This is my first time posting...as they say, "long-time listener, first-time caller...love the show." I'm an avid hiker and paddler and as such was leading a hike this past weekend in the Niagara Gorge (US side). The gorge is rumored to have some of the largest standing waves along it's post-Falls route towards Lake Ontario and the rapids have been classified by many as class V/VI. Well, just as some of us were daydreaming about how awesome it would be to kayak down a stretch of the rapids, lo and behold a kayaker made his way downriver, dumfounding us all, particularly myself as I have never seen a paddler in those waters in all the years I've been hiking in the gorge. Actually, I thought it was still illegal. I had no time to whip out the camera and take a digipic...dejected, I resigned myself to the fact that I would at least have a good story to tell the follow paddlers in my local club (Buffalo Paddling). Well, not 30 minutes later as we were hiking upriver towards the Falls, my brand new hero was plying some of the more "calm" waters downriver - this time standing! Luckily I had my camera ready and took some shots, of which two looked good - one macro and one tele. They are at: http://www.calanan.com/hiking/WNY/NiagaraGorge/20030629/NiagaraGorge04.JPG.htm http://www.calanan.com/hiking/WNY/NiagaraGorge/20030629/NiagaraGorge05.JPG.htm I should note that there are high-powered jet boats that can carry a few dozen passengers through the rapids - we surmise that the paddler either works for the company or has a good friend that does who was able to cart him back upriver between runs. The members of my hiking party asked me questions like: What kind of kayak can do that? Is there a name for that style of kayaking? Is it easier to paddle through rapids standing vs. sitting? (We got into a discussion about loggers who would run rapids in log drives in days of yore.) Is that guy crazy? ...among others. Well, it was impressive to say the least...anyone have any comments? Thanks! - mike 2002 Perception Carolina http://www.calanan.com/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Jul 03 2003 - 06:09:43 PDT
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