The plan was to get going right after lunch. It was taking a bit longer than we'd expected to warm up, so Missy and I wanted to delay departure to ensure warm enough weather that we wouldn't need cold weather gear. Jeremiah was against delay, but then we got a call from Josh and Mom, so we talked with them for a bit. Finally got out of camp around 1:00. We parked the scootie at the takeout and headed for the put-in. It was only about 17 miles, but due to windy roads it took about 45 minutes. There was a great surprise waiting for us at the put-in: a sign that said there's been a spillage from the wastewater treatment plant and that it was not recommended to come in contact with the water. We tried calling the number on the notice for more deets, but there was no answer (prolly cause it's Saturday). There were no other yakkers to ask. So we finally just decided to go for it. There's a ¼ trail down the mountain to the put-in. I actually went ahead and hiked down and back up to make sure this was the put-in. Hiking down with a kayak isn't bad, but if we'd gotten down and discovered the trail wasn't to the put-in….a hike back UP with yaks would have been brutal.
We got down to the river and had a little rest. No more worries about the temp. It was mid-70s and mostly sunny. Very warm. No obvious feces in the water, so we took off. AW gauge said it was 1300, but we can't be sure. There are posts on Boatertalk about the gauges being broken. Gorgeous scenery and perfectly wild. The drops were fun, pool drops that were for the most part boat scoutable. Jeremiah had a blast, per usual, being probe. We got out to scout the class IV rapid. I had read up on it on the AW site. I could see the line, but decided to walk since I wasn't sure I wouldn't get a beat down in my play boat. Although she had the creeker, Missy walked too. After some more fun class III drops, the river changed characteristics and there was a ton more roily-boily rapids to deal with. So tough in a playboat. Jeremiah and I were bracing fools, whereas Missy had no troubles floating through in her creeker.
We got out to look at one other rapid. It was tricky because of a pourover hole at the entrance which kept you from a neat left line to avoid a massive hole slightly downriver on the right. We talked over lines, had some miscommunication on lines, and finally fired it up. Missy was going to watch us go first (and film) before deciding on running or walking. I was nervous, but mostly confident that I would be fine. I cinched in my backband extra tight to give me more control (thus far this trip, I've been cheating with a looser backband so that my legs don't go dead too quickly). I peeled out after Jeremiah, and watched him for further right that I thought we had discussed. And in fact he did have to do some furious paddling to break through and avoid the hole. I lined up perfectly, and was proceeding as planned. I had just burst through a wave jumble and was going to execute my move to carve right, when….disaster! I kicked out of my backband! FUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!! I've never done that before, and the feeling is horrific. Immediate loss of control and no ability to steer. I was flipped by the current and swept over into the sketchy looking eddie (that we'd planned on avoiding). I tried setting up for my roll, but sadly I've never practiced a combat roll where my leg was out. So I panicked and pulled. I got smashed up against rocks under water, scraped my knuckles again, and finally surfaced downstream. Didn't get trapped in the eddy at least. Jeremiah got my paddle and boat, and I headed downstream to meet him. Missy got scared watching me (not knowing it was a backband fail and not a tough rapid), so she walked the rapid. (She screamed when she saw a huge snake in the rocks). I was so disappointed I wanted to cry. I was proud of my scout and line and it is so frustrating to have equipment failure. The rest of the run, I triple checked my backband before every rapid. :-)
We had a long flatwater paddle at the end. According to AW, you can skip the last 2 miles (of the 6 mile run) with an alternative take-out. We'll definitely do that next time. Jeremiah ran the shuttle in about 45 minutes! He must have been flying on the scootie and then the truck ride back. I googled the wastewater spill, and found that it happened about a week ago and all possible contanimants have been long flushed down river. Phew!
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