6.8 and rising - Center surf bonanza!

Rising waters turned the Chutes into a medium level game of Frogger (look it up, you young punks!), as the quantity and quality of wood floating down increased as the evening went on. Attain up the back channel was easy enough on attainer's left and really quite easy on attainer's right in my slalom boat. Once at the top, the ferry over was also easy enough, though debris collecting in all the eddies provided occasional obstacles. I took a quick ferry over to the Virgina side of Center Chute and then back over to the wave. Ton of fun! I was joined by a few of the Calleva Cheat Elite group who had snuck away. Long boats of different stripes were catching the surging wave. The Pirouette seemed particularly well suited. And once I got it dialed in --- did I mention I missed the lesson on surfing somehow...I really suck! --- I stayed on as long as I wished. Center wave is probably long boats only starting at around 6.3. Select the "surf" tag from the right side column and find Adam Van Grack's guide to Center Chute levels, among other surf level lists folks have submitted over the years.

Carderock attains

As prep for the Cheat race, I've been doing a series of attains from Carderock to where ever water levels and daylight will permit. It's good as resistance training, aerobic endurance and mental focus --- keeping cadence and solid strokes in a situation where the mind really wants to wander. I've hit a variety of levels, from 4.6 to 3.7 so far this spring. I'm not really trying for speed, but I am clocking. The day at 4.6 took a bit over 90 minutes to Wet Bottom (yeah, pretty slow)--- but that included me getting stubborn and repeatedly trying one ledge above Maryland chute, instead of immediately choosing the alternative. Under 4 ft, I'm getting up in a little over 60 minutes. I'm hoping to cut some time off of that this week. I choose the slalom boat for over 4.2 ft and the plastic Animas for lower levels. If you've never done this attain, there is nothing particularly difficult or hazardous about it. At higher levels, the forward stroke does start getting tested in places, though. I have discovered two hazards worth noting, however. First, the bugs are out in the spring and are especially bad as you head back downstream in the twilight. I'm bringing glasses and a bandanna to keep them out of eyes and airways! The second is taking out at Carderock in the dark --- it can be tough to find and walk the proper trail. I have bruises. :-)

Potomac 4.2 and steady

Headed out in the slalom boat. The Clay's Revenge attain in the rocks of Corner Hole was very do-able. As I was meeting some folks, I only took a couple of shots at Maryland Chute. As usual, the ferry could be done multiple ways. But that last little up on attainer's right was too tough. I don't remember that approach having two dips/waves, which made even getting up beside the rock a bit challenging. I think I would have made it with more attempts, but it had definitely crossed into that more difficult territory for me.

Center Chute attainer's right move could definitely be done by those a little stronger than me. I'm thinking the main VA Chute attain is also possible for the mighty. I did succeed at the VA slot attain on attainer's right --- just gotta keep your focus and nerve. Finished by playing around up and down the Center Chute ledge, then heading upstream past the Jumps before needing to head for home.

Folks I was with were surfing everything in medium length boats --- VA chute and the wave below the Center Ledge seemed most entertaining for them.

Wet Bottom surfing

I keep forgetting the levels when that surf wave comes in at Wet Bottom. But headed back down after a maiden attain in the new slalom boat --- BINGO! Wish I had left myself time to play as it dialed right in. So, recorded data point #1 for Wet Bottom surfing...3.3+ is pretty nice.

P.S. Had an interesting sessions surfing Rocky the week before at a little over 3.4 --- not easy, but that challenge is accelerating my learning. I know, I'm pathetic ;-) ---  I should be at O-Deck at such levels, but didn't have the energy on that particular day.

Long boat surfing at 7ft and above

More great info from the river encyclopedia, Adam VG:

Long Boat Surf-spots Above 7 Feet (Little Falls Gauge)

Skull Island Wave

Long River Runner: 6.6 - 7.3

Slalom Boat: 7.1 - 7.8

Sweetie Pie Wave (aka Back Channel Wave)

Long River Runner: 7.4 - 7.9

Slalom Boat: 7.9 - 8.2

Dead Cow Wave

Long River Runner: 8.6 - 8.9

Slalom Boat: 8.8 - 9.3

River Bend Wave (River Right at Right-Turn Elbow in Mather Gorge)

Long River Runner: 8.1 - 8.5

Slalom Boat: 8.3 - 8.8

Potomac 4.4+ and steady

Chasing Paul Harrison and Don Gallitz upstream on a Monday night with the level somewhere around 4.66, our goal was some surf time at Rocky. I stopped to try Clay's Revenge (little slot at the Corner Hole rocks), first time in a long time, then up Maryland Chute at what may be it's easiest level for mere mortals.

The challenge was at Wet Bottom. But I will anger the attaining gods by saying I found it relatively easy. Yes, it still takes strong work and yes, I was in my glass boat. But the ferry over from attainer's right was made easier by having the first eddy washed out. You go straight to the convergence of the two bits of current coming around the big center rock. If your ferry is good, you pop in before it gets too mingled...making it mostly a matter of strong, steady strokes to the top. A good ferry to the shore on attainer's left (VA) and you're free to go surf!

Colder weather is back, chasing away those fair weather paddlers and leaving the clear water and beautiful skies to us real boaters. :-)

Went out twice this on the home Potomac Thanksgiving weekend, once at 3.1+ and once at 3.0. It's always interesting to see how even .1 changes the river, but the attains were all pretty much the same. At 3.1, I was out in my glass boat with Ned P. in his C1. I was once again reminded of how I couldn't possibly do what C-boaters do. We cruised up, doing multiple routes up the Middle Chute, Wet Bottom and Rocky, before taking a brief stab at S-turn. The left-to-right ferry temporarily defeated righty Ned... though if we'd had more time, he definitely would have made it. We slalomed our way home through a gentle shower.

At 3.0, I was out with Alexina and Paul, all in plastic. We took a couple of shots at the attainer's left move up through the rocks above the hole, but were unsuccessful. I think we could have made it, but we were looking forward to getting upstream. We followed Paul's lead up through the Middle Chute, setting the tone for a day of humiliation...no, that's not the word...torture...still not right...inspiration (!) from Paul's effortless success at everything we tried.

Powering up the far right move at Middle, we continued to Wet Bottom, where you could really see the loss of that .1 of water. Then came Rocky, where the inside and outside moves on attainer's left where in, though they quickly punished poor boat control. I went over to try the attainer's right move on the other side, which normally comes in at 2.9. I think I could make with a little more hull speed --- and a better forward stroke. But failure just left me in a perfect spot for a little surf wave, providing consolation.

Many attempts to emulate Paul's elegant attain on the outside move left Alexina and I with noodle arms, so we headed back down. Multiple attains there (and some slalom-type moves which I can never resist), after which we sprinted down to Virginia for a bit more punishment. Alexina and I beat ourselves to death on the Virginia attain, but finally made it. I personally believe that Paul started TRYING to screw it up --- and was STILL making it.

After a couple of weeks of attaining and long downriver runs, I didn't expect to be so tired from a simple up-and-back. But it was a great weekend, proving again that every level holds challenges and fun --- even if you're not a falls runner. :-)

A sign from the gods!

How can you be a true attainer and not be inspired by this brief video account of attaining the Lower Yough?

OR

How can you be a normal person and not be horrified by this brief video account of attaining the Lower Yough?

(Yes, I do believe there are two types of people in the world.)

Attaining TO Anglers!

Yes, you read that correctly. I recently did two attains from downstream up to Anglers, one from Carderock and one from Lock 10. Clay, Jen and I attained from Carderock last summer at just below 3 feet, finding it annoyingly low. After a couple of downstream runs at higher levels, I began to think about the attaining possibilities.

At 4.8, I ran down Yellow Falls in the Animas, paddled down to the confluence above the Carderock put-in and headed back up the river left (attainer's right) side. It required a little effort to get back up to the ledges, but nothing too bad. From there it got more difficult. The current had plenty of push, while many places were still surprisingly shallow. It took a lot of micro-eddy hopping to work back up. The best route ultimately ended up requiring a ferry all the way across to the Virginia side, where a steady paddle returned me to Anglers. It was a solid workout.

A week later, I had run down to Lock 10 in the slalom boat at 4.1. Kristin and Clay were going to run the Billy Goat back to Anglers, so I decided to race them back upstream on the attain. It didn't require as much peak effort as the previous attain, but it did take some brain power to figure a route up Stubblefield. The ledges/cobble bar by Yellow Falls were even lower, making that section annoyingly difficult. It was mostly just long. (Yes, I did beat them back to Anglers...if you don't count the 30 minute head start they gave me while they changed and loaded boats.)

Short version...these are good workouts. But unfortunately, by comparison to the attains up from Anglers, these attains to Anglers are all the work, with none of the rewards --- no fun at S-Turn, no surfing at Rocky, no playing at the Chutes, no rest on the downstream leg home. But who needs rest, right?