Not really but if it is one thing I am good at is being a little dramatic.
So did my real 2nd trip down White Water at the Klickitat with a buddy. A little more intense than Nehalem and I am definitely showing some bruises from it.
Decided to practice my T Rescue. Okay looked it up, the definition is a lot different than what I was told. I feel totally ... duped! Okay the official online definition is a lot less hazardous to my well-being and a lot less crazy. Here is what I was told it was.
You flip over in the kayak, instead of kicking out and doing a wet exit, you stay in the boat, stick the oar under your arm, bang 3 times on the side of the boat and then start rubbing the sides of the boat until you feel the bow of your partner's bow. Using that as balance you are supposed to snap with your hips back upright. Now mind you there is a time warp. When you are under water you are sure at least 20 minutes has gone by, you have set some record for a fat girl holding her breath. The reality, 2-5 seconds goes by. Seriously.
Well the first time I did it, didn't go as planned. Adrenalin pumped, I didn't even bother to use the spray skirt handle to pull out, I just took my strong ass legs with full panic mode and Bam! on the boat and did a wet exit. Wow was my heart beating, hands shaking.
Not one to let fear set in I took a minute or 10 to collect myself, empty the water out of the boat and try again. This time I held my breath a little bit better prior to flipping myself. I managed to get a little further than the first time and I didn't have an adrenalin rush. I held it a bit longer before I did the Bam! with the legs and out of the boat. I count that as progress, man.
From reading on line the adrenalin rush and increased heart rate doesn't help when trying to hold your breath so I really need to work on the panic factor and remaining calm.
I was afraid if I didn't try again the fear of that first time would eat at me. I didn't do it after that because we decided a more controlled environment devoted to just learning this skill was probably appropriate. Because keep in mind we hadn't even started the run yet and all of this takes a wee bit of energy.
So the first few rapids I am able to stay in my boat, I ended up going in a couple of times and having to do some rescuing of a paddle and myself. Got pretty beat up by some river rocks and have already decided I am going to tell people my buddy beats me with rocks when nobody is looking. Had an audience for a couple of the flips which is all so hysterical. What must they be thinking watching this fat girl flip over and then maneuver to land to only empty the boat out and get in and try again. As their fat asses sit from their yard chairs, holding their beers. Maybe I will make them think twice about their sedentary lives or more than likely they are thinking they have it right and they won't end up sputtering up river water like that crazy bitch out in the water.
One of the things I do battle with is how much I want to do this and how reliant I am on others in the craft to be there to essentially hold my hand/paddle. It is very hard for me to accept from other people anything that I don't do an exchange for. It goes against everything in me that needs to keep a fair exchange rate, a balance if you will. And I have to repeat to myself something that has been imparted to me in my own head, "This was done for me, this is paying it forward. Just pay it forward."
I can't wait to be the one paying it forward. Hopefully to some sexy piece of man meats. Just sayin'.
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