Saturday, December 13, 2003

White Water Rafting (3 of lots)

Kelvin is also a friendly, supportive guide.  After we get through the first rapid without getting into any trouble, he's all, "Well done!" and frequently compliments us on nice paddling.  I heard, "My 12-year-old niece can paddle better than you!" coming from the other raft.

The second 4-rapid involves a 3-meter waterfall.  I was picturing, you know, waterfall, straight down.  Wasn't at all.  Just rafting over (and around and through) a bunch of rocks, and getting wet, and -- when we were done -- looking back and noticing we'd started out 9 feet higher than we were now.

Now, I'd been in the back of the raft, sorta opposite Kelvin.  (Which was good, 'cause that way I heard the commands.)  Kelvin at this point comments that one person in the raft isn't as wet as everyone else (and I'm pretty soggy and think, "Surely he can't be talking about me") and he says, "So I'm going to take their paddle..." and at this point he takes my paddle (and I think, "Uh-oh") and he directs me to the front of the raft.  (At this point, the other raft sails by, and the guide says to me, "Don't feel bad; he always picks on the pretty ones."  And I think, "Something tells me that is little consolation for what is about to occur.")  Kelvin tells me to sit my ass down (see?) in the front of the raft, facing backward, and to hold on to the ropes in front of me.  Cautiously, I do this.  He then orders everyone to forward paddle.  They do, and drive the raft back into the rocks at the bottom of the waterfall.  A huge torrent of cold water comes over the front of the raft, drenching me.  I scream (which you do when cold water pours down all over you) but I'm smiling and laughing with everyone else.  And Kelvin says, "Did I hear you say, 'Again'?"  And I'm thinking, "No, you most definitely did not," but he orders everyone to forward paddle again, and this time keeps me under the water while it pours on me for quite some time. 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ah, Kelvin had you ride the surf! Funny enough, I actually volunteered for that adventure. (Kelvin was our guide, too.)