Back in Canada I had done weekend trips up on the Ottawa River for whitewater rafting and kayaking. Esprit, the outfitters we have gone with also winter in Jalcomulco, Veracruz, Mexico. I dropped an email and signed up for a "Week of Rivers".
Day 1: Pickup by Esprit and a overcast drive followed by rainy drive into Jalcumolco.
Day 2: Tour of town and paddling the Antigua River
Day 3: Paddle the Actopan River
Day 4: Paddle the Barranca Grande - Put-in to Amititla
Day 5: Paddle the Barranca Grande - Amititla to Monte Blanco
Day 6: Paddle the Barranca Grande - The "Four IV's" and Pescados section
Day 7: Creeking on the Tomata River or Antigua/Ziplining
The first two days we paddled in two-man inflatable rafts (duckies)... with a couple impromptu swims both days. Day two on the Actopan started off with a blast. And by blast I mean a drop in our rafts off a 15 foot waterfall that drops at the start of the river. The location was beautiful, with water pouring out in streams and waterfalls from the walls surrounding us. Although I had received a pretty nasty bump on my hip from a rock the day before, I would soon get another whoop-ass to the body. The locals, to cross the rapids often create make-shift bridges by placing logs or downed trees over the river. We had scouted one such bridge and walked around because it was too low. The next one we thought we could clear. As we paddled close and ducked... it happened. The problem was that the rapids raised up on the other side of the large, so as the nose of the raft passed under it began to lift the front. I felt a massive whack to my helmet and was now swimming. While regrouping on shore I noticed my head did not hurt at all, unfortunately the middle of my back did.
The next three days was a camping trip in some larger rafts. Dosed up on Ibuprofen we set off and enjoyed rafting deep in a canyon travelling 70 km and dropping 2200 vertical feet before 'taking out' in Jalcomulco. The last day was technically the most challenging when withing an hour after leaving camp we hit a series of four class IV rapids. The trip was definitely more demanding and exhausting then those on the Ottawa river.
Another nice perk was that James Wier, one of the best whitewater open-boaters was staying with Esprit for the week and joined us for a few rivers, took some great photos, and entertained us with whitewater stories.
My last day I took it pretty easy. After some breakfast some of us took a few kayaks to the river and were given some paddling tips. Managed a roll on my second attempt (on flat-water)... after much explanation by the Esprit crew to get my uncoordinated and exhausted mind and body to follow instruction. Lunch and then Ziplining in the afternoon.
