Harlan began describing the line, and I needed to maintain my composure. I listened to him as best I could, given the images of tumbling rafts and kayaks spinning through the air. He took my hand again, pointing it along the line. “We’re gonna ease in center river right, just to the left of a strong eddy line. There are some really weird, powerful boils coming off the shore. They’ll try to surf you to the left. Fight the spin and stay loose and relaxed.

“We’ll have the Ledge Hole on our left and some big pour-overs to our right. We’ll punch through two pretty sizable surging waves and try to line up for the V-Wave. There are two of them crashing together. The right side’s no good. It’s a muncher, and behind it is the corner pocket—not a good place to wind up. So we’ll charge it angling slightly left to punch through the left side of the V. It’s a good hit, so if you get knocked over, you have enough time to roll up before the next features. If you stay upright, then we’ll keep angling out into the river, so we avoid my old friend the Cheese Grater Rock. Then we’ll straighten out and hit the Big Kahuna waves. There’s a series of them, but two big ones. Then you just ride out the tail waves, and we’re done.”

Through my paddling booties, I could feel the burning lava rock scalding the bottom of my feet. Late afternoon wind whipped up the canyon. My lips were cracked, my throat parched, my tongue chalky.

“Ready to do this, E?” Harlan asked.

“I think so,” I replied. I’d never been so terrified in my life.

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