Is Rockport all that safe??

[Gink]

Now you are probably wishing you never would have called me as I'd be long gone.

Yes, I may have went a little overboard -- so hot I can't stay in the boat without a bimini -- and its not that I don't even share Ryan's concerns -- I think we all share them -- it's just that I could easily picture myself and many of my friends as being the "other guy, the skank or whatever" and it "touched a nerve"

I think we all appreciate that folks from all walks of life will be encountered on the river, at our parks, etc. and we have to find a way to coexist peacefully. And I am certainly as guilty as anyone (maybe more so) in this endeavor -- for I must continue to strive to coexist peacefully with my fellow paddlers here within this forum.

Love to all.

[Victor Caballeros]

OT Sorry. But in August is there certian times Rockport runs I'm heading down there and wanted to stop by to play in the wave.

[Regud]

Way to break things up Victor!

[Wildwood]

. . . my $ .02 . . .

[travis]

At least cover up your contradictory tracks, Troll.

(minor edit by boofmaster)

[Richard]

Things are what they are but if we can keep the area a wholesome place for families, it will be better for all. I got blindsided weekend before last when my granddaughter and her friend got hit on by some drunken teens. I was not expecting that and it created a very awkward situation. But now I know to expect that to happen and we will be prepared next time.

What laws are there concerning minors drinking or smoking?

[Wildwood]

. . . gosh, I miss Vernon and the aluminum foil hats . . .
I love it when y'all get riled up defending your opinions. It's great to live in a country where we are free to express ourselves.

[stymie]

Humor Fully Intended

[Paddlegal]

Not here to comment on the various points of view, etc., etc. however.

I believe the safety of children is everyone's responsibility. If I were to see a child abused or playing with fire or drinking a 40 oz. I would not hesitate to call the authorities.

Way too much child abuse goes unreported because witnesses don't get involved or take action.

Kids in danger are everybody's business.

[druse]

Don't you wish you lived and paddled in Georgia?

[JTarver]

Wow Druse, that's a great pic of you. I had no idea you played banjo.

Actually, I used to live in GA, prior to being a paddler. Figures huh.
Joe

[okieboater]

Actually, I grew up in North Georgia. Cumming to be exact then later on we moved to Atlanta. Soon as I turned 16 and got a car, all my weekends were spent in North Ga or along the TN NC border up to the Smokies.

and, was boating the Chattooga when the movie was filmed.

I was told many of the movie's more dramatic rapids were actually filmed in Tallulah Gorge which had the ability to turn the water on and off as needed by the movie director.

also told the kid playing the banjo was not actually picking the strings. a real banjo picker was supposedly behind him. and the real music was dubbed in later. also understood the boy on the bridge was a local kid from Clayton who just happened to fit the exact "look" desired for the shoot. Giving the inbreeding comments more truth than the locals liked.

and, shortly after the movie came out and perked up interest of the river, there was a big time fight at Woodall Shoals between a bunch of tourist types picnicing there and a group of so called locals or a gang type. all sorts of injuries and it went on for some time before the sheriff got down there to break it up.

Atlanta had a more or less special early showing of the movie with all the local boating clubs invited. At the time, I remember all the hoots and cat calls on many of the action shots. Most of us were of the opinion this movie would never make much money outside of Georgia. We were wrong.

Take a look at the movie when the canoe breaks apart at the top of one of the rapids. The stunt depended on a charge to break apart the canoe. They could not get the timing right and ran thru all the available canoes. The production shot shows the canoe breaking a second or so before it actually hits the rapid.

Was in the area this summer and got to run section 3 and down to woodall shoals. Been several decades since I had been there. Trees and the scenic views are really something special and the water was clear and cool. Rocks are awesome and much bigger than I remembered. I am grateful that this river was saved from all the summer homes most of the rivers now have. Most of my memories were of woodall shoals which we either carried or boofed off the ledge and the paddle out over Lake Tugaloo. We did not know what a boof was and did not understand how dangerous and lucky we were, proving once again how the Great Spirit looks after fools and drunks. I also remember a couple of the guys taking a Grumman tandem from the 76 bridge down to Woodall Shoals which at the time was the last road access. If memory correct we did not think it was a big deal and no extra flotation not even the usual truck inner tube in the center.

another observation. I had been boating and even kayaking for some time when I moved to Tulsa. Did not own a wetsuit. We always boated in the summer and hiked and caved in the winter months. Did not take me long to figure out most of the good WW in AR happens in the colder months and all of us transplants were buying skin diving wetsuits to keep warm.

Still blistering hot in Jenks, am holed up in the den under air conditions and not much to do, therefore the image of banjo boy brought back memories.

[Clif]

...if you build it,
they will come...

[Roger]

The boy "playing" the banjo went on to become a river guide for a few years when he got older. That movie got me over there to do a NOC paddle raft trip on Section IV in October of when! On the way back, I got to do the Ocoee run since the flume had failed the year before and it was running on a constant basis thus giving reason for a lot of new rafting companies to start up.

Also, at same time, the NOC was working out of an old gas station for their main store. The old days!!

[okieboater]

Correcto Roger,

NOC was just getting started.

Again if memory correct Payson Kennedy of NOC founding fame worked on the film.

I remember well taking my GA Tech pirate glass kayak down the nanty first time. I had been down the nanty in my hot 15 ft Grumman shoe keel several times.

All my buddies were (as I was at the time) paddling canoes and everyone thought I was crazy to use a kayak on big time WW like the Nanty.

My buds were all lined up at lesser wesser cheering for carnage. I was doing ok till I somehow hit the eddy line on the big eddy just above the falls on river left. The bow went in and in a heart beat the kayak flipped and I struggled out and made a big time swim with all my buddies hooting and shouting remarks. We did not have throw ropes in those days and it was self rescue which I finally did close to the filling station. I think some of the NOC boys had coiled ropes and could throw them, us regular boaters had no idea of using a throw rope. It was swim to the shore or pay the price for a flip.