On the way down the river today, there were two spots we were allowed to climb up the 30 foot rock, walk out along the rock jut, and jump off into the river, where the river was deep enough. Kris and Andy scrambled up first, as quickly as they could. I sat where I was in the boat, happy to sit there, take pictures, and stay dry.

When Kris jumped, he flailed his feet, running in the air like a cartoon, until just before he hit the water. Just before the water, he stopped moving, straightened, and landed in the water with a near perfect, vertical entry. He later explained, in the air there was panic ("I'm falling!") until the moment of calm, which is when he stopped flailing and just landed.

His shoes, however, went flying off his feet.

Andy had a similar experience, with the running feet. Tracy chuckled, commenting, "Must be a California thing."

Both landed safely, recovered safely.

Andy commented that the river is dark. He opened his eyes at the bottom, to find nothing but black all around him. Kris said that, without his life jacket, yeah, he would have been in trouble.

Kelly spent the whole trip in bikini tops. I have zero idea how she managed it without getting completely sunburned. Maybe when I was 20 I would have tried it. Not now, no way, not after the BCC. Though my skin does fade into a most awesome tan, looking at the lines on my feet. Looking at them, I can't say that pasty white isn't more desirable.

Stopped at Pumpkin Springs for lunch.

I spent the morning with Tracy, alone in the boat while Kris was on Sam's boat and Andy paddled. I had a good time, talking about Kris and Andy and life and my previous trip down the Canyon with Guy and his family, and friends who are good people. The morning was overcast or shady for the most part with no little or no wind.

Kris was crazy on Sam's boat today, following up on last night's drunken revelry's "sounded good at the time" plans. Of particular note was Kris' standing on the raft's cooler, as Sam used a paddle to steer the raft through the rapids (instead of his oars) and Sonia rode the bull.

There were lots of flipping and swimming today. Dave swam the rapids on mile 205 riding the bull. Kim swam out of the paddle boat on mile 209, while Michael flipped from the duckie.

Tragically, I didn't get ANY pictures of Kris standing on the cooler, even though the camera is working fairly well. The gears are still pretty crunchy. I have 17 pictures left on one card, and 332 on the other.

Apparently, Kris and Andy have been having an ongoing discussion aobut if WaterWorld happened right now, which guide would they want to follow.

The contest was fairly even until last night.

The water flowes well down here at mile 188, the lower part of the canyon. The boats were rocking more down here than farther up on the river.

Tracy, Justin and Sam were the only guides who stayed on their boats last night.

I voted for Sam.