The River Blind
I cried.
All Steve Baskis wanted to do was paddle his kayak down the Wilderness Channel at the US National Whitewater Center without swimming out of his boat. This would require navigating a 500 meter stretch of continuous and swirly intermediate whitewater rapids.
Not easy. Especially when your paddle requires a special grip because you can not feel your hand.
Even more challenging when you can’t see. When you are blind. You read that right — kayaking whitewater blind.
Steve sustained these injuries while serving in combat as a U.S. Army infantryman. He was hit by shrapnel from an explosion. The same explosion killed his group’s leader.
“I can roll the kayak on flatwater — no problem,” said Steve. “I get discombobulated on the river.”
To roll a kayak is the process of returning your kayak into its upright position without separating yourself from the boat. I’ve seen thousands of rolls in my time in paddlesports. Steve’s roll on quiet, calm water is beautiful.
“Steve, just do one thing,” I said. “If you flip in the whitewater, focus only on this — move your nose forward to the deck of your kayak. Tuck forward. Give yourself the same start point every time.”
I had read about blind kayakers, but this was the first time I paddled with a person who did not have their sight. Joe Mornini, the founder of Team River Runner, an organization that provides health and healing to veterans through paddlesports, serves as Steve’s “lead” as we begin.
“On me!” Joe yells over his shoulder to Steve. Steve listens for voice commands. There are no ropes or attachments. Steve is completely on his own except for the sound of Joe’s voice, which dissipates when the currents push Joe in one direction and Steve in the other.
The river had Steve’s number that day — the channel flipped him and his kayak upside down five times on his maiden attempt. He separated from Joe frequently. At one point, Steve says loudly, “I can’t hear you!”
Blind becomes even more blind when ears can’t hear.
But, here on the river sight is not needed. Nor hearing. Nor strength. Nor fight.
Steve simply responds to the force of the flow by feeling the flow. Less becomes more.
And five successful kayak rolls later, Steve completes the channel upright in his kayak.
I saw this with my two eyes. The same eyes that shed big tears when I did.
With gratitude,
Joe
Ps — If you enjoyed this post, it would mean a great deal to me if you shared it. Please use the hashtag #RiverBlind
Hi, I’m Joe, the owner of 5 With Joe Performance Coaching. My clients are leaders, organizations, and teams who utilize my Olympic Gold Medal performance strategies and 40 years of navigating whitewater river rapids to streamline decision making and actions when engaged in complicated river currents of business and life.
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