Can anyone take my newbie friend down the Ocoee June 1 & 2?

[kayakmamma]

Is anybody out there? Or the Nantahala. John is a super nice guy. He will need careful shepherding down the river
Thanks!

[MaxTexan]

How about the Hiwassee.... usually pretty big crowds over there, especially on the weekend. Although it is pretty big and cold river, the rapids are fairly straight forward.


i forget the name of the outfitter but it is the one betweem the putin and Ducktown north side of road, they will escort paddlers down, of course for a fee.

[kayakmamma]

That's a good idea, thanks, I'll tell him.

[BMuu]

I realize it's pretty late now but I have had luck finding someone out there that is more than willing to show you down and explain the major lines.

I say just show up and make some friends

[kayakmamma]

Kyle, he did that. But when paddlers started asking him questions about ferrying and eddy turns, and he wasn't sure what they were talking about, nobody wanted to take him with them :-) lol

[BMuu]

Well in that case they did the right thing. The Ocoee is not a good beginning river.

The Nantahala is a much better option

[mtnmanyaker]

I know spanke is guiding on the ocoee this year might try to get ahold of him

[kayakmamma]

Kyle, You are right, and I encouraged him to go to the Nantahala, but I don't think he was really listening. He has photographed the Ocoee and is really excited to paddle it. :) lol
All that being said, I would totally take him down it and wish I was out there right now to do so. He is one of those new paddlers who just gets it. He was in heavy water on the Dallas Wave and could just roll up. He may not know what to call eddy turns or ferries but he can do them. He would likely swim a few times going down the Ocoee, but would do well and have a blast, lol.

[kayakmamma]

Mtnmanyaker, who is Spanky? Thanks!

[Renee H]

Ryan Spanke - he guides out there during summer and is super nice dude and excellent boater.

[Renee H]

Ryan Spanke - he guides out there during summer and is super nice dude and excellent boater.

[kayakmamma]

Great, thanks Renee!

[MaxTexan]

It has been too long since I was on the Ocoee and old age..... What is the name of the playspot where the visual gauge is........ this is also the place that the rafts tend to gather after running the upper most rapids.

Anyway.. that is a great spot for somene to try their skills on the Ocoee. The eddy lines are typical of the Ocoee. There are usually a bunch of people around in case something happens and it is pretty calm downstream at least for the Ocoee. There is also some parking right there along the road.

[kayakmamma]

MaxTexan, I think it was right there that my friend John was able to hook up with the Tennessee Canoe club group who were holding a lesson or class, and he just joined up with them. So he did get on the Ocoee!

[MaxTexan]

That's great.

My only time I paddled the Hiwassee, I ended up joining a group from Nashville/Vandy Univ who were there for a lesson.