Deja vu on the Ocoee
| River: | Ocoee |
| Skill: | Intermediate |
| Trip Date: | 09/24/2016 |
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.
I arrived late Saturday, and settled into my usual spot. Worth noting that Thunder Rock now has an almost-mandatory reservation system. Only about six sites are left that are open; the remainder are reserved on-line. The reservation system was a hot topic of discussion across the week. It cost $9 to place a reservation. If you’re camped on a empty site, it’s possible for someone to reserve that site right out from under you, although reservations can’t be made less than four days in advance, so at least you’ll get some warning that you’re about to lose your spot. Due to the new reservation system, Thudner Rock is now a lot busier; even this late in the season almost the entire campground was full.
Talking with Kevin and Kathy, we decided to run the Upper Nantahala on Sunday, with John meeting us there in the morning. At the crack of noon we left to meet John to run the Upper Nanty at about 425 cfs. Whil unloading, I managed to drop my boat on my big toe – ouch!
I had a harrowing run down the Upper Nanty a few years ago at over 800 cfs. 425 cfs is a lot more fun and we finished the run without incident. Kevin and Kathy headed out. John wanted a run down the regular Nantahala. I can’t stand the cold water of the Nanty, but set shuttle for John to meet him at the bottom.
At the end we caught back up with Kevin and Kathy for dinner at River’s End before heading back to Thunder Rock. Lou showed up later that evening, and we went to bed in a much more deserted campground.
John, Lou, and I met Kevin at the put-in on Monday morning. Another hot topic for the week was the water level on the Ocoee. I’d heard multiple reports about lower water levels, but had written off those reports off as people remembering their last run from the last time they were up with the Upper water. That expectation failed to prepare me for disappointment. The water level on the Ocoee is now a much more metered 1200 cfs, with the TVA subtracting out the water coming in from other sources. Depending on which rumor you believe, the TVA is either responding to being blamed for the deaths on the Ocoee at high levels by ratcheting down the flow, or they’re responding to the current release negotiations. Either way, the flow is now a significant decrease from the past. Some alternate lines are now quite scrapy or even untenable.
I know the Ocoee fairly well, and the alteration left me a bit at odds all week. Rocks that didn’t used to be there. Strokes that didn’t quite work how they used to. By the end of the week I had my rhythm right, but during the week I was constantly not quite where I wanted to be.
For our maiden Ocoee voyage for the week, we had a few rolls and swims, although nothing of consequence. For the remaining Monday runs, we had slighly more eventful swims, but still nothing of consequence.
With the same crew on Tuesday, we sallied forth. Kevin was exuberant for his successful run down Table Saw. You just have to believe!
For our next run on Tuesday things didn’t go as well. Kevin swam in Entrance, going over the top ledge. I didn’t realize it at the time, but he also cut up his hand. Kevin decided to call it a day. John, Lou, and I continued onwards. About halfway down we ran into the crew from Texas, and Lou decided to take a more leisurely pace downstream, and peeled off. Except for my roll attempting the Watauga move we finished that run with no further consequence. Not the first time I’ve finished with half of who I started with. John needed to head home for work, and I took one final run before calling it a day.
Wedesday John and Lou had headed home, and Kevin took a well-deserved day off. Nick had missed joining us the day before but caught up with me Wednesday morning. Nick had an uneventful swim through Broken Nose, successfully rescuing himself. His Gatorade bottle led me a merry chase through the rocks on river right through Second Helping, and it was with a sense of satisfaction I recovered it. When Nick pulled in above Slice ‘N Dice I learned Broken Nose had claimed his shoe.
Our second run of the day was much less eventful, except for my roll below Diamond Splitter, a spot that kept causing me problems the rest of the week.
For our third run Nick and I joined up with one of the random kayaking hobos that frequent the put-in, just hoping for people to join up with. Ian had run the Ocoee before, but was looking for a bit of support, which we were glad to provide.
Thursday brought a new day and yet more new paddling companions, as Frank had joined us at Thunder Rock the night before. We ran the Ocoee three times on Thursday. Frank has a really solid roll. We put on the third run with only thirty minutes before the water turned off.
I’ve run TableSaw hundreds of times, and never flipped, yet it’s still the rapid on the river that gets all of my focus and attention. If you run TableSaw to far to the left you’ll hit Prudential Rock at the bottom, which has a pothole in it. If you run TableSaw too far to the left, you wash into an upper eddy. With the revised water levels that eddy now has a band of rock that didn’t used to be there. On the third run of the day I missed the correct entrance to TableSaw, and had just managed to get my boat under control when I went up, down into that rock, and flipped. Darn it!
After two solid days, and six runs down the Ocoee, Nick headed home. Doing our best to keep the campsite occupied in our Ocoee kayaker rotation, Jeff showed up Thurday night. I also received a cryptic message that we would be joined by an unknown phone number in the morning. [Note: if you text someone about kayaking that you aren’t 100% certain they have your number,/say who you are!]
The morning brought Frank, Jeff, and I to the put-in to meet Mark and Margaret, and their friend Julie. With no events of any significance, Julie took out at her intended takeout of Goforth. I rolled (again) below Diamond Splitter, and (again) in Accelerator (although Jeff helped a bit with that one).
Mark and Margaret headed home, and Jeff and Frank joined me for two more runs. By this point all of the trips are starting to blur together. Every time we take out I get the feeling of deja vu about the feeling of deja vu.
Saturday Frank, Jeff, and I again descended the Ocoee. Jeff decided against a second lap. I optimistically hoped I’d talked him into joining us for our third, but he headed home leaving Frank and I to finish the third run of the day.
John showed up to finish the week out with two runs on Sunday before we both headed out, me towards home, and John back to catch a flight in Atlanta.
It was a long week. Some details have been changed or left out on purpose, and others because that’s what I happen to remember!