C-Forum

In all of Georgia there are only 2 natural flowing river listed as runnable on the AW site. Sucks.

Some southeastern canoeists who shall go unnamed don't view a lack of water as an impediment to paddling...

The cost of gas has me close to home and my boating skills keeps me off the Ocoee etc.. Still sucks.

No, you have my full sympathy.

I was just poking light fun at those who have no qualms about paddling moist rocks in their back yards. It seems to me that the same folks who openly scoff at the AW recommended minimum flows are the same folks who are warrantying/replacing boats every season or two.

Chattooga is the place to be. Ran Section IV last Saturday and it was still fun at 1.35. I have run it at 1 foot and know lots of folks who have run it lower and still had a good day. From your post I see you are not doing the Ocoee so you probably don't want to run the Five Falls, but you could portage those, paddle 3.5 to Woodall, or the Nantahala, or come up to WNC and run the Upper Green or French Broad. All these beat not paddling, IMHO.

Yes it is a dry time of year but this too shall pass.

I agree with boatbuster about Chattooga Sect IV. The on-line gauge is 1.55' so it should be 1.35' on the bridge. That is more than enough water to run down to the lake. Seven foot falls is more forgiving at that level so you are less likely to bonk your head on the South Carolina bank. Want to go there tomorrow Vince? I have the day off and could paddle it with you .

zappaddles wrote:The cost of gas has me close to home and my boating skills keeps me off the Ocoee etc.. Still sucks.

Pardon me, I read over that part. The cost of gas and the drought together are indeed bad. If you ever want to make a road trip up to WNC shoot me a PM and we will paddle some of the wet rocks around here!

Thanks Boatbuster,

I actually prefer lower water runs. At my skill level I have more control over the situation and can swim much easier if need be. Been trapped underwater upside down at night with an old school seatbealt that wouldn't release in a beach-buggy in the Gulf of Mexico and just never got over it.

I've run the Nanty successfully numerous times as well as the Chattooga (minus 5 falls and main drop of Woodall), at lower levels, many times. I'm waiting for the next opportunity to get back on the Lower Amicalola. Got an excellent low brace can catch hades out of eddieys on-side and off-side, cross-bow etc etc. It's not a lack of basic boating skills. It's my lack of desire to take it to the next level.

As my friend Carl Kirkpatrick says "I'm here to have fun. And when I get skeered I ain't havin' fun".

Anybody traveling up I-85/985 corridor up for some weekday Chattooga runs? Or other rivers where carpooling makes sense?

sometimes water levels cause people to get real desperate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73nnVLxpa0k" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dang, I thought I was the only one.