>>2411810What we didn't expect is that this river was windy as fuck. There was almost no straight paths. Compounding this was that trees were fallen anywhere there was 50 ft of straight path. It was a constant obstacle course. At two points there was a tree laid over bank to bank with about 2ft of space underneath. My friend in a sit-in kayak got under, me on my sit-top tried and fell in twice. First time the water was up to my waist, the second however, I don't know how deep cause I never touched bottom. That second time my paddle got away because I didn't use a leash but thankfully my friend went and got it while I hung to the side of my kayak and swam it to shore to get back in. This whole time neither he or I had a lifejacket. Majorly stupid. Yeah, I'm a great swimmer but you can't swim if you're unconscious or injured from a branch stabbing you if you fall in. This river has probably not seen any travel in 20+yrs and we were in the middle of nowhere. If we needed emergency service, they'd have to helicopter in. I'll have to give credit to that kayak. I may have fallen in but it never flipped. While I was soaked, my gear strapped to it never got wet.
Pic related. Our first rest stop on a huge sandy bank looking towards what came next.
