Terminology

Aerated - Containing Air

Attain - Surf/ferry from a lower spot to a higher one/eddie.

Back wash

Balzy - A adj. that refers to the attitude, mental state, or braveness of a boater. Doesn't refer to skill.

Beat Down - To get beat down or to be beaten down

Bedrock - Huge slabs of rock helping form the mountain. This rock is often the deepest layer of exposed rock in the creek's geological make-up. On top of it are rolled boulders, water cut channels, trees, dirt. Bedrock goes in any direction between horizontal and vertical. Bedrock angle in a creek that drops 650 fpm is something like this: Graph Coming Soon......(someone please help me here)

"Big Drop" - probably a big change in gradient

Blaze - Term often associated with the art of going fast down a creek. Fun on some creeks where there are lots of boaters(ex.Green). While blazing, one often runs rapids direct, catches few eddies, scouts little, and passes many other boaters. Usually done by boaters of a high caliber and who are thoroughly familiar with the particular run/creek

Blind - Can't be or hasn't been seen

Bomb - to go fast, to descend quickly

Boof - Launching a boat and oneself out over and away from a drop, pour-over, rock, or consequence Delayed Boof - waiting to apply boof stroke until after one has begun to accelerate into a drop

Boogie - a certain section of creek......may have gradient, .....rolled boulders......., scenic drops........, action, .......etc.

Boxed In

Brace - Often associated with the action of a boater applying a paddle to a current in order to provide a force generated upward thus keeping his/her head above the surface. "Air Brace" the paddle reachs for air trying to get some leverage. there is little friction between the paddle and air. It may seem to work for a microsecond but for every force there is one in the opposite direction so boater probably continues motion in previous direction. "High Brace" "Low Brace"

Breakdown-A paddle that disassembles and can potentially be stored in a kayak.

Broach - pin on the upstream side of an obstacle

Cave - Usually refers to a point/hazard where the water travels underground or under rock

cfs - cubic feet per second

Chimes - angle and curvature between the bottom and side of a boat. A boat with chimes usually has a sudden change in this ange, thus creating an edge.

"Cheat" - boater consciously choosing to avoid a difficult water channel. "Cheat Route" a different way a boater can go to avoid a difficult water channel

Confluence - joining of two small creeks

Continuous

Creek - little thang that falls off the side of a mountain

Direct-- not catching eddy's in the approach of a big drop

Drop

Entrance Rapid - a section or drop prior to a more significant section or drop.

Expedition - A major trekking using kayaks as partial/primary mode of transportation

Feeder Streams - Small creeks coming in to join a larger one

Ferry - traversing a current

First Descent - First attempt at a River, Creek, Rapid, or Route/Line

Flail - to paddle sloppy

Flooded - High water table

Flood Stage

Flood Zone

FPM - feet per mile

Gauge - indicator of water level

Gear

Gnar - High Caliber of whitewater/rapid

gradient -

Guidebood - Information compilation on specific rivers/creeks, typically sold

Green Water - Dense, nonaerated water

Hair- High caliber of whitewater/rapid

Hamm'd - Slang for "beat-down",

Hand Paddles - usually pieces of plastic with webbing that can be used as back up or primary mode of leverage. Some people use them as their main paddle.

Horizon Line - Water's image ends continuing with land....or trees... or distant rapids

Huck - to throw/paddle/hurl oneself off of a big drop / waterfall / rapid

Hunge - 100% flow 1 generator Green NC.

Laps - multiple runs on one section of a river/run

Lip - The edge of a waterfall or rock.

Manky - Burley

Meat - Usually the most powerful part of a rapid, might also refer to the middle Run the Meat - May mean look for a low mark on the horizon line

Meltdown

"Must Make Move" - a line that must be taken to avoid hazard

"Over the Handle Bars" - to flip vertically in a kayak or canoe head first - (similar to a bike crash)

Oregon Tuck - Leaning forward over a drop of considerable size to complete the angle of attack (charc) before landing, placing paddle to the side paralled with boat

Peel Out - exiting an eddy

Pin - to get stuck on an obstacle

Plug - landing in deep water at a steep angle, boat may travel far below the surface.

Point Man - the lead man in a team

Poogies - Hand Warmers

Pool Drop - Characterist of creeks that drop then land in a pool of water......drop......pool of water. ...... drop.

Portage - walking, hiking, climbing around a rapid so as to avoid a consequence

Pot Hole - A hole in the bedrock usually formed from water

Pour Over-

Reactionary Wave/Diagonal

Rocker - the angle and curvature in the bottom of a kayak going from bow to stern

Route - A particular line that can be paddled "To Route" - to go fast

Run Out - the section below the gorge. May consist of scree, boulder gardens,

Runnable - Navigable (granted this is dependant on one having necessary skill)

Scout - this term refers to a boater physically looking at a rapid and identifying lines, hazards, and consequences. Sometimes this can be performed from a creek worthy vessel in an eddie but often it requires hiking the creek's banks to see what is on the other side of a horizon line. Experienced boaters may find it possible to perform while running a drop that he/she is not familiar with but should be done cautiously.

Scrappy - Shallow

Seam 1. Creeker - The point at which two currents or walls of water collide producing a grey area in water direction. 2. Squirtboat -The entry point into another world

Self Rescue - to help one's self out of a situation .. . (in a boat or swimming)

Sieve - Usually refers to a crack between two or within one rock. Sometimes these are large enough for a boat and boater to pass through, sometimes only one or the other, and sometimes neither only water

Sketchy - maybe a boaters particular line meaning that it wasn't very clean. Sometimes refers to a rapid meaning that it's particularly dangerous for one reason or another.

Shuttle - transportation mode from two points on the river/creek

Shuttle Bunny - the one driving (perhaps providing) the mode of transportation

Sick - Synonomous for good, real good, maybe not so good, dangerous, fun, stupid,..silly....

Slide - Probably refers to a rock slide that goes in any direction between 0 and 90 degrees...

Slot - Narrow passage way between rock/trees or nearly anything else

splat -

Spout - water projecting away from the river/creek bed

Strainer - Wood or debrie that allows current to pass through. Strainer can potentially catch and restrain objects drifting, thus pinning them.

Surfed - recirculated (in or out of boat)

Swim - to exit your water going vessel and head for a safe place

Terminal Eddy - An eddy that will be very difficult to escape from in or out of a kayak.

Terminal hydraulic - A hydraulic that will be very difficult to escape from in or out of a kayak.

Throwbag - A bag containing a rope that can be used to throw to boaters during rescues, tie boats on cars with, move boats during portages, etc.

Tongue - A channel of water passing between stationary objects

Trash - Rapid with high consequences and low pay off.

Tuck - Leaning forward over a drop of considerable size to complete the angle of attack (charc) before landing.

Undercut- A rock or portion thereof that allows water to travel beneath it.

Unrunnable - unnavigable

"Upside Down Jesus Pose" - Click here, run a search for "Jesus"

Vail/Curtain - Water pouring in from the boaters left or right while running a drop/rapid

Vertical Pin - to get stuck with feet either pointing down river or up..

Wheel-Chair - Low water level overall forcing boaters to physically wheel-chair themselves in their boats across rocks

wrap -

Z-drag - A mechanical advantage system used with aid of ropes during rescues/pins/boat extractions/etc.

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