Wednesday 27th July.

Wednesday 27^th July.  Day 11. Mile 152 – 186.  185 Mile Rapid Camp.

8 Rapids today:

Sinyala (4), Havasu (3), 164 Mile Rapid (3), National (2), Gateway (3), LAVA FALLS (10+), Lower Lava (5), 185 Mile Rapid (3).  Plus 2 small unnamed, ungraded rapids

Lava Falls day!! Will we survive it unscathed??

There was a trek before lunch but Rosie and I decided to sit it out in the shade.  My toes had been strapped up by Tom but I did not want to aggravate them, so we sat in the shade of the cliff and chatted.  

 After lunch there was a long paddle to Lava falls which we reached at about 3.30.  We pulled in to the side and tied the rafts to trees so that we could scout the rapid …. I decided to stay with the rafts, rather than freak myself out by looking at the awesome rapid but then I saw 2 blue motor rafts approaching the falls, so I sprinted up the hill to watch them go through Lava – even rafts as large and heavy as them were tossed about and rose up the front of some huge waves!!  

 We were all a little nervous at the thought of flipping or swimming in Lava – Jen was our guide and had told us what to expect and what to do so we set off.  (The big blue motor rafts were hanging about at the bottom of Lava either to see us flip or to give assistance should it be needed, not sure which!).  We hit the “V” at the side of the Ledge Hole dead centre and Jen called “get down” which was the signal for us to stop paddling and take shelter in between the seats – and hold on for dear life!! I caught hold of the handle on the centre dry bag and pushed myself into the space between the front and middle seats.  We hurtled into a wall of water which towered over us and hit our backs like an express train, then Jen yelled “paddle” – the signal for us to get up and paddle for our lives – the trouble was, I had wedged myself in so tight and I was stuck and could not get up.  Kevin, who was behind me, started yelling “Get up and paddle, Nita”!!!  I missed 2 strokes then was up in time for the next huge wave which we hit full on.  One more large wave then we were through and, although we were still paddling, we were all high on adrenaline!  Kevin later told everyone that I had been a bit tired and had taken a short nap in Lava Falls!  He also gave me a new nickname of “Get Up and Paddle Nettles”.

Glen’s raft was last in line and he was thrown out at the start of the V (presumably after telling his crew to “get down”)  but he managed to hang on to the chicken line and went through the whole of Lava yelling “keep paddling” and they came through unscathed and unknowing that he was not in his usual seat steering the raft.  Glen then floated past them and climbed back on board!  The motor rafts stayed to watch us descend Lava then sped on past.

We did a lot of hard paddling today as our first 2 choices of campsite were already taken, added to that, much of the time, we were paddling into hot, strong, headwinds.

In camp, Glen repeated his star talk and got his telescope out.  J & K both used it to see the rings around Saturn as it was such a clear night.  In fact we did not even bother erecting our tents and slept outside under the canopy of stars and the Milky Way.  My foot was very painful with the eczema or foot rot, rubbed raw by the wet sand in my sandals (my neoprene wet boots having come apart during the last trek).

Tuesday 26th July.

Tuesday 26^th July.  Day 10.  Mile 138 – 152.  Bloody Ledges Camp

8 Rapids today:

Doris (6), 139 Mile Rapid (4), Fishtail (6), 141 Mile Rapid (2), Kanab (3), 145.5 Mile Rapid (3), Matkatamiba (2), Upset (8)

I went in a raft with 5 Americans today – Rosie, Bob, Forrest, Jo and Peter - a real nice bunch.  Jen was our guide and she made a few blunders and we hit a rock once but we all stayed in the boat.  At the very start of Upset Rapid, Glen’s raft hit a very high hard wave and Ronnie got knocked out from the back of the raft.  Although Glen managed to grab her, the force of the current tore her from his grip and she was taken under the full length of the raft.  Julia, paddling in the front, did not know Ronnie had ‘gone swimming’ and in her paddle stroke, hit Ronnie in the face with her paddle as she emerged from under the raft.  Ronnie went through the whole of Upset Rapid in the water and was picked up in the eddy at the bottom, by which time she was in shock but soon managed to take her place again at the paddle – plucky lady!! (though she did have a very nasty fat lip, though she said that was from a fall in camp that morning!)

After lunch we pulled into Havasu Creek and trekked to a beautiful spot where clear turquoise water cascaded down waterfalls into pools.  The trek was not too difficult but a little scary at points with quite a drop down into the (deep) turquoise water.  A few of us stayed by some wonderful pools, while others climbed a little higher to more spectacular waterfalls. 

 While we were there, Arline got into difficulty while crossing the fast flowing water and I and some others formed a human chain to assist her.  Unfortunately I had taken my shoes off and did not have time to put them back on again before going to help her – and the stones on the bottom of the pool skinned the bottom of several of my toes.  Once in camp, Tom applied antiseptic cream, plasters and duct tape to all my toes – a fairly painful experience!.  He suspected I had foot rot, but the cream did not burn so we assumed I had not succumbed to the infection at that point. (Tom also assumed I had been walking on “Bloody Ledges” without shoes and had cut myself on the rocks, but we convinced him that was not the case).

There was no sand at Bloody Ledges campsite (actually it is called Lower Ledges but the Guides call it Bloody Ledges because people often walk around camp without shoes and sustain painful injuries) and we were told that if we wanted to erect tents we would have to weight them down with stones and boulders to prevent them being blown away by the strong wind.  We should not leave anything lying around which could be picked up by the wind!  The warning was justified as not long after erecting our tents very strong gusts came along and we only just kept our tents in place!!  The rock ledges were extremely hot and it felt like sleeping on a hot plate on the stove!  The thunder threatened again, but no rain.

Tomorrow is the biggest and most famous rapid of them all – Lava Falls, grade 10+.  We expect to run it at about 4-4.30pm when the water height is most favourable.

Monday 25th July.

Monday 25^th July.  Day 9. Mile 120 – 138.  Granaries camp

13 Rapids today plus 2 un-named, ungraded short ones:

122 Mile Rapid (5), Forster (6), Fossil (6), Nel’s Nemesis ungraded, Randy’s Rock (2), 127 Mile Rapid (3), 128 Mile Rapid (5), Specter (6), Bedrock (8), Deubendorff (7+), Tapeats (6), Bonita Creek (3), 135 Mile Rapid (Helicopter Eddy) (5).

Another good day of rafting!  Julia told Kevin he could go with me today to give her a day off!!!!! So I gave them both a day off and went with Rosie in Glen’s boat.

Fossil rapid was fun with a bend in the middle.  I rode bull on the 2^nd of 3 new rapids (the 3^rd of which they nicknamed Tumbleweed).  It was fun and easy!

We went for a short hike soon after leaving camp in the morning to an amazing side canyon where you can see the layers of erosion – and the gap in geological time which they term an unconformity.  After lunch we went to Deer Creek where most of the party went on a steep scramble to “The Patio” where there were 2 small waterfalls and shade.  Jo, Peter and I (later joined by Kevin who abandoned the walk on an exposed narrow stretch) stayed at river level by a huge powerful waterfall. The sun hitting the waterfall spray formed a beautiful rainbow.  We took bed rolls (taco pads) and lay on the beach in the cooling spray and had a sleep!

Back at the rafts Julia was diagnosed with foot rot and Tom applied some cream – which made her hop about as it burned so much!  My left food has also started itching, so I probably have foot rot too, though it looks more like the eczema I sometimes get.

I received a compliment today when someone told Julia she had the coolest Aunt ever!

I saw cat footprints in the sand when we were setting up our tents and Julia just saw a mouse by their tent. There was thunder and lightning again but no rain as yet.  Our campsite is huge, with sand dunes and a plateau.  The kitchen is under a large overhang which is full of holes and crevices from where the bats emerged at sunset.

Sunday 24th July.

Sunday 24^th July.  Day 8.  Mile 98.75 – 120.  Blacktail Camp

19 Rapids today

Crystal  (10+), Tuna Creek (5), Lower Tuna (4), 100 Mile Rock (Nixon Rock) (5), Agate (3), Sapphire (7), Turquoise (4), 104 Mile Rapid (6), Ruby (6), Serpentine (7), Bass (4), Shinumo (4), 110 Mile Rapid (1), Hakatai (4), Walthenberg (7), 112.5 Mile Rapid (2), 113.5 Mile Rapid (Rancid Tuna) (5),

119 Mile Rapid (2), Blacktail (3)

Crystal was a cauldron of bubbling water and, as we were camped just above it, before we set off we watched 2 power rafts going through.  They had enough power to take the centre line but when it came to our turn we stayed to the right and that was scary enough!!  We are now officially members of the ABC Club (Alive Below Crystal).  It was a full-on day with 19 full and 2 minor rapids, as well as 2 short hikes to waterfalls – one, at Elves Chasm,  which you could jump down from into a pool about 8ft deep.  Needless to say, Julia did it!  I would have liked to but the climb up was very slippery and difficult, so I decided to be cautious!

We did the ‘Gems’ of Crystal, Sapphire, Ruby, Serpentine etc.  At Ruby Julia took a big hit of water on her side and head which knocked her back into me and made her deaf for a few minutes – but we all stayed in the raft!  Julia also rode the bull again but fell backwards into the boat as Dave, our guide, would not let her hold on the black  front strap but insisted she hold the rope which circled the raft (the chicken wire) but which gave her no stability.  Dave’s instructions were not always very clear or very loud and when Julia repeated them for the benefit of Kevin and myself he told her off.  She explained that we could not hear him and his reply was “It is not that you cannot hear, it is that you are not listening”.  At Elves Chasm he gave her a big hug and said she was always mad at him, which she denied.  However, I did not tale to him at all. 

We had 2 swimmers today apparently Jen made a mistake.  We played some riddle games today and I often won!  Steak for tea – scrummy!!

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos - I could not see when I had mist or water on the lense (nor SLR camera!!) also, the time stamp on the photos is incorrect - I did not alter it from UK time to USA time.