Tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina is the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Sitting on the bank of the Nantahala River, the NOC has been working with paddlers and rafters for the past 30 years, through its outdoor programs and camps. Its excellent service is world-renowned and people continuously return. Many expert paddlers are born at the kid, teen, and adult kayak camps and programs. Sam Fulbright, a New river Academy alumnus, professional photographer, and an avid playboater, attended two of the teen kayak camps. The beginner camp gave him more confidence that backed up what he already knew. The intermediate camp helped him delve more into the sport of freestyle kayaking, and by the end he was hitting stern squirts and cartwheels. He believes the “NOC was [really big in] solidifying my boating skills. I found that their programs gave me a lot of confidence in my kayaking and they worked really hard to get all the fundamentals of kayaking built up, and built up well.” For the experienced paddlers to the rookies who are scared to run Nantahala Falls, the Nantahala Outdoor Center is the perfect place to have a good time and life-changing experience.

Colorful walls were commonplace in bright Pichilemu. Photo by Palmer Miller

This wood was outside of a vendor's stall, that was selling wooden objects. Photo by Palmer Miller

This sign was seen on the side of a government building in Pichilemu, Chile. Photo by Palmer Miller

Many signs were either worn away or rusted by extensive use or exposure to weather. Photo by Palmer Miller

Walls in Pichilemu were often covered in designs or texture. Photo by Palmer Miller

This colorful sign was above the entrance of a family run fruit stand. Photo by Palmer Miller

Many buildings were covered in dust and sand swept up from the dirt roads and beaches by the wind. Photo by Palmer Miller

Hope you Enjoy!

            Chile is amazing!! I cannot believe more people have not come here to experience its beauty! One of my favorite activities that we have done was slide down Los Tres Altos. These waterfalls are known throughout the kayaking community for the big pools at the bottom and the surrounding nature.

Los Tres Saltos: The first waterfall

We took Sunday off to rest and relax. Sleeping in was the perfect beginning to such a wonderful day. At 11:30 we all packed in the van and headed to Los Tres Altos. None of us knew what to expect when we got there. As we parked the van, David asked us to get together outside of the van. He began to talk to us in a serious tone about how sometimes you don’t know what to expect from the owners. I was sure that we would have to pile back in and head back to base camp, until a smile appeared on David’s face. He said, “That’s why we have to be stealthy”; I knew we were going to have a great time. He also told us that we needed to act like tourists taking a lot of photos. Well the boys had afield day acting like Chinese tourists taking pictures.

Julia Fisher, Emery Tilman, Palmer Miller, Melina Coogan, Alex Shallhorn, and Tracy d’Arbeloff

To get to the top of the waterfall without climbing up a rock face we had to hike up the mountain. It was literally straight up the entire way, no joke. Though I was tired once I go to the top, the view refreshed my energy. The rolling mountains with the Volcano in the distance take ones breath away! We then jumped the fence into a field of blackberry bushes. They were the biggest I have ever seen (or eaten)! We had to pry away the boys from the blackberries before we could continue on through the woods to get to the top of the creek. Once there we changed into dry tops, shorties, and helmets. We rock-hopped down the creek to the top of a series of natural slides above the waterfall. Of course the easiest way to get past them is to practice for the bigger waterfall by sliding. After spending time on those we arrived al primero cascada de Los Tres Saltos.

This 20ft. drop lands into a huge pool. With all my gear on I take a pirate floaty to sit on. I creep to the edge of the water, preparing myself for my ride. I sit down, take a deep breath, and then blast off!! My heart races as I fly down the water over the edge and into the air. For a moment I am supergirl! Unfortunately my daydream only last for a moment, until I splash into the pool, bottom first. As I surface I am filled with excitement and joy; that was incredible! I watch as others follow suit, each in their own way. David Hughes and Isaac Holden come down together holding hands, while Keegan Grady films his way down. Everyone had a blast.

From climbing down into a gorge to sliding down waterfalls, our day was packed with fun and adventure. Our day at Los Tres Saltos was a day that I will never forget!

 
Palmer Miller in front of Los Tres Altos