Epic Mission on the Upper Seti. First Descent and Night Boating.

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.

-Some of the bridges were super sketchy on the hike up-

-Our porters are heroes, no way could we have done it without them-

-The view from one of the small villages on the way up-

-Just before we put in, Anton at another dodgy bridge-

-Another fully sketchy bridge just upstream of where we put in-

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!!

-After ferrying accros the canyon first Will Clark inspects downstream-

-Photo Anton Immler-

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.

-Will Clark climbing down inside the Canyon-

-Photo Anton Immler-

-We reckon this was about 40 foot, but in these levels gnarly as hell-

-Photo Anton Immler-

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!!

But it will go, so we're gonna check it out when the water drops in another few weeks!!

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!!

Once back on we had an awesome section of good quality hard whitewater...

-Anton Immler on one of the most fun drops (I ran this one over the right)-

-Anton on the bottom half of 'the dodgy one'-

-Will Clark on the top half of 'the dodgy one' - neither me nor Anton hit the line we wanted on this one-

-Photo Anton Immler-

-Anton on a cool slot drop, it was getting pretty late in the day by now-

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.

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!!

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!!

-Anton and Will minutes after taking out-

-Photo Anton Immler-

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!

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!!

Go hard everyone!

Will.

Nile Special and hanging out in Nepal...

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.

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...

-Me telling Sam to behave and not to do anything stupid to hurt his knackered shoulder-

-With Sam coaching on the bank I had plenty of time to play-

-I'm wearing my new helmet from Happy 2b thanks guys!-

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...

-Photos by Emily Wall-

Loving it and Living it in Africa...

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.

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.

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...

Jared and Sam leap into Angel pool at the top of Victoria Falls

Looking out towards the Devil's Armchair at sunset

A baby croc at the croc farm


BBQ above rapid number 7

Sam Ward at Open Season on the 4-day multi-day

Camp at the top of the gorge at Mwemba falls, Day 4 of the multi-day

Heading out onto the water after our second night in the gorge, just after rapid number 25

Will Clark winding up for a free-wheel off the pourover at number 5 whilst Will Collingwood films with a head-cam

A still shot taken from the head-cam footage

Will Clark on the wave at number 8

Will Clark back on the Nile in Uganda throwing it down on Nile Special.

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.

I have a few more days left on this trip and then on the 5th October I'm heading to Nepal.

Happy Paddling people and be safe.

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!!


Will.

Nepali Girls Ripping It Up...

On the 5th of October I'm heading out to Nepal. I'll be there for about two months.

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.

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:

http://www.nepaligirlskayak.blogspot.com/

Safe Travels.

Lots of fun in Zambia...

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.

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.

Safe travels everyone!

Swapping the White Nile for the Zambezi...

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...

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!!

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!!

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.

-Me at the put in-

So fair enough it is a bit of a ditch - but it filled an hour!!

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...

Anna on the wave

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.

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!!

Happy travels!

Photo's by Will Clark & Anna Bruno

Gear Test. Ainsworth 4-way Splits...

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.







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.

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.

More info at www.ainsworthpaddles.net


Photos by Anna Bruno

How to build a lodge, an Idiots guide...

Hello everyone. I guess I should explain my absence from the Nile Progression and the world wide web. I 've been building a Lodge!

Two of my good buddies (Ian Odell and Calum Main)and I got offered an opportunity just before Christmas last year. We decided to take it. Beginning in March this year we moved up to Sipi Falls (3 hours East of the Nile) and began work on 'Sipi River Lodge'.

We own 17 acres of grounds and a 200 foot Waterfall in Sipi. We're in the foothills of Mt Elgon near the Kenyan border and our place is at 1811m altitude. The climate is cooler and the area is absolutely stunning! Check out these photo's - quite a few before and after shots, and some cool photos from the area. The Photo's above are a few I was playing around with to use as adverts or postcards...

-Before-

-After-

-Before-

-After-

Early Days of the Building Site

-Roofing the Bandas-

-Almost Finished Bandas-






-The Bar-

We've still got a bunch of work to do - but we're getting there. The Restaurant, Bar and main lodge are open - we just need some locks on the doors and a few pictures on the walls. The Bunkhouse sleeps 12 with on-suite and it's already open.

We just need a bit more time to finish off the Banda's and we have a thousand small jobs to do.

Once everything gets finished we should have more time to further explore the local area. I've allready scoped a river that should have some good Creeking and there's heaps of climbing around! Sipi is a cool place to live!