How not to surf Garburator

Seeing as it has only been a week into Keeners and yet, there have been many swims or close calls around the surf spot of Garburator, knowing how not to swim there should be very important for keeners to remember.

#1: Don’t flip in the eddy line

For those that don’t know, an eddy is known as the current that moves upstream and usually to the side of a rapid. Us kayakers use this to our advantage to paddle back up the rapid so we can resurf or run the rapid again. The eddy line however, (which is where the water going upstream and the water going downstream meet) can be very unpredictable and may try to flip you up. So far I have witnessed this already from a few fellow keeners as they have flipped up many times in the eddy line and been washed through Garburator upside down. However as they don’t swim from this, these keeners end up losing their spot in line and have to wait again to get back on Garburator. This is also by far one of the most hilariously entertaining moments to watch.

#2: Riding Moby Dick Rock upside down

Moby Dick rock, located on the eddy line beside can be a great way to drop into Garburator for your next surf. However, this would only be good if you are doing so the right way up. During our competition race day one keener decide to flip right in the eddy line and unfortunately got push by the current onto Moby Dick Rock upside down. This keener then pulled himself to the edge of the rock to then to then fall and face plant 2 feet off rock into the moving current. As this incident sounds very traumatic, the keener roll up laughing and excited from his Garburator beating. This makes me question the sanity of kayakers as we have learnt to enjoy and celebrate our experiences that would be considered traumatic to most people.

#3: Make sure your deck is on

Making sure your deck is on properly seems simple enough right? Well this may not always be the case depending if your under race conditions and your deck is not the easiest of decks to put on quickly. Unfortunately for one keener, she dealt with both of these issues at the same time. As she was floating down the river rushing to put her deck on, she failed to finish the job as it later popped off as she punched through the middle of Garburator. She then had to swim herself to the side where we then laughed it off after the race.

With these three lessons that I have learnt from other keeners how not to swim Garburator, you too will be able to make sure that your experience from garburator will be pleasant and  swell. This is assuming that you are not as insane as many of us keeners or instructors and that you enjoy your time in the boat right side up than upside down.

By Max C