Table of Contents
July 6, 2006 General Meeting Minutes
2nd Quarter Pool Session Report
Trip Reports
Marilyn Kircus: Lake Charlotte
Justin Ceterski: Pedernales River
Jared Davidson: Week of Rivers 2006
Christy Long: Week of Rivers 2006
by Christy Long
I want to thank the Carolina Canoe Club for inviting us to join the club, paddle in the area, and socialize with other paddlers for the week of July 1 to July 8. There were at least 28 people from Texas who drove to North Carolina for this event. Each that I talked to had a great time and felt very welcomed.
Saturday, July 1, 2006 – Debbie and I left my house at 7:15am. We stopped at my Mothers for lunch. Arrived at the Super 8 Motel in Gadsden, Alabama around 9:45 pm. The room was clean and quiet.
Sunday, July 2, 2006 – We picked up Debbie's rental car from the Airport and left town around 8:50am. Because we had two vehicles and could run our own shuttle we paddled the Nantahala before going to the campground. The day was humid and hot. The water was cold and we wore our splash jackets. Ferebie was crowded as was Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC). The river was a zoo and reminded me of the Guadalupe from First Crossing to Gruene on Memorial Day. Ate at Guayabitos in Bryson City
Monday, July 3, 2006 – Ocoee, Alternate Put in to take out below Power house. The river level was average. We meet at the parking lot around 10:00am. Charlie Laws led the way down the river. I ran more rapids than the sneak route, made a couple of combat rolls, and swam at Table Saw (again) right into the Witch's Hole. It's deep but I came up, finally. Later I was told I was a bad victim because I did not follow instructions, hell I was under water most of the time. I am very grateful to all those rescuers who took the time to get me to shore. I was not as nervous about this run as I have been in years past. Trip participants: Charlie Laws K1, Kevin Login OC1, Kathy Cusick OC1, Jerry O'Connor K1, Robert Langley K1, and Rob Langley K1. We ate at Scott Coultas' favorite Mexican Food joint, El Rio, in Copperhill.
Tuesday, July 4, 2006 – Upper Pigeon, Two Turbines, Warm rainy day, I had a couple of combat rolls and one swim. The swim was within site of the put in, how embarrassing. Tiffany Mozingo led the trip of about 25. She broke us into small groups and I ended up with Chris and Bridgett, Grant, and Amy. At Accelerator I went first, reading the water and trying to follow the correct line between the two holes. I got off line and had the opportunity to redeem myself with a combat roll and a good finish at the end of the rapid. We all paddled K1. Debbie Snow and David Jacobs ended up in a group together and said their lead guy, Kanute (sp), was great. Debbie, David, and I ate at the Dillsboro Smokehouse and recommend it. David started getting a cold on the drive home.
Wednesday,
July 5, 2005 – Nantahala, Patton's Run to NOC. Self guided.
Debbie Snow, Chelsea Sheppard, and I scouted Patton's Run, read the Neely
description
of the rapid, and decided it was a piece-of-cake. When we got on the river
the fog had rolled in and we could not see more that 20 feet in front
of us. This was Chelsea's first day at WOR and first time on the Nanty,
so she wanted to watch as Debbie and I ran the rapid. We each had to listen
to the water and run by Braille. We all did great and with very few people
on the river we eddied and ferried all the way to Nantahala Falls. I preformed
a great combat roll at the bottom of the tongue at Nantahala Falls. We
all paddled K1. We ate at the River Rock Grill which is just east of Exit
64 on 74. It rained all night.
Thursday, July 6, 2006– Tuckaseegee Gorge, about average, lower than last year. Because of the previous night's rain, people went looking for rain dependent runs. Only a few came back with tales of big water. It was still dry and the flora drank up the rain really quick. We drove to Oconoluftee (1120 at midnight) but it was very low when we got there, that is when we drove to the Gorge. Ron Miller, our guide was great and made some good calls to get us on some fun water. David had a good time surfing at the bigger rapids. Debbie and I rested and played just a little. We had at least ten in our group of kayakers and canoeists. Bob (8-years-old) really tore them up at the rapids. Debbie, David, and I ate at Guayabitos in Bryson City.
Friday, July 7, 2006 – Nantahala, Pattons Run to NOC. Debbie was getting a cold and decided not to run. We had good river flow and warm weather. A lot of rafts put on the same time we did and we leap-frogged them all day. Around two I said goodbye to the group and headed down stream to meet Debbie before three. I had a clean run down the entrance of the falls, ran the tongue perfect, and finished quite satisfied with myself and the whole week. Trip participants Kevin Login, Kathy Cusick, Jari O'Connor, Jerry O'Connor, Robert Langley, and Rob Langley.
Debbie and I got on the road about 4:00 pm headed for home, we stayed in Birmingham, Alabama, at a Drury Hotel, and got home about 7:30PM Saturday. My dear husband, Steve, had soup and cornbread waiting for us when we arrived at the house.
Put 2399 miles on the Tucson. I drove shuttle on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Once again,
the CCC members did a great job of leading trips, arranging training,
and having activities planned for the evenings. I will be looking for
the 2007 WOR Invitation.