Fluid Kayaks Team

Over the last month I have been working hard for Sam Ward’s company ‘Love it Live it’ – it’s a kayak guiding and coaching company that takes people paddling in the best locations all around the world.

The first trip for me was on the White Nile in Uganda. It’s where I live and my home river so it’s always awesome to run trips there. I’ve been building a lodge a few hours away from the river and so it was good to get some time back on the river showing new faces the wonders of Uganda and the amazing rapids – especially those we’re about to lose to the Bujagali Dam.

This used to be the drive to the Ugly Sisters play-wave. Now it's a construction site, and there's no wave.

We had a lot of fun on that trip and the guys certainly got a lot out of it. It was a great mix of playboating and river-running, and the guys all hung around after the trip for some Safari action, and a bit more paddling.

Will Clark, hanging out upside down on Nile Special.

Next up was a trip down on the Zambezi – this time with Jared Taylor along to help out as Sam had injured his shoulder. I came down a week in advance to get some time on the river before the clients arrived, and I was greeted with rapidly dropping but awesome water levels. As I arrived 7b was just still hanging around and as I left the top wave at number 2 was at an optimum level. The Zambezi is an amazing river. At first a little intimidating to most – but once you get to know it, it is an amazingly versatile and varied run.

Will Clark on number 8 - it was a little flushy but super fast and awesome fun!

We started off small - running the rapids further downstream and getting the clients warmed up to big boils and making sure their rolls were sorted, before taking on the bigger rapids from number 1 – 10.

Will Clark Wavewheel on number 5 - I took this still from headcam footage.

By the time they left we’d had them all over the pour-over at number 5 and had plenty of play sessions to work on their freestyle moves.

Taking the headcam footage of the wavewheel on 5.

The highlight of the trip for me was running the multi-day. It’s the first time I’ve run a multi-day trip with white-water as good as this. At the end of an amazing day paddling and surfing on the river we got to hang out on stunning beaches – eat good food, drink wine and cocktails and fall asleep next to the fire.

In the morning we got up, packed the gear-raft and got back in our kayaks for more paddling and more surfing. We did this for three nights and four days. It was truly stunning!

Sam WArd at Open Season

After the multi-day trip we spent a few more days sessioning our favourite spots on the river and finding some cool places to enjoy food and drink, and I think that’s what makes the Zambezi such a great place, it’s such a stunning environment and there are so many places to explore on and off the water.

I hope you enjoy all the photos from these last few trips. I’m back to the Nile now for another few weeks working on the river and checking on the lodge. At the end of the month I’ll be heading out to Nepal for a couple of months. I’ll be sure to keep you posted.

Happy paddling.

Will Clark. www.thenileprogression.blogspot.com