Kali Gandaki with Paddle Nepal

Travelling around the world with a raft guide has definitely taken me down a few rivers in Nepal, Iceland, Finland and New Zealand. Oh the carnage stories, don't we just love them. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy rafting but mainly because of the chilled atmosphere on the overnight trips, beautiful beaches and so on. If I happen to be in a funny state of mind and decide to go rafting, for me it definitely isn't about the big whitewater, continuous rapids and full-on action. (Mind you, I have done the epic Karnali river trip in the far western Nepal but I have never been so sick, nervous and excited at the same time!)

So it happened that some time ago I found myself by the put in of Kali Gandaki river. I finally joined a 3 day trip with Paddle Nepal. To be honest, I was supposed to go last year already but I chickened out. This year I definitely wanted to go, just for the great  experience (did I mention those beaches and camping?) and to see the boys working on the river. Never mind the rapids! How wrong was I..

Boys started to load the bus who knows at what time in the morning  and we took off around 7.30. We had a 3 hour drive ahead of us to the put in but with a tea stop on the way and a comfortable new bus it was no problem. 

We all tried to pitch in with packing, pumping and loading the rafts and preparing lunch. Boys put together awesome lunch by the riverside and we were either cooling off in the river or under the tarp. 

Finally it was time to get kitted off! How about that face..Yeah, doesn't look I am too convinced yet about the trip. 

Team GoPro! Some good footage they caught with their cameras. 

Here is Mark styling through his safety talk and demonstration.

I might be biased here but I do like his safety talks! At the end of everybody's got it I hope as actions speak louder than words. 

We obviously had safety kayakers with us even though most of us managed to stay inside the two rafts. Dinesh, Suk and Nanu took good care of us with Rajip and Mark guiding the rafts!  

On the first day we paddled for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Our trip was in early October and due to the late monsoon the water level was still quite high. You get almost straight into the action as the biggest commercially rafted rapid Little Brother is waiting for you after only about 15 mins. of paddling! There I was with no choice but to decide to go through with what I had started. We stopped to scout the rapid even though I didn't even want to have a look. Mark convinced me it was going to be fine and I trusted him. It might not look like that on the picture above! 

Believe it or not I was actually the first person to give an excited shout in the middle of the rapid because it was so much fun! The picture above proves it. 

After the Little Brother comes of course nasty looking Big Brother which we portaged around. It went relatively smooth as boys did a great team effort to move the raft across and over the rocks with our minimal help. 

Kali Gandaki, one of the holiest rivers in Nepal, begins its journey from the Tibetan border at the Nhubine Himal Glacier where it flows southwest through the Mustang region and then south cutting through one of the deepest gorges in the world between Dhaulagiri (8167 m) and Annapurna I (8091 m). It is one of the major rivers in Nepal and and a left bank tributary of the Ganges in India. 
The Kali Gandaki gorge is a part of very popular trekking route, Annapurna Circuit. 

The gorge and its deep walls are truly an amazing sight to admire from the raft. Looking at the bridge in the picture above even I definitely felt more comfortable in the raft than I would be on the bridge! 

We were off the river after 3 pm and this beautiful campsite was to be ours for the next night. You can see the bridge on the background of this photo still, we were told it would be an hours walk at least to reach it from the camp. Frisbee was played, tents and shelters were put up, kitchen was set up and in no time we had hot drinks and snacks waiting for us. 

Here are Dinesh and Suk preparing dinner like true river chefs. 

Simple candle bags illuminated our first nights camp to give a relaxing feeling after the first exciting day on the river. I slept soundly for 9 hours under the tarp listening to the river (the sound of the crickets was deafening at times though). The Good Morning rapid that can be seen on the picture was waiting for us the first thing in the next morning. 

This gray langur was the only one we spotted by the river this time but entire troops are commonly seen on the trips. 

Seems like this bunch was having good time and it was only the second morning. Anybody out there who used to watch TV series Lost? :)

No really, they were a great group of people to raft with for 3 days. 

Besides company safety kayakers we also had some experienced kayakers joining us from Scotland, Germany and Austria. 

Nanu, always smiling and alert should there be any swimmers. 

Like here..Anyone see the hand of God? 

No safety kayaker needed here though. The crew was on it straight away as he went for a swim in the middle of the rapid. Looks like Rajip is a little hesitant though..:)

Upon scouting this rapid we decided to run two lines as the main line had a high chance of some OBE - Outer Boat Experiences! Those of us who wanted to stay in the raft simply avoided the line and the adrenaline seekers went for it. 

This was all that us spectators got, no OBE, just some legs showing off. 

Here is Jange, the man behind the oars in the gear boat. He was making sure our food and other supplies got safely down the river. Mark said if I was to be too nervous during the trip I could jump on the gear boat with Jange but by the second day I had already forgotten this option as I was having too much on the paddle raft. 

Here is Rajip's team, screaming for fun or catching flies? 

After a full day of paddling and lunch between we finally arrived to second night's camp. The same procedures followed as the first evening and soon we were enjoying hot drinks with noodle soup this time.  

On the second camp Ghita, a lady from the local village, comes down to the beach to sell us thirsty rafters cold beers, rum and Coca Colas. She had some chocolate as well but the time I realized this it was already too late. Definitely felt like I would have deserved it. 

The second day we still had some tasty rapids to tackle before the flat section and the paddle out to the dam. By now I was excitedly looking forward to the rapids and was rather disappointed when they ended. 

In my opinion time went way too fast and it would have been fun stay longer even on the flat section of the river as we had lots of games and swimming going on. River still being at medium high level after the monsoon we were soon at the take out. 

Everybody had a chance to try kayaking also during the last hour. 

After couple of hours paddling in the morning and we were off the river carrying equipment to the bus, eating lunch and getting ready for one more adventure: the 5 hours class 5 bus drive back to Pokhara. Want to thank the Paddle Nepal and their team for making it possible for me to join this adventure! After the nervous start I can honestly say I enjoyed myself and would do it again. 

All photo credits belong to Tommy Giordano! 

Miia 

Are you ready?

Many thanks to West Howland for the photo and my good friend Adam for the flyer and the logo! 

Check out Mango Tree Resort, not a bad place to relax during the evenings..Couldn't organize the course without the help of Paddle Nepal family! 

Swimming, flipping and guiding at altitude

I stepped off my Jetconnect flight at Leh airport and made my way onto the shuttle bus. I noticed a slight shortage of breath which was expected as I was an elevation of around 3500m. A quick thought popped into my head " If I am short of breath now whats it going to feel like when we run flip drills & swimming sessions".

The Zanskar & Indus rivers were to be my home for the next two weeks. During this time I was to run a 6 day International Rafting Federation safety craft, guide & trip leader workshop. Hosted by Tsering Chotak of Wet N Wild Explorations in Leh. After a day of acclimatization in Leh I packed my bags and headed to the Wet N Wild base camp. My first mission was to kayak the commercial one day rafting section of the Zanskar river. During this run I needed to take a close up look at the river in order to plan the course in more detail. 

The Zanskar river is a typical glacial canyon river with big volume rapids and funky eddy lines. The Zanskar was going to provide us with plenty of entertainment during the course.  

Day one kicked off with a typical meet & greet session. The workshop had 9 attendees from India,Nepal & UK. We had a mix of first & second season guides right the way through to seasoned Himalayan guides with a wealth of experience. I did notice an air of nervousness among the team as many of them had never attended any type of formal training course before. To ease the nervousness I wanted to get the team onto the water as soon as possible. As expected the technical rafting ability of the group was perfect as the team could put a boat anywhere I asked. Having run a few courses on big volume rivers before I knew this would be the case. I also knew that safety talks & the technical stuff was where I would need to focus my attention. The end of the day also was the start of 3 days non stop rain. 

The road the Zanskar was closed due to a landslide so opted to spend day 2 on the lower Indus river to allow the guides to strut their stuff on some class 4+. The less rafted lower Indus took the team out of their comfort zone of the Zanskar river and gave them something new to look at. The lower Indus provided us with some long continuous large volume rapids. We paddled 40km with some tedious flat sections, by the time we reached the takeout the team thought we were finished for the day! I then decided to finish the day with flip drills. For those who don't know the standard IRF flip drill it includes a swim to the raft where you must climb in and flip the raft. You must then climb back onto the flipped raft, count your crew, re flip the raft and climb back in. For most fit class 4-5 guides this should not take long. I decided to lead by example and give a demonstration. It wasn't until afterwards I noticed how tiring a flip drill at that altitude was. The rest of the team agreed with me. 

Day 3 was spent at the Nimu rapid based next to the Wet N Wild base camp. During our dry land morning session we took a look into setting up various rope systems and rope work. The outcome of this session was quite simple: all of the guides needed to be confidently able to rig a basic mechanical advantage system in order to tension a rope or to move a heavy load. After lunch we took to the water to cover whitewater swimming and throw bag exercises. Towards the end of the day we spent sometime exploring foot entrapment skills. The team came away from the session with a clearer understanding that not all rescues need to be over complex, a simple approach is often safer and quicker. 

Day 4 started with a few tired looking faces but at least the sun was back out. Today we moved onto the class 3 lower volume section of the middle Indus river. We got to utilize the safety kayakers more. The group got to try various methods of getting a line across the river. We also set up tensioned diagonals & some mechanical advantage systems. The guides were starting to gel as a team and were starting to operate really well.

Day 5 
The sun was out, the road was open so we were back on the Zanskar river. Today was the scenario day. The safety kayakers were given opportunities to rescue multiple panicking swimmers. We also looked at dealing with unconscious swimmers from a kayak. The trip leader candidates were given 1 hour to solve a scenario including multiple swimmers, flipped rafts and all types of carnage including the decision to evacuate or not. The day was completed with a group evacuation exercise. The loose scree and relentless midday sun of the Zanskar tested the patience off all involved.

Day 6  
This gave us the opportunity to re visit any areas that the team wanted to look at. We tackled the IRF written paper and got stuck into the debriefs. All of my debriefs had the same theme, keep up the good work, carry the correct equipment & practice, practice, practice!

By the end of the week the group were tired (so was I) but the team achieved the following and all walked away with  

• 2 class 4-5 trip leaders 
• 5 class 4-5 guides 
• 1 class 3 guide 
• 1 trainee guide 

All of the candidates also gained an IRF safety craft award. 

My next courses will run on 1-5th December on the Marsyangdi river in Nepal. If last years course will be anything to go by it's going to be a blast.

Happy paddling,

Mark

Booking a rafting trip

Booking a rafting trip with the right company could make or break a great experience

In this day and age we are always trying to make our money last a little longer.  There are some areas where saving a few extra dollars could cost you lots in the long run.

As a raft guide that has travelled and worked around the world, I thought I could share a few moments to give you a heads up and a few handy hints to follow when booking a trip.

The most important questions you should ask yourself are: 

• What kind of rafting trip am I looking for? 

• Do I want an easy, relaxing trip or more challenging whitewater? 

• Does this trip match my expectations? 

Pre trip research

When purchasing or booking anything nowadays we research our purchase online beforehand. Booking for a rafting trip should be the same. Websites such as Tripadvisor provide a great place to start your research but let’s all be aware of the happy clappers & trolls when reading through comments.

“Fantastic experience”

Reviewed August 4, 2014

This is a must do when in Queenstown. Professional company with great equipment. Guides are extremely knowledgeable and along with the beautiful surroundings, they point out interesting landmarks as you raft down the river. Chief our guide was both funny and concerned for our safety. My self and my partner had a great time rafting and would recommend it for anyone going to Queenstown.

Visited July 2014

The comment above is brief and to the point. When reading through comments, notes about the ease of booking and pre trip information are big clues as to the quality of the company.  Rafting companies that take the time to reply to reviews normally care about the service they offer their customers and are generally good companies.

The company’s own website should be able to give you a clear outline of the quality of their operation.  A quick browse through the site will be able to give you a few clear indicators.

From each trip you will need to get at least the following details:

• Classification of the white water on the trip
• Trip distance & time length
• Transport, food & accommodation
• Departure dates
• Cost

Take the time to also have a look in detail at the following finer points.

Guides

Every rafting company proudly boasts to have some of the best guides in the world. This is a bold statement to make; what makes a raft guide the best guide in the world?

A mixture of international experience and a solid training background will normally put you in capable hands. Look for the following qualifications:

International Rafting Federation (IRF)

Any guide holding an IRF qualification will have been trained to an internationally recognised standard. 

Any guide holding a trip leader award will have been trained to a high standard including their handling of an emergency scenario.

All current IRF qualified guides must possess a current first aid qualification in order for their IRF award to be valid.

Any guide qualifications can be checked here via the IRF online register.

Rescue 3

Rescue 3 training sets the world standard in swift water & white water rescue training.  A guide holding a Rescue 3 certificate will have attended an in-depth training course based on safety & rescue in a river environment.

First Aid

All guides must have a first aid certificate as a minimum.  Outdoor specific first aid qualifications are a bonus. Wilderness first responders (WFR), EMT & Advanced wilderness medicine are adequate certificates for those venturing out onto multiday trips.

Companies that invest in the training & development of their guide team will benefit from this training.

Photo gallery

A few moments in the photo gallery should give you a few ideas to the quality of the company.  Pictures of rafts flipping and general carnage may mean the trips are focussed on flipping & swimming. These types of trips normally attract gung ho style guides & customers. Make your own decisions!

Pictures showing smiley faces in rafts, professional looking guides in control of their raft will give a much more professional feeling of the company.

Take a look at the quality of the equipment the company is using. Quality maintained professional rafts are a must along with helmets & personal floatation devices. If you are rafting on cold water will wetsuits or dry suits be provided? Steer well away from any companies that do not provide you with certified equipment.

The main certifications you need to look at are:

CE 95 for Europe and the US coastguard for the States and the Americas.

Professional companies will constantly be renewing their kit.

The age old saying that a picture paints a thousand words should come to the forefront of your mind when viewing the gallery.

The booking office

The first part of your rafting experience starts with the sales or booking office. Always try to book direct with the raft company. Agents are actively after their commission at the end of the day and will tell you anything to get their hands on your cash.

Have a good look around the office and get a feel for the place. If you feel uncomfortable in the office this should be a sign of things to come.

Don’t be afraid to ask the most simple of questions. If these questions cannot honestly be answered, consider another company.

Ask questions about transport to and from the river, security of personal articles, first aid provisions, dietary requirements.

Likewise responsible companies need to ask you the 2 big important questions:

1 Can you swim?

If you are going on a rafting trip, yes, you need to be able to swim or have basic water confidence.

2 Medical fitness

Any professional company will want to take care of you to the best of their ability. Please do tell the company of any pre existing medical conditions you may have prior to the trip starting. A responsible company will be able to help you more efficiently if they are made aware of any problems beforehand. Also take good look at your travel insurance to see what you are covered for whilst participating on a rafting trip.

In my personal opinion walk away from any company that fails to ask you these questions at the time of booking either verbally or on a booking form.

All companies should also remind you at the time of booking that being under the influence of alcohol & drugs will not be tolerated on trips.

Conclusion

Take the time to read through the companies’ cancellation procedure again. If this is not readily available, little red flags should start to pop up in your head.

Just by reading through the points above hopefully you will now have a better idea about pre booking your trip. Remember to only part with your hard earned cash once you are 100% happy with the chosen company. 

Happy Paddling,

Mark

Confirmed dates for Nepal

This autumn the destination for me running IRF courses are India and Nepal. You could also be training in Canada or Spain! 

Great selection of courses! 

Safety talk part 2

3 The unspoken message and the right humour balance     

Your safety talk will actually convey some subliminal messages without you actually knowing. Here are a few that I like to get across without verbally mentioning them.

• ·         Now is a time to sit down & listen to what we say. Take it all on board.
• ·         You are being taken care of by a team of professional guides. We are in charge, your safety is paramount.
• ·         Do exactly what we say and it will cut down the chances of any safety compromises.

The humour balance can be a tricky point to cross.  Too many jokes and laughs and your customers won’t take you seriously. No jokes and smiles and your customers will become uptight and nervous.  Trip leaders who can give a seamless safety talk with lots of humour have years of experience on the river and giving safety talks. New guides should develop their own style of delivery that suits their sense of humour.

4 The wrap up & mantra

Once you have given all of the information to your guests it’s a good idea to ask a few questions to make sure the information has been absorbed. I like to ask the following 3 questions

1. What do you do if you fall out of the raft?

2. What do you do if you cannot swim back to the raft?      

3. What do you do if the raft goes upside-down?

From this I can create a 3 point mantra that gets repeated to all guests before we drop into any big rapids

1 If you fall out of the raft smile, hold your paddle and swim back.

2 If you cannot get back to the boat smile, hold your paddle get on your back with your feet up (ww swim position).

3 If the raft flips smile, hold your paddle and stay with the raft.

The reason we ask the customers to smile is quite simple. If they concentrate on smiling they will not panic. FACT

5 The language & communication thing

Most travelled experienced guides will be able to guide in more than one language. It’s always a good idea to be able to pick up most basic commands in another language. Remember just because your crew don’t speak your language it’s not their fault.

 It’s a lot easier for one person to learn a few basic commands in one language than it is to teach 6 or 7 people all of the commands in a foreign. So if you get a crew who do not speak your language you as the guide should make an attempt to learn a few words in their language. 

A back up plan I have is that I have practiced is delivering a safety talk without talking. The common saying “Actions speak louder than words” really does work, try it.

-Mark