Week of Rivers Firsts 2013

River:Other
Skill:All
Trip Date:06/29/2013
Written by: , Posted: August 9, 2013

This list is partially transposed from soggy papers from the wettest WOR on record, from many emails and Facebook messages.  All errors herein are probably due to Cruise Chair.  Thanks to Bill Dement and Marlow Durbin who helped read wet and runny hieroglyphics and to Sarah Ruhlen for her editing and remarks. Happy Memories and Happy Reading All!  Joan Monnig, Cruise Chair

 

Set up Circus Tent by 10 am, Dennis Lyons

Pigeon run twice, Matt Thompson *must share secret to removing double pigeon  manky-smell from gear

Chattooga 3, Steve Saylor

Broke a Werner paddle getting into a Nanty eddy, John Long

Got holed in Tennessee, Alan R

1st Time Pigeon Gorge, Brittany Dargis

1st time on Middle Ocoee, Brittany Dargis

(Brittany was afraid of the Nanty in 2012 – look at her now!)

Lost a tooth on the Little, Elbow to the Y, Eric Bate, age 7  *note: small children are known to have the ability to regenerate teeth at an alarming rate

First time getting a perfect 10 from the judges at Surfers on the Nanty, Jeff H

First time running the pigeon twice in one day, Jeff Hatcher

Busted paddle on Big Laurel, Rob M

1st raft flip, Leon Pfeiffer

First time leading a trip (6 first timers at the Bull, they all survived!)  Frank Ohrt

First round trip to the Atlanta Airport during WOR, Frank, Ohrt

First time running kayaker’s ledge on FB 9, and we styled in canoes, Laura and Sarah *ladies in canoes – always stylish

First ELF run in the men’s room shower, Ed Evangelidi , the full release came later! *note: don’t try at home, trained professionals were used in the creation of this stunt

PFD Nanty, combat roll on the bump, ran the Falls, Morgan Eliiott

1st Week of Rivers, PFD, Big Laurel, 1st disolocated thumb, (still rockin’!)

First time WOR no longer a desert!   (RLJ) *went a little overboard, or forgot to knock on wood

PFD, Nanty Falls, 

PFD, Upper Nanty, Tom Shen

First solid class V, Boxcar Falls

First time kayaking a river I guided for so long (Ocoee), David

 First time in a playboat and running laps on something creeky, though not at the same time (David)

Got my roll (Mary )

First time Tablesaw on Ocoee with boat half full of water *see any good fish down there?

PFD, Upper Nanty, John McDonald

PFD, Upper Nanty. Darrell McPeake.

Elf, Cheoah, Joe Owensby

1st exploration of the headwater of the east Alarka Creek, (Evan, Stella, Erik, Trogan, Kaelin, Rowan, Michelle)

First run of Double Drop, Bull Sluice, (unintentional but rocked it!). T. Maines

PFD Spring Creek, CT

First time leading a  hiking group Wesser Creek Trail to Fire Tower

First 360 degree mountain top views

First successful run, Nanty Falls in a kayak, Anika

First time using hand paddles, loved them. Thanks Dennis  (David on the Pigeon)

First time bending down to pick my boat up and ripping the whole back side of my bathing suit in front of a couple of bus loads of rafters. *some days you see the show, some days you be the show

First time, raffle prize winner, Tom W.

Tubing, Rafting, first time in a kayak, Tuck Gorge, Nanty and Nanty Falls,  Annabelle Sloan

First time on South Toe Gorge, Ed Evangelini

First time on Middle Ocoee, Jamilla

PFD Cheoah, ELF, Jamilla

1st combat roll, Mary

1st Cheoah run, made my day, Melissa

First Blind date on the Pigeon (Brian) *we would have chosen a more aromatic location, however, it was an excellent opportunity to go on a romantic excursion in which it did not matter whether or not one had showered that morning (or even that week).

PFD on the Little, (Brian)

PFD on Chauga Read and Run (Brian)

PFD on North Fork of French Broad, Dennis

PFD, Santeelah Creek, Dennis

PDS on Cheoah low water, Dennis

On Little Sinks to Elbow, Marcos Lightning

Swam like a rat on FB 9, paddlecraft was a Bellyak, Brother Wayne *we admire your courage, Brother Wayne.

First time on Ocoee, Shredded Upper and Middle, Joanie L

 PFD on Big Laurel, Tom Shen

Little Sinks to Elbow, Joe Owensby

PFD Little Elbow to Y and FB 9,

First time to help rescue a boat, Rowan Chapelle

Paddled a shredder

Wendy Krause – first time to be roped out of campground creek *note:  rumor has it your rescuer  had some trouble getting you the rope, so we’re glad it all worked out

Stuart Samuels – First time down spring Creek

Joanie L – First upstream flip of a shredder in lost guide on the Pidgeon *partner claims no responsibility

Kevin Carter – first time doing throw rope practice on campground creek.

Allen F – First time live bait rescue out of campground creek

First Time at this event

PFD Tellico, 2 combat rolls, 2 rescue of others, Charlie Kemp

PFD Tellico for my entire family

Rowan’s first creek

First time to get in boat near a water moccasin or another water snake – Rowan

First time walking a rapid – Bull Sluice at 2.9 feet, Leon Pfeiffer

First time getting stung in the eye by a yellow jacket while flipping on Pyramid Rock, Stephen M

Down the Nanty Falls in an inflatable pirate ship, Allen Freeman *certain acts of piracy are permitted by the club, others, such as this one, are recommended

PFD North Fork of the French Broad, Stuart Samuels (Thanks Stephanie, Great Day!!!!)

On Comp wave on the Nanty, Wendy Krause. Thanks Anna Levesque, Girls at Play!

First Face full of flour, Frank Ohrt

PFD Toe Gorge, Rowan

First time stuck in a hole while ferrying, Rowan

First time to swim after my boat when I wasn’t in my boat, (dropped it carrying up a steep bank), Rowan

1st time down a river in a duo (Ocoee), Lexy Gerow

1st swim, Lexy Gerow

1st time to roll on my own effort, Lexy Gerow

1st time picking and eating blackberries while still in my boat, Joan

Rode a bear instead of kayaking, Matt Moore *it is to be noted that the said bear was stuffed, and currently resides  at the NOC Great Outpost.

PFD on The Greenbriar, Daniel Richardson

PFD on the Upper Nantahala, Daniel Richardson

First two-lap day on the Ocoee, Daniel Richardson

First descent on Upper Nantahala, subsequently my first  "shoulder boof" at PBJ, Greg Murphy

First time leading a trip: Middle Tellico, Greg Murphy

First time paddling the Pigeon Gorge at 2400 cfs (2 laps) , Greg Murphy

First descent of Little River, Elkmont section, Greg Murphy

First time camping in Weddleville (section 8 tenting), Greg Murphy

PFD, Santeetlah Creek, Ken Dubel

NOT the first time I found an error in the DeLorme Atlas, Ken Dubel

First run of Spring Creek; first swim on Spring Creek, Raymond Williams

First run of Santeetlah, Raymond Williams

First time on the Little (Smokies) this century, Raymond Williams

First time on the river I heard someone say, "I lost a tooth" and sound excited about it (It was a baby tooth from 7 year old Eric who styled the lower  Little), Raymond Williams

First time I had to scout lines to walk through the campground, Raymond Williams

First WOR I heard people say, "I hope it doesn't rain today." Raymond Williams

First repair of a cracked creek boat with Gorilla tape. Raymond Williams

First Upper and middle ocoee with friends, Bob Wiggins

First time I  led a Little trip, Bob Wiggins

First time I led NFFB, Bob Wiggins

PFD’s  for Bob Wiggins:  Chauga, Davidson (at normal flows- elfed it earlier this year), Upper nanty at 600, Brush (first drop over 30 ft for me), West Fork of the Pigeon,  Big Creek,

First time on Low Flow Cheoah (5 gates open on santeetlah lake- the normally flat paddle out at the bottom was ~10 foot rolling waves and warm). Bob Wiggins

First Time I led greenbrier (first time at semi-sane levels)  Bob Wiggins

First time a couple laps of nanty falls at 3000 cfs to wrap things up before heading home on last day. (HUGE waves!!)   Bob Wiggins

First time getting high water skunked in July.  Bob Wiggins

First time hearing a kayaker say "this rain is pissing me off!”  Bob Wiggins

Donna Morgan:  This Jersey girl would like to extend a HUGE thank you to all of you who make WOR possible! 8 runs, 7 personal first descents, over 6 days in 4 states is a new record for us (Middle Ocoee, Nanty- main stem, Upper Nanty, Pigeon Gorge, Chattooga 3, Santeetlah, and Middle Tellico). What a blast!!!

7/1-North Fork of the French Broad at ~7", Dennis Ashford

7/2-Santeelah Creek (not sure on the level), Dennis Ashford

7/2-Cheoah at ~ 170 cfs, Dennis Ashford  (Thanks to all the WOR Organizers!)

First time to make a high water run through the Tuck Gorge, Susan Eda

First time that high water prevented me from leading a novice trip on any river for 3 days, Susan Eda

First time I worried about being flooded out of my motel room on the Tuck, Susan Eda

First time I saw vehicles being towed out of the mud by a tractor in camp, Susan Eda

I'm already looking forward to next year!  Susan Eda

PFD Snowbird Creek, Sarah Ruhlen

First time considering up-ending the Big Tent and using it as an Ark!   Sarah Ruhlen

PFD, Jonathan Creek, Jen Fahey

First time sharing an eddy with a  giant teddy bear, Jen Fahey

PFD, Snowbird Creek, Jen Fahey

PFD Middle Tellico, Jen Fahey

PFDs for John McDonald: Upper Nantahala, Lower Santeetlah, Tellico Ledges, East Fork of the Pigeon

PFD, Davidson, Tremont, Paul Scrutton

First time down a Class IV Creek, Big Creek,  Carin Pendergraft, Ken Athison

PFD, Jonathan’s Creek, Barret Black

First time anyone ever came all the way from Shanghai to attend WOR!!!!  Junling Ma  (Way to Go!)

PFD’s in a K1:  Middle Lower  Little River, Kaelin Friederson

First time in a C2 on the Middle Lower Little River, Trogon Friederson  (this might be transcribed incorrectly – sorry guys!)

PFDs for Sylvia Durant:  Middle Tellicon, Spring Creek, Upper Nantahala

PFD’s for Lisa Kara:  Middle Tellicon, Upper Nantahala

Rowan Chapelle (14) says, “First time paddling my own boat all through WOR. I can’t wait for next year. I had a great time. I was a baby the last time I cane here!”  (Joan, Cruise Chair and Boater Mom says, “Way to Go! And That’s precisely why I do this job! Thanks Rowan!”

Rich Ruhlen:  First time I led a trip on Snowbird Creek. 10 people.  Jen Fahey, Randy Welch, Vince, Martha Mount, Amy Rae Fox, Wendy Krause, Doug (Stager?), Jeorgia Urbanski, Sarah and myself.  PFD’s for all.  What a day!

PFD’s on Jonathan Creek for Mary Ellen Griffin, Jen Fahey, Randy Welch, Sarah Ruhlen, Barrett +!, Don and Jo Beyer, Jonathan Arendt.

PFD’s on Big Laurel, Don and Jo Beyer

PFDJonathan Creek, Cort Caldwell

First time I arrived at WOR, Margaret Weise

PFD’s: Greenbriar section, Little (Elkmont to Metcalf), Cheoah (230 cfs), Margaret Weise

First time to get trashed in Top Hole on the Nanty Falls in an inflatable Pirate Pod Flotilla.   I appeased the River Gods!  Marlow Durbin

First surf on Eternity Hole, Marlow Durbin

PFD’s:    Big Creek, Entirety of Tellico Ledges, High water on Greenbriar section/Middle Prong, Marlow Durbin  (Woo hoo!  What a WOR this was for me!)

Greta Durbin says this is the first time I was Sooo Tired of paddling for 8 straight days that I opted NOT to paddle one day and to take care of an ADORABLE dog named Spike instead!  🙂

Dennis says this is the first time animals built a (dry) home in my playboat at WOR because it was not being used!

Joan M says “this is the first time I took this long to compile a list!”