Kayak Waterfall Record Holder Christie Eastman

April 9th, 2015 • BY WM

In 2009, Christie Eastman hauled her kayak up 1.5 miles along Oregon’s Eagle Creek to put in and run the creek’s 82-foot Metlako Falls. That’s an 82-foot freefall on a 101-foot waterfall.

This accomplishment makes Christie the women’s kayak waterfall world record holder. Here, we catch up with this badass 34-year-old to learn exactly what it feels like to drop over and land a behemoth kayak waterfall plunge.

WomensMovement.com: Congrats on an amazing accomplishment! What inspired you to make the women’s record attempt to run the highest waterfall in a kayak?

Christie Eastman: Thank you! Metlako Falls is a BEAUTIFUL 101 ft. spouting waterfall (with an 82 ft. freefall) on Eagle Creek, Oregon, which is near where I live. I ran many of the other Eagle Creek waterfalls previously, but walked around Metlako since it was so much taller than the others.

The following year I hiked to Metlako to watch a few guys kayak over it. Eventually it started to look less intimidating and more fun. I began to seriously consider it and couldn’t get the idea out of my head.

WM: What did you do to prepare for the attempt?

Christie Eastman: I started practicing on smaller waterfalls and worked my way up to a 50-foot falls. I was ready after a couple successful runs over that.

I felt the biggest risk from kayaking Metlako Falls was a shoulder injury from the impact of the water grabbing my paddle upon landing, so I practiced throwing my paddle mid-air and hand rolling my kayak if I flipped at the bottom.

WM: What was going through your mind as you approached the waterfall?

Christie Eastman: As I approached the waterfall, I was trying to stay calm by focusing on the necessary steps to run it safely: Line up, set my angle, slowly tuck forward as I started falling, let go of my paddle, hold my breath, HANG ON, and roll up! (It was Mother’s Day so in the back of my mind I knew it wasn’t and option to get hurt and stress out my mom.)

 

WM: How did it feel to drop it? How did it feel when you hit the water?

Christie Eastman: It took just 4 seconds to hit the water below, but it felt like I was falling FOREVER! I expected a turbulent landing but was enveloped in the veil of falling water and the aerated pool below was surprisingly soft.

My kayak did a nice swan dive and resurfaced upside down so I did a hand roll. It was an incredible feeling to be sitting in the pool below looking up at the curtain of water towering above me.

[Watch Christie’s amazing kayak waterfall drop here.]

WM: Best tip/advice for women who whitewater kayak?

Christie Eastman: Paddle with a great team of people you trust when stepping up to more difficult whitewater. I’m so lucky to have had Erik Boomer, Evan Garcia, and Todd Wells there to coach me the day I ran Metlako.

Also, trust your gut. There is no shame in walking away from something if you’re not feeling 100% confident that day.

WM: Favorite in-your-kayak/pack energy snack?

Christie Eastman: A thermos of chai tea with cinnamon whiskey to warm me up at the takeout.

WM: Favorite place to kayak?

Christie Eastman: Rivers of the Columbia Gorge

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