French Broad Section 9 Paddle
| River: | French Broad |
| Skill: | Novice+ |
| Trip Date: | 01/10/2026 |
The morning started off early, with a bunch of chatter about weather. Is it going to thunderstorm? Should we cancel? Many of us were driving quite a distance and didn’t want to get skunked. We decided to go for it and we were rewarded for that choice! The weather was GREAT! It was overcast, but the air temp was in the low 60’s, it never rained, and the water was warm. The water level was 1100cfs when we put on, but it had rained significantly prior to our arrival so the river rose to 1900cfs by the time we got off. We had 16 paddlers: Lee Thonus, Nate, Holly Whitley, Steven Tucker, Keith Parker, Tammy Laurick, Wayne Jones, Tony Monnat, Andrew Monnat, Madeleine Monnat, Lauren Monnat, Matt Savage, Anna Dill, Joel, Marc Debell, Amie Scott). What a great crew! Some had their PFD’s on the FB9, some were getting back into their boats after a long hiatus, some were just enjoying having water! The day started off with a sighting of 2 bald eagles. Lee, Tammy, and Wayne all provided clear lines and good beta. Holly was our trip photographer (even though it was her PFD!). There were two quick swims, but the recoveries were quick and easy, in part due to the great Monnat crew. We had such a good time, lots of laughs, and new friendships made. Can’t wait to do it again.