Rogers Creek, BC The Art of Self Rescue The Chelan Gorge, WA

Dreaming
of Whitewater
Rogers Creek, BC
The Art of Self Rescue
The Chelan Gorge, WA
Chest of Treasure
Crooked River, NZ
Issue #4
March 2013
1
Welcome to
Contents
Dreaming
of Whitewater
Dreaming of Whitewater: Issue #4, March 2013
Sometimes the closest we get to kayaking is dreaming about it.
COVER SHOT
We are nearing the end of our New Zealand summer and things
have been going well. We have been super busy with work at
the New Zealand Kayak School. The last few months have been full of
long, sunny days teaching on the Buller and the Matakitaki Rivers
(after it finally stopped raining and the floodwaters subsided).
IContact Information
Some exciting news from December... Jess passed her
New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Assosiation Kayak Two Award.
The three day assessment included one personal day of skill
assessment and two days teaching clients a mix of advanced skills
and instructor training. Jess had put a lot of hard work into getting
ready for this assessment and passed well.
Daan Jimmink on the Upper
Cheakamus in Whistler, BC, Canada.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
Dreaming of Whitewater
111 Waller Street
Murchison, 7007
New Zealand
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Jess and Daan go to Rogers Creek, BC
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The Art of Self Rescue
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The Chelan Gorge, WA
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Chest of Treasure
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The Crooked River, NZ
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Gallery
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Things are starting to settle down a bit now, not so chaotic for us
and a better work-play balance. We are looking forward to getting
on some heli-flights on the West Coast in the next month.
We squeezed in a two day trip on the Upper Whitcombe a few weeks
ago, and are ready for some more paddling.
Thankyou for all the ongoing feedback and support.
We love to hear from you.
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unless otherwise stated.
Images from contributing photograpers
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please contact us.
Enjoy Issue Four.
Daan Jimmink
Jess Matheson
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Righ
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Jess Matheson on Rogers Creek, BC
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Daan getting his roll on
PHOTO//Jess Matheson Jasper Mosk on the Crooked River, NZ PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
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Jess a nd D a a n go t o
Rogers Creek
WORDS//Jess Matheson
PHOTOS//Jess Matheson and Daan Jimmink
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Rogers Creek
Jess about to drop #3 of the triple-20-footers that Rogers Creek is famous for.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
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RogersCreek
is a small gem tucked away in the mountainous forests of the Lillooet
Valley in British Columbia, Canada. It is a tributary of the Lillooet River, and is home to a
well-known set of drops. The triple falls in the gorge - three back-to-back 20-footers - have
been broadcast and published in photos, magazines and movies for quite some time. The
drops alone draw paddlers from all over, to come and enjoy this run. Although in some ways
considered a BC ‘classic’, I thought of Rogers Creek as more of a boutique-style, do-it-onceor-twice kind of adventure.
Daan and I found ourselves at Rogers Creek in September
this year, during our BC trip. On the back of some local
information, we committed to the 42 kilometre gravel road
drive along Lake Lillooet, in the hope that there would be
enough water to paddle it. Failing good water levels, we
would soak in the Tsek Hot Springs at Skookumchuck (not
that Skook) on the edge of Lillooet River.
We didn’t make it to Rogers Creek until late that evening.
I think it was something to do with paddling that morning,
the long and windy gravel road and then a short, but solid,
4WD mission to get to the put-in. Fortunately there was
still enough water to paddle it. Unfortunately, due to our
late arrival, we chose not to put on the river for what is
considered a committing class V trip in fading light, and
opted for dinner and a hot springs soak instead.
Getting up early, we set off on our trip. The optimum
window of water for Rogers Creek had been and gone
earlier in the season. Then there had been a few days of
hot weather (by BC standards) that had pumped up the
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Rogers Creek
river enough to make it a worthwhile trip. By the time
we got there, things had cooled right off again and so we
were nervous overnight that the remaining flow may drop
out on us.
Fortunately, the River Gods rained on us overnight and by
the morning, the low flow had been topped up by a few
inches. Things looked good in there and we were ready
for adventure. According to Wikipedia, an adventure is
“an exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold,
usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome”.
Rogers Creek is an adventure from start to finish. Following
the marginally epic 4WD mission to get up the hill (with a
1985 4WD truck, this is sure to increase the overall level
of adventure), you need to hike your boat back down to
river level. This was our longest scout of the day, trying to
find the best line down through the regenerating forest,
in what was once a clear-cut section of logging. Happy to
let Daan lead, I followed him through the thick, tangled
and prickly foliage, down to the water. This bush whack
Time out on the walk-in.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
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Daan airing out and loving life on #2.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
Jess about to get auto-boofed on #2.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
It's worth the walk-in.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
has historically proved quite an experience for people, but
lucky for us with a good line it took us just over 30 minutes.
Still, I was glad to see the water.
Triple 20-footers aside, Rogers Creek is actually pretty
manky. Down to the drops is mostly Class IV mank in boulder
garden format. Think weaving between pin rocks, dead
end channels and the need to assertively change direction
completely.
Manky; (adjective). Can be further defined as one or many
of the following: low water, unclean lines, potential for
pinning, jagged rocks, loss of boat plastic, high risk for
low reward boating, suddenly ending channels and often
requiring a high level of manoeuvrability.
That said, there were a couple of fun drops in there to
keep our spirits high as we made our way down. As neither
of us had been down before, we were mindful to boat-scout
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Rogers Creek
Classic Rogers Creek scenery.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
everything we could, and to bank-scout what we couldn’t
see the bottom of. The canyon walls got bigger and bigger
the further downstream we got and I was grateful that
we had a manageable flow, because in some places there
weren’t really any good eddies to stop in.
Just before you arrive at the main attraction, there is
a funky rapid that funnels you down the right wall and
through a sporty hole before you catch the eddy at the lip
of #1. Once through the hole, I realised where we were
and was mighty glad we didn’t have any carnage on that
last rapid. Once you have run the first of the three drops,
you are totally committed as there is no real way out of the
canyon until the bottom of #3.
From above, the triple 20’s are all easily scouted. Looking
down into the drops I was super excited as they are all clean,
soft and totally manageable (as long you roll up quick). #1
is a narrow ledge that funnels into a spout of water, into an
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The last rapid of note in the run. Daan amongst it.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
Jess lining up the manky entry of the last main rapid.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Daan taking a moment to enjoy the awesomeness.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Post put-in mank... Jess stoked to find a good move.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
aerated pool below. #2 is a wider ledge with a nose on the
left that almost auto-boofs you into the next pool. There is
also a bit of a pocket on the right at the bottom. Although
a little unpleasant, at our flow you could work your way
out. #3 is more of a near-vertical slide into a big pool at
the bottom.
Totally pumped to paddle down together, I was ready to go.
Then Daan blindsided me by announcing that I was going
to go first and he would follow me down the bank taking
photos and providing moral support. I dropped into #1 and
after a bit of a hit at the bottom and a quick look around,
fired off #2. There is a beautiful eddy between #2 and #3
so I took some time to chill out and enjoy the spectacular
experience of sitting in such a cool place, below one sweet
drop and above the next. #3 provided another hit – I almost
felt winded – but as I resurfaced I was already full of big
smiles. From pool below, I took some photos of Daan as he
paddled down. He also had a clean run of all three drops and
we were stoked to meet up at the bottom. It was awesome!
Following the good drops, there is some more Class IV –
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Rogers Creek
V mank to contend with. Things are a little more jangly
and bumpy, although there was one standout rapid mixed
in there. It was a boof into a ramp that banked up and
around a rock wall and into an eddy. We rounded a few
more corners and found a tree across the river, so chose to
exit the river there. There are horror stories of kayakers
paddling down to the logical take-out at the road bridge,
only to find that their car has been set fire to; or the guy
who lives next to the bridge standing there with a gun. We
stealthed up through the forest and back to the road, in
the hopes of avoiding such an encounter.
Shuttle complete, we packed up and moved on. All in all
we had about a three hour round trip including shuttle
at both ends and the hike-in. With a bigger group things
would certainly take longer, while a group that knew the
way through, could be faster. We were happy to take
our time, as Rogers Creek, although a little ‘boutique’ in
style, is a beautiful place and the colour of the water is
absolutely incredible. Mank aside, if a set of triple backto-back 20-footers sounds like your kind of scene, then
perhaps Rogers Creek is the adventure for you.
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The Art of
Self Rescue
WORDS and PHOTOS//Jess Matheson
If you're going over, try and take the time to get a decent start position!
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
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In the start position, your body is wrapped around
the kayak and your hands are out of the water.
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The control hand is moving back to the shoulder and
the head is following the blade.
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When you begin the sweep, the paddle should move
out and away from the side of the boat.
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As you near the end of the sweep, the boat should
be almost completely upright.
3
The paddle should stay near the surface as you
sweep and the knee should be rolling the boat.
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In the finish position, the body and paddle are
balanced over the boat.
Rolling is,
without question, a fundamental skill in the sport of
kayaking. The river doesn’t care who you are, or how good you are - a
newbie, a weekend warrior, a long-time veteran or a casual adventurer.
It is all the same once you are upside down. Life for everyone in the
group, yourself included, is a whole lot easier when you stay in your
boat and roll back up.
When you need to roll, you need to roll. And just because you learnt to
roll once, doesn’t mean that it will always be there when you need it.
Like many other things, your roll needs regular maintenance if you want
it work on demand. Do a little bit often and keep at it. The more you do
and the better you get at rolling, the more reliable it becomes.
There are many different types of roll, and while they all have the same
outcome – you roll back up – there is a good place to start, and that is
with the Sweep Roll. Once you have this as a foundation, it is a brilliant
stepping stone to lots of other rolls: hand rolls, C to C rolls, back deck
rolls and so on. Experienced paddlers often roll from any position, and
may use a combination of different rolls to get back up.
Unfortunately there is not much that is intuitive about the movements of
the roll. This means that without training, our body will try and do things
that aren’t really that helpful in the rolling process. Not to mention that
sometimes we entirely forget bits and pieces altogether.
This article takes a look at the Right Sweep Roll and the components that
bring it all together.
Some not-so-secret things about rolling…
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The Art of Self Rescue
1. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not
about the arms. The boat is rolled
upright with the knees and the paddle
is merely a tool to assist this process.
In the case of the Right Sweep Roll, the
right knee is the one that needs to be
working.
2. Extension makes things easier. This
is the art of moving the paddle away
from the boat when you begin to roll.
Instinctively, we want to pull down as
hard as we can on the paddle to get
ourselves back up. Go wide!
3. It should feel easy and smooth. If it
feels hard, awkward or clunky, then
chances are something is not quite
right. The rolling blade should not
have any pressure on it and should be
slicing through the water with minimal
resistance.
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To get to the start position, rotate your body 90º to
the left. Push your arms into the water and try to keep
them at an even depth. Make sure you are wrapped
to the side of the boat. The middle of your paddle
shaft should be in line with your hip. Depending on
you and your boat, parts of your forearms or wrists
will be touching the boat; this is good for keeping
things compact. Look at your blade angle and make
sure it creates a V shape with the boat. Drop your
head down towards the water, this will lower your
profile as you roll over or for when you are already
upside down. When you are upside down, your hands
should be well out of the water.
In the start position for the right roll, the front blade
(right blade) should create a V shape with the boat;
the power face of the blade will be slightly angled
towards you. This is achieved by rolling (cocking) the
wrists back a fraction. Once you are upside down, the
angled blade will be set to “slice”. From here, you
need to extend away from the kayak. Pulling directly
down on the blade will cause the blade to dive deep.
For what seems to be a minor part of the roll, blade
angle has one of the biggest influences on how it all
goes. Blade angle varies from person to person and
it may take some experimentation to find the best
angle for you. For anyone who learnt to roll with a
flat blade, the angled blade is a modern evolution
from those days. A flat blade usually leads to muscling
the roll.
The Art of Self Rescue
The finish position is the destination at the end of
the sweep roll. It is a controlled and versatile position
from which to make your next move. In the finish,
you are rotated 120º to the right, where the paddle
has finished sweeping. The wrists are rolled back, in
particular the control hand (left hand) which is close
to the left shoulder, the head is looking down the
paddle shaft, the blade is out of the water and you
are balanced and in control.
The sweep component of the roll should naturally
lead you to the finish position, rather than it being a
go-to position at the end. That said; if you don’t end
up in the finish then get yourself to that position.
Don’t underrate the position, as a good finish can
often save a below-average roll!
What the end of a sweep roll should look like.
(But you in the picture, not Daan).
Some thoughts for practising:
Your hands should be well out of
the water before you begin to roll.
* A pool is the best place for
cementing the correct muscle
memory. If you don’t have access
to a pool, find some flat water.
* You are training your brain and
body to perform on demand. The
point is to build up muscle memory,
so repetition is key. Do a few, and
then rest for a bit.
* Practise rolling in moving water on
the river: paddle out of a river right
eddy and when your boat is at right
angles to the flow, tuck left and do a
righty roll!
* Add a bit of stress to the roll in
easy water: no start position, lots
of rolls, changing sides underwater,
and so on.
* Try finding the start position once you
are underwater. It is good for orientating
yourself underwater, especially when
you get flipped over unexpectedly.
* Once you have figured out the roll
on one side, and it's going okay, invest
some time into learning the other side.
In the long run, you want to be able to
roll on both sides.
Nothing is better than hands-on tuition with the roll. Come and find us for a course in rolling
and learn it properly from the start. For those of you who can already roll, we also do rolling tune-ups.
The power face of the blade should be
angled slightly towards you and your kayak.
Hold that blade angle until you
are completely upside down.
From the start position, the paddle is swept out
and away from the boat. The right blade needs to
stay high in the water - this is known as extension,
and can be one of the hardest parts of the roll to
conceptualise. As soon as the right blade is moving
through the water, the right knee needs to be rolling
the boat. Think about moving your knee up towards
the surface. Without this motion, the roll will rely on
the strength of your arms and that is bad! Your eyes
and head should follow the blade as it moves. This
will ensure your head is in the right place.
The blade should be slicing through the water as
you sweep. To maintain the same blade angle that
you began the sweep with, the control hand (the left
hand) needs to roll back to the left shoulder. Keep
your left elbow in close to the body as you do this.
The left hand controls the pitch of the right blade
in the water. There should be no resistance on the
blade. You are aspiring to a roll that feels effortless.
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Get your start position sorted before you go underwater.
It saves time and energy.
Finish Position
Start Position
Blade Angle
The Sweep
The Sweep Roll begins somewhere, and I find that
this often comes as a surprise to people. The start
position is important primarily because it keeps you
safe, but it is also a position known to you when
underwater. It organises the body and paddle into the
best position for a good roll and generally sets you up
for the best chance of success.
The correct direction of the sweep is out and away
from the kayak, keeping the paddle high.
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The Chelan Gorge
Chelan River, Washington
WORDS//Jess Matheson
PHOTOS//Jess Matheson and Daan Jimmink
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Chelan Gorge
Alex Podolak in Meatlocker at the Chelan Chutes, while members of the zoo look on.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
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Staring down SuperBoof and into the mighty Columbia River Valley downstream.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
Celebrating the first official recreational release of the Chelan River.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
While a lot of Washington State is known for its coastal landscapes and rainy
ocean climate, the other part – Eastern Washington, sits in the rain shadow
created by the Cascade Mountains. The Cascades provide an abundance of
kayaking, skiing, hiking and biking all the way across from its western slopes
to the eastern drainages. We were fortunate enough to experience a taster
of the Washington paddling goods early in the summer and so we were most
happy to find ourselves back there in September, with our good friends Ellie
Wheat and Scott Waidelich.
Nestled in the wide, open valleys and orchards of Eastern Washington, lies
an unassuming river by the name of the Chelan. From both above and below,
the river doesn’t look like there is much going on. But dare to enter the
infamous Chelan Gorge and there are hidden treasures within. Draining into
the massive Columbia River, the river must first pass a short distance from
Lake Chelan and through the Chelan Gorge. Although a short run, the Chelan
packs a punch… there are not many runs that boast a one-in-three swim
rate.
There is a dam at the top of the river, where it drains Lake Chelan. The
Lifestyling at the Horseshoe Club, pre-releases.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
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Chelan Gorge
lake level is managed by the Chelan County
Public Utility District (PUD) to enable yearround power production for the town of
Wenatchee and the surrounding area.
Power is created through an obvious drop
in height between the outflow of the lake
and where it enters the Columbia River.
The Chelan was first run about a decade
ago by an eager team, as part of a flow
study for whitewater recreation. Their
recommendation was that further flow
studies be undertaken to determine the
best kayaking flows. In recent years, the
American Whitewater Affiliation (AWA)
and the Chelan County PUD commissioned
a
three-year
whitewater
kayaking
monitoring study, that began in 2009 and
was concluded in 2011.
The Mob at Entrance Exam.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
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Daan on the boof mission... As good as safety gets!
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
Brian Burger at the bottom of Throne.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Around 25 people signed in for the river, mostly kayakers and two rafts.
Sitting at the put-in, I looked around me. Prior to getting on the water,
Scott had mentioned that historically there had been a one-in-three swim
rate through the flow study. I wasn’t sure if this was to do with the rivers
or the boaters, but I remember looking at the people on either side of me,
and laughing that statistically, one of us would swim before the day was out.
The run starts out as open Class II and is not at all indicative of what lies
downstream. The run is short (less than four miles), Class V at its hardest
and with six main rapids: Entrance Exam, Chelan Chutes (Left Side and
Meatlocker), Super Boof, Throne, Pinnacle, Sieve Rapid; and some Class IV
sieve-filled boogie out.
The beginning of the true gorge rapids, the team at Entrance Exam.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Completing the flow study was no easy feat. Over the three years, with an
average of six releases per year, the river was released at flows between 340
and 475 cubic feet per second (cfs). At times, it was hard work gathering
enough boaters to secure a release of water. On average there were 10
paddlers, sometimes more and often less. Paddlers were invited to give their
feedback on flows to determine what was considered ‘best recreational flows’.
The final recommended flows were 375 cfs for the first day of a recreational
release, and a flow of 400 cfs for the second day.
Once best recreational flows were established, AWA worked with the Chelan
PUD to integrate whitewater recreation into the new license for the Chelan
Hydroelectric Project. This meant one weekend per year of recreational
flows in the Chelan River. Water levels released down the gorge are too high
for paddling most of the year, so a late summer release would be in line with
the natural flow release pattern. Last year was the first official recreational
release of the Chelan over the weekend of September 15 and 16, 2012.
On the Friday evening before, people started gathering near the put-in at
the dam. The Chelan Horseshoe Club allowed us to camp on edge of their
grounds and we were able to use the sports ground bathroom facilities across
the grass. There was an incredible energy that evening, in anticipation of the
first official release. Many paddlers had
participated in the flow study at different
times, including a hardy few who had
seen the project right through from the
beginning.
Saturday morning rolled around and the
dam gates were open by 10am. The gates
would stay open until Sunday afternoon.
Unlike any river I have ever paddled
before, participants were required to
register prior to the event, and to sign
a waiver releasing local authorities from
potential prosecution in the event of a
mishap. The County Sheriff and Fire Chief
had written letters to the authorities
claiming they felt under-trained and
under-resourced for rescue in the gorge,
and although they would rescue if they
had to, they would rather not put their
staff at risk.
Having departed en masse around 11.30am, it was no surprise that things
got clustered pretty quickly at the first main rapid of the day. Entrance
Exam has a few moves to execute and being in the right place pays off. The
final move is a boof through a sticky hole where the river compresses at
the exit of the rapid. We watched Scott style the line with an easy grace,
paving the way for everyone else scouting from the bank. The beatings
began soon after… side surfing in the second hole, pocket eddy on second
hole, failure to get left enough for the exit move, surf of the guard wave,
stall in the guard wave, exit-hole beatings and swims. Fortunately there
were bags (and cameras) everywhere so
any swimmers were soon cleaned up. Daan,
Ellie and I all had good lines through and
were, like everyone else, greeted by lots of
whooping and cheering at the bottom.
Trying to space out for the next rapid,
things got clustered again at the Chelan
Chutes. Two must-make moves lead to a
friendly slide down the left. A failed move,
or for anyone feeling fired up, the right
side is aptly named Meatlocker as the river
drops into a deep, turbulent gap. One of the
first guys to run the rapid failed to make
the left moves and was forced backwards,
down the right side and through Meatlocker.
With a broken paddle, he soon swam and
his boat disappeared down the next drop.
Moving quickly down the left side, I hopped
out at the bottom to help out with the boat
retrieval. Two rapids in, and the swims and
rescues were starting to add up. Being the
More goodies down here than you would expect.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Post-boof, pre-sticky holes... Jess lining it up.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
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Chelan Gorge
Willie Illingworth moving left for the exit hole at Entrance Exam.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
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Meatlocker on day two... The boys about it eat it.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
Ellie Wheat doing it for the girls.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
team player I am, I managed to contribute to the tally as well, by accidentally
kicking my own boat in post-rescue (the rock I was standing on broke off)
and causing a second rescue team to chase down and collect it. There was
an assortment of lines on both sides at the Chutes, including the first raft
descent of Meatlocker, which went surprisingly well (all things considered).
Two rapids and three hours later, we were at Super Boof - as good as it sounds
and no carnage there. This led into Throne, a steep (and sweet) ramp into a
kicker. The move required a quick recovery as it flows directly into Pinnacle.
Pinnacle had only been run once previously, and was fired up a further four
times on Saturday (including by Daan). It was fantastic to be there for that
and the team vibe was awesome.
As with the previous rapids, things flowed quickly into the next rapid –
affectionately named Sieve Rapid after the massive, dirty sieve that takes
up most of the river. A must-make (or die) move onto and over a rock on the
left, managed by someone standing there just in case, got everyone through
safely. From here it was a jumble of boulder-sieve Class IV mank and one tree
portage down the takeout.
Dan Patrinellis with a super boof on Super Boof.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
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Chelan Gorge
Jeremy on Pinnacle... This rapid saw a lot of love over the weekend with a number of further descents.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
The whole run, with 21 paddlers (and
four rafters) took about six hours and
totaled seven kayaking swims, consistent
with the one-in-three swim ratio the
Chelan is known for. The crew at the end
was totally stoked and had lots of respect
for the river, having had an awesome
day (although a bit slow in places). The
evening was spent feeding and partying.
Sunday saw a much faster start in the
morning, although some people were
certainly worse for wear after a wicked
evening out. One of the organisers bought
cookies to the put-in as some new people
signed in, while some others from the day
before had left. Overnight the flow was
increased to 400 cfs. On many rivers, a 25
cfs increase would be hardly noticeable.
Dan and Jeremy on media duty.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
On the Chelan you could definitely feel it – the moves felt pushier and the
holes got stickier.
The carnage count was high again. There were a number of swims at
Entrance Exam, particularly in the exit-hole, which seemed a lot stickier
than the day before. I patched up an epic gash on the forehead of a rafter,
after their raft flipped midway down Meatlocker. A guy having a rolling epic
at the bottom of Throne, swam and lost his boat and paddle over Pinnacle,
and Daan pulled out a kayaker who had got pinned in the mank near the
bottom. It was good to get everyone off the river safely, and again the swim
count followed the one-in-three ratio.
The swim count doesn’t mean anything. The river is what it is, and it is the
paddlers that make it so. I think some of the people who paddled over that
weekend, may not have done their homework regarding just what they
were getting themselves into. Some others may have been itching to get
out paddling after everything else had dried up for the season, regardless
of what the river was. For everyone else, sometimes your number just
comes up and you get a beating.
Scott Waidelich going for it on Throne.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
The flipside of all the carnage was the
mighty fine display of paddling finesse by
the wonderful and talented boaters we got
to paddle with - some of the Northwest’s
finest. Big thanks to the team for welcoming
us Kiwi’s into your paddling crew and sharing
a fantastic weekend.
From the take-out, paddlers disappeared as
quickly as they had arrived. We spent the
evening with Scott, Ellie, Jeremy and Karen,
chilling out and enjoying some of the photos
and videos captured over the two days.
Scott and Ellie have been part of the Chelan
journey from way back so it was pretty cool
to be able to listen to them sharing their
thoughts on what was considered overall,
to be an incredibly successful weekend and
with people fired up for the 2013 release.
Rolling with the one-third swim rate.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
23
Chest of Treasure
WORDS//Daan Jimmink
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
Where all the good stuff lives.
What's in yours?
KNIFE
Anytime that you or your team have a rope, a
knife is necessary. Having a knife on us is critical if
someone gets tangled in a throw bag while swimming
or rescuing. Sometimes rope gets stuck and the only
way to retrieve it, or to get it out of the river, is to
cut it. I hope that I never have to use my knife in
anger. A rope snagged around my ankle while my face
is in the water is a scary thought.
WHISTLE
A whistle is a small, yet crucial piece of equipment for
communicating when you are out of sight or cannot
hear each other. If you were to find yourself in a
cave, it might be your only means of communication.
In a situation like this, you can let your team know
that you are okay. Just yelling may not do the job.
A friend of mine went under a log while kayaking.
The only thing showing out of the water was his
helmet. He was able to attract attention by blasting
his whistle over and over again.
PRUSSICS
These are very handy for abseiling and ascending,
and they are also great for helping to set up your
mechanical advantage system. Different diameters of
prussics work on different ropes so make sure your
prussics work with your throw bag.
SCREW GATE KARABINERS
Whenever you are abseiling, or have a person on the
end of a rope, it is important to have a screw gate
karabiner. If your rope is moving (hauling, Italian
hitch, descending) then having a pear-shape, screw
gate karabiner is key. Ropes can flick out of snap link
karabiners.
When worst comes to worst, the gear that you have on you is the gear
that you can use. Reaching behind you to get gear from the back of your
kayak is often impractical, or totally impossible. Having critical gear in
your kayak is of no use to you if your kayak disappears or escapes from
you. If you are stuck somewhere, there is only so much that your team
can do to help you. After that, it is up to you to do what you can for
yourself.
I think about my PFD rescue vest as having similarities as to when I’m
driving a car. I have everything within reach, and I don’t need to look
to see where it is. I have special homes on my rescue vest for all of my
important gear, so that I know where it is and can access it quickly.
I choose to carry equipment on me, which I feel is essential to help
get others, and myself, out of situations that may occur on the river.
The scenarios that can potentially occur on the water are endless. I’m
24 Chest of Treasure
always thinking about how
likely a situation is to occur
and what gear I would need,
to be able to do the best that
I can.
There are two things that I
believe everybody should
carry on them: a knife and a
whistle. The other things that
I carry on me are my own
choice, and what I consider
to be crucial for the type of
kayaking that I do, and the
responsibilities that I have on
the water.
WATCH
A watch helps to keep track of time on the water.
How long till darkness, how long your group has been
separated and the worst-case scenario - how long
have they been underwater?
SAW
Most rivers around the world have some wood in
them. Some of it is huge and obvious, while small
branches may block whole channels. I have used my
saw many times to remove trees from the river. The
other reason for having my saw in my PFD is so that
if I, or someone else is stuck in a kayak, the kayak
could be potentially sawn to pieces to enable escape.
Saws make quick work of getting a kayak open. I use
a foldable handsaw by Silky called the Pocket Boy.
MULTITOOL
It is a spare knife and a spare saw, as well as being
a tool that I can use to fix most things when I’m on
the river - like helmet screws, loose kayak bolts and
anything else you can think of.
SLING or WEBBING
While I don’t keep mine in my front pocket, I have
many friends that do (I keep mine around my waist).
A sling can be used for many things from lowering
boats, to making a sit harness or immobilising an
injury. Of all the things I carry, I use my sling the
most.
TOWLINE or COWTAIL
Technically this doesn’t live in my pocket either,
but it is attached to the rescue harness of my PFD.
My towline is two metres of 6mm Cordelette, daisy
chained to shorten it for storage. I can use this for
towing kayaks and paddles, clipping into a throw bag
for a live bait rescue, or remove it completely from
my PFD to make an anchor.
Some other things good things to have in your front
pocket (although not direct safety features) are:
SNACKS
Keeping your energy levels up is important for long
days or sessions on the water. Museli (granola) bars,
lollies (candy), energy gels and bars are awesome for
keeping you alert and functioning at your best. Eat
a little bit often.
EAR PLUGS
You can choose not to hear as well when you are
on the river now, or to not hear at all when you are
older. Earplugs help prevent Exostosis (Surfer’s Ear)
from developing. Trust me!
SUNSCREEN
Super important in New Zealand because we don’t
have much of our ozone layer left! Helps to keep you
boating day after day, without your face falling off.
LIP BALM
Nothing says “don’t kiss me” like chapped lips. Do I
need to say more?
Every trip is different and your rescue vest should
match the river you are going on. Take some time to
think about what you carry and what you might need
out there. Paddle safe and remember the Boy Scouts
motto, “always be prepared”.
25
The Crooked River
West Coast, New Zealand
WORDS//Daan Jimmink
PHOTOS//Daan Jimmink and Jess Matheson
The Crooked River is a beautiful river on the West Coast of the South Island The Crooked does require you to
of New Zealand. It is a two hour drive from Murchison, two and a half hours work for its awesome whitewater,
from Christchurch and one hour from Hokitika. It is located just west of the by walking approximately three
kilometres to the put-in. The walk
Southern Alps and flows from the Kaimata range into Lake Brunner.
is hard work - steep, muddy and
The access road to the take-out is on Department of Conservation land but slippery and has taken many teams
is managed by a local farmer, Bruce Burgess. It’s a good idea to call ahead to a long time. The track climbs up a
make sure he is around and able to unlock the gate. The road also provides steep hill and then drops all the way
down the other side. When you are
access for tramping (hiking) in the Crooked Valley.
almost back at river level, the track
The run is a classic. The river passes through a bedrock gorge with many splits and you need to take the left
rapids, all of which can be easily scouted and portaged. The view from option, down to the water.
inside the schist gorge is amazing. You can drink the water, there are lots
of fantastic moves to make and there is very little flat water. It is all these The walk usually takes about one
to two hours, but has been done
things that keep me going back in there.
26 The Crooked River
Jasper Mosk on the Log Drop, one of the first real drops on the run.v
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
27
Jess earning her turns... The walk-in is worth it.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Daan enjoying one of the many fun moves.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
Good to be on the water, Jess loving it.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
The entrance to the Crooked Valley track.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Jasper amongst it on Bent and Twister.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Phil Palzer on a sweet boof.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Water so beautiful and clean, you can drink it.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Phil and Rata at Two Dash Productions
put together a short video of a trip on the
Crooked that we did earlier this summer.
Click here to check it out.
The Lower Crooked
The take-out for the Crooked is the put-in for the
Lower Crooked. The lower section is fantastic Class
II – III and makes its way through an amazing gorge.
The take-out for this section is at the road bridge
over the Crooked, or you can paddle all the way
down to Lake Brunner.
In Memory of Eleanor Rutter.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
as quickly as 45 minutes. The run takes as long as you
like, depending on how well you know it and how much
scouting is required; anywhere from 40 minutes to a few
hours.
Your best opportunity to paddle the Crooked is in the
spring, or after rain. The colour of the water will help
you to judge the flow; clear blue water is what you are
after. The take-out is the best place to check the flow.
You’ll know you are in the right place if you are looking
at some old concrete bridge pillars.
You need enough clear water to float a boat, without
scratching too many rocks at the rapid where the road
ends. If the rocks are covered, you should go and find
28 The Crooked River
a different run, or put-in for the Lower Crooked (see
end).
bedrock, as they move around from time to time with
floods.
From the put-in, there is a bit of a warm up and a
few clean drops before the gradient starts to steepen.
From here, all of the rapids are reasonably pool-drop in
character, although some of the pools flow together a
bit – especially if you have a bit of extra water.
The Crooked is graded Class IV+ but can feel much
harder after the walk-in, especially if you are not used to
walking with your boat, or Kiwi-style hiking. The tricky
walk is compounded by the fact that carry systems are
hard to use because of all of the overhanging trees and
logs. Right shoulder, then left, then right is the way to
go.
The biggest rapid of note is Bent and Twisted, which
is easily scouted and easy to set safety for. From here,
the rapids keep coming until you are back at your car.
There are as many moves as you want to make and
heaps of eddies to catch. Keep your eyes open for wood
and sieves, and be mindful of the boulders sitting on the
At the start of the walk there is a reminder of the
dangers of kayaking. A memorial dedicated to Eleanor
Rutter overlooks the river. Eleanor drowned on the
Crooked River in 2004, after swimming from her kayak.
She was a talented kayaker and member of the Great
Britain Junior Freestyle Team. The team was well
prepared for the trip with rescue gear, overnight gear
and spare food. The combination of the walk taking a
long time, the difficulty of the river and the time of the
day were all strong contributing factors. I personally use
Eleanor’s memorial as motivation to paddle well and
look after my team whenever I go into the Crooked.
In late December and then January of this year, the
West Coast recorded large amounts of rain and some
massive floods. Teams that have been into the Crooked
since then, have reported that the river has changed a
lot with the floods. I am excited to get back in there to
find some new lines and to see how much it has changed.
29
Gallery
30
Daan Jimmink getting into the good stuff on Rogers Creek in BC, Canada.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
31
32
Jess Matheson on the Cheakamus River in BC, Canada.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
The boys mobbing Carnage Gorge on the Kokatahi River, New Zealand.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
33
34
Soph Mulder airing out at Postman's on the Upper Kakapotahi, New Zealand.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
35
36
Nighttime lifestyling at the Chelan River Gorge in Washington, USA.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
37
38
Cesspool on the Arahura River, New Zealand. Seppi Strohmeier dropping in.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
Ben White enjoying summer goodness on the Upper Whitcombe, New Zealand.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
39
40
Barny Young and Dylan Thompson routing on the Kokatahi River, New Zealand.
PHOTO//Daan Jimmink
41
42
Late-summer laps of the Cheakamus River. Daan Jimmink in BC, Canada.
PHOTO//Jess Matheson
43
Dreaming
of Whitewater
by Daan Jimmink and Jess Matheson
Editing
Shel Matheson
Dreaming
of Whitewater
Issue #5
July 2013
44
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