Avon Descent

Just returned from Bell's rapids, this forest like area which has a river running through it. (think wind in the willows) Scott and I joined the rest of WA in cheering on the competitors of the Avon Descent 2005, a two day long and gruelling white water competition which starts from Tooday and ends at Bayswater, for all those unfamiliar, check the Western Australia map!!

Su-ming and Craig was nice enough to fetch us there, su ming initially mentioned that they would pick us up at 530am (much to my horror as we had been partying the night before at Metro.) but later changed the time to 830am as the website mentioned that the boats wouldn't be coming through Bell's rapids that early. Scott and I packed a few pies and a bottle of water, if I had known we would be there till 4pm, I would have packed a whole picnic basket. Su ming and craig brought cheese, olives and crackers and other nibbles. gee and I thought it was just gonna be a 3 hours thing and we'd go somewhere else for grub!

It was a nice experience though, we parked at the Brigadoon Equestrian centre and took a shuttle bus into the Bell's rapid area, we had to pay $10 for the vehicle entrance, we were initially debating if it was 10 per head or ten per vehicle as neither of us saw the sign when we drove past.

I finally had my chance to watch a show jumping event, if that is what they call it (where horses jump over poles). I'm sure there is a proper term for it so if anyone knows, just give me a shout out. We stayed to watch about three horses do their rounds and I must say it was impressive, nothing like what you see on the television. I guess it's the same event but when you see it live, it's more interesting as you can hear the horses hooves up close and hear their breathing. and their owners look oh-so-smart in their helmet and riding boots with cropped pants. Very British!!

There were about 800 over participants this year, out of which 56 dropped out after the first day!!! we found ourselves a nice little spot by the river banks, with a good enough view of the main rapid area. The Paddle skis and Kayaks only started appearing about an hour after we got there. It was pretty exciting watching teams and solo participants manuver their way through rocks and through the rapids, something that we can never do in Singapore!! It really must take some skill to steer the boats in certain direction in order to avoid collision of capsize! Many of the competitors broke their paddles (you could see the broken shafts stuck onto their boats when they rowed past). and many of them had scraped elbows or cuts on their faces and their body suits had little tears and rips!

We and about everyone else on the rocks cheered to competitors as they rowed by, those that weren't too tired waved back or said their thank yous. I especially cheered the loudest when the female rowers went by. Most of them made fantastic timing, beating alot of their male counterparts. Even the grand daddies ( in no way a metaphor of experienced rowers but the literal meaning of a grandad i.e someone old) were makign fantastic timing!!

There were pretty interesting boats too, this double kayak put on Bananas in Pyjamas costumes and wore the blue striped pyjamas and on their kraft it read" are you thinking what I'm thinking B1?" " Yes I am B2" "Stamp out poverty".

Others had cute soft toys stuck onto their helmets (yes you need that brain bucket). My favourite was a Cow. and of course there was this female who was pink all over, her Kraft, her paddle tapes, her outfit and her helmet!!

so at the end of it all, I'm slightly burnt, the sun was pretty hot although it was cool when it got cloudy and when the wind started up!!

Need to go take care of 4 hungry stomaches in the house!!