A tributary to the river Etive only runs when there is a lot of water coming down the burn…

We had gone up to look at the Etive.  I didn’t think there was going to be much water.  How wrong was I! 
As we got to the Etive it was clear that it would be running.  Some of the group looked at the first rapid and decided it was too high. 

Roland mentioned the Allt Cam Ghlinne, or this wee burn further up from the normal get in on the left hand side (river left).

So off we drove.  Getting changed it was obvious it was running and a certain tension was mounting. 
We paddled across the river Etive and walked up the right hand side of the burn. 

As we were walking up Roland and I were chatting about lines, protection and the like.  We agreed that it would all go!  However, from my point of view it had the name of someone on it.  Someone, kit or both were going to get it!  Hurt and or broke. 
Burns are different from rivers.  Paddle a burn when there is a wee bit of water in it and it is fast, narrow and bumpy.  Add some 10-foot drops, constrictions, MUST make lines and a plunge pool about 3 inch’s deep, okay I might exaggerate, it could have been 4 inch’s deep you need to appreciate that it is possible that the river will want to get some of it’s own action.  GRR!

The burn had two main rapids, rapid one about 75 meters long (ish) and the second about 30 meters long (ish), both had must do lines and were technical.

Rapid one:  Moving water on the run up to a drop of about 10 / 11 foot landing into that shallow plunge pool, just off the vertical running left after the fall shooting two smaller rapids with the last a possible pin on the right hand side. 
We spoke about the line.  The line was; dead slow off the lip, centre line, angling the nose to the left hand bank, leaning as far back as you could and try and catch a flake off rock to give additional lift / boof and try not to pencil into the plunge pool!  After that, left left and paddle rather quickly through a rooster tail to avoid a hole at the bottom.  

Simple?  Hmm.

Roland first!  Over the lip but too far river right.  CRASH BANG WALLOP in the plunge pool approaching the first ‘left’ and expertly negotiated away from a potential pin, left again and in the eddy at the bottom.  Grinning ear to ear. 
Chaz next!  Over the lip but too far river right.  CRASH BANG WALLOP in the pool, inverted, rolled, bish bash bosh, ejected himself and swam rather quickly to the bank.  Rescue followed.  Chaz, HEAVEY impact on his shoulder boat kinda caved in on the front. 
James next!  Over the lip, centre line, sweep to bring the nose pointing to the river left bank, leaning back, caught the flake CRASH BANG WALLOP in the pool.  Attempted to be smart and eddy out, didn’t make it, couple of rolls, coked up my line into the next rapids, bish bash bosh in the eddy at the bottom.  Grinning ear to ear!

Second rapid:  The water was rising and this little puppy was no little puppy any more.  Running into the first drop the line was centre into the pool (ish) hanging draw / draw on the left, left crossing over centre and on to left over a wave, paddle RATHER SMARTLY to river right to make a MUST do line of about 60cm! Or you could be getting a beating in the stopper. 

Roland first!  Over the first drop slightly right of centre, couple of back paddle strokes to line up, paddling rather smartly through the next rapid manoeuvring right to make the MUST make line, he creamed it, in the pool aging grinning ear to ear!  James followed similar. 

Roland, James, Gavin and Chris paddled the rest of the river back down to the River Etive and got out. 

THANKS VERY MUCH to those who provided safety, and managed the rescue rather well.  We could not have done it with out your help…

Wuilie, Chris, Gavin, Chaz, James and Roland paddled or helped paddle the Allt Cam Ghlinne.