Photography Portfolio Slideshow

During the winter working at Coast Mountain Photography in Whistler we had quite a few staff parties, competitions and nights where we got to share some of our work. One of my favourite nights was our slideshow night at Savage Beagle where we all got to show a presentation of our photos. Here is my slideshow below which are photos I have taken during the summer in Norway in 2011 and in India / Nepal in 2011. Enjoy!

Last Stop, India

I had a couple of days in Kathmandu (a fair bit of time was spent in Tom & Jerry's) before flying out with Louise and Clarky (who were working in Voss this summer in Norway) to Delhi.

We had a hassle free adventure to Rishikesh. The car Ganesh had organised to collect us from the airport in Delhi was on time, the driver had very good English (didn't freak us out with scary driving which is a bonus), and best of all we had a massive, air conditioned car!

We got to Rishikesh pretty late at night, maybe 2am so we just crashed at Arvind's house on some spare mattresses on the floor before finding a hotel the next day. We were lucky to get a cheap room in a very clean, modern hotel with hot water, a balcony and even TV!

I had only 5 days in India so I spent 3 of them on the river kayaking with the Red Chilli gang. I also got to meet up with 2 other Danish kayakers who were working in Evje, Norway this summer as well as old friends such as Flow (from Austria) and the Kiwis from the bungee jump.

It was a pretty quick visit to India but I was happy I got to see all my friends and was also very excited about flying out to spend the winter season in Whistler, Canada.

3 Day Ganga Expedition

Over the weekend Bjorn and I joined on a 3 day/2night rafting trip with our kayaks on the Ganga River with Red Chilli Adventure. We started the trip in Devprayag and finished in Ramjhola. The first day of the trip we waited for over 3 hours in the scorching sun for the clients to arrive (they were delayed as they had been on a 3 day trek prior to the rafting trip). This didn't matter though as we only had about a 40min paddle down relatively calm water to our first camping spot for the night.

Bjorn and Rob at the Deprayag put-in Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Waiting for the clients to arrive Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

You can see the white wooden stakes in the background. These are measuring sticks for the river level. This year during the monsoon the river came above where I am sitting on the log (over 23m!!!).

So much rubbish has accumulated along the banks of the river from the monsoon. It is pretty normal to see plastic bags and other rubbish up in trees along the river Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Our first night we helped the clients settle in and Harinder our cook made us a feast of tomato soup with croutons, vegetable momos, and even tomato, mushroom and cheese pizza! All of this was cooked with only a gas stove. Rob, Bjorn, Kumar and I all slept under the stars using the raft as shelter while the other guides slept in the kitchen tent while the clients had their own personal tents.

Day 2 we again woke up to hot chai and another feast made by Harinder consisting of omelette, toast and chips. After packing down camp we had a pretty easy day on the river. We only had to kayak about 20km in pretty flat water with some sizable boils and whirlpools to keep our interest. Along the way we were able to buy 2 fish from the local fisherman and Harish our safety kayaker stopped in one of the villages to buy some more food for the evening. After a couple of hours we reached our beach campsite for the second night.

Kumar rowing all of our gear down the Ganga Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Bjorn helping unload all the gear from the cataraft Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Bjorn and Rob searching for frogs in the ''swimming pools'' on our beach camp Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

We had a pretty relaxing afternoon at the camp so Rob, Bjorn and I rowed the cataraft over to the opposite side of the river in search for a waterfall which Arvind had told us about. After heading back to camp we helped prepare the evening meal which again was another amazing feast this time comprising of Indian food - dhal, fish curry, aloo ghobi, chapati, rice and rice pudding for desert.

A donkey on it's way on the opposite side of the river we found whilst searching for green chillies, ginger and a waterfall Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

View of our campsite for the second night of the expedition Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Preparing the vegetables for dinner

Arvind about to demonstrate to the clients how to make dhal Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Day 3 was all the action. We kayaked down from camp about 3km and met up with Anvesh, Flo, and Gapoo (also kayaking) and another client who was joining on with the trip. The first rapid 'The Wall' is well-known for a huge hole on the left which will 95% of the time flip a raft. As we moved further downstream we went through rapids such as 'Three Blind Mice', 'Return to Sender', 'Rollercoaster', 'Golf Course' and 'Hilton'. The Ganga is a pretty friendly big volume river, with huge wave trains and pool-drop rapids. It is the river which I learnt to kayak on and even though it's my third time back to Rishikesh I never get sick of it.

Golf Course rapid on the Ganga River

Now we are hoping to make it onto the Sarayu and Kali River Expedition which is leaving in a couple of days time, before heading into Nepal.

The Holy Ganga, Rishikesh and the land of Old Monk....

View outside my room early morning in Rishikesh Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

At the end of October I returned to Australia after spending almost 2 months in Rishikesh, India. What was meant to be 2 months of raft guiding actually turned into 2 months of video boating for Red Chilli Adventure! Fortunately this opportunity was offered to me so I was able to do what I love - kayak everyday, make videos and earn a little bit of money to put towards rent and food!

Loading the jeep for rafting at the Red Chilli store Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Marine Drive put-in on the Ganga Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Relaxing after the major rapids of the day on the Holy Ganga River Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Packing up and getting ready to re-load the jeep Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

This was my second visit to India (my first being in Jan - March 2008). I saw many old kayaking friends there (Flo from Austria, Eamon from the UK, Vipin, Anvesh, Arvind all from Red Chilli Adventure and many more!) and made new ones such as Polly & Paul from the UK. The thing I love about this place is everyone is so enthusiastic about life, being on the river and the outdoors. People not only care about their bodies but also their minds which is why I guess Rishikesh is one of the main hubs for Yoga in the world. 

One of the many monkeys which inhabited my balcony! Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Luxman Jhola bridge - one of the main tourist sights in Rishikesh Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

View from the Red Chilli office of the beautiful Ganga River at sunset Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Yet another monkey with what looks like a stolen apple from an unsuspecting tourist Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

This man sells really nice snack mix at the rafting take-out Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

View of the Ganga outside Den-ascent Expeditions Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

There were a few disappointments in India such as not being able to kayak the mighty Siang River but these disapointments were replaced with being able to paddle with good friends on the Ganga everyday, experience India's main festival Diwali (basically everyone just throws around a bunch of fireworks and a lot of sweets are eaten), take part in a yoga class, and be invited to many birthday parties and dinners hosted by my local friends. 

Paul holding the mother of all fireworks! Photo Jacqui Whitehead

Busy streets during Diwali Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

It was also fantastic to see a few trainees from my first visit to India (who had that stage never even been in a kayak or guided a raft) be trip leading or safety kayaking down the Ganga River. I can't wait to see how they have progressed next time I go back.

Another view of the Ganga and Luxman Jhola bridge Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Celebrating my last trip on the river in India with Balam Photo: Bheem Sing

I will be posting a video with the highlights from India on my blog soon but I really need to thank my dear friends Arvind, Vipin & Anvesh and all the boys at Red Chilli Adventure - you guys truly made me feel part of the family! 

Return to Skooks and High Levels on the Ganga River

Micha going for a blunt with Drew on surfer's right Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Last week of August John and I decided to hit the Skook one more time before I left BC. The levels ranged between 12.0F-12.97F which meant we had hours on Skooks without it greening out on us. The other advantage was there were very few boaters at Skooks this time around which meant on most days the wave out-surfed us! Like always we had a big adventure with our second Skookumchuck trip - beginning with the ferry ride!

John Rathwell on 'the Skook!' Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Micha & Drew competing for the wave behind Skooks Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

Micha going for an aerial blunt Photo: Jacqui Whitehead

BC ferries wanted to charge us an extra $30 for being 4cm ''overheight''. John really didn't want to pay this so he forced his creekboat inside the jeep and only minutes after I stated we would probably crack the windscreen....the windscreen cracked! When we left the Sunshine Coast again like always another adventure to be had, this time we made the ferry with only about 2min to spare, being hungry kayakers like most we were so desperate on the ferry to eat anything that we ended up eating re-fried beans out of the can on the hood of John's jeep with wholemeal wraps and cheese.....it tasted so good at the time!

Moments after I told John we would probably crack the windscreen! Photo: John Rathwell

The first week of September I flew out of BC and landed in Delhi, India. The following day I braved a long car journey to Rishikesh where I will be spending the fall guiding/safety kayaking at HRR on the Ganga River with strong possibilities of also doing expeditions on the Saryu, and Kameng Rivers. Another possibility though is the Siang River Festival in November which I am looking forward to (especially after seeing some of the footage in The Last Descent!).

So far I have been out kayaking on the Ganga River which is at it's highest flow for the season. I've seen some ridiculous looking boils so far and opted to borrow my friend's creek boat for the first 3 days of paddling so I wouldn't get completely smashed and gave the Project 52 a go in high water yesterday which was both exciting and fun!

Although I am sad to have left BC I'm looking forward to the next 3 months of big water boating in India. I have met so many great people in Canada this season who were always willing to go out of their way for me and will be people who I will call friends for the rest of my life. Those people know who they are and I can't wait to see everyone again next year season!

Photo: John Rathwell