3.8 - portage rapid attainment on VA side

All spring with levels above 4.0 Milan and I in the Topo Duo (Eskimo) have been able to attain all the way from Anglers to O-Deck without getting out of the boat to portage. We've been able to attain back channel (up by Sandy Beach), and also attain portage rapid on the MD side (river left). (note - our most terrifying challenge in those workouts has been the ferry beneath fishladder, which in a wobbly 2-person slightly-leaky boat has presented numerous challenges and failures at team-coordination, though we've always succeeded at least by the third try.) 

Today, with levels dropping to 3.8 we had two changes introduced into our normal attainment route. First, we were not able to attain back channel - no one could have, with all the new rocks showing and lack of 'navigable water'. Darn! Oh well, we used the portage as an opportunity to both hydrate and de-hydrate. 

However, we were able to attain portage rapid on the VA side (river right). Not the way you'd normally think, getting as high as we could behind the big rock and then ferrying like heck back to the MD side. Nope. We stayed on the VA side the whole time, attaining and jumping up through the rocky cluster and into a big eddy on the VA side. And, it’s not just a long-boat, or even a Milan-only move, because Andre did the whole thing in his Nomad creek boat along with us (although he also seems bionic in my opinion). Here is the scoop - on the VA side of portage rapid we attained up to the big (big) rock, and then where boaters would normally ferry back to MD, instead we went towards VA up to another small rock, and then from there across to the second (not the top) wave and surfed-ferried over to a big eddy against the VA shore. And, there you have it!  

On to O-deck.....

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.

Potomac 5.5

Back with another class to work on spring training.

As a warm-up, I tried the Maryland Chute attain. Boils were big and challenging, but could be defeated. But I lost my matches against the little wave hole that defends the right starting point for the ferry from left to right. More time --- and maybe a longer boat --- might have yielded victory, but not this night.

Meeting back up with the class, the back channel was again the option. Ferrying across the top was easy. But the deceptive attain move between the rocks proved too strong for most in this group, so we carried over the rocks.

Ferrying across the main Potomac took most to eddy out below the island at Virginia chute. A strong ferry was rewarded with a passage between the rocks of the island and final rest break above the chute. Many were able to make the slot attain at Virginia. At this level, it's a wide passage, but still boily. The bankside attain at Virginia was available, though the unwary were pushed left against the trees and often flipped.

The Cheat Youth were out and some had wavehoppers. They were working on attaining up from the Center wave and at Virginia.I saw some success at Center --- impressive!

Potomac 6ft and falling

With dreams of long boat surfing at Center dancing in my head all day, I headed out with a new crew. Sadly, the water was falling rapidly. What had been around 6.4 that morning was already edging toward the 5s. I think it was just at 6ft when we put on.

Nevertheless, we headed up the back channel. These guys were in long or mid-sized boats, but had no real problem getting up to Dead Cow. After ferry practice across at the top, the team was out into the main Potomac.

As this was a training lesson, the main group did loops --- ferrying over to Center Chute, crashing through the wave, then back around the island on the Maryland side to attain back up to repeat. A few of the boats were well sized for the wave hole that starts to develop at Center in the upper 5s, so a few attempts were made. Other worked on ferries and the occasional roll.

Attain new status --- be an author!

As you can see, I don't do a very good job anymore of posting to this blog. I don't seem to be paddling as much anymore --- and I'm just lazy. But the river changes all the time and it would be good to get a few more folks recording their experiences for the benefit (and amusement) of our fellow Prisoners of the Potomac.

What to be an Attainers Blog author? Let me know and I'll add you, so that you can start sharing your very unscientific observations of paddling on the Potomac.

Corner Chute at 4.6 and rising

It has been a long time since I've tried the little attain at the Corner below Maryland Chute. Once called "Clay's Revenge" after some guy who never paddles anymore and always seems to be dying of some respiratory infection, it's an interesting little exercise in take-off, edge control and just the right power at just the right moment.

OK, that's probably over-complicates it. But until you get it figured out, you'll beat your brains out.

Checking back over these entries, I really should have been able to make this move. FAIL  Of course, I was out in the the new just-under-10-feet plastic boat, I didn't have my favorite attaining paddle, and my lucky underwear was all in a wad. How could I have possibly expected to get up, under the circumstances? :-)

I did feel like something had changed a little in the slot. There was a swell of a little wave coming off the right side that I didn't remember being so pronounced. And while the entry has always kicked to the left, it felt stronger than I remembered. Just a difference in the level --- or has something shifted?

So, something to achieve in this new season...once I get the lucky underwear washed. :-)

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.