tylers waterfall record broke

[Fish]

I know dropping over a big horizon and falling through the air doesn't require the technical skill of running a long, complex drop, but I have to agree that fear management makes up the difference. To me, big falls are just as difficult as any big rapid - you have to manage your fear and hit your strokes. Just not very many strokes for a waterfall, so each one has a lot more juju packed into it. :shock:

In any case, there's something about a approaching a big horizon line that is unlike anything else in paddling. I think the most intensely intimate connection with the creek that I have is when I'm a few strokes away from a big horizon. It's all-or-nothing packed into a couple of seconds max.

Big slides get to me worse than vertical falls ever do. I'll back down from a slide that, if it was vertical, I'd run it. Not sure why, but the fear gets to me looking at a shallow, steep slide worse than it does a waterfall. Possibly because I really like my teeth. Stories like this one (even if it's a bit exaggerated) are part of the reason I've portaged the eminently runnable Oceana on Tallulah R. every time I've been there: http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1052248633/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Fish

[Cathy]

Wasn't Joel's first sentence "big waterfalls = big balls." I doubt he's objecting to the "man-up" factor in running that drop. But you'll have a hard time convincing me that the technical skills, a.k.a. boof stroke, timing, and a good angle at the bottom, needed to huck you off of an 18 footer, 35 footer, etc. aren't the same skills one would use when going bigger....big balls aside.

[Fish]

Cathy, you're a better paddler than me and I won't try to convince you. But I still think there are a few extra skills you need when facing down a 200 foot waterfall:

1. Skill in flying a small plastic airfoil in a hurricane using your butt.
2. Skill to stay in your boat when your paddle snaps in half along with several tendons, ligaments, and a few bones.
3. Skill at suppressing fear using massive ego.
4. Ability to heal quickly.

Granted, that last one comes in handy when running pretty much any class 6 drop.

- Fish :)

[waterhog]

are you speaking from expierance cathy have you run 18 and 35 footers cause if you have you would understand what it takes and then you would say OH i see it takes a lot more skill and experiance and every waterfall presents a differ challenge and going bigger is differ no need to convice you though

[Heath]

this has been an interesting read for me. I for one am much more comfortable flinging myself off a fall than I am running a long bigwater rapid. I havent run any big vertical falls, (OBJ) being the tallest. but even that fall wasnt as intimidating as say most of the rapids on the upper gauley.

That being said, I think everyone has there own demons when running any rapid/fall. does it take anymore skill to do one than the other??? probably not just a different mind set. Fish, Chuck,cathy, and many many others are better boaters than I, so take my comments with a grain of salt.


as for people pushing the limits, its natural progression. people are always going to be competitive in what they are doing, whether they want to admit it or not, there is always that inner drive to do better.


Oh and by the way, I would really like to go boating agin oneday, its been awhile for me.

later Heath

[Cathy]

Oh man, you got me. I've only run 20+ footers, a 30 footer a handful of times, no 35ers. I am actually speaking more from a conversation I had with my husband, who has run lots of big drops. But what does he know... I just think that being fearless has little to do with skill. Kind of sorry I said anything tho... Didn't want to get into a pointless pissing match.

Here's the professorpaddle discussion about the new waterfall record. I think good points are made here:

http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/fo ... 5394#55394

"There was no technical line to hit, didn't need a paddle, precise control, or even much consequence aside from the impact, as there's only one move."

[bmartin]

Remember how enthralled everyone was with Evel Knievel back in the 70s?? These runs down huge drops remind me of those series of Evel Knievel jumps sans red white and blue jump suit and Howard Cosell where every jump had to be longer than the last. Sure it is impressive and a macabre kind of fascination develops as people take on these kinds of feats, but they are not impressive in the same way as cleaning a V+ technical run.

Joel - clever post.