Gauley Season

Trip Start Aug 18, 2008
1
14
22
Trip End Nov 27, 2008


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Where I stayed
North American River Runners
(Hico hotels)

Flag of United States  , West Virginia,
Monday, October 6, 2008

We arrived at the NARR campsite in the evening of the 2nd October just in time for Thirsty Thursday when it is $1 for a beer. The campsite was very hastily set up that night! The net day was an early one as we had to be ready to go rafting by 8am. Due to licensing arrangements we had to raft as commercial guests of NARR (www.narr.com) on the Upper and Middle Gauley. The day was excellent fun but the rapids were very big and scary - the guide was keen to point out all the undercuts, caves, sieves and other nasties in the pretty much continuous class 3-5 rapids. The Middle Gauley was less scary and I even kayaked it twice yesterday and today. There is one rapid called "Fluffy Box of Kittens" which used to be called "Guide's Revenge" which caught us all off guard as it looks like an easy, gentle class 2 until Jo-Beth (our guide) put us sideways into a massive hole! We very nearly flipped, but somehow managed to not to....

The Middle Gauley is a fun section to kayak. It has to be by far the biggest whitewater have paddled to date. There are so many big holes, massive waves and the most undercuts, sieves and strainers I have ever seen. I swam twice yesterday and twice again today, both days at at a rapid called "Julie's Juicer". I managed to get down the main part of the rapid both times, through a series of holes and came unstuck when I came to the Juicer rock - the first day I went over the pour-over and into the seam and today I pinned myself on the rock for a second before washing out past the undercut backwards and upside-down. Most of the other raopids were great fun - including the giant waves which really tested my balance and high braces and the last rapid with the giant surprise hole at the end which surfed me for a second before I managed to paddle on through. Great fun!
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Comments

mamanina
mamanina on Oct 10, 2008 at 03:16PM

Cute kittens
Scary stuff! The cuddly box of kittens sounds lovely...NOT. Glad you are still enjoying yourself. Don't get juiced!

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