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| The quick water section |
It could have been a real disaster - a broken zipper on my
drysuit, not the swim. After
driving an hour and a half to the Scantic River in CT, I broke the zipper trying
to put on my drysuit. Fortunately a friend who lived nearby was able to lend me
a wetsuit and dry top, so I was able to do the run - crisis averted, and the red dry top matched nicely with my red PFD and helmet.
The Scantic arises in Hampden, MA (southeast of Springfield)
and flows general southwest for 40 miles to join the Connecticut River in South
Windsor, CT. I joined a group from the CTAMC to run the section from Quality
Ave in Somers to South Maple Street in Enfield – about 5 miles on the course of
the annual Scantic Splash whitewater race. The level was low but runnable –
1 foot, 37 cfs on the Broad Brook gage.
The first 2.5 miles is quickwater/easy class I. The removal
of the Springborn Dam over the winter eliminated the dreaded “Heart Attack
Hill” portage at Broadbrook Road, and created a couple of new rapids under the
railroad bridge. At this level, these new rapids were pretty boney.
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| Running Stokers |
The next 2.5 miles has couple of nice surf spots, and three
class II+ rapids – Stokers, Chimney and Staircase. Stokers is a 3-foot ledge
that needs to be run about 10 feet off the left bank. My history at Stokers isn’t great (1 for 4 prior to this run),
and I may have run it a little too far to the right this time, but I made it
through fine.
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| Running Chimney |
The final rapid is Staircase, and it is exactly what you
would expect - a series of ledges that look like a staircase with a large shoot
at the bottom. The ledges were
pretty boney, and I got stuck in a hole just above the final shoot. I ended up
side surfing for a minute of so, but finally worked my way out. Unfortunately,
I came out backwards, and couldn’t get myself turned around, so I had to run
the final shoot backwards. I ended
up swimming at the big wave at the bottom – first swim of 2018.
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| About to swim the bottom of Staircase |
This year, my first swim came a little early than last year,
but not as early as two years ago.
Swimming in a wetsuit reminded me why I love my drysuit, so I ordered a
new one as soon as I got home.
Anyone know where you can get a drysuit zipper fixed.
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