Weekly Reflection 1

7:00pm

My first week in North Carlina consisted of a five-day raft guide school and two days to explore the area around Nantahala Outdoor Center. I walked into the campus with no idea of what to expect. I was greeted by the sun, blooming flowers, and the nicest people you could imagine. 

My living situation included a bunkhouse shared with three other people. One was a fireman and the other two were part of an outdoor ministry group. At the center of all the bunkhouses, was the bathhouse and the kitchen. 

My raft school had twenty-five members in the class. Our first day of raft school was a full run on the Nantahala River. It’s approximately 8 miles long and takes two-three hours. We were all put in rafts with three others The crew and I all took turns guiding the raft. My previous knowledge of kayaking and navigating rivers definitely made guiding way easier. I couldn’t imagine what it was like for the people who had only been on a river once or twice in their life. The section of the river mainly had class 11 rapids with one class 111. The raft was fairly easy to guide which was a surprise to me considering the size. The second day was another run on the Nantahala, but this team we incorporated eddy moves and ferries. The third day was once again another trip on the Nantahala. On this trip, we used all of the skills we learned on the river. During the first three days, we also worked on knot tying and rope throwing. The fourth day was a bit more challenging. We traveled two hours away to the French Broad River. It had several class 11 and 111 sections with two class IV. I got to guide the last class IV and the section known as “the maze”. The maze was very challenging because there were only a few lines that could be done in a raft. There were several times when the water flow split and all but one flow was too shallow to run. I got stuck on lots of rocks until I got to the section where I was supposed to get stuck. Before the last class IV section, my raft was the last to go, and all of the other rafts got stuck so they could scout. I managed to not get stuck in the trickiest spot on the river. I snaked through the rafts and blasted through the section. It had three drops and fast-flowing water. I managed with no knowledge of the section and a terrified crew. On the last day of guide school, we got to run the biggest rapid on the Nantahala all day long. We got to end the day by going down on upside-down rafts and double-deckers. The guide school was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my life. Not only did I acquire a skill to use for the rest of my life, but I got to meet some great people too. 

On Saturday and Sunday, I kayaked the Nantahala. I borrowed a full-slice boat called the Nova. These boats are good for getting vertical and most of all wet. The run was playboater’s paradise. There were lots of eddies to catch and even more waves. The class 111 drop was the most fun. Without the right line, I could’ve ended up in an unforgiving hole. On both days, after the drop, I paddled down to the play hole. I ended both days by spending a few minutes here. I had the time of my life this week, and will hopefully continue to all next week. 

Weekly Total: 49 hours

Nantahala Falls

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