Paddling North Carolina

 11:56pm May 14, 2023     I had so much fun kayaking the Nantahala yesterday that I decided to do it again. My fellow kayaker couldn't make it today, but the same raft I went with yesterday went with me again. I made the mistake of not wearing as many layers today which compromised my ability to do more things on the river. Every time I flipped in the fifty-degree water I yelped. Once I made it down to the falls I decided to run the same line as yesterday. It is known as a-line. It is where the fastest moving water is and sets up the best angle for the photographers on shore. After the falls, I paddled on down to the play hole where I did a whole lot of spins.  Total: 49 hours Nantahala Falls

 11:40pm May 13, 2023     Today, I wanted to get in a kayak. I had a ton of fun rafting, but I was ready to run the Nantahala in a kayak for a change of perspective. The Nantahala isn't a very stout run except for the falls at the end, so I wanted the least stable boat possible. I chose the Dagger Nova which is a full slice. Full slices have flattened bows and sterns for the most fun possible. I shuttled up to the put-in with another kayaker from the guide school and a raft with more people from the school. I imagined that the rapids would look much bigger in the kayak than the raft and they did. Not only did they look bigger, but I had a lot more fun than in the raft. I could catch every eddy, and turn myself vertical on every peel-out. My fellow kayaker and I had a grin on our faces the whole way down. Once completing the falls, we made our way down to the play hole where the carnage began. After getting tossed around for fifteen minutes we called it quits.  Total: 49 hours Nanta

 12:52pm     My second week here at NOC was an eventful one. I first shadowed the learn-to-kayak program. We traveled to the Tuckasegee, Chattooga, and Nantahala Rivers. They were all a bit below my pay grade except for a section of the Chattooga, but there is always more to learn on the river no matter the gradient. One of my goals for the project was to start learning to be a kayak instructor, and I found this experience very helpful. I got to see what works and doesn't when trying to teach someone how to do something. Sometimes it's hard to simplify things when the way that you think about it is complicated. It can also be hard to get thoughts into words at times. This experience has made me consider getting my ACA kayak instructor certification.      On the weekend, I participated in the Swift Water Rescue course. It taught me techniques for river safety and rescue in different river conditions. I didn't just take this course to know how to save someone else, but for my

5:24pm     Today was the last of my swift water rescue training. In the morning, we went over some of the basic knots used. These included overhands, figure eights, truckers hitches, prusiks, bowlines, and clove hitches. For many, knots and hitches don't come easy and I am one of them. After a few tries of each, I eventually started to get the hang of it. The second part of the day was all in the water. The first thing we did was "live bait" rescues. This is where a rescuer is attached to a rope and then swims to intercept a person floating downstream. We then practiced V-lowers. This is where there are people holding a rope on both sides of a rapid that is attached to a person. The person can then be maneuvered around the rapid. At the end of the day, we did scenarios that incorporated everything we have learned in the class. We practiced a foot entrapment, intercepted a downstream swimmer, and freed someone of a strainer. Once finishing the class, I felt more confident

6:00pm      Today was the first day of my Swift Water Rescue class. SWR is a subcategory of technical rescue that involves whitewater river conditions. My peers included other whitewater kayakers like myself. For the first part of the day, the instructor went over general river knowledge such as gear, rescue situations, and hydrology. It was mostly all stuff I already knew, but it was a good refresher. After lunch, we got in the water. This section of the Nantahala River is dam driven and since the water is let out of the bottom of the lake, the water temp is a nice 50 degrees. I had no access to a dry suit, so I made sure to layer up well. After some practice of rope throwing we went swimming. We practiced swimming across the river and the different techniques. We then went wading. Wading can be used in rescue situations as it is a safe way to cross a small river and provides a temporary eddy to help someone if they are stuck. Lastly, we practiced how to get over strainers. A strainer

4:44pm      Today was the last day of the Learn to Kayak program. We started the day by traveling to Fontana Lake to practice rolling. The instructors got in the water and stood by the paddlers as they learned the techniques. While they did that, I practiced improving my own roll. Later after lunch, we paddled the Nantahala River. This river was a bit above the level of the new paddlers' skill set, but they managed. There were only a few swims and I helped them with paddle strokes and edging. It is a great feeling to see people apply the knowledge that you have given them and I am glad I shadowed the program. Hours: 9:00am to 3:00pm Day: 6 hours Total: 79 hours