Last weekend there was a real storm, and at last, nearly at the last minute before spring, there was enough rain in the north to flood the Jordan river.
That Tuesday, the water reached 140 cms, x10 fold than it was a few days before.
Shachar Arieli took pictures that day, and you can watch in his Picassa album.
I had to wait patiently till the weekend, and at Thursday night I packed my gear, kayak, and girlfriend (at that order ;-) and drove north.
On Friday morning we met at the rafting site - kayakers and rafting guides. The river was still high - 45 cms, the highest I ever paddled in the Jordan, and I felt it in my stomach.
We started the first section - from Mezad Ateret to the electric Turbine, about 20 minutes ride. We stopped to play at the few waves that formed. At the turbine we splitted - some of us decided to stop due to the high water, but most of us went on to the rest of the river, all the way down to Dodot bridge, above the sea of Galilee.
The Jordan river is steep, narrow and fast, specially at that water level, and a couple of paddlers broke their paddles. One got injured and had to catch a ride to the hospital (fractured rib and injured shoulder), the other one managed to pass a few rapids with only one blade, before he stopped in an eddy, and climbed to the raft.
We ended that decent feeling great joy and pride, and a bit lucky after seeing what happened to that paddler.
Couple of days later, on sunday, I went back to the river with Rami Gil and Nava and met Itay and Noa there. The water level dropped in half (20+ cms), and we decided to paddle just the first section, focusing on playing the waves, taking pictures and videos as we go:
At the electric turbine we met Udi, the operator, and "God of the River" for us for he controls the river flow in the dry season. Udi made a great, hot coffee, and we enjoyed the sun, when a couple of fighter choppers came above us in assault maneuver, showing off.
Just before we left, we went to the small rapid in Ateret, where Nava got her first "whitewater skills" lesson.
Rami was there to take pictures (and thanks to Nava for shooting us in the river)
May it rain on us a bit more...
That Tuesday, the water reached 140 cms, x10 fold than it was a few days before.
Shachar Arieli took pictures that day, and you can watch in his Picassa album.
I had to wait patiently till the weekend, and at Thursday night I packed my gear, kayak, and girlfriend (at that order ;-) and drove north.
On Friday morning we met at the rafting site - kayakers and rafting guides. The river was still high - 45 cms, the highest I ever paddled in the Jordan, and I felt it in my stomach.
We started the first section - from Mezad Ateret to the electric Turbine, about 20 minutes ride. We stopped to play at the few waves that formed. At the turbine we splitted - some of us decided to stop due to the high water, but most of us went on to the rest of the river, all the way down to Dodot bridge, above the sea of Galilee.
The Jordan river is steep, narrow and fast, specially at that water level, and a couple of paddlers broke their paddles. One got injured and had to catch a ride to the hospital (fractured rib and injured shoulder), the other one managed to pass a few rapids with only one blade, before he stopped in an eddy, and climbed to the raft.
We ended that decent feeling great joy and pride, and a bit lucky after seeing what happened to that paddler.
Couple of days later, on sunday, I went back to the river with Rami Gil and Nava and met Itay and Noa there. The water level dropped in half (20+ cms), and we decided to paddle just the first section, focusing on playing the waves, taking pictures and videos as we go:
At the electric turbine we met Udi, the operator, and "God of the River" for us for he controls the river flow in the dry season. Udi made a great, hot coffee, and we enjoyed the sun, when a couple of fighter choppers came above us in assault maneuver, showing off.
Just before we left, we went to the small rapid in Ateret, where Nava got her first "whitewater skills" lesson.
Rami was there to take pictures (and thanks to Nava for shooting us in the river)
May it rain on us a bit more...
1 comment:
nava shot you both???
are you ok ???
no hospital for you???
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