Eno River, New Year’s Day 2016.

River:Eno
Skill:Novice+
Trip Date:01/01/2016
Written by: , Posted: January 2, 2016

Trip Report – Eno River, New Year’s Day 2016.  2 PM. Water level around 4 feet.  15 paddlers.

Trip Coordinator – Wayne Jones, with heavy logistical support (otherwise recognized as “good sense” from Allen Freeman and Rick Steeves.)

Paddlers – Cameron Jones, Allen Freeman, Rick Steeves, Martin and Jordan Doyle, Richard Hopley, Russ Scheve, Pamela Maynard, Dale Briggs, Camille Warren, Greg Runyon, Jenny Wiley, Nathan Jamps, Terry Jones, Wayne Jones.

This trip was initially planned for the Haw River, which was taken out of consideration due to heavy rain and high water levels.  The Eno looked like it had enough water, and was stable enough due to continuing rain in the area.  The conventional run on the Eno is to put-in at Pleasant Green Road and take out at West Point on the Eno, the Durham City park where the Festival for the Eno is held each summer.  The river at this level is generally II – II+ between sections of moving flatwater, with a lot of fun eddies and small waves.

The plan hit a snag when someone reported that West Point park was closed and gated due to flooding.  Rick Steeves sprang into action and manned the gate entrance, directing everyone down to a river-left access point below the dam down the road a bit (that no one knew anything about, save Rick).  When we had all assembled, Allen Freeman deduced that since it was January 1st, approaching 2:30, with 15 boaters and sunset on the horizon, that we perhaps should get a move on, and then Rick made the call to put in at Cole Mill Road instead of Pleasant Green.  This had a few advantages, it took about an hour off of the trip and provided a very handy access point with plentiful accessible parking along the road (the gates for the adjacent park area close at 5:30 PM).  The Pleasant Green Road access point had been a muddy mess a few days earlier, with limited parking on the road, and the same gate-closing risk.  These were all great decisions, we were eventually underway on a 50 degree day on the Eno, surprised many New Year’s Day hikers with our large group, and generally had a fine time.  And, it wasn’t totally dark when we took out, although it shortly would be.  Thanks to all.