Читать книгу Carolina Whitewater. A Paddler's Guide to the Western Carolinas онлайн

40 страница из 66

2. EXPERIENCE—The experts paddling hair runs today often have an experience backlog of 10, 15, and 20 years on difficult water. Whitewater sport being the relatively recent phenomenon it is, we can look back to the 1970s and find very few expert hardboaters with the experience level that so many have today. These days more informed decisions can be made on marginal runs because there is more information (prior probing) available. A certain psychological edge is developed from years of paddling difficult water. This mental toughness is a very real aid in making cool, objective decisions on the river. Instruction is more effective and efficient, allowing paddlers to get on more difficult water sooner. The Class V rapids of the 1970s will not feed the adrenaline rat of the veteran hair-head today.

3. AVOCATIONAL BOATING—There are increasing numbers of paddlers who look upon the sport as more than a weekend pastime. These folks tend to put more energy, time, and effort into the sport than the weekend warrior, eschewing “real” jobs and “normal” lifestyles to pursue whitewater paddling full-time. Much as surfing, rock climbing, and other sports have their devotees, acolytes of the boating subculture are often on, or creating, the “edge” of the sport.