Trip report for June 18, 2016.  Co-sponsored by Carolina Canoe Club and Coastal Canoeists.

Text by Jenny Wiley

Illustrations by Harrison and Isabelle Compton

 

Participants:  Jenny Wiley and Izzy Compton (OC2), Tim (Daddy) and Harrison Compton (OC2), Sarah (Mommy) and David (Poppa) Compton (sit-on-tops), Martha James (IK1), Sally Wetzler (K1), JJ Festa (K1), Janal Lindner (K1), Bob Morris (SUP), and Amy (Gran) Compton (shuttle).

Big Laurel Creek 5/14/16

 

It's unusual to get the highlight of the trip before you finish setting shuttle, but this day was different. On the way back from dropping off the cars in Hot Springs there was a mama bear in a peach tree with a cub on the ground. She was pigging out after winter and apparently oblivious to how unripe the peaches were.

I've run a novice trip at the end of April (with a few notable gaps) since 1996, normally just non-boating friends that I've dragged along. I pick the end of April because it's the best window for possibly having water yet being warm enough for novices. A common complaint I hear is that the club needs to post more novice trips, and this year I extended that out to the club community.

Friday: Nantahala gorge: Jamilla Squires, Jim Wendling, Art Berg (PFD!), Me. Had a cloudy, cool day to warm up our first day of the weekend. Sprinked a litlle but was really great to be back on the river. 

No dogs were rescued in the course of this Ocoee trip.

I haven’t spent much time on the water this year. Kayaking the Haw last week I was wondering whether I could even still roll. Then I screwed up at the bottom of Moose Jaw and at least answered that question. I know the Ocoee well (and can still play back all the rapids in my head), but it’d been almost a year. Wonder how that will go? Adding to that the weather reports showed close to freezing temps in Ducktown for the weekend.

Lee Martin and Lara met me at the put in for the first lap. There might have been six boaters in front of us when Lee and I put on Saturday morning. It was a fun lap. I think Lee had a quick flip and roll but otherwise a dry hair run with no sneaks. The afternoon lap was spent helping POC recover swimmers and gear. Sunday temps dropped and reduced the number of boaters. The morning lap was quite chilly for spring.