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About: Errik

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I am Errik Hill a grade 11 student attending the infamous New River Academy. Home is one of two places: A. Bracebridge, Ontario living on an island on Lake Muskoka for the summers or B. Steamboat Springs, Colorado where I shred the slopes on my telemark skis. Traveling around the world and experiencing different cultures is one of many true passions. I absolutely love to kayak whether it is creeking, river running or play boating. New River Academy is an awesome combination of my two loves where I will be surrounded by the rivers of Chile and the longest river in the world the White Nile of Uganda. My brother Matti, a NRA 2010 graduate, first taught me how to kayak and inspired me to become a better boater. I also owe my kayak introduction to Dan Piano of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. I really want thank my awesome brother Matti and my loving parents for sending me to a New River Academy and helping me do the thing I love.

Posts by Errik Hill:

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Life in the Outside World

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

After the start of normal school back my town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado I truly know how unique the NRA program is and how much it has to offer. While I was attending I knew I was super lucky to go, but know that it is a huge reality check to step back and watch the new batch of kids build those memories and experiences that I got to have last year. I will never forget the time I had with New River and all the laughs, excitement, adrenaline, friendships, and countless other things. With each experience more memorable than the last. I would like to share some more pictures that are rotating on my home screen that I see constantly and just think of how lucky we all are to be part of such a great program. Also a HUGE thank you to Lorenzo (the Godfather), Tino, Chris, Matt, Kai-Wen, Kira, and Lester for everything they have done for me. And an ever HUGER thank you to the man, David Hughes. Dave has left me with so much more than just a year of school doing what I love, he has given me lessons that i will take with me through my life and use every day. Thank you everyone for making such a unforgettable year.

Errik Hill

Check out a video from current Huge student Colin Klien:The Freshness



My self at the New River Dries. Photo by Alex Andersen

 



The ferry boat that took us to the Hairy Lemon. Photo by Errik Hill



Hunt Jennings looks on at the construction of a dam over the Silverback Rapid. Photo by Errik Hill



Hairy Lemon Uganda. Photo by Errik Hill



Pepper in a locals hand at NRE. Photo by Errik Hill Photo by Errik Hill



Siete Tazas on the Rio Claro. Photo by Errik Hill

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Posted in Academics, Kayak School, Photography | Comments Off

Not Really Dry

Saturday, April 30th, 2011

After getting back from Tennessee and North Carolina we hit up the New River Dries at 16 feet. The waves brought me back to the times we had on in Uganda.  It was hard to bid fair well to Coach Tino so he could go up and kill it in the Whitewater Gran Prix. Overall it was a sick day with everyone throwing down huge tricks and having fun. Check out some of the photos from the epic day.

Published by Errik Hill



Nick Simpson on the right waves. Photo by Errik Hill



Jordan Poffenberger pan-aming. Photo by Errik Hill



Jacob Slobodian throwing an air-screw. Photo by Errik Hill



Shane Groves going huge on the middle wave. Photo by Errik Hill



David Hughes getting massive air on a pan-am. Photo by Errik Hill

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Tags: Errik Hill, Jacob Slobodian, Jordan Poffenberger, new river dries, nick simpson
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How’s Your Aim at the NOC Shootout

Saturday, April 23rd, 2011

Last weekend the NRA staff and students competed in the Nantahala Outdoor Center Shootout. Needless to say NRA defiantly owned most of the competition as you can see in Kalob’s blog post. All the pros came into town to throw down and party with the locals. Check out some of my pictures.

Published by Errik Hill



Brian Krik Throwing a Huge Loop. Photo by Errik Hill



Coach Tino Specht Throwing a Space Godzilla. Photo by Errik Hill



Clay Wright Leaning into a Loop. Photo by Errik Hill

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My New Skillz

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

I now come away from Uganda to the cold and wish that there was some boating weather here. On my blog I show pictures of other people and how skilled they are. After learning so much I think it is my turn to post some photos of me this time. Uganda was an amazing experience both and off the water. Just so everyone out there can see the real me as well.

Published by Errik Hill



Me throwing out for a clean blunt. Photo by Jessica Droujko



Bringing around a clean Blunt Photo by Jessica Droujko



Dropping into Silverback.

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Student Update

Monday, March 7th, 2011

It is said that all good things come to an end. I can tell you know that in NRA’s case that is certainly true. It is almost time to leave Uganda for home and everyone is most likely sad to leave. It is not the food or heat that will be missed it will be the kayaking and this special river. This last week has been a whole new experience for all of us. elephants, hippopotamus, and endless amounts of birds passing over us was all we saw on our, lets say exhausting safari. I will speak on behalf of the students and say we were tired of sitting on the bus all day but worth it for the animals. We travelled down to the southern hemisphere and the bottom corners of Uganda. The sides of the rivers were filled with lazy water buffalo mingling with hippopotamus while snacking on whatever they find to eat. We were hoping to see some more crocodiles but the hippos were just as amazing. One morning game drive we came across a herd of elephants crossing the road with little babies in tail. The bus pulled over and all jumped up on the roof to snap photos and take an hour of video. After all the animal viewing it was time to drive back to Kampala and had a few little problems. After a half hour or so we were driving up the hill and started to putter and run out of gas. We pulled over in the side of a road and started to play games, wrestle and climb trees waiting for some gas. After an hour or so we finally took back off down the road. Another 3 hours or so and the hydraulics tube poped and started to hiss, but that was not nearly as bad as our problem before. All and all aside the safari was a great trip and something that none of us have ever seen before.

Published by Errik Hill

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Keepin it Fresh After Midnight

Sunday, February 27th, 2011

So, who says that taking picture at night is hard? Certainly not Sir Matt Smink who has taught me my favorite type of photography. Night photography. Leaving the exposure open and shinning lights on the subject and just messing around is the cool part of it all. Making ghost images, laser beams with light, and seeing what comes out after all the hard work for one shot. Here are some of my favorite shots that my friend, Hunt and I worked on for the assignment.

Published by Errik Hill



Bad luck on Widow Maker. Photo by Errik Hill



Hereeeeee's Hunt. Photo by Errik Hill



Arson is one of Hunts hobbies. Photo by Errik Hill



Future Superhero? Photo by Errik Hill

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A New Week a New Adventure

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

A new week a new adventure. Yes that is right I said the title twice. Have a problem with then call me up. Well any-who that is enough of that. Uganda is still shooting wristers at me (hockey reference) and knocking me down all day long. After packing up from the unforgettable Hairy Lemon island I became sad but knew that we were to return there again in the next few weeks. Yesterday we arrived at our new destination of Eden Rock, which is a small campground with grass and tree, also power and internet for all the techno geeks at our school.The grass is a great change of scenery from all the dirt and is super nice to camp on. I have set up a little neighborhood of tents with a tarp covered over patio area. The meals are different and include meat. Real meat, something that isn’t to common here in Uganda. I have definitely lost weight, I left with all my shorts fitting and now I have to run holding my pants up. I think it due to all the vegetables and our coaches running us every morning. Today while at Eden Rock we run the famous Silverback section and Bujagali Falls. Silverback has waves that crash five feet over your head. The lines are what ever you want to make them. Out last photo assignment was to do a action photo shoot and get the best shots of people at the perfect time. The Nile Special was prime to get all the shots that we needed to complete the assignment.For getting the crystal clear focus and being able to see all the water drops clearly and perfectly  you need to turn you shutter speed up. And remember always keep your paddle in the water.

Published by Errik Hil

Click Here, for more blogs by Errik Hill



Hunt Jennings initiating a blunt on Nile Special. Photo by Errik Hill



Coach Tino Specht throwing down a pan-am on the Special. Photo by Errik Hill



Local Chugga out on the Special. Chugga works at the Hairy Lemon and is building a house down from the wave. Photo by Errik Hill



Lorenzo Andrade The Godfather Astorga landing a pan-am on the Nile Special. Photo by Errik Hill



Kalob Grady flip-turning on the Special. Photo by Errik Hill



Coach bring around a huge air-screw. Photo by Errik Hill

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Tags: Errik Hill, Hairy Lemon, Hunt Jennings, Tino Specht, Uganda
Posted in Kayak School, Kayaking, Photography, Whitewater Countries | Comments Off

Oh Take Me Where the Paddlers Face Off On the Wave

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

As we get closer to week 2 of our epic journey I can’t help but write a blog to show the rest of the world about this magical place. We have travelled up river (actually south) to do a river run for the day. We paddled up to, but not did run, the most famous Nile rapid, Itanda Falls, and Hypoxia. Itunda Falls is an insane class V run with huge hole that would absolutely destroy you and waves that crash 15 feet over your head. Hypoxia could be considered the biggest hole on a river in the world. Hypoxia is properly named and if one were to run it now it is too low to run and is this said person did do it they would most likely die from, hypoxia (rapid and lack of oxygen). We kicked off the day playing at Super Hole, wich to me is not that super compared to big wave surfing. After playing we started to paddle across one of many lakes of the day to the next rapid, Itanda. We got out walked around it all and got back in to paddle across yet another lake. After lake hopping we got down the rapids, Harrier the Dog, and Coach Tino’s favorite wave. After all that we ended at the Hairy Lemon and got out of our boats and chowed down on some dinner. The meals are all buffet style and mostly contain no form of meat of any kind. A lot of beans, rice, and potatoes. Monkeys spy on you as they lurk in the darkness of the trees and birds flew over top and dive bomb the water for little fish. Nile Special wave is world class and you can throw any trick with an ariel bonus. I have mastered my blunts and am now working on clean blunts, Pan-Am’s, and bread and butter. It is amazing paddling with so many gifted people pushing you to try new tricks and go bigger than you ever have before. Overal I think that I will for sure return and hopefully with my brother and show him up on how much I have learned am going to learn.

Published by Errik Hill

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Errik Hill doing a clean blunt on The Nile Special. Photo by Kai-Wen Pai



Hunt Jennings looping at Super Hole. Photo by Errik Hill



Our little van loaded up for the shuttle. Photo by Errik Hill



Coach Tino throwing a clean blunt. Photo by Errik Hill



Flower I found at the Hairy Lemon. Photo by Errik Hill

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Tags: Errik Hill, Kayaking, Nile Special, Tino Specht, Uganda, White Nile
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Spanish 4′s look at the Hairy Lemon (Ingles)

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

To get to the Hairy Lemon island you have to drive in a bus and pass by all the little African kids smiling at you with their big white teeth. After the road ends at the river you must signal for a little boat to come over and pick you up. You put all your gear in this little boat which is usually almost sinking and paddle to the island. After you pull up to the beach and the first thing that you see is the kitchen and eating area. You can see all the tropical trees with monkeys swinging from tree to tree. When you walk from the kitchen the first thing that you see is the chill spot, with couches and hammocks. Keep walking and see the little cabanas and bunkhouse and the other beach. If you walk up the hill you can see all the camping spots and pick a place for your tent. You want to pick a place under a shady tree to protect you from the sun. After you get all set up you can go out for your surf. You surf next to little African boys and men on the rocks. You  can throw huge tricks on the wave. After you return you get ready for dinner by putting long clothes on and deet to protect you from the mosquitos. After dinner you can stay up and chat or head of to bed for another action packe day at the Hairy Lemon.

Click Here to see Taylor Cote’s version en Español

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Future National Geographic Photographer? Maybe, I’ll Let You Decide

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

Staying at the Hairy Lemon you get to wake up and see monkeys swinging from tree to tree or running around on the ground picking up little pieces of food like little squirrels. However with this amount of monkeys you think they would be friendly but, no. They are very shy and hard to get a close up picture of them. For our first photo assignment it was our job to get all up in the monkeys grill and show them who’s boss, but with a camera. To capture the monkey you have two options to get it while it is running or jumping in the trees or sitting, posing in the tree while you seek up on it. To get a good action shot you need to raise you shutter speed to get the monkey speeding off away from the lens. With raising your shutter speed you need to compensate with your aperture on a higher f-stop. To capture the little mono sitting snacking you will want to keep your aperture lower so you open it up and let the colors of the tree an monkey soak in to the film. One more trick to add to the magicians routine about catching the monkeys is camera battery power. Being on an island and only have very little time of our solar power, a camera dies pretty quickly. 

Published by Errik Hill



See and download the full gallery on posterous

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