Rafa Ortiz and friends find world-class Class V whitewater a stone’s throw from our nation’s capital.
“Being on the river and running waterfalls has a lot to do with embracing the present moment,” said Mexican kayaker Rafa Ortiz,
known for his steely nerves and incredible skills paddling the
gnarliest whitewater on the planet. “As soon as I’m in my kayak and the
water hits my face, everything else just washes away.”
Rafa puts himself between a rock and a hard place
© Greg Mionske
Growing
up in Mexico City and learning how to kayak in Veracruz, escaping the
city to find that feeling of freedom on the river meant a minimum of a
four-hour drive. So when Ortiz met Tom McEwan in Veracruz and learned
about Great Falls on the Potomac River, he couldn’t wait to come check
it out.
“There
are several reason that make the Potomac River and Great Falls so
special … for one, it’s so unusual to have a river that’s wild and
untamed so close to a major city,” said Jason Beakes, another local
Potomac River paddling legend from Maryland who’s won the prestigious
Great Falls race six times and was on the U.S. National Kayak team for
seven years.
“It’s crazy to think that just 30 minutes from the calm, reflective pool beneath the National Monument in the heart of Washington, DC,” says Ortiz of Great Falls, “ is an amazing series of rowdy, Class V waterfalls on par with the best, most challenging whitewater I’ve found anywhere.”
Great Falls sits 30 minutes from Washington D.C.
© Greg Mionske
This
proximity of the Potomac and Great Falls to a major city wasn’t always
such a blessing. The Potomac River, flowing through Washington, DC into
Chesapeake Bay is the fourth largest river on the Atlantic coast of the
U.S. and one of the most densely populated waterways in the country.
Over five million people live within the Potomac’s watershed.
“In the '60s and '70s the Potomac was terribly polluted,” Beakes explained.
“When
I started paddling on the Potomac,” said McEwan, now 72 and still
paddling, “if I had a cut on my leg and it got wet, it would inevitably
get infected.”
A lot has changed since then.
“Now
the river is safe enough to swim in,” Beakes says with pride, “it’s
truly a model of what can be achieved with dedicated environmental
stewardship.”
Thanks
to the passion and stewardship of kayakers like McEwan and Beakes, the
Potomac and Great Falls National Park are an environmental success story
and something worth celebrating this Sunday on World Rivers Day. And
every other day, for that matter, which should motivate everyone who
loves the freedom and fun found on wild rivers to do their part in
protecting them for future generations to enjoy.
Rafa Ortiz paddles through the nation's capital
© Greg Mionske
Currently waiting for his green card to clear, Ortiz can’t leave the U.S., an irony that doesn’t escape him as he walks his kayak past the Mexican embassy. Luckily the river can wash his worries away.
“It doesn’t matter how bad I’m doing or how worried I am about things,”
Ortiz said. “As soon as I’m in my kayak I’m alive again and life is
good. The best escape for me is getting on the river in my kayak and
finding that happy place.”
World Rivers Day
is celebrated on the last Sunday of September around the world. Whether
you’re an expert paddler or someone who enjoys the ambience of a
natural flowing river, you can get involved by connecting with
Washington, DC’s top paddling companies, Calleva and Active Nature.
A special thanks to Great Falls National Park and Leigh Zahm, Calleva including Steven Mckone, Ashley Nee, Rhys Jensen-Jones, George Boss, Aaron Mann, Johnny Brooks and Tom McEwan and Active Nature including Jason and Patricia Beakes.
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