On Sunday, March 15th, I paddled with Tim Boring, Kevin Sisson, Wayner, Amanda, Tonya, and Brett. We had drizzle in the early afternoon, but the rain did stop. Later in the afternoon, the temperature warmed to 60 and there was some clear sky. It was a beautiful day; thankfully, we had enough rain to bring up the Santeetlah. As noted by Bob and David Benner in Carolina Whitewater most of the action is in the mile and one-half section below the SR 1127 Bridge. We put on in the group camping area just above the bridge. Passing under the bridge the river banks sharply to the left. Soon you are at the first big rapid of the run - a two ledge drop, the first being 5-6 feet, aka “The Ledges.” We scouted the left and right lines. Most of us went for river left (thanks Wayner ) and boofed off the ledge and then down the second drop.
Not far downstream is the second big rapid of the day, Class 3 plus, — should probably give it the name “Horse Cove,” since it near the campground. Wayner did scout out the rapid for any wood and then we proceeded down. The rapid involved dropping off of one ledge and then going left or right as you approached some mid-channel rocks. Most of the current was working from right to left. Several in our group went left and stayed left; I opted to work to the right, which I did make. I then caught my edge on a reactionary wave on my right, yikes! I locked into a right brace and just yanked on the boat’s right thigh hook. I thought for certain I was over, but thankfully not! That was the most wicked brace I have every pulled off.
For the next half mile the river is just fun non-stop Class 3 creeking. It is also a beautiful run too! As the creek banks to the right and east, the current does pool above an 8 foot low head dam. We all scouted the dam and their was a fun and safe line right down the middle. The dam is concave so in the middle there was a section were there was no hydrolic. Wayner led the way, and he and Kevin, Tim, and Brett all had great boofs! Tonya did get some pictures; Jennifer and I tried to find the trail down to the dam for Kevin, Wayner, and Tim’s second run at the dam, but did not take the right trail.
Just below the dam, off of USFS campsite #12, is a great surfing wave. Although the water was cold, there was considerable play. The river then turns sharply to the north, past campsite #13. There is last considerable rapid of the day, a series of broken ledges where we threaded down them from river right to left. Soon we were in the lake and the end of our run. Wayner, Tim, and Kevin went for a second lap, and Jennifer and I were the team photographers (as much as we could be).
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