Anatomy of a Rapid
Running a rapid is an all-or-nothing proposition. Unlike tennis, theres
no second serve. Unlike fishing, theres no reeling the line back in to
try another cast. Shooting a white-water rapid requires that you get it
right the first time.
Theres the roar of the white water, the boat drifting slowly toward the
drop, the seconds stretching until it seems as though theyll snap. The
boat slides down into that strangely smooth section of water known as
the tongue, a kind of calm before the storm. Then, the first wave. Your
heart pounds, your fists clench, and you are in it: white water.
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