I’m looking back from 4 weeks ago, the pictures that I took in our very first few days in Chile. These shots are all from around the base and the Liacura hole, and I believe they capture some of the peace, joy, and pleasant camaraderie that we experience daily here in Pucon. We are about to drive North tonight….although all very excited for Ocean Waves and sea salt, we will miss it here! I’m pretty confident that we will all be back, on our own time…

Palmer Miller and Nelson Jones help Alex Shallhorn work on her sun-enhanced highlights at the Liacura hole…

Jason Craig enjoying his first Kuchen experience!

Our beautiful playground!

Apres-river, soon-to-be-dinner Joy!!

Our very first group meeting.

Unpacking, that first day…

Tino Specht is teaching the ever-willing Jason Craig how to play Guitar.  Here he is singing, "I used to walk alone….sweeping the streets I used to own…"

Eli Speigal teaches us all how to smile….

Palmer Miller teaches us how to Fly….

Isaac Holden teaches us how to really enjoy the Kuchen….

David Hughes teaches us how to laugh in other languages….

Nelson Jones teaches us how to see the world from upside down…

Zach Kathrein teaches us how to find art everywhere….

Emery Tillman teaches us what it means to be constantly joyous….and stylish….

Happy birthday to the divine Ms. d’Arbeloff! You are lucky enough to spend your 17th birthday in Pucon, Chile, on the banks of the Trancura river, with 19 of your best friends. For your birthday, you get (among other things) your pick of Pucon’s finest birthday cake from that little place on Freesia and O’Higgins, the one with all the chocolate in the window. And- because you are such a superstar- you also get a trip down a 10 Km washboard road to the world famous hot springs and spa that lies in the shadow of a volcano! You will spend your birthday shrouded in mist and soaking in thermal springs. Not bad, not bad at all!

And we, the aforementioned 19 of your best friends, are very lucky to know you. You bring so much to this trip and to this program. You have so many ideas about Amulet that you bring to World Literature, and such strong feelings about Auxillio (the main character) that you can’t help but discuss her around the fire in the evenings and in the van to kayaking. (As your English teacher, this thrills me.) You write poetry just for fun and you knock at my door in the evenings to share. You take care and pride in all those fantastic blog posts you write. You are positively killing it in photography! You and Alex Shallhorn have scoured Pucon for the best ice cream shop and, apparently, you’ve found it! You are tearing it up on the river, mastering roundhouses, hitting loops and sticking blunts. You are impressing us every step of the way.

Thanks for your big smile, your laughter, your willingness and your spirit. Thanks for being here at Huge Experiences. Your joy is contagious.

With love,
Your Mentor

Tino Specht   
Academic Report
2/22/09

Hey Everyone,

    Just checking in here from Pucon, Chile with the latest academic report. As far as academics go our group has been focused and persistent, which is very good to see. All the students and teachers are driven to teach and learn from each other. My spanish class has been very impressive in the last week. We spent time in Choshuenco, Chile which is a small town nestled in the hills of Patagonia with a beautiful lake and probably one of the best rivers in the world for creek boating and river running training. The unique thing about his town is that it is small enough that when you go to the corner store the clerk will remember you and when you walk the streets a dog you pet yesterday will be by your side today, not to mention some of the nicest people in the world live there.
    As my Spanish 1 assignment I gave a scavenger hunt throughout the town on different subjects. This Hunt was designed to get the students talking to the locals and exploring what was going on there in the past, now and the upcoming future. After the first afternoon my students had answered the questions but during that period of time and total spanish immersion one of them had gotten a date to hang out with some locals down at the beach after dinner and the other had met a girl who wanted to introduce him to her family. Both of these situations were full immersion into spanish culture and language. As a teacher I couldn’t be any more pleased to walk in from my other classes to see the students studying material that they didn’t have to be and asking questions about all sorts of words and phrasing and conjugations.
    Two days into our stay my class had made good friends in the community and instead of staying in the hostel and working on book work for spanish they were out having dinner with a chilean family or finding out the opinions of the locals on the dams that are being built all over Chile.
    I don’t think you could ask for a better environment or opportunity to learn the spanish language, absorb spanish culture, and make friends and connections that can last a life time. I can’t wait for our next class everyday.
     I hope everyone is well in the northern hemisphere!

Coach Specht.

Almost every kayaker has met, taught, or participated in Keeners on the Ottawa. Keeners is a world renowned program for teenage paddlers looking to learn, improve, and fine tune their skills. It is based right on the banks of the famous Ottawa River in Canada, meaning it has immediate access to amazing playspots and an abundance of exciting challenging rapids. Tino Specht, head coach of New River Academy and previous Keeners coach, has said, “ Keeners, time and again, has proven to be the premier youth paddling program on the planet.” 

Previous Keeners and current New River Academy students, Nelson Jones
and Jason Craig watch Keegan Grady surf the Liucura Hole in Chile.
(c)Tracy d’Arbeloff

But Keeners is not just about the Kayaking. Joe Kowalski, the Founder and Owner of Keeners, has worked really hard to make sure the program also includes preparing young men and women for life in “the real world.” Campers participate in many weekly challenges, such as Speeches, where once a week, each young paddler gives a formal speech on an assigned topic in front of his/hers peers and coaches. This prepares a paddler for anything from getting sponsors, to having the confidence to speak eloquently about things they are passionate for. Alex Shallhorn, former Keener, and two time Canadian National Women’s team member has remarked, “As a young female paddler, Keeners was able to help me improve my confidence level, not only with playboating and river running, but also off the water with my peers and coaches. I learned how to address issues calmly and explain myself clearly.” 

Emery Tillman, Palmer Miller, Alex Shallhorn, and (me)Tracy d’Arbeloff
all did Keeners this previous summer. We are enjoying a hike near 
the Villarica Volcano in Chile.
(c)David Hughes

Keeners uses the best paddlers in the world as coaches, giving young kayakers the chance to learn from the best of the best. Also, meeting these experienced men and women introduces them to the kayak world, and allows them to make friends with all sorts of people, whether they are world champions, or legends in the community. Coaches have included Eric Jackson, Nick Troutman, Willie Kearns, Clay Wright, Steven Wright, Rafa Ortiz, Moe Kelleher, and so many other amazing paddlers.

Previous Keener, Stephen Forester looks out over the Rio Trancura
near the New River Academy base in Pucon Chile
(c)Tracy d’Arbeloff

This year at New River Academy, 10 out of 13 students (including four out of four female students, a record number at New River Academy) are previous Keeners. These include Keegan Grady, Canadian junior mens national champion, and Jason Craig, who got second in junior mens at Worlds this past summer. The group this year is especially close because everyone knows each other from Keeners. The bonding and group experiences that Keeners provides has carried over into the school year. Keeners makes friends and connections for life.

Head of New RIver Academy and Previous Keeners coach
David Hughes throws big in the Liucura Hole in Chile.
(c)Tracy d’Arbeloff

I would not be the paddler I am today if it were not for Keeners. It is an experience that will stay with you through all aspects of life.

-Tracy

“It’s time to roll out” said Keegan Grady (student leader) with a mouth full of blackberries and a kayak on his shoulder. Other New River Academy students nodded in agreement and reluctantly left the giant, wild blackberry bushes that surround the trail to the Rio Fuy. This was just the beginning of the many delightful surprises that we experienced on our exploratory decent of the middle Rio Fuy. And that was just another afterschool activity that we were able to take part in during our last week in the town of Choswanco, Patagonia.

                That Sunday afternoon definitely wasn’t the first time that New River Academy students enjoyed a trip down the middle Rio Fuy, but it was the first time since last year, and we weren’t sure exactly what it was going to be like with different water levels. We put on the water just below a mysterious gorge that was only explored by NRA teachers Ian Buckley and Matias Nunez due to the class five rapids and steep canyon walls. The put-in itself was a spectacular place to be with the dramatic rock structures, and crystal clear water away from the road and in the Chilean wilderness. The rapids on this section were expected to be shallow and rocky with lower water, but right off the bat we were experiencing continuous class four boulder gardens. After about a mile of this type of whitewater we came upon the crux of the run. This rapid is hard to describe because I can think of five different ways to run it off the top of my head. We found some pretty challenging lines but we also found a little moss-covered slide on the right side of the river that was a piece of cake to run. This offered a good option for those who were intimidated by the rapid and many of us were running it backwards just for kicks. Just downstream from this rapid was another section of continuous whitewater that we made into our race-course for the boater cross that we did on our last day in Choshwanco. This race was quite invigorating for us, I won after an exhausting neck in neck battle with Keegan Grady and Jason Craig came in closely behind. Another congrats is due to Palmer Miller for winning the girl’s race. What a great way to say goodbye to the Rio Fuy. 

                On departure from Choshwanco we had originally planned to go to the Rio Futalefu early do to the low water levels on most other rivers. Although we were unable to book a spot on the ferry that we need to take in order to get that far south. Instead we have just moved back to our base in Pucon. Many would consider this a disappointment but the whitewater surrounding Pucon has hushed any complaints that would have been made. Today we did a double dip (two laps) on the Rio Palguin. The Rio Palaguin is pristine little creek about thirty minutes from our base. The rapids consist of introductory slides and waterfalls which serve as excellent creek boating practice for our group. “This would make a good after-work run” said Ian Buckley (NRA math and science teacher) with dreams of moving to Chile. On the ride home from this trip it was pretty hard not to feel satisfied with an epic day of hard work and good kayaking.

                Now as the sun has set, steam from the volcano that towers above us glows faintly with a red heat from deep within the earth. Study hall is soon to be over for my classmates and I, and the light of my computer will be replaced with a warm, natural fire light from outside. With this gathering at the fire will come the start of a new week of school and kayaking in the Chilean sunshine.

                Peace out,

David Gorski

David Hughes and Tracy d’Arbeloff waiting in line to pass the swinging bridge

Yesterday, Tracy d’Arbeloff, Julia Fisher, Emery-Kate Tillman and I were treated to three solid hours of playing at the Liacura hole while David Hughes coached us on spins, flashbacks and blunts. The rest of the group was powerhousing down the Palguin, which meant wide open spaces for us, endless rides and no waiting in the eddy. I was so excited that I left my gear bag behind! 

Tracy d’Arbeloff Shredding

So I sat on a rock in the river and was able to get some pictures, with my little point and shoot camera (yes, I have camera envy) of these girls TEARING IT UP. The improvement between their first rides and their final rides was remarkable. David had these girls dialed in: he would watch their ride, and then with one single gesture explain to them what needed to improve. Before I knew it, Emery was spinning clean and Tracy was full on blunting.  And, all dry on my rock,  I was going nuts wanting to get on the water!

Spanish Teacher Julia Fisher surfing while Coach Hughes looks on

David was kind enough to lend me his gear and pretty soon I was edging into the hole as he continued coaching from the rock. Previously to New River Academy, I had only been in a hole once. I am very talented at getting windowshaded and I also have a penchant for being flushed.  After seeing me take a few pathetic goes at the hole that first day, all the students had advice for me. Palmer Miller and Jason Craig in particular took a lot of time out from their workout to help out their clueless English teacher. So, I was just learning to stay upright and surf for a few seconds before the inevitable windowshade.

Emery-Kate Tillman concentrating

David gave me a very simple instruction for spinning, and somewhat dubiously I gave it a try. Eyes on the rock….left paddle stroke and BAM! I was back surfing! I did that for a while, wild-eyed, wondering what to do next, and was finally kicked upright, flipped and flushed out. When I came up, Tracy, Emery and Julia were shouting "YEAAAHHH LINA!!!" and David gave me a thumbs up. WOW.

Melina Coogan in some borrowed Gear

For the rest of the day I mostly surfed and flushed but I got a few more spins out of the afternoon. I couldn’t believe it. I felt like the biggest rodeo champion the world has ever seen. The girls, David and I finished off the day with blackberry Kuchan, a traffic jam at a swinging bridge and plenty of early 90′s music from the radio. We arrived home to dinner and happy kids telling stories of the Palguin.

David Hughes going Huge (and blurry!)

Life is good!

David Hughes explaining flashback technique to Tracy d’Arbeloff and Emery-Kate Tillman

Alex Shallhorn and Emery-Kate Tillman in Pucon, bright, beautiful, colorful and blending in.

The land of the red house and the man with the wide-brimmed hat. The car that stubbornly parked across the train tracks, a pit of clovers in the midst of winter, the lost hikers’ encounter with the mad man, the hidden risks of pumpkin smashing.  

Last night was all stars and smoke and story telling. A perfect evening, fed by exhaustion and contentment, a view of 8 volcanoes and three green lagoons in our recent memory, no television, no computers, no Ipods, nothing but a tremendous fire that took 4 of us to build- one blows on embers while another feeds the fledgling flame with tiny sticks, one is out hunting for tinder and one is blocking the wind. Gradually the flame grew and took on a life of its own.

The fire even outlasted our stories, and there were a lot of stories.

Shh, Listen
Symphony of summer

Orchestrated sound

Swollen breeze

Tastes warm

Whispers distract

Trees murmur

Do you hear it?

Parched dust

Prickled skin

Stained sweet

Careful!

Sly seduction

Hidden bite

Silky red

Laughing rain

Drops tickle

Enticed smiles

Wind’s lullaby

Softly now

Drift, feather, drift

Did you make a wish?

Hush now

Day sleeps

Goodnight.

-Tracy d’Arbeloff