Hey Everyone!

I am in Uganda right now, paddling the monumental Nile River! I only arrived the day before yesterday, did a little park and play and then today ran the Day 1 Section.  The Day 1 Section has some classic big water rapids from Bujagali Falls, to 50/50 to the mighty Silverback.

Now I am not going to lie, I was super nervous about diving into this big of water after not having paddled anything as high volume since the river last year. And last year I also had my ass handed to me on Silverback the nervousness doubled simply because of that.

I didn’t know what the rapid looked like simply because I was upside down. Not to mention I created many more reasons in my head to be nervous, second day in my boat etc….

You cant scout Silverback and its too inconsistent to actually know what to do so basically you get the top, take a deep breath and hope for the best!

I was feeling pretty good as I had styled all the rapids before hand and knew that there was no real reason to be nervous, just me being silly as usual.

I ended up somehow magically staying up right the whole time, doesn’t mean I was on top of the water (i subbed out alot!) but I was fist pumping and so stoked to have made it through the rapid right side up as i looked around and saw all the upside down boats around me.

This was my first day in the RockStar in big water and here are the things I noticed right away:

• It was more stable then I expected. I was thinking because I was sitting up higher it was going to be tippier but the boat felt great and i didn’t feel tippy at all! Even in some of the swirly eddy lines.

• It drove in and out of the eddies well….

• It surfed across diagonals and curlers with the bow high out of the water. I was thinking the shorter bow would catch more but i was wrong! It stayed high and dry the whole time.

• It surfs fantastic! The wave I was struggling staying on (because its so green) last year was slightly easier in the Rockstar, I didn’t notice it being necessarily was faster when just sitting and front surfing but the minute i was carving, spinning, and throwing moves i found it wanted to stay on the wave and it was quicker to come around so I had more surfing time. Basically it confirmed my belief that the boat is actually way more retentive.

Very very happy with the boat and cant wait for the waves tomorrow! I will let you know how it is on Nile Special and Club wave as soon as I can.

As for being in Uganda again! YAY!!! I love the people, the culture is mind boggling. People are so peaceful, happy and enjoy their life more than the richest people in the states. I have already had more kids then my arm could handle, and if I have any shoulder injuries I doubt it would be from kayaking! Tug a war isn’t fun when your the rope.

Jessie Stone is opening her Soft Power Health Family Planning Clinic where they will offer short term and long term birth control, all teh way to vasectomies! Crazy and Awesome!

The Ugandan Government provides just enough condoms for one per person per year.So Family Planning is a very exciting thing to help the Ugandans with! Many people still don’t fully understand HOW they get pregnant!

I am eating more pineapple then I can handle, and the fruit is AMAZING!

Happy times and happy paddling

Hugs from all the Ugandan Kids and I hope you get to come here at one point in your lifetime. It is truly life changing and makes you the most thankful person for what we have!

Right now I am thankful for everything that those close to me have given me, and my NEW ROCKSTAR!!

Paddle On!

Emily