Non-consequential kayaking misadventures that happen on the Narrows Section of North Carolina’s Green River typically do not end up posted on social media. I have decided to defy this practise. Why? I’m thinking that doing so might encourage others to more frequently post stories of their misadventures – enriching all of our lives, right?  I’m also hoping that perhaps this will expand our collective imagination about what can happen down there, and how we can be better prepared to deal with it.

I accidentally swam Gorilla on March 12, 2018 – my first time down this rapid – during my 29th descent of the Narrows.

I am 63. I’ve been kayaking on and off for 34 years – more off than on during the 14 years when my boys were young. Now more on than off – since they joined me in whitewater kayaks as adolescents 16 years ago.

I was with three other boaters – I’m not posting their names – if they choose to identify themselves, I will not be upset. We had hooked up on Facebook. It was an early spring day; overcast; cool, but not cold. We all wore dry suits.

I was paddling a Liquid Logic Party Braaap. My companions were in Creek Boats. The level was 10 inches on the stick – one Tuxedo turbine running at 100% plus substantial natural flow.

I made a clean line at Zwick’s backender, punching through the top hole just downstream of a big rock, then sliding down a rock ledge on river right into the pool below. It was my exuberance about accomplishing this (for the first time) which I think was the primary cause for this swim!

After running Chief, I was talking with my companions –  not paying attention to where I was. When my attention returned to the river, I discovered (to great consternation) that I had already drifted downstream of the easy takeout to portage Gorilla!

I flipped in Pencil Sharpener.  Then rolled up, but just before going through the Notch, backwards, flipping again.  Knowing that I was headed for the Flume of Gorilla, and what that entailed, I decided to get out of my boat – without a roll attempt.

In hindsight, a better course of action would have been to have immediately rolled up (or at least attempted to do so), and turned around in time to go down the Flume facing forward, or perhaps eddying out in the Notch Eddy. Had I not succeeded in this roll, I would have washed down Gorilla in my boat, probably backward and upside down. I think it was this prospect that prompted my decision to exit my boat. I now realize that this prospect wasn’t any worse than swimming it.

Thus, I swam Gorilla  – on my back, feet facing forward – the classic position for a whitewater swim. I was completely separated from my boat, and holding on to my paddle. I knew where I was. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to breath for a long while. My lungs were full of relatively fresh air, and I was calm.

I fell about 15 feet onto a rock at the bottom of the Flume, landing on my lower back. I think this rock is the jagged one that is visible from the left bank – above the water line at normal flow.

I found out the next day (after getting a chest x-ray) that I had bruised the eighth rib on my left side, a few inches from the spine. I also suffered a lung contusion – the x-ray  showed minor atelectasis (collapse of alveoli) in the lower left lung lobe, due, I think, to the concussion of impact being transmitted into the lung tissue.

I certainly felt this impact, but felt little debilitation. Got a good breathe or two between Speed Trap and Scream Machine, and Nies’ Pieces (which I swam on the left side). And then got a number of very welcome breathes before swimming Power Slide. No substantial rock encounters (fortunately) during  these slides. And no aspiration of water. I climbed onto a rock on river right below Power Slide, still with paddle,  and caught my breathe.

I very much appreciate the support of my companions. They all had run Gorrilla numerous times, and immediately followed me through, prepared to offer needed assistance. Fortunately my kayak washed out of Speed Trap fast enough to not present a hazard to them. They recovered it after it got stuck  in a reversal below Power Slide on river left.

I swam across the river below Power Slide – with  some kayak assistance, got back in my kayak, and paddled everything down to Fishtop (except  Sunshine).

Two weeks later, I put my Astral life jacket back on for the first time after this incident. Found that there was probably 2 inches of foam in this jacket between my back and the rock I landed on  – which certainly would have mitigated my rib and chest injuries.

Five weeks later, I an nearly fully recovered, prepared for more adventure. I expect to do more hard kayaking, but to be more thoughtful about how I do it.