WORLD WHITEWATER NEWS
NEWS
DESCENTS AROUND THE WORLD
RIO APAPORIS, COLOMBIA
For 23 days, the team of Ben Stookesberry, Jules Domine, Jessie Rice, Chris Korbulic, and Aniol Serrasolses descended 500 miles of Colombia’s most isolated
river. Unlike the isolation experienced in other places, silence was not something this trip experienced. When rain and thunder didn’t fill the soundscape, the
bordering jungle was deafening. The river, the jungle, and the native communities owe much of their isolation to the Chiribiquete Mountains that the group
encountered five days into the descent. Here, the river goes from a meandering, seemingly lost highway, to one that suddenly bores a turbulent passage
through ancient bedrock. This team descended the gorge with relative ease, but not before Aniol, Jules, and Chris climbed to the highest peak of the
otherwise inaccessible mountains. Meanwhile, Ben and Jessie found a recently abandoned FARC camp. The team of kayakers had entered the expedition
knowing they were on the cusp of a newly signed peace accord, and would be entering an area that had been recently embroiled in conflict between
the Government and FARC Rebels. Now a week
into the expedition, they were seeing evidence that
indicated the conflict was over. That perception
changed significantly on day 15. At an indigenous
village, the team got word that an armed group
of FARC dissidents were controlling river traffic
approximately 100 miles downstream. Rumor proved
true, and on day 19 the team paddled right into this
FARC checkpoint near the massive Jirjirimo Falls. Two
days after that benign first encounter, the group of five
kayakers were apprehended and taken into custody
by the FARC and moved to their camp. Still, they were
treated well. On the second captive evening things
got scary for the group as a plane circled overhead,
indicating to both the team and the armed rebels
that the government and military were aware of
the situation. The following morning the group was
released near the village of Buenos Aires, where they
abandoned their kayaks and evacuated the river via
a single engine Cessna. They hope to return some
day soon as a new chapter of peace in Colombia
continues to expand to its most remote corners.Words and Photo: Ben StookesberryCARTER COUNTY FIRST DESCENT, TENNESSEE, USA
The Dalton Brothers (Matt & Josh) have been local Tri-Cities, TN whitewater pioneers for many
years. They have long been recognized for boating exploits in their home region and in their
travels, including a park and huck of Metlako Falls back in 2012. Matt had his eye on a stretch
of whitewater for a possible first descent way up in the Laurel Fork Watershed, in Carter County,
TN, at the confluence of Firescald Branch and the Little Laurel Fork. A scouting mission left Matt
amazed by the possibilities. Hiking in revealed lots of big, mostly clean slides stacked on top of
each other, with relatively easy access. After heavy local rains, the Laurel Fork rose to 25 on the
visual gauge at the take-out, so Matt and Josh rallied to see if the slides they had scouted would
go. Matt fired down the larger slide of Little Laurel Fork at the confluence. He described what
happened at the bottom as a “Turtlely Tu.” “I got lucky, but that Aquabound paddle didn’t make
it,” he said in reference to the twisting, tiered slide that broke his paddle. Congratulations Matt, for
bagging one of the last few remaining true first descents in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee area. Now all
that remains is the question of what he will name the drop.Words: Wesley R. Bradley - Photos: Josh Dalton