POUROVER
ROCK OUT. PHOTO: ANDREW WESTWOOD
CREEKIN’ ROCKS open canoe technique GETTING DOWN THE STEEPS MEANS HITTING WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
Running steep, low volume rivers draws on both traditional water read- ing skills and a host of unique tricks designed to take advantage of ex- posed rocks. Using rocks to guide your canoe through rapids is an im- portant skill for creek runs. Exposed rocks beside a drop can create a great launch pad and bouncing off a series of rocks can direct you to that hard-to-reach eddy. When river running, a canoeist who strikes a rock might say, “I meant to hit that!” At best, it comes off as weak justification for drifting off line. In creeking, doing so is part of the game.
PLACEMENT A pioneer of many first descents of creeks in the southern U.S., Dave Psycho Simpson coined the phrase that went something like, “It ain’t if you hit a rock or not, it’s if you hit the rock and bounce the right way.” In low flow, steep creek, rocks often can’t be avoided—use them to as- sist your boat’s placement. Some of the best lines will use a mix of main channel water and boulders to descend a steep run. Rocks give you an advantage because they offer the opportunity for a quick change in direction that no stroke can match.
STABILIZE Hitting rocks can also help to stabilize your canoe. When water piles onto boulders it builds a pillow wave with an upstream seam of descending water. Getting caught here may pull your paddle deep, upsetting your
30 RAPID EARLY SUMMER 2013
balance, causing you to catch an edge and increase your risk of capsiz- ing. Better to cross the seam and hit the rock. If you don’t want to go up and over, reach out a hand to reduce the risk of capsize further by using the rock for stability.
TECHNIQUE
Remember to always lean and tilt into rocks, and, if you’re going up and over, hit it hard. Plant a boof stroke as your bow contacts to help lift you up and skip over the rock. Strike using the front half of your canoe, as striking past midship can cause pinwheeling out of control. Prepare for the friction after slamming into the rock and be ready to speed up after impact. The best rocks are smooth and low to the water. Avoid sticky or jagged rocks that could kill your speed. As for having the right gear, al- though not essential, a rotomolded plastic boat is both the toughest and slipperiest for bouncing off and over rocks. Also invest in a pair of elbow pads—you’ll thank me later. Bottom line: Steep, creeky, low flow runs often require striking rocks.
Learning to bounce the right way is key to holding your line and adding to the excitement of your run. Andrew Westwood is an open canoe instructor at the Madawaska Kanu Centre, member of Team Esquif and author of The Essential Guide to Canoeing.
www.westwoodoutdoors.ca.
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