By Beau Hurst

When it comes to outdoorsmen, my oldest brother Spencer Hurst is nothing short of an extreme adventurer. Whether it’s carving the groomers of the Swiss Alps, living in uncharted areas for weeks on end, or whitewater kayaking the southernmost, raging waters of South America, Hurst has seen it all. Among all other extreme sports and activities that Hurst partakes in, whitewater kayaking has become his passion and first love, as it brings a blend of experiences and light to his life.

As the first of four children, and a mother who loves the outdoors, he was destined to enjoy the same hobbies. Our mother’s passions for mountain biking, hiking, and skiing eventually became etched into his brain at a young age. He found triumph in interests that were not typically the norm for his peers; instead of being the local Geronimo Lacrosse legend, he immersed himself in nature and found peace with the great outdoors. He shared with me that “he is so deeply grateful for a mom that can do it all.” 

Spencer was sent to a locally-owned summer camp, Passages Adventure Camp, at the age of eight. Passages provided opportunities for kayaking and rock climbing, and it was where he laid eyes on what would become a monumental part of his life. The Dagger Jitsu 5’’ 5’ kayak was like nothing he had ever seen as it sat in the summer heat, with its sprinkles of red, white, and blue. When he sat down in the seat for the first time, his miniature body could hardly fit. He shared with me that it made him feel a “sense of excitement” to be out in the whitewater as a young child on the James River for the first time.

Hurst with his new boat at 11 years old in 2013.

After a few short years of getting used to what the James had to offer, Hurst looked to expand his rapidly improving skills. He realized it was time to pursue the raging whitewaters of the Southeast at Falling Creek Camp just outside of Saluda, North Carolina. Of the two beautiful lakes on campus, Lower Lake has a small, two-story building nearby named the “Yak Shack.” The long array of different colored kayaks excited him as he set foot into Lower Lake for the first time. An Australian man caught Hurst’s attention as he sat in a chair on the dock, teaching a young group of kids how to operate canoe paddles. He was Jez Blanchard, a three-time World Cup Champion in C1, a kayaking discipline that requires one singular paddle instead of two. Additionally, Jez is the head of the paddling program at Falling Creek. According to Hurst, Blanchard’s initial impression of him was “just another young kid checking out the Yak Shack.” The site of Blanchard came as a surprise, as Hurst had never heard of whitewater kayaking in Australia. However, Hurst would have never taken kayaking as seriously without Blanchard as his motivator and river guide. Blanchard would eventually become Hurst’s mentor as they traveled North and South America together.

At Falling Creek, Hurst began progressing through the ranks within the program. He started with canoeing, a necessary task in order to step up to kayaks. He ultimately spent three weeks canoeing the Green and Tuckaseegee Rivers, and then final test: the Nantahala River, with the notorious Nantahala Falls that has supposedly taken lives. Soon after unlocking the ability to step into the kayaks, he had an edge on the other beginner and intermediate group kayakers due to his prior experience at Passages and on the James. He pursued rivers like the Upper Green, Ocoee, Pigeon, New, and Gauley. Expressing his enthusiasm and pride in the sport, the staff recognized his skills as he jumped his way into the advanced group. 

Each year, Falling Creek has final expeditions for all extreme sports, including mountain biking, rock climbing, and kayaking. These longer and more intimidating expeditions consist of trips to entirely different countries or parts of the United States. Known as “Huck,” the long and enduring whitewater trip would be going to Costa Rica.

Here is a video of Hurst during his trip, with some great footage of the Pejibaye, Sarapiqui, and Pacuare Rivers.

At the innocent age of 12, Spencer was able to impress Blanchard enough with his skills and ultimately receive an invite to Huck in 2015, the youngest ever participant on the trip. He had successfully proved himself to Blanchard. With this opportunity, Hurst “realized the true potential that Jez and the staff” saw in him, using it to be the best he could be in Costa Rica. During the expedition, everything went well, and Hurst was ready for the excitement of the rivers. There were massive holes and waves as tall as he was. Most importantly, he developed friendships that will last a lifetime.

Hurst paddling a rapid on the Magpie River in Quebec in 2020.

The trip had its exciting moments. While paddling Pejibaye River, the staff began to notice the river water rising suddenly. Centimeters of rise became inches, inches became feet. The large group of 20-30 kids were in the midst of a flash flood in the deep rain forest, with no way out. The only option was to exit their boats and face the dangers of the Costa Rican rainforest. They bushwacked continuously through the rain forest, with 45-pound kayaks on their shoulders. They hiked for almost two hours while daylight ran out, until they found a small house alongside a creek. 12-year-old Hurst had never experienced anything like this in the sport of kayaking, but it certainly was a “memorable moment,” he said. Although this experience was treacherous and exhausting, “it’s moments like these that make the sport fun,” as he now has an unbelievable story to share.

During his nine years of attendance at Falling Creek, Hurst had opportunities to travel and paddle in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Canada, Idaho, and even Alaska. Each place being one of extreme commitment, effort and overall amazing whitewater. With Hurst’s avid kayaking journeys, it wasn’t just him who fell in love with the sport, but all three of my brothers. When it was his time to become an adult, he took his education to the University of Virginia. There, whitewater was less accessible. However, Spencer, myself, and my brothers Sam (24’) and Charlie were able to plan trips to rivers as far as seven hours away to paddle extreme Class V whitewater to keep our hobby alive. Within the past year or two, we have travelled to Pennsylvania to paddle the Yough, West Virginia to paddle the Gauley, Georgia to paddle the Tallulah and the infamous Oceana Rapid, and Washington, D.C to paddle the Great Falls of the Potomac. Each of these Class V rapids brings our minds back to the old days at Falling Creek. 

Now, Hurst spends his time back in the greater Richmond area after recently finishing his last semester at UVA, where he participated on the mens rowing team. While currently in the job interviewing process, he manages his time to paddle the James multiple times per week, especially in the summer. Kayaking typically requires two people to be on the water, and I usually join him on his weekly paddles. Now that kayaking has become such a monumental part of our lives, it has become something that we cherish and will keep with us as we grow older.

All photos courtesy of Spencer Hurst.