Mike and I did the Seven Teacups on Saturday.  Last minute decision.  Also did some climbing at Kernville Rock and Dome Rock.
 
Seven Teacups was pretty awesome.  Didn't expect as much swimming as we did.  Also didn't expect it to be so cold on a 95F+ day.  Water flow definitely increases the challenge.  One of the rappels was down a somewhat furious and incredibly slippery water spout.  It had a very awkward configuration.  Despite my best effort at not slipping I did ... and went inverted below the maelstrom.  I managed to hang on and right myself before dropping down into the pool below.  As with all the pools it was very deep.  After swimming for a few minutes in the pool, doing a swimming disconnect, and futzing around with the rope I realized my tiny daypack didn't provide much if any floatation.  The cold water also sapped my energy and it suddenly occurred to me that I couldn't stay above surface for too much longer.  Barely made it over to the next spill-over.  Another minute or two and I might have been in trouble.  I think this was the same cursed rappel where our rope got stuck.  Damn those Imlay Ropes!  We still don't know what happened but I think the quicklink anchor must have flipped over or something causing a loop on the rope.  Took about 30 minutes or more of tugging on it before we finally retrieved it.  It would only budge a few inches at a time.  On another rappel I slipped a second time but recovered.  Final rappel was into a narrow slot with a long swim down the slot to the exit.  After the canyon we had to cross the Kern River ... something I wasn't about to do haphazardly considering the 242 deaths that have occurred in the lower Kern.  Fortunately we found a nice placid and not too deep spot to cross upstream.
 
Looking at the topo I estimate the technical part of the canyon was a mere 1000 feet long and yet just that part took 3 hours.  Good stuff.