Rough first day......very rough

[EODBrand]

Hit the Frog with Dr Yaney and John Ware who were kind enough (but no doubt regret) to babysit me through my first run....ever. The water was cool, the day was warm and I was wet, very wet. I swam 5 times in all. I handled the first set of rapids fine but then I somehow managed to flip my boat over in perfectly flat, still water. I felt like a tool. Then I lost it again, along with my shoe, which went floating down river after some light class I. The recovery skills of the doc and John were very impressive. After that i ventured on with one shoe and was fortunate enough to perform my very first 'self rescue' after tumbling over again.

We caught up to some very friendly paddlers who asked if a river garage sale was going on bc they found random shoes floating on by. Now with two shoes and some new aggression I completed some decent rapids and had some nice saves until i was pinned on a bridge pillar. Upon trying to free myself, I went under again but much to Dr Yaney's delight I immediately pulled my skirt and freed myself rather than the previous four flips when I tried to....I dont know what I tried, but it was everything but free my skirt and swim safely. This time I did and it worked.

We completed the rest of the day without incident and had a nice beer after the ride. I came out a little scraped and bloody but it was great. Dr Yaney was kind enough to tell me that while the river was higher, his 15 year old daughter paddled the whole thing without incident. Awesome.

Thanks for the help guys, I'm sure I'll do better next time, if you dont mind babysitting again.

Brandon

[saladoman]

been there, done that, got the t-shirt, i think it gets easier

[turboturtle]

They weren't baby sitting, They just like newbe carnage. But then again who doesn't.

quoted from the back Hunters T-shirt:
Its all fun and games till someone gets hurt, then it;s frigin hilarious.

Bob

[RomanLA]

I'm glad you picked a sunny day to start paddling. I swam 5 or 6 times my first day too.

[Owl]

I'm sorry you had such a tough day. It's nothing that a little Canoe School and some practice won't solve, however. We've all been there.

[Roger]

We're all between swims. No matter how good you think you are.

[davidbob]

... then I somehow managed to flip my boat over in perfectly flat, still water. I felt like a tool.

The RBF may not know c'mere from sic'em about kayaks (except that they are dangerous plastic mini-coffins that should be banned), but we are familiar with incidents such as the one you describe above. They are called goober swims, and if we didn't invent them we raised them up to an art form (Snatchsquatch is the Maestro).

But none of that is important - what's important is that you survived to drink a beer at the end of the day.

So, what lesson can you take away from your experience yesterday when your kayak tried to kill you, and beer made you feel better? It's simple - paddle a boat that is big enough to carry your beer for today, your beer for tomorrow, a bunch of kwakhead beer, some spare beer (just in case), a dog, a microwave to cook lunch, etc. etc. Leave the dark side. Step out into the light. Paddle an open boat. You won't regret it.

[Cowper]

... paddle a boat that is big enough to carry your beer for today, your beer for tomorrow, a bunch of kwakhead beer....

Hey, I know for a fact, the last two times I've seen you, I have not been provided with a kwakhead beer. What do I need to do get back on your good side???

EODBrand,
To the list of tips which includes "Canoe School", "Rec School", and "more beer", I would add one more: Spend some quality time at Rockport this summer. You can literally cram the equivalent experience of many weekend river outings into a few hours by playing on the rapids there, and challenging yourself to try some of the other things you see the more experienced boaters doing. You'll get free tips and encouragement from other boaters, and practice at ferrying, eddy turns, and most importantly, just crossing fast currents and being in turbulent water without turning over, or if you do turn over, then a chance to practice your roll under very realistic conditions, minus the cold water you might have experienced this time around.

[Jeremy M]

I second that!

[Lifejacket]

Come see me at the caddo and we will work on some stuff until you get, and then go to Rockport.

[Max Carruth]

We're all between swims. No matter how good you think you are.

couldnt have said it better.
Max

[JTarver]

Stick with it EODB, it really does just get better and better. Esp. once you learn to roll, your confidence will really go up from there. I agree with the others, Rockport is the way to go. Great water, great company, and an endless supply of fun.
Stay away from the very middle though, there is a large suckhole, and it makes for an exhausting swim to one side or the other.

Hope to see ya there sometime,
Joe

[Charlie Ford]

Well I've never been to rockport but I can relate. In my first trip I ran the upper piney in a wavesport super ez. I knew nothing about the way the boat would handle or anything, my friend who is a solid boater said the level would be great for learning. (around four feet) He was wrong I swam at everyrapid and now have a cool scar on my shin from 123-surprise. I believe it was number 2 that got me. However I have been told that if you can stick with it, it will become much easier once you have a roll. I have since bought a creekboat that is very easy to roll but I have no real-time experience so that is what I'm looking forward to. As one newby to another my best advice is to stick with it and keep your stick in the water.( so I have been told)

[A Savage spanke]

I'm a firm believer in rockport. This biggest water I had ever done before going there was piney at 4 feet, and after playing their for a summer I did the tot at 4.5 ft no problem (except one). After doing the tot I went and did Richland. Playboating gives you so much boat control, its really helped me. AND! It'r really really fun.

[jjones03]

ahh piney. thats where everyone starts out it seems. i would much rather graduate from piney creek then the mulberry. we paddled the lower section yesterday just to drank some brew and play around in the war hole. i seal launched bates bluff (30'+), landed flat, and jacked up my back for a little bit... no injury though, maybe i gotta rubber spine... bring on W. F. horsehead!

plenty of fun to get into in that area...