20120811 - M&D's Big White Water Adventure

20120811 - Up in the morning and prepared, sort of, for the big whitewater adventure at Ace Adventuer Resort in Oak Hill WV.  We had a big breakfast at the buffet and then checked in with our group.  We had the lead guide that would be piloting our raft and I made sure he would keep an eye on D.  We then went up to the outfitting area where we got our paddles, life jackets and helmets.  After some more safety information (this would come in really handy later...) we boarded a rickety old bus and took a long scary ride to the point of no return...  We were paired up with 2 other couples and amazingly we were able to carry our huge raft down the ramp.  Then out on the water and a couple more lessons in rowing together as a team and more safety instructions (even more handy here in a minute...)  We then headed down stream for some rafting, doing some hydroplaning and then some nice little rapids.  Then we cam to our first class 5 rapid it was so COOL!!!


After this big rapid we came to a nice class 1 that you could float down if you wanted.  D looked at me and I said 'Your goin in!', In he went and I followed.  we were floating down the river nicely when I saw a little bump ahead of me in the water (here is where the safety info came in handy...)  Before I knew it my butt hit a rock under the water, I bounced up and then was sucked straight under by the curling water :-o  Safety lesson 1: If you get pulled under wrap up in a ball and you will pop up.  I wrapped up in a ball and shot right up, just long enough to get a breath and voom, sucked right under again...  Beginning to panic, thinking 'oh God if D is caught in this it will kill him.  What am I going to tell L??? :-(  Safety lesson 2: DON'T PANIC.  I regained composure and balled up popping up again and this time shot out of the suction...  Spinning upstream looking for D...  He was gone...  Oh SH!T...  spining around more I see the raft and the guide and D laughing hysterically...  Apparently while I was drowning D was whisked downstream...  When I reached the raft the guide told me I had gone down the worst possible route for that rappid and found the hole...  Just my luck...

A ways down stream and few rapids later we stopped for lunch.  The guides had this down to a science and cooked up a great meal for our waterlogged group.  We rested a bit and then back at it.  A couple more rapids and then a 30 foot jump off a huge boulder.


After the giant leap we had a huge hydroplane we got to do once.  We were in line to do it again but some guys in front of us capsized and one gashed his head open, I think it was the groom of the bunch...  Our guide was the leader and had to go patch him up so we got out of line and were part of the rescue team.  Down the stream a bit more and we came to our last rapid.

 WHAT A BLAST OF DAY!!!!

 

Back on dry land we caught a bus, with free beer., back to the resort.  We got dried off and headed down to dinner where we ate pig like pigs...  We hung around to watch the video they made of us during the day and had to buy it.  We bought some wood for a fire and exhausted we had a nice fire and relaxed and talked about the adventure.  A day I wont soon forget with a wonderful boy, growing up way too fast...  Off to bed, but too sore to sleep good.