Big water day in Goshen Pass

[MvillePaddle]

Since I was the first to swim, I'll start off the report. Everything was looking like a great day on the Pass, it was warm, sunny, and LOTS of water (4.7ft USGS, about 1800cfs). We had 1 first timer, and 3 vets. The first section was uneventful, the smaller playspots were washed out, and some of the good warm up boofs were in. Then we got to Devil's Kitchen.

After a long scout, and much discussion of lines, sneaks, how to get around the big holes made by Tombstone Rock and the rocks below it, I was ready to roll. I decided to go big, starting right of House Rock, and working to the left to avoid the holes, but right through the meat of the run. In theory, good idea. In practice, not so much (for me).

The slot next to House went fine, as did the first wave. Then I decided to eddy out behind a big rock sticking out. Mistake #1. The eddy was super turbulent, and it killed my momentum and got me off-line. When I peeled out, I was not far enough left, and couldn't get where I wanted to go. (I was in the little yellow playboat, not good for tracking).

i was pushed downstream, backwards, just river left of Tombstone, and surprisingly, it didn't hold me. I immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Mistake #2. I forgot about the last hole, which I was headed directly into. Sideways. Slow.

I dropped over, immediately got sidesurfed, and thought I was gonna get out. Wrong. It spun me backwards and flipped me. I managed to hang on to the paddle, and when the hole spit me out, I got some roll attempts, but was too exhausted to get it right. I finally pulled and swam a bit with the boat.

Big thanks to David, our first timer, for chasing me downstream 100 yards or so to get me a rope, and to John, for having a breakdown paddle in his boat.

I'm disappointed that I have to reset my "days without a swim" clock, but, --it happens.

This was a little long winded (and I'm at work), so I'll let the others fill in the rest of the run.