The Paddler ezine WW kayak collection 2013 | Page 181

James and Matt were not looking good that morning
having spent most the night in the toilet but still
found enough energy to come for a run. This started
off with a 2-3km gorge, which required a boat lower
down and assisted hand-line to get into it. Some great
grade 3-4+ boating followed in a unique jungle setting
with vines dangling and big spiders running across the
gorge walls. The whole run was about 9-10km with a
couple of portages where the whole river disappeared
down cracks with siphons and undercuts – not a place
you would want to be. It was great to paddle with Greg
and Neils and we finished the run off with traditional
man hugs and high fives American style – even James
and Matt had perked up a bit.

The run started off great with some tight one-boat
eddy-hopping down technical slides and drops. Spirits
were high but after about 600m, the first of many
portages started due to landslides off the 300m highsided jungle sides, which had choked it with wood.
These portages got harder and harder having to haul
boats up, around and through log jams and progress
was slow especially in 30 degrees heat and 100%
humidity. It was about 3pm by now in the afternoon
and we had only done about two out of four
kilometres – then the rain started and in a tight jungle
creek you need to get out quick as we knew it was
about to flash flood.

The next day Greg suggested that there was a new
descent in the area called the Soledad a 4-5km tributary
to the river Xab, a similar run to the Occisito. Of course
we were all up for that except Tony who I think had
suffered the day before with the heat and humidity and
needed to re-hydrate and chill for the day and for what
was about to come – he made the right decision.

It was great to paddle
with Greg and Neils and we finished the run off with
traditional man hugs and high fives American style

ThePaddler 181