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Trip Reports

Thurs - Pre-Race Paddle down Mather Gorge to Lock ...
Alford Cooley

Today the Level was a high 4.13'  Water temp 66 degrees. Sunny, delightful - by far the most water that I've experienced in the Gorge


    Barb and Miki, having checked out the entrance to the S Turn (navigable), we headed down the Maryland side - three tricky rapids, but all got through well - descent of about ten feet - into Rocky Island Cove. Looking up the main stem, you could see the Rocky Island waves crashing through. Antonia immediately nosed into their outwash - yes, she definitely has the right stuff. She followed Barb down the meat of Wetbottom while Gus and I took the more conservative left / MD side.  Same at the Chutes, the ladies going down Virginia and then playing, while Gus and I did Center.  one of us got dumped in Virginia, losing both boat and paddle.  Reunited, we proceeded along the course of Saturday's race - that is via the Teacups and not our usual Offutt's Rapid.

    Passed Yellow Falls without incident - or even much playing. Consumed lunch at Scotts Run Falls - very peaceful and isolated. Stubblefield was a breeze, and we were soon pulling out in the increasingly muddy Lock 10 take-out.  CCA River Access needs to place more of that plastic snow fence to assure that nobody hurts themselves there.  Miki did the shuttle in jig time, and Gus and I drove Antonia to the Van Ness/ UDC subway stop on Connecticut Ave and returned to our side of the river, which had given us so much pleasure today. 


Antonia, an enterprising raft guide from southern Chile, had organized herself out from Adams Morgan and got a loaner boat out to Great Falls put-in. Within minutes on the water, she'd discovered about the DRR and is currently figuring out how to join that race as well.



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