This time 12 months ago a strange thing happened...
It had been just another day in Wales, some of my boating buddies had gone to Nepal then Laos on a mission. Those that we left in Wales were either working or suffering from major injuries. It had rained over the night and the last few days had been wet but with no one to paddle with I figured a scounting mission would be in order.
Taking our dog (Cai) I set off to walk down the side of the secret slabs. These slabs had been scouted and for all of living memory hypothetically run. I had no desire to kayak today. It was simply a day of ‘looking’.
As Cai and I walked along the bank I could just see a line on the river right. Cai had a quick walk that day as after changing into full armour I placed Cai in my van and dragged my boat to the lip. Alone in this wind swept gully a choice on the side of caution saw me setting a seal launch after the first rock dump.
It was fast from the off, slide to the right-bounce off the wall-boof left then cut right-wall slide middle gutter, final boof, eddy right. A long climb back to the road a boat stashed in the trees and a walk to the van.
No this was neither sensible or withou caution but I made the line, happy and content. I few days later I ventured up the Cwm Llan, it was a week of putting stress markes in the hull of my boat! Well Cai doesnt have the ability to take images, so the text here will have to do.
Well the rain is upon us one again and I am looking into further shallow landings
Saturday 21 November 2009
Sunday 15 November 2009
FLYING FISH
The blue sky littered with white clouds reflect in the calm of fewa lake, Nepal. Above high on a hill away from the carpet of paddy fields and the scattering of houses is where we find ourselves. David and Babu dress in high altitude clothing and beckon us toward their harnesses. A tandem paraglide flight onto the ‘Horizon of Annapurna’ and the descent to the Marsyandi river is our aim.
We were set to push the limits of the guidebook. Kayaks were sent to Khude and we were going to paraglide to the Maryland river then trek up into the hills of Annapurna and the journey from Synge. A tribute to the adventures of AJ.
“Run run run” Babau called as he pushed me forward, within an instant we were adrift on a thermal cushion high above the ground. “Body left, left, left, left” we arced, we swirled. Higher and higher we circled. The paraglide grasping at thermals and forcing spins both fore and aft.
Calm and still we sat searching the sky for the thermal uplift that would take us up and over the ridge and deep into the heart of the Annapurna. As we search the web of thin thermal lines we were crowded by inversions and began a descent to earth. The thermals had not been kind and we would have to make another attempt after landing. Twice more we set off on our flight and twice more mother nature denied us the challenge. Time was pushing against us as our boats and gear sat in Khude. It was time to change plan. To head into the hills in a micro van and jeep. Late at night we were still walking up the trail and the place we hoped our kayaks would be.
As the shadows disappeared and night fell. As candles and oil lamps guided us we walked forever onward.
The night spent in a lodge and our kayaks collected we set off again. Crowded into a jeep we made it all the way to Syange before breakfast. Soon into the cool waters we were off into tow backs and boofs, Sticky holes littered the river but we paddled fast and clean. Each one of us taking it in turns to charge ahead to read and run. Within a matter of hours we were back in Khude and the lodge a time for food and sleep.
Following the night of rest we were once again river living and head down paddling through the guidebook.. In just under an hour we had paddled the section from Khude to the dam and after paddling across the lake waited. The road of dirt was our only way out and we just sat….a bus WOULD be our retreat back to Pokhara.
www.purelandexpeditions.com
For info on trips in Nepal including bespoke paraglide and kayak options email bookings@purelandexpeditions.com
We were set to push the limits of the guidebook. Kayaks were sent to Khude and we were going to paraglide to the Maryland river then trek up into the hills of Annapurna and the journey from Synge. A tribute to the adventures of AJ.
“Run run run” Babau called as he pushed me forward, within an instant we were adrift on a thermal cushion high above the ground. “Body left, left, left, left” we arced, we swirled. Higher and higher we circled. The paraglide grasping at thermals and forcing spins both fore and aft.
Calm and still we sat searching the sky for the thermal uplift that would take us up and over the ridge and deep into the heart of the Annapurna. As we search the web of thin thermal lines we were crowded by inversions and began a descent to earth. The thermals had not been kind and we would have to make another attempt after landing. Twice more we set off on our flight and twice more mother nature denied us the challenge. Time was pushing against us as our boats and gear sat in Khude. It was time to change plan. To head into the hills in a micro van and jeep. Late at night we were still walking up the trail and the place we hoped our kayaks would be.
As the shadows disappeared and night fell. As candles and oil lamps guided us we walked forever onward.
The night spent in a lodge and our kayaks collected we set off again. Crowded into a jeep we made it all the way to Syange before breakfast. Soon into the cool waters we were off into tow backs and boofs, Sticky holes littered the river but we paddled fast and clean. Each one of us taking it in turns to charge ahead to read and run. Within a matter of hours we were back in Khude and the lodge a time for food and sleep.
Following the night of rest we were once again river living and head down paddling through the guidebook.. In just under an hour we had paddled the section from Khude to the dam and after paddling across the lake waited. The road of dirt was our only way out and we just sat….a bus WOULD be our retreat back to Pokhara.
www.purelandexpeditions.com
For info on trips in Nepal including bespoke paraglide and kayak options email bookings@purelandexpeditions.com
Friday 6 November 2009
Om Shanti
Well guys and girls, it has been a long time since the blog was updated and I have no one to blame but myself. What has been going on I hear you cry.
Over the last few months we have been busy trying to secure assistance for a great project set up to support girls kayaking in Nepal. The project was established a few years ago by my good friend Inka from Sweden and is developing well. From Flat Water to Swift Water the girls are doing well.
It has been great that kayaking companies have been jumping to help out the Himalayan River Girls, this is a great club set up to help females or Nepal escape the rural family life, the caste system and all the oppression that surrounds the patriarchal ideology. Nookie Kayaking gear, www.nookie.co.uk have been brilliant and have supplied pfds, cags, decks, rash vest etc both for the club and as prizes and Square Rock, www.squarerock.co.uk have supplied a Jackson kayak as the prize for the Himalayan rodeo all is looking brilliant.
The girls have been doing well and are now working in the river. The Nepal season has been a blast and the learning curve is amazing.
This is a short update as we have just got off the Sun Kosi river, a great wilderness kayaking trip in the heart of Nepal. I will be adding a report about this later along with some images.
Over the last few months we have been busy trying to secure assistance for a great project set up to support girls kayaking in Nepal. The project was established a few years ago by my good friend Inka from Sweden and is developing well. From Flat Water to Swift Water the girls are doing well.
It has been great that kayaking companies have been jumping to help out the Himalayan River Girls, this is a great club set up to help females or Nepal escape the rural family life, the caste system and all the oppression that surrounds the patriarchal ideology. Nookie Kayaking gear, www.nookie.co.uk have been brilliant and have supplied pfds, cags, decks, rash vest etc both for the club and as prizes and Square Rock, www.squarerock.co.uk have supplied a Jackson kayak as the prize for the Himalayan rodeo all is looking brilliant.
The girls have been doing well and are now working in the river. The Nepal season has been a blast and the learning curve is amazing.
This is a short update as we have just got off the Sun Kosi river, a great wilderness kayaking trip in the heart of Nepal. I will be adding a report about this later along with some images.
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