This report might be subtitled Crisis on the Cartecay: The Perils of Overuse. This trip was billed as for beginners, and we planned to run sections 1 & 2, from Holt Bridge to Blackberry Mtn. Our 11 boats were on the river by 10:30, and luckily we had shuttled all cars to the take-out but one. More later.

The first section down to Burley Stover was a serene float, marked by a pair of Great Grey Herons that served as escort part way, and a cow in the river at one point. One of the party remarked that he had heard of cow patty, but never cow eddy!! The great trees overarching this section give a great sense of wilderness, even as you are passing pasture land. The rhododendron was in full bloom, festooning the shore.

At Highway 52 we saw some people putting on. At Burley Stover we saw more, then we began to encounter kayak clinics, random paddlers, and tubers. We made it through S-turn before the jam hit. By Stegall Falls, it was Grand Central. Later that day, I was told over 30 boats were lingering around the falls. We played hard, beginners, first timers and old timers alike, though at times it was confusing with all the other parties. I believe our GCA group was the only one with throw ropes. We all enjoyed ourselves, and exited below the bridge, hot and enjoyably weary.

The parking lot was packed with vehicles, and they extended out the road all the way to the top of the hill. If this is prologue to the future, the Cartecy is in trouble from overuse. In 14 years of paddling the Cartecay, I have never seen such congestion outside the Nantahala. The safety issue is obvious, as is the quality of the river experience.

The developer of River's Edge/Blackberry Mountain has already expressed an understandable concern that property rights be respected (see last month's Eddy Line); I wouldn't want this crowd in my front yard either, and I would be concerned as to what risk I might run by permitting such a crowd to use my property, should there be an accident. It gets worse. Apparently, the Burley Stover put-in has a new owner, who has indicated intention to close it and charge a user fee, starting soon. Stay tuned.

Participants were: Chris Jaswa, Brian Wilson, Bart Keith and Cathee Gallant, John and Jay Williams, Edward and Dan Heller, Byron Jones, Sonha Payne, Karl Hagan, James Galenzosky, and Dick Hurd. Thanks to Chris for running sweep, and Bart and Cathee for helping shuttle.

by Dick Hurd
From The Eddy Line, August 1996
Sunday June 30, 1996

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