The Paddler ezine WW kayak collection 2013 | Page 103
Follow the leader on the Upper Palguin
hostel in a near by town. The next day dawns
with beautiful sunrise and dry kit, dry clothes,
dry sleeping bags, dry tents and a happy Avocado
crew.
Our next stop is the Rio Curringue. A misleading
guide book description means taking a long time
to find where this beautiful river begins but
eventually we find it and put on to a fun grade 4
boulder garden gorge, which flows through an
enormous natural arch. The arch is beautiful and
can only truly be seen from a kayak, it stands
around 30-metres high and both sides meet at
the top – it is breathtaking.
Bright and vivid
We camp another night at the put in on one of
my favourite campsites so far. Nicknamed the
Hole, it is a small abandoned quarry which dips
down beside the road. The night is clear and the
stars look like something out of a film – so
bright and vivid.
Another quick run in the morning and then we
are headed to a park and huck the Salto de
NIlaque. We arrive just before lunch and do
some scouting. It takes me about three minutes
to figure out that this is a 60-footer that I
definitely want to run and another three minutes
to scout and visualise the seal launch, entry and
the point I am going to tuck. Then one last scout
of the pool to make sure there are no hazards
down there.
Photos by
Pundy, Marco,
Todd Wells and
Seth Ashworth.
I express my intention to run it and we discuss
safety, get changed and then make our way to our
different spots. The drop itself is a no brainer.
Seal launch out, paddle into the middle of the
flow, stay straight on the ramp which is the first
half of the drop and then tuck up for the last half
of freefall. Once I style the l ????$?????????????)?????????????A??????????????????!?????????)????????????????????????????????)?????????]??????)????????????????????????)???????)????????????????????????!??????????)????????????????????1?????]??????)??)??????????????????????????????????????)??????]????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????()??????????()Q???????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????)?????????????????????L??????????????)???????????????????()Q??A?????????((