JUNE 2015

Volume 48, Issue 6
The Paddler Tattler
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
(Click items to jump)
Calendar
June Events
Paddle School
Training Trips
Swiftwater Rescue
Women of
Whitewater
For Sale
Overnighters
Flatwater Paddlers
Micah Cox practices a live bait rescue on his victim (Instructor Mike Shillinger)
during the Spring Swiftwater Rescue Course.
(Photo: Chad Christopher)
JUNE
MONTH
2015
Sun
May 31
Mon
June 1
Tues
2
Wed
3
Thurs
4
Fri
5
Roll Practice @
Harrison Bay
Flatwater: Hiwassee 411
to 2RCG
8
9
10
Hiwassee Training Trip
14
6
Hiwassee Training Trip
Paddle School
7
Sat
11
12
Roll Practice @
Harrison Bay
15
16
17
18
13
Tuckaseegee Training
Trip
19
Roll Practice @
Harrison Bay
20
OC Demo Day
Flatwater: Harrison Bay
Buffalo River 8 -Day Overnighter (Arkansas)
21
22
23
Hiwassee Training Trip
24
25
Board Meeting
Roll Practice @
Harrison Bay
26
Nantahala Training Trip
Flatwater N. Chick Dam
Buffalo River
28
Waterfront Triathlon
27
29
30
July 1
2
3
Roll Practice @
Harrison Bay
Photo of the SWR Class by Chad Christopher.
4
Happy 4th of July!
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
2
good time. Rolling until dark (ish), then food and
drinks afterwards. Contact Steve Crowell.
June 6th—Hiwassee Training Trip
E
N
JU NTS
E
V
E
May 27th—Paddle School Packing
Party
6pm. (C). Momma T’s house. We’ve got to pack the
bags full of paddle school info, t-shirts, and goodies.
It’s so much easier (and more fun) when we work
as a team. Momma T will provide hamburgers,
hot dogs, and baked beans. You bring the sides,
desserts, and beverages of choice. We’ll hang out on
the porch and get it all done. Contact Ashley Teel.
May 29th-31st—Paddle School!
You know the drill. Meet at OAR for the best
weekend of the year! See pages 5-8 for more
information!
June 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th—
Summer Roll Practice
5:30pm. (C, WW). Harrison Bay State Park. Dust off
your skills before Paddle School or just come for a
Come to our first training trip as a student or
support boater! Contact Brandon Beaty.
June 7th—Hiwassee Training Trip
More Hiwassee for the Sunday crew. Contact Steve
Crowell.
June 24th—June Board Meeting
6:30pm. (C). LOCATION TBA. Come see what the
board does and enjoy food & drink afterwards.
June 27th—Nantahala Training Trip
The Nantahala is the next step for beginners and a
fun day for support boaters. Contact Lisa Lemza.
June 13th—Tuckaseegee Training
Trip
Detailed information on
Overnighter Trips can be found on
Page 18.
Ready to take the next step up? Meet us at the Tuck
in Bryson City, NC (2.5 hours from Chattanooga).
Contact Debby McRae.
Detailed information on Flatwater
Trips can be found on Page 21.
June 14th-21st—Buffalo River
(Arkansas) 8-Day Overnighter
Trip Leader contact information for
Whitewater Training Trips can be
found on the schedule on Page 9.
Enjoy clean, warm water and camping for this
extended adventure. Does not include travel days.
More details on page 18. Contact Kent Overbeck.
June 20th—Outdoor Chattanooga
Demo Day
10am to 2pm. Harrison Bay State Park. Outdoor
Chattanooga will be hosting a day for the
community to get exposed to various paddlesports
and demo lots of boats! TVCC will be recruiting and
helping out with the event.. More details on Page
15. Contact Stacy Stone.
June 21st—Hiwassee Training Trip
Enjoy another day of supported training on the
Hiwassee. Contact Spence Lycan.
Please RSVP to the trip leader by the Wednesday
prior so that support boaters can be arranged.
***
All paddling trips are weather and water dependent. It is
mandatory that trip leaders be notified by phone by the
Wednesday prior to the trip if you plan to attend. This will
allow the trip leader to notify you of any changes made.
Most events are detailed on the calendar section of the tvcc
website.
Contact the trip leader for specific training trip meeting
times.
WW = Whitewater
F = Flatwater
C = Club Event
ON = Overnight Canoe Camping
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
3
Membership Announcement
Per the bylaws,
all memberships
submitted since
January 1st count
for the June 1st,
2015 through
May 31st, 2016
membership year.
If you haven’t
renewed yet, it will
be expired at the
end of the month!
Don’t miss the
next newsletter
and other summer
activities!
If you are going
to paddle school
and you haven’t
renewed yet, we
will be accepting
your membership
in the registration
line. Credit and
debit cards will be
accepted.
President’s
Corner
Editor’s
Note
Paddle School is coming up—A time to meet old friends
and make new ones and, a time to share what you know
and learn new things. A couple of suggestions for the
newbie and old pro alike:
It’s time for Paddle School! We’ve been talking about
it for months, and it’s finally here! Even the city of
Chattanooga knows. In case you didn’t catch it, there
was a wonderful article about Paddle School in the
Times Free Press this past week.
1. It is going to rain so pitch your tent in a high spot
and use the rain fly.
2. Keep the noise down during quiet times and
bring ear plugs incase others don’t.
3. Get some sleep because you will work both days.
4. Wear sunscreen.
5. Don’t wear natural fibers on the river. Cotton is
Rotten!
6. Put flotation in the stern of your kayak to help
with retrieval. Beach balls work and are cheap.
7. Drink plenty of water.
8. And have fun. A good attitude makes everyone’s
day better.
The Ocoee is running now. Some say that a few of
the features have changed, but I cannot tell it on the
Middle. I watched a play boater in Gorilla and below
Humongous today. Both may become goals for this
summer. Beat down stories may follow.
Hiwassee River Blueway is progressing. If you have not
heard it is a 60 mile canoe trail from Reliance down to
the TN River. Mostly class I with a class II rapid called
Powerline between Reliance and US 411. The following
is a link if you are interested: http://tennesseeoverhill.
com/hiwassee-scenic-river/
Don Fletcher, TVCC President
In addition to getting all of my camping and paddling
gear together for the weekend, I’ve also been thinking
about what to bring as my side dish for Friday night’s
dinner (and the Wednesday night packing party, and
the officer dinner on Thursday). This will be dubbed the
week of side dishes.
In the past two years that I’ve been involved with TVCC,
the only other constant besides great friends and great
rivers has been always bringing a side dish.
It may seem like one extra thing to worry about or
prepare, but it’s always an exciting surprise to see
the table filled with everyone’s unique contributions.
There’s always a diverse spread of store-bought and
homecooked items, and everything fits together nicely,
just like our club.
All of the TVCC potlucks remind me of what a strong
(and tasty) community we have. We all come together
to share what’s important to us.
This being said, please DON’T STRESS over your side
dish. Seriously. It takes bags of chips and homecooked
potato salads to make our potluck dinners what they
are.
Meryl Stark, Newsletter Editor
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
4
Are You Ready?
The Instructors Are!
TVCC’s Instructors and Support Boaters gathered for a
training session on Sunday, May 17th, where Spence
Lycan taught the 5B’s (Brain, Body, Breath, Boat, and
Blade); 6R’s (Reach, Rolls, Risk, Recidivism, Reliability, and
Recirculation); and 6B’s (Boofin’, Beatered, Bombproof,
Bodacious, Bedanged, and Benighted). Pizza was served as
compensation.
Photos courtesy of Eric Fleming
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
5
$10 FOR AN OPEN BOAT?
(Nope , that ’s not a typo!)
The donation from our
friends at Blackfly Canoes
was too good to just auction
off, so there’s going to be a
raffle!
Buy as many tickets as you
want for $10 each, and the
winner gets a Blackfly Canoe
of his or her choice, plus
some really nice extras!
Check out these other great items in the auction:
IR Thickskin Union
Suits M and XL
($95 Each)
2 Zipline Passes from
Ocoee Zips ($158 Value)
Kner-Vus Breakdown
from Highland Paddles
($275 Value)
Jackson Orion 25 Cooler
($369 Value)
Growlers & Free Fills!
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
6
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday
5:00pm
6:30pm
6:30pm
7:00pm
7:30pm
8:00pm
11:00pm
Saturday
8:00am
8:30am
8:45am
9:15am
6:00pm
6:00pm
7:00pm
7:00pm
8:00pm
11:00pm
Registration Opens
Dinner: Hamburgers and Hot Dogs (BRING A SIDE DISH)
Eric Zitzow from Kayak Outfitting
Registration Closes
MANDATORY Instructor/Support Boater Meeting
Live Music by Dagger Blue
Quiet Hour
Late Registration Opens
Late Registration Closes
MANDATORY Safety Talk at the Stage
TO THE RIVER (Remember to pack your lunch/snacks)
Silent Auction on the Stage
Catered Dinner (Must have purchased ticket)
River Joust
Instructor Recap at Safety Tent
Gear Auction
Quiet Hours
Sunday
Classes on the river. Time to be set by Your Instructor
Game On!
Looking for entertainment between Saturday
night dinner and the auction? Want to be the
entertainment on Saturday night?
Make your way to the banks of the mighty Ocoee for
the River Joust!
Spence Lycan reminds us of the not-so-or-maybeso-Official rules of the game:
1. Folding ‘Merican money augments
Judgemental Preference.
2. Play Strong. Play Flare.
3. It ain’t Exemplary Jousting until a Harris gets
wet.
Confused? That’s okay. Come see the joust and find
out for yourself!
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
7
A Newbie’s Guide to Paddle School
by Mike Shillinger
Photo: Steve Crowell
Is this your
first paddle
school? Are
you just
bursting full
of questions?
How do I
navigate this
event that
everyone
is so hyped
about? Have
no fear! Safety
Mike has the
answers for
newbs and
veterans alike.
( just don’t dress like this!)
Huddle House is just down the road too, and they are open
24 hours!
WHAT ABOUT LUNCH?
Pack your own lunch for both Saturday and Sunday. You will
not have time to run out to find a place to eat once we start
training on Saturday morning.
HOW WILL I KNOW WHO MY INSTRUCTOR IS?
We are slotting the students into their paddling ability
groups right now, based on the information you provided
in your application for paddle school. Once the instructors
are assigned, the instructor may contact you prior to paddle
school to try to answer some of your questions. Don’t worry
if they don’t…remember all instructors and support people
are volunteers and they’re all working to pay the mortgage
during the week as well!
HOW WILL I MEET HIM/HER?
Most people will meet their instructor Friday night, but
we will announce the groups to everybody on Saturday
morning. Make sure you meet up with your instructor then.
WHAT IS A SUPPORT BOATER?
HOW DO I KNOW THE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS?
In your welcome packet will be a lists of times and locations.
The timeline will also be posted near the stage at OAR so you
can find out what you need to know. Most club activities will
take place at the stage near the Pavilion at OAR on Friday and
Saturday night.
WILL I HAVE TIME TO EAT ON SATURDAY
MORNING?
Yes, but don’t wait until 8:30 to eat! Get up early. The
Whitewater Grill will be serving breakfast starting at 7:30 AM.
A support boater is a very experienced club member that
has volunteered to follow each of the training groups down
the river. They are there to help with training, and ensure you
have help when needed on the river.
WILL I GET HELP WITH MY GEAR?
Yes, we have a group of people (Team Safety) that will assist
you Friday night at the club ‘outfitting tent’ to make sure
you have the proper equipment for this training. Bring your
gear over and let us check it out for you and make sure it’s
serviceable.
HOW DO I LOAD MY BOAT?
Paddling groups usually help each other get their gear
loaded…That’s just part of paddling. Paddling is a team
sport—individuals working in a group—as a team—to have
a great day on the river!
I AM NERVOUS. THIS IS A LOT OF
INFORMATION. IS THIS OKAY? AM I THE ONLY
ONE WHO IS NERVOUS?
No worries! Everybody is always nervous at first. This is new
to everybody the first time; TVCC has been doing this event
for nearly 50 years as a club. We know how to train you…so
just do your best to listen to your instructor and don’t worry
about the details.
WHAT ABOUT PARKING AT THE CAMPSITE?
There is plenty of parking in the campsite area. We will have
parking passes for each car this year. Parking Passes can be
found in your Welcome Packet, please hang it in your car as
soon as you get your packet.
HOW WILL OUR BOATS GET TO THE RIVER?
Individual paddling groups shuttle all their own boats and
gear to the put-in and take-out for every river trip. We will do
the same thing at paddle school. Once groups are assigned,
those groups will stay together all weekend and will manage
their own shuttle to and from the river for training.
WHAT ABOUT BATHROOMS/SHOWERS?
The OAR campground has potable drinking water points
throughout the campground. It has great bathrooms and
hot-shower facilities; once we go to the river, however, there
is typically just a porta-let or latrine at the put-in and at the
take-out…but not much else.
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
8
2015 Whitewater Training Trips
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Day of Week
Saturday
Sunday
Saturday
Saturday
Sunday
Saturday
Sunday
Saturday
Saturday
Saturday
Saturday
Sunday
Saturday
Saturday
Sunday
Saturday
Sunday
Saturday
Saturday
Sunday
Saturday
Tennesse Valley Canoe Club
Whitewater Training Trip Schedule - Summer 2015
Date
River
Trip Lead
6-Jun
Hiwassee
Brandon Beaty
7-Jun
Hiwassee
Steve Crowell
13-Jun
Tuckasegee
Debby McRae
20-Jun Outdoor Chattanooga Demo Day
Stacy Stone
21-Jun
Hiwassee
Spence Lycan
27-Jun
Nantahala
Lisa Lemza
28-Jun
Waterfront Tri*
Taylor Watson
NO TRAINING TRIPS
4-Jul
11-Jul
Nantahala
David McConnell
18-Jul
Nantahala
Scott Harrison
25-Jul
Rescue Rodeo
Mike Shillinger
26-Jul
Big Bro/ Big Sis Raft Race*
Jim Ledbetter
1-Aug
Lesser Wesser Messer**
Andrew Waters
8-Aug
Pigeon
David McConnell
9-Aug
Sports Barn Tri*
Taylor Watson
15-Aug
Pigeon
Brian Swafford
16-Aug
Upper Green
Brandon Koch
22-Aug
Ocoee Sampler
Rudy Beaty
NO TRAINING TRIPS
29-Aug
6-Sep
Ocoee First Timers
Carin Burford
12-Sep
Girl Scout Raft Race*
Taylor Watson
Phone Number
423.322.7328
423.994.4732
205.533.0182
423.443.2175
423.991.4451
423.243.3530
423.304.5102
865.207.9607
423.240.4288
423.618.8587
423.322.3691
865.403.0062
865.207.9607
423.304.5102
423.902.6699
313.505.0718
423.715.1520
205.837.3440
423.304.5102
Training Trips are continuing education for paddle school students. They differ from regular club trips in that, though no
formal instruction takes place, the trips will have sufficient support boaters to assist in skills development. Feel free to ask
questions or for help with something as that is why we are there. We encourage you to join in on regular club trips as well,
and in some of the listed community service activities and the Rescue Rodeo (whitewater). The white water trips will
primarily increase in intensity as the summer progresses, culminating in an Ocoee first-timers trip.
Students wishing to participate in a training trip MUST contact the trip coordinator by the Wednesday prior to trip.
*Denotes Community Service Activity or other activity - all newbies welcome!
**The Lesser Wesser is a special training trip which focuses on running Nantahala Falls. In order to participate in this trip,
you must have attended at least two of the Nantahala training trips.
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
9
Swiftly Successful
Spring SWR Class Ropes the Ocoee
by Mike Shillinger, Safety Chair
The club sponsored its spring Swift Water Rescue (SWR)
Course on May 2-3, held this year at OAR and the Ocoee
River. It was an incredible training event! 14 of our club
members swam the Ocoee River both days of training,
becoming more confident in their ability to swim in
Whitewater Conditions and tackle hard problems that could
occur on any paddling trip. We had students come from
every cross section of the club – white-water paddlers,
flat-water paddlers, very-experienced paddlers, and every
one of them graduated a more confident and competent
club member. Jay Wright, Mike Shillinger, Chad Christopher,
LaDawn Wolfe, and Bruce Foster, our ACA Certified SWR
instructors, trained the students on Rescue Philosophy, Basic
Rescue Equipment, Rescue Rope Throwing, Ropes & Knots,
Mechanical Advantage, Entrapment Escape Techniques,
Hand of God Rescues, White Water Swimming, Contact
Rescues, Strainer Engagement, and Self Rescue Techniques.
Sunday afternoon, the students participated in rescue
scenarios and this was clearly the highlight of the student’s
training. The latest graduates of the TVCC Swift Water Rescue
training course are: Kristin Evans, Stephanie Whiting, Deborah
Webb, Alison Lucy, John Wiser, Reece Monroe, Jeff Monroe,
James Eubank, Cassi Wylie, Mack O’Rear, Morgan Wright,
Micah Cox, Marlo Wright, and Paul Moyle. Congrats!
Two special people also need to be mentioned here. Our
Club SWR Alumni members: Thanks to Spence Lycan and JD
Keener for coming out to support.
The club now has over 168 members Swift Water Rescue
Trained. Our safety program continues to be second to none!
Thought I knew a lot about
the river and I couldn’t see
spending two days in a class.
WRONG! I learned some very
valuable skills this weekend
from some very competent
SWR instructors. Sure there
was some basic review, but the
light bulb moments and new
information could make a big
difference in a life and death
situation. How important is
that? I just didn’t know what I
didn’t know...”
—An Old Timer
Take [SWR] with TVCC so you’ll
suck less.
—An Experienced Boater
TVCC SWR is a high quality
course taught by very
knowledgeable instructors,
and the skills and knowledge
gained are invaluable; it could
save you our your buddy’s life
some day.
—A Newer Boater
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
10
Women of Whitewater
Weekend “WoWs”
Participants
WoW: Hiwassee &
Lower Conasauga
by Rachel Elise
So over the past nine months of getting my “boater chick”
on it’s been fairly entertaining to sit back as a newbie and
listen to all of the “knowledge” veteran boaters could dole
out…especially from the men. Particularly their eagerness to
teach me everything from what a “piton” or “boof” was, to the
different local rivers to paddle (and don’t forget what order
to hit them in!), the “best” way to camp, or even the whole
brown claw thing. I must say the most interesting bit of
insight I got was sitting around with the fellas and a kick-ass
lady boater, LaDawn Wolfe, and the topic of rating women
came about.
Apparently there is a curve that every woman is rated on,
yet once she becomes a paddler she earns an extra 2 points
of hottttt-ness! A girl that is a 4 on the street automatically
becomes a 6 if she boats. If she’s a 7 on the hot scale, then
look out! That chick is now a 9 if she’s in a boat! And, no,
I dared not ask what we were, or why with this boating
handicap they were accounting for the scale only went to
10. Especially since I’d say most girls are above a 5…haha,
but then again maybe I’m wrong since I don’t swing for that
team.
Photo: Rachel Elise
Left to Right: Terra McGill, Jen Maxwell, Sue Spalding, Ashley Teel, Sandy Snyder, LaDawn Wolfe, Heather Curry, Sandra
Massey Walker, Julie Wright-Carlson, Kristin Evans, Ali Reddington, Kim Abney and Debby McRae. Not Pictured: Teagan Hiscock
So, anyway, this got me thinking, as I looked around our
crew, that I really am surrounded be dudes all the time in
kayaking. Then I wondered, what would a weekend without
the fellas be like? Don’t get me wrong they are all wonderful,
but seriously, I was betting it would be a completely different
experience.
Fast forward a few months and I would get my chance to
find out as TVCC (Chattanooga’s paddling club) and Chota
Canoe Club (Knoxville’s paddling club) setup a Women of
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
11
Photos: Rachel Elise
Whitewater weekend on the river and camping at OAR
Campground by the Ocoee.
Well, the weekend had finally arrived, and stoked that
the water and air temp had finally warmed up enough
to possibly brave a swim, I stole the keys to my dad’s
mountaineer, packed my gear up, loaded the cooler, and
after a very unproductive day of work I set course for OAR
before nightfall. Yeeeaaah…that didn’t happen. After missing
the turn into the campground 2x I finally found it, staked out
a campsite, grabbed my headlamp and a full Pint Night glass,
and like a moth to a flame went in search of “our people”.
Come to find out I was the only one from either club to show
up Friday night. But making friends with the silhouettes of
some newb raft guides and watching the fire die wasn’t half
bad! To be honest the best part of the evening was realizing
that my camping in the truck plan was stellar…no bugs, non
humidity, just the sound of mother nature dumping buckets
of rain on the car.
Saturday morning came round and as “our people” finally
started to roll in I knew it was going to be a good day!
First off, this dirtbag found out that camp was FREE for the
weekend! Then Ashley Teel brought me non-instant coffee
(can I get a hallelujah?!?!) and finally we were going back to a
river I knew we all could enjoy…the good ole Hiwassee!
18 Boats loaded and chicks crammed into shuttle cars later,
and we made it to the put in. At this point I’m laughing
because I was scared to freakin death of whitewater on my
first day at paddle school last June, and now this river is so
small to me! This was to be my 12th river run, and 5th since
getting a facial from 3 second rock (Lesser Wesser) on Labor
Day…for those of you who saw my face on the internet and
wonder if that chick still boats. Um….yes.
Come to find out many of us began our kayaking careers on
this river. You just can’t be a the Hiwassee as a place to make
memories…first swims, all the different kinds of fisherman
with all their little gadgets, swimming Devil Shoals after
running it, or the ceremonial jump off the train trestle. Now,
though, one of the most enjoyable trips down this river was
with a group of women who were ready to cheer anyone on
and pump you up! Seriously, if any of us were doubting our
boating skills for the season that rust was knocked off right
there at the put in!
Take Kristin Evans for example, she got her Jackson Karma
sucked into a ledge for a nice side surf, but when things got
knarly and she was sculling like a champ and swam there
were no sarcastic bro comments to be had! Oh, and we
could pick our own lines! Every girl in a boat has been told
this by a dude…”just follow me”. But not this day. Same thing
with a little roll session in Pee Creek. Although admittedly I
used the creek for its namesake. It was a relief to know we
could go surf, play, attain, practice a combat roll or two and
not feel like you had to follow the direction of anyone…just
have fun!
Now, I said there were no dudes on this trip, but in all
honesty we had one dirtbag daddy, Aaron Hiscock, bring his
dirtbag baby girl, Teagan, 14, to paddle with us. You might
say he was like a seahorse…he cared for his young but let
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
12
her play with her friends and kept his distance. The vibe was
so chill out there we even forgot he was around until he
nearly swam a few times. (FYI- take a note from Aaron. If you
want to know what it feels like to be a beginner again, get an
open boat)
Fast Forward to the takeout, and the party began right there
on the tarmac. Fresh baked cookies, an impromptu safety
meeting, a game of slap the bag, and plenty of women
changing clothes like the takeout lot was a women’s locker
room…it was the beginning of a good night! Oh, and if I was
a dude, I would have been very jealous of how much fun was
missed!
Back at camp everyone broke out their scraps and slugged
through the mud provided by the torrential downpour the
night prior to find that Alex Vargas was making us Tacos
(you have no idea what you are missing people!!!) and
Ryan Glasser was ready to grill for us! After a quick, and very
eventful, trip to the store (my apologies to the clerk for my
hilariously lit passengers…but at least you got a laugh) my
cronies and I got back and Terra McGill was ready to make
Kristin shotgun a beer for the swim. In all the excitement
though she tore a freakin 3” gash in the can and wondered
why it wasn’t going the way she planned. Add my stereo,
and the 6 cases of social lubricant (that’s for you Terra) we
brought back the party was alive!
By the way, I did hear a keen insight made by one of the
ladies, “Does anyone else realize all of the guys we had on
the river or cooking for us were open boaters? They are so
chill. Hard boaters would just want to know what rivers we
paddled and then eat our food! Forget cooking for us!” True
story.
As the fire, and my phone, died down and everyone made
their way back to camp, or to another “meeting” the plan was
finally set to send the class III+ girls to the Ocoee and the rest
of us would head down to the Lower Conasauga.
The previous weekend I’d paddled the Lower Conasauga
guided by Kirk Eddlemon, so Aaron and I figured even with
the water much lower this free flow river isn’t one to pass by
if we could run it again. This time it would be Teagan Hiscock,
Carrie Callaway, Aaron Hiscock, and myself from Chota, along
with three TVCC ladies who’s name I cannot remember…I
feel like a jerk. Anyway, we paddled the river and just enjoyed
the views. It was so very peaceful. It was reminiscent of
backcountry paddling. We had only maybe one swimmer,
but all in all a good day and it was mostly a sightseeing trip.
When it finally came to an end we hiked out with our boats
and I laced up my running shoes for my next workout…
getting our shuttle car. “It’s just a half mile away” Aaron said.
SCREW THAT. I’m telling you, the whole “as the crow flies”
thing applies here! It felt like I was running the dragon! Every
turn I’d pray the car was there…and it wasn’t. All I could think
is “They are waiting on my slow rear to fetch this car and I’m
not going to be “that girl” and waste everyone’s time.” Haha!
Dripping with sweat I finally reached the car. We grabbed
drivers and brought back all the vehicles for our final
Photos: Rachel Elise
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
13
Photo: Rachel Elise
weekend farewells.
Word on the street is that a few of the girls who went to the
Ocoee let some guys be honorary Women of Whitewater for
the day. It could be a farce, but we all know they guys just
want to be one of us. If I had a dollar for every time I heard
a guy say, “I wish I had boobs!”….I won’t even go there. You
know what I’m getting at.
So thanks to all of WoW (as Terra and Julie coined us!) for
coming out to have a great weekend without the fellas! It
was so much fun and we’ll have to get on the river together
soon!
WoW Day 2: Ocoee
Light
by Julie Wright Carlson
By nature, and God given right, paddlers are story tellers…
Some stories are fun to relive and others we would really like
to never hear again. The memories, stories and just flat out
hilarious uplifting time spent at the First WoW weekend was
comparable to nothing I’ve ever experienced!! These women
I now have the privilege of calling “friends” did nothing
short of provide me the self-confidence and support to
take the next step toward advancing my boating! Paddling
is definitely the best individual, team sport in the world!
As we put in at Slice and Dice on Day 2 of WoW weekend
for my first Ocoee Light run, my stomach was tangled and
my heart was racing. Jen, Ashley and Terra assured Kristin,
Heather and myself that everything was
going to be awesome and we were going
to stick together and have a blast. Then,
someone definitely deserving of the title
“Best Honorary WoW” paddled up. Peepaw
introduced himself and brought a level of
calm and funny that I desperately needed.
“Listen to Peepaw! Stay in your boat. I will
come get you!” Best line of the day!
Photo: Ashley Teel
These women all have unique and
effective methods for developing the
skills of fellow women paddlers. Their
enthusiasm to share this sport and
encourage me is something I am forever
grateful for and will strive to provide in
the future for newcomers and veterans
alike! That weekend was one of the most
empowering weekends of my life…
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
14
Spring Club Meeting
TVCC Members gathered on Saturday, May 2nd for the semi-annual member meeting and potluck.
Outdoor
Chattanooga
Demo Day
Save the Date: Saturday, June 20th
Canoes, Kayaks, SUPs, Fishing,
Dragons, and More!
HARRISON BAY STATE PARK
10am–12pm: Specialty Clinics
12pm–2pm: Open Demos
The public is invited to join Outdoor Chattanooga and
Rock/Creek to learn about area resources, businesses
and clubs related to paddle sports, and to try out a
variety of boats ranging from recreational kayaks, to
whitewater boats, surf skis and dragon boats, fishing
kayaks, and more. Several product manufactures and
local businesses will be offering clinics in the morning
for those pre-registered to be followed by an open
pubic demo. Experienced paddlers will be there to
help you with quick lessons on how to get into your
boat without tipping and the basic paddling strokes.
Personal floatation devices will be made available for
the demo. Attendees have the opportunity to paddle
each demo boat up to 20 minutes – enough time
choose your favorite paddle craft that best fits your
needs, so you can start your adventures on the water.
TVCC will be participating in this event. Contact
Stacy Stone to volunteer. Keep an eye out for more
information.
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
15
Boats For Sale
Paddle School Starter Kit for sale!
WaveSport Diesel 60. New in 2013. Only been
used 10-12 times on Hiwassee and Nantahala ­—
$600.
Great for a beginner. Wavesport EZ with airbags,
Werner Desperado paddle & a new (used 3x)
Snapdragon spray skirt. M tunnel/L deck. $600 OBO.
Will subdivide. Contact Heather Holloway or check
out the TVCC Kayaking Facebook Group.
More pictures available upon request.
Jackson Star, New. Sweet Cheeks & Sweet Feet ­—
$600.
For both, contact Alison Bolnick: 706-302-2691.
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
16
Cahaba River Overnighter
May 10th-15th, 2015
by Carolyn Rand
To sum up this adventure, I would have to give
one word, food. We started by meeting at Brierfield
State Park and spent 2 days and nights in an 1800’s
log cabin. The state park was originally an ironworks
furnace facility which still has the original furnace
still standing. We cooked supper in Dutch ovens and
ate until we popped.
We said our goodbyes to Shirley, Bonnie and Jan,
who worked so hard to cook and prepare for us, but
could not go on the river, and then headed out. The
first day was fun. It was continuous class II rapids
with a good flow. All the boats made it through
upright, but I can’t say that for the paddlers. There
was just enough carnage to make it interesting
and let us practice rescue skills without being in
any danger. By the end of the week, our beginner
paddlers had improved greatly.
Each day was filled with easy paddling, dispersed
among lots of rest stops and snack breaks. We
traveled about 12 miles a day and still had plenty
of time to set up camp, swim and bathe before
supper time. We sat around a nice campfire
every evening which kept the bugs away, and
got plenty of sleep each night to wake up
refreshed and ready to go again.
pork, potato salad, slaw, fruit, cookies
and tons of iced tea with lots of ice
ready for us. I think every one of us
drank at least 4 huge glasses of tea
before ever even looking at the food.
At each meal we ate, Buddy would
pull out these gift bags he had
prepared for everyone before the
trip. Buddy and Shirley have such big
hearts; it is a pleasure to be around
them. By the end of the trip we had
all been lavished with gifts ranging
from Dutch oven cooking utensils
to flashlights, headlamps, caps and
collapsible buckets, just to name a
few.
Our last day, we only had to paddle
3 miles, so it seemed like way too
short of an end to a wonderful time
on the water. We met one last time
at the Sawmill Restaurant for a buffet
meal together and then headed
home. Thanks for a wonderful time,
guys!
The night before we took off the river, we met
Shirley again at the Barton’s Beach Park where
she had a complete catered meal of pulled
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
17
Overnighters 2015 Calendar
March 28th-30th—Toccoa River
July 11th-12th—Little TN River
Sept 26th-28th—Toccoa River 3 Day Trip
Trip
Contact Carolyn Rand. CarolynMRand@gmail.com;
Contact Carolyn Rand. CarolynMRand@gmail.com.
April 11th-12th—Upper
Coosawattee River (WW)
April 11th-12th—Lower Coosawattee
(Flat)
423-400-2590. (Back up plan is TN River Blueway with
camping at Pot Point House.)
July 25th-26th—Rescue Rodeo & Big
Brother/Big Sister Rafting
Sept 27th—Ironman Triathlon Volunteering
Oct 3rd—TN River Rescue
Contact Jim Ledbetter. 1jimled@gmail.com.
Camping at Hiwassee Outfitters between these two
Oct 11th-17th—Current River (MO)
April 25th-26th—Talking Rock
events. Contact Jim Ledbetter. 1jimled@gmail.com.
Weeklong overnighter trip. When not on river, we will be
May 10th-15th—Cahaba River in
Aug 9th—Sports Barn Triathlon
Alabama
Contact Taylor Watson. TaylorWatson@comcast.net.
May 23rd-25th—Big South Fork 3 Day
Aug 11th-24th—Boundary Waters
Trip
These dates include 2 (9 hr) driving days. 4 spots left. Use
Memorial Day Weekend. Trip Leader: Don
outfitters’ canoes and share 3 people per canoe to make
Bodley. Contact Carolyn Rand. CarolynMRand@
portages easier. Contact Ed Park. eparkseven@yahoo.
gmail.com; 423-400-2590
com; 423-400-9530
May 29th-31st—Paddle School
Aug 15th-16th—Lake Jocassee
Register online at tvccpaddler.com.
Crystal Clear lake with waterfalls. The outfitter takes your
June 14th-21st—Buffalo River in
Arkansas (Week Long)
Clear warm water, camping on clean rock bars.
gear to the campsite on an island, so you don’t have to
carry it in your boat. Trip Leader: Stacy Stone. slglee426@
at base camp at Big Spring and travel to other lcoations
from there. Contact Gary Petty. pettygw@gmail.com.
Oct 10th—Ocoee Race
Oct 25th—Boo Run (Ocoee)
Nov 14th-15th—Etowah River
Contact Jamie Wendt. jwendt@epbfi.com.
Dec 27th-Jan 1st—Weeklong Florida Trip
Canoes, Sea Kayaks, and anything that floats. Travel
time not included in dates. Contact Pat Carver.
PatCarver1055@yahoo.com.
yahoo.com.
Beautiful cliffs. Contact Kent Overbeck.
June 28th—Waterfront Triathlon
Volunteering
Meet at the GPS Boat Dock at 6:30am.
Contact Taylor Watson. TaylorWatson@
comcast.net.
Sept 5th—Girl Scout Raft Race
Club meeting with elections to follow.
Sept 12th-13th—Elk River
Contact Uwe Zitzow. UweZitzow@comcast.net.
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
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West Chickamauga Creek
Sunday, April 26th
by Eric Fleming
I can’t even begin to tell you how frustrated I am
about all the severe weather reports for all day
Saturday with severe thunderstorms and tornado
warnings, forcing me to change the paddle to
Sunday, and then having a clear day without a
drop of rain all day Saturday. Mother Nature always
has a say in what we plan though. I just wish the
forecasters could get more in tune with Mother
Nature!
Anyway, 12 of us met at 10 am on April 26th at the
Chickamauga ramp. We ran shuttle and put on.
The water was higher than usual but still six feet
lower than when I’d checked it on Monday after our
six inches of rain.
branches to where we could zigzag
through.
It’s a nice winding creek with a couple of
small white water sections and plenty of
downed trees to navigate around.
It was a 4.5 hour trip on a perfect day to
paddle.
Thanks to everyone who helped get
releases signed, ran shuttle and sweep,
helped with the log jams, lugged boats,
and were just a pleasure to paddle with.
What a team!
Hope to see y’all again soon!
We made it nearly to the Alexander bridge before
hitting the first log jam. We were able to limber
under a tree and continue to the bridge for a break
after two hours of paddling.
We put back on and soon hit another log jam. I
had a chain saw with me but considering how
unstable everything was that’s a last resort. We
were able to disassemble a section big enough
to float through. It was like a jigsaw puzzle
figuring out the right log to pull next, but it
didn’t take long.
The next log jam was passable by trimming
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
19
Sale & Soddy Creeks
May 2nd & May 16th
by Eric Fleming, Flatwater Cruisemaster
Sale Creek
15 of us met at the Sale Creek ramp at 10 am on
May 2nd on an absolutely perfect day.
We geared up and put on. It was a round trip so
everyone could just paddle at their own pace.
Most made it up to the 27 bridge and took a break
before paddling back to the put on.
We then headed over to the local BBQ joint for our
fix of BBQ.
Another fun day on the river.
Soddy Creek
14 paddlers met at the Soddy ramp at 10 am on
May 16th on a cloudy but calm day.
We put on and paddled down Soddy Creek to the
power lines to see the Osprey, and as usual we
weren’t disappointed, as there was one sitting on
the pylon next to the nest.
We turned around and headed to the Steve’s
Landing restaurant for a fine meal with great
company on the outside deck before returning
to the put in.
We paddled 2.5 hours and spent 1.5 hours at
lunch. Sounds like a pretty good ratio to me!
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
20
Flatwater Paddlers 2015 Calendar
Note our new name! We are
now the Flatwater Paddlers, in
order to be more inclusive of
Canoes, Rec Boats, Sit-on-tops,
SUPs, and any other calm-water
crafts.
March 28th. Harrison Islands. Eric.
April 18th. Hales Bar (C), (S). Eric.
April 25th. West Chickamauga to Reeds
Rd, GA. (C),(S). Eric.
May 2nd. Sale Creek. Eric.
Harrison Bay for a picnic lunch and enjoy the OC
event. Easy 2 hour paddle, plus lunch. Eric.
June 27th. North Chick and Dam Lock Through.
(C), (S). Meet Greenway Farms at 10am. Paddle the
N. Chick, Lock through the Chickamauga Dam,
and paddle the lake to the takeout. 4 mile paddle,
expect 3 hours plus shuttle. Eric.
June 28th. Waterfront Triathlon Support. Taylor.
Support the swimmers from near Maclellen Island
to Ross’s Landing. Meet at GPS Ramp. Do a good
deed and get a cool t-shirt.
May 16th. Soddy Creek. Eric.
July 11th. Ocoee #1 Dam to Two Rivers
Campground. (C), (S). Eric.
May 23rd. Conasauga River, GA. (C), (S).
Eric.
July 25th. TN Riverpark Cookout and sunset
paddle. (S). Eric.
May 29th-31st. Paddle School.
July 26th. Big Brother/Big Sister Raft Trip
Support. Hiwassee River. (C), (S). Jim.
June 6th. Hiwassee: 411 to 2R CG. (C),
(S). Meet at the ramp at 3pm and we’ll run
shuttle. It’s a Class I paddle; current and
obstacles but no whitewater. It’s a 2 hour
paddle. Eric.
June 14th-21st. Buffalo River,
Arkansas. Ben. Weeklong trip,
combined with Overnighters. Bring
only what will fit in your boat.
June 20th. Wolftever to Demo Day
at Harrison Bay. 10am. Paddle to
Aug 8th. Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. Eric.
Aug 9th. Dam Triathlon Support Boaters. Taylor.
Aug 15th. Hiwassee. US 411 to 2RCG. (C), (S). Eric.
Aug 15th-16th. Lake Jocassee, SC. Overnighter.
Richard.
Lower Hiwassee. (C), (S). Taylor.
Sept 5th. TVCC Meeting, Elections, and
Camping. OAR. Don.
Sept 6th. Wolftever Creek. Eric.
Sept 12th-13th. Elk River Overnighter. (C), (S).
Uwe.
Sept 19th. Harrison Bay North. Eric.
Oct 3rd. TN River Rescue. Jim.
0ct 10th. 10 mile TN River Swim support boaters.
(S). Karah.
Oct 10th. TVCC Ocoee Whitewater Race.
Oct 17th-18th. TN River Gorge Overnighter. (S).
Ben.
Oct 24th. Hiwassee. Hwy 11 to Hwy 58. (S). Eric.
Nov 7th. South Chick, Sterchi Farm. Eric.
Nov 14th-15th. Etowah River Overnighter. (C),
(S). Jamie.
Dec 12th. Club Christmas Party.
Dec 27th-Jan 1st. Annual Florida Trip.
Aug 22nd. Cookout and sunset paddle to Bat
Cave. Eric.
All dates and places are subject to change. All paddles are
in Tennessee unless otherwise noted. Check your email the
night before a trip for any changes. All paddles are rain or
shine.
Sept 5th. Girl Scout Raft Race Support Boaters.
C = Indicates Current, but no more than Class I Rapids.
S = Indicates a one-way trip requiring a Shuttle.
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
21
Our Mission
The Tennessee Valley Canoe Club brings together those interested in canoeing,
kayaking, and related activities; increases the knowledge, safety, and appreciation
of paddle sports for those who are interested; and supports conservation and
preservation of recreational waterways.
Membership is open to persons of all ages. Both families and singles are welcome.
The club’s activities include:
TVCC Yahoo Group
All club members are invited to join the club’s
online paddling forum. The Yahoo Group is a
The Paddler Tattler is the monthly
publication of the Tennessee
Valley Canoe Club.
great place to find out about paddling trips in
The Paddler Tattler invites submissions of
addition to those posted in the newsletter, post
articles, trip reports, videos, and any other
pictures and trip reports of your latest adventures,
news or information of interest to the paddling
or just find someone to go paddle with.
community.
The only requirement for the forum is active
Submit an electronic copy no later than the
membership in the club. To join, go to http://
20th of each month to the newsletter editor by
groups.yahoo.com/group/tvcc/ and click on
emailing editor@tvccpaddler.com. Submissions
“Join This Group”. Please be patient and allow a
may be edited.
• Whitewater & flat water kayak and canoe training
few days for the page administrator to respond
• Whitewater & flat water river trips for all skill levels
and accept your membership. Send an email
Past issues of the Paddler Tattler can be accessed
to the group moderator at tvcc-subscribe@
online at:
yahoogroups.com with your name. See you on
http://tinyurl.com/tvccpastnewsletters.
• Water safety & rescue training
• Extended canoe & camping trips
the river!
• Annual & monthly meetings
Flatwater Email List
• Community service
The TVCC Flatwater Paddlers use an email contact
list to send out information about upcoming
events. To be added to this list, please send
2014-2015 Officers
an email the TVCC Flatwater Cruisemaster at
President
Safety Chair
Don Fletcher
president@tvccpaddler.com
Vice President
Ashley Teel
vp@tvccpaddler.com
Assistant Vice President
LaDawn Wolfe
assistantvp@tvccpaddler.com
Treasurer
Debby McRae
treasurer@tvccpaddler.com
Secretary
John Hubbard
secretary@tvccpaddler.com
Newsletter Editor
Meryl Stark
editor@tvccpaddler.com
Webmaster
Teri Zur
webmaster@tvccpaddler.com
River Conservation Chair
Jim Ledbetter
conservation@tvccpaddler.com
598eric@gmail.com.
Mike Shillinger
safety@tvccpaddler.com
Public Relations Chair
Stacy Stone
publicity@tvccpaddler.com
Cruisemaster I, Class II/III
Spence “Dogpaddle” Lycan
cm1@tvccpaddler.com
Cruisemaster II, Class III/IV
Brandon Koch
cm2@tvccpaddler.com
Tennessee Valley Canoe Club
P.O. Box 11582
Chattanooga, TN 37401
www.tvccpaddler.com
Cruisemaster III, Overnight
Paddling Group
Carolyn Rand
Ben Johnson
cm3@tvccpaddler.com
Cruisemaster IV, NonPaddling
Jen Maxwell & Rebecca Hendrix
cm4@tvccpaddler.com
Cruisemaster V, Flatwater
Eric Fleming
cm5@tvccpaddler.com
The Paddler Tattler
June 2015
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