The Latest News from Taylor Cote

We're suckers for good whitewater!

Everyone snuggled into the hotel room bed laptop in hand, settling back into the comforting coldness of the technology. Making sure to send out those important emails to worried parents, about where their baby has been hiding out for the last week. The hostel was truly a humble, cozy place. Its quaintness and lack of electricity brought us closer together. I think everyone enjoyed having dinner all together at a big table every night; one giant family I suppose? The food was amazing, it really interesting to be eating like a Chilean. For instance, instead of our common grilled cheese or whatever you may call it. They have something call an empanada. It has a fried doughy outer shell and they’ll put whatever you like on the inside. The ones we had though were just cheese and we’re friend to perfection. This place definitely brought us closer together as a group, accepting your friend’s stink because they refuse to take a shower and the ferocious snoring of the slumbering beasts.Of course all this isn’t even the best part.

We were right next to the Claro River. It was another one of those places where we could have school and eat lunch. Then quickly throw on our stinky paddling gear and head out onto the water. While we were there we were able to go to these beautifully formed waterfalls called the Siete Tazas (Seven Teacups). We did everything you could possibly do off them-boof like a madman, freewheel, plug super deep, and even jump. It was truly was a waterfall paradise.

As their name describes they’re definitely teacups…7 of them! Each has a round basalt pools at the bottom and the water flowing from each one was mouthwash blue. Sometimes it made me wonder if we were in some giant’s cup of Kool-Aid. It was so surreal and the waterfalls were the friendliest I have ever paddled on. Sitting in those big circular eddies with friends all around kept me smiling from ear to ear. It was so awesome to be another colorful speck in the pictures with them all. It was another amazing adventure and I’m so excited for all the more to come.

Taylor Cote is a NOC Teen Camper and winner of the New River Academy Photo Scholarship. To read Taylor’s blogs click here. Special thanks to Melina Coogan for the great photos!!!