Paddlin’ Ed

Saturday, June 21st started early for the ride to WVa. out of NC.  It was  sunny, blue sky summer day, with mild warm high temps into the low to mid 80′s.  NRG was running about -0.60 ft.  which with its size and volume is still plenty of water.  In fact with not much rain for the last few weeks it was one of the few rivers around runnable.   The gorge is a beautiful section of river running from Cunard put in to the take out at Fayette Station WVa.  with most rapids of significance in the class 3 to 4+ range.

This section of river holds such well know rapids as the Kenney’s (upper, middle, and lower) with feature large waves and holes in a stair-step succession down through all three  back to back, Double Z which is a very busy long rapid with lots of under-cut out-cropings and boulders, plus holes, and about every feature you can name to keep one busy along the way, and its final rapid Fayette Station where the river funnels down to a third of its width and blast down through a stair-step of ledges and features into a boiling line of large waves and holes.  Its a nice run even at lower levels,  as changes in level changes it’s features and brings new challenges and play opportunities.Well 5 of us met up early for the ride up from north of Winston-Salem NC up to NRG – John H. OC-1, James C. OC-1, Kevin R. K-1, March M. K-1, and Paddlin-ed K-1.  Up at NRG put in we met up with two out of the Roanoke Va area – Bill H. C-1, and John VanL. K-1 as planned,  dressed, and set shuttle.  With shuttle run we started down the steep steps to the put in when an old friend Jill (K-1) hollered hello up at me from below.   Jill had come with a friend, Rene (K-1) and expected to meet a large group that had failed to show, so we offered joining our group to them,  put in and did introductions in  the put in pool.

Well down through the initial entrance rapid we played a bit,  and then on to “Upper Railroad”,  where we ran the drop just right of center and all ferried far left and down, playing along the way.  John V., Bill and Marc surfed a bit in the lower section.  From there we headed down to ”Lower Railroad” across the long pool between to the far left side.  At this low level the hazardous and potentially deadly clam-shell at the center bottom of this ledge drop is exposed and in play,  so we all skirted to the left, with most of us running just right of the boulder just out from the left bank and tucking back left behind,  kissing through a boiling eddy and slicing left to carve a line off the tougue below going hard left through the bottom hole.  Jill went left of the boulder and did the boof move off the shelf through the hole, really nice.

From upper and lower railroad we played on down through the rapids and pools below till we got to the Keeney’s.  After a little review on line with those in the group that where not familiar with or remembered the lines,  we head down around ”Whale Rock” at “Upper Keeney” and all eddied behind the rock.  From there John VanL. headed down just right of center into ”Middle Kenny”,  I followed a bit further right targeting to be just left of “moss rock” (a large dome shaped boulder) out in the right side halfway down.  My run was nice and clean, and I actually ran the very bottom holes in an upstream ferry moving to river right where I could set up to get some pictures.  John H. and James headed down with clean lines followed by Marc and Kevin, and finally Rene and Jill.  With the whole group in ending up, upright and intact in the far right eddy/pool,  we then ferried over to river left eddy across the main flow below middle Keeney to set up for the lower run.

John H. and James, pulled out on the left bank and went down for a look at the lower.  Bill H. peeled out and lead off the runs for ”Lower Kenney” between rafts,  Marc followed, then John VanL.,  I caught the next break between rafts, and had nice run,  down the left side, working right after the 1st wave of two,  ferrying down toward center at an angle, then pulling the bow back downstream for the last two big wave holes,  and leaning forward and digging in to pull through and avoid being endered over.  At the bottom I upstream ferried over the join the others in the far right eddy at just below the run out.  Kevin headed down then James and John H., then Rene, with Jill down last.  Everyone had nice clean runs.

Well we played on down the rapids, surfed spots here and there,  took a break, till we got to Double Z.  I was out front and lead off around the rock out cropping just right of center and headed back right behind the rock, ferrying to the eddy along the right gorge wall.  From there John VanL. lead off down the Z path followed by Bill,  and then myself.  From the eddy its a ferry out, down, then back into a ferry out to river center, then turn and run down stream through the neck down between rock out-croppings in the center of the river, and push to the right side a bit coming out of the neck down,  then work down toward a rock pile near the bottom well downstream, almost aiming at the rocks, and just pushing left right before the rocks, then turning to ferry back right just before dropping the hydraulic line hole below to miss the boulders and rock pile at its left end and out to the pool below.  Most everything in this rapid is under cut with powerful cross-currents that can push you off line toward rock out-croppings with this problem, so timing, boat angle, and effort are all important.  I snapped a few pictures from below as the rest of the group dropped down to the bottom,  some catching an eddy or two along the way.

From Double Z we just played our way down through the smaller rapids along the way on down to Miller’s Folly, where we made sure everyone had a good general idea of the line and knew to dig hard left in the chute down past the huge under cut rock out cropping below which extends well out into the river from the right bank.  Down just below was “Tom’s Brain-buster”, a big hole and wave,  which I told several was a good target to look for.  Everyone keep out in the chute and eddied out just below on the right.

Well it had been a great day so far and we set about working down through the rapid and ledges below Millers Folly, and paddled on downstream past dozens of rafts with customers out in the river all taking a dip along this long section of moving water before “Fayette Station” rapid.  We surf and played a spot here and there but mostly paddled to get ahead of the long line of rafts.

Down at “Fayette Station”,  we had past most of the raft traffic and only had to wait for 2 or 3 to run ahead of us,  then  John H. and I lead off down the rapid.  It was considerably different at this level,   much narrower at the top, but then spread out more below with lots of diagonal holes and waves instead of the more usual big wave train down the center.  Very rolley and boily this day,  interesting and different.

Down below, “Fayette Station” rapid,  I paddle up the pool on the left toward the bottom of the run-out on river right and set up for pictures.  Each of the group had good run,  frequently disappearing in the holes, busting through waves and diagonals, and occasionally popping over the top of waves.  All ran upright and in control to the bottom.

After we all paddled over to the take out ramp, John H. noted that our group of 9 all had good runs,  no swims, and in fact we could not even remember a combat roll except for planned ones in pools to cool off or at a play wave.  Excellent day had by all,  great time, great company, and good day on the river.

SYOTR – Paddlin-ed

(pictures in the picture gallery)