072: White Water Kayaking and a Harrowing Accident with Ryan Lucas

Ryan Lucas remembers his first time in a kayak at 13 and soon he was hooked on the white water sport. With the Kaituna as his home river, Ryan spent all his free time kayaking and it was his main passion for 10 years. In 2017, Ryan had an accident after paddling a 20 metre fall and describes it as the worst case scenario. He was knocked unconscious and stopped breathing before being rescued by a friend. Ryan shares about the harrowing experience and the mental challenge it was to get back onto big waterfalls after the accident. Ryan talks about tips for beginners that want to try white water kayaking, saying that it is an uncomfortable sport to learn, but the reward is great when you persevere. He shares the best locations for experienced kayakers in New Zealand and places where you can raft commercially, including the Kaituna River. For quick and easy meals for all your outdoor adventures, use the code ABIGAIL for free shipping on your next Back Country Cuisine order: bit.ly/44uFDAB Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :) Follow Ryan on Instagram: instagram.com/ryanbabybirdlucas/ Follow Abigail on Instagram: instagram.com/abigailhannnah/ Follow Abigail on TikTok: tiktok.com/@abigailhannnah/ Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz