Follow the leader on the Upper Palguin
hostel in a near by town. The next day dawns with beautiful sunrise and dry kit, dry clothes, dry sleeping bags, dry tents and a happy Avocado crew. Our next stop is the Rio Curringue. A misleading guide book description means taking a long time to find where this beautiful river begins but eventually we find it and put on to a fun grade 4 boulder garden gorge, which flows through an enormous natural arch. The arch is beautiful and can only truly be seen from a kayak, it stands around 30-metres high and both sides meet at the top – it is breathtaking.
Bright and vivid
We camp another night at the put in on one of my favourite campsites so far. Nicknamed the Hole, it is a small abandoned quarry which dips down beside the road. The night is clear and the stars look like something out of a film – so bright and vivid. Another quick run in the morning and then we are headed to a park and huck the Salto de NIlaque. We arrive just before lunch and do some scouting. It takes me about three minutes to figure out that this is a 60-footer that I definitely want to run and another three minutes to scout and visualise the seal launch, entry and the point I am going to tuck. Then one last scout of the pool to make sure there are no hazards down there.
Photos by Pundy, Marco, Todd Wells and Seth Ashworth.
I express my intention to run it and we discuss safety, get changed and then make our way to our different spots. The drop itself is a no brainer. Seal launch out, paddle into the middle of the flow, stay straight on the ramp which is the first half of the drop and then tuck up for the last half of freefall. Once I style the line I run back up to the top to help Pundy seal launch in. His line is sweet but a broken paddle leads to him swimming. Wookie Joe ensures a quick clean up and wee Joe comes up to fire it off. He too has an excellent line but swims. Lastly Wookie Joe comes up and fires it off, and makes it look good. We camp there at the waterfall before heading off for the ferry the next day.
Part two next month.
from a kayak,
The arch is beautiful and can only truly be seen it stands around 30-metres high and both sides meet at the top – it is breathtaking A lakeside wild campsite
ThePaddler 33