Chilko River- Williams lake, BC

"Getting the chance to work on the chilko is something that every guide would die for", Randy one of the owners of HYAK told me when he presented me with the idea of letting me work as the safety kayaker for his trips later that season.













I must say i was stoked to be going, but i really had no idea about the river at all untill i joined the first of 4, 6day expedition trip on the morning of camp 2 just outside of chilko lake. From there i got my first tast of 1st class chilko fun entering bidwell canyon and the whitemile around midday with some huge standing waves and pushy big water fun. I can not really express the nature of the river to anybody reading through my words but being given the oppertunity to work this river has definatly been the rafting highlight of my BC Trip and an almost spiritual event being beside such an amazing river for nearly 1 whole month with such awsome dudes as 'Buzz' lightyear, Dylan and Normond. thanks for such awsome trips. it was my pleasure working with you.....despite the eggs...buzz!
Adrian

FREE FLOWING RIVERS

Just letting everybody know, i have been working alongside some close friends at HYAK to get a river race organised for our new Not-for-profit organisation 'free flowing rivers'. it will be the opening event in an ongoing fundrasing effort to raise money for an 11month road trip from canada down as far as chile in south america to make a documentry on some of the major rivers that are under threat from Hydro eletrical dam proposals. For example the futulafu in chile.
We have been offered some high powered sponsorships already and are looking for all the help we can get to make our dream a reality. If you know somebody who might be able to help us out for this international event, in the awesome land of OZ let me know.

visit the website

www.freeflowingrivers.com

its only new, but there will be HEAPS added to it in the very near future

peace out

New Fluid Creekboat

got to have a bash in my new exp. solo, on cayoosh creek just out of the HYAK base in lytton. photos curtasy of Roger sheep-shagger .

so nice to be in a boat that suits me again!! not to say that the CFS isnt a up-to-date creeking machine though..ha ha

peace out

Skookmchuck Narrows- Egmont, BC

Airing out my hired Project 62 on the larger than normal left shoulder

OH YEAH.
i FINALLY got there!! after attending the ashlu river festival i bumped into a couple of sheep shagging boys from new zealend, Hamish and Roger. instantly hitting it off with our southern antics we made the mission up to skooks happen, hiring boats and making the 2 1/2 hour pilgremidge up to egmont. we paddled out early on the outgoing tide hoping to catch some last minute skooks action, it was not to be, forcing us to fall asleep in the hot sun for 8 hours slowly watching the tide turn and growing steadily more excited as the wave quickly began to build. 11 knots is meant to be the critical number but we had struck it at 14.3 which ment for bigger than normal airtime and also bigger than normal DOWN time in the huge whirlpools directly behind the wave. i was luckey enough not to have to go on tour through them the whole 2 days we were there but hamish racked up 11 (12 if you count trying to ride 'Tube steak' the large barreling wave further out in the channel and getting substantially beaten!)

Aint no donkey flips here colin!! airscrews the flavour of the day for pretty much every boater willing to huck!!

paddling with us was some pretty amazing boaters from the states. a jackson sponsored pro-boater, and ex member of World class kayak accadamy and also a very tall, very crazy "Fluid' Boater called Leath, who kept us all entertained with his outrageoues humour and mullet
'leath' green grinding out a surging skook's

Also got some great shots from a proffesional kayak photographer "James Fullbright" who was out the boating taking some of the most amazing shots i have ever seen!!

The Frog - Thompson River, Lytton BC

yea ha... after doing nothing but getting beaten in my creekboat on runs way over my head4 the last 4 months. The frog wave has finally emerged at low water on the thompson to remind me why im a kayaker!!! Its pretty much the biggest wave i have every surfed, all moves are possible on it. Between me, kumsheen and some washington boys the wave has been getting used and abused to the pleasure of every boater in the eddy!!! finally getting to practice Helix's on a good size river wave (better than sex baby!!!)

Calafornia does chilliwack

California returns.
Ok, so after keeping in contact with my cool Californian chick from Hawaii. I got a visit from her and her friend for a week. I borrowed a car from one of my mates at HYAK. And picked them up from the airport. we spent the rest of the day floating about Stanley park before we all headed back to Chilliwack as I had to work the next day. As it always is at HYAK the Saturday was controlled chaos. I safety kayaked for the second trip, Maggie and Jamie helped out with lunches and made friends with the ‘locals’ (It Turns out not all Canadians live in igloos) that night we went out drinking and the local pub, unfortunately Jamie, being too young to drink in Canada was restricted entry to the local club. Instead we all trooped up to Caltus Lake and continued festivities there. That night I’m sure will remain in my memories for a long time, and not because of anything I did (incase you were wondering). Over the next 2 days we drove up to whistler and had a look around, my first chance to see Canada outside of HYAK working areas. Watched ‘pirates of the Caribbean’ ate sushi, drunk cider and admired the scenery. Despite being a JAFA (just another fucking Aussie) in this town, I can understand why Aussies are drawn to it. Much fun had and much alcohol drunk…… after whistler we headed home to give Paul’s car back and bummed a lift back into Vancouver for the remainder of their stay. Jamie hooked up with an Aussie guy who had spent time living down near Geavston in Tassie. Thanks again to the BEAVER bar in Samsun hostel, entertainment for the evening was blurred to say the least.
Very sad to see them go especially as I am now back in Chilliwack drinking coffee at Tim Horton’s facing another days work tomorrow.
Peace out.
a