It’s the title I’m shooting
for: Oldest Grand Canyon Swamper. I’m
meeting Boatman Adam in Kanab, Utah, leaving in the morning to drive there to
load up a giant, motorized raft before heading to the Grand Canyon for an
eight-day trip down the Colorado River. I’ll be his swamper – basically, volunteer
gopher for a commercial rafting expedition.
The work involves lots of
hauling and packing, tying up and pushing off the raft, cooking and cleanup,
catering to guests, and too-little sleep. I’ve watched swampers at work –
having done the trip (as a paying passenger) four times – and the swampers all
were young.
I’m old. (I turn 72 in a few
weeks.) What the hell am I doing?
My previous trips with Grand
Canyon Expeditions were how I became friends with Adam. He gets how much I love
the Canyon. Plus, he seems to think I’m good company, so invited me to swamp
with him, despite my creeping decrepitude and protestations that I wasn’t sure
my back could handle hauling the communal toilet back and forth to the raft.
(Nothing gets left behind.) We’ll see how that goes.
There’s also a second raft,
with a boatman and swamper, so I hope they can tolerate my inexperience and,
shall we say, maturity. To say nothing of the 28 passengers. Again, we’ll see.
 |
| Boatman Adam at work |
I am, like so many others over
the past 150 years, captivated by the Grand Canyon, agreeing that it’s the
“most sublime spectacle on earth.” No picture or memory can do justice to the
experience of being there. The chance to visit again its whitewater, side canyons, and waterfalls is an honor. Even if I
have to work for the privilege.
As is the chance to
experience first-hand, if only for a few days, the Grand Canyon river-guiding culture
– a remarkable collection of river lovers bound by a multi-generation history
and passion for the Canyon.
When I get back home, I’ll
tell here the story of my adventure. Regarding that title I’m shooting for, however,
I doubt I’ll be in the running. I’m not really all that old. Am I?
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