Holidays Boating?

Starting to rain in TN tonight (12/19) and through the day tomorrow (up to 2" forecast), round 2 on Friday and Saturday(22nd & 23rd). Check the gauges, I hope to boat on Friday and / or Saturday then spend some time with family for a few days. New Years Eve and Day in Lexington. Then back on the water if I am lucky for the first week of 2018. SYOTR
Chief

I’m hoping for 24/25 options like the Ocoee or Telico. We’re back working in Atlanta after 17 months of play. Sunday is our only regular day off.
sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY!!
Who’s been naughty?

Millard
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Traveling the USA is fun!

I'm free on tomorrow! Looks like water is falling from the sky, where are you thinking?

If you can't boof it, squirt it! If you can't squirt it, are you even wet?

Mike D

Well, it was a wet Solstice through Christmas boating week, and I missed all but one day of it. Lots of folks were out and about from Upper Big Creek, to Island Creek high water adventure, to running a lap with me on the Little on Christmas Eve. It was still good to see some folks even though the first five days I was in bed. Happy New Year everyone. Look forward to paddling some more with all ya'll that can make it down.
Brent

Happy to have been able to get out for a few days while it was wet and mostly unseasonably mild. Paddled a couple of Sinks (Little) laps on Friday 12/22 at about 2.6' on the gauge, just fun getting back into my boat after about a month out of it.

Next day was Island Creek in the Obed-Emory system. We arrived at the put in and dropped our boats with a little under 1' on the put in gauge ( perfect level for several first timers) after we completed the 20 minute shuttle the river had risen to nearly 1.5'. This made me a little nervous because I know how sticky some of the holes can be and the pushy nonstop nature the creek takes on at these levels. Nonetheless, I proceeded to lead our group down. After the cool slide and hole section I got stuck on a hole that wasn't pretty. Fortunately or unfortunately Sarah rammed me out of the hole, I held onto her bow while upside down and the rolled up. My skirt had popped and I had a boat full of water. Luckily I managed to find an eddy on a brushy rock and dump my boat. Other boaters would eventually flip and usually roll but we did have two swimmers and we were fortunate to have enough ropes to not lose the boats. Robert managed to loose his paddle just above Compound Fracture, I believe it has been found and hopefully returned. Brian gave him a spare set of hand paddles that got him down the rest of the way. We all walked Compound Fracture at my insistence, even though it looked runnable I didn't want to be chasing any gear down at that point. The rapids below Compound are slightly less intense but still solid Class IV at the level (2.0-2.1) the river had risen to. For me it was both fun and a bit scary. For others I hope it was fun, challenging, and a learning experience. I was proud at how we handled boat recovery and kept an eye on each other. It was / is great to see newer boaters (Robert, Brian, Sarah) pushing their skills on a full on creek run. Next time a bit lower. Magic Mike and KY Jimmy were studly on Island too.

Yesterday, 912/28) I paddled Daddy's Creek Canyon with Josh and Jason (the Bros) at about 1.4 on the put in gauge which is about as low as you would most likely want to paddle this run, although I think it is doable down to 1.2' The temps were low, 20s-30). we were appropriately dressed and enjoyed this classic plateau run. It combines outstanding scenery with some solid Class IV rapids (more solid at higher water) and numerous Class III runout rapids. In case you haven't noticed these guys have become very good boaters in a short period of time.

Keep on boating everyone, keep an eye out for your river amigos on the water, drive safe, and have fun.

Hope to see you on the water soon!

Chief