Part III: A Popular Play Spot at the Ledges Rapid

After traversing through the rapids No Way, and Staircase, boaters will arrive at the rapid called Ledges. Here is a highlight of the Lehigh River – on the river right, and not too far away from a big boulder, there is a popular play spot. It’s popular because it’s a perfect place for boaters to practice literally every move – surfing, 360 spins, flip turns etc – and if you get washed out, you can easily return to the eddy behind the big rock and try again. Even if the worst thing happens, say you tip over, what follows is a wide and calm river section where you are free to take your time performing an Eskimo roll. There is one drawback about this play spot though: it’s so popular that, on weekends, there is always a long wait.

Last winter, after numerous practices in a pool, I got my rolls going. I told myself, “When the river season starts, I will go in that hole and surf,” as if playing in the hole should be a ritual for an upper gorge boater and I finally had my sacrifice ready.

One weekend in May, I paddled the upper gorge on both Saturday and Sunday. I didn’t make any move; I simply sat in the nearby eddy and observed. Boaters in, boaters out; boaters played; boaters rolled. I was awed by the wave but my body was experiencing an internal monthly ritual which stopped me from executing the river ritual. I didn’t want to get wet – well, call it an excuse. I admit that I chickened out.

The next time on the upper gorge, I had a cold, blowing my nose in a bandanna along the stream. I didn’t want to get wet. I sat in the same eddy and observed. Boaters in, boaters out; boaters played; boaters rolled. “This is your fifth time paddling the upper gorge, and you haven’t played the wave. If you have an excuse this time, you will have another excuse next time, and you will never play the wave.” I didn’t know who was the spokesperson, my little angel or my little demon? Maybe this time they were in sync, so what was I waiting for?

I took a deep breath, got in the line, and I ferried towards the wave. I didn’t surf because I couldn’t find the sweet spot to settle my boat. The wave was beyond my ability and all I could do was to survive through the turbulence.

The last attempt, I tipped over. The water was a bit chilly and it sealed my irritations. I felt that I brought all the noise with me underwater and it soon sank to the river bed and blended into the sand. It was quiet, even peaceful, but my limited lung capacity reminded me it was time to embrace the spring air. I set up and I rolled. Allen was right beside me, “good combat roll,” he said. Oh, that was right. It was my first combat roll – a real one. Allen and I noticed that we had to catch up with our group; I looked back, muttering, “I’ll be back.”