Paddlin’ Ed

This was my first experience at the US National Whitewater Center, in Charlotte NC.  After meeting up with Darron and a couple of others,  we geared up, paid our fee’s and slipped our boats into the upper pool.

The first run we did the “Wilderness” channel, which is supposed to be a bit easier but is very short and drops into the “Big Water” channel.  Second run we did the entire “Big Water” channel.  Personally I could not tell much difference entering either way, the upper end of both are similar and 80% of both runs is the main section of the “Big Water” run.

Darron and the others had been here quite a few time before,  this was my first time.  I had been hearing them talk about the surging water, and eddies that for practical purposes where basically big whirlpools since the place opened last year, so I quickly adapted what I had learned in similar places on big water rivers,  go with the flow, use the current and don’t fight it.

My main objective this day was to get familiar with the place and runs.   Darron and the others where pretty quickly jumping in the holes, squirting, etc.  My initial runs were pretty clean,  I held eddies ok, just circulating with them and then using the whirlpool currents to get up high to ferry over below hydraulics below the drops, so I could move from channel side to side without being washed off line into stuff below.  While most of my lines where pretty clean, I did do a little hole surfing below a ledge or two as many of these are hard to clear every time and not occasionally get snatched in a bit,  particularly if you trying some alternate lines or boofs.  But with a little calm,  a brace out and a little working the surf to catch flow,  even these where fun.

Well after about 3 runs through the “Big Water” channel,  we took a break.  The day was a scorcher,  running close to 100F temps. by mid-afternoon and water was basically warm like paddling in a bowl of warm soup.  With the temps and warm water, and the physically effort required in this really pushy water even on these short runs,  overheating and exhaustion came on fast this day.  After stretching a bit and a drink of water (very warm,  nothing was cold this day),  we plopped down in the water for a bit to try to cool down up in the upper basin.

Once finally cooled off and a bit rested we took off again, this time the others announced we where headed for the “Competition Channel”.  I had heard this one was pretty hammering and unforgiving.  Well the first little bit picked up quickly but wasn’t overwhelming.  Then thing narrowed down and the horizon lines (notice I said lines not line) where in sight down a twisting line of wave, water, drops, holes, hydraulics etc.  I was doing ok,  and about halfway down the flow really narrowed and pushed hard left.  Looking like it was just about do a serious, and blind drop off,  I move to the right a bit to hang closer to center where I could move right off the drop below where it looked like a tougue would run going right.  When I moved center the flow feed me into a series of “blind holes”,  I am speaking of holes that don’t really show a wave,  they where just diagonal “pits” in the flow.   Well, I got through 1 or 2 of these holes and then got squirted over,  in close sight of the big drop below.  I tucked hard, and set up hopeing to roll in time,  I rolled but the current felt funny,  like it was flowing the wrong way but I was headed for the drop,  then I realized I had been tossed into the eddy line of a big whirlpool eddy to the far right.  I quickly paddled forward to let it turn and move me back upstream,  as trying to get out the downstream end would push me over the drops immediately and sideways into the hole below (ugly thought).  Once back upstream in the whirlpool flow of the eddy,  I spied my line,  ferried out into the flow over on the left, then hammer back right just above the drop to slide at an angle down tongue slamming down center to right,  then hammering back left to keep from being pushed up on the right wall, into the main flow.

After a couple of turns, more drops,  all coming at you as fast you did the one above,  I got down to the last big one.  This one had two high mounds of water,  one left and one right with a bit of a hole running down stream in-between and appearing to feed into the end of a hole below the mound to the right.  Darron was just in front of me,  running right and then at the last second sliding off the left through the trough hole center,  up on the side of the left mound and slicing left off the end of it drop just past the end of that right hole below and rooster tail mound below in the center.

Well I, didn’t see anything that looked any better than Darron’s line, so I pushed right onto the mound there,  then hammered back left.  Didn’t get quite as high off the end of the left mound as Darron but cleared the end of the hole to the right,  but pushed into the rooster-tail which has a bit for pocket in front of it.  Squirted in the pocket,  held the squirt for a bit then ended up endered over.  Tucked hard (I had heard it was shallow and vicious below this one), then hung getting violently washed in the flow below and beginning to wonder if I was washing out or not,  then feeling the flow and moment right I swung under and set up offside, rolled up, spun and paddle out the last drops and holes to the pool.

Between what was a really non-stop hammering run over the last few minutes, and the heat,  I was wasted.  Down at the lower pond we all road the conveyor up to the upper pond, everyone ready for a breather and something to cool off with.   Well we did about a 20 minute break, I got a cold coke from the shop there,  Darron and the other hike to his car and hit the cooler for theirs.  I hit a shady spot and sipped on that coooolllll drink, then Will showed up.  Will did a run on the “Big Water” channel while we waited for the others.

Back on we ran the “Big Water” Channel again.  I did a bit of a dance at one of the ledges and surfed out.  Down above the “M-wave” drop,  I had just peeled out of the eddy behind the others and Will started hollering for me to hold up for him to surf the “M-wave”.  I am like in the channel flow, no eddies,  I holler back,  “Like where am I suppose to go – no eddies” and then holler “slow up a bit I’ll pass you and get out of the way”.  Just above the drop I holler for Will to move center on his line and I moved left and crease the side left side to leave him clear out center,  where he surfed briefly the bottom of “M-wave”.

Now down below “M-wave’ is an area that to me is kinda fun,  its the last 3 or 4 drops and waves down to the lower pool but the are such that the current banks from side to side with offset holes,  so it forms a cool sort of natural run, curving back and forth very fast and requiring you to keep moving onto the right place on the lines.   I played out this last area altering my lines some from previous runs,  this bit is just pure fun.

Once down at the bottom pool and then up the conveyor to the top pool,  I was spent in the heat.  Darron, Will and the others go for one last run of the “Competition” channel.    They are down and done as I am walking out,   pretty much spent too.   We all had a great time,  but with the extreme heat and warm water, we are all pretty much exhausted and ready to get home and into the cool.

Good time had by all – SYOR  – Paddlin-ed