The true hassle of coordinating a trip is never knowing if anyone will show up. With last-minute heavy rain in the Triangle even more so. I could have just stayed home and paddled! Even posting weeks in advance, a few days out I had one confirmed person. On Thursday I briefly had six. Fortunately, it's the Ocoee.
I have a well-documented history of attempting to rescue those in distress (with varying degrees of success). After two runs down the Ocoee on the 4th of July, with only an uneventful rescue of boat pinned in Diamond Splitter from …
We met Kevin in the Nanty gorge on our way to the Ocoee River Saturday morning. The weather was damp and cool. I look forward to the warmer weather coming soon. It was a dry hair day other than a practice roll.
https://youtu.be/8A6Y3JNV0oQ
I saw less carnage this weekend than the previous opening weekend.
Fred
Ocoee Drawdown is a special time. It's not cold, but you can tell winter is coming. Except for this year, where the weather was in the 80s. It's a time of peace and quiet on the Ocoee, where you can find your way. Except this year, with the sadness of its impending end. 2018 is the last year of the last licensing agreement. While there was a lot of confusion about whether Drawdown would continue, it's on the release schedule for 2018. That said, it's not expected for 2019.
Jason contacted me Wednesday regarding this trip. As luck would have it I had not commercial trips to work. Jed also joined us at the put-in. Jed showed Jason several cool new lines as we ran the river. It took nearly two hours or more to reach Goforth as we worked the river. The second half was run more directly. It was a fun day for all.
Saturday was wet cool and cloudy but Joe Marincel showed up for some more Ocoee fun. We ran two laps before we were cold and hungry but river traffic was fun and we worked several of the fun challenge moves along the way. Sunday was much more sunny but a little cool. River traffic picked up a bit and the Kellogg Show infested all the play sopts etc as they paddled down the river; they cause many of us to laugh and smile. Those kids surfed everything on the rive including Double Suck.
Raft and kayak traffic were even lower than expected. Joe Marincel met me early at the take-out Saturday morning. We ran two laps together. Joe got soe great combat rolls in Table Saw. I ran a third lap solo in the afternoon and tested the depth of Hell's Half Mile; it is still very shallow but my helmet still works quite well. Saturday night at my outpost the kids got a little noisy but I still got up early Sunday to eat and go kayak. The kids wrecked their raft at Grumpy's with a hit so hard the trainer nearly got ejected.
For the first time in my trip coordinator experience, I actually knew who was coming a week in advance. While I was staying all week, this was a strange trip, as every day or two I changed paddling companions.
Participation was low during this trip. I suspect many folks have to work M-F and there were lots of options for intermediate+ boaters over the weekend. On the other hand it is hard to beat five days of warm whitewater boat riding. I somehow avoided working Saturday and Sunday and spent my windfall of time shooting carnage video as well as paddling.
This trip was better attended despite the Nanty Open just up the road. It must have been the great weather! I heard several positive remarks regarding my new Ocoee River Guidebook for Raft Guide Trainees from random boaters and guides. The guidebook is my latest attempt to panhandle a few beers; if you like it consider bribing me with a craft beer or two to create more online guidebooks.
