Documenting the First-Descent of Vancouver Island's Memekay River, the Last Drop documentary looks at the role kayaking plays in the conservation of BC rivers. Although the Kayakers in the film are met with a little “adverse” weather, they find the Memekay to be an untouched eco-system with massive old-growth trees and spectacular canyons and scenery. Presented to raise awareness of Dam issues in British Columbia, the Last Drop looks at the current state of hydro in BC, and contrasts the role of the Provincial Government in the implementation of those hydro projects with the Kayakers and their thoughts on “stewardship of the rivers.”

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Seventh Drop in God’s Country (Reel Rooster Productions)
None of us had ever heard of this video, so we were a little skeptical when we popped it into the VCR. British Columbia has some of the best paddling in the world but would this video do it justice? The filming isn’t always the best, none of the paddlers are household names, but by the time the credits were rolling, we were all throwing high fives. Seventh Drop delivers BC paddling rapid-fire, with lots of creeking and big-water boating on the Thompson, but with a difference. It isn’t all drops and play; this video shows paddling in its purest form: river-running. In between and amongst the paddling are some hilarious “don’t try this at home” moments that add some spice. This BC entry was officially dubbed “the dark horse.”

Whitewater Paddling Magazine
(a special issue from Canoe and Kayak)
2002

Seventh Drop in God’s Country (Reel Rooster Productions)
The opening quote sheds light on the boating producer Braden Fandrich has been pursuing in British Columbia: “The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live.” They live quite well, it seems, judging by the video’s footage; shot entirely in B.C., it showcases more hair than Don King. The producers also listen quite well, evidenced by mellow music accompanying the opening scenes—a welcome reprieve from conventional head-banging tunes. Though the video clearly captures a bunch of Canadians having a raucous, good time, it does, however, rely a bit much on short clip after short clip without any narration or run identification (tell us where the runs are so we know not to go there). It also shows several fast-motion rides and trashings that viewers might want to see in real time. Barring that, it offers the best sand and dirt surfing, kayak-atop-a-dune-buggy, plastic boat downtime, blatant kayak-wrecking and chick-wrestling scenes you’ll find anywhere. Our personal favorite: clips of these Canadian yahoos paddling with hockey sticks.

Eugene Buchanan,
Paddler Magazine, sept/oct 2002