The Paddler ezine WW kayak collection 2013 | Page 198

ThePaddler 198

This left me
with a dilemma.

I knew it looked low but Flemming was OK. I had
a green light feeling inside me. I put in. I had
rehearsed the line like it was a slalom course; I was
as happy and confident as I could be. I went for the
crux and drifted over a curler sending me left of my
intended course. I thought I would get away with
it, tucking and committing to the landing 80-foot
below. What happened in the next few seconds
would change my life for the next four months.
Something was waiting for me! I’m still not sure
what but it was most likely a rock slab..
Whatever it was managed to break three ribs and
fracture my L1 vertebra. The euphoric paddle out
to the
bridge
What happened in the next few
turned out
seconds would change my life for the to be the
most
next four months.
painful wild
spinal
extraction I
had ever
seen. The
rescue was
executed
with
military precision and I was in the helicopter just
40-minuets after covering 2km of class 2, one class
4 portage and a further 200m in the river getting
towed and carried. I am so thankful I was wearing
a dry suit. I managed to get the boys to take it off
me before the helicopter arrived, as I didn’t want it
cut. It was an expensive bit of kit. I was OK after an
operation in Trondheim screwing my back
together and I was off home with Bain to start the
long rehabilitation.

Something was
waiting for me!

My summary of the tour defines my perception of
a professional kayaker experiences. Its not a
glamorous life in the eyes of the Western World
but to us these places and our experiences are
much more valuable than material possessions
that have no true value. We will never be self made
millionaires as we are not willing to step on other
people to reach that next level, we have all we need
right here on the ground, in the rivers, the hills,
mountains and sky.