It’s been over a month since I had my whitewater boat out, and it felt like it. I decided to join the CTAMC for a Tuesday night run at Tville on the Farmington River in CT. Tville is one of the best-known whitewater runs in southern New England. The run itself is short - just 1.5 miles, but the water runs most of the year and there are play spots for paddlers of all skill levels.
I was the captain of the swim team with two swims for the night. The first was in the squirrely water below a rapid called the Inquisition Ledges - I wasn’t paying attention and over I went. The second was in a rapid called Typewriter. I got spun into a side surf that I couldn’t get out of, and over I went. The joy of summer whitewater.
The water was nice and warm, but the thing that freaks me out about Tville are the snakes - big black water snakes. I know they are harmless, but I hate snakes…
Nine boats - one canoe. That seems to happen a lot when I paddle with AMC groups. Everyone is very supportive, but in groups like that everyone usually has a roll but me, so I try not to push my luck. I stick to the easier lines and surf at waves where rescue would be easy. At Tville I usually stay out of the Playhole, which is the most popular feature for kayakers. A lot of the pictures (and the video) are at the Playhole, but I’ll swim there for sure.
Yup - it happens. My first swim was pretty much on flatwater. I was putzing along in the squirrely water below a drop, and over I went. I don’t know why - I guess I just leaned wrong. I got myself into the eddy, and a couple of kayakers pushed my boat to shore. No damage done.
My second swim was in a rapid called Typewriter - named for the strong recirculating current below it that will pull you up through the eddy and back into the wave. I got spun sideways in the wave and flipped. The recirculating current pulled me right back into the eddy boat and all - perfect self rescue, but just plain luck. I’ll take it.
What’s the old saying, if you’re not swimming you are not learning.
