Nicole Week 2

Hey everyone its Nicole again! It has been another wonderful week in the keener program from SRT (Swift Water Rescue Training) to our fun keener bonfires and movie nights. The week started with SRT then on Wednesday we had our famous race day where my race involved us running through the island on upper no name (which kind of reminded me of Narnia) and then getting into our boats at the top of the rapid and high-fiving our partners in the eddy at the bottom of the rapid unfortunately this was not the case for me and my partner as when I tried to get into my boat I ended up slipping off of the rocks and into the rapid without my skirt or my paddle, though I did make it through more than half of the rapid. Lets just say, it was a very eventful race for me.

            On Thursday it was the very well known and very much loved Big Water Bacon Beatdown Thursday. The morning started off with the SRT group and the rest of the Keeners separating so we could finish getting our certification, the SRT group swam down Mcoys Rapid through Phils hole and we practiced how to get out of gear and foot entrapments with coaches Tyler Curtis, and Joel Kowalski. We then met up after lunch and made our way down river to Coliseum where no we did not have to run it in our kayak but yes we did have to swim it. It was probably one of the single most terrifying things I have ever done but I am very happy that I did it because it made me way more comfortable kayaking in the big water that the Ottawa River has to offer.

Practicing how to wade safely in SRT

            We ended our week with our competition Friday where one of our Norwegian Keeners won the competition with a loop caused by his emergency monkeys as described by our head coach Steven Wright. I was really happy with my competition ride because I improved a lot from last week and even last summer. I hope to continuously improve my scores every week here for the rest of the summer.

            Saturday was my birthday and I cant think of any better way to spend it then up here with the keeners and spending the day surfing at Mcoys and hanging out with all of the new friends that I have made.

            I am so grateful for the opportunity that my parents and the keener program have given to me and I feel like I am one of the luckiest people in the world for getting to gain all of the experience from our world class instructors. I am looking forward to the on coming weeks in the keener program and for the rest of the summer here in the keener program.