survived whitewater rafting
I’m back from a mini-vacation to Georgia for 2 days of whitewater rafting the Chattooga River with 3 friends. The rafting was AWESOME and very eventful. From “cave exploring” to “waterfall surfing” to “pothole diving” to cliffdiving to “slip-n-face-smashing” to “poisonous spider bite” to falling out into the unforgiving river (I, of course, lead in ejections). There’s nothing like near-death experiences to help appreciate God’s creations, especially the “ability to breath.” Like my shirt says, “Rafting is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” And the other says, “In heaven the clouds are made of endless whitewater. Amen.”
Friday, we did section III of the Chattooga. We ate dinner at the Mongolian BBQ Chinese Restaurant (good food). On Saturday, after section IV, we walked the 550+ stairs in Tallulah Gorge State Park and ate dinner at the Dillard House (awesome food). Our breakfasts were at the legendary Waffle House both days.
We also spend Sunday at “Six Flags Over Georgia” doing almost all the coasters, like Goliath, Batman, Superman, DejaVu, etc. A great trip! I dropped off some film today — hopefully they come out.
Looks like the Chattooga River was a blast and a bit more intense than the Nantahala River. That river may have to be the next one I tackle. Did you use a guide or attempt it on your own?
We used http://www.SouthEasternExpeditions.com . There’s only 2 other outfits that guide, WildWater Ltd and NOC. The Ocoee in Chattanooga, TN is also a blast. The toughest on the east coast is the Gauley in Virginia — that’s my next stop!
Wow…love those pics..they still make me laugh everytime!! Glad we got to share such a great trip together, can’t think of anyone else I’d like to share that with! I love ya! The picture of you and me just goes to show you are my hero..lol! Miss you and lots of love!
It sounds like a lot of fun, do you recommend it for beginners as well? Reading about whitewater rafting in the middle of the winter is a little frustrating but it is something to look forward to.
For whitewater rafting beginners, Section III of the Chattooga River is fine. However, since the Chattooga is not dam controlled, there’s can be a big difference between high level and low level rafting trips.
For beginners (especially with kids), I highly recommend the Ocoee River in Chattanooga, TN. Since it is dam controlled, the experience is more consistant. A shorter river, but it seems to move faster plus it’s the most popular whitewater in the country. The best outfitters, in my opinion, are Ocoee Outdoors … I’ve used them several times. It can get pretty busy during peak Summer season, but Chattanooga offers other great vacation activities, namely cave exploring.
Some of the best cave exploring in the country (even for beginners like me) are at Raccoon Mountain at wildcave.com (with 1,2,4,6 or 8 hour “real exploring” tours). I did the 8 hour TWICE and had a great time!
When you recieve your ordination, please come to St. Barnabas in Arden NC. I would love to have a father here that both loves the adventure of rollercoasters and rafting plus respects the virtues of Kermit. One comment from an area professional (My family started and runs Wildwater Rafting). A new river in Western NC is the Cheoah and it is a dam controlled river with big drops and high adventure. The largest drop is about 14 feet. We only have 14 days each year (similar limits as the Gauley releases in the fall but more of a spring schedule to mimic traditional rainfall patterns). There are 4 permitted outfitters and we run Ocoee sized rafts with only 4 guests and our top guides plus 2 kayak guides/6 rafts. It is like a combination of the Ocoee and Chattooga together for 9 miles of continuous class III-V. It is a great new addition to the SE whitewater scene. There are a few dates left this year so check it out if you are interested at http://www.wildwaterrafting.com/cheoah.html. If you are headed to the Gauley, Class VI is a great company up in WV. Another web site for other great options across the US is http://www.adventuregateway.com. It has the top outfitters from just about every region of the US.
Peace be with you on your journeys- Jeff