Paddlin’ Ed

Well September is Gauley season, and this year Sept 19-21 was Gauleyfest weekend in Summersville W Va.  I met up with the boy’s from the Damascus Va. area (Jason B. in k-1, Billy A. in k-1, Micheal C. k-1, Chuck R. k-1, and Kevin K. oc-1 ) on Friday morning for a Lower Gauley run In addition we where  joined also by Gif G. c-1 and Joey k-1.  I was in my k-1 playboat.  Typically the there is about 2,800 cfs released into the upper Gauley at the Summersville Dam during season,  and with very little coming in from other feeder creeks this year,  I expect that total flow at the top of the lower was just a little more than that.  Our day quickly shaped up to be a nice sunny day with a few clouds,  temps into the 70’s with little wind.  After setting shuttle and doing the climb down the mountain side, boats on our shoulders and aided by numerous sets of wooden steps at various angle and pitches we arrived at the put in,  caught our breath and got on. 

After a brief warm up in the current out from the put in we where off down to the 1st major rapid just below – “Knootz’s Flume”.  This river wide ledge is preceded by squirrely water and holes above and is normally approached from river right, but once the action starts you have to move left hard and fast.  Staying on the far right is not a healthy option,  as the water pouring over on the far right pushes into and under a huge rock outcropping coming off the right bank that is basically a huge under-cut (not a place to visit).  This under-cut extends at least 25-30 feet out in the channel.  So once things start to get moving above the ledge,  you work hard left to get just right of center to left of center.  My statement to most 1st timers is, better too far left than to far right.  If your in that area you can catch a nice flume or tongue,  but if your to far left you still come off ok and just hit the hydraulic wave line coming from off the left bank to just beyond center which is ok its quite surfable and will let you out.   Well the whole group did just fine including Kevin doing a his 1st time in open canoe very nicely.

After a couple of folks surfed the waves below Koontz’s and Gif found the need to do a little adjustment with the outfitting in his new c-1 via an OBE after throw ends in a surf hole,  we moved on to “Junkyard” and down to “Canyon Doors”.  At “Canyon Doors”,  I caught the curler in the drop at a bit odd and proceeded to demonstrate hanging in the squirrel and rolling once equalilzed methodology, aka – seeking harmony with the flow and air with the roll, all ending well.  Well we had a great time playing the various rapids running the “Mashes” – upper and lower.

After the “Mashes” we came to “Play Station” and “Diagonal Ledges” below, where we hung out for a while,  surfed the most excellent wave and foam pile at PS, rested on the rocks and snacked.  From there we moved on  enjoying the various rapids along the way big and small.  Plenty of ledges,  some big wave trains,  and just lots of fun and play.

Finally as the afternoon came on we arrived at “Pure Screaming Hell”,  a very large and long but fun rapid with considerable fall and consequences if one is not where one should be (particularly if you stay right and fall into several enormous hydraulics and holes (we are talking about large raft swallowing features here).  However if your on line starting right of center entering and moving down working left, catching a eddy among the rock ledges about 2/3 of the way down,  dropping around and down the next ledge and ferrying across between to large hydraulic holes and off the run out, then your good to go and have a fun run,  which as for myself is the line(s) I do.  Well most of us met up in the eddy 2/3 down,  and ran out together.

From there is a couple of smaller rapids then a long but fortunately moving water paddle out to the takeout.  After loading boats and everyone on/in my van, we did the haul back to the top for cars and headed back to the campground and dinner.

Great day paddling,  fine run,  good company.

SYOTR-Paddlin-ed