.JPG "Customer Review Photo - 14' Saturn Cataraft (CT430) Tubes on Glacial Water in Alaska")
.JPG "Customer Review Photo - 14' Saturn Cataraft (CT430) Tubes on Glacial Water in Alaska")
Bridget Tincher
- Comment
A year ago today, March 27, 2010 my grandson, Patrick and I took Bertha down a class II/III section of the Elk river. This was my very first time on the oars and I wish I had a nickel for every time I hollered, “hang on Pat, I don’t think we are going to make it”, but we did and I was hooked.
All summer I practiced rowing, first on class II/III sections of the upper New River and then graduating on to the class IV/V section of the New River Gorge. I was a woman on a mission. Tom and I were lucky enough to receive and invite to join an August trip down the Main Salmon in Idaho and I volunteered to row Bertha as a gear rig for the trip. Before we joined our
Salmon river running buddies Tom and headed out to Colorado for a couple of weeks. While we were there I got to test all that practice on the New River by running the Brown’s Canyon section of the Arkansas. I have a great respect for rivers and in my kayak there is almost always an apprehension when putting on, especially when it’s a river I’ve never run. Not so with Bertha. I couldn’t wait to get on the water and it’s been like that ever since I took up the oars.
At the put in for the Arkansas Tom and I ran into a raft guide who was taking his family out for the day. Tom agreed to help out the newbee kayaker in his group and the guide agreed to show me the raft lines. That trip was a learning experience. I had a great run but realized I didn’t yet have the skills needed to take off down an unfamiliar river without another rower to show me the way. At the take out I was pumped, ready to head on to Idaho and the next rowing adventure.
I was 56 when I did the Salmon trip last year. I rowed every mile with at least one passenger and part of the gear for a 12 party 7 day trip. Being on the river behind the oars every day for a week has ignited a passion, it’s like pouring gasoline on a fire. I already had a love of being on the river from my kayak days but Bertha, my big blue Saturn raft, has magnified that experience 100 fold. When we pulled into the take out at the end of that trip I felt like superwoman and didn’t hesitate to tell everyone so.
I’m still telling everyone about that trip and have a photo me rowing Bertha as my screensaver. I just can’t wait for the next trip and it’s been like that ever since I took up the oars. So much so that over the winter Tom and I bought 2 sets of Saturn Kat tubes. One set of 14 footers and another set of 13 footers. I think Tom sees me having so much fun that he decided we needed to be more than a one “raft” family.
Tom was lucky enough to win a permit for the Salmon Middle Fork for this coming July. Soon the weather will warm here in West Virginia and the local rivers will be calling. I can’t wait to get back on the water and christen our two new Saturn boats. This year I’ll have options while practicing for the next Salmon river trip, hum, do I feel like rowing the raft or a kat? Do I feel like being in a red boat or a blue one? Hum, do I want to row the 14 footer or a 13 footer? Options, and it’s thanks to Saturn that I have them! Bridget Tincher, Happy Saturn Owner