I am the himalayan foothills the Yangtze plunges through steep gorges creating
plunges through steep gorges creating
plunges through steep gorges creating Rapids that can take your breath away
for decades now adventurers have been
for decades now adventurers have been navigating through the spectacular bend
navigating through the spectacular bend
navigating through the spectacular bend in the world’s third longest river but
in the world’s third longest river but
in the world’s third longest river but now a group of Chinese and international
now a group of Chinese and international
now a group of Chinese and international conservationists and researchers have
conservationists and researchers have
conservationists and researchers have gathered for what may be the final run
China is building a series of dams on
China is building a series of dams on this part of the river that will change
this part of the river that will change
this part of the river that will change it forever
it forever
it forever Travis Winn is leading what’s been
Travis Winn is leading what’s been
Travis Winn is leading what’s been called the last descent River expedition
called the last descent River expedition
called the last descent River expedition our pool our mission right now
our pool our mission right now
our pool our mission right now is to figure out the fastest way to
is to figure out the fastest way to
is to figure out the fastest way to bring as much attention to these rivers
bring as much attention to these rivers
bring as much attention to these rivers as possible to get people to really
as possible to get people to really
as possible to get people to really think
understand and individually personally
understand and individually personally reached the conclusion their work
reached the conclusion their work
reached the conclusion their work the team will paddle a 120 mile stretch
the team will paddle a 120 mile stretch
the team will paddle a 120 mile stretch known as the Great Bend it’s far
known as the Great Bend it’s far
known as the Great Bend it’s far upstream of the famed and massive three
upstream of the famed and massive three
upstream of the famed and massive three gorges dam but several other dams
gorges dam but several other dams
gorges dam but several other dams smaller than the three gorges are being
smaller than the three gorges are being
smaller than the three gorges are being built in this area they’ll provide
built in this area they’ll provide
built in this area they’ll provide electricity for the Chinese people like
electricity for the Chinese people like
electricity for the Chinese people like the Three Gorges it’s expected they will
the Three Gorges it’s expected they will
the Three Gorges it’s expected they will also alter the landscape by backing the
also alter the landscape by backing the
also alter the landscape by backing the river into reservoirs not many Chinese
river into reservoirs not many Chinese
river into reservoirs not many Chinese descend these Rapids and when and his
descend these Rapids and when and his
descend these Rapids and when and his team hope this trip will bring national
team hope this trip will bring national
team hope this trip will bring national attention to the threatened resource you
attention to the threatened resource you
attention to the threatened resource you bring people River you see them change
bring people River you see them change
bring people River you see them change and their attitude about
and their attitude about
and their attitude about both the natural world these rivers and
both the natural world these rivers and
both the natural world these rivers and the way they live their lives at home
the way they live their lives at home
the way they live their lives at home changes it takes the group seven days to
changes it takes the group seven days to
changes it takes the group seven days to journey downstream passing a landscape
journey downstream passing a landscape
journey downstream passing a landscape on the brink of change they may be the
on the brink of change they may be the
on the brink of change they may be the last outsiders to see this stretch of
last outsiders to see this stretch of
last outsiders to see this stretch of the Yangtze in its pristine State it was
the Yangtze in its pristine State it was
the Yangtze in its pristine State it was very narrow very steep canyon walls and
very narrow very steep canyon walls and
very narrow very steep canyon walls and on the left-hand side of river going
on the left-hand side of river going
on the left-hand side of river going down there was waterfall we spent
down there was waterfall we spent
down there was waterfall we spent probably a good half hour to an hour
probably a good half hour to an hour
probably a good half hour to an hour there just marveling at its beauty I
there just marveling at its beauty I
there just marveling at its beauty I almost found myself doing it knowing
almost found myself doing it knowing
almost found myself doing it knowing that this canyon would be flooded in
that this canyon would be flooded in
that this canyon would be flooded in probably a year or so and all of this
probably a year or so and all of this
probably a year or so and all of this would be lost not just to us but more
would be lost not just to us but more
would be lost not just to us but more importantly to the Chinese and it’s so
importantly to the Chinese and it’s so
importantly to the Chinese and it’s so few of us very few of us who have had a
few of us very few of us who have had a
few of us very few of us who have had a chance to experience this place
chance to experience this place
chance to experience this place National Geographic young explorer trip
National Geographic young explorer trip
National Geographic young explorer trip Jennings was gratified to see the
Jennings was gratified to see the
Jennings was gratified to see the Chinese expedition members realize the
Chinese expedition members realize the
Chinese expedition members realize the beauty of whitewater
we’re these dams are going to be built
we’re these dams are going to be built before we came they’re already under
before we came they’re already under
before we came they’re already under construction but everything changes when
construction but everything changes when
construction but everything changes when you gain this kind of intimate
you gain this kind of intimate
you gain this kind of intimate understanding we thought Chinese
understanding we thought Chinese
understanding we thought Chinese participants who thought enjoying rivers
participants who thought enjoying rivers
participants who thought enjoying rivers like this was for crazy professionals
like this was for crazy professionals
like this was for crazy professionals and now they’ve turned around and
and now they’ve turned around and
and now they’ve turned around and they’re buying kayaks I think that’s the
they’re buying kayaks I think that’s the
they’re buying kayaks I think that’s the biggest success of this trip enabling
biggest success of this trip enabling
biggest success of this trip enabling people in China to experience these
people in China to experience these
people in China to experience these resources as more than just hydropower
resources as more than just hydropower
resources as more than just hydropower but the expedition is powerless to stop
but the expedition is powerless to stop
but the expedition is powerless to stop the inevitable or the end of their
the inevitable or the end of their
the inevitable or the end of their journey the fate of the great fin seems
journey the fate of the great fin seems
journey the fate of the great fin seems sealed you can see right up here why
sealed you can see right up here why
sealed you can see right up here why this is going to be a last ascent if you
this is going to be a last ascent if you
this is going to be a last ascent if you look at the bridge of another and only
look at the bridge of another and only
look at the bridge of another and only 150 feet above the bridge is a dam it’s
150 feet above the bridge is a dam it’s
150 feet above the bridge is a dam it’s being built over it and all this is
being built over it and all this is
being built over it and all this is going to be inundated all that really
going to be inundated all that really
going to be inundated all that really fun whitewater we just ran all that
fun whitewater we just ran all that
fun whitewater we just ran all that beautiful scenery most of those pretty
beautiful scenery most of those pretty
beautiful scenery most of those pretty little villages they’re all gonna be
little villages they’re all gonna be
little villages they’re all gonna be underwater win hopes the delay in the
underwater win hopes the delay in the
underwater win hopes the delay in the building schedule will allow him just
building schedule will allow him just
building schedule will allow him just one more trip down the Great Bend of the
one more trip down the Great Bend of the
one more trip down the Great Bend of the Yangtze but at some point the flow of
Yangtze but at some point the flow of
Yangtze but at some point the flow of this powerful river will be stopped by
this powerful river will be stopped by
this powerful river will be stopped by the flow of development
sponsored by National Geographic mission
sponsored by National Geographic mission programs taking science and exploration
programs taking science and exploration
programs taking science and exploration into the new millennium
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