In a perfect celebration of New Year's Day, the Cossatot ran and afforded friends and I a blissful day on the river. Blissful for me until we reached, "The Machine". The level was approximately 3.2ft, and apparently at this level my usual tactics of "sit forward, paddle hard, and bomb through it" (which at 4ft. seems to work great!) was less than successful. My stern caught, I stroked on the wrong side, and went right instead of left at Cannonball rock-or: right into the heart of "spin cycle".
As my boat, and then body were repeatedly "agitated", I could not help but reflect on how perfectly this rapid was named. "Someone has experienced this before" was my thought. While still in my boat, I reached down trying with my paddle to grab outflowing current-to no avail. When out of my boat, at one point, I was tossed onto Cannonball rock itself, and tried my best to hang on, but quickly slipped back into the rapid for some more cleansing action. I began contorting my body into various shapes and eventually that seemed to be the ticket, and was flushed out.
In moments, Tom Burroughs was on the scene and threw a rope perfectly over my shoulder, handily retrieving me to the shelter of a rock outcropping, and then he transferred me to shore. Jonathon Kennedy and Paul Shepherd took off after my boat, which they retrieved following great difficutly. I quickly gave up for lost my paddle and pogies (brand new!), but Tom Burroughs is a search and rescue expert, and he expertly and amazingly found and retrieved my paddle--pogies still attached.
I feel deep gratitude and wish to profusely thank Tom, Jonathon, and Paul. It was a great privilege to paddle with them, and their care for me during this incident on the river was phenomenal. Thank you!!
I can't wait for the 'Tot to run again! Next time I'll follow my friends' lines more carefully, bring my higher volume boat, and hope to paddle with people as wonderful as these. Thanks guys!
I know!