As soon as we arrived we scouted both courses, Freestyle/Wilderness Course to the left; Competition Course to the right. There was even some talk of running the Competition Course. After the walk we had to scramble to the car to bring our boats and gear down for the 3:00 p.m. session. Ben gave us the safety talk, the greatest risk is picking up fruit. He also addressed many of the urban legends about the course—you will not be sucked down the water intake at the lake. He also talked about the eddies, and that the skills that we would develop staying upright in them would make us better boaters. He also talked about rolling; given the often strange and swirling currents, he recommended that we tuck quickly and wait a few seconds before an attempt (advice that paid off for me twice).

Our group of five set out together, running the Entrance Rapid for both channels. After this rapid the channels split: Wilderness to the left and the first leg of the Freestyle to the right. The eddies formed by the Entrance Rapid provide a quick introduction to how strange they truly are. There is more current going upstream than downstream! In the center of the large river right eddy, like the eye of a storm, was a relatively calm spot. The only dilemma is that this was often on the route taken by rafts. To get to the entrance to the Wilderness Channel, many of us dropped below the mid-stream wave ( Janet and others surfed here) and ferried to river left.

On the Wilderness Channel we worked down its five fun drops. At the second rapid I attempted a surf, but was quickly flipped—I waited and fired off a textbook sweep roll. The rapids did not provide nearly as much as a challenge as staying upright or controlling your boat in an eddy; although we eventually did find a couple of places in eddies with slack water. The last rapid of the Wilderness Channel feeds into a large pool, joined to the right by the last drop of the first leg of the Freestyle Channel.

The combined Freestyle Channel has been described by others as “Ocoee-like.” From my own limited experience, I have not found the place on the Ocoee with current this big and strange. I also haven’t found (thankfully) the place on the Ocoee that will body slam you onto the concrete bottom (see below). In the combined channel we worked down the first two big rapids, and then caught an eddy above the “M-Wave.” Janet said that the last time she ran the rapid, two weeks ago, it was much like Tablesaw on the Ocoee. Today the rapid offered a steep first wave, which shot you down a gauntlet and then quickly up onto a massive haystack. Following were two smaller waves. Janet ran first, then Chuck and rest of the group. Coming through the chute, I ran straight down the middle, leaning forward. The boat was still nearly vertical as I hit the pile straight on—staying upright. From there it is a quick trip down the smaller waves, around the bend and then running the last set of rapids before the lake.

Round two!

Crossing the lake current (yes that’s right) we headed for the conveyor belt for the fun ride from the bottom lake to the top. Back in the top lake we set off for our second circuit. After the Entrance Rapid, we went to the right and ran the first leg of the Freestyle Channel. This section was very Ocoee-like, but the current was much more squirrelly, with very dynamic eddies. On this run Gretchen had her first of many combat rolls. We all made the last drop clean and eddied out in the pool at the head of the combined channel.

Chuck battles the M-Wave and Gets Beat Down!

On the second leg of the Freestyle Channel we worked down the first two drops and then eddied out before the bridge and the entrance to the M-wave. Again I ran the first wave straight down the middle and shot up again on the huge pile. This time my landing was upside down. I had a sense as to what was going to happen (and happen very quickly). So I tucked very hard as my boat accelerated down the wave into the trough and on to the bottom of the channel (ouch!). My PFD and the bib took the shock—the bib had impressive looking brown skid marks. As the Diesel climbed the second wave I rolled, and I was up, but not for very long. I was sideways on the wave, and was soon upside down.

My second roll was not the best and I set up for the third. I was nearly up but was hurling into the rocks on the left side of the channel (I felt like I was in a car going off the road on a curve). Scott offered his bow, but he was too far away to reach. So I went down again, tucked hard and fast, and slammed into some rocks on the left—I have a Whitewater Center souvenir on my helmet. I punched out. My swim was short, I swam over the next ledge and with a couple of strokes was into the next eddy. I did recirculate a couple of times before walking on out. Janet rescued the paddle and Scott the Diesel. Thanks!!! Given the height and size of the pile, the pile is a wild and crazy place, I don’t recommend my line of going right down the middle at M-wave.

As I emptied out my boat at the lake one of my dear friends, who will remain nameless (Gretchen), started talking trash about my out of boat experience. Well, we all know how situations like this end.

I needed a break as the group continued to lap the course! I sat down on the wooden chairs at the center, with leg rests, and enjoyed a couple of cold Gatorades. I then turned to the serious business of being team photographer. As I started to walk the course to find the group, I helped out on the rescue of another boater. He didn’t have water shoes, so when he swam he ended up with a seriously lacerated left foot. One of the security guards and I walked his boat back to the center, as the boater gingerly walked back for some first aid. This is not a good place to go barefoot.

Again, and again, and again

Soon I was back on the course with the camera. I was truly amazed to see Scott, Gretchen, Bobby and Janet run the course, again and again and again! At the Entrance Rapid Gretchen had a big sky ender, with a soft landing (sorry, no photo). She also styled the M-wave once, spinning on the pile and running the wave backwards! She also had at least five combat rolls for the day! She and Scott styled the Freestyle circuit at least eight or nine times. Janet surfed, side-surfed and spun at the wave hole on the first big rapid on the combined course. Bobby reported that his highlight for the day was staying upright and finishing -– no mean feat on this course.

Back on the Horse

Janet and Scott encouraged me to get back on the horse, and I did for short run for the 6:00 p.m. session. I still didn’t want to run the M-wave; I tip my hat to that rapid. The group (sans Gretchen) hung with me down the main channel, where the wave hole at the Entrance Rapid ate the Diesel. I did have a great combat roll; that in itself made it worth getting back into the boat. My intention was to take the Wilderness Channel, but I blew the ferry, and worked down the Freestyle Channel. I felt pretty good working through the big and weird currents. We all caught the big eddy where the currents merge, as Janet played. Scott and I walked up to run the Wilderness channel again, as Gretchen continued as team photographer. Everyone had fun; everyone was exhausted; everyone, save Chuck, at some point slept in the car.

Photos

September 23, 2006

by Chuck Spornick

From The Eddy Line, November 2006

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