwM/s1600/DSC_0527.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475823936353625858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8_0Q9-mobdXMaS_bz78qPkDsTZHFzVMFONPkXMaHiIt3F0OOzRk30hFIzvXQvBfWYLmev6gvbJAKY4T9imcNJuSJe1fT3kFMHtrujUhDQmTa-WTueQHcRVaI_g8PjDuajNPB9UgWkwM/s400/DSC_0527.jpg" /></a><br />-"You got any soap mister?"-<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4I2jVMpyI/AAAAAAAACK0/nXoitYK5GEY/s1600/DSC_0521.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475823930219210530" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_4I2jVMpyI/AAAAAAAACK0/nXoitYK5GEY/s400/DSC_0521.jpg" /></a><br />-Local kids in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_44" class="blsp-spelling-error">Transkei</span>-<br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">So the next mission for me is Kenya, although I was supposed to get there today or at least be on a bus and I'm not as I have stuff to do here in Uganda. So fingers crossed the God's of rain will be kind and grant us a little more and I'll maybe get there in the next week or two for some steep creek action.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Other than that I had a bit of a play with the blog and turned it from green to orange. What do you reckon? Let me know - will @ loveitliveit.co.uk</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Cheers and Beers!<br /><br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-84226024295048123402010-05-24T14:38:00.003+03:002010-05-24T17:34:18.599+03:00Back on the water...Last week I managed to find the time to get away from the lodge for a few days and head down to the river and hang out with friends.<br /><br />We had a bit of fun sessioning some of the back channels, and then the next day we drove down to Nile Special.<br /><br />I gave my Camera to a local kid - Ivan - who Sam pays school fees for and who we organised a photo workshop for in Jinja last year.<br /><br />He managed to get some sweet shots, check them out.<br /><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_qJZBaVA4I/AAAAAAAACHM/W-cVLMRiEHY/s1600/Will+Nile+Special+2010.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 258px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474839359990858626" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_qJZBaVA4I/AAAAAAAACHM/W-cVLMRiEHY/s400/Will+Nile+Special+2010.jpg" /></a> -Photo by Ivan - edited by me-<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnC_0qHrZ9wDIgz3SSsH9uCAHneNc0_VNr-h9D-1QqqeS0ldwX-qIyjLTsCeD6E83tFIu8TA8_hwBydh6oXUup19TNeE3Rv_DyrvfASbCZI5rzZv5T6_cD9PesfESGbquCByLRrAG6Rs/s1600/DSC_0602.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474839373182758914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnC_0qHrZ9wDIgz3SSsH9uCAHneNc0_VNr-h9D-1QqqeS0ldwX-qIyjLTsCeD6E83tFIu8TA8_hwBydh6oXUup19TNeE3Rv_DyrvfASbCZI5rzZv5T6_cD9PesfESGbquCByLRrAG6Rs/s400/DSC_0602.JPG" /></a><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_qJZR3dg3I/AAAAAAAACHU/YmkGKoLti8c/s1600/DSC_0594.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474839364408017778" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/S_qJZR3dg3I/AAAAAAAACHU/YmkGKoLti8c/s400/DSC_0594.JPG" /></a> </p><p>It was my first session on the wave for a while and I definitely felt unfit after a few months out managing the lodge up at Sipi, I also need to spend some time getting a few moves fully dialed<br />in, but it was sweet to get out on the water and also sweet to be in my new Nemesis which is a pretty funky Lime green!!</p><p> </p><p>Cool cool, hopefully I'll be back on the water properly soon and looking forward to a summer on the Nile and the Zambezi.</p><p> </p><p>See you on the water!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-87499632751934206582009-08-12T13:24:00.003+03:002009-08-12T13:53:37.229+03:00The Nile Kayaking Festival 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6McHUvc64CUntTKv555Iyyiwz9hZpBRN-ss7YSnuaHwmLAeuFMT-z81xIeHg8QV8mc4GJPkTMTiQ4eJypGJOBzpbhP_bB2XOKvDSg9sn-nWtu2aOp2uyFsU32DRgiKKukoEHLJm5nvU/s1600-h/Festival+banner+120x600.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 80px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6McHUvc64CUntTKv555Iyyiwz9hZpBRN-ss7YSnuaHwmLAeuFMT-z81xIeHg8QV8mc4GJPkTMTiQ4eJypGJOBzpbhP_bB2XOKvDSg9sn-nWtu2aOp2uyFsU32DRgiKKukoEHLJm5nvU/s400/Festival+banner+120x600.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369028436409430066" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">We are happy to announce the dates of this years Festival. Now known as 'The Nile Kayaking Festival' it will be held on November 1,2,3.<br /><br />This years event will be the last chance to compete down the famous Bujagali Falls and the Silverback section of white water before the completion of the Bujagali Dam project that will flood the section at some point next year.<br /><br />We've changed the format this year from the previous few events and are going back to the competitions roots with a rolling rodeo competition that will see judges in rafts following competitors as they use 3 different wave features to score points.<br /><br />We've scrapped the endurance race (thank God!) but kept the infamous 'Boda Boda X'.<br /><br />A return this year too for Bujagai sprint races and a new addition will be raft racing over the same short course.<br /><br />With this being the last chance to have races on Bujagali we're expecting big crowds, lots of competitors and an immense party. This is a way for us to say goodbye and thankyou to this section of river and we want everyone who can to come along and help us make this an event to remember!!<br /><br />Full details can be found on the kayak the nile website - <a href="http://www.kayakthenile.com/events_freestyle09.htm">http://www.kayakthenile.com/events_freestyle09.htm</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-7317987032559811152009-07-22T14:33:00.002+03:002009-07-22T14:39:00.484+03:00Norway<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJs05KQ2yWr5l5K7hOE2b3CazokcOdp3MKvtvtbR7yCkA6J8lZOx81SEo1MwpWjvnqCC-CoOkLF5Ys6wRnd-qTIVIg4gq8Dftx-z0b_vF0chIG5eukLBjflG1EM83sGtOj8qdTypda9-Y/s1600-h/norway+quick+box-small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJs05KQ2yWr5l5K7hOE2b3CazokcOdp3MKvtvtbR7yCkA6J8lZOx81SEo1MwpWjvnqCC-CoOkLF5Ys6wRnd-qTIVIg4gq8Dftx-z0b_vF0chIG5eukLBjflG1EM83sGtOj8qdTypda9-Y/s400/norway+quick+box-small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358974025655263122" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-Photo credits - Dan, Josh Neilson, Sam Sutton, Michele Ramazza and Ian Garcia -<br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So I've been pretty lame with the blog lately. I just got back from Norway 2 weeks ago and have been working hard on the river for Love it Live it since then. All is good and nice to be enjoying the Nile and learning some new tricks - I decided to learn clean blunts, Helixes and Pistol Flips last week and all efforts are going pretty well!!</span><br /><br />So it's all good and fun times all round. If you want a more in depth report of Norway have a look at <a href="http://www.fluid-junction.com">www.fluid-junction.com</a> or <a href="http://www.whitewater-koa.blogspot.com">www.whitewater-koa.blogspot.com</a> , where I've posted more and Josh has also written a bunch of stuff and posted more photos.<br /><br />I'm currently sat in Kampala waiting to pick up my new work permit and waiting for our second LiLi group to arrive from the airport. The first week was sweet - great people and great times.<br /><br />Take it easy.<br /><br />Will.<br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-63161615461035110502009-07-03T16:57:00.004+03:002009-07-16T11:59:33.173+03:00Voss Extreme week...The last two weeks I've been in Norway getting into some creeking and also competing at Voss Extreme week. Extreme Week brings together the best Kayakers, BASE jumpers, Skydivers, Paragliders, Moutain Bikers, Skiiers and Snowboarders in a week long extreme sports and music festival...<br /><br />I came out here as a bit of a last minute decision and hoooked up with Josh Neilson and a bunch of the Kiwi boys...<br /><br />The kayaking involved 3 different competitions. The first was the time trial held on the race section of the Brandseth River, a super cool 2min (or less) run with big slides cool tight and technical drops and a nice 5m waterfall to test everybody's skills.<br /><br />I had a quick practice the day before down the section, but come race day I hit a couple of eddies and lost time and didn't make the cut for the final runs. In the end Michele Ramazza won on the combined 2 run's and went away with the top prize - Sam Sutton came a close second with the fastest single run in the final.<br /><br />After a bit of lunch came the Team race.; This was run on the upper Brandseth - a fairly full on section of white water. With temperatures hitting 30 degrees and snow melting fast the water levels came up to a super high level - and some of the womens teams opted out of the race. Having only run the section once before I was sticking close behind Josh and tring to remember the lines as best I could. Our team was me Josh Neilson and Jamie Sutton, and we ended up placing 4th out of the 12 teams competing.<br /><br />At the end of the team race everybody was pretty stoked - there was a lot of carnage and a few cuts and bruises - every single team had at least a small beat down or mishap. It was an awesome race section and super fun to be paddling full on into all those slides and drops!!<br /><br />We had a few days off until the next competition on the saturday which was the head to head race. This was on a mellower section of river and a pretty short section. I got drawn up against Tyler Curtis and Michele Ramazza and with only the winner of each heat going through I didn't make the final. In the end the Final was an all Kiwi affair with Sam and Jamie Sutton racing Mikey Abbot, Sam came powering through and won with Mikey second and Jamie third.<br /><br />During the week there were lots of pretty wild parties and a lot of great boating elsewhere. For photos of the extreme week check out <a href="http://ekstremsportveko.smugmug.com/Kayaking">Ekstremsportveko</a><br /><br />I'm currently sat in Mikey's house baking in 40 degrees of heat, I've got 2 more days of paddling here in Norway then I'm heading back out to Uganda, I think I have a 13 hour stopover in Dubai, so I'll sort out the photo's and get some more posts up then.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-7310622158436845452009-05-25T13:10:00.002+03:002009-05-25T13:19:05.013+03:00Nepal Teaser Video...Hey everyone - here's a little movie I made from our recent trip to Nepal, just a bit of an overall feel of the place and some photo's. I'll sort out a more action oriented one soon from our Upper Seti mission.<br /><br />Enjoy.<br /><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8ycvt8cdvLY&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8ycvt8cdvLY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-54496724088347926042009-05-10T08:54:00.029+03:002009-05-11T20:51:10.033+03:00The Bhote Kosi, from Tibet.<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKlSb8lIQoP1rPdz-4421758TxxKOdxsNhI3JqO6Hfw5rO2K_-3Hp19ouQXQFrMRkj1GQO2capOHEEGjaQlTuSYAC32VHbNgte69znpVQ0ud1RBNhF9lPsf_V52C-F3DXomOueyjmeaU/s1600-h/IMGP0563.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKlSb8lIQoP1rPdz-4421758TxxKOdxsNhI3JqO6Hfw5rO2K_-3Hp19ouQXQFrMRkj1GQO2capOHEEGjaQlTuSYAC32VHbNgte69znpVQ0ud1RBNhF9lPsf_V52C-F3DXomOueyjmeaU/s400/IMGP0563.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334546311926058434" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /><br /></span></div>I'd heard a lot about the Bhote Kosi in Nepal. A river that increased in gradient and difficulty as you went higher and higher towards the Tibetan border. And also a river where you could jump on and off wherever you wanted due to roadside access along its entire length. I heard that the river was intense in it's upper reaches and there would undoubtedly be some pretty epic rapids.<br /><br />The plan was to work our way steadily upstream pushing ourselves more each day and adding another section of a few more kilometers each day until we were at the border with Tibet. This start easy and work up to the hard stuff seemed like a grand plan.<br /><br />There was just myself and Anton Immler on this trip, sure a small number for running hard whitewater but after paddling with Anton for almost 2 months in Nepal and many more in Uganda we felt pretty confident as a team, and when there's just the two of you faff is down to a minimum, and it's much quicker to keep moving.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3EK32p3_mUEKTxwOmqkZ0k0KYJFPEs4HP64IBu9_fisoSIO8sB4NcoKPp_-y96u7pPGIXHufijj-jbBB5w108Bp4zwoCdX_qXR5yN0dn6YazZYcu84Oy9xb-G96UcokZcVGPPDxjqQk/s1600-h/DSC_0089.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3EK32p3_mUEKTxwOmqkZ0k0KYJFPEs4HP64IBu9_fisoSIO8sB4NcoKPp_-y96u7pPGIXHufijj-jbBB5w108Bp4zwoCdX_qXR5yN0dn6YazZYcu84Oy9xb-G96UcokZcVGPPDxjqQk/s400/DSC_0089.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334511609858881634" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-The Girls packing up for the Sun Kosi-<br /></span></div><br />Our trip started at Sukute Beach camp where the Bhote Kosi becomes the Sun Kosi. We arrived with all the girls on Inka's Nepali Girls paddling trip. We arrived in the morning and helped them pack their gear and saw them off. They were heading downstream for 10 days, we were heading upstream and had just 5 days to reach the border so that we had time to hit up the Upper Seti before meeting back up with the girls for the Peakuk Himalayan Challenge.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisVf6r1mqOmlv06oJQFpaI1MNQhraV9h8IMGraNmSrHAy4FNyJr9vkbGMAAbCyC-zsSzEWR8qEinnxmSMc3VdulCBfWPPP_et32GYf8s4ysg_hK4oYcdTN97t58yOTTEhZrqHGYdkXgY/s1600-h/DSC_0015.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisVf6r1mqOmlv06oJQFpaI1MNQhraV9h8IMGraNmSrHAy4FNyJr9vkbGMAAbCyC-zsSzEWR8qEinnxmSMc3VdulCBfWPPP_et32GYf8s4ysg_hK4oYcdTN97t58yOTTEhZrqHGYdkXgY/s400/DSC_0015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334512742925633538" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-39 girls, 10days, 1 River-<br /></span></div><br />So the first day and not a good start with me sick and unable to paddle. However we quickly made things right and got on the water to paddle the usual 'classic' sections of the river. The sections from Borderlands Resort down to Sukute beach are awesome sections of whitewater, no portages and only one or two rapids to inspect. The best thing about the Bhote Kosi is that there is absolutely no flat water, it's continuous the entire way so you're pumped up the whole time and running rapid after rapid on-sight and loving it!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggAYtd4dZI/AAAAAAAABe0/T84yxfdC3MI/s1600-h/DSC_0120.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggAYtd4dZI/AAAAAAAABe0/T84yxfdC3MI/s400/DSC_0120.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334514183142143378" border="0" /></a><br />After paddling the usual section we headed upstream with all our gear and set our selves up in the town of Barhabise. Barhabise is a shithole - the trucks start their horns at 5.30 am and don't cease their noise until late at night, there is nothing good about the town, it's full of trash and unsurprisingly it has the highest suicide rate of any town in Nepal.<br /><br />Anyway it was a good location for us to session more of the river, and a cheap place to stay. The next day we paddled the canyon section of the river, from just abouve Last Resort Camp and down to Bharabise. The Canyon was super sweet - just full of great whitewater and in an amazing setting. On the way out of the Canyon there's two rapids of note. The first we portaged - although it definitely goes - just a bit of a knife edge of a line with major consequences if you fall off line.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggFAqLRL4I/AAAAAAAABe8/-O7WIxLrGfk/s1600-h/IMGP0597.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggFAqLRL4I/AAAAAAAABe8/-O7WIxLrGfk/s400/IMGP0597.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334519267500044162" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /><br /></span></div>Well, the next drop of note was a three tiered affair, a couple of nice boofs then into a third boof/slot drop. Well it was all sweet, apart from my line on the last drop. I thought I'd boof into the eddy and pull out, so I nailed my line and as I landed in the eddy I realised I'd somewhat underestimated the eddy which was now sucking me back into a violent hole. Well I had a nice cartwheel session followed by a rude exit out of my boat and some deep downtime...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggFU49I0FI/AAAAAAAABfE/iEYLk_LCHWk/s1600-h/Nepal15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggFU49I0FI/AAAAAAAABfE/iEYLk_LCHWk/s400/Nepal15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334519615064690770" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></div><br />The result being the above photo!! Anyway It's only healthy to take a swim every now and then and I honestly can't remember my last swim before this. My boat was pushed behind a big rock, so after a little swim for it we carried on and it was more sweet whitewater all the way back to Barhabise.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggHDB6kiRI/AAAAAAAABfM/n5Os9OSumhk/s1600-h/DSC_0145.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggHDB6kiRI/AAAAAAAABfM/n5Os9OSumhk/s400/DSC_0145.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334521507255453970" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Locals enjoying a seat on the roof of the bus-<br /></span></div><br />After a terrible nights sleep, with shouting locals waking us up at 1.30am and the buses horns starting at 5am we moved ourselves and all our gear to Tatopani - not quite the border town but only a couple of km off. So we jumped on the roof of the first bus and were happy to leave Barhabise behind.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrtAqu8vJzaYzB2DfI5urYNo8fpOQS5PcXpwKqmnEaDMPegQjzSxk8lbY-11QrqBBTpEHUAvVNl7kD1HFlNkCeZxf6vsG9GpAQch0sXVXMYmf5qlxn8kjLr7_khVDgrO8BBScCBtwwyM/s1600-h/IMGP0477.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 108px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrtAqu8vJzaYzB2DfI5urYNo8fpOQS5PcXpwKqmnEaDMPegQjzSxk8lbY-11QrqBBTpEHUAvVNl7kD1HFlNkCeZxf6vsG9GpAQch0sXVXMYmf5qlxn8kjLr7_khVDgrO8BBScCBtwwyM/s400/IMGP0477.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334529198847218242" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-The view from the back of our hotel-<br />-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></div><br />After finding a Hotel and dumping our stuff we kitted up and jumped another bus about 5 or 6km further upstream, right up to the border gates. It was about lunch time so we had a good bit of daylight left. Well the river here was insane. Our first mission was just to find somewhere suitable to get in.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZzHwNE4Egj-68RvYl-B2Vtzr0hRgQjiCd91DiIf4ODXR-T5lEzalS4EgQq6hrLDgKFojiDfWiKWD0akLB0KJJNBrnQGQHz4fy2Ni8DX-oOJerh-F8of2m1hQqy8isRPoit7Vx6Hrb6M/s1600-h/IMGP0486.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZzHwNE4Egj-68RvYl-B2Vtzr0hRgQjiCd91DiIf4ODXR-T5lEzalS4EgQq6hrLDgKFojiDfWiKWD0akLB0KJJNBrnQGQHz4fy2Ni8DX-oOJerh-F8of2m1hQqy8isRPoit7Vx6Hrb6M/s400/IMGP0486.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334527837155183602" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /><br /></span></div>That's the border behind me, and we'd hiked down past it because of a few rapids that looked like this...<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-Eg-cCIpuUt38eJwsUqRbE9KP9GX8VrPivVtz_KgUwLsaj7J2fYLyZA9L_TjiK3OoQP-Tm3037mN4FYiAAACtzeTgjjgscphQK6k9I2UTZFrUnw1XKq95VJwNaK6rn-CZfOAltEWQlc/s1600-h/IMGP0489.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-Eg-cCIpuUt38eJwsUqRbE9KP9GX8VrPivVtz_KgUwLsaj7J2fYLyZA9L_TjiK3OoQP-Tm3037mN4FYiAAACtzeTgjjgscphQK6k9I2UTZFrUnw1XKq95VJwNaK6rn-CZfOAltEWQlc/s400/IMGP0489.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334529618282499826" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /><br /></span></div>Can you see a line down this? We couldn't unless you had an aqualung or a rocket pack!! Well just below this we found a nice drop to get in at, so a little abseil down the bank and we were on the water at last. The water was cold, the river was steep and there was no let up. Every rapid we had to inspect, almost every other rapid we had to portage. And it was hard work, with huge boulders to climb and traverse at every step. The basic run-down of the river here is like this, grade 5 drop straight into grade 4 boulder garden, into 4 grade 5's one after the other, no eddy's to stop in and holes backed up by rocks. Siphons everywhere and just no let up.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgL6qcSd-8W9ucwoqwiBHJqqcghp5trNL3ZZXzxMg3RgQNqxzhUE5GABdyvqmL2ZTM6dI11q7HLU-sb75bpfNBPKDx7vfVGT51KqLvSZb2dhmyTaBVI83PRhrNnw1EnJUmYVe9wivE0Hg/s1600-h/IMGP0524.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 107px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgL6qcSd-8W9ucwoqwiBHJqqcghp5trNL3ZZXzxMg3RgQNqxzhUE5GABdyvqmL2ZTM6dI11q7HLU-sb75bpfNBPKDx7vfVGT51KqLvSZb2dhmyTaBVI83PRhrNnw1EnJUmYVe9wivE0Hg/s400/IMGP0524.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334530881814302994" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /><br /></span></div>I think we portaged 14 rapids that afternoon, it was tough going, as the light faded we cut our losses and hiked out of the river and back down the road to our accommodation. We were beat, but determined to finish what we started, so after some food we headed to bed for a good nights sleep ready for an early start the next day.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwOp0lLF-6kdP5FVEcMW8k6pbLJU93ujGaVwrMYztWRnzSXy7RXybHpHNiiJjXEsbIsHFozUkjs2t4FvSkLM9P54_5BgqR6Dn4COGM-0Z20Mxe7az1Nl-tjrDzi6sLBI86yMNCLslSNE/s1600-h/IMGP0506.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwOp0lLF-6kdP5FVEcMW8k6pbLJU93ujGaVwrMYztWRnzSXy7RXybHpHNiiJjXEsbIsHFozUkjs2t4FvSkLM9P54_5BgqR6Dn4COGM-0Z20Mxe7az1Nl-tjrDzi6sLBI86yMNCLslSNE/s400/IMGP0506.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334531494709027570" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Two illegal immigrants in Tibet-<br />-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggQat-YaeI/AAAAAAAABf8/RcvfnloBnxE/s1600-h/IMGP0527.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggQat-YaeI/AAAAAAAABf8/RcvfnloBnxE/s400/IMGP0527.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334531809824238050" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Anton finds a ride during one of the portages, that bike came from a long way up!-<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7f_lNS8kryWNwjgHn3Q_lfoitbw_HeulHlcJyViy9OhDd_hx6mdzd5M7sztSUm81YjpwkuR3yUbTrnZPfx5f5uqcsvvRz2yj7RjZIve9GUswY5byjJOL6KzHHjWvFDoRNUgR47S3qQQc/s1600-h/IMGP0544.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7f_lNS8kryWNwjgHn3Q_lfoitbw_HeulHlcJyViy9OhDd_hx6mdzd5M7sztSUm81YjpwkuR3yUbTrnZPfx5f5uqcsvvRz2yj7RjZIve9GUswY5byjJOL6KzHHjWvFDoRNUgR47S3qQQc/s400/IMGP0544.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334534233267379186" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /><br /></span></div>This is where we put back in the next morning. The river looked to us like it had mellowed a little and we were hopeful to paddle more than what we estimated at only 1 1/2 km the day before.<br /><br />Well it wasn't to be. The first rapid we got down to characterised the river. Yes it would go, but there were at least two nasty siphons and some pretty major moves. Basically with just 2 of us most of the rapids were a no go - however if you had the time and a good team of 4-6 paddlers to set up some must needed safety cover, you could push yourself down some pretty cool rapids.<br /><br />So back to the story, Day 2 from the border, rapid number 1, sneak line PIN.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggWsrYPwwI/AAAAAAAABgM/cWQ0XsT5Vi0/s1600-h/IMGP0555.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggWsrYPwwI/AAAAAAAABgM/cWQ0XsT5Vi0/s400/IMGP0555.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334538715434828546" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /><br /></span></div>You might not be able to see it but Anton's boat is under there. I was upstream protecting Anton from a siphon which he missed no worries, as he carried on down past this little drop here his boat wedged and he stopped moving - water totally over his back. Luckily he could still breathe, but he was having a bit of a hard time. I got a rope to him and he managed to pull out of the boat (almost breaking the thigh brace in the process). Anyway all was good, but not a great start to the day!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkpIg3gB4jTlLvNCXHGcjLPwYmuQ6vjGE4XlPh4OsoF1CUe4T21zLarQKvFLApRbHcmhPT1ybtdxlpTW_D7w1XpmUSsGnDogsSWapmERCy6Ju86YPW3h4m2FMHUCLrYyQlyCfNOe53Rk/s1600-h/IMGP0559.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkpIg3gB4jTlLvNCXHGcjLPwYmuQ6vjGE4XlPh4OsoF1CUe4T21zLarQKvFLApRbHcmhPT1ybtdxlpTW_D7w1XpmUSsGnDogsSWapmERCy6Ju86YPW3h4m2FMHUCLrYyQlyCfNOe53Rk/s400/IMGP0559.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334539725835647410" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-One boat successfully un-pinned woohoo-<br />-Photo Anton Immler-<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So we managed to complete this section back down to the upper dam this day - however our progress was painfully </span></span>slow. For hours we were haunted by the sight of our put in - only a few hundred meters away as we scouted paddled, ferried and portaged our way slowly downstream. Even when we knew we had to portage half the time it wasn't that simple. Must make ferries and eddies with no second option in order to reach the opposite back and portage. There were definitely some fine rapids, but once we'd made our take out we both decided that honestly it wasn't worth it. That upper section is one I'll happily miss next time! What an epic!!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgUMQ9PxfBGA4KFjE0AUsa0IaDBrnkJeV-63ggd574l6mq2qkDdGpkmcLc97liYAOvFWwDeUeVUgPC5smp2Q5A10qa_dPRl_sS7S5Nf5b5lLiSlb7LvVFOrDoy_YgOpokQEUUbxHaYoI/s1600-h/DSC_0146.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgUMQ9PxfBGA4KFjE0AUsa0IaDBrnkJeV-63ggd574l6mq2qkDdGpkmcLc97liYAOvFWwDeUeVUgPC5smp2Q5A10qa_dPRl_sS7S5Nf5b5lLiSlb7LvVFOrDoy_YgOpokQEUUbxHaYoI/s400/DSC_0146.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334541501116369282" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-One of the more paddleable sections past Tatopani-<br /></span></div></div></div><br />So we had one more day left and one last section to run, the upper dam down to Last Resort Camp (just above the canyon).<br /><br />So another bus ride down stream and we put on. What a relief it was to actually be paddling some nice read and run grade 4+ again, and not have to get out of the boat. Actually getting a chance to get the arms working is something you appriciate after the two days we'd just had.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqsU7dW1weqZLPYgdwEYSxL9kcgyvZF7QCgxfAp32tJUNmbOoVDX2K07U8s-YkTd3q0LbG8o4_x5rQXV29tOneW0u9oeApaPSyHnIWDaYc9oK-3yv3ob6LAaBSyZCn2e1eEyHZqPB3-k/s1600-h/DSC_0134.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqsU7dW1weqZLPYgdwEYSxL9kcgyvZF7QCgxfAp32tJUNmbOoVDX2K07U8s-YkTd3q0LbG8o4_x5rQXV29tOneW0u9oeApaPSyHnIWDaYc9oK-3yv3ob6LAaBSyZCn2e1eEyHZqPB3-k/s400/DSC_0134.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334542637803779650" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggbIFLgJQI/AAAAAAAABg0/Pa6tK3vWdZ4/s1600-h/DSC_0111.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggbIFLgJQI/AAAAAAAABg0/Pa6tK3vWdZ4/s400/DSC_0111.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334543584263677186" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-One of 3 portages on this section-</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />So this was an awesome section to paddle. There were three portages - this one above was quite crazy. From where we were inspecting after the big drop it looked pretty sweet. So off we went, jumped into our boats and peeled out of the eddy - across to the otherside as we hopped downstream. Well it was a pretty funny moment actually, we found ourselves in an eddy we couldn't get out of with bedrock up the side - no way back to where we'd come from and a crazy gradient downstream. We looked at each other as if to say 'how did that get there? I thought it was flat!' And then we peeled out and just hit it up. It was a sweet, but pretty pushy rapid especially dropping into the unknown!! Anyway we'd try not to do that again!<br /><br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggbuiEDy7I/AAAAAAAABg8/qlGY9CdQUNg/s1600-h/IMGP0580.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SggbuiEDy7I/AAAAAAAABg8/qlGY9CdQUNg/s400/IMGP0580.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334544244852116402" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></div><br />Next portage was a bit of a hike up and around a really narrow closed in drop - the only way back in to seal launch back into the slot, just passed the boil line and paddle out...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDmjVrj2n4nMLDklBWWqdj6DNJftmhaGbZCGmSOkQXJVzHjDfEmQvoeiw4S1FTBzyBT0d4KnoRxO_0ha3sS3okLjS001wdMWIVFv0rpQsGYk0J7aLOMes59uvVojYK5-TZ74tYCik2J4/s1600-h/IMGP0438.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDmjVrj2n4nMLDklBWWqdj6DNJftmhaGbZCGmSOkQXJVzHjDfEmQvoeiw4S1FTBzyBT0d4KnoRxO_0ha3sS3okLjS001wdMWIVFv0rpQsGYk0J7aLOMes59uvVojYK5-TZ74tYCik2J4/s400/IMGP0438.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334547425586341346" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></div><br />And that was pretty much that. Lots more cool rapids to the take out, but as is the way on this kind of mission, you never stop at the good read and run stuff - so there's no more pictures!!<br /><br />We did it anyway, we said we wanted to paddle from the Tibetan border, and we did. We had to walk a bunch up near the top but most of that was just silly stuff! We saw a few waterfalls worth checking out along the way too. And we had a sweet time. It was a proper mission. At the end we were sore and tired, so we gave ourselves an extra day off. But it got us in shape for the Upper Seti Mission which I've already written about, and that's what we did straight after this.<br /><br />Anyway this is my advice for the upper Bhote Kosi. If you're up to it - ie grade 5+ continuous rapids, and you've got a decent sized team and are prepared to take your time then go and session it, but take care cos there's a lot of sives!! If not then don't waste your time - start below the upper dam and have some fun sessions from there down...<br /><br />Well - I've been a little slack on the blog so I hope this keeps everyone going. I'm still up at the lodge, but only for another few weeks and then my paddling season kicks off. After a brief holiday back to the UK, I'll be spending the summer working on the Nile again and then hopefully off back to Thailand in the Fall.<br /><br />It sounds like a fun summer for a lot of people this year and everyone is spread around the world having some sweet missions. So see you all on the water soon and take it easy!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-9131903701184476782009-03-08T20:25:00.005+03:002009-03-09T11:00:23.072+03:00Paulo BabiA few photos of Uganda's finest - Paulo Babi surfing at Nile Special. I'm hoping to take Paulo creeking in Kenya this year, let's hope it all works out and we get him running the gnarl!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SbQG3BiflvI/AAAAAAAABcg/XbwzKOQiSI0/s1600-h/Fluid-Wallpaper.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SbQG3BiflvI/AAAAAAAABcg/XbwzKOQiSI0/s400/Fluid-Wallpaper.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310877402952341234" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWD9nDByOqaxXISG0c2W4qeYQ6G5a7toeCI3U5RXe61WZFnMq49EhzqLwgJ4HMzIJJqfy7_z6ilOIPxrVYIGz0SRWtmTf6-kNCkKXy2uMIJ5-5RdEa6xiyW5CaQmQUaWwmLmTP68WSOo/s1600-h/Paulo+Nile+Special+Poster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWD9nDByOqaxXISG0c2W4qeYQ6G5a7toeCI3U5RXe61WZFnMq49EhzqLwgJ4HMzIJJqfy7_z6ilOIPxrVYIGz0SRWtmTf6-kNCkKXy2uMIJ5-5RdEa6xiyW5CaQmQUaWwmLmTP68WSOo/s400/Paulo+Nile+Special+Poster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310877873872980802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXp97_y34xHTN3vK6VgMOCE-IaAMm2oa0_xNR43gSbRd2OA9QwQuCg559i1yQR-2vhmhgZlSdwn0vW6L-1Hp1Ce6p4OwSMuYPL-jx3f4p4Lx5p1aO40IzUjjX0Yj1cSVuPvyx77TLVvY/s1600-h/Fluid-Paulo2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXp97_y34xHTN3vK6VgMOCE-IaAMm2oa0_xNR43gSbRd2OA9QwQuCg559i1yQR-2vhmhgZlSdwn0vW6L-1Hp1Ce6p4OwSMuYPL-jx3f4p4Lx5p1aO40IzUjjX0Yj1cSVuPvyx77TLVvY/s400/Fluid-Paulo2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310876669018520402" border="0" /></a><br />Paulo also paddles for Fluid Kayaks and when he's not paddling he's still on the river - pushing rubber for Nile River Explorers Rafting. Off the water you might see Paulo cruising around in his leather jacket on his lowrider motorcycle, or else here him laughing in the bar!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-76159356815270553362009-02-19T20:51:00.005+03:002009-02-19T22:54:25.570+03:00Paragliding in Paradise!Last week Jessie Stone, Polly Green and Morgan Koons spent a night up at our Lodge in Sipi. The next day Morgan took the opportunity to get into the air for a paraglide flight. Enjoy these photo's I snapped of her cruising the thermals... (And sorry they've all come out a bit desaturated - but the raw files look great!!)<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ21q035YgI/AAAAAAAABb8/I6s1Q434L4k/s1600-h/para-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 101px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ21q035YgI/AAAAAAAABb8/I6s1Q434L4k/s400/para-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304595683464536578" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-Morgan checks the conditions-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ21qoaD8mI/AAAAAAAABb0/lj9z1EZdtF8/s1600-h/para-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ21qoaD8mI/AAAAAAAABb0/lj9z1EZdtF8/s400/para-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304595680118174306" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-Launch attempt with Polly filming on the right-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ21qpthXWI/AAAAAAAABbs/tIAGlhIaeek/s1600-h/para-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ21qpthXWI/AAAAAAAABbs/tIAGlhIaeek/s400/para-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304595680468229474" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-The kids get involved-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ2zIod8ABI/AAAAAAAABbk/R7G6PI3SybA/s1600-h/para-3.5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ2zIod8ABI/AAAAAAAABbk/R7G6PI3SybA/s400/para-3.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304592896995622930" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3Cwur8WYouNWFy8B5jCY55nojdn5jhlnDqN7RMctQFKtJyMXkL4ief6McYDcrLjXeJYSUy9RKpAkDiTJnYY1SKgC69FmbCuUL7wBO5YcIejZl2ka6HLDzqN-EMHDOtYZ0YBnjYBO9X0/s1600-h/para-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3Cwur8WYouNWFy8B5jCY55nojdn5jhlnDqN7RMctQFKtJyMXkL4ief6McYDcrLjXeJYSUy9RKpAkDiTJnYY1SKgC69FmbCuUL7wBO5YcIejZl2ka6HLDzqN-EMHDOtYZ0YBnjYBO9X0/s400/para-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304592898615815298" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-Go go go!!-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ2wVMNYdoI/AAAAAAAABbU/yeFruA6wO7c/s1600-h/para-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ2wVMNYdoI/AAAAAAAABbU/yeFruA6wO7c/s400/para-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304589814213408386" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-Polly Green films as Morgan catches a thermal-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ2fbyW4GiI/AAAAAAAABbE/NqItYb4NSaU/s1600-h/DSC_0015-small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SZ2fbyW4GiI/AAAAAAAABbE/NqItYb4NSaU/s400/DSC_0015-small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304571235835320866" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-TIA-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7x8OY_6VPOsw2_EIbRpEEhNOcxm8K7aUEho5-n2TdafdH1M4uKm2JxMWnRYU6uNFfbUd5ISUiGg-1A4zdvjT_wHCkeZ_liE8bfsodZhGSDdmwA0hNDQja2_OS7CZrNwOtug6Eqj9dII/s1600-h/para-6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7x8OY_6VPOsw2_EIbRpEEhNOcxm8K7aUEho5-n2TdafdH1M4uKm2JxMWnRYU6uNFfbUd5ISUiGg-1A4zdvjT_wHCkeZ_liE8bfsodZhGSDdmwA0hNDQja2_OS7CZrNwOtug6Eqj9dII/s400/para-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304589808825130674" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-And this was only a few of them!-<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"></span></div></div>Cheers!<br /><br />Will.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-85091773527892844092009-01-10T16:00:00.000+03:002009-01-10T16:04:51.065+03:00First Descent Upper Seti - Lower Canyon...<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm back in Uganda now, and I've been up at my lodge and away from the world of internet connections and other such modern technology. So apologies for the long wait for photos, but here's the first of a few updates of our last few weeks in Nepal.<br />I'll start with a good one - the first descent of the lower canyon of the Upper Seti River...<br /><br />At the end of November 2008 Anton Immler and Will Clark successfully ran the lower canyon on the Upper Upper Seti River in Nepal.</div><p style="text-align: justify;">After hiking out of the gorge two months earlier during their first attempt, they returned with lower water levels and a lot more rope and successfully completed the section.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>The canyon is totally committing. With no-way to portage the first or third drops (the two big ones) and almost no means of setting up safety on either...<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVS5BFAd7vFm3NknZjfElyPUDOaRVz-uaQ6mnQTuupnvv157WnwzTF8840VSrHIUxcPVFpy0KZnd2gx27nhTHr7FKJdutzHj3sNgJMRMy-4qoC7-PFeKmYw6-QPQDQwVbpzM3XyC0vVo/s1600-h/Nepal22.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVS5BFAd7vFm3NknZjfElyPUDOaRVz-uaQ6mnQTuupnvv157WnwzTF8840VSrHIUxcPVFpy0KZnd2gx27nhTHr7FKJdutzHj3sNgJMRMy-4qoC7-PFeKmYw6-QPQDQwVbpzM3XyC0vVo/s400/Nepal22.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289583383314170898" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">After a 5.30am start and a one and a half hour hike, Will Clark prepares himself for the mission. Having been inside the canyon once already we knew it was going to be hard. With only two members on our team we also knew that we were pushing the limits of safety and were going to have to be pretty careful not to mess anything up...<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SWhdRGrhfJI/AAAAAAAABYM/ZaGYCzDEKrc/s1600-h/IMGP0650.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SWhdRGrhfJI/AAAAAAAABYM/ZaGYCzDEKrc/s400/IMGP0650.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289580310778969234" border="0" /></a><br />The view from the top. Will looks into the canyon, this time we carried a lot of rope - kindly lent to us from Charlie at Ganesh Kayak shop in Pokhara.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SWhdRUkRsjI/AAAAAAAABYU/9r0WjRHrOl8/s1600-h/IMGP0682.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SWhdRUkRsjI/AAAAAAAABYU/9r0WjRHrOl8/s400/IMGP0682.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289580314506670642" border="0" /></a><br />Will checking out the cave at the bottom of the first waterfall. It was possible to pull someone back out from under there, but really the name of the game on this was to run it clean.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAiTOKiz5edMpBTYt_YmfG_Id1YDAEEUZHE0Yv4j0jR52Y556QJv3Qo92ki3rrpZTdi6iqGSRZcF4tMb9uepaKwxCmPQpoJF2COIMxFn6X2RhgMn1D75-rCXEcj1k2LWq6MYt8P-mAJQ/s1600-h/IMGP0686.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAiTOKiz5edMpBTYt_YmfG_Id1YDAEEUZHE0Yv4j0jR52Y556QJv3Qo92ki3rrpZTdi6iqGSRZcF4tMb9uepaKwxCmPQpoJF2COIMxFn6X2RhgMn1D75-rCXEcj1k2LWq6MYt8P-mAJQ/s400/IMGP0686.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289580314943246386" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Will climbing back out of the cave.<br /></div><br /><div><br />After spending an hour or more checking everything out and making sure we had a good plan all that was left to do was to fire it up. Anton ran it first with me standing by to abseil down if anything was to go wrong...<br /></div><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/STtVWFWzkaI/AAAAAAAABEc/k6egFnUtRRg/s1600-h/Anton+Upper+Seti+%28jpeg+Small%29.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276905226277982626" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 268px; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/STtVWFWzkaI/AAAAAAAABEc/k6egFnUtRRg/s400/Anton+Upper+Seti+%28jpeg+Small%29.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">-Anton on the first drop-</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Well, everything went well and Anton hit the first drop sweet. After that however it wasn't as simple as me following him down.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">With no access into the canyon other than running the falls, Anton then had to scout the next two drops before I could run the first one. The next drop was a horribly undercut little twisty thing, followed by a huge horizon line. Anton paddled down to the horizon line and it was all good. All I could see was him jumping up and down and screaming!! A good sign!!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></p><p align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPh-T1Rwmw7LfFO7itanrJ3OdmzHPWzTxR-n-b0VMVv2EryKnDvdz-jhe40rZYn1fGtCuY69v_4ZcoEBZ4xgN1EwpjZTTF7FOOjZTdBNVai3AL-rqzZxCUQVqoQUHK7uNoe-0IYvsivLU/s1600-h/IMGP0715.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPh-T1Rwmw7LfFO7itanrJ3OdmzHPWzTxR-n-b0VMVv2EryKnDvdz-jhe40rZYn1fGtCuY69v_4ZcoEBZ4xgN1EwpjZTTF7FOOjZTdBNVai3AL-rqzZxCUQVqoQUHK7uNoe-0IYvsivLU/s400/IMGP0715.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289582284303624882" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So after zip-lining all the cameras and ropes accross to Anton I got to hit up the first drop and it was sweet!!</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxVU38NaSwfWNDa83DM7sL6yrt21KPEKCXwpjmbNvMZhyolWr_2UKyGel6myerIAZcRML5R-C88Mfg_-uDdnm7ozrBfw4WtXuywxl_ob39SF4IRrM6OKe5FytBFI_P3SHjSnOfVyZdOQ/s1600-h/IMGP0718.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxVU38NaSwfWNDa83DM7sL6yrt21KPEKCXwpjmbNvMZhyolWr_2UKyGel6myerIAZcRML5R-C88Mfg_-uDdnm7ozrBfw4WtXuywxl_ob39SF4IRrM6OKe5FytBFI_P3SHjSnOfVyZdOQ/s400/IMGP0718.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289580314619536834" border="0" /></a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">After that we headed down to the horizon line and scouted the second big one. By now it was 2pm - we'd put in at 9.30am, so after a quick stop for food we set up some cool camera shots and fired up this second drop. It was a real nice roll in/roll off style falls with a nice clean pool to land in...<br /></div><p align="center"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSDELe96SjBMTlfNDuqnxu5wytojbY0dL5Iva5MXtjutKHu1BfjRvVTm9AcGvhTOGmnbLZF5uemgpBQlRR5t6ApdH-aWMp_47MF8vjBxS1Qf_GR38h5pgZN9RHyI5QbwNZPClHhhyb4k/s1600-h/Nepal23.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSDELe96SjBMTlfNDuqnxu5wytojbY0dL5Iva5MXtjutKHu1BfjRvVTm9AcGvhTOGmnbLZF5uemgpBQlRR5t6ApdH-aWMp_47MF8vjBxS1Qf_GR38h5pgZN9RHyI5QbwNZPClHhhyb4k/s400/Nepal23.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289583386211605474" border="0" /></a>Will inspects the second falls<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7ksQ0dr9fk9K-iG9zu9L1oxnw6OFR2_zF7E12ygBlwLBjh2k83thE-26fAmA_XKn-v3k5dlxoMG1zfg8QHnHFUDJv_ZawS8nt4SCttX1Y2XWWKZxiSnx3peYpZp3LKjoPgMPEbovYSk/s1600-h/IMGP0743.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7ksQ0dr9fk9K-iG9zu9L1oxnw6OFR2_zF7E12ygBlwLBjh2k83thE-26fAmA_XKn-v3k5dlxoMG1zfg8QHnHFUDJv_ZawS8nt4SCttX1Y2XWWKZxiSnx3peYpZp3LKjoPgMPEbovYSk/s400/IMGP0743.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289582282531802402" border="0" /></a>Will on the Second falls.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhla4oqhsql2azqs9kCG4n4P2RajOvjCyqshKLlhzGd-WCaVCtPHo5xC-YAWRLNMzCLLPbHV8JgwV7ECMd-CqbTK-mcEIHD6nOrXL3KSpVq4O5XxB6kEXvfJrSRAeK4drT-CL-Nd4wRDvU/s1600-h/Anton+Upper+Seti+%27In+%26+Out%27+-+Poster-Small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhla4oqhsql2azqs9kCG4n4P2RajOvjCyqshKLlhzGd-WCaVCtPHo5xC-YAWRLNMzCLLPbHV8JgwV7ECMd-CqbTK-mcEIHD6nOrXL3KSpVq4O5XxB6kEXvfJrSRAeK4drT-CL-Nd4wRDvU/s400/Anton+Upper+Seti+%27In+%26+Out%27+-+Poster-Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289579605742807266" border="0" /></a>Here's a cool montage I put together of Anton on the first and second falls</p><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">So after that we found a few more sweet drops - 2 nice clean drops, a nice continuous rapid and unfortunately there were two portages right at the end...<br /></p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCInQ25ymhrTpIjkWckC49QLKOWxodAYMKWODLCcTccprYfQjLS5RKQ8M2Z60UWwjl3wy5uRl338sifV2kijUUxpoodQdrW37So6Q4qlSloWQR1bnI4rYZphPJoyYK7zTl2_mOdIxxbZw/s1600-h/IMGP0748.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCInQ25ymhrTpIjkWckC49QLKOWxodAYMKWODLCcTccprYfQjLS5RKQ8M2Z60UWwjl3wy5uRl338sifV2kijUUxpoodQdrW37So6Q4qlSloWQR1bnI4rYZphPJoyYK7zTl2_mOdIxxbZw/s400/IMGP0748.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289605691356596498" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Will on the first of the two smaller drops<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAlIUhibGaVlaC4VfSgaUPkSK9sGQ9yPPlnMQ7nP_5xyPcE0vpR-9_IpGxOGMJmDijOILiamCNSVyyJxjd1EK2EQ3My8dbp6Q7HkmIQsCr_2xznEH6Hj_QE5-T2LC9vWtMtVuFVFNUmw/s1600-h/IMGP0756.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAlIUhibGaVlaC4VfSgaUPkSK9sGQ9yPPlnMQ7nP_5xyPcE0vpR-9_IpGxOGMJmDijOILiamCNSVyyJxjd1EK2EQ3My8dbp6Q7HkmIQsCr_2xznEH6Hj_QE5-T2LC9vWtMtVuFVFNUmw/s400/IMGP0756.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289605697962896850" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A nice fun rapid near the end<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SWhfEMk4FqI/AAAAAAAABY8/iZIWsb5TJ0g/s1600-h/IMGP0761.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SWhfEMk4FqI/AAAAAAAABY8/iZIWsb5TJ0g/s400/IMGP0761.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289582288046659234" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Yeah we were pissed! This rapid would have been super sweet and technical apart from this walled in death pit at the bottom!!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So that's it - the first descent of the Upper Seti's lower canyon. It was an awesome mission, and definitly cool with just the two of us - although more people would have made it easier. Since we ran it a few other groups have been down. First off was a French team who had a bit of an epic - one of their group broke his paddles and popped his deck on the second big drop and it sounds like he had a nightmare swim!! Also Anton has been back in there twice now - with Josh Neilson and a solid European team, I know Josh has put some video of it up on You tube so you should check it out!!<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">There's a few more updates I've still to do - the Bhote Kosi from Tibet is the main one, so stay tuned and I'll get onto it as soon as I can.<br /><br />Cheers and Beers!<br /><br />Will.<br /></div></div><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Photos: Will Clark + Anton Immler</span></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-42277759697277968802008-11-25T16:02:00.003+03:002008-11-25T16:38:16.930+03:00Update from Nepal, and Photos from the Kali Gandaki<div style="text-align: justify;">It's been a while since my last blog update. Since then a lot has happened. Anna Bruno arrived about 3 weeks ago and we went on a bit of a tour on the best rivers around Pokhara. We paddled the upper Seti, Madi Khola and the Kali Gandaki from Tatopani with Anton, and then me and Anna headed out for a quick run on the Marsyandi while Anton headed back to Kathmandu.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 153, 51);">Here are Anton's photos from the upper Kali Gandaki</span></span>. <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(The Kali Gandaki is a popular Rafting run taking 4 days self supported from the town of Beni</span></span>. We headed 3 hours drive higher than Beni to Tatopani to paddle the upper river where the bigger and harder rapids are. It took us longer than expected, but with two nights in Hostels and one and a bit river days to Beni, we then paddled another one and a half river days and had one nights camp on an isolated beach before reaching the take out where we managed to meet up with a rafting trip and get a lift home. It was a sweet trip with some sweet whitewater!)<br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/s4wcthoZ6X-l7m96wLuqQQ?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SSvdvHO3ZSI/AAAAAAAAAzY/qnUA6_rK_sQ/s400/IMGP0356.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/WillClark?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4">Will Clark</a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Anna on the Upper Kali Gandaki.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WC_YKxATMBPX4yNUNr1SyQ?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U5BSc3hfuJ0YSDHRsw9CnA98S10fUaniP4MCDaR2oOeMmSBzTS22vyQWH0Kp6Mn4WicwftFITau-hbkXjFE9Stwv3nTOgRK-b9zdtKP65gxARKZVBJ3nUKskm_qaL9rrC86RlISXNWQ/s400/IMGP0363.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/WillClark?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4">Will Clark</a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><br />After a couple of hours on the water and with fading light we headed off to a tea house for night one.</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><br /><br /><br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/23RlOqkFrmxWMYhvCtK3gA?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpCVJaL3CBpK1-LzinXZcJoBCEvF9O7TYinCLAqLE6PRS65Ffm9o94gaGAPYT1jXq7xVWVG7NrTBtGqLPmCljlsuR-Q-QMpzB8bCIE_bip7pI0ab8g0kWDWG3GtJGZ1Y2CSIBkf7scOI/s400/IMGP0370.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/WillClark?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4">Will Clark</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Day two and some pushy kayaking. Will Clark inspects from the road. (By the way the road here is the scariest in all of Nepal - FACT!!)<br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7XCKWXadfIIGcSNW1uqXtg?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SSvkhFPA4gI/AAAAAAAAA-s/uXZ-7Vdzw8k/s400/IMGP0373.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/WillClark?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4">Will Clark</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Anna and Will discuss the line.<br /><br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7TBOy4TcXWDkI6Q93F8_aw?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvoL3Xb106OnfYLiuVr_hObpOpwfIkgsNJeqRlDkmLpQqZYD1RWHtiWJygjmtKZRb6ZshvVkg0tRJLLtW4lUazTI8i9qGcS84_qWVp4Usbgq8VMpFYfl4eymgONNq2_IbS5L3jrrnqMk/s400/IMGP0375.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/WillClark?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4">Will Clark</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Anna moments before her Swim.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So Anna took a swim here - it was a pretty sticky hole! I managed to grab her and pull her to the side whilst her boat went for a bit of a cartwheel session on its own!</span><br /><br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/otnZaPT3HNKuxme2pRKbZw?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SSvkq6rlCFI/AAAAAAAAA-8/r_ypo8LZSHE/s400/IMGP0377.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/WillClark?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4">Will Clark</a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />After Anna's boat came out of the hole I went to chase after it and got pinned in a nasty narrow channel on the right. Luckily Anton headed out to get Anna's boat and we set about pulling my boat out.</span><br /><br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3sDGamvWJq0jsqokNJ8UNg?authkey=MnM8KZvn7MI"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SSve9At6auI/AAAAAAAAA1M/RRysR6xvlkA/s400/IMGP0383.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/DropBox?authkey=MnM8KZvn7MI">Drop Box</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Then a quick abseil to recover part of our split paddles that had gone for a swim of their own.<br /><br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/v_DKve8dR0cQlAdCHnwXnw?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SSvlDWwSZCI/AAAAAAAAA_s/ZK1UBijEgZc/s400/IMGP0396.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/WillClark?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4">Will Clark</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Will and Anna inspect a big one!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fdQSwM2uTjLgdozsFZkVAQ?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SSvlJ1gX9jI/AAAAAAAABAE/w91W_QuWLb8/s400/IMGP0399.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/WillClark?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4">Will Clark</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Will sneaks through the tunnel.<br /><br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/C_MBdFLA8OrI_WKkee292g?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SSvlR9T2n_I/AAAAAAAABAM/XUoASeDsKAA/s400/IMGP0402.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/WillClark?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4">Will Clark</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Anna on the same line.</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 153, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Lots more Pictures and Stories to come!! </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Photos from the rest of this trip</span></span></span> down the Kali Gandaki as well as more from Anna and my trip down the Marsyandi.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Nepali Girls Kayaking trip</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"> on the Sun Kosi has just finished - Anton and I saw off Anna and 39 more girls</span></span> from Sukute beach 10 days ago as they headed off for their mission, so I'll put some photos of that up soon as well... and while they were heading down river, Anton and I wored our way up and paddled...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">The Bhote Kosi from Tibet</span></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">, and it turned out to be a bit of an epic mission. So a full story and photos of the steepest and most continuous river I have ever seen also coming soon</span></span>.<br /><br /><br />Tomorrow we're off to try and be the first to paddle a 40 footer on the upper upper Seti. Should be fun!!<br /><br />Peace<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><table style="width: 683px; height: 263px;"><tbody><tr><td><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/z2q0QqjehaEmzahWcv8eUg?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SSvfkZcab5I/AAAAAAAAA18/f6mRZT2hEw0/s288/IMGP0411.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/willloveitliveit/WillClark?authkey=pnRMsE-B1g4">Will Clark</a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-58583284867813448992008-10-22T13:28:00.007+03:002008-10-22T14:32:53.713+03:00Modi Khola, Losing Porters and Spider Bites...<div style="text-align: justify;">On Oct 20 Anton and I set off for the Modi Khola. Also on the same mission were a bunch of American guys and an English guy Matt who I knew from the Zambezi earlier in the year.<br /><br />To get to the Modi you need to take a taxi or minibus for about an hour and a half. From there you unload and along with porters to carry your gear you hike all day to the 'Old Bridge.' After a night in tea house's or a hostel you hike for another hour up to the put-in at the 'New Bridge'.<br /><br />After taking a separate taxi to the others Anton and I started hiking from Lumle to Langruk. After leaving our porters on the trail to meet back up later we reached Landruk at 1640m by 4pm.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7CGGp4gayB9eiOy1j8wJhbWE28ydDjwedNaGxrMyJh6trZfU6VciMfJMLCQAuYxJWMXUpBG8XZeiyL0k_uJGd4gwfnETe2arwYbU43lv8SJBPyirVl5tYkYCVNQGteCJpxOh01eSxTA/s1600-h/1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7CGGp4gayB9eiOy1j8wJhbWE28ydDjwedNaGxrMyJh6trZfU6VciMfJMLCQAuYxJWMXUpBG8XZeiyL0k_uJGd4gwfnETe2arwYbU43lv8SJBPyirVl5tYkYCVNQGteCJpxOh01eSxTA/s400/1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259928426240569282" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Early on in the hike looking up the valley-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8FClhMc3I/AAAAAAAAAno/JKlOJUQVsUw/s1600-h/2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8FClhMc3I/AAAAAAAAAno/JKlOJUQVsUw/s400/2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259928431781245810" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-A lunch stop at Bitchuk-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D_y6gblTWl0jdQ0-uZfzj_D50VJ9P-DxJ215qQ3ga_UZ34-OEIIt3QREfcziREIGYRPtBtSpGtE7eX8hrPDMyUCy0TIC06wpZ23e1x7MzYi8xAMFlsyeH7qi0SCNomqfM9FKdEnR5PI/s1600-h/3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D_y6gblTWl0jdQ0-uZfzj_D50VJ9P-DxJ215qQ3ga_UZ34-OEIIt3QREfcziREIGYRPtBtSpGtE7eX8hrPDMyUCy0TIC06wpZ23e1x7MzYi8xAMFlsyeH7qi0SCNomqfM9FKdEnR5PI/s400/3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259928433476197346" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Still looking up the valley, one of the many valleys we had to descend and ascend-</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6FrXIQMyxuKGvrRouNyLc_nisNqotca5BnlHkm9dSDXVMUDaj0No0msbbNhBU4A2OywOMSj-Vhpd_54JP0jAWgD0WtCzJwBaRyOZLsSj3VfpKI8m0mepyGMv5l31kl4g22xGYhQptKg/s1600-h/4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6FrXIQMyxuKGvrRouNyLc_nisNqotca5BnlHkm9dSDXVMUDaj0No0msbbNhBU4A2OywOMSj-Vhpd_54JP0jAWgD0WtCzJwBaRyOZLsSj3VfpKI8m0mepyGMv5l31kl4g22xGYhQptKg/s400/4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259928066231265346" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-The view down the valley from Landruk-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbXYkcdwOiROt_SBg5VMNUR-IxVjxouTDp-XgIJnf91CREsmECFdwLLlIWLWOOnDz3C8XUEXc2pNF_MhdQBYSXeY_8k91mjCdQQ-LUz3Y3lVn1RCE_FihHErEHjg821Qa3mCVe8fsK7Q/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbXYkcdwOiROt_SBg5VMNUR-IxVjxouTDp-XgIJnf91CREsmECFdwLLlIWLWOOnDz3C8XUEXc2pNF_MhdQBYSXeY_8k91mjCdQQ-LUz3Y3lVn1RCE_FihHErEHjg821Qa3mCVe8fsK7Q/s400/5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259928077518896530" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-A sketchy looking 5 story Hotel in Landruk-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After we got to Landruk we drank tea and waited for our porters to arrive with our gear. Except they never arrived! We weren't sure why they hadn't made it but with dropping temperatures and only boardies and a t-shirt we had to wrap ourselves up with duvets and were in bed listening to our iPods by 7.15.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8Eudj_vaI/AAAAAAAAAnY/C-b3BtaXIqM/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8Eudj_vaI/AAAAAAAAAnY/C-b3BtaXIqM/s400/6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259928086048128418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-View of the Annapurna range in the evening light-<br /></span></div><br /><br />In the morning we waited for a few hours wondering if the Porters were on the same trail as us, and after waiting to watch a helicopter land next to our hostel to pick up a sick dude we headed up to New Bridge at 9.30am.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJHX8VRu5CI1jLzxzABgO-CWCYtcDlUc5qtUf7H_b1WUrZ-sPVLg6oNUUh2AMFzb6KrI5SdbLIh9eMG-Mht0e1zgaYUzI-uzu6ea6xX0w6NLPDpQ6EIkkJIF1QQdnD8eJKtEAqQ9Sd6g/s1600-h/11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJHX8VRu5CI1jLzxzABgO-CWCYtcDlUc5qtUf7H_b1WUrZ-sPVLg6oNUUh2AMFzb6KrI5SdbLIh9eMG-Mht0e1zgaYUzI-uzu6ea6xX0w6NLPDpQ6EIkkJIF1QQdnD8eJKtEAqQ9Sd6g/s400/11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259927474681478754" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-What were they trying to say?<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway once on our way news reached us from many hikers that a group of kayakers had already got on the water and there were two kayaks by the river. When we got right down to the river there was a message, presumably for us? Well fuck you guys too!! haha.<br /><br />Anyway after a quick laugh we set out at about 11am down an incredible section of whitewater. We had to inspect virtually all the rapids from the New Bridge to the Old Bridge.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8ELHxATiI/AAAAAAAAAmw/ENQ2ilWnPTk/s1600-h/7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8ELHxATiI/AAAAAAAAAmw/ENQ2ilWnPTk/s400/7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259927478901689890" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Anton Immler heading down one of the many many awesome rapids-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8ELd1g1NI/AAAAAAAAAm4/WG2AAN8afGk/s1600-h/12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8ELd1g1NI/AAAAAAAAAm4/WG2AAN8afGk/s400/12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259927484826178770" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Will Clark hitting the same rapid-<br />-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8ELt0sNTI/AAAAAAAAAnA/rbBGk87ocGM/s1600-h/8.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8ELt0sNTI/AAAAAAAAAnA/rbBGk87ocGM/s400/8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259927489117697330" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Anton Immler heading down the one with a big sucky siphon on the left-<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span></div></div>This one was memorable as it was a really tricky line and a major obstacle to avoid. I got pushed towards the siphon above the last drop but managed to spin and ferry out of it again only to loop in the bottom drop. Anton got a better line through the top but looped at the bottom and took a bunch of rock on his pads.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8C7cEK_rI/AAAAAAAAAmI/NGY3RE3qsBg/s1600-h/13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SP8C7cEK_rI/AAAAAAAAAmI/NGY3RE3qsBg/s400/13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259926109961256626" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Will Clark on the bottom drop of 'the rapid with a siphon in it'-<br />-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nW8srwna1Gm1objomFdl-1XO97LjPxUQy2c9upCmPgAJo4Gy9RjoULz_bZB5Fs0lg-FRWzujIcI7QVNSSXQ87WD_w9fi9L2ycqPDRJ8-ii07IH-nXGECQInFDAIJ9rWYUWFzU6sXwR4/s1600-h/14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nW8srwna1Gm1objomFdl-1XO97LjPxUQy2c9upCmPgAJo4Gy9RjoULz_bZB5Fs0lg-FRWzujIcI7QVNSSXQ87WD_w9fi9L2ycqPDRJ8-ii07IH-nXGECQInFDAIJ9rWYUWFzU6sXwR4/s400/14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259926123749721650" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Will Clark, mid move-<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-</span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDJoKzjFOqRYRp9VieKKY49sFIIwv8Zn01ZSzdq9Yl5I4UTuqJcW2KbdWTpB1ioQOqpkHS7bdCABYQgV1EA1Li2ROvouQnITZtEl10zIZCkHflKYciXKJKrzcQQD07_HGTlz1X-B1u4w/s1600-h/15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDJoKzjFOqRYRp9VieKKY49sFIIwv8Zn01ZSzdq9Yl5I4UTuqJcW2KbdWTpB1ioQOqpkHS7bdCABYQgV1EA1Li2ROvouQnITZtEl10zIZCkHflKYciXKJKrzcQQD07_HGTlz1X-B1u4w/s400/15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259926127018456866" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Will Clark about to grind the rock and avoid the gnarly hole on the right-<br />-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NXmfddDT_edDI6i_tQ3So4KmyzUvisokre_Rz7UnooLVbLzS6Snq8bJiwzdlR5QKbniB72B5ysQefD43WxB3RNbIXww-Un-QgPvsf2Z8TkjKt6LBzt4QWmZZGMkQi4SUUoADRcNz644/s1600-h/16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NXmfddDT_edDI6i_tQ3So4KmyzUvisokre_Rz7UnooLVbLzS6Snq8bJiwzdlR5QKbniB72B5ysQefD43WxB3RNbIXww-Un-QgPvsf2Z8TkjKt6LBzt4QWmZZGMkQi4SUUoADRcNz644/s400/16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259926128769493154" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Stoked after that one, that last rapid was the only one I was a bit intimidated by-<br />-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">After a while we caught the American guys just before the Old Bridge and heard that they'd stayed at a different place on the other side of the river the previous night, along with our porters who we apparently worried about where we were.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0dkdZf-xvqq68ys40EO_SvjNJivQLMdvOX056ypfpwZdtvWRq8vKtSQCwwezIM0U93ccbGC9IA3vgkGXBGZ5lSD1GgDuMbH6nG2IbPu5cgmgjqpYqwPJg5lMhLEYdwi8crqSM-t0R58/s1600-h/17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0dkdZf-xvqq68ys40EO_SvjNJivQLMdvOX056ypfpwZdtvWRq8vKtSQCwwezIM0U93ccbGC9IA3vgkGXBGZ5lSD1GgDuMbH6nG2IbPu5cgmgjqpYqwPJg5lMhLEYdwi8crqSM-t0R58/s400/17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259925262624666706" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-I think this is the one that kicked you out to the right a bit-<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5T-wE_DbdxcE-BaE2iEIe9T1YUYPdBdaJ6XjtykBAtOmLHgnwh8oflbvxX4VuU6fiKsulN9qWzn-R_n96Ju59VSdqNd8ZO1IxUfSPg2AQbHrDeRgY6gg0cxvmBueZAeuDjkKeV4UmVo/s1600-h/18.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5T-wE_DbdxcE-BaE2iEIe9T1YUYPdBdaJ6XjtykBAtOmLHgnwh8oflbvxX4VuU6fiKsulN9qWzn-R_n96Ju59VSdqNd8ZO1IxUfSPg2AQbHrDeRgY6gg0cxvmBueZAeuDjkKeV4UmVo/s400/18.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259925276068971954" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Will Clark pulls it through another sweet rapid-<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The river was truly awesome, there was just so many sweet drops one after another, we portaged one bit on the lower section where there was a big landslide and as we walked around the American group caught back up, they were having a good look so hopefully one or two of them ran it as it was a pretty cool long section of technical paddling. Other than that we ran everything the river had and by the time we carried out to the road just after the dam at 4pm we were shattered.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNigAHee0KgYfD51CMpRsbYpJIouixdy9q9NwaWHUB_YJXTwFXMz8qMi3SueSRur61QCyJLomq3cBnQNT6mKYwkyu55W1vWaZLH5hKozTcvu3-YnNPunE8O8E0hdtgxgaeyrKY8rHmxo/s1600-h/9.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNigAHee0KgYfD51CMpRsbYpJIouixdy9q9NwaWHUB_YJXTwFXMz8qMi3SueSRur61QCyJLomq3cBnQNT6mKYwkyu55W1vWaZLH5hKozTcvu3-YnNPunE8O8E0hdtgxgaeyrKY8rHmxo/s400/9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259925280243829602" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Some of the local kids from the tiny village by the road where we took out-<br /></span></div><br /><br />All that was left to do was flag down a bus load the boats and ourselves on the roof and head back to Pokhara.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-guklZC-OljKytrxFM6LpCWMNZ974OA_VMmg7QbRPKtoSt2bfbt2kNAba8805Yi6YoMtNkiD1e4twNPVfzBmjjgGc_MBauaQ4DN-WmbwqT_ceIiuLFoWQs7lzYy9zlvFd0qZfGKl2umU/s1600-h/10.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-guklZC-OljKytrxFM6LpCWMNZ974OA_VMmg7QbRPKtoSt2bfbt2kNAba8805Yi6YoMtNkiD1e4twNPVfzBmjjgGc_MBauaQ4DN-WmbwqT_ceIiuLFoWQs7lzYy9zlvFd0qZfGKl2umU/s400/10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259925286417954738" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-The view from the roof-<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span>It was pretty dark when we got back and pretty cold from being on the roof of the bus, and it was fairly hectic making sure a power line didn't take your head off on the approach to Pokhara. But it was a sweet mission.<br /><br />Next another rest day and see if what I think is a spider bite on my leg gets better or worse. It's also my birthday tomorrow so the rest day might turn into two or three if we get drunk.<br /><br />After that a couple more rivers then back to Kathmandu to pick up Anna Bruno and add another member to Team Uganda.<br /><br />Happy paddling everyone.<br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-89393614320213611442008-10-19T11:40:00.007+03:002008-10-22T08:54:54.077+03:00Epic Mission on the Upper Seti. First Descent and Night Boating.<div align="justify">Yesterday Anton and I got up early and drove to Khadarjung on the upper Seti. From here we hike upstream for about three and a half hours on the premise that the river just got steeper and steeper so there should be some sweet whitewater in store for us. With the road to Khadarjung only being completed last year it's only recently that this upper, upper section has become easily accessable and from talking to Charlie - the owner of one of the kayak shops here, we're the first people to check it out.<br /><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoeVBsS7_lYZdk_e8v7LPiuDrDoivfmqvU1tJfdbb5x-5hMFRJmjIXccn0wk-5tEUP7-lmHYoQoUFfhhuyEnshmRUBlqOq4s0cVuK4voQBrXGySWz6pHbKcDVgFzvsMOiG35McFBFwzU/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258787278291742482" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoeVBsS7_lYZdk_e8v7LPiuDrDoivfmqvU1tJfdbb5x-5hMFRJmjIXccn0wk-5tEUP7-lmHYoQoUFfhhuyEnshmRUBlqOq4s0cVuK4voQBrXGySWz6pHbKcDVgFzvsMOiG35McFBFwzU/s400/1.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Some of the bridges were super sketchy on the hike up-</span></p><p><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe2C_0Ss8RhoYTtlYawMYCb7yMwLaAUOkeGyb9Ab_mSdqkgzHmUuqRxe7qe7ZsVHv-hhyNgI0GhQ08IxnqC06A6GgCpi_1LTkwJV3_m7wZ5JhYsWNT0xCC-NaQsW0Mv5AY8EsGvoWuGE/s1600-h/5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258787273461399042" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe2C_0Ss8RhoYTtlYawMYCb7yMwLaAUOkeGyb9Ab_mSdqkgzHmUuqRxe7qe7ZsVHv-hhyNgI0GhQ08IxnqC06A6GgCpi_1LTkwJV3_m7wZ5JhYsWNT0xCC-NaQsW0Mv5AY8EsGvoWuGE/s400/5.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Our porters are heroes, no way could we have done it without them-</span></p><p><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYncImbgYUQWaoZqa21KS9GHPIcF0qoYvD200KrWrK4MU7_SyWjJl1r3Fz3VDf8e62mRdybFo-BE7bjS66N0NZSHCIJszxXSwZPJ0ktluB6AXKhppojRLYu4Pabk2xLDxcpA3gec45gxY/s1600-h/6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258787269275980162" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYncImbgYUQWaoZqa21KS9GHPIcF0qoYvD200KrWrK4MU7_SyWjJl1r3Fz3VDf8e62mRdybFo-BE7bjS66N0NZSHCIJszxXSwZPJ0ktluB6AXKhppojRLYu4Pabk2xLDxcpA3gec45gxY/s400/6.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-The view from one of the small villages on the way up-</span></p><p><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr3Jxb4LHI/AAAAAAAAAlI/imZR1z2-9Qk/s1600-h/4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258787262169623666" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr3Jxb4LHI/AAAAAAAAAlI/imZR1z2-9Qk/s400/4.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Just before we put in, Anton at another dodgy bridge-</span></p><p><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwR3p4tqIoPKFD5yiCJKlUVW4JNAwp0vyzrQrYKCKus7Uvd9qh-1nHg2bLmH2raSTy9m3yrtMrd7nQcfKfALA0iSH3NRe6YP4FTlmBYhlJH_TvmmCHXgSM5acGvyVGiQsfhdOsmX1QoNI/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258786214379274146" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwR3p4tqIoPKFD5yiCJKlUVW4JNAwp0vyzrQrYKCKus7Uvd9qh-1nHg2bLmH2raSTy9m3yrtMrd7nQcfKfALA0iSH3NRe6YP4FTlmBYhlJH_TvmmCHXgSM5acGvyVGiQsfhdOsmX1QoNI/s400/3.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Another fully sketchy bridge just upstream of where we put in-</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We hiked upstream from 9am until about 12.30. We went uphill, downhill accross the river about 4 times and through about four tiny villages - with only footpaths connecting them to the outside world. On the way we tried to get a look at as much of the river as we could. Everything looked sweet apart from one section which we couldn't see - where the river went around a big cliff and out of sight.</span></p><p align="justify">We wanted to carry on hiking but were aware of the time and trying to do the whole section in one day meant we couldn't check out the very upper reaches of the river.</p><p align="justify">So we put onto the water and headed down through mostly pretty cruisy grade 3 whitewater with the odd harder rapid, until we hit the canyon that we had been unable to scout on the way up.</p><p align="justify">What happened here was that the whole river went into a narrow canyon which unlike the rest of the river was mostly bedrock - which makes access on either side allmost impossible. We tried to get a look into it from above, but all we could see was that it was really steep, and pretty hard to get out of.</p><p align="justify">Well, Anton and I had to know what was in there so we went in anyway. It was definitly a case of 'must make' eddys and some pretty gnarly ferry gliding with each of us backing each other up with throwbags - there was no option to miss an eddy!!<br /><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimsffnN4Laz_d-YjIFJnc3Qwe0RMSEX5wMLZ6yCVc2fHYM8s_pAyJ5hkPPwhTQHrvK2ZgjLlekBPpJuAawhoMb0Xqzu18oERd30pbRqgXxn1iOd9mW3fQL3A8RMvdRzq6AwOxY7aqlbnU/s1600-h/10.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258786209297979986" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimsffnN4Laz_d-YjIFJnc3Qwe0RMSEX5wMLZ6yCVc2fHYM8s_pAyJ5hkPPwhTQHrvK2ZgjLlekBPpJuAawhoMb0Xqzu18oERd30pbRqgXxn1iOd9mW3fQL3A8RMvdRzq6AwOxY7aqlbnU/s400/10.jpg" border="0" /> </a><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-After ferrying accros the canyon first Will Clark inspects downstream-</span></p><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span> </p><p align="justify"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">After I'd had an initial look Anton joined me accross on the otherside of the canyon and we climbed our way as far down as we could go.</span></p><p align="center"><br /><br /></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr2MO-n5LI/AAAAAAAAAkw/l_mBhHEF2T8/s1600-h/11.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258786204948096178" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr2MO-n5LI/AAAAAAAAAkw/l_mBhHEF2T8/s400/11.jpg" border="0" /> </a><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Will Clark climbing down inside the Canyon-</span></p><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-</span><br /><br /></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr2LrO48dI/AAAAAAAAAko/_kAe5FxuIAw/s1600-h/13.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258786195352646098" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr2LrO48dI/AAAAAAAAAko/_kAe5FxuIAw/s400/13.jpg" border="0" /> </a><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-We reckon this was about 40 foot, but in these levels gnarly as hell-</span></p><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span> </p><p align="justify"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This waterfall that we found was truely amazing especially when you consider that there are only a few runnable falls in Nepal. In this water level it was pretty full on - with big undercuts and crazy boils at the bottom, running into an unknown corkscrew drop then to another invisible horizon line - with virtually no way to get back out and no safety if it all goes tits up!!</span></p><p align="justify">But it will go, so we're gonna check it out when the water drops in another few weeks!!</p><p align="justify">We had a full on mission to get back out of the canyon - with even scarier ferry glides, and once out it took us an hour to trek around the side and get back into the river. As I put back on I had two leeches on me - this is the first place I've ever had leeches - they're strong buggers hey!!</p><p align="justify">Once back on we had an awesome section of good quality hard whitewater...</p><p align="center"><br /><br /></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr2LnbCrgI/AAAAAAAAAkg/RWG8Op8WAR8/s1600-h/7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258786194329873922" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr2LnbCrgI/AAAAAAAAAkg/RWG8Op8WAR8/s400/7.jpg" border="0" /> </a><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Anton Immler on one of the most fun drops (I ran this one over the right)-</span></p><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span><br /><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmb_zoFDGi4SU0FS-nLeiNlVHwXtXV9KT9ZP9A6d8UYz3poKRrfXXuz7V_u4Tq3vRjozPEl4hmgZRAM-rH3OmXPaGNfFcs-xz6d8a6LwKlb966fsKhDSi5LmhhERjgKYXyPAkxFqAehj4/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258785101423081778" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmb_zoFDGi4SU0FS-nLeiNlVHwXtXV9KT9ZP9A6d8UYz3poKRrfXXuz7V_u4Tq3vRjozPEl4hmgZRAM-rH3OmXPaGNfFcs-xz6d8a6LwKlb966fsKhDSi5LmhhERjgKYXyPAkxFqAehj4/s400/2.jpg" border="0" /> </a><p align="center"> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Anton on the bottom half of 'the dodgy one'-</span><br /><br /></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr1L77nyhI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/oVOg-AhzoK0/s1600-h/12.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258785100323605010" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr1L77nyhI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/oVOg-AhzoK0/s400/12.jpg" border="0" /> </a><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Will Clark on the top half of 'the dodgy one' - neither me nor Anton hit the line we wanted on this one-</span></p><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></p><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span><br /><br /></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr1LRQFjqI/AAAAAAAAAkI/uhA0_bKUdKg/s1600-h/8.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258785088866717346" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr1LRQFjqI/AAAAAAAAAkI/uhA0_bKUdKg/s400/8.jpg" border="0" /> </a><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Anton on a cool slot drop, it was getting pretty late in the day by now-</span></p><p align="justify">So we were finding amazing whitewater on this upper section - but the problem was we'd used too much time in the canyon and then walking back out and around it. So by the time we came down to Khadarjung - the normal start of the Upper Seti, it was 5pm. It gets dark here at about 6pm. And I'd say most people give themselves 2-3 hours for the section. We were both tired but all I said to Anton was 'Go hard and I'll keep up'. Anton did a solo mission in an hour the other day so I knew we stood a chance.</p><p align="justify">Anyway long story short we nearly made it in the light, but as it got progressivly more dark we were still on the river. At one point we had to run a canyon on the lower section - I guess it's graded 4 as there's a big hole at the bottom. By the time we ran it I was having to stay within 3 feet of Anton or else I couldn't see him and all I had to go on were shades of gray. Light gray = whitewater or big hole, dark gray = green water or maybe a rock, really dark gray person outline = Anton!!</p><p>Excuse my French but it was fucked up!! Haha, anyway it was pretty cool after we'd made it all the way down, it was so dark we could see the whole milky way!!</p><p align="center"><br /><br /></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr1LFq7O2I/AAAAAAAAAkA/IE3rZHQcsBw/s1600-h/9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258785085758061410" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPr1LFq7O2I/AAAAAAAAAkA/IE3rZHQcsBw/s400/9.jpg" border="0" /> </a><p align="center"><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Anton and Will minutes after taking out-</span></p><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">-Photo Anton Immler-<br /></span></p><p align="justify">Luckily for us our Taxi driver was out looking for us and only 2 minutes after climbing off the river we were picked up and heading back to Pokhara for some food beer and sleep!</p><p align="justify">We're both hurting today so we're just chilling out and planning the next mission. We'll go back and do the upper upper Seti again soon but we'll take 2 days and I'll bring a torch!!</p><p align="justify"> </p><p>Go hard everyone!</p><p> </p><p>Will.</p><p align="center"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-40593042368735282832008-10-07T19:13:00.009+03:002008-10-16T15:13:38.086+03:00Nile Special and hanging out in Nepal...<div style="text-align: justify;">Well folks, I'm currently sat in Pokhara in Nepal, making plans to get on the river tomorrow. I met up with Anton yesterday and have had a good explore of the place today. There seems to be heaps of kayakers out here at the moment amd I've already bumped into two old friends.<br /><br />I'll get some photos from here up soon but to keep you going here's a bunch of photos Emily Wall took from a coaching session at Nile Special with Love it Live it...<br /></div><br /><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FDN7rMqo0B1Y1gCUoWQxWsVtiSGh2ma-is6ujOiytxYFTwEq2uXRUck0THeocdu9tPVFNM8fcu3pa3gKIhcQkWb4Qe6xX2lctOpQY94ZilXwyre0bO2L_06Qb4YL9L3F4dpHOWlP15w/s1600-h/IMG_3100.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256964907878335634" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FDN7rMqo0B1Y1gCUoWQxWsVtiSGh2ma-is6ujOiytxYFTwEq2uXRUck0THeocdu9tPVFNM8fcu3pa3gKIhcQkWb4Qe6xX2lctOpQY94ZilXwyre0bO2L_06Qb4YL9L3F4dpHOWlP15w/s400/IMG_3100.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />-Me telling Sam to behave and not to do anything stupid to hurt his knackered shoulder-<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmS7smgJAuL7uCjujQ2aV6069-EID9hrkIJtTIY7WU1gZVPJoDLfcNXj1vpMtggm83RKE-JUTUVwS8XtaSgd6Hbot1NmtBNWPKlNk80kzTe04No1t_LnQmg9GivRHvMdeCQlEC0x7Q6c/s1600-h/IMG_3135.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256963863113927330" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmS7smgJAuL7uCjujQ2aV6069-EID9hrkIJtTIY7WU1gZVPJoDLfcNXj1vpMtggm83RKE-JUTUVwS8XtaSgd6Hbot1NmtBNWPKlNk80kzTe04No1t_LnQmg9GivRHvMdeCQlEC0x7Q6c/s400/IMG_3135.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />-With Sam coaching on the bank I had plenty of time to play-<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW062TAb6z6un-IR2RzMq113xRdqX1LDJTjzXNAmQYMGA2k2F6sC41jQWXR87Qb2x_da3Gd1ZmEKeQIOuaivUNtRQ0gIKib4TgARBXz2VikFnZUFvCRebHQhzoq-uRFmVCWHgU_jpvlLg/s1600-h/IMG_3152.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256962685392914242" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW062TAb6z6un-IR2RzMq113xRdqX1LDJTjzXNAmQYMGA2k2F6sC41jQWXR87Qb2x_da3Gd1ZmEKeQIOuaivUNtRQ0gIKib4TgARBXz2VikFnZUFvCRebHQhzoq-uRFmVCWHgU_jpvlLg/s400/IMG_3152.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />-I'm wearing my new helmet from Happy 2b thanks guys!-<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPR6Zr5qE3I/AAAAAAAAAi4/bO0niKiUKeE/s1600-h/IMG_3252.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256961246748087154" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SPR6Zr5qE3I/AAAAAAAAAi4/bO0niKiUKeE/s400/IMG_3252.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4qE47qa11mP6p4EMIc92s6KzrhcxDz0DJkaMQeAdC3Tkb1ksXBKT3BBur3w2v5Glq-5l2ROeP9miil6EXzt05F9uWZ6YJCwQ0dnFe4cGOimpQHIN04szsi-wLWxX9jgxH50-pg5COBM/s1600-h/IMG_3337.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256960556411408658" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4qE47qa11mP6p4EMIc92s6KzrhcxDz0DJkaMQeAdC3Tkb1ksXBKT3BBur3w2v5Glq-5l2ROeP9miil6EXzt05F9uWZ6YJCwQ0dnFe4cGOimpQHIN04szsi-wLWxX9jgxH50-pg5COBM/s400/IMG_3337.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lp1sINiEmmTzToCEmLJJ5mHADZE4AGK9eLPcuE7oMAseThV3xD33l2wV8z1IZVs3Rg_6kBkWBN5XVj_bQ1NTrgVCK6o8m0V4lSR44wAMEOSAX9f2GWY_NLs0HIAgw8_X5yMcDgFkcGo/s1600-h/IMG_3175.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256958908997066514" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lp1sINiEmmTzToCEmLJJ5mHADZE4AGK9eLPcuE7oMAseThV3xD33l2wV8z1IZVs3Rg_6kBkWBN5XVj_bQ1NTrgVCK6o8m0V4lSR44wAMEOSAX9f2GWY_NLs0HIAgw8_X5yMcDgFkcGo/s400/IMG_3175.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">So Hopefully I'll be on the Setti (sp?) tomorrow for a quick warm up and then Anton has some pretty big plans for the next couple of weeks. So I'll take heaps of photos and keep you updated...<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">-Photos by Emily Wall-</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-58629236873597221372008-09-21T17:24:00.012+03:002008-09-21T18:41:27.573+03:00Loving it and Living it in Africa...<div align="justify">The last couple of months I've been working for Love it Live it - a kayak guiding company that runs trips all around the world.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">I started off with a trip on the Nile - followed by the Zambezi. It was my second time down in Zambia but my first trip was short and this time I really got to know the river.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">All the guys on the Zambezi trip had an awesome time and learnt a lot about big-water. Here's some of my favorite photos from the trip...<br /><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZm-KFhNSI/AAAAAAAAAig/PVFt5OE-dhI/s1600-h/11.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248495633792316706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZm-KFhNSI/AAAAAAAAAig/PVFt5OE-dhI/s400/11.jpg" border="0" /></a> Jared and Sam leap into Angel pool at the top of Victoria Falls</p><p><br /></p><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBVBjK6RSeBma2EK5Pupdhm3Sd0SiNTerInpeWoJfbrQOgD4TcdgKtYn_qY2RfOGwH7-AZGTmAPUXx-Whw82pBEZI2zYwQlHhiofUfxGqvjQPWoNvFY2P3XgX2lxBYHgC521tefqb3eQ/s1600-h/10.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248494403925904210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBVBjK6RSeBma2EK5Pupdhm3Sd0SiNTerInpeWoJfbrQOgD4TcdgKtYn_qY2RfOGwH7-AZGTmAPUXx-Whw82pBEZI2zYwQlHhiofUfxGqvjQPWoNvFY2P3XgX2lxBYHgC521tefqb3eQ/s400/10.jpg" border="0" /></a> Looking out towards the Devil's Armchair at sunset</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1Hp1sV_XxJTxhofcTVnCqWf3eiQ2bmTBpO_-LKL05jiBHG7UM8LY9Bh2dhKzBi0xnnyvsm8fszXhUNXbkrlH6Ki5-5FcSwge2DNk_22lJ0P5Oa5nLUhXSD6hFQAX5iHHmIHm-NnXkjQ/s1600-h/9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248493802072804642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1Hp1sV_XxJTxhofcTVnCqWf3eiQ2bmTBpO_-LKL05jiBHG7UM8LY9Bh2dhKzBi0xnnyvsm8fszXhUNXbkrlH6Ki5-5FcSwge2DNk_22lJ0P5Oa5nLUhXSD6hFQAX5iHHmIHm-NnXkjQ/s400/9.jpg" border="0" /></a> A baby croc at the croc farm<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZkkUsO0nI/AAAAAAAAAiI/BAF-akN9Vpg/s1600-h/8.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248492990939189874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZkkUsO0nI/AAAAAAAAAiI/BAF-akN9Vpg/s400/8.jpg" border="0" /></a> BBQ above rapid number 7<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZjT8U7rvI/AAAAAAAAAiA/aPtLmvgeYrw/s1600-h/7a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248491610009480946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZjT8U7rvI/AAAAAAAAAiA/aPtLmvgeYrw/s400/7a.jpg" border="0" /></a> Sam Ward at Open Season on the 4-day multi-day<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZh8_9psyI/AAAAAAAAAh4/MnmpBHPknFA/s1600-h/7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248490116336956194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZh8_9psyI/AAAAAAAAAh4/MnmpBHPknFA/s400/7.jpg" border="0" /></a>Camp at the top of the gorge at Mwemba falls, Day 4 of the multi-day<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JjEQHuunYrGVqf7iL5hbKLkchSH9Xwui0UJInx5NGUBZR1sb24OSYPVRkDf3crhDfJL3TWRM1LmMSSAQr2t_qEBDd4bHUgSiVNakTV0fvw3ZcguRiI2CpfpZqx5f1M3eXWjtk3hm-J0/s1600-h/6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248489511321491682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JjEQHuunYrGVqf7iL5hbKLkchSH9Xwui0UJInx5NGUBZR1sb24OSYPVRkDf3crhDfJL3TWRM1LmMSSAQr2t_qEBDd4bHUgSiVNakTV0fvw3ZcguRiI2CpfpZqx5f1M3eXWjtk3hm-J0/s400/6.jpg" border="0" /></a> Heading out onto the water after our second night in the gorge, just after rapid number 25<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZgXipywcI/AAAAAAAAAho/aehvqV-B-hA/s1600-h/5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248488373302247874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZgXipywcI/AAAAAAAAAho/aehvqV-B-hA/s400/5.jpg" border="0" /></a> Will Clark winding up for a free-wheel off the pourover at number 5 whilst Will Collingwood films with a head-cam<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZgA14dCvI/AAAAAAAAAhg/s_BF3FsRE8I/s1600-h/4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248487983327021810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZgA14dCvI/AAAAAAAAAhg/s_BF3FsRE8I/s400/4.jpg" border="0" /></a> A still shot taken from the head-cam footage<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZejcx1tZI/AAAAAAAAAhY/fGOf963QzI4/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248486378860557714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SNZejcx1tZI/AAAAAAAAAhY/fGOf963QzI4/s400/3.jpg" border="0" /></a>Will Clark on the wave at number 8<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8lZypSqFUkkkNnLc27IhPAbAUENpqT9Fb80ex-q4gHOcDuVIML-ERI8IQQs6bgDpLV75zKbCzRndYOq4DPVkACC2MYQMkZwCu0Am3lvSAB03FHKexolxryD62sJgsJR-6DseX-4IZfM/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248484409090113586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8lZypSqFUkkkNnLc27IhPAbAUENpqT9Fb80ex-q4gHOcDuVIML-ERI8IQQs6bgDpLV75zKbCzRndYOq4DPVkACC2MYQMkZwCu0Am3lvSAB03FHKexolxryD62sJgsJR-6DseX-4IZfM/s400/2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Will Clark back on the Nile in Uganda throwing it down on Nile Special.</div><div> </div><div align="justify">So I'm back to Uganda now and running another Love it Live it trip, I had a sweet paddle this morning and have been having heaps of fun on the river.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">I have a few more days left on this trip and then on the 5th October I'm heading to Nepal.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">Happy Paddling people and be safe.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">There's a lot of kayakers doing stupid things out on the Nile at the moment, and I have no respect for people taking silly risks!!<br /><br /><br />Will.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-70354325265144896832008-09-21T16:42:00.002+03:002008-09-21T16:55:03.957+03:00Nepali Girls Ripping It Up...<div align="justify">On the 5th of October I'm heading out to Nepal. I'll be there for about two months.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">My plans are to meet up with Anton Immler and friends and hopefully do a lot of paddling and a few big missions that Anton has lined up. At the end of the trip is the Peakuk Himalaya Challenge, a competition and no doubt a good old party with friends.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">Also I have a whole heap of friends heading out in October to train up Nepalise girls to kayak and raft guide. They've got a really good idea going on and at the moment are hunting down gear to donate to the girls. If you want to help out, get involved through their blog:</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><a href="http://www.nepaligirlskayak.blogspot.com/">http://www.nepaligirlskayak.blogspot.com/</a></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">Safe Travels.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-9994612236775215112008-09-03T16:18:00.004+03:002008-09-03T18:08:40.874+03:00Lots of fun in Zambia...<div style="text-align: justify;">After a successful Multi-day trip for the last four days we're now resting up in Livingstone before a final 3 days of big water coaching and freestyle paddling. The wave at number 2 is coming in sweet so hopefully we'll have a sweet session there tomorrow and maybe we'll get the tow rope sorted out so we can have an easier time getting on.<br /><br />Here's a bit of a montage of some of my favorite photos from the last few days on the water and the trip so far.<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshUA6WTL4IcZgcc5Ej8NBUJznGEWCMC5W01jFnLCFMt3fIxeMJ-5q3OlcZUB-H40ELEMnlC64jI1qp_NYZCOauZBOr13aG3QiEn_ohl0ZZk6y2ftzsNNQ_NhdV9UjK1R4XXEPJ6uz6D0/s1600-h/LiLi+Zam+Photo+Sheet+SMALLER"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshUA6WTL4IcZgcc5Ej8NBUJznGEWCMC5W01jFnLCFMt3fIxeMJ-5q3OlcZUB-H40ELEMnlC64jI1qp_NYZCOauZBOr13aG3QiEn_ohl0ZZk6y2ftzsNNQ_NhdV9UjK1R4XXEPJ6uz6D0/s400/LiLi+Zam+Photo+Sheet+SMALLER" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241810968435788690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Safe travels everyone!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-16756990496511400342008-08-20T19:47:00.014+03:002008-08-21T14:52:58.343+03:00Swapping the White Nile for the Zambezi...<div style="text-align: justify;">So the last few days and weeks in Uganda before getting on the plane for Zambia were pretty sweet, rather rushed and a little bit gutting, here's a bit of a photo diary...<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PAtask-ddMeOzL5nBzQuuWzx4hBXVsNFEqopE2L7uV6exQGsYEMdupzb4bmqonvyGjjxEAfeJHOeFALmZLEDvHzz7ifN7uhMG3Z9vxYovEfCQQ0268BslG0Y2iz7_BMBU6yI84krTCE/s1600-h/Dam.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PAtask-ddMeOzL5nBzQuuWzx4hBXVsNFEqopE2L7uV6exQGsYEMdupzb4bmqonvyGjjxEAfeJHOeFALmZLEDvHzz7ifN7uhMG3Z9vxYovEfCQQ0268BslG0Y2iz7_BMBU6yI84krTCE/s400/Dam.1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236919083950344530" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Bujagali Dam - we used to be able to drive to the Ugly Sisters play wave here, now we get told to leave by guys in Camo Fatigues and AK47's. Me and Anna cruised in here to have a look a couple of weeks ago as we had the Hairy Lemon car for the day, we wern't exactly welcomed - but I promised not to take any photo's so they sent us on our way!!<br /><br /></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SK1GKjaZ2fI/AAAAAAAAAg4/IcZripFsENQ/s1600-h/Will-Sombrero.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SK1GKjaZ2fI/AAAAAAAAAg4/IcZripFsENQ/s400/Will-Sombrero.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236919088820378098" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I had a couple of weeks up in Sipi before we flew out of the country. Mostly it was all head down and working - cooking food for the restaurant and making sure things were ticking over, but I had a bit of time to play too. Oh and check out my Sombrero!!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SK08cfdouvI/AAAAAAAAAgY/DrnUzuDbVu0/s1600-h/Fraggle+-+Sipi+Kayak.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SK08cfdouvI/AAAAAAAAAgY/DrnUzuDbVu0/s400/Fraggle+-+Sipi+Kayak.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236908401881561842" border="0" /></a>Did I mention we own a waterfall and a river? So the boys claimed the first descent a few months ago, but me and Fraggle fancied a blast with the water running at an optimum level!! Here is Fraggle hiking in with our falls in the background.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SK1D032MwNI/AAAAAAAAAgg/IJ_OXQUZcrg/s1600-h/Will-Kayak-Sipi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SK1D032MwNI/AAAAAAAAAgg/IJ_OXQUZcrg/s400/Will-Kayak-Sipi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236916517325291730" border="0" /></a><br />-Me at the put in-<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__Jlclh4SZy1QylHQlBhzXtBL0FSCkuIrUm4Bt04UPOs9Y_fWdh46NFYZSviiSydNKGTjlPlkrOeexERzi214zYw8RlkUhgm-LL6Uo46dKBuw1a8rmilmZr-7qXzxrSZoy4RAjiu2Ce8/s1600-h/Will-Kayak-Sipi1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__Jlclh4SZy1QylHQlBhzXtBL0FSCkuIrUm4Bt04UPOs9Y_fWdh46NFYZSviiSydNKGTjlPlkrOeexERzi214zYw8RlkUhgm-LL6Uo46dKBuw1a8rmilmZr-7qXzxrSZoy4RAjiu2Ce8/s400/Will-Kayak-Sipi1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236924144748554498" border="0" /></a><br />So fair enough it is a bit of a ditch - but it filled an hour!!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The last day before Sam and I flew out was hectic! I was sure I had important things to sort out but in the end bent to the persuading of Tim Flowers and drove down to Nile Special for one last wave session...<br /></div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOW8olTzhW4jkXegcYMbcz4QhKkjFUQ6WnkPbkzzrph25yj5VlfEKl_nyYv5Xpa80KjUvM7EZwwFHVWZk3f6eprhxivDfmo8IPteGJtcBCj24BOeZD3TZcKc87vRTbt3WG9HnmyGtDd0/s1600-h/Anna+Nikon+D60+008+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236660850475516706" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOW8olTzhW4jkXegcYMbcz4QhKkjFUQ6WnkPbkzzrph25yj5VlfEKl_nyYv5Xpa80KjUvM7EZwwFHVWZk3f6eprhxivDfmo8IPteGJtcBCj24BOeZD3TZcKc87vRTbt3WG9HnmyGtDd0/s400/Anna+Nikon+D60+008+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SKxZQkxNOOI/AAAAAAAAAf4/cPVpyDWXNpo/s1600-h/Anna+Nikon+D60+014+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236658608007887074" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SKxZQkxNOOI/AAAAAAAAAf4/cPVpyDWXNpo/s400/Anna+Nikon+D60+014+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SK08bu0hBCI/AAAAAAAAAgI/sUApCe3oVVQ/s1600-h/Anna-Last-Session1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SK08bu0hBCI/AAAAAAAAAgI/sUApCe3oVVQ/s400/Anna-Last-Session1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236908388824187938" border="0" /></a><br />Anna on the wave<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I literally had to pack my stuff in 10 minutes. After a meal with the missus we got back to NRE as the taxi pulled in, Sam was drunk, and I'd missed our leaving bender!! Ow well it was all good. After throwing our stuff in the car we left to the Airport and for the next few hours we passed out at every opportunity! In Nairobi airport the air hostess' had to wake us up and tell us to get off the plane - when we woke up everyone else had already left and the guys were cleaning the aisles!! We had a night in Johannesburg where I picked up my new Fluid Nemesis, and the next day flew the short distance to Livingstone. Flying over Victoria Falls was pretty spectacular and for some reason me and Sam had been put in First class for the flight!! I'd thought to keep my camera close at hand and as we made our final approach to the airstrip I got this cool photo of the Batoka gorge of the Zambezi, Zimbabwe on the far side and Zambia on the near side.<br /></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFroAMyBokp-3VCfqOJPxBkP1eitZVx8jy2zSNLa_hIia84-A8YwS_bK78G-lw-yYx2uRpa4udhwwDBofqVr7_yxvzFWdshecdHe-Zv1S2k9-XdYr7aSmX3cJcigqiCvAuYRphGuxCNKQ/s1600-h/Zam+Fly+by.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFroAMyBokp-3VCfqOJPxBkP1eitZVx8jy2zSNLa_hIia84-A8YwS_bK78G-lw-yYx2uRpa4udhwwDBofqVr7_yxvzFWdshecdHe-Zv1S2k9-XdYr7aSmX3cJcigqiCvAuYRphGuxCNKQ/s400/Zam+Fly+by.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236908391606183698" border="0" /></a><br />I'm in the Zambezi to run another trip for LiLi, we have a bunch of guys coming out on the 25th for a 2 week experience and it's going to be amazing. I've been on the river for the last few days and it's at a perfect level. I'll get some paddling shots soon!!<br /><br />Happy travels!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Photo's by Will Clark & Anna Bruno</span><br /></div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412932961384468987.post-9827464802625558932008-08-13T17:08:00.006+03:002008-08-21T14:59:20.362+03:00Gear Test. Ainsworth 4-way Splits...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UufdRC9ebmv37wBWHSEtB42tHwF0h7osElroLYAFTyhzmjUyT6WXmmPIo8qAPHQeiSrSG-5qRy28OS7fsNMRPXpOFhs8I-7HDpPORJF7iFBPOrQX16DQsftPTF2JTSICDnnbgHk0XfI/s1600-h/split1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UufdRC9ebmv37wBWHSEtB42tHwF0h7osElroLYAFTyhzmjUyT6WXmmPIo8qAPHQeiSrSG-5qRy28OS7fsNMRPXpOFhs8I-7HDpPORJF7iFBPOrQX16DQsftPTF2JTSICDnnbgHk0XfI/s400/split1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235818342774927154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">A few weeks ago I took out a set of the new Ainsworth 4-way splits for a test run as Jamie of Kayak the Nile had asked me to see what I thought. So I decided to huck them off Kalagala Falls - where more than anything you need to be able to depend on your kit.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SKldC548-4I/AAAAAAAAAfQ/sMXxuINAdgg/s1600-h/split2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SKldC548-4I/AAAAAAAAAfQ/sMXxuINAdgg/s400/split2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235818346275732354" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SKlfdlN7s2I/AAAAAAAAAfo/63KdzkoNwM0/s1600-h/split5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_riL0dbEXCgY/SKlfdlN7s2I/AAAAAAAAAfo/63KdzkoNwM0/s400/split5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235821003606307682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So first inspection of the paddles - They were perhaps a little bit short - certainly in the shaft - but felt pretty solid. They use a standard button fixing system and didn't need to be taped up or anything like that. The main fault in the set up is that they will set to a feather of either 90, 45 or zero degrees. Nobody paddles at 90 degree feather these days so the holes should have been offset by 45, then you could have 45 Right, zero or 45 left. Then your splits are fully versatile for right and left handers. I've just looked on the website and apparently they will set up for left handers too - maybe it's just not all that obvious.<br /><br />If they do set up for left handers too then I reckon these are pretty solid splits. I don't know how much they cost - but I'll bet you it's pretty reasonable, and if you broke your blades these would get you through the thick of it.<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzscZHxIwhNSXyRm7-E4W4lStqsTdJ1B8VKeJrF6BdlM0i_k44fb-6Q5D9RhpqRwvumRX01QKi5qPHg-aHMoZ6lYaHR06S12nh4DcMBRwczm8lZ3IyMNMSEjkL59hyReKbAIkgL0mvXY/s1600-h/4part_split.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzscZHxIwhNSXyRm7-E4W4lStqsTdJ1B8VKeJrF6BdlM0i_k44fb-6Q5D9RhpqRwvumRX01QKi5qPHg-aHMoZ6lYaHR06S12nh4DcMBRwczm8lZ3IyMNMSEjkL59hyReKbAIkgL0mvXY/s400/4part_split.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235823326941509490" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">More info at www.ainsworthpaddles.net</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Photos by Anna Bruno</span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0