Descent number 2! Somebody's done it again!

[NickH]

From Rafa Ortiz' facebook:

Recognise this anybody?


Also, can you use an apostrophe in this way after a z? Ortiz's didn't feel elegant.

[morsey]

At first look, it would be the Ula portage/used to be portage.

[james fleming]

Rafa Ortiz dropping 186 foot down Palouse Falls!

Absolutely fantastic achievement! The second person to do this.

What's next?

[morsey]

I thought it would look a lot wider and bigger than that. Much respect for nailing that.

[Patrick Clissold]

Wow, excellent job.

[Mark R]

Palouse Falls are sooooo 2010.

[banzer]

Seriously though.... T-Bradt must be very good at fastening his spraydeck / holding his nerve..... as far as I'm aware, he is the only one that paddles away from these biiig falls..... Rafa swam, Rush Sturges and Ed Lucero swan at Alexandra Falls, and that mad Brazilian over-the-handlebars dude swam at that one in Brazil....

[morsey]

Banzer did you see the ratchet strap/hose pipe attachment Bradt used, to lock the spray deck in place on the rim? Think I would shape a block of foam to completely fill the cockpit and stop the deck imploding.

[Tom_Laws]

Think I would shape a block of foam to completely fill the cockpit and stop the deck imploding.

There's no need, if you are paddling off that, your balls would adaquately fill the space. Some very fine kayaking from Rafa there. Rush (pos on NatGeo) was talking about 200ft the other day, Argentina perhaps*?



*Might have made this up/dreamt it.

[Diamond Dave]

Impressive indeed!

Banzer did you see the ratchet strap/hose pipe attachment Bradt used, to lock the spray deck in place on the rim? Think I would shape a block of foam to completely fill the cockpit and stop the deck imploding.

They used the same thing on the Congo did they not?

There's no need, if you are paddling off that, your balls would adaquately fill the space. Some very fine kayaking from Rafa there. Rush (pos on NatGeo) was talking about 200ft the other day, Argentina perhaps*?

*Might have made this up/dreamt it.

Not thinking of Kaiteur falls in Guyana? ~215m?


So if it was lower water than Tyler did it meaning the hight of freefall was bigger, does that mean Rafa now holds the record...?? (Inot a serious question!)

[morsey]

Semi serious answer: If you swim it does not count!

[ianletton]

Semi serious answer: If you swim it does not count!

The thought did cross my mind....

[SPL]

I agree, otherwise anyone brave/stupid enough could do it.

[Chrace]

Not thinking of Kaiteur falls in Guyana? ~215m?

Hope you mean feet, otherwise that's one mean drop!

[james fleming]

Erm, GULP! I think he does mean meters...

[Diamond Dave]

Not thinking of Kaiteur falls in Guyana? ~215m?

Hope you mean feet, otherwise that's one mean drop!

Erm, GULP! I think he does mean meters...

Aaah! Well, I did mean meters but in my head I was thinking in feet. So paddling this may be quite a way off yet then!
Maybe it was in Argentina then. And a 200footer, not 200m... My bad!

[RapidMediaTVGuy]

Always wondered why if someone swims "it doesn't count"? Why is it okay to flip and still count then? The argument that if swimming 'counts' then anyone could huck themselves off waterfalls. Well, they could. There are lots of waterfalls that require no entry moves and gravity will take over. In my opinion a 'successful' descent is one where you've placed your boat where you want it, set/adjusted the angle and entered the pool at the bottom in the position you had planned for. That to me is the skill involved, being able to not get ripped out of your boat is pretty much up to luck in my opinion (or maybe there is a butt clenching technique that I don't know about and Tyler does.....)

Rafa nailed his line exactly how he wanted to and got ripped out of his boat so in my mind it counts. I'd rather hit my line and swim than be way off and stay in my boat (think Pedro's brazillian half loop).

Either way glad he's all good.

Dan Caldwell
Rapid Media TV Guy

[Jon Davies]

At what height does terminal velocity take hold? Surely 189 feet is getting close so really going higher is no issue other than controling the angle as you fall!

[DaveBland]

Always wondered why if someone swims "it doesn't count"?y

I think in most cases a swim is a fail, but when it comes to these... I think 'living' constitutes success.

[banzer]

I've been to the Kaiteur Falls. They're pretty massive! Some nice chunky grade 4/5 in the gorge below too...

[feelingjustfine]

Stop making things up Banzer... you saw a picture of it and got confused.

[SwamP]

Swim is a fail!

If it isn't where do we draw the line?? Here's the answer, Adam Potter, 1000ft fall, no boat, no water...but he's a kayaker so it counts!...unless a swim is a fail! ;)

[RapidMediaTVGuy]

So if a swim is a fail how come a flip isn't? Are you supposed to flip when running rapids?

Dan C
Rapid Media TV Guy

[DaveBland]

So if a swim is a fail how come a flip isn't? Are you supposed to flip when running rapids?

Dan C
Rapid Media TV Guy

Ultimately staying in your boat constitutes kayaking. If you're not in it, you're not kayaking are you? It can be argued that a roll is just another stroke. I think you have to draw a line somewhere as to what's a successful descent and what isn't. If it's on normal rivers [so outside of mega falls] then staying in your boat would seem to be a sensible place to draw that line.

But of course there's always a get-out clause for equipment failure.

[DaveBland]

So if a swim is a fail how come a flip isn't?...
Dan C
Rapid Media TV Guy

If a flip was a fail, then all playboaters would be a losers... no wait...

[feelingjustfine]

So if a swim is a fail how come a flip isn't? Are you supposed to flip when running rapids?

Dan C
Rapid Media TV Guy

I think that kayaking is failing in general...know what I mean big man?