Paucartambo: The Rest Of The River

Following an earlier aborted run on the Paucartambo River in the Peruvian Andes (chronicled in Paucartambo--Inca River), a team of seven kayakers returned in late 1986 to once again challenge the forces of nature. Two women and five men shoulder their kayaks, hike over rocky inclines, and then launch their boats (with themselves inside) down sheer 20 ft. drops to face a series of swirling eddies and rushing rapids. Filmmaker John Armstrong, one of the kayakers, superbly catches the danger, the exhilaration, and the sense of achievement which the team members share upon completing a particularly challenging stretch of water. Throughout, as the team moves down the river, they stop and chat with the local Indians. This easygoing interaction with the native culture is as fun and fascinating to watch as the spectacular scenes of kayaking which are liberally peppered throughout the narrative. This is the best kind of sports film. Rather than throw on some background music, and show scene after scene of athletic derring-do (all within the context of no context), Paucartambo--The Rest of the River tells a good story, interesting to sports fans and general patrons alike. Highly recommended. (See BULLWACKIE for availability.)