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Amber J. Regitsching
Miss. Tillery
British Literature
19-April-2012
Senior Speech
I remember when I was new to kayaking, and my dad bought me a river running kayak. I
knew nothing of these kayaks seeing how I mainly did lake kayaking. River running kayaks are
very unstable on flat water unlike the lake kayaks that are smooth and stable. I took this river
kayak on a lake and only knowing that all I would need is the skirt to keep water out (seeing how
I previously flooded the cockpit the day before) But I did not know how to keep my safety cord
from going under the all ready too tight lip of the old skirt. Now I realize how fatal that mistake
could have been. Luckily, I never flipped the unstable kayak. However, not knowing how to roll
a kayak, brace and even how to wet exit out of a capsized kayak, had I flipped over that day, I
most likely would have drowned and dearly paid for this careless mistake.
Hello, my name is Amber Regitschnig and I will be talking about the crucial safety of
white water kayaks, equipment, and the actual roaring rivers themselves.
My research was highly focused on the actual equipment, rather than the actual
whitewater itself. With my main reason being that the equipment is the most important to
understand. After reading many books and personally speaking to my facilitator, he explained to
me that that there is major misconception that the rivers are always the core source of injuries

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and sometimes even death, while it is also the equipment that was not used or maybe even used
incorrectly. The safety of a new kayaker is always pushed to the equipment in the beginning. I
learned that even a paddle design can make a major difference in the personal performance and
the safety of the kayaker. For example, a wooden paddle has a higher possibility of snapping in
the middle of a rapid than a carbon based paddle. Another very important fact that Joey, my
facilitator, told me was that hypothermia is the most under acknowledged factor. Seeing how
most rapids will remain cold throughout the year, but kayakers will still kayak in the winter time
if the rivers are not frozen over.
My product is an informative video which shows real life situations and problems that
kayakers face and handled them. It will also have how important it is to scout a rapid and I will
be explaining this process as well.
I chose this product because new kayakers need to learn how important it is to actually
understand the kayak, the equipment, and the real rivers themselves. The reason being is I don’t
want a new kayaker to make the same possibly fatal mistake I made back in the summer.
To create the video I had to actually run down rapids. In order to understand the dangers
of fast, cold rivers, I had to run them and feel them. I have thus far been down two main rivers,
the Nantahala and the Chattooga. The Chattooga is so large; it is actually divided into sections to
run from sections 1-4. I have personally run sections 3 and 3.5. These rivers are very tricky and
very demanding for kayakers. My first actual river was the Nantahala, a class III rapid you might
even be personally familiar with. I had gone to two lessons before hand and at those lessons I
learned to do a low brace and how to wet exit properly. During this run I did not know how to
actually roll my kayak, so I had to wet exit in the rapids; and then I quickly picked up the almost

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instinctive low brace after swimming three times in the cold waters of the Nantahala. After the
Nantahala I went to many lessons with both of my facilitators to learn how to do the most
important and famous baffling thing to anyone not familiar with kayaking, the Eskimo Roll.
Learning to roll required to many lessons and numerous practices in the pool, where I
encountered my biggest problem. I would become very frustrated would have to paddle around
the pool to calm down. This took a lot of lessons and numerous personal practices in a pool. It
involved breaking a lot of bad habits and disobeying my mind and body’s natural instincts.
Which this was a very hard process for me to learn. But after so many lessons and practices, I
finally got it down, even though it was not easy picking up. I soon found myself doing rolls in
the pools and I would even started to drill myself by seeing how long I could hold my breath
underwater, having my spotter flip me over at random and paddle around the pool and rolling
myself while moving. Soon I went down the Chattooga on section 3.5. This river was far more
testing than the Nantahala. Here I learned how to do something called an Eddy Turn, though I
have yet to master it completely. My beneficiary kayakers and facilitator told me that this will
naturally come with time and practice once I have a good solid technique. Here I also did flip my
kayak; however I did lose my paddle. I instinctively started to hit the bottom of my boat for
assistance, but realized that I could just push myself up from the shallow ground plus I did just
that and hand paddled the rest of the way down the rapid. When we began to hike out of the
gorge, I exposed my biggest flaw to this day, which is carrying my 45 pound kayak on my
shoulder long distances. The weight of the kayak was too heavy for me to carry on my shoulder
for a long distance. Fortunately both my facilitators would help me carry my kayak out of the
gorge. I have since spoken to many of my kayaking friends about this embarrassing problem I
am facing, and they told me that this was normal and to try to build up strength and endurance.

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During my two day paddle, I have learned many new things about the safety of white
water kayaking. I also leaned about many trends while running the rivers. To begin with, a
kayaker will never run a rapid alone regardless of how much experience they might have.
Professional kayakers know that anything can happen. When running a rapid, the more
experienced and familiar will run down the line first and normally pull aside and wait for
everyone to come through. The beginners will most likely go in the middle so they could be
helped in case of an emergency. Also, if the rapid is infamous for killing paddlers, someone in
the group will stand nearby with a throw rope in case something was to go wrong for the kayaker
going down the rapid.
Joey Robinson was my first project facilitator. He has been paddling for about two years
and has quickly gained his instructional license and is in the process of getting another. He was a
great facilitator to me, he would answer any question I had, whether it was in person, or via text
message. He also helped me pick out new equipment for my project. In addition, during many
lessons he was always very patient with my rolling troubles or even slow paddling during all day
paddles. He took me on three major paddles so far. Two of which was the Chattooga. During
this time he would always watch out for me and make sure I was always okay during the paddles
and the group plans. When he was moving to Columbus Georgia, he put me in the hands of Ben
Whittle. Ben Whittle was also a very excellent facilitator as well. He, like Joey, would always
answer any questions I had very promptly and would spend a lot of time explaining a maneuver
I was not getting or the issues I would be having and would inform me on how to do a better job.
He also spent the time to explain the equipment I got over the holidays this year and how to use
them properly. During my paddles with him he was always sure that I understood a line and

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make sure that I was aware of any hazards on the river. He would always keep me up to date on
the upcoming paddle trips and always invited me to go with him.
Over all, I was very fortunate to have outstanding facilitators. These became adults I
grew to admire and look up to. You will find that anything I have to say about them would be
good. They have shown me everything I know about white water kayaking and they have helped
me figure out what I want to do with my future and where I want to go in my life.
I have learned a lot of things about white water and about a lot of the unseen dangers
under each wave. But as a person I have learned how to make a choice and how to stick with it
and see it through. Because let’s face it, it is hard to turn yourself with rushing water pushing you
a long the rocks. I have also learned to actually have some fun in life and take the risk because
when I first started this, I was very timid and hardly would take any risk in my life and take a
chance. And in the long run, when I did back out from running a rapid, I always regretted not
doing it.
I definitely plan on doing this in my career. I am planning on getting my instructors
license and begin to teach people how to kayak. I am planning on going to Columbus State
University after about a year in Chattahoochee College. There in Columbus Georgia, they are
making the world’s largest White Water park therefore, I feel that I would thrive there as an
instructor. I have really learned a lot of things about something I had no idea about a year ago. I
feel that I have finally found something that I want to do in my life that I will greatly enjoy. I
highly recommend kayaking to whoever has thought about it. It is such an enjoyable sport that
people really have no real knowledge about.

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I greatly thank you for your time to hear about my project and my plans for the future.
Thank you and goodnight.