LANGUAGE

Thursday 27 November 2008

Acobamba Abyss

The Acabamba Abyss, a 7 day relentless river expedition!!



For 5 days you are negotiating some of the deepest, darkest, gnarliest canyons the planet has to offer.







Don't forget the river is pushing up to continuous class V+, the gradient is steep and chocked full with wood and syphons.













Once you get to Puente Pasajes, most boaters get out.  The danger of drugs and the Shining Path Guerillas are ever present.



We carried on!



We were fighting brutal headwinds, sand storms, a horrible box canyon and then we got to the jungle.



Some great Grand Canyon style rapids and our last camp was the lucky one.  Not only did we have great views but also the local population had armed patrols  around this area as they have lost so many relatives to the Shining Path Guerillas.
Don't we feel safe!?



Lechemayo was our take out, the motorboats cannot run to San Francisco as the water was too low (the reason why we were on this section of river).
They had not seen any foreigners for years and a lot of the villagers had never seen a "Gringo"
We kept a low profile!
The bus left the next day as it could only travel during daylight hours because of the risk of ambushes!
We finally made it to Ayacucho after a 9 hour hard bus journey, both John and I had completed one of the hardest river expeditions in South America.
Yet another 9 hour bus journey to Lima and then it was onto Pozuzo, in the central jungle!





Tuesday 25 November 2008

Cusco and the Rio Apurimac



Met up with some old friends then ran the Upper Apurimac with Noel (a local boater) from the confluence of the Rio Velille.  A full on syphon infested river.  Expedition boating Peruvian style!!





It took us a day to run the Upper section to where the Black Canyon started.


The next day we were into the Black Canyon, some great waves and drops at the start and some good rapids near the exit of the Canyon.  This section normally takes the rafts 4 days, we did in one long one!!!!






At the start of the commercial Apurimac section Noel and I met up Segundo from Aqua Trek and continued down the river.  A couple of cruisy days running some great "class III down the middle"




The only disappointment was not having a grill at the take-out of the river!  Maybe the Israeli's had booked the cheap trip?!!


I had a few days in Cusco to kill, chilling at Roots and eating at Real McCoy's, then it was time to meet up with John and the Abyss was calling!




Thursday 20 November 2008

The Grand Canyon of Asia

A 7 day solo descent of the Tsarap Chu and Zanskar Rivers



It was time to leave Manali, I said my farewells and got on the bus to the Baralacha La Pass. 

 

The Rohtang Pass was amazing, got to see THE chicken bus that everyone relates to when in the Himalayas.



At Baralacha La, the driver left me with my boat and expedition kit in the wind and snow as he did not want to drive another 20 minutes to the start of the Tsarap Chu.
Chris, can you believe it the only driver in India who would not go to the Tsarap Chu for a few Rupees!
Two trucks pass, a few military vehicles and finally I get onto a bus heading down to the put in!



Yep, the Suunto was right it was 4255m at the put in!


The Tsarap Chu was awesome, tight boily box canyons, Phugtal Monastery and the best white water!


The Zanskar did not let me down, the canyon was spectacular!


I made it to Nimmu, where Shalabh and Splash Rafting sorted me out with a lift back to Leh.



Leh is a great town.  I managed to get myself some decent curries, a lassi, shave and a couple of carpets.  What a way to go!!



My first solo multi-day journey through one of the most amazing and remotest canyons in the world.

A big thanks has to go out to some people for their help, info, flexibility, food and hospitality!!
Chris, Bob, Rup, Slime, Lara, Vaibhav, Ute, WCE, Shalabh, Pete, John, Andy and not forgetting Joel and the Swiss bridge swinging team!!

Gracias

Steve



Part one of The Peruvian Adventure will be published over the weekend, stay tuned!