Only Erik and I showed up to take on the Mighty Quinn. When we last saw it's level on line - it was a hardy 9.5. When we arrived to put in - it was 11.0! For those who know the Quinny, it's got a popular little wave at the beginning. With camera rolling, I went into it and quickly got tossed - I ended up in a tree (that I grabbed and my boat luckily got stuck in. Erik, chose a different line and the journey commenced. Unfortunately, his camera wasn't working! This river was moving. It was the Lower Millers at half width on steriods! Waves were non stop and aplenty. One blow down was portaged around easily. When we encountered the first, major rapid (normally best to go left, but not today - straight down the middle, then left) we scouted it out. With Erik in position to throw the rescue rope, I plunged right in, cleaning the first giant wave, but over compensated the left and went sideways into the next. Out I came - Erik pitched the rope bag, but misjudged the current and I never caught it. After my longest, fastest swim, I safely got out and chased down my boat. It continued all the way down - over the spillway and into the reservoir, which I swam into the middle to retrieve my stalled kayak! By this time, Erik decided to forego the rapid and went to the next rapid, and portaged that as well - this is the famed rapid under the 190 bridge. He went a little further down and then got out and opted to carry to the car by the parallel road. Meanwhile, I ran a marathin back to where I left him, and met some other boaters who lost there boat. In the end, we met up at the car and it was too late to try another run at it. When I got home, I found out that 11.0 was the threshold given by the AM WW that it was above recommended level! It's a great river - 45 min from the Mcd's on 146 and we'd do it any day - but with more people and under the 11.0! No - there were no flat spots!!
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