Damn you, Dimple Rock!
This weekend we drove towards western PA and went rafting in Ohiopyle. The weather was perfect; around 75, sunny and not too humid:
99.9% of the trip was fantastic. We were paired up with this great group from the DC area:
As we got in our raft I told myself that boat #213 was not the same as boat #13 and that of course we would be totally fine.
I swear our boat navigation and teamwork skills were impeccable until we made it to Dimple rock, the terrors of which had been described in detail by our guides while we were eating lunch. Apparently there is a big suction hole at the base of this rock and death awaits the inhabitants of any raft that happens to overturn in it's vicinity.
Well, we overturned. It was terrible and I think I still need to have a big cathartic cry to get over the trauma. I won't go into the details but judging by the enormous bruise on my right thigh I believe that was my point of impact.
Oh god I shouldn't have googled Dimple Rock.
I'm honestly glad we gave it a try but I'm thinking that if I find myself in that particular situation again I will be choosing the portage option.
99.9% of the trip was fantastic. We were paired up with this great group from the DC area:
As we got in our raft I told myself that boat #213 was not the same as boat #13 and that of course we would be totally fine.
I swear our boat navigation and teamwork skills were impeccable until we made it to Dimple rock, the terrors of which had been described in detail by our guides while we were eating lunch. Apparently there is a big suction hole at the base of this rock and death awaits the inhabitants of any raft that happens to overturn in it's vicinity.
Well, we overturned. It was terrible and I think I still need to have a big cathartic cry to get over the trauma. I won't go into the details but judging by the enormous bruise on my right thigh I believe that was my point of impact.
Oh god I shouldn't have googled Dimple Rock.
I'm honestly glad we gave it a try but I'm thinking that if I find myself in that particular situation again I will be choosing the portage option.
posted by Amy at 7:27 PM
10 Comments:
It happened so fast I don't even think I had time to think about the actual danger (except the repeated thought, "get your feet up, get your feet up!"). I was looking for you as soon as I popped out from under the boat. If the rescue rope hadn't hit me in the head I might not have noticed I was still tumbling toward the next bottleneck (Thanks Pat!). Just glad nothing got damaged...except our collective pride.
p.s. I think you also need to subtract another percentage point for the utterly fashionable moist 'n a mildewy PFD and helmet ensemble.
Hey at least we can say we survived! We bought one of the souvenir shots on CD and I think we all look relatively happy (it's pre-Dimple Rock of course).
I think I'm going to start referring to everything in my life as PD or AD now (Pre Dimple and After Dimple). Send me an email if you want me to send it to you- chrisimwest@gmail
Thanks for the adventure!
Chrisi
My parents used to raft there every summer and then one year it went all terribly wrong and they never went again. They wont even talk about it causing me to fear the river and thus never rafting it. Glad you made it out!
-Nina
I got to hear all about your trials via my brother and sister in law (the D.C. crowd.) So the question remains...will you go again? Glad you are okay. :-)
I think I'll definitely go rafting again but never again past DR. My husband and I were talking in the car about whether you can rent bikes at Ohiopyle... seems much safer to me!
Dimple rock got the best of my dad. Since that day, he swears that the Yough is the most violent river in the country.
Dimple Rock kicked my ass this past weekend. I have never swallowed so much water in my life, and have never went without breathing for so long. I have a .500 average with Dimple now, so looks like I've got to go try it again next year!!
Last summer my family and I flipped at Dimple and it was the scariest thing in my life. My one friend ended up going through the rapids by herself and was traumatized for a good week. My cousin and uncle got stuck under the boat and ended up ontop of it while it was upside down with no paddles. My cousin and I attempted to get on my dads boat but we only ended up pulling him in. I was a complete mess BUT is now possibly the best story ever. I'm going again this summer and this time I'll be ready.
Funny story: I read this blog just before our trip to the Youghiogheny this year (my friends and I have rafted here for several years now) and when we were handed raft #213 I couldn't help but freak out a little bit.
No flips on any rapids this year, including Dimple, despite good ole raft #213.
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