As usual, we got up early and during breakfast, a local fisherman visited our camp and we learned from him that, a short stretch downstream, we would find network coverage. Hence, Andy dropped of Apal at the designated location in the hope that Apal would be able to send out the accumulated photos and texts while the rest of the crew was packing up camp.
We picked up Apal on our way downriver but found out that, once more, he had been unable to upload his material as the network coverage was not strong enough. Then we arrived at the top end of the rapids which Andy had checked out the day before and readied ourselves to port all the non-waterproof equipment over a huge boulder created by a massive mudslide.
Once that was done, we packed one boat very tightly, Apal took position with his cameras to shoot pictures and Albert and Armin took their respective positions with the throw-ropes. Andy and Zorba then set off for the first descent which went without major problems through the two rapids which followed each other in short succession. Encouraged by the success, we packed the second boat with the remainder of our equipment. After Apal, Albert and Armin had taken their positions again, Andy steered the second boat down into the rapids with the other crew members on board.
As the second boat was considerably heavier than the first, things turned out to be more difficult and in the middle of the first rapid, the boat got stuck against two big rocks and immediately filled up completely with water. It took Andy and those with him a good half hour to check the engine (which luckily did not sustain any damage) and to get the boat afloat again. The second boat finally arrived at the bottom of the two rapids without further incident. From the position at which we were now, we could already see the next rapids looming and decided to walk down and inspect them.
We decided that we could take the risk to fully load the boats and, indeed, made it down these rapids without major problems. Shortly afterwards we looked for a good campsite and called it a day, enjoying another nice Thai curry for dinner.
