perwork—not to mention dealing with com- plex local geographies that may include rain forests, glacier-melt and monsoons. What’s more, guided trips offer boaters some of the best local knowledge around—a real plus when you’re pushing the envelope far from home. When you sign up for a guided trip “you’re hitting the ground running,” says Coward. “You’re getting a lot of instruction and running a bunch of new rivers. Meals are included, ac- commodations are sorted, and if anything goes awry you’ve got people there who are trained to deal with it.”
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Te evolution of guided whitewater trips is also marked by a strong emphasis on blending paddling with culture. It’s the reason veteran guides like Spelius have managed to thrive, and why Coward is in high demand to orga- nize trips to Panama and Tibet in the next two years. “Te Kenya trip was more then just a whitewater trip for me,” says Trevor Zahari- chuk, an electrical engineer and class III boater from Calgary who joined Coward in Kenya. “It was a place I had always wanted to visit, and the trip was set up to allow us to not only ex- perience some of the great rivers but also enjoy other attractions. It would have been a shame to visit there and not experience those things.” In the remote Mexican village of Jalcomulco,
where Esprit trips are based, Coffey insists that even his most whitewater-crazed clients become engaged with locals. He’s created a “mi- cro-philanthropy” program called Hermanos that encourages trip participants to interact and share with villagers who may not reap the full rewards of the tourism investments. “Tere’s a lot of great paddling, but there’s also an in- credible connection that we’re able to make for people in this small village,” says Coffey. “When our guests get down here they can’t believe the open door policy. Tere’s a very genuine hospi- tality that’s a far cry from what people read in the newspapers about Mexico.” It’s an ironic, happy coincidence that the ide-
alistic lifestyle that Spelius dreamed of creating for himself has become a best-selling ecotour- ism strategy. “Tese are the types of experienc- es that are so apart from the ‘steer and herd me down the river’ experience that some people expect,” says Coffey. “We think of ourselves as offering guidance and connection. It’s one thing to go to a country and try to work it out on your own; it’s another to go to a place where you immediately have friends and family.”
CONOR MIHELL is a writer based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Paddling is my reminder.
It makes me smile when I’m punching the clock, it keeps me excited.
Paddling washes away the routine. -Allen
Allen Satcher, NRS Ambassador, only runs class “fun” whitewater. ©Alleh Lindquist
What does paddling mean to you? Share your thoughts at
nrsweb.com/share 800-635-5202
www.rapidmag.com 39
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