On last Sunday Charlie Zapf and I attained on the Metro Chattahooche from Whitewater Creek park to just below Devil’s Racecourse. The skies were mostly blue, the temperaures were in the mid-60’s and the water was cold - Nantahala cold! The release was low, just over 900 cfs. We put in near the mouth of the creek and paddled upstream through the first set ledges of Long Island Shoals. This was Charlies’ first time working on a attainments and he styled paddling upstream through the ledges. From here we worked on the river left side through the “lake” created by Long Island Shoals.

“Its fun to paddle upstream”

Soon we reached the bottom of Thornton Shoals on far river left. Charlie did a great job of zig-zagging his way upstream on far river left. Check pictures of him attaining: http://chucks.smugmug.com/gallery/4123342. I went for some of the big water ferries in the main channel, as I worked up three or four ledges. Soon Charlie and I met at the base of the river left island where we took a short break. From there we ferried to far river right to work up the next set of ledges. From river right we worked back to the left, just below the top of the rapid. Charlie was acting as the team photograher, chronicling my attainments (thanks Charlie!). We then paddled hard up the last ledge to the very top. In the flat water we paddle upstream to the rocky beach near the bottom of Devil’s Racecourse.

As we started to head downstream we were passed by a small group of whitewater boaters. I couldn’t resist the urge to pass them Charlie and I worked down Thronton Shoals catching eddies. Peel-outs are still dramatic for me in the Speeder (14′ 7″ long)–it is like an aircraft carrier turning :-)  At the bottom of the rapid, I asked Charlie if I could race a second group of whitewater boats; I did catch them and pass them! Soon we were at Whitewater Creek and the end of a good paddle and workout.