Here is the Chile Rivers installment of the Rio Claro!
The kayak school has been hard at work producing a video guide series of all the major Chile Whitewater hotspots!
Posts Tagged ‘whitewater’
Rio Claro | New River Academy
Friday, December 11th, 2009Achibueno! Gehzuntight!
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009Although my actual river time on the Achibueno was limited (see past article about teacups and back pain), time spent taking photos definitely made up for it. Situated in a quaint little chalet type lodge, surrounded by snowcapped peaks, and access provided only by a Chilean 4×4 road (the road was not so much a road, but an adventure) our Achibueno base was by far the most rustic, as well as the most relaxing. We arrived late in the afternoon to a warm fire and dinner only an hour away. We have been eating like kings, so don’t worry mom and dad. I set up my hammock and did a little homework. As the sun was starting to wane the time arrived for some longer exposure shots. I captured an excellent photo of Andy writing our physics test by head-lamp. The next day after a half day of school we did the never ending run. What we thought was 9 kilometers turned into 900… minus like 885, the last half of which we were barely scraping over rocks. The upper section, though short was just as fun. There are more boofs per mile than any other river ever, there were more bpm’s than techno music. After two colder days off I pulled my self up by my bootie straps and ran the upper section. Though short it did provide tons of fun. With some more technical maneuvers, and some burlier holes the run turned into a super sweet game of follow the leader.
The time off the water did provide me with some great pictures. For our photo class our assignment was to do long exposure shots. The grand fire place provided a great source for lighting as well as the gathering of people. It was hard to get star trails this time around, but the clouds did move relatively fast so that helped to provide some cool night shots. The time spent at the Achibueno was great, no interwebs and limited electricity brought us closer together, but the smell from camping and wet gear may have driven us a little apart, however I am very grateful for dave for organizing such a wonderful string of destinations. High five Dave!
See you on the water!
Snapshots!
Friday, November 27th, 2009While we have been in the magical place of the Achiebueno, the creative writing class was inspired. The beauty captivated us to do an activity called “snapshots”. This is where for 5 minutes straight you write about a certain topic. All our topics have to do with the things around this location. The focus was more on figurative language and less on complete sentences. Enjoy!
Essence of Achiebueno
Perpetual blueness from the icey waters…alive icecubes…the cozy, earthy abode…smell of wood all around…a forest that once was…the long journey from the tahoe to our downy sleeping bags…trying on the mind…surrounded by jungle we become one of the colorful animals within…around the fire we crowd…cavemen once again…
The River
The atmosphere on earth…all the blue so teasing with it innocent lightness…nipping at my boat and blade…around the stone giants…hide and seek between them, careful not to get stepped on or flip while dodging…the excitement fleeing from my face replaced with amazement and adoration…the giant bumblebees flapping and cawing wildly above us as we bop down another mine field…
Fire and Light
The uncaged beast smoldering, hiding for his next strike on another lifeless log…greed and sloth encompass his existence…the beam of the glow eats away at the darkness only though where a glance may be placed, those few seconds the demons scurry to another ominous corner only to return when the gaze is gone…
The Sky
Racing each other to see the next beautiful vista…as if they haven’t seen it a hundred times before but they have the same excitement and love they have had for centuries for their mother…playfully tiptoeing over the mountain peaks then the dash to be the first to the next set…irritating the sun when they cover his proud gleam when people cannot enjoy and adore him any longer…galloping horses without masters, untamed yet know the way and have the keenest sense of direction…to be in Pegasus’ likeness, their aspiring dream…fleeting to our eyes never the same powdery blob…swirling and twirling a snowy ballroom dance…how it can turn angry in seconds and weep its sorrows on its mother, a poor child…
Back from the Waterfall Paradise
Saturday, November 21st, 2009What an amazing week we’ve had at the Rio Claro! This place was a paddlers’ wonderland. It had the most perfect basalt bowls that these mouthwash blue waterfalls would pour into. Everyone had the greatest time launching off them-throwing free wheels, doing crazy boofs, super deep plugs, or even jumping off them. I definitely preferred staying in my boat and going for a ginormous boof. Both us photo and the video students were in heaven. It was a gorgeous place to shoot photos. It was another place where we were staying right next to the river. So after school we would put all our stinky kayaking gear on and go paddling.
At the hostel we were staying at we would have classes by the fire some mornings. It was a really cool experience having class there, all snuggled in our down jackets next to the fire. The food there was also so amazing. Its so fun to try all the new Chilean dishes. As always it was sad to leave but now we’re all ready for our next location which will hold even more new adventures.
Why I paddle
Friday, November 13th, 2009They say that the paddling community has only 85% the number of participants than in 2000. Where are the youth paddling? Are they paddling? After traveling all around the country with New River Academy I have noticed that there is a surprising lack young paddlers. On the Gauley I observed that the average paddler was between the age of 25 and god-knows-how-old. The only other young paddlers out there I saw other than our group was that of World Class Academy. Even here in Colorado I am noticing a lack of younger paddlers. When I go out and paddle it is me and about 4 of my friends, we make up a lot of Steamboat’s core youth paddling community.
Kayaking has taught me many great life skills. Perseverance, attitude, hard work. Now tell me if you are a parent or parent figure, these are qualities that you would like your child to have, eh? Sure paddling may be scary at first but given the right time and frame of mind, which is a very important thing to have, kayaking can be a life long endeavor. I don’t think that I will ever stop kayaking; it is a firm tree that has taken root in my heart and provides me the fruit of joy and personal growth.
Kayakers are always willing to help. Many ‘normal’ people only help after finding out what’s in it for them. More than just help fellow humans I believe that kayakers also have a better connection with their earth as well. We look out for our rivers, we look out for the fish in them, and we look out for the people who use them; not just for recreation, but for other things like irrigation and drinking water. We loath pollution, like that of mining waste filling valleys, or dumping of chemical; we protect fish populations, or at least try to help them by opposing dams that inhibit natural migration.
Determination. Huge part of kayaking. In the middle of a rapid you can’t just give up, you need to keep going and you need to do it right. This may be a fear of death but it is all about determination. You have to be determined to get to the end in one piece, to get past the obstacle by paddling as hard as possible. Your muscles may burn, your hands may be blistered but you need to get past that and think only about what must be done at that one moment. This may also be called perseverance, and with out it I feel like I would not accomplish anything, not try anything. That’s another thing kayaking is all about trying new things. New experiences, Huge Experiences.
This is why I am so lucky to go to New River Academy. I get to travel all around the world while kayaking at the same time. See new places, meet new people, and see different ways of living. I like to think of my kayak as a passport. Not only as a way to get from point A to point B, but also a way of meeting new people, and interacting with different cultures. I see kayaking and rivers as a worldly venture, one that can not be bound to certain areas or demographics. Kayaking can not be put into a box and stored, it needs to stay free, to crash down the tumbling rapids, and wind lazily down the canyons.
Kayaking is my life, river water is my blood, and my gear is my skin. The numbers may be declining, there may be less youth paddling, but kayaking will never die. It is a lifestyle, a teacher, and a friend. Open the front door and let him in, and like a friend who is a pilot, kayaking will take you places you’ve never imagined.
This article can also be found on Paddlinglife.net
Kickin’ Back in Pichilemu
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009The magical little surf town of Pichilemu has enchanted us all. Everyone enjoys walking around to all the little shops, buying cakes or bargaining for their first pair of Alpaca socks. I think what has marveled us all the most is the amazing waves. Everyone is going so huge on all their tricks and getting a little sun on there face to prove it. This is my first time ocean surfing and I absolutely love it! Its all pretty exciting to be able to have classes in these exquisite little cafes, the green park, or sometimes even on the beach. The sand on these beaches is way different than any beach on the east coast I have been to. Its really dark, almost black sand, from the volcanoes I guess? Some people have even been lucky enough to see some of the rarer wildlife such as a baby sea lion poking around through the surf.
Yesterday, we had a scavenger hunt all through Pichilemu. It was so fun running around trying to complete all the funny tasks. Then afterwards we all went to surf at Punta de los Lobos, aka Point of the Wolves, (cue scary music). I saw some of the biggest ocean waves there, and I think one 2-3 star day there was enough to satisfy my curiosity. I know of course some of the daredevils in the group will want to go out to the point on those 5 star days though. As you can see we’re all not worrying and being happy in this lovely little surf town.
Oh + My + Map = Maipo
Thursday, November 5th, 2009Here is the latest info on the Upper Maipo River run down here in Chile. The Upper Maipo section is definately big water.
From the start at the end of the Rio Yeso the Maipo is a full on river run. There are many large pour-overs as well as tons of huge waves. There is little to no flat water between the rapids with many little waves to play on as well as holes. The biggest main rapid is called French Curve. French Curve consists of a very large pour-over as well as two undercut rocks on river right. The whole rapid curves left hence the name french curve. At the pour over most of the water pushes right into the undercut rocks making the rapid very dangerous. Portage is strongly recommended. The run should not be taken lightly after french curve. The water is still huge and there are also many huge pour-overs and waves that are able to flip a boat at any moment.
Definite class 4-5
Don’t let the description scare you though, it is 100% fun.
Upper Maipo River Run
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See you on the water!
Cascada de las Animas
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009We all had a lovely voyage across the ocean and are comfortably settled into our first location in Chile. Cascada de las Animas translating into English as the Fall of the Spirits is located right next to the Maipo River. Its the perfect first destination because we are located right next to the river and spring is in the air. Every night we eat dinner at Cascada de las Animas either after paddling on the Maipo or going on a fun adventure in the area. We’ve also been working on making some Chilean dishes ourselves when we cook breakfast and lunch. We even had a birthday while we’ve been down here. Zoe turned 15 on October 31, I think it’s so cool to have your birthday on of all holidays, Halloween. We’re all super stoked to be here and are excited for all the amazing experiences we will have. I have put some pictures up of our first location, hope you enjoy!
Student Report #2
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009It seems I have been given the honor of writing the second student report which I have no problem with at all. It has been such an exciting jam packed couple of weeks. So, I have a pretty fun and easy job because I get to talk about all the cool things we’ve done in these past few weeks.
Well, first off, leaving the Ottawa River sure brought a tear to everyone’s eye; all those amazing play spots and our own little village. But, we didn’t despair for long becauseeee……..we were going to visit the world famous Niagara Falls! The whole group was certainly excited for this and that 7 hour car ride was just helping build up our anticipation. The whole van was chattering away at the first sighting of the Niagara Falls exit on the highway. As we entered the city all our eyes were glued to the window and we probably looked like a bunch of kids in a candy shop oogling at everything. The Canadian streets were lined with every touristy shop and museum you could think of. According to Matt Hill, our resident Canadian, Niagara Falls is like our Las Vegas. After we reached the lovely hotel we would be staying at, Dave gave us our curfew and then we were set free. While he, Melina, Tino and Tracy went to go have dinner with a family whose daughter might be attending NRA next semester, everyone else wandered down to the falls. Oh, they were a sight to behold! They were absolutely magical. You can definitely tell we were kayakers though. While everyone there was having there photos taken we were talking about what line would be the best to take off the falls. Afterwards, we went back up to the main street and started wandering around looking at all the places, discussing which one would be the best to explore. It seemed we could never decide because when we made one decision an even cooler place to go look at would pop up and start the whole process over again. When it was about time for our curfew we all meandered back and just collapsed, tired from the driving and eventful evening.
The next day we were able to visit the place where they give helicopter rides over Niagara. Apparently the company is owned by the parents of Jessica, the girl who will hopefully be able to be with us the second semester. How cool! It was like every little boy’s dream being that close up to those big machines. Her family also was so kind to us, they even made it possible for us all as a school group to visit many of the museums, including Ripley’s Believe It or Not. Leaving there that day, we all breathed a sigh of contentment, all worn out and ready to make the last leg of the journey back to our home base. The drive back wasn’t that bad, everyone in the car had at least one school assignment they needed to get done for the next school day.
The next week of school consisted of 1 hour and 30 minute classes. I know, I know sounds like a lot of school but do not fear- it was for good reason. The extra long classes enabled us to have time to paddle the Gauley River where the famous “Gauley Fest” is held every year. So sticking out that difficult bit of school for some of the week would allow us have an amazing weekend filled with big water.
Our week ended with us having Friday off to paddle the Gauley River. We had Matt Smink and Dave as our trusty guides showing us down the safe, fun lines. The Gauley has to be one of my favorite rivers to paddle because it has one of my favorite things in whitewater kayaking, big waves! So many people threw or attempted kickflips, wave wheels, and macho moves off these monstrous beauties. Everyone had the time of their lives and there was not one frowning face by the end of the day, or even the whole weekend I might add. Probably because those trips to “Fat Eddys” at the end of our river runs also had something to do with it. I mean who could keep a frown when your slurping up one of West Virginia’s finest milkshakes.
So as you can see quite an eventful couple of weeks. Everyone is still working hard, first as students, then as paddlers. We still have a little bit more to go until our first break, and I’m definitely excited to see what these next few weeks will hold.
Our Last Day in Canada
Friday, September 25th, 2009Oh, how sad it was leaving behind our sweet little home next to the Ottawa. It became like a second home almost- but I think all the places we stay will probably be like that. Anyways, for photography class, to enjoy our last full day in the Ottawa Valley, Melina surprised us both by taking us to the small town right down the road called Beachburg. Our task was to capture the essence of this quaint little place. I know I enjoyed walking up and down the streets. If you looked closely you could find so many surprises that would make an unusual photo. For a lot of my pictures, I went right up and talked to the people living in the town asking if I may take their photo, explaining I was in the NRA photo class. Of course this was always met with some, “Ohhhh! you don’t wanna take my picture!” That thought was easily dismissed with some coaxing and an irresistible smile. I know they enjoyed being my model, after it was all said and done. After we finished going around the town, we were riding back in the car when I remembered the miniature ponies we passed on the way there. I reminded Melina again about this because I wanted to see those ponies! We pulled over and I asked the lady who owned them if she would be kind enough to let us see them. She gladly brought us over into the pen where there was also goats and a little calf. She said they all get along and are all buddies, except for the male goat who occasionally spits. It was like she had her own personal petting zoo. When we got back to the base and began uploading the pictures everyone couldn’t believe we we able to do that. Just another reason for them to be wishing to have chosen photo class instead. Well, all I know is this was such a cool experience and its definitely one I’m going to remember for awhile.
This photo has been enhanced for the purpose of fun.
This photo has also been edited for fun.
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