On Saturday, there was still plenty of water on the Cumberland Plateau. Anton and I headed to Crooked Fork near Wartburg, Tennessee. This run offers the 20 ft LaMance Falls, 18 ft Potter's Falls, and the 10 ft Lower Potter's Falls. While scouting LaMance Falls, we were joined by another group of boaters that included Mark Hammock, Owen, Hunter, and others. After scouting the drop for a while we decided to fire it up. Anton went first with a line to the right of the rock finger. Owen sailed it straight down the middle without any effort boofing hard and landing flat. Mark got pushed left and went off the falls on the left landing on the rock shelf that lurks below without injury. Then, it was my turn. I entered a little too far left, then the current pushed me further left. A quick backstroke to bring the bow around and one final boof stroke and I was off the lip a little to the left of the rock finger. I cleared the rock shelf at the bottom but only by a small margin. As I was landing, my left paddle blade slid down the rock shelf.
Brandon running LaMance Falls 1/12/2008Anton and I continued down to Potter's Falls for a launch then portaged Lower Potter's Falls. The rest of the crew took out here while Anton and I continue down to our shuttle vehicle at Camp Austin on the Emory River.
Sunday, Anton, Caleb, and I went to paddle Daddy's Creek. This was a first run for me and Caleb and the second run for Anton. We met up with Mark Hammock and Owen at the takeout and shuttled to the put-in for a run. The gauge was 1.9ft on the put-in gauge which is just over 600cfs. I was thinking that this "low flow" surely wouldn't be difficult but to my surprise, Daddy's Creek is a stout run. There was some big holes and Rattlesnake was very constricted which brought strong eddy lines, boils, and swirls. The water was very blue and the scenery was amazing. Daddy's Creek gorge is lined with steep cliffs on both sides. It's an amazing place!
Sunday, Anton, Caleb, and I went to paddle Daddy's Creek. This was a first run for me and Caleb and the second run for Anton. We met up with Mark Hammock and Owen at the takeout and shuttled to the put-in for a run. The gauge was 1.9ft on the put-in gauge which is just over 600cfs. I was thinking that this "low flow" surely wouldn't be difficult but to my surprise, Daddy's Creek is a stout run. There was some big holes and Rattlesnake was very constricted which brought strong eddy lines, boils, and swirls. The water was very blue and the scenery was amazing. Daddy's Creek gorge is lined with steep cliffs on both sides. It's an amazing place!
This past weekend brought plenty of water to the Southeast. I just hope the weather pattern keeps up as it's brought some great creeking opportunities to the boaters of the Southeast.
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