One reason why I sometimes skip Grumpy's

[Tim Eubanks]

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/aug/2 ... ctims-idd/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Easy hole to miss, bad one to flip above for sure

More info here: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013 ... rutiny-to/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[okieboater]

Tim, I am with you.

Back in my thrill seeking years, a few times I ran Grumpy's in a kayak. IE line up and paddle hard to build up punching speed. (note: this worked a lot better in the old school sized boats I still like to paddle) I got lucky and so far have not been worked there. But got my share of beat downs by other features down stream.

Later on as I gained more experience with the Ocoee, I watched a bunch of individuals take some long swims at Grumpy's, usually down to staging eddy.

Decided I would just do the scary but easy peel out if you don't get locked in on looking at Grumpy with a death gaze and just paddle hard to ferry over to river left. I find that if I look like a laser beam at the rocks over to the river left I want to hit with my ferry, good things happen. That is what I now do out of habit, it is not a decision I just do it.

Lots more less grabby holes to play in down river after a boater gets loosened up than jumping into Grumpy's seconds after leaving the eddy.

My opinion, if Ocoee did not have all that noise and water action from the dam's overflow that ferry move to avoid or even properly line up to punch Grumpy would be a lot easier for most of us. But, that is another thread.

[Opes]

Last year a gal in our group flipped and swam above Grumpies. She droppped right into the hole and got worked pretty good. She was in there long enough for a couple of us to eddy out and start scrambling for ropes. She fianlly flushed and got pulled out on the stern of a boat before she took a super long swim. It was a pretty scary beat down.

The ferry to river left is not bad. Just leave the put-in eddy high and stay focused on river left.

Dave is correct about the noise and visual of the dam is pretty intemidating. The first time I ran it my nerves were raw just from walking down the ramp.

RIP to the folks lost there last weekend.

SYOTR

[Tim Eubanks]

My first time at the put in I missed the ferry which is a bit more difficult in an open boat than a kayak. Managed to get far enough left to miss the meat of the hole but close enough to have nightmares later. Did same thing second time then on the last run decided to put in at the Rails.