Rudderless

Things went OFF TRACK when ...

The River Paddling Marathon (RPM) is an event run each year on the June long weekend.  There is a 50km, 100km and 200km race that run from Berri to Morgan and can be as much a mental challenge as a physical one. 

In 2018, let us call him "S" (paddling an Epic v10 Sport Ocean Ski) was completing 200kms over 3 days, an incredible achievement as this was not his first attempt but his 4th or 5th. Yep, S is pretty awesome.

Anyway, there are three locks that the paddlers need to pass through, one each day.  On the final day we cross through lock 2 near Taylorville.   

As the lock opened things began to go off track ... as S exited the lock the rudder snapped, resulting in a rapid right-hand turn straight in front of a fellow paddler "B" [hubby] and then cutting off a double canoe.  S had to limp to the riverbank where his friends went into overdrive to help repair the damage and get him back on the water.  

All friends, that is, except for the drone flier [me] who enjoyed capturing the whole experience on video and the following B as he travelled downriver.

A wine around the campfire was definitely required that night and the story has entered the folklore history pages.