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This is just my say on things, comming from a family where i grew up sea kayaking and then turned to river kayaking when i was 11.
My parents never pushed me to do something that i didnt like to do, if a kid doesnt like kayaking, dont make em do it. let them play soccer or something else that they can do outside. i started running class V when I was 16, this includes running the Little White and Spirit Falls. Its wild to think that there are kids out there that have the mental capacity to do things like this at 13 or 14 years old, but maybe they are just more mature or they really do know the consequences. I have lost friends both on and off the river, I knew the consequences when I was 11 years old and started kayaking. Even being 19 yearsold, people look at me and say well youre just a baby, and compared to the boys that i paddle with I am, but I have the ability to know my limits and just take it easy. IE, I ran big boy on the ravens fork a few weeks ago, great line, boofed the crap out of it and broke my nose on the shaftof my paddle, does that mean that I wasnt ready to run it? I was mentally, maybe not physically though. Children running big stuff takes a great support system and making sure that you are not pushing them too hard.
On the pregnancy thing, i know the woman that you saw on the cheoah and what you dont know is that she is a competent class five kayaker, running the cheoah for her was like taking a bath. I know what you are thinking, anything can happen its a river. Very true, but since she knew her limits and that she was of corse pregnant she didnt run the falls and went conservative, for the child. What should a pregnant woman do that is still able to walk around and do everyday things? She is taking a risk, but so are pregnant woman driving, they shouldnt even be able to leave the house, just in case they get in a wreck. People always say its more dangerous driving to the river than actually paddling the river.
Just think about it, things all happen for a reason.
Thats all I have to say, i hope that everyone got on some good natural flow this weekend and enjoyed the great weather in the good ole southeast.
You can only run a rapid blind once. |
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19 yr old female running big boy New 
BoaterTalk 
