What is Your Dream Paddling Spot?
What is Your Dream Paddling Spot?
a Carolina Paddler Article
by Zach Schiada
On a Florida family vacation this spring, I had the opportunity to paddle a spot that I have long been curious about. On our trip, I convinced my wife to allow me to link up with an old friend from high school to paddle Big Shoals on the Suwannee River in White Springs. One item on my bucket list is to paddle whitewater in a location that has a healthy population of Alligators. Big Shoals was the perfect spot to accomplish this. I had some experience swimming around alligators in my brief time spent at Florida State University, tubing in nearby Wakulla Springs and I’m comfortable with the idea of being in the water near them. I wasn’t terrified of them, but had just enough fear factor to make for a good adventure. One off the list.
Despite lower water levels than recommended by American Whitewater, the experience lived up to my expectations. I was able to bring my son along on the back of my inflatable paddle board for the paddle downstream to the Shoals. This was a great opportunity to expose him to his father’s peculiar taste for adventure. He became our camera man, documenting the adventure on my phone. We passed a 9 ft gator in route to the shoals, which validated the reason for being there and provided a deterrent to not make the return paddle back upstream. We opted for the foot trail instead.
We ran the shoals successfully two times, with just one swim on the first hole by my friend. We topped off the fun by completing the “one chip” challenge as a celebration back at the put in. For those not familiar with this, it is a packaged single chip available at your finer gas stations that has a very hot spice to it. You can celebrate a victory if you can eat it and keep it down. I was unsuccessful in keeping it down. This was miserable, but delightful at the same time, allowing us to revisit our long pass high school days. We discovered that despite being “adults”, not much has changed over the years. The run was everything I hoped for and more and I would recommend the Shoals to anyone who is curious about this niche whitewater in an unexpected part of our country.
My experience got me to thinking about what else is out there. What would be on CCC members’ bucket lists or dream spots? I asked the club on a Facebook post to express where they would paddle if there were no limitations on location, skill required, life circumstances, etc. I figured June through September rivers are generally dry in our area, so why not use this time to dream about where we’d want to paddle. Dreams aren’t limited by skill or money, so people had no boundaries on where they could go. I was excited to hear what others had to say, because everyone has a different opinion on what makes something “bucket list” worthy. Some are looking for the best overall paddling experience, some an epic adventure and others just want to visit a place that has natural beauty and take their boat along for the ride. I didn’t spare some of my paddling friends from nagging for their choices. My hope is that we can all learn a bit more about what our world has to offer and those who have paddled these spots can comment on their real-life experiences in such places. Here’s what the community had to say about their dream paddling locations and telling in their own words why they would choose these.
Futalefu in Chile by Joe Berry: Joe was the first to respond to my post and looks internationally to get his dream paddle experience. His spot is in the southern part of Chile and looks like something you’d see in an Outside Magazine photo.
Joe says, “I’m trying to commit to a trip in 2025 if I am not too old. It looks big, bouncy and so much fun.” He adds that since it is big water, he’ll want to bring some close friends along for confidence and to add to the overall experience. “Beautiful scenery, big water, good friends and challenging rapids. Throne Room (rapid) looks gigantic, but I think it’s doable. Zeta looks heavy with penalty points for a bad line… But my big dilemma is, do they have a C-boat I can paddle? To paddle a kayak would be more of a challenge. Yep, I’d be jammed up, but I am getting old and in 2025 I’ll be 66 and probably begin the fade of skills, but maybe not!”
Since Joe plans on making this trip in 2025, he’s either going to fine tune his kayak skills or figure out the complicated logistics of getting his C1 modified boat to Chile. In the meantime, he’s got Green Narrows in mind as an intermediate goal to prepare for “The Futa”. He has reservations on the “big 3” rapids at the Narrows, not because of skill required, but because of the “penalty points”.
He’s not open to packrafting as an option, but maybe someone can give pointers on how to get a C1 boat to Chile or give some suggestions on a rental place near Futalefu.
He provided the video link below, which covers this spot quite well.
Sea Kayaking in Greenland by Alex Maria: Alex didn’t have a specific location that she’d prefer to visit in Greenland, but rather was drawn to the country in general due to their culture and their contribution to different styles of rolling. She mentioned she could write a dissertation on Greenland rolling, since she is passionate about it.
Alex states, “The roll has been my favorite part of my kayak journey. The Greenland kayakers are the cultural masters of the roll. The count goes into the 30s (types of rolls) I believe. They have various types of competitions, including one for boat-rolling. They train their hip-snaps with ropes, eventually developing their own form of gymnastics. I would love to visit Greenland and immerse myself in the sea kayak culture. Enjoy learning technique and as many roll types as I can!”
She included the following links to videos that showcase Greenland rolling techniques.
Clear Creek in Colorado by Amie Phillips Scott: Amie’s dream paddle spot is one that she had the pleasure of seeing on a family trip, but unfortunately never had the chance to paddle herself.
She says “I was out in Colorado visiting friends (not paddlers) and as we drove on I-70 through the gorge where Clear Creek runs (eventually going through Golden), I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. Steep rock walls, enormous boulders, clear water with a hint of teal. It is beautiful! The difficulty varies (it’s a long river), but it looks like there are sections that are class III, doable for me. It is just so different from our rivers here that have shallower banks and trees along the banks. I want to paddle it just for a different kind of beautiful. And to ride next to it for about an hour without being able to paddle was rough!!” There are several sections of this creek on American Whitewater, including the one below.
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/11178/main
Tinkers Creek in Ohio by me, Zach Schiada: Probably the top place on my list isn’t what most people would consider a paddling hot spot. It was inspired by a Carolina Paddler book report by Bob Brueckner on Exploring Virginia’s Waterways by Eric Gertler. His report mentioned Jerry’s Run, a tiny tributary of Dunlap Creek, which includes a long section through a tunnel. This sent me down the rabbit hole of looking for more information on this and other runs that included a tunnel. In my mind, there isn’t anything cooler than challenging yourself to paddle rapids while diminishing one of your main senses for getting through safely by paddling in the dark. Gertler’s description includes, “…the creek passes through a long dark tunnel under the railroad grade and you will be running rapids in the dark. No surprise – on a creek this small, wood will be a periodic complication.” I discovered two others with significant tunnels, one being Etowah River in Georgia and Tinkers Creek in Ohio. I’ll probably get the chance to paddle Etowah River sometime soon on a family vacation and will make Jerry’s Run a priority in the coming years, but Tinkers Creek would likely be my number one bucket list spot and is more out of reach for me.
Located near Bedford, OH, Tinkers Creek has a nice gradient before joining the Cuyahoga River. Along the way, it passes through several small tunnels, followed by a larger main one for whitewater paddling, which is an old railroad viaduct and ends with a long slide into the pool below. From the AW page, the slide “is the fastest you’ll have been in a kayak, if you haven’t run Oceana”. It would stretch my skill level with its class IV-V rating according to American Whitewater, but maybe someday I’ll be ready skill wise to take it on. Here’s a link to the AW page.
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/1479/main
Zambezi River in Zambia/Zimbabwe by Sarah Leach: One of my bucket list places included gators, but Sarah really wants to brave the toothy creatures with her spot on the Zambezi River. Straddling the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Zambesi is full of Nile Crocodiles. For those that don’t know, crocodiles and especially Nile Crocodiles are much more aggressive and are famously more dangerous than Alligators, so this is no joke. Sarah had the following to say about choosing the Zambezi for her dream spot.
Sarah states, “No specific section, but it’s my choice because I’ve had the best experiences traveling in Africa. The Zambezi is iconic, and I’d love to be able to go back to Africa and to paddle some amazing whitewater to top off the trip. Also, Victoria Falls, is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. Imagine how incredible it would be to paddle below them!” The Zambezi is famous and notorious as a paddling destination. Hopefully she’ll get the chance to get back and paddle it.
Pigeon River in Canada by Jim Mead: Jim’s choice is one that is more of an epic multi-day trip. Based on the information he’s provided; it seems likely that this is one he’ll pursue in real life. Let’s hope that if/when he does, we get a trip report.
This run starts at Family Lake (fly in) and travels about 115 miles (at least 8 days) to Lake Winnipeg, with the option of spending the night at a First Nations village at the end and taking a ferry back to the city. Can be paired with a trip on the Bloodvein River, which runs parallel and also finishes at Lake Winnipeg – with less whitewater, but noteworthy for First Nation pictographs. The Pigeon River ticks all the boxes:
Wilderness – undeveloped, remote, Canadian shield landscape* and opportunities to see wildlife.
Solitude – typically fewer than 50 people travel this river in a year.
Whitewater – getting towards the upper end of self-supported canoe tripping, with spray decks. Described as class 2-4, pool drop. No long flatwater stretches (except at the very end) or long portages.
In searching online, I found the below link that shows a trip report that was done on part of this run.
*Canadian Shield Landscape refers to a geologic area that extends across the northern half of central and eastern Canada. It is characterized by exposed rock, rolling hills and worn mountains, and is forested.
Rio Grande in TX/Mexico Border by Cindy McFadden: Cindy would choose Rio Grande mainly based on word of mouth of others’ experiences. She states, “Number one reason is it is a National Wild and Scenic River. My nephew paddled a multi-day last summer and highly recommended it. I haven’t researched to know the logistical details.”
Although Cindy didn’t have a specific section, there are several listed on the AW site, including the one below. I should mention, I share this one as one of my personal bucket list locations as well.
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/1822/main
New Halen River in Alaska by Martin O’Donogue: Martin’s spot is the place that inspired him to begin whitewater paddling. Based on what I’ve seen online about this spot, it’s easy to see why this was so inspirational.
In his words, “It’s in the Bristol Bay Area on the New Halen! Class IV/V. I watched a video that got me started into paddling and it’s always been a goal of mine to make it out that way.”
Martin provided the below video and there is an AW page listed for this as well.
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/40/main
John’s Creek in Virginia by Paul Yow: Paul is like me in that he enjoys paddling small creeks, so I was very much looking forward to what he would choose as his dream spot. The below is one that apparently has a history of disputes on whether parts are legally able to be run due to riparian rights. According to AW, as it stands now, this can be legally run.
Paul says that this is one he’s been trying to catch for a while but hasn’t been able to get on it with the right flow yet. Hopefully this year. The specific section he’s looking at is a class IV run going from Route 311 to New Castle. It’s been on his bucket list for years simply because he hasn’t been in the area with flow…yet.
A link to this creek can be found on American Whitewater at:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/1956/main
Rio Claro in Chile by Aaron Vaughan: Aaron’s one of those people that is a pleasure to paddle with since he will come along for the adventure regardless of location. He is always a good sport even when the location you’re paddling is not exciting. He has the mentality that as long as he’s paddling, it’s a good time. This got me wondering where he would want to paddle if he were to choose from anywhere in the world.
His choice is one that was seen on one of Dane Jackson’s videos, Rio Claro in Molina, Chile. Specifically, the section is Entre Saltos. He states “I would love to go there because I love very fast water. With the fast water and how gorged it is with the crystal clear water and seemingly endless waterfalls, each ending in a deep pool perfect for recovery. Not to mention, it is surrounded by some of the best scenery in the world.”
A link to the video that inspired Aaron and a description of this and other sections of Rio Claro are below.
http://potomacpaddlesportsteam.blogspot.com/2010/12/rio-claro.html?m=1
Wilson Creek in North Carolina by Bill Moore: Bill’s spot is a well-known paddling destination within the NC mountains, so I think he may get to run this one someday. He has some reservations on the difficulty level, but I think this one may be attainable for him if he works at it and as he states, finds a good guide to show him down at lower water.
He had the following to say about Wilson Creek. “What is my dream paddle you ask? Well the answer is probably out of my reach – given my late WW kayaking start and weak acrobatic/roll skills – and it may seem commonplace to some paddlers. Wilson Creek in River Kings videos looks to me like a paradise to paddle: beautiful setting, challenging rapids, and helpful teamwork… a rush for sure and a potential delight. I’m athletic (just gave up basketball to save my knees), but not acrobatic, so rolling has not come easy in my limited time in WW paddling… and I got the flu halfway through my winter pool lessons. So, unless some supportive soul will take me for an ELF run, I worry that Wilson Creek and I will not meet each other. Still, it’s a dream.”
Here is the American Whitewater page on Wilson Creek gorge section:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/1146/main
Chattooga River in South Carolina/Georgia by Cameron Honour: One time when I was paddling with Cameron, I recall he mentioned that he had paddled the Grand Canyon, which happens to be on my bucket list. He also seems to have hit many of the runs in the NC mountains since every time I ask him if he’s paddled a certain river, the answer is usually Yes. It got me to wondering, if you’ve already completed some epic paddles so far in your life, where would you choose to go if there were no limits? His answer is not one he hasn’t done before, but instead one that he knows well, having been a raft guide there back in the summer of 2017.
He had the following to say about the Chattooga River. “My whitewater boating heart and soul lives along the Chattooga River. It has so much to offer in terms of difficulty, scenery, water quality, history and culture. As a natural flow river, it is dynamic and ever changing, not only in terms of water level, which can vary from relatively calm to thunderous and raging, but it also has a tendency to change after heavy rainstorms as new logs are deposited and removed and loose boulders shift every so slightly. There are dozens of put-ins from section “double zero” all the way down to IV, allowing a paddler to choose their position from class I-II to IV depending on water level.”
Although Cameron mentions the whole river, here is the American Whitewater link to Section IV:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/476/main
Various Creeks and Rivers in Tajikistan by McKenley Newman: McKenley’s location is a unique one. I have to confess, I had to consult a map to find where Tajikistan was. His reasoning is similar to that of Alex, his interest in the cultural aspects of the location. After hearing him describe it, if he were to complete this adventure and write a book on it, I would be happy to read it.
He had the following to say: “I spent some time in the ‘stans and they are full of rivers to be explored and truly are untouched. They are high desert style whitewater that can transform from creeking to big water swiftly. The people are a blend of that famed Islamic hospitality and leftover Soviet toughness and you won’t be able to paddle a day without being invited into someone’s home for tea or bread. It’s a very harsh land with no escape from its desolation and the poverty is immense, giving you no alternative to finish your mission. It’s one of the last countries to be paddled in such a way and I loved every second of it. I would love to run the creeks in the Pamirs and do a top to bottom of the Zeravshen all the way to the Uzbekistan border”.
I also received the following responses on my Facebook post that also are worth mentioning.
Albany River, Northern Canada by Richard Ruhlen
The Grand Canyon by Betsey Upchurch
Bora Bora by Suki Pressman
Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho by James Sprouffske
Hopefully we won’t have this dry spell for too much longer. In the meantime, maybe we can learn a bit from what CCC members have on their lists and think of more to add to our own. I can say for myself that where I had a somewhat limited list of places on my bucket list. I’ve learned about a whole lot more from the responses that I would never have considered before asking.
A link to this creek can be found on American Whitewater at:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/1956/main
Rio Claro in Chile by Aaron Vaughan: Aaron’s one of those people that is a pleasure to paddle with since he will come along for the adventure regardless of location. He is always a good sport even when the location you’re paddling is not exciting. He has the mentality that as long as he’s paddling, it’s a good time. This got me wondering where he would want to paddle if he were to choose from anywhere in the world.
His choice is one that was seen on one of Dane Jackson’s videos, Rio Claro in Molina, Chile. Specifically, the section is Entre Saltos. He states “I would love to go there because I love very fast water. With the fast water and how gorged it is with the crystal clear water and seemingly endless waterfalls, each ending in a deep pool perfect for recovery. Not to mention, it is surrounded by some of the best scenery in the world.”
A link to the video that inspired Aaron and a description of this and other sections of Rio Claro are below.
http://potomacpaddlesportsteam.blogspot.com/2010/12/rio-claro.html?m=1
Wilson Creek in North Carolina by Bill Moore: Bill’s spot is a well-known paddling destination within the NC mountains, so I think he may get to run this one someday. He has some reservations on the difficulty level, but I think this one may be attainable for him if he works at it and as he states, finds a good guide to show him down at lower water.
He had the following to say about Wilson Creek. “What is my dream paddle you ask? Well the answer is probably out of my reach – given my late WW kayaking start and weak acrobatic/roll skills – and it may seem commonplace to some paddlers. Wilson Creek in River Kings videos looks to me like a paradise to paddle: beautiful setting, challenging rapids, and helpful teamwork… a rush for sure and a potential delight. I’m athletic (just gave up basketball to save my knees), but not acrobatic, so rolling has not come easy in my limited time in WW paddling… and I got the flu halfway through my winter pool lessons. So, unless some supportive soul will take me for an ELF run, I worry that Wilson Creek and I will not meet each other. Still, it’s a dream.”
Here is the American Whitewater page on Wilson Creek gorge section:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/1146/main
Chattooga River in South Carolina/Georgia by Cameron Honour: One time when I was paddling with Cameron, I recall he mentioned that he had paddled the Grand Canyon, which happens to be on my bucket list. He also seems to have hit many of the runs in the NC mountains since every time I ask him if he’s paddled a certain river, the answer is usually Yes. It got me to wondering, if you’ve already completed some epic paddles so far in your life, where would you choose to go if there were no limits? His answer is not one he hasn’t done before, but instead one that he knows well, having been a raft guide there back in the summer of 2017.
He had the following to say about the Chattooga River. “My whitewater boating heart and soul lives along the Chattooga River. It has so much to offer in terms of difficulty, scenery, water quality, history and culture. As a natural flow river, it is dynamic and ever changing, not only in terms of water level, which can vary from relatively calm to thunderous and raging, but it also has a tendency to change after heavy rainstorms as new logs are deposited and removed and loose boulders shift every so slightly. There are dozens of put-ins from section “double zero” all the way down to IV, allowing a paddler to choose their position from class I-II to IV depending on water level.”
Although Cameron mentions the whole river, here is the American Whitewater link to Section IV:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/476/main
Various Creeks and Rivers in Tajikistan by McKenley Newman: McKenley’s location is a unique one. I have to confess, I had to consult a map to find where Tajikistan was. His reasoning is similar to that of Alex, his interest in the cultural aspects of the location. After hearing him describe it, if he were to complete this adventure and write a book on it, I would be happy to read it.
He had the following to say: “I spent some time in the ‘stans and they are full of rivers to be explored and truly are untouched. They are high desert style whitewater that can transform from creeking to big water swiftly. The people are a blend of that famed Islamic hospitality and leftover Soviet toughness and you won’t be able to paddle a day without being invited into someone’s home for tea or bread. It’s a very harsh land with no escape from its desolation and the poverty is immense, giving you no alternative to finish your mission. It’s one of the last countries to be paddled in such a way and I loved every second of it. I would love to run the creeks in the Pamirs and do a top to bottom of the Zeravshen all the way to the Uzbekistan border”.
I also received the following responses on my Facebook post that also are worth mentioning.
Albany River, Northern Canada by Richard Ruhlen
The Grand Canyon by Betsey Upchurch
Bora Bora by Suki Pressman
Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho by James Sprouffske
Hopefully we won’t have this dry spell for too much longer. In the meantime, maybe we can learn a bit from what CCC members have on their lists and think of more to add to our own. I can say for myself that where I had a somewhat limited list of places on my bucket list. I’ve learned about a whole lot more from the responses that I would never have considered before asking.