Kayak 3000
River Orchy
Today was the norm for a Sunday got my gear packed into the car and headed off to meet the rest of the guys.I had heard there was some water up north and that all the rivers were full.
The river was decided today it was the Orchy the normal guessing game was played how high will the river be ? Driving pass Tyndrum the water was coming off the hills it looked good the rain had gone off.
we arrived at the bridge of Orchy hotel got changed while running the shuttle the banter was of passed trips on the Orchy at diffrent levels. We all had not been out for a while on a river with a good amount of water in it.
This year and last was not very good for river runners on a whole the normal warm up of surfing the wave under the bridge and off we headed done the river.The first rapid was big rock this is a grade three rapid or a two at a lower level Straight forward down the middle big waves a few wee holes a nice little warm up to get the feel for the river.
The next set was a few wee rapids here and there nothing of any note.The next rapid of any name was chicken chute no problem a few guys went down river left and two guys went down river right. Its good to have that feeling of just running a rapid and not scouting it just makes it that bit more fun the photo above is chicken chute. The next rapid was Sheep Trolley Gorge this is one of the best rapids its nice and long with a big wave at the bottom which I did backwards at the end due to messing about with my line down the rapid If I had just stuck to running down the middle everything would have been fine.I did have to put a roll in and a few other guys had too as well so I don't feel all that bad.This rapid is grade 3+
The river had a few more wee rapids before we got to Easan Dubha this rapid is a stiff obstacle at Grade 4+ everyone gave this one a miss.A few of the guys ran the rapid after Easan Dudha which is called Sore tooth grade 4 It looks straight forward but mess it up and it will show you who is the boss ie( you get yer ass kicked) The next rapid was Roller coaster grade 3 a nice wee blast down the middle or extreme right if you want more fun.
End of Civilisation this is the longest rapid and the best grade 4 rapid on the river the talk on the way down the river was all about this rapid how big will it be how big will the holes be and which way down would be the best.This rapid Demands respect and you had better give it.I have swam this rapid along time ago and swore never to do it again not a very nice swim.As I came round the corner there it was all of the rapid for you to see you try to scan as much as poss and pick your line you could get out and scout.But hey where is the fun in that and if I looked at I might run away.
All I can say about the run down this rapid is oh my god what a blast this for me at this level it was top drawer. Thanks to Drew,Chaz,Dave w,Dave ,Brian,Graham for a great day out it was not a extreme trip it was just a fun trip with some good friends .
Gavin
The river was decided today it was the Orchy the normal guessing game was played how high will the river be ? Driving pass Tyndrum the water was coming off the hills it looked good the rain had gone off.
we arrived at the bridge of Orchy hotel got changed while running the shuttle the banter was of passed trips on the Orchy at diffrent levels. We all had not been out for a while on a river with a good amount of water in it.
This year and last was not very good for river runners on a whole the normal warm up of surfing the wave under the bridge and off we headed done the river.The first rapid was big rock this is a grade three rapid or a two at a lower level Straight forward down the middle big waves a few wee holes a nice little warm up to get the feel for the river.
The next set was a few wee rapids here and there nothing of any note.The next rapid of any name was chicken chute no problem a few guys went down river left and two guys went down river right. Its good to have that feeling of just running a rapid and not scouting it just makes it that bit more fun the photo above is chicken chute. The next rapid was Sheep Trolley Gorge this is one of the best rapids its nice and long with a big wave at the bottom which I did backwards at the end due to messing about with my line down the rapid If I had just stuck to running down the middle everything would have been fine.I did have to put a roll in and a few other guys had too as well so I don't feel all that bad.This rapid is grade 3+
The river had a few more wee rapids before we got to Easan Dubha this rapid is a stiff obstacle at Grade 4+ everyone gave this one a miss.A few of the guys ran the rapid after Easan Dudha which is called Sore tooth grade 4 It looks straight forward but mess it up and it will show you who is the boss ie( you get yer ass kicked) The next rapid was Roller coaster grade 3 a nice wee blast down the middle or extreme right if you want more fun.
End of Civilisation this is the longest rapid and the best grade 4 rapid on the river the talk on the way down the river was all about this rapid how big will it be how big will the holes be and which way down would be the best.This rapid Demands respect and you had better give it.I have swam this rapid along time ago and swore never to do it again not a very nice swim.As I came round the corner there it was all of the rapid for you to see you try to scan as much as poss and pick your line you could get out and scout.But hey where is the fun in that and if I looked at I might run away.
All I can say about the run down this rapid is oh my god what a blast this for me at this level it was top drawer. Thanks to Drew,Chaz,Dave w,Dave ,Brian,Graham for a great day out it was not a extreme trip it was just a fun trip with some good friends .
Gavin
The Absolutely No Ditches Trip
New Years Honours List: Tony CBE “For services to promoting the M3 as a cartwheeling machine” Sid & Gav DSM “For services to river guiding” Dames Jennifer & Mystic Meg “For not being hairy assed boaters” Brian CBE “For a glory swim” Wullie OBE “For pioneering End of Civilisation exploration” Sir Chaz…what can you say?
There were many good omens at the start of this trip: lots of water had fallen, the sun shone and two ladies (excluding Gav) turned up to paddle, which beat having to stare at hairy-assed boaters all day…although Sid in the right light has a certain girlish charm! The most important task was firstly to make sure we were not paddling a ditch.
This was determined by placing Gav on the far riverbank. If we could still smell his romper suit, then it was a ditch. This method ruled out a surprising number of rivers, and at least one estuary! We were left with the Orchy (although a change in wind direction may have sealed it). With Graham not having shown up, it was up to Brian to give the official “bad for morale talk”. As Mystic and me had not paddled the mighty Orchy before, he delighted in pointing out all the parts of the river where he had swum, pinned, lost a leg etc on previous trips.
He casually laughed at the final drop, Witches step….at the time we did not know why….. So it was with great terror that we set sail on the mighty Orchy, and the terror only grew with each successive pumping trib that swelled the river. Surprisingly the initial grade 3 and 4 rapids passed mostly uneventfully until we came upon the first class 5. I had, until this stage kept Chaz and his boat stored safely in my buoyancy aid lest he do something “silly and unsupervised”.
However at the smell of class 5 he began knawing and whining so much that I was forced to release him briefly onto the river. With a whelp of joy he scampered down Easan Dubha, eyes wide, piloting his little red bucket with frenzied skill. Satiated, he was collected at the bottom and returned to his “safety pocket” where he slept soundly for the next hour. However all was not calm. The wild frenzied scent from a charged Chaz spread amongst the group and started to produce a strange effect on those around me. First to go feral was “Mystic” who decided to explore the full range of holes on offer in the Sawtooth rapid.
The team hung to a tight river left line, avoiding the monster central hole/seam…but not Mystic…she toyed with it before leaving it in disgust to find a bigger hole more to her liking…which she and her equipment gradually emerged from over the next few minutes. Gav, his nose twitching with primeval “hunter-gatherer spirit” then led bravely on “follow me lads etc”. I decided to follow the poor demented soul down roller coaster in case he came to harm.
I laughed silently to my self as he danced around the minor holes like a demented Duracell bunny. I think it was when the nose of my boat passed over my head that I stopped laughing… After some roll action and my oxygen supply was restored my frenzied cackle continued. We came next upon the “End of Civilisation”, which was “tanking” to put it mildly. At this point Wullie went AWOL. Enticed by an attractive Otter on the far right bank, and with his silky fur coat shining in the midday sun, he ploughed onwards to oblivion.
The remaining team reached the bottom of the rapid wide-eyed but in time to see the husband of the aforementioned “Otter-siren” push Wullie into a mighty ledge hole. “Was never meant to be,” he declared as he swam to the riverbank….”she wasn’t hairy enough for me…”. As the wailing within my buoyancy aid grew again I knew my “pocket Chaz” had smelt class 5. Twas true as we soon approached Eas a Chathaidh.
Once again the bucket warrior and his trusty steed threw themselves into the clutches of a hungry rapid. Sadly this one was very hungry and promptly ate Chaz and his bucket…only spitting him out when Jen offered to sacrifice Wullie on the next rapid. A deal had been done and the bucket boy was released. The trip then was almost over…. we relaxed, and complimented Jen on her fancy dress costume…she had come as Drew…I thought the helmet was a good likeness. It was mere seconds after Sid said “this lasts ones nothing” that Brian seized his chance for glory.
The only rapid he had never swum on laid in front of him. A willing audience had gathered at the riverbank and he wasn’t going to disappoint. In he went, over he went…and glory was achieved… Tis a day to live in the memory for all who were there. Happy New Year!!!
Tony
New Years Honours List: Tony CBE “For services to promoting the M3 as a cartwheeling machine” Sid & Gav DSM “For services to river guiding” Dames Jennifer & Mystic Meg “For not being hairy assed boaters” Brian CBE “For a glory swim” Wullie OBE “For pioneering End of Civilisation exploration” Sir Chaz…what can you say?
There were many good omens at the start of this trip: lots of water had fallen, the sun shone and two ladies (excluding Gav) turned up to paddle, which beat having to stare at hairy-assed boaters all day…although Sid in the right light has a certain girlish charm! The most important task was firstly to make sure we were not paddling a ditch.
This was determined by placing Gav on the far riverbank. If we could still smell his romper suit, then it was a ditch. This method ruled out a surprising number of rivers, and at least one estuary! We were left with the Orchy (although a change in wind direction may have sealed it). With Graham not having shown up, it was up to Brian to give the official “bad for morale talk”. As Mystic and me had not paddled the mighty Orchy before, he delighted in pointing out all the parts of the river where he had swum, pinned, lost a leg etc on previous trips.
He casually laughed at the final drop, Witches step….at the time we did not know why….. So it was with great terror that we set sail on the mighty Orchy, and the terror only grew with each successive pumping trib that swelled the river. Surprisingly the initial grade 3 and 4 rapids passed mostly uneventfully until we came upon the first class 5. I had, until this stage kept Chaz and his boat stored safely in my buoyancy aid lest he do something “silly and unsupervised”.
However at the smell of class 5 he began knawing and whining so much that I was forced to release him briefly onto the river. With a whelp of joy he scampered down Easan Dubha, eyes wide, piloting his little red bucket with frenzied skill. Satiated, he was collected at the bottom and returned to his “safety pocket” where he slept soundly for the next hour. However all was not calm. The wild frenzied scent from a charged Chaz spread amongst the group and started to produce a strange effect on those around me. First to go feral was “Mystic” who decided to explore the full range of holes on offer in the Sawtooth rapid.
The team hung to a tight river left line, avoiding the monster central hole/seam…but not Mystic…she toyed with it before leaving it in disgust to find a bigger hole more to her liking…which she and her equipment gradually emerged from over the next few minutes. Gav, his nose twitching with primeval “hunter-gatherer spirit” then led bravely on “follow me lads etc”. I decided to follow the poor demented soul down roller coaster in case he came to harm.
I laughed silently to my self as he danced around the minor holes like a demented Duracell bunny. I think it was when the nose of my boat passed over my head that I stopped laughing… After some roll action and my oxygen supply was restored my frenzied cackle continued. We came next upon the “End of Civilisation”, which was “tanking” to put it mildly. At this point Wullie went AWOL. Enticed by an attractive Otter on the far right bank, and with his silky fur coat shining in the midday sun, he ploughed onwards to oblivion.
The remaining team reached the bottom of the rapid wide-eyed but in time to see the husband of the aforementioned “Otter-siren” push Wullie into a mighty ledge hole. “Was never meant to be,” he declared as he swam to the riverbank….”she wasn’t hairy enough for me…”. As the wailing within my buoyancy aid grew again I knew my “pocket Chaz” had smelt class 5. Twas true as we soon approached Eas a Chathaidh.
Once again the bucket warrior and his trusty steed threw themselves into the clutches of a hungry rapid. Sadly this one was very hungry and promptly ate Chaz and his bucket…only spitting him out when Jen offered to sacrifice Wullie on the next rapid. A deal had been done and the bucket boy was released. The trip then was almost over…. we relaxed, and complimented Jen on her fancy dress costume…she had come as Drew…I thought the helmet was a good likeness. It was mere seconds after Sid said “this lasts ones nothing” that Brian seized his chance for glory.
The only rapid he had never swum on laid in front of him. A willing audience had gathered at the riverbank and he wasn’t going to disappoint. In he went, over he went…and glory was achieved… Tis a day to live in the memory for all who were there. Happy New Year!!!
Tony
