The Basso's Travels: Nile Freestyle Festival

The past couple weeks Mark and I have been chilling on the White Nile River in Uganda, dividing our time between campsites at NRE Bujagali falls and the Hairy Lemon about 40kms downstream. We came to the White Nile looking for big water kayaking and amazing play waves, and that is exactly what we found. Our days have been filled with paddling trips down the river, playboating sessions on world class play waves, sitting in the shade, chatting to friends and enjoying the Nile party atmosphere.

Sunset on the Nile

Mark on the Nile Special

Waking up to monkeys outside the tent.

The Nile River Festival began on November 30 with the Big Air Competition. The water was up and the Nile Special wave where the competition was to be held was prime. 44 men were competing and 14 ladies. Mark paddled fantastic but the competition was fierce and he did not advance into the semi finals. I managed to scrape into the finals by the skin of my teeth and then put together a couple of solid rides… to my surprise I came out on top.

Not sure where this boy picked up his costume

Nile Special – Big Air Competition

Watching the Ladies Semi Final

Saturday was a grueling day… 45 kilometers of big water rapids, mixed in with long flat water sections, all run in a playboat. We divided into teams of two and paddled hard for just under four hours (fastest time was circa three hours) to try and come up with the down river race title. Mark and his partner Lochie battled against 14 other teams and came out in fourth position. My partner Robyn and I ended up in 3^rd out of 6.

Sunday’s race consisted of paddling the first four major rapids of the Nile river, running up a hill with your boat, getting on a bodaboda (50 cc motorbike) with your boat and paddle, racing back to camp, running through an obstacle course of rafts with your bodaboda driver and on reaching the finish line, you and bodaboda driver had to funnel a beer. What fun! Paddling through the rapids was hard enough, the run up the hill was backbreaking and then I had to hold on for dear life while my bodaboda driver flew back to camp site. Next was the crazy obstacle course of rafts that was slippery due to the soapy water on them… my bodaboda driver helped pull my exhausted body through the obstacle course and the next thing I knew I was down on my knees gagging down a funnel of beer to come in 4th place. One of the best races I have been in. Of course the party afterward was epic, going late into the night.

Michelle about to run Bujagali Falls