River of Dreams

Stories of the Futaleufú go further back into kayaking history than plastic and carbon. This river is world renowned for its crystal clear waters and amazing whitewater, and it has earned its place in the dreams of every kayaker who has ever lived.

I made a last-minute decision to fly to Chile for the Southern hemisphere summer to paddle, visit friends, fly, and eventually enjoy the bliss and solitude of the Futaleufú. The impetus for my trip to Chile was to help my close friend Brad Ludden teach a kayaking course on the Futa. We based out of the most renowned camp on the river, Bío Bío, and spent a week in absolute paradise.

Home cooked meals, a bar that was always open, wood fired riverside hot tubs, a rope swing from the bar straight into the Futa, comfortable tents overlooking the river and shuttles full of music and laughter back to camp after a long day on the river. Like I said...paradise.

I was invited to stay, help with some safety boating, and generally just help keep the moral high around camp. Six weeks and an airline ticket change later, I was still on the beautiful and mighty Futaleufú! I'm so grateful to the staff and clients for having me there for so long!

For anyone interested in visiting this little piece of paradise, book your trip here.