Kayakers brave 20-metre Quebec waterfall
Quebec City kayakers describe being in the 'zone' as they take the plunge
In the eddies before his kayak took a 20-metre vertical plunge, there was a lot going through Raphael Boudreault-Simard's mind.
He was trying to visualize his hip movements, the angle of entry, the movements of his paddle. But as the kayak edged closer to the lip of the waterfall on the Saut-à-la-Puce River, he entered what psychologists call a "state of flow."
"As soon as you enter the current, and you're committed, then everything [in your mind] clears up," Boudreault-Simard said.
"It's a moment of pure flow really, you're in the zone ... You take the plunge and then two, three seconds later you resurface. And hopefully you're still in your kayak."
The Quebec connection
Boudreault-Simard is part of a group of expert kayakers in Quebec who took advantage of a heavy rainfall earlier this week around Quebec City to execute what to some would appear like an act of madness.
These kayakers, known as the Québec Connection, annually attempt to go over the Saut-à-la-Puce River's 67-foot waterfall in their kayaks.
The group uses drones and GoPro cameras to film their exploits as part of an attempt to draw attention to whitewater rafting in Quebec.
"There is so much potential and not many people around the globe are aware of that," Boudreault-Simard said. "It's just starting. Over the last two, three years Quebec has had more fame."
The kayakers who tackled the Saut-à-la-Puce waterfall — which is located near Château-Richer, northeast of Quebec City — all have experience with Class V river difficulty, including violent rapids and vertical drops.
All about preparation
Extensive preparation goes into kayaking over a waterfall. The team scouts the area extensively beforehand, taking note of water levels, currents and rocks.
They also all have a high degree of medical training, and members are in place at the bottom of the waterfall should anything go wrong.
"They're have been a lot of accidents and it has really opened our eyes about taking care of your friends," Boudreault-Simard said.
The strategy for going over safely, he says, is angling the kayak downward in order to penetrate the cascade of water. That allows the kayaker to avoid an overly intense impact.
If the kayak, however, lands on its belly, the impact can be strong enough to break the kayaker's back.
Even when it's executed perfectly, though, nothing quite prepares you for the landing, Boudreault-Simard said.
"The impact is always a bit of a surprise," he said. "You never really know what's going to happen. Hopefully you come up with a smile on your face."
with files from Maxime Corneau and Kim Garritty