8/20/2011: Nolichucky R., Poplar, NC to the Nolichucky CG
| With: Jennifer Plyler, Ward Swann, Pam Maynard, Judy Milakovich, Mick Schlotfeldt, Vince Davis, Mathew Swaim, Jack Conrad, Derek Conrad, Joe Fortin, John Kriener, Kevin Kriener, Lang Highfill, Cindy Highfill, Butch Landreth, Tommy Pickeral, Sammy Allred, Kevin Nelson, Trish Owens, Ann Somers | ||
| This was a "Nolichucky First-Timers' Trip" for the Tarheel Paddlers' Association and the Smith River Valley Canoe Club I had posted that I would run the trip if the Embreeville gauge was between 500 and 800 CFS, with French Broad Section 9 as a fall-back if it was between 800 and 2,000 CFS. We had remarkable good fortune, and after two weeks of see-sawing between 350 and 650 CFS, we wound up with 523 the morning of the trip, and had a mostly bright, sunny day, with patches of clouds and only about ten minutes of rain. One paddler clearly wasn't ready for this river, but everyone else did fine, and we all had a wonderful day on the river. 500 CFS was not too low for our three canoes, thirteen kayaks, two Shredders, and one Thrillseeker ducky. |
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| 1. 21 people in 19 boats putting on the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 2. Lang Highfill at On The Rocks rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 3. Too many green kayaks at On The Rocks rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge! | ||
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| 4. Tommy Pickeral at On The Rocks rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 5. Sammy and Kevin at On The Rocks rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 6. Ann and Trish at On The Rocks rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 7. Too many red kayaks at On The Rocks rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge! | ||
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| 8. Too many red kayaks at On The Rocks rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge! | ||
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| 9. Too many red kayaks at On The Rocks rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge! | ||
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| 10. Too many green kayaks at On The Rocks rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge! | ||
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| 11. Too many green kayaks at On The Rocks rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge! | ||
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| 12. Roostertail rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 13. Doubledrop rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 14. Lang Highfill at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 15. Cindy Highfill at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 16. Tommy Pickeral at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 17. Ward Swann at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 18. Joe Fortin at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 19. Sammy and Kevin at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 20. Pam Maynard at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 21. Jack Conrad at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 22. Mick Schlotfeldt at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 23. Derek Conrad at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 24. Kevin Kriener at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 25. Ann and Trish at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 26. Jennifer Plyler at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 27. Jennifer Plyler surfing at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 28. Jennifer Plyler surfing at Twin Eddies rapid in the Nolichucky Gorge | ||
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| 29. The road home from the Nolichucky Gorge | ||