Taxi Rapid
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| Distance from start of the stage : 8,7km Lat -29.604709 Lon 30.422710 |
Spectators/Seconds: Yes Portage option: Left hand bank |
Paddling legend has it that this rapid was formed around an entire wreckage of a taxi that lodged in the river, and quickly accumulated debris and mud.
It is a river wide shelf that drops more than a metre, and creates a strong suck-back across most of the river width in even moderate river flow. The wary can easily portage it on the left hand bank. This rapid is changing all the time, and the old line down the extreme left hand bank is not a good option any more.
The best line is down the slot, about three metres from the left hand bank ( see photo below). It is fast and easy if you get it right but it is very hard to locate as you approach it, so it must be carefully checked out before the race.
There is a fun rapid with strong eddied and lateral currents immediately below this rapid, so keep paddling positively!
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Do your homework on this one beforehand because itโs quite difficult to see when approaching the rapid. Nowadays it is best to use the tongue of water about one third from the left hand bank. Go slowly as you go down quite deep! |
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This is quite a mean rapid especially because you canโt really see where youโre going until the very last minute. Well worth tripping to make sure you can find the slot. |
