...... White water
Safety Kayak over a hydraulic


On any clear day in the summertime (and sometimes even in the rain)
you'll find people running the rapids of the Black River at Watertown, 
New York. Most of the time the river meanders slowly through town, 
but when a controlled release of water from the dam upstream rolls 
through,the river becomes a wet roller coaster ride! 

Here are a few pictures from one trip I made with some friends.





You'll get everything you need to make the trip from the rafting company;
bring a change of clothes for the picnic afterward, you WILL be completely
soaked...





Getting the rubber raft in the water is the easy part....staying in the 
raft is more challenging.






There are several essential ingredients to successfully running the rapids,
analyzing the current flow, identifying hazards and potential problem areas,
picking a line of entry and exit through the rapids, working together as a 
team, and learning how to hold on to the raft....with your toes.







Sometimes the best way to get through a rapid is to enter sideways....






...and sometimes you just have to go for it and power stroke your raft 
through the white water.





Eventually you get far enough downstream to where the current is still
swiftly carrying you but the rapids and white water are all behind you...







...so you can jump in and float downstream.







Finally you reach the last part of your journey. The adventure has ended
...for the moment.



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