Down The Chute

[LesPalenik]

Solo paddler in a whitewater canoe contemplating a run through a powerful chute on Minden River in Ontario

[RSL]

He can "contemplate" all he wants but it looks as if he's going over the run whether or not he wants to. Good shot, Les.

[MattBurt]

Nice shot.
Looks like he is competing in whitewater slalom where the paddlers must pass through the strategically placed gates, some designated as downstream gates and some as upstream. I've tried in my my kayak and it's pretty challenging. It would be even more so in an open canoe like this guy is doing!

[LesPalenik]

Thank you, Russ and Matt.

This is the second last chute on the whitewater course, actually just an easy and fast slide, but on the bottom of the chute you have to make a 180 degree turn and paddle upstream to pass the gate on the left. And from there you peel off again into another rapid below the chute which takes you through the finish gate. The picture below shows another paddler in the peel-off manouver entering the rapid. It's a nice feeling doing such a manouver. First, you paddle slowly sideways into the rapid and as soon as you cross from the calm water into the rapid, the current pushes the bow downstream, turns the boat by 90 degrees and effectively straightens it into the direction of the rapid.
 
I used to run this river 30 years ago solo in a 16.5' long Mad River canoe which was actually a medium-size expedition tandem canoe with a shallow V-shape, relatively large and heavy for a solo paddler, but still manageable.

[LesPalenik]

And here is one more shot taken on the bottom of that slide, this time with two paddlers in a tandem boat.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Scary stuff, but great photos.
As for me, I think I'd prefer to stay at home doing crossword puzzles than out running rapids, as it's a bit safer.   

[LesPalenik]

Actually, once you learn the whitewater techniques and the river, it is not dangerous. Even if you flip, worst thing is that you get wet.
The tough part was to carry the canoe up the hill.

[MattBurt]

I shot this steep downriver race a couple of times. I'd never paddle anything like this. A couple of boats broke here.

[LesPalenik]

That's quite a drop. You could never run those falls in a canoe.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

That's quite a drop. You could never run those falls in a canoe.

or a sailboat!

[MattBurt]

I don't think I would run them at all!