Spring is Coming! - Canoecopia

iver. In my experience, this was a sure sign of flooding and
danger. In the ranger’s opinion, this was an auspicious sign that
the river was rising and the rapids were crankin’!
Western water is huge on a normal day, and this was not a
normal day. The Green River was near the limits of her banks.
In a solo canoe I had my work cut out for me. I nervously
approached each rapid, rapidly scouting the big rolling waves and
picking my line. I learned quickly that running these rapids was
simple; I just had to point myself in the direction I wanted to go,
roll with the waves, brace when necessary, and keep my blade
in the water. As the days passed I became more confident in my
skills and began to look forward to the waves on the next rapid,
rather than fighting my nervous impulse to hop onto one of the
rafts.
As for Ali, she was safely tucked into a raft, being assured that
they “hardly ever” flip over. Her first few rapids were approached
with nervousness, until it became clear that the raft could handle
the huge waves and still come out upright with everyone and
everything inside. Now that she was comfortable, she could really
focus on learning about river dynamics from Allen—how holes
are created, why to avoid them, and how to use eddies.
I rediscovered my love of whitewater canoeing and Ali gained
more confidence on the river. It was a truly magical experience
that, months later, is still vivid in our memories. We excitedly
await the next river trip invitation!
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