Substantial TV Episode "Viva La Agua Blanca"

 
Substantial TV EP. 3 "Viva La Agua Blanca" from Substantial Media House on Vimeo.

Check out the latest Substantial TV EP.3 "Viva Agua Blanca"
I was pretty gutted I hurt myself only 6 days into our Mexico mission, but stoked I still got to paddle some amazing White Water within those 6 days.Planning on making it back to Veracruz Mexico towards the end of the year!!!!!!

NZ Summer Time

Well I have once again been really slack at updating my blog. I am still battling with injuries, and having on and off problems with my ribs. So I have been laying pretty low trying to heal up. I am definitely looking forward to getting back on the water and back in the game.

Here are a a couple of random shots of the summer here in Okere Falls:

 Huckin the front flip into the lake. Its pretty sweet trying all sorts of tricks I would never do to dirt. Might have to sack up up one of theses days and pull the front flip to dirt mmmm maybe 

Younger brother Mitch going for the flat 3

Myself throwing a clean back-flip

Going for the back-flip 360

A sweet afternoon on the boat

Young Regan Carlyon ripping it up on the board

Back flip fail by Bradley Lauder

My youngest brother Cole Lucas has been totally killing it in the downhill race scene here in NZ and he's only 14, watch out for this kid, up and coming name in the sport for sure!!!

Life's pretty hard in Okere Falls, this is the view I look out at most days...

Little bro Cole ripping it

Well stand by for a paddling update sooner rather than later. Hoping I will be back on the water in the next week or so!!!!!!

PEACE

Substantial Media House "BC EH"

Evan Garcia, Fred Norquist have done it again with another epic episode from our time we had in BC which always delivers the goods.One of my big high lights this year was paddling the Grand Canyon of the Stikine,this episode shows the epic time we had down in thoughs deep Gorges.

  Substantial TV EP. 2 "BC,EH!" from Substantial Media House on Vimeo.


Well I am working on a little NZ summer up date I havent been up to much paddling wize due to my body still been a little broken. I have been laying low try to get my Ribs right, pretty over been broken and not been able to paddle.Cant wait to get back in the boat, get back on the shit running tour.

PEACE

Substantial Media House

From the boys who bought you Bomb Flow TV,Evan Garcia Fred Norquist present a new movement in Whitewater SUBSTANTAIL MEDIA HOUSE
Substantial Media House Premiere from Substantial Media House on Vimeo.

To keep track of the most Substantial Edits coming to you every month like there Facebook Page-
https://www.facebook.com/SubstantialMediaHouse?fref=ts


 Stand by for Substantail TV.2 BC
Substantial TV EP.2 Teaser BC, EH! from Substantial Media House on Vimeo.

Enjoy

MEXICO

On the 6th of October we arrived in Mexico! We were so excited and pumped to get back on the hucking programme.  After spending the night in crazy ass Mexico City, we headed to Veracruz. First creek on the hit list was Road Side, Alseseca

Arrival

Gearing up and making our way to Veracruz

Running the put in drop, a clean 20ft (Road Side Alseseca)

Another shot of the put in drop (Image Tait Trautman)

Such a sick angle

 (Tait Trautman Photography)

Next on the hit list was the classic Big Banana Section, Rio Alsaseca. I was really fired up to put on this section and have a sweet day boating!!!

All the crew at the put in for Big Bannana section

(Imaged Tait Trautman)

Here is a sweet shot of myself and Rafa trying to get the timing right on the first clean 25ft

(Image Erik Johnson)

Fred, front on angle first clean 25ft

Silencio a clean 40ft, it was looking on the high side, but still good to go. We were all fired up and keen to send it, but we all opted out on running the entrance and went for the easy seal launch move. Smooth lines all round!!!!!

(Images Erik Johnson)

Still shot from river left (Silencio)

Erik Johnson sending Silencio

Running the first drop on Pesma Section below Big Banana Section

(Image Tait Trautman)

Still shot- free wheeling the freestyle drop Lower Pesma

King Hesh running Truchas 1 Alseseca. This one is not an easy one to get to. A nice 80ft  repel into the gorge. It was looking on the real low side but we were still all keen to send it.I took a massive hit and couldn't hand roll -  took my first swim of the trip!
(Image Tait Trautman)

Truchas 2, this stout lies about 300 meters below Truchas 1. This is the one that broke me and stopped me paddling for the rest of the trip.It starts with a nice 15ft, which directly leads you into 60ft connected falls. Most of the crew fired it off with style. It was looking good to go and I was feeling fired up for this one. I felt like I was right where I wanted to be and just as  I was about to brace for impact I took a massive hit reconnecting onto rock. I knew straight away that I had done some damage to my lower back, I was instantly in pain. We all ended up having to hike out due to my sore ass back. It was a bit of a mission getting out of there. Big thanks to all the boys for helping me get out of there all safe and sound. Iker took me to a small little hospital in Talapacoyan. I got some X rays and they couldn't see any major damage. I decided to lay low and didn't end up paddling for the rest of the trip!!

Kyle Hull  15ft entry drop

Kyle lining her up and having a sweet line!!!!

I thought I was where I wanted to be. But yeah must of been slightly of line as I ate shit and hurt myself!!!

Shot looking back up stream Truchas 2. Well that was the end of my trip, paddling wise.I was real gutted that I couldn't get back on the water. Still stoked I got good 6 good days boating in. Will be back next year for sure!!!!!

My favourite shot from the trip.Was stoked I got to run Tomata 1 before I hurt myself. This thing is not easy to style - totally vertical lip.We all had some crazy lines, boofs over the bars.
(Image Tait Trautman)

Erik Johnson sending it

Eric Parker running twisted pleasure 60 ft lower Jalacingo

Evan Garcia styling dirty Scanchez - Lower Jalacingo

Doing some filming in the streets of Talapacoyan




After 6 amazing months on the road paddling all around North America, Canada (BC, Alberta) and Mexico,  I decided to head home a little earlier than planned as the body wasn't feeling too good. I felt the best decision was to come home and rest up. Just doesn't feel right to take large impacts off big ass waterfalls. Pretty gutted I had to cut my trip short and cancel my ticket to Chile. I think it was a good call in the long run. Can't wait to get back on the water and come back stronger.

A lot of the images used on this update were shot by very talented Photographer Tait Trautman. We were lucky enough to have Tait tag along with us and shoot the most amazing photos. Check out his website-http://taittrautman.photoshelter.com/ or Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tait-Trautman-Photography/292545030789511


I would like to thank everyone who helped me out along the way. I very much appreciate the help and  support of:

Garcia Family, Mike, Sara, Evan, Ian
Rush Sturges
Wells Family
BDP
Christopher Mctaggart
Pete Lodge
Sam Ricketts
Iker Beristain Van Dusen
Erik Johnson
Eric Parker
Chris Madden
Fred Norquist
Rafa Ortiz
Beav Lodge boys
Amy Tipling
and anyone I forgot. I can't thank you all enough!!!


Huge thanks once again to Evan Garcia for letting me tag along with you on your epic adventures, you are the man bro!!!

Bring on the NZ summer!!!!!!

Si wey

Huckin Perspective

Well less than one week now and we will be in the land of big clean waterfalls MEXICO. So I thought I should do a little update on the huckin (waterfall running) aspect of kayaking. For me huckin is my favourite aspect of kayaking, there is no better feeling than dropping a 70ft+ drop and styling the line, you cant beat that free fall feeling it just keeps you coming back for more.

I ran my first big waterfall back in 2010 Metlako Falls I was so dam scared, since then I have run many big drops. The more stouts you hit the better you get and yeah you do learn the hard way. I have taken some huge hits gone over the bars boofed etc......There is definitely an art to huckin and every drop is different. Its such a fine line between taking too little of a stroke or pulling a little hard on your paddle. Its just not hit and hope stuff there is total control to running big waterfalls.

In my opinion Evan Garcia has the art of waterfall running down better than anyone on this planet so styley so smooth, you very rarely see Evan mess up a drop.Yep that's why we call him EG the Killer!!!!

(Wabena Fall 70ft Royal Gorge North Fork of the American)

This is the last big one in Royal Gorge 9 off us fired this stout of that day,with some good and bad lines.I went over the bars and took the biggest hit I have probably ever taken, felt rather dizzy at the bottom all  was good though

(Heath 2 Royal Gorge)(image Robby Hogg)

Fred Norquist having a sick line off heath 2, going for the boof stomp

Fred is a stout master for sure!!!

(Twin Falls 65ft Fostall Creek BC) (Image Mathias Fossum)

(Skookum Falls BC 60ft) (image Mathias Fossum)

(Wainui 65ft) (image Greg Thomas) 

This river would have to be my favorite run back home.This thing only flows after very heavy rain fall. I first D this drop back in august 2010. Cant wait to get back in there!!

(Round 5 Sutherland Falls 60ft Revelstoke) (image Mikkel St.Jean Duncan)

( Ram Falls Alberta Canada) (imaged Bradley Lauder)

To date this is the largest drop I have run. Ram Falls is around the 90ft range. As soon as I laid my eyes on this stout I was pretty keen to give it ago, such a nice Roley lip, just couldn't walk away from this one. I managed to stick the line, held a big right stroke, got my monkey arms on felt it out tossed the paddle and slowly tuck and braced for impact.

Peter Thompson fired this thing off first and crushed the line big ups bro, followed by Dylan Thomson and then myself!!

 Started working on this post yesterday and today I found out that Peter Thompson had lost his life on the Cheakamus River."I am stoked I got to no you bro, your such a nice chill guy, your a hard charger for sure bro, had some sweet times paddling together bro. I will never forget when we were at the lip of Ram Falls and you called it out "I am fired up bro I am ready to go" You and Dylan paper scissors rock off and you won, walked straight to your boat and styled the shit out of the Falls

I know your out there somewhere still charging bro, you will never stop"!!!

RIP Peter Thomson

Will run a big stout for you bro!!!

This is hard to put into words. All extreme sports have high risk white water kayaking falls in this category. If you paddle at a high level you are going to be taking calculated risks.You can get away with alot paddling hard white water but you can also get unlucky and get caught out in so called freak accidents.You try to do everything possible to stay safe on the river and not let theses things happen. But for me you have to put it in perspective that what we do is very risky and if you run hard white water and push the limits your running a risk and that risk could mean drowning. Anyone out there can get caught out I have had 2 friends now drown within the past year and a bit. Paddling is my life and I am willing to take theses risks. If some freak accident happen to me tomorrow and say I drowned, I would be stoked in what I have have achieved so far in my life!!!

Well cant wait to get to Mexico I have been dreaming of making it there for a few years now and now its happening. Starting to get real excited, one whole month in Mexico then Chile, its going to be an epic one. Hopefully my body holds together!!!

PEACE

Squamish Creekin

Well after another long drive we made it to Squamish for some quality creek boating.This would be my 2nd time creekin around squamish,  I sure do love this place. First Creek on the hit list was Fear Canyon of the Elaho, such an epic short run!!

Benny running the last big one Fear Canyon (Elaho)

Benny and Parker cleaning a sweet pinch

Fear Canyon (Elaho)

(Erik Johnson aka baby nips) dropping into the last big on Fear Canyon Elaho

EG crushing 50/50 Ashlu Box Canyon. Between the hole crew we ran around 30 laps of this stout!!!!

Fred getting balls deep, 50/50

The beautiful Ashlu Canyon.Such a sweet run full of classic moves and sick white water!!

 Fred on the 2 cleanest boofs the Ashlu has to offer!!!

Tatlow

Hike in to Tatlow Creek,so beautiful!!!

Few of the boys chilling below the first clean 20ft

Hector getting amongst it

Sam Ricketts on Wall drop

Ricketts dropping the 40ft slide

Directly below the 40ft slide is this stout 15ft log drop with a shitty cave on the river right.I portaged this one last year so was keen to firer her of this time!!

About to drop it!!!

 Airing the biggest boof I could and coming clean out the bottom!!!

Well man I love Squamish boatin Cristal clean water, clean stouts, amazing canyons and just a beautifully place to be yep they don't call it Beautiful British Columbia for nothing. Stoked I got Tatlow creek again such a good run!!!

Well less than 2 weeks now and we will be making the long drive down to Mexico Huckin paradise, cant wait to drop every stout left right and centre!!!

PEACE