Ocoee Drawdown 2025
| River: | Ocoee |
| Skill: | Intermediate+ |
| Trip Date: | 09/26/2025 |
I look forward to Drawdown every year. Last year Hurricane Helene did her best to wash Drawdown out. I hoped for a calm week for Drawdown 2025, only to have not one but TWO hurricanes approaching! However, Humberto and Imelda joined up with each other and headed out to sea together, leaving behind spectacular weather all week. We had a couple nights of rain late in the evening, and a couple of days with rain while we were on the water. Temps were in the low 80s or high 70s.
Typically attendance the first weekend of Drawdown is lighter, due to the attraction of Gauley Fest and an Upper Nantahala release. This year Gauley Fest was scheduled the weekend before, but the Upper Nantahala pulled a number of people off (and then Upper injuries caused paddling issues for Drawdown!).
The first run on Saturday was only Dave, Chris and I. Sunday Dave headed out to the Upper Nantahala, and Chris planned family time, so I connected with a group of septuagenarians from Ohio for the first run of the day. As Monday rolled around we had 10 people on the first run of the day, and still had 6 people on the second run. Tuesday we were up to 12 on the first run and (IIRC) 7 on the second run. Things leveled off for the rest of the week to 6-7 people on the first run until the weekend, with Suzie being the only one still paddling with me on Sunday.
We had a great crew of paddlers. By the end of the week, everyone knew the rapid names and standard lines. We’re tried (or at least reviewed) a variety of the Ocoee trick moves.
With this much time on the Ocoee, carnage is inevitable, but on the whole it was a quiet week. We had only three swims, and not much more by way of rolls (several in Tablesaw). Two of the swims were at the end of Cat’s Pajamas, on the same run at almost the same time! (I had another group throw me a sympathetic look, and said, “No, really, we know what we’re doing!”). I normally don’t specify who has what carnage, but I have to talk about Dave. Dave and I were the only ones on the second run of the day mid-week, and I had talked about the Walk the Plank Move at Gonzo Shoals the run before, mentioning that the second hole on the ledge on the ferry was very sticky. Someone commented about ME getting particularly stuck there at a prior Drawdown (I have learned that when demonstrating a line for a group, and screwing it up, that rarely do people choose to follow me in!).
I followed Dave into the final ledge, but noticed he was having trouble with the aforementioned hole. I eddied out (“Always know where you can stop!”). And Dave? Dave was STUCK. I watched him try trick after trick to get out of that hole. I was watching from one of those eddies that isn’t a great eddy. I kept getting jostled and having to work to stay in position. All the while, Dave worked the hole (or the reverse). Eventually I got tired of the eddy, and ferried back up to a more stable position. With Dave still stuck. And as I waited, getting a good rest, Dave continued to fight the hole. After the most valiant attempts to escape I have ever seen, Dave flipped, swam out, and still self-rescued just below the hole. Definitely the Grammy of the Week goes to Dave.
With the demise of Herb’s, dining options just weren’t as interesting. I ate at State Line Barbecue a couple of nights. We ate at Ocoee Dam Deli & Diner towards Ocoee (not a bad option) or The Water Front in Copper Hill a couple of the nights, and one night a group went out for Mexican in Copper Hill.
I didn’t keep great records for the week. In no particular order, and I apologize for those I almost certainly forgot: Rick, Chris M, Amy, Dave, Stuart, Les, Brett, Joe, Suzie, Yvonne, Scott, Dan, John, Rich, Dave, Troy, Johanna, Laura, Brian, Lisa.
Total number of runs down the Ocoee during this Drawdown: 19. I’m slowing down in my old age.
I had a great week of paddling, as well as a reminder of the friendships I have made at this event over the years. A few of those friends were notably missing, and I hope to see them, as well as everyone else, next year.