Monday, July 19, 2010

I was near Absarokee by 9:30 so I decided to fish the Stillwater, since the kayak trip didn’t start until 2:00. It was lovely water but I got no hits on dries and nymphs and gave up after an hour and took a nap. I got lunch in town and then got to the rafting outfit at 12:45, giving me plenty of time to set up in a very relaxed manner. At a little after two we drove to the river and two rafts and one kayaker began the journey down. We started much higher up the river than I had ever done, and the guide said we weren’t going to get to the Yellowstone; in fact, the trip would be about a miler shorter than the one I was used to. The river level was almost twice what I was accustomed to and at first I was nervous but after a few small rapids I felt comfortable again, even though I knew that the bigger water was still to come. The guide had thought the one problem spot would be under the first bridge, and warned me to stay right when I got there. I hit a few good waves and then the bigger stuff began and I was doing fine, high waves blasting me and I paddled hard through them.
Then came the bridge, with the huge hole called the Vortex. I worked far right and pushed through some rough, squirrely water and then I heard a shout and looked back to see the first raft had flipped in the Vortex and was aiming right for the bridge stanchion with several people holding on to the sides and one in the worst spot, downriver and headed right for the stanchion where she could have been trapped. I turned fully around, stunned, not even worrying about what waves were coming up on me, and watched as the raft hit the stanchion and the girl just missed it, sliding just to the side. I immediately started to paddle for the people who had been pushed away from the raft, and got to two young women who were very scared and I told them to hold on to my kayak until the other raft could come near enough to pick them up. Then I took off, paddling with more power than I thought I had, for an older woman who was further ahead. I got to her in perhaps twenty seconds, and her terrified face told me I had to do something really quick, especially as another big rapid was approaching. She grabbed on to my kayak and I latched on to the shoulder strap of her life preserver and lifted her up behind me, telling her not to worry, that I could get us through the next rapid. I am sure I could have, but thankfully the other raft came up and I got her into the waiting arms of all aboard. A paddle and throw bag had floated away and I paddled down for them and also found a flip flop. Everyone was very appreciative of my quick actions and I told them I was so happy everyone was safe. It certainly wasn’t the kayak trip I expected.

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