If Jason does not get out of your way Lydia, you should run over him.

Sometimes it's hard for newer paddlers to maintain a line. And when more experienced paddlers pop out in front of them, I say "Off with their heads."

Actually I agree 100% with bethany. I have no problem getting hit if I am surfing and you are coming down stream. For one if its just a wave I should be able to get out of your way just fine. If its a hole I may need you to knock me out of it! Really yesterday my surfing caused you to pick a different line and you hit a rock. So the different line was my fault, but the hitting the rock wasn't.

I ran over Dale once because I kept looking at him while trying to paddle around him -- you go toward what you are looking at!
Some folks end up in holes that way, too -- looking at the big scary hole thinking, how will I get around this, and you don't.
Always look where you want to go. Sounds simple, and easy, but I'm surprised often to find myself looking at what I want to avoid.

okay, then surfers beware!

Zina, I do that, too, but Bubba taught me well on the lower Russell Fork not to look at anything you don't want to hit! It's some sort of magnetic eye-obstruction magic, but it works.

I was leaning upstream (this time), just too early, and went over on the upstream side. It was below lunch stop a little ways, don't remeber if its the next little feature, or the one after that. It seems to be one of the few eddies I have problems with so I try to catch it when I recognize it. Should have peeled out on the same one because that has given me problems too. Haven't tried to peel out on that one since Britt fixed some issues I was having - come to think of it, similar problem, making the move too soon before getting completely across the eddy line. Seems like I could get away with that on lines with less current.

I haven't hit surfers since I started picking one direction or another to aim my boat (and eyes). I can usually take a stroke or two and miss them without messing them (or me) up, but I remember many a time going straight for them, forcing them to move. Seems like I could do that about the time I got comfortable with going sideways or backwards or any ways down a rapid.

Thanks for all the Tuesday morning quarterbacking. Probably boring for most, but it helps me.

Don

I wouldn't say disregard them, just don't try to second guess them. Pick a line to avoid them and stick to it. Generally the surfer has more ability to move quickly and will be able to surf around you as long as you aren't also changing direction.

This is, of course, general advice and should not be considered as infallable.

Hanley

I see Hanley's point of choosing a line and sticking to it - in the case of surfers. Still, there are lots of circumstances that require quick adjustments. Boaters who flip and roll, boaters who flip and swim, and my personal favorite (because I am so bad at reading rivers), the rock that you didn't see till the last split-second. Of course, the first two can drive you into the last. So, the more important lesson, Lydia, may be to love that rock. That is, lean your body towards the rock as soon as you think you are going to hit it. That generally keeps the rock from flipping you, and if the rock doesn't flip you you probably won't flip.
If the rock is right in front of you, and just under the water or (as Jason pointed out to me yesterday) even poking above it a bit, too close to avoid, then paddle hard, boof it, and continue paddling. If you are headed for a big rock out of the water, lean with intent to push off it with your hands. Most often, you won't have to push off because the effect of your lean will be to swing your boat (therefore, you) around the rock. If you are headed straight for a big rock, anticipate that the water will take you on the side where you see most of the flow, and lean accordingly (I think of this as sticking my ass out into the main flow). This is how I paddled - and often bounced - my way down Daddy's Creek and the Obed.
Chris S

Chris Schardl

Old BWA sayings: kiss the rock, lean downstream, look where you WANT to go.

Upstream boater always has the right of way unless the paddler is a hole hog and can catch the eddy above and wait their turn:-)
barryg