4/24-4/25

4/24 Chattooga 3.5

1.46 on bridge gauge and rising with heavy rain fall

70 deg. Put on at noon.

Mike, Kimberly S.

Three of us put on and paddled down to Woodall. It was cloudy when we put on but it was nice. we started down river and before we got to Bull Sluice it was raining and occasionally thundering. We all had good runs through bull and after we got to Surfer's rapid it was lightning! we got of f and sat for a while talking and watching the lightning. Then it moved off and we got back under way and made it safely to Woodall. This was my first thunderstorm. Kimberly had a swim at Screaming Left. All good though!

4/25 Nantahala

Full release and run off total 1010cfs

73 deg. Put on at noon.

Melissa, Daniel, Kaitlyn, Kimberly, Rick

We had a great run down the Nantahala! I was really enjoying the pushy water and having a great time trying to get into these weird eddies. I was practicing to get up to speed for the Ocoee, but by the end of the day I had changed my mind on the Ocoee next week. It will have to wait till the fall. I decided really early in the day to run the falls and run the boof line. I ferried across the main flow from truck stop to billboard. Then I peeled out into the current and shot hard for the left bank. I was right on course and then boofed hard. I landed right in the eddy! I was totally stoked! It was flawless. I landed right where I wanted! I went to peel out and go on down river then found out the I was peeling out into the back wash from the falls! I got turned completely down river and was paddling hard but was not going anywhere but towards the center of the river. I realized I was going to be sucked in backwards, so I turned around quick and went in to the falls bow first. I decided to surf the falls to the center where I thought would be my best bet at getting loose. I got to the center of the river and reached out to get some green water and I could not get to it. The hole at the bottom of the falls began to turn me to the right and then I was side surfing. Staying upright became full concern and I rode it out for about 10 seconds. the hole let loose and I was leaned too far down river and rolled in. I felt it suck me back in and thrash me then flush me out. I set up and tried to roll but it was weak from the exhausting surf session and I swam out of the boat. I self rescued myself and all gear. Great time though! I think I figured out how to get loose from that side, so I can't wait to get up there and try it again!

4/21/10

4/21 - Middle Saluda

Level Unknown. Need to setup a river gauge.

75 deg. Put on at 5:30 pm.

Melissa P., Daniel P., Todd D.

I was having lots of roll practice in whatever moving water I could find. I missed one roll and when I setup for another the skirt imploded and I was flushed out of the boat. Resulting in swim # 13. This was my 100th white water paddle. We really need to setup a painted on gauge on one of the bridges while it is low. I would say that yesterday is as low as you can paddle it. Maybe I will see if someone wants to ride up there and we can mark the bridge pylon.

4/16-4/18

4/16 - Upper Green

100% release +0"

82 deg. Put on at 5:15 pm

Daniel P., Melissa P., Becca C., Kimberly

Great trip. No carnage to speak of. Still have not hit the eddies between Pinball.


4/18 - Chattooga 3.5

Thrifts to Woodall

1.50 on bridge gauge

76 deg. Put on at 12:15pm

Daniel P., Melissa P., Rick L.

I made first run on Bull Sluice and it was flawless. This was Melissa's first descent of this section and did wonderful! She even had two combat rolls!

April Notes

I feel I need to make a few notes about the month of April and plans for the month of May.

April -

So far I have not gotten to paddle as much as I had hoped, but the paddling I have done has been excellent! I have a couple of solid runs on the Upper Green. I have been leading trips down it! I have had great runs down Chattooga 3.5! I ran Bull sluice this weekend, flawless. I had an excellent boof. Felt like I cleared the foam at the bottom. I have run Woodall Shoals close top a dozen times now and I am comfortable everywhere in there! I always run back up and run it again! I am getting pretty confident in my skills. These next six weeks are really going to be exciting. I have several First Descents coming up and a clinic to hone my skills even more. I really need to work on this boof thing! I can hit it pretty decent but it is no where near as good as I would like it to be! This weekend I have not planned anything yet. I want to wait and see what the rain does to a couple of the runs close to home. I really need something that is going to work the crap out of me.

May -

1-2 - The first weekend of May is the Tellico trip! I am so excited to be getting back up there! I am planning to run the Upper and half of the Middle together on Saturday. Sunday, so long as I have a reliable guide, I will be making my first descent of the Middle Ocoee! I think I am ready for it! I have been practicing holes and trying work on ferries in fast moving water along with several other things I think will be key to a successful run of the middle. I am so excited about this trip!

8-9 - The following weekend, I am planning to make my first descent on the Pigeon. I am planning to get with Barry and Robert about leading me down it! I look forward to having to chance to add this run to my resume! I have been looking forward to this river since November. It ran all winter but due to the rockslide on I-40 it was all but unreachable. So they are supposed to I-40 fixed pretty soon, and I will finally get my taste of the Ole Dirty Bird!

15-16 - I am going to be at the CCC Novice/Intermediate clinic. Last year I learned all about boat control. I was really wanting to learn how to eddy more percisely and peel-out more controlled. Needless to say I got all I wanted and more in just one day! This year I am really needing the use of water features and whatever else they can throw at me! I am so anxious to see who they set me up with for instructors this year. I paddled with Becca, my safety boater from last year, and she said I have come a long way since then! She said she was not sure if she was going to help safety boat again this year or not, but to keep her informed of who they pair me up with!

22-23 & 29-30 - I am keeping open. My anniversary is the last weekend of the month and I don't know if Ashley wants to do anything yet.

June -

5-6 - On the 5th I am planning to make my first descent on the Nolichuky with David B. I have already gotten cleared to go and make the trip with him! I am especially looking forard to this run. When I first started boating I saw pictures of this river and said that I wanted to get to this point and that is as big as I wanted to go. Now I am a month away from it and there are so many more rivers opening up!

Last few weeks

For the last few weeks I have been pretty busy and boating a lot!! I have run the Upper Green a couple of times and the Lower Green, where I worked on my combat roll. This month was the start of my flat-water obligations. I had the 3rd Annual French Broad thru Biltmore on the 3rd. It was another huge success! I had 80+ people show up!

Ashley and I are going to Helen this weekend with Melissa and Daniel so I will let you guys know how the Beer Fest goes!

Talk to you later!