I mean really the Gauley is a great river to long boat. The river is pretty wide open and there is plenty of water around to float a big boat. The lines are for the most part wide open, and during Gauley Fest weekend its so crowded its not like you are going to wait in line at the playspots anyway.
Woody and I got up early. I mean before daylight kind of early. I picked Woody up and we gathered our Pisgahs and gear and met the World Class Kayak Academy at the Put-In. WCKA was doing a fund raiser for Habitat for Humanity, AW, and their scholarship fund. Their plan was to paddle Summersville Dam to Swiss, which is 26 miles, not once but twice. Thats 52 miles. Woody and I only had time to do one trip. We had stuff to do,....yeah right. We needed to set up our booth that would later that evening host some of the best late night activities at Gauley Fest this year.
All the kids from the school made the 52 mile trip and I was completely impressed. I was sore as hell after only 26 miles can't imagine what it would have been like if I had paddled 52. MIght not have been able to MC the contest. : )
Woody and I had a great time. Its funny how we get a little nervous at first and then sort of settle into it. Because really these boats aren't that much bigger than what we used to paddle back in the day anyway.
Actually Woody looked totally comfortable in the Pisgah. He came out the bottom of one of the rapids and said, "These boats make the rapids seem smaller."
We made it down through the upper no problem and were cruising along in the middle when we all started to realize that we were starting to run out of water. We out ran the water release. So we took a little break and waited for at least a little water.
So we could get down through Pure Screaming Hell. We pretty much paddled out on nothing but it worked out great because the school made it back up to the top before the end of the release so that they could do there second top to bottom of the day.
Well here is the video it was actually shot and edited by one of the kids from WCKA, Zach Miller.
Big Boatin' The Gauley, Click Here!
Anyway Woody and I had a great time, and are definitely going to keep on long boating when the time is right.
Later
Shane
