Getting some rapid action

Has it really been two weeks since the Easter long weekend? Perhaps I've been having too much fun! More likely, it's that the weekend was so awesome that the memories are still so vivid - surely not already a fortnight old.

Andy and Miriam at Phoenix Adventure organised a fab camping trip for the Easter break, down at Nymboida Canoe Centre, which is south west of Grafton. Mel, Candice, Jenaya, Clarissa and I joined in the fun with the dozen or so other adventure racing fiends, for a weekend of rapids action on the Nymboida River.

The camp ground was gorgeous. We pitched our tents right beside the water, going to sleep each night to the burble of the river. Not everyone slept so peacefully. Some were kept awake by the 'burble' of a fitfully snoring neighbour.

During the day, people donned helmets, thermals, life vests and shoes before taking up their toy of choice - kayak or tyre tube - and trying their luck on the rapids. I could have spent all day watching the braver souls in the group hurtle down the rapids with nothing but air and rubber between their backsides and some enormous and very stubborn rocks.

On Sunday morning, I was coaxed and cajouled by the girls into having a go. Walking up to the top of rapids with my tube, the nerves had locked an awkward, rigid smile on my face. I should not have been so worried. If the past 10 months has taught me nothing else, it has taught me that the things we are afraid of are rarely so scary when we tackle them. I had a great time on the rapids and escaped mostly unharmed.

Even so, I am no natural on the tyre tube. I think the fact that the only photo of me on the rapids is one of my foot in the air (while the rest of me is most definitely submerged), is testament to my lack of grace.

I had one scary moment as I came off the tyre on a big rapid and lost my shoe. I felt myself caught between the two opposing surges of water, which were effectively forcing me down. The more I struggled, the more I was caught. The calm faces of Candice and Jenaya relaxed me enough to let the natural flow of the water push me out of the vortex and recover my shoe. I was so relieved. Mind you, I came so close to a waterborne Cinderella story...maybe I should have let the shoe go.

The kayakers in the group were, in my opinion, the most brave. I'll have to let the photos speak for it though, because I was not confident enough to get in one and test my bravery a second time. I think I'll stick to kayaking on flat water.

It wasn't just kayaking and tubing. Andy organised a bike ride and a trail run. The ride was dusty and hilly and great fun. And the run, well, as I explained when questioned about the run, I was only there to bring up the rear and make sure there were no stragglers (hehe). We also enjoyed dinner at Russell Crowe's place on Saturday night.

I had an absolute blast all weekend. The perfect camping trip, in my opinion.

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