Nam Lik Kayaking

We rode in the back of a pickup with about 8 others to Nam Lik to kayak some rapids, on the way to Vientiane. On the Nam Lik they put is in sit-on-top hard shell kayaks to paddle through a short section of class 3 rapids. They didn't even let us scout it! We could just hear the roar of the rapid and knew we just had to paddle hard through it. The first kayak went down, a snotty guy from San Diego and his young Thai boyfriend who was on something (we think). Next went our guide and another guy, Andres from Chile. We followed them closely behind, the guide told us to go right through the middle and stay back 5 meters. Right when we got up to the front we could see that the first boat had flipped! It began with a drop and then really big waves churning and splashing but we just paddled through really hard and didn't flip. When we finished the rapidy part there was a big swirling whirlpool at the end, but we just kept paddling hard though it, in order to not tip over. We had made it! Then we went to shore for a barbeque and watch the remaining groups attempt to run it. The next few boats went through with about 2 out of 3 flipping. The above video is of someone who flipped right away. Many made it through the big churning waves, but flipped at the end in the whirlpool, because they slowed down and thought they were finished. It was pretty fun, the water was warm, so not too bad if you flip (however, someone died there a few years back during the rainy season when the rapids are class 5).

Luke getting ready for the rapids!