I've tried to run a novice trip every year on the last weekend of April. Usually late enough that it's warm, and early enough that there's still rain somewhere. In recent years we've managed warm, but usually the water was lacking, and we'd end up on the Fear at about 1.6', a level I've sworn (twice) I'd never run it again.
While I planned this trip months in advance, recent rain in the Triangle area caused a run of cancellations, and in the end it was just me, driving to Ducktown from NC, and Mark Kieran, driving up from FL.
After a lousy start leaving the house (mostly looking for my lost bicycle lock), I still managed an earlier than usual start leaving town around 4:30. Mark had left at about the same time, 12 hours earlier, and spend Friday evening playing in Hell Hole.
So there's a new whitewater park in GA, which only opened this spring…
Having published weeks in advance a trip on the Cape Fear, as the date arrived I was about ready to cancel. On the 15th it was running around 4.5', but by the 18th it was running at just barely over 2' which, while higher than the 1.6" I'll never run again, isn't off by much. I'd received a few inquiries, but said that if it was below 2' I'd cancel. But still, I felt committed.
Most everyone was clinic-bound for the weekend, so I didn't know who I'd have the chance to paddle with. John McDonald was providing safety for a clinic on Friday, but was to join me on Saturday, and I figured I'd play it by ear on Sunday. My wife Marnie had also come along in "shuttle bunny" capacity.
I had four people signed up for a nice calm weekened on the Ocoee: Martha, Jeff, myself, and Fred (who is more a force of nature on the Ocoee than anything else).
Jeff had run the Ocoee on multiple ocassions, so Martha was the only one on her PFD.
I have always rescued dogs. As a kid I was always trying to rescue the “camp dog” at any campground my family stayed at. I own two rescue dogs. But I get ahead of myself. . .
Sometimes I understand why people are reluctant to post trips — scheduling. I think at one point I had a high of eight coming, with a low of two. A bit nervewracking at times. But, things finally stabilized out Thurs. with Kevin and Stephan coming along for Sat. and Sunday.
We all rolled into Thunder Rock campground late Friday night. Stephan was already abed when I arrived, but Kevin kept me company as I set up. Morning came early, and we got an early start for the long (2 minute) drive to put-in about 9am.
