Kate's First Blog

Hi, Kate here!

This is my first year being a keener and it's keeners and It's awsome. My kayaking career began when my mom encouraged me to fly from Vancouver B.C, where I live, to Ottowa to take the teen camp. That week I fell in love with kayaking. About 6 months later, around Christmas time, I desided I wanted to do keeners but I new I needed a white water roll. So... being the slightly impusive person I am, taking on something which in the moment seems easy but quickly in practice proves to be very difficult, I signed up for keeners and attended some rolling sessions at a pool in down town Vancouver. But in order to get your white water roll you actually need to get some experience on the river. For this, I needed a boat, so I borrowed one from a family friend and pro kayaker. Sadly water levels and instructor comitment didn't pan out resulting in me teaching myself how to white water roll in the waves of the Pacific ocean.

Now, here I am at keeners and this is day 3. I came in not sure if i had a white water roll (seeing as I hadn't actually ever rolled on the river). Today coach Clay and Tyler let me join the more experienced paddelers in keeners run the main channel. It was so much FUN!

The best part of my day unfolded when I made it through Coloseum. Pablo was swimming and Hannah, Jack and I were in ideal possitions to resque his boat. However, Jack, Hannah and the boat were being pulled by the current toward Centre Slot, the next rapid. I was reaching out for Pablo's boat when an unexpected wave hit me causing me to flip 3 feet from the rocky shore line. I went for a couple of rolls but none such worked out. I ended up being sucked down Centre Slot, for my first time upside down. I was able to crank out a roll just at I was hitting the hole which I needed to punch through. In a flurry of confusion I paddeled my brains out listening to Hannah's comands! (Thanks Hannah!). In the end all was well though apearenly Hannah and Tylers stress levels were getting a bit high!