We decided to do the Black Canyon section as well as the commercial section and went shopping for 6 days of food for the trip. We left Cusco around 2 or 3 pm, with 7 people, Andy, Emily, Ben, Scott, Me, Hootie, and Drew. We had one raft, with Drew, Emily and Hootie in it. I riverboarded, Ben, Scott and Andy kayaked.
We drove into the town of Naiwa. The drive was spectacular and we had an awesome sunset on the descent. It was dark when we got into the tiny town, and we were greeted by the entire town.... really wasted drunk. We lugged our gear through town and to the soccer field next to the school. We had a palta and pan dinner and went to bed.
Day 1:We woke up in one of the most beautiful places. It must be awesome to live in Naiwa. It was a bit of a walk from the soccer field to the river, so it took us a while to rig and put on. We put on around 10:15. It wass a pool - drop river, with class 2-4 stuff throughout the day. The pools were long. The first day was really leisurely, stopping for lunch on a nice sandy beach, while a local watched from a rock above. We were on the water about 4 hours, then found a nice campsite. We made a fire and had rice n veggies for dinner and some delicious pudding for desert. Num num num.
Day 2: In a nutshell.....
Lots of flatwater. I started out riverboarding and got tows on the back of Andy´s kayak... which was really fun. I got in the raft after the SOOOOPA long pool.. I was over it. At lunch, everyone but Andy got in the raft and we towed the kayaks. There were some fun rapids, so we all got out and into our respective crafts for a while... then it got flat again and I got back into the raft and Andy came too. So everyone spent time in the raft on day 2. Ha ha. We found an awesome huge sandy beach camp... we were loving it!
Day 3:In a nutshell.....
I rode in the raft because all we could see was flat. It was pretty much flatwater all day so I was stoked on my decision. We reached the orange bridge around noon, which meant we were out of the Black Canyon and at the start of the commercial section. There was a little tienda at the top of the bridge, so we went up and got some arroz con huevos (eggs and rice) and bought some firewater... I think it was straight up alcohol... like rubbing alcohol.. ha ha. We bought some Coca Cola too... which is the most best tasting here.
We headed downstream like 20 more minutes and found a nice sandy beach on river right. We set up camp super early. We flipped over the raft and were doing otter slides.... super fun.
Around 10 pm, it started pouring rain and kept raining till 7 am. The river didn´t really come up at all though.
Day 4: Best Day Yet!!
We had a slow morning and put on around 9. It was a super cool, super chill trip. No expectations, no rush, nowhere to be. It was great. The vibe and the energy of everyone was just awesome!! It was a great escape from party central Cusco.
The river got more constricted, steeper, and there started to be huge granite boulders everywhere. The canyon changed from the black, conglomerate rock in the Black Canyon, to this beautiful, white granite cliffs and boulders. The rapids got progressively bigger until we reached the big one.
The water went along the right wall with some slots at the top, then into two big holes. The first, a huge diagonal hole, and the second one considerably bigger and stompier than the first. I started far right, working to the middle, hitting the first hole and going kinda deep. I resurfaced just in time to go into the big munchy one. I went deep. I was underwater for a few seconds... came up upside down and rolled back up. It was awesome!
Ben and Scott also got flipped in that hole. The raft styled it. We found out later that was the Portage rapid. Ha ha. So much for portaging it... huh. It was good to go.
Just below the portage rapid was another big one. It was a steep drop with just a HUGE hole in it. Everyone ran it and disappeared and then came up upside down. I ran it and was underwater for quite a bit of time.... about 8 seconds. The video´s funny.... all you see is me pop up at the bottom. Ha ha.
There was another rapid with a steep drop with a bunch of rocks in it. I dropped it and hit a rock with my left hip. I hovered on the rock just long enough to think to myself... "Am I body pinned?" which was pretty freaky. I kicked myself free. I got a really purty bruise and it was pretty tender for a day or two. That was my most freaky experience on my board.... maybe ever.
We got to another big rapid called Purgatory. It´s the one all the pictures of the Apurimac are of. It was all up on the left wall and there were some huge holes and pourovers. Andy got a little worked, which was entertaining because it´s so rare. At the bottom of the rapid, the river went through 2 small slots. Both about the width of a kayak. The raft had no way through. We had to portage it. It was quick and easy.
Another 1/4 mile downstream we found a great camp on the right, acrossed from a side creek with a beautiful canyon. We found a little cliff with some trees to chill out on and watch the sunset. It was awesome. The Apurimac is a beautiful river. I think it is my favorite just for it´s beauty. The white granite boulders are so amazing. The water is so clear you can see the bottom and every rock underwater.
Day 5: My parent´s Anniversary, 11-17
While we were rigging the boat and getting ready to put on, a commercial trip floated by. The guide came over to our beach and said hi, and that Gian Marco told him we would be there. Ha ha... small world. They kept going down river. We put on and had some pretty mellow rapids until we ran into those guys eating lunch. We stopped to say hi and get some beta about what was downstream. The nice guide gave us some paltas, naranjas, and platanos. We floated a little further downstream and ate all our yummy food we just recieved. ¨
"After lunch, the fun factor went to 10." - Baker. There was a rapid with a NICE 4 foot drop at the bottom and a few more class 3 rapids until we got to what looked like the place to scout the big one.
It was big. It was called Tooth Ache. It had a 5 foot boof at the top. The water all went into a rock on the left side, then into a huge hole, followed by a pourover, followed by another pourover. It was BIG and pushy. I walked it. They lined the raft. Only the kayakers ran it.
We started looking for camp after that, but we didn´t see a beach before the next rapid.
The next one was cool. It was called You First. All the water went into 2 huge boulders in the middle. There was a line to the left, squeezing between one of the middle rocks and a rock on the left shore. Everyone styled it. It was a sweet one.
Right after that we found a beach on the right. We ate well that night. We all sat and stared at the fire for a while and said what we were grateful for.... a Hootie original that I love.... it´s a great way to reflect on the wonderful trip we had. Yay.
Day 6: Andy´s Birthday!
We got up at 7... which was early for us on this trip.. and did yoga with Andy for about 45 min... until the bugs tore us up. We got out of camp early. We were trying to get to the take out before the commercial trip so we could be all packed and ready and try and catch a shuttle out with them.
The first big rapid we got to, the river split. We went right, which was shallow, but at the bottom, the 2nd half of the rapid was awesome. Steep with nice waves and holes.
Right after that was another big one. There was a steep line on the right with a big hole at the top and a huge pourover in the middle at the bottom. It was sweet!
From there, the rapids mellowed out. I started getting tows from Andy again in the flatwater, and then got in the raft for 30 mins till the take out. We got to the take out at the same time as the gear boat from the commercial trip. We unloaded and rolled the raft. The commercial trip said they had plenty of room for us on their bus... sweeeeet.... free shuttle.
We ate lunch there at the take out and then headed back to Cusco with the numpty´s on the bus.
They dropped us off right in front of Pierro´s house... he owns Terra Explorer Peru... where we rented the raft from... he´s also Gian Marco´s brother. Cool dude. Pierro wasn´t there... we were locked out... all our stuff was inside.... so we got a hostal acrossed the street and waited for him to come home. Ha ha. He didn´t come home till the next day. We returned the raft n gear and got all our stuff and hung out with Pierro the next day.
The Apurimac was AWESOME! I have some of my fondest Peru memories from the Apurimac. Chill vibes, great whitewater, awesome people, positive attitudes, everything made the trip magic. None of us wanted to leave once we got to the take out. Good times. Nothing but smiles from everyone all 6 days.
I love these pics of us all doing our own silly things and loving life!!
Drew 
Hootie 
Scott
Me
Andy
Ben
Emily
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