Date: Monday, 15 August 2022
River: North West Bay River.
Water level: 13 Cumecs.
Participants: 7.
Here was some of the conversation home:
"Really peaceful at that level. Nice and fun but you can still sidesurf that shit. If you fall out you know you’re not going to have too bad a time” Josh
"All the Timbers flushed” Will
"We chopped it out mate” Josh
"I can’t believe it held” Josh
"I've got to get to uni now" Ruth
"Mykonos run first?" Josh
Lots of rain got us all pretty excited. Josh, Ben, Talia, Micheal, Liam, will and myself found ourselves at least near the sheds at 845 and on route shortly afterwards.
Pretty smelly all the thermals, not quite dry from the guides course, filled the cars. Very efficient use of three cars meant the get in was ultra efficient. Wet before even in river, big rain drops encouraged a speedy start.
Three blues with two R2s: the girls, and the boys, and the other boat with three, Micheal Josh and Liam.
Down the river we all found ourselves having a lot of fun, playing in the holes and generally being very sensible. NWB was moving quick but there was a few rocks to catch us all of gaurd and plant the boats for a great view downstream, as Josh reported.
On that "big boofy rock" josh pushed straight over and in the process gently ejected liam out the side. Oopsies, Josh and Will now R2ed and Liam joined the boys.
Talia and I had some great surfs, practised our high sides as I panicked throughout and only needed to be gently pulled out of one hole by Ben. Didn’t even zigzag the whole way down. I am very happy to report no paddles were lost and the girls were voted the best R2 team being the only boat no swimmers.
Perhaps the highlight of the run was admiring the beautiful horizon lines in the soil below the third weir. Very well decided soul and some trees really ready to fall in.
We ran the top and bottom broken weir as usual at this level, no hiccups.
Some nice not too big gently grabby holes and plenty of fun for us all without it being dangerous too much for R2s. Was a lovely fun level.
Not many places you can go run grade 3 have a great time and get back for my uni excursion at 2 pm. What a perfect morning.
Thanks to the river gods for holding her up. And thanks to Ben and josh for always being up for the paddling, I love the commitment.
Cheerio,
Ruth