Day 1 (mile 19)

Got up early in Flagstaff, aware that this would be the last bit of ‘civilization’ I would see for 2 weeks. Meet up with the others doing the trip, all sorts of nervous introductions, people from several US states and even another Kiwi there aren’t that many of us but we do seem to get around. Got on the bus for the three hour trip to the canyon. Most of the trip is though the Navaho reservation it looks a very poor and quite depressing place , that will show them for not taking the small-pox blankets.

At a place called Navaho bridge there are two steal bridges one early and one late 20th century. You can walk over the older one and this gives you your first real glimpse of the canyon and it really does live up to all of the photos, simply stunning.

Then down to Lee’s Ferry for the put in after the expected safety briefings I got onto the paddle boat and got going. (note: on this trip there are two types of boats, the paddle boat with one crew and six guests who all paddle and the oar boat with one crew and up to four guests where only the crew member paddles). Mostly flat water with a couple of very minor rapids before lunch. After lunch paddeled on till the final rapid of the day (house rapid) This is by far the biggest rapid after a period of being hit by water from both sides we hit a standing wall of water side-on and it was quite surprising only one of the people went overboard.