Nothing wrong with walking. The ocean white water/rock garden equivalent would be to skip playing on a feature or to paddle around something. I do it all the time.
It’s a Slippery Slope, Eh George?
(or Discordant Paean To a GoPro Blurred Society)
“Because it’s there” we all might trip
T.R.'s bravado to Mallory’s quip
in bullish foolish brinkmanship
too loose to lose in sight of lip
Thus I edged upon Niagara’s brink
and splat right down to give a think
why Jesse waved but did not blink
and in such thoughts we all might sink
If you’re less of a paddler then I’m less of a paddler. If you want to go through the inlet with the tide rushing against you ya gotta walk and pull your kayak along like a lazy dog on a long leash.
I think when Jesse crossed the brink his kayak did unfortunately sink
Had he c1ed (as he always had done) this story would have been more fun
He could have c1ed to glory, a much better story than this sad tale’s end
A kayak faker who unfortunately met the undertaker
The double blade was his demise , Some argue 'he was right on line".
While others believe (like myself) that he was simply out of his mind
So why did he sit when he could kneel (in a c1) and pray all that way, way down?
Who know’s the why or how?
Now this double bladed tale must end sadly with the demise of our single bladed friend/.
…and he may ride forever 'neath the boils of Niagara,
he’s the man, that never returned.
Maybe he should have taken the red instead of the blue line??? Say high to poor ole Charlie.
Thanks td! Have to admit, I rhymed myself ahead of your “(like myself)”, thinkin’ Jesse was the pre-Snyder elf. Although, you are supposed to whirl that cockpitted pancake back up, right?
It was wicked nice at my place yesterday and I went to paddle. Took the Appy, since I thought I might want to do some stand up poling (the real SUP). There’s not a lot of water in the rivers of Maryland, so I headed to the tidal Middle Branch of the Patapsco with the idea I was going to paddle under the labyrinth of roadways that cross the middle branch near the Ravens and Orioles stadiums. I’ve frequently driven over those waters, always curious about paddling them.
At my house, there was a little air moving, but 20 minutes later, approaching Middle Branch Park, the wind was stiffly rocking the truck like I was crossing the bridge to Assateague when the small craft warnings fly. I stood on the dock and looked across to my intended destination. Open water with low shoreline. No wind protection at all. 20-30 mph winds coming right from where I wanted to go. I didn’t even unload the boat.
At least EE had his boat in the water. He’s worried about being less of a paddler because he walked one rapid. What kind of paddler does that make me?
I needed to cross about a half mile of open, 45-degree water. The air temp was 70. Had I put on the drysuit to battle through that wind, I figured it would probably bring on heat stroke. I went hiking.
~~Chip
i consider wind and open water way more dangerous than most rapids, but regardless of the paddling environment, a risk vs fun factor evaluation has to happen. There’s a lot of days I opt for a walk rather than paddle, especially in the winter. The important thing for me is the fact that I got out.
I agree - I think wind, waves and open water are much more dangerous than rapids. In rapids you can usually get yourself to shore relatively quickly - might not be the case in open water.
tdaniel’s response makes me smile… He’s right in my opinion. Risk v. fun is the question.
Most of us, I assume, are out there for the fun. If the decision to run is likely to involve regret and/or toil - heck yes, walk the drop. I’ll walk a rapid if it looks like I’m likely to beat the hell out of my boat and wonder if I’ll regret that decision I made to run forevermore when I look at the boat and consider what a fool I was on that day. Not so worried about boat scratches, even a dent or two, or a swim and perhaps a few bruises, but as far as I’m concerned, risking losing gear (as on an extended camping trip) or spending the rest of the day shivering and pulling hard to get to a landing and dry clothes just isn’t recreational. If we were employed running furs to market, timber cruising, or something like that it would be a different story; but this is recreational paddling we’re talking about.
Years ago there was a Canadian fellow who posted here, primarily a canoe tripper I believe, who said (paraphrasing), “Regrets are inevitable for everyone. Looking back, its always better to regret walking a rapid than to regret running it.”
I believe the man has a point there.
@PJC said:
tdaniel’s response makes me smile… He’s right in my opinion. Risk v. fun is the question.
Most of us, I assume, are out there for the fun. If the decision to run is likely to involve regret and/or toil - heck yes, walk the drop. I’ll walk a rapid if it looks like I’m likely to beat the hell out of my boat and wonder if I’ll regret that decision I made to run forevermore when I look at the boat and consider what a fool I was on that day. Not so worried about boat scratches, even a dent or two, or a swim and perhaps a few bruises, but as far as I’m concerned, risking losing gear (as on an extended camping trip) or spending the rest of the day shivering and pulling hard to get to a landing and dry clothes just isn’t recreational. If we were employed running furs to market, timber cruising, or something like that it would be a different story; but this is recreational paddling we’re talking about.
Years ago there was a Canadian fellow who posted here, primarily a canoe tripper I believe, who said (paraphrasing), “Regrets are inevitable for everyone. Looking back, its always better to regret walking a rapid than to regret running it.”
I believe the man has a point there.
Precisely.
As my friend Chip quoted me answering the question " What would a smart guy do?" Is quite likely to land you right here.
Not my quote, but from a bridge engineer who in problem solving situations would toss this out to the team. I’ve had a lot of good results trying to answer that question. He was a Vermont guy and attributed it to his dad.
@PJC said:
Looking back, its always better to regret walking a rapid than to regret running it."
I believe the man has a point there.
Got that right!
I guess I will have to bring a smart guy along the next time I paddle whitewater. Does anyone here know one?
@pblanc said:
I guess I will have to bring a smart guy along the next time I paddle whitewater. Does anyone here know one?
(Crickets chirping)
Hey I’m a smart guy - but I’m not responsible for anyone but myself. You guys are on your own. 
This past summer on a western WW open canoe trip of two weeks there were 2 days I chose not to paddle. These were all day trips. All solo boaters, good paddlers, and on those two days I just had the feeling it might be a bit much for me.
Spent the day in camp, reading, re-organizing things and wondering how their day was going. On both days, the evening’s story telling centered on the multiple swims that day. One day 8 out of 12 were swimming. They were all my equal or better.
I was feeling pretty comforted that my smart guy told me to stay off the river those days.