Our first creeking trip off to run 'the canyon' below Tobia
For any obsessive kayaking buddies who want a fuller trip report written by Calvin- see it on http://rmblinthejungle.blogspot.com/
A few nerves and anticipation as we kit up at Paula's place by the river.
With Paula who paddled with us down to the canyon entrance to wish us well.
Below - Canyon entrance with about at least 7km of grade 4-5 and another 7k of grade 2-3. The main hard section has about 5 great grade 4-5 rapids, with plenty of good long and biggish volume, technical grade 3's. This is at lowish water levels for the main river entering the canyon and the canyon is not to be run at higher river levels where it turns into more continuous grade 5 and 6 - not by us anyway!
The first canyon entry rapid is pretty full on is one of the 3 or 4 harder drops. Not much time for easing into the river. Straight off hard rapid.
The first photo is the rapid approach seen looking back upstream. The second photo is the main rapid after the approach looking downstream. A nice wide stopper follows on below this to keep you on your toes.
Whilst waiting for Calvin's creek boat from the US, we looked at the canyon entrance and first rapid for several weeks and talked to the local raft guides before deciding to run it. We knew some local guides occasionally paddled it but we wanted discover it on our own.
This was a powerful little chute that had us backended, vertical and rolling both days
Rock and roll. Enclosed and beautiful canyon .
Below - The river left line on one of the main drops
We spent considerable time scouting this drop on foot, discussing possible lines and deciding whether to run it or not.
Here we go.
The river right line on the same drop which is better with a bit more water.
Waiting for Calvin in the pool below this drop courtesy of our friends who by chance showed up higher up in the canyon.
When we repeated the canyon the second day, some of our non paddling friends had by chance come down the canyon on an activity trip by an old high railway line. We arrived in perfect time to see Dilek abseiling down a waterfall higher up in the canyon just as we were running one of the main drops. We took some mutual photos waved and whislted lots- it was a great moment.
Err...human?
A hard hot climb out of the canyon to avoid a big volume undercut rapid that looked decidely iffy. The climb out of the canyon and portage took over an hour and in the end proved probably as risky and hard as running the rapid - not to mention a ravaging by thorns and insects.
The boys feeding and resting up on the evening of day one. Me feeling decidely ill with an iffy stomach and the runs.
New Creek near Tobia - exploratory run
Ninja Turtles? Showing off the new packs ready for the long walk out of the canyon and exploring new creeks.
New small rocky and technical creek - discovered from the roadside leading into Tobia. Great paddle, harder and longer than we expected. Two cut hands, one injured shoulder and managed to lose each other for an hour by landing on different banking with thick jungle. In the end we both walked out coming out in different farms. Calvin took the option of dragging his boat down the road to our van and I caught up with him on a local mini bus - need to keep the locals amused. Still need to finish that river. Oh, and we both got ill, two days in bed with stomach upset from the local bugs and and and antibiotics for an infected hand wound. Lots of adventure that day.
Sweet rapids on the new creek - but we progressed slowly as found some sections harder and longer than expected from our earlier scouting trips from the road.
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