Wenatchee River, Leavenworth, Wa

Well I don't have any real good pictures of the last couple of weekends while we were rafting. I need to get better at taking pictures while I'm paddling. Of course I could buy pictures from one of the photographers along the river but I've paid for enough of those over the years - one of these years I might even frame a couple of them...it could happen!

The first weekend was a good time the water was pretty high at over 12,600cfs and the weather was pushing 90 degrees in the afternoons. We made a run on Saturday and another on Sunday. Since the group was quite large I guided paddle rafts both days. Though the second day was a bit trying as I had 6 passengers - two that are high level water polo studs and wanted to "run everything big" on the river, their wives that did not speak English, and two other guys that were scared to death of the river and could not swim...or paddle for that matter. The good news was the two guys up front were big, strong and paddled like raging maniacs so we were able to negotiate everything while the other 4 rolled around in the floor screaming like little girls (no offense Lily!). All-in-all it was a great weekend though I was exhausted after the Sunday's run.

The next weekend we had a great time as well. Since this weekend the group was quite a bit smaller than before Jason and I were able to introduce a couple guys to using inflatable kayaks. This is something Jason and I have spent quite a bit of time doing but it was completely new them. We got them out on the meandering Icicle Creek and they did fine. Nobody flipped almost a whole minute - yes, one of our kayaking "pupils" was swimming next to his boat after wedging himself against a paddle raft as he was getting in his kayak. Now this is what rafting is all about....you against the river.... and only 17 more miles to go.

Teaching the new kayakers was a fun challenge. The guys we were teaching had never been in a kayak before so it was fun to help them figure things out. After several swims and several rescues they had both retired to the comfort of paddle rafts as Jason and I finished the river with a guide trainee now following with us and an unmanned kayak in tow. Let this be a lesson to all you aspiring first time kayakers out there here is some advice....When your guide (whom you paid for his expertise) says "stay right behind me" through rapids like Boulder Bend or Snow Blind or any other rapid for that matter he actually means "stay right behind me" not "sort-of stay right behind me and 15 feet to the left." But as they say "pain is the greatest of all teachers"

Stats:
Wenatchee River - Class III - Das River Haus to Cashmere
Miles Logged: 51 (3 days)
Flow Data: 12600cfs, 13200cfs & 8940cfs