So... let's start by falling in the water trying to get into the boat. No bruises, nothing lost, OK... later I asked Gretchen "So, does it count as a swim if I never actually made it into the boat?" She said yes. Well, now that that's out of the way, let's try again. Once you're already in the water, it's much easier to find a place to stick the boat and get in... I guess. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. And as Odelle said, a wetsuit doesn't work until it's wet.
So, finally in the boat, Odelle was showing Cindy some ferrying techniques, and I just followed around and tried to get used to having the boat on moving water. And Odelle was trying out a new boat, which he said he really liked - a Wavesport I think? It took some getting used to, but I eventually felt pretty good about things. I did find out that the rec boat I bought, the Pungo 120, is like turning a semi compared to a whitewater boat's Mini Cooper. Actually, a better analogy is the rec boat's like a Mustang, and the whitewater boat's like a Porsche. I can move a lot faster in a straight line than the ww boats, but turning quickly - forget about it.
I felt good about myself going through the first small rapids, got into Powhite Ledges and got stuck between rocks that I saw too late (this will be a recurring theme). Odelle talked me through getting my boat over/through the rocks, and I didn't swim. Then I got stuck in the shallows under the bridge, but I got out. Then we went through choo-choo. Odelle was great about explaining where I should head, but when I got there I tried to make a quick turn to avoid a rock, got sideways on the rock, and went over. The three of them helped me get back into the boat - Cindy remarked how it was great to see some of the maneuvers they had practiced in action - glad I could oblige
... But in the end, I kept my hat, my sunglasses, all appendages, my paddle and my boat, thanks to all that were around. Boy that water was cold... The new wetsuit I had bought kept me plenty warm, but my arms and feet (where the wetsuit wasn't) got cold mighty quick. We paused for a break after choo-choo. Luckily it was warm outside - out of the water, my feet eventually thawed out.So, on we go to the low-head dam below choo-choo. Odell again did a great job guiding me to ferry across choo-choo and down to the dam. He explained where I needed to head, and I made it through with no issues.
At Mitchell's gut, I let Gretchen and Cindy go through, and then found my line and went for it. I felt good about my progress through until I hit an unseen rock and took another swim.
So, River 3, Mikey 1? It didn't feel too bad for a first attempt, but I definitely learned a few things -
1. There's no substitute for good people helping you down a river.
2. Cold water is cold. Real cold.
3. Any rock can catch you. Also, they are stubborn and rude, and very unlikely to move out of your way to let you pass by.
4. Rec boats move fast and turn slow, making it hard to get out of a mistake once you've made it.
5. Getting sideways in a current is BAD. See 3 and 4.
6. Boats without skirts fill up fast. I'm sure that had a lot to do with why I flipped so quickly, once 5 happened, I couldn't correct because of 4, and then 3.
7. Boats without skirts that are full of water are HEAVY.
Thanks again to all who let me slow them down, I look forward to smoother runs in the future.
I would have liked to have met Larry as well - he sounds like a great guy!