The Paddler Autumn/Fall issue 2017

ThePADDLER 144
Rapid now dispatched, our attention is drawn to
the red flags flying above us, displayed by the
road workers about to blow more rocks to
bits. The workers don’t want us to paddle any
further but as we are mid-rapid, we pretty much
don’t have a choice. We paddle, quickly,
rounding the next bend as there is a huge
explosion behind us. As we exchange words as
to just how close we had come to being blown
up our attention is diverted by movement on
the river bank. We have disturbed a bear having
an afternoon drink. In all the descents
completed by both Daz and George they have
never seen a bear, rare in these parts, the road
can only endanger them further.
Our last camp deep in the heart of the Zanskar
Gorge at Nyrak, leaves us with only the roller
coaster rides of the lower river, the biggest at
Chilling before the river spits us out into the
Indus at Nimmu.
The team: Darren Clarkson-King, George Younger and Ian Jones
We didn’t take many pictures of the rapids in
our 250-kilometre journey, if you want to see
the treasures between Sarchu and Nimmu
before the road is completed, book your ticket
and get there before Jo Tourist in a jeep beats
you to it.
Massive thanks to Darren Clarkson King
and George Younger
#purelandexpeditions