Chota Canoe Club, Knoxville TN. Established 1969

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Eddy Out Chota Canoe Club, Knoxville TN.

Winter Whitewater Jett to Nemo Jan. 4, 2013 by Gary Kilpatrick This was the first official White Water trip of 2013.

It had been at least 8 months since I had paddled so I was looking for a river that had huge recovery pools below the major rapids. The plateau seemed to be a pretty good choice.

1 Eddy Out Chota Canoe Club, Knoxville TN. Established 1969 Mission Statement: Promote community paddle sport activities, safety awareness and techniques while being actively environmentally responsible. Winter Whitewater Jett to Nemo Jan. 4, 2013 by Gary Kilpatrick This was the first official White Water trip of The much anticipated rain came, the holidays had just barely passed so it was time to get down to business. It had been at least 8 months since I had paddled so I was looking for a river that had huge recovery pools below the major rapids. The plateau seemed to be a pretty good choice. As I drove up to Wartburg the temperature gauge in the car was between 22 and 28 degrees. The high was expected to be in the mid 40 s that day. Four hearty souls made the trip. We met at the rangers station. Those on the trip were Pete Feist (K-1), Kim Abney (K-1), John Butler (K-1) and yours truly (OC-1). We did a little consolidating and dropped our shuttle car at Nemo and prayed for the sun to come out. At Jet we didn t take at lot of time to get started. The flow was 1850 cfs at Oakdale and 2 feet on the Jet Bridge. Not a bad level for such a cold day. 1

We did a lot of eddy hoping down to Lilly with no major mishaps, however John did show off with a roll on some unknown rapid. Well, unknown to me. We continued on down to the big three.

.. just cold water. We scouted Wooten s Folly for a few minutes. Pete had never run the rapid and decided to portage (last time he does that I bet) and it had been 10 to 15 years since I had seen it.

2 We did a lot of eddy hoping down to Lilly with no major mishaps, however John did show off with a roll on some unknown rapid. Well, unknown to me. We continued on down to the big three. Jacks Rock and Camel Rock were both a little bony at the top and made it a challenge to keep a good line. We ran straight through down to Wooten s Folly. We had one swim on Jacks Rock, no names... just cold water. We scouted Wooten s Folly for a few minutes. Pete had never run the rapid and decided to portage (last time he does that I bet) and it had been 10 to 15 years since I had seen it. There was a big tree in the middle going in the direction of the river making it hard, or at least unpredictable, to run to the right of the big rock, so those who ran it went to the left. We all had a good run, just like riding a bike, it all comes back, thank God. After the big three, I was ready to relax a little. We continued on down to the Obed. We had some nice big waves and some even bigger holes. One little swim on the Obed, no names, but in the cold a little swim is a big deal. Stopped and ate some lunch then pushed on to the Emory. I had forgotten how much flat water there was below Widow Maker, thought I would never get there. Once on the Emory we were only a couple of miles (I guess) to Nemo. One last swim on the Emory. Three rivers, three swims but if you are not swimming you may not be paddling. At Nemo we made some hot chocolate to warm everyone up and headed home. We are going to have a great year so come on out and join the fun. New stories, new friends and old friends. Everyone is the same on the river. IF YOU ARE NOT PADDLING CHOTA, YOU MAY NOT BE PADDLING!! ~ Gary Kilpatrick Pete Feist in the rapids. John Butler and Kim Abney getting ready to launch. 2

Winter Paddling: What Doesn t Kill You Makes You Stronger by Kim Abney Why is the big question. Because I can. Sure my fingers go numb and the water burns like fire when taking the first strokes.

A beautiful, unique, wild and entirely different planet from anything you d see in the summer.

3 Winter Paddling: What Doesn t Kill You Makes You Stronger by Kim Abney Why is the big question. Because I can. Sure my fingers go numb and the water burns like fire when taking the first strokes. There are weird ice hats on the rocks and sometimes it s hard to tell the channels from the ice, but... again, Why? It s another planet. A beautiful, unique, wild and entirely different planet from anything you d see in the summer. There s no ice in the summer and getting wet isn t likely to kill you outright, plus there s no worry about survival gear, food or what to do if hypothermia strikes. Generally no one worries about paddling an overloaded boat in the summer. But the most tame summertime runs can quickly turn into something else entirely in the winter. After a certain point roadside runs make a lot of sense, but to each his/her own. Rafting companies generally don t take guests down river in the coldest weather. Kim Abney and John Butler scouting the river. There are people who use hard rules like if the water temperature and air temperature combined equal 100 degrees, they ll paddle. Others go by something more like 60 degrees as the combined total, and some just skip that altogether and go for the water, rules aside:). Seriously, it s generally warmer in the boat than standing beside it. And having the ability to roll is VERY recommended! Yes I have swam in 35 degree water and I know what happens afterwards. John Butler paddling past an icy river bank. 3

4 But back to that Why thing. Winter is the prime time to have Southeastern creeks and rivers up and running and running big. Places to check out the status of some local watersheds and the character of the runs themselves can be found on American Whitewater, Boating Beta, and the WaldensridgeWhitewater guide to local runs. Plus there s always the time-honored method of looking at maps, watching rainfall and heading that way if it looks promising. Or you could ask Kirk:) Just a reminder in cold weather, particularly on runs that are not roadside, if a person starts shaking uncontrollably, get fast calories in them and get them moving (for those that get soaked through and through, changing into dry clothes is important). Fast calories in this context is going to be mainly sugar (hard candy, MilkyWay and Snickers bars, etc.). Hot drinks are especially nice for rewarming. Things get much more serious if the victim stops being able to shiver. There are some good hypothermia articles on the web by Charlie Walbridge and others. Time to go to the river. The Next Chota Meeting is the Annual Chili Cook-off. Feb.9, 2012 at the Knoxville Outdoor Adventure Center 900 Volunteer Landing Lane, Knoxville, Tn. 6pm to 9pm The meeting is open to all members and their guests. Please bring your favorite pot of chili, side dish or dessert to share. To simplify organizing for this social please BYOB. First, second and third prize of the chili cook-off contest will be awarded $50, $35, and $25 gift certificates, respectively. The meeting agenda will include coordinating trips for the year so please bring a list of dates and places where you want paddle or lead a trip. If you have an extra extension cord with multiple outlets, please bring one with you to keep the chili hot during the meeting. For more info please contact Debbie McCarter at or at adkjm1@chartertn.net The Outdoor Adventure Center is located next to Ruth s Chris Steakhouse off Neyland Dr. For more information: 4

Winter Roll Practice is Underway Gary Kilpatrick hits his first roll while the little guy looks on.

Chota kayakers and even a few open boaters attended the first roll practice of the year at the UT aquatic center

Sessions are scheduled for every Friday evening through March 22, from 7 to 9 pm.

5 Winter Roll Practice is Underway Gary Kilpatrick hits his first roll while the little guy looks on. Kim Abney with perfect roll hair. Chota kayakers and even a few open boaters attended the first roll practice of the year at the UT aquatic center on January 4th. Once again the sessions are free for Chota members. Sessions are scheduled for every Friday evening through March 22, from 7 to 9 pm. Come out and work on your roll or learn from some of our veteran boaters. Bring your own clean boat and gear or borrow from the UT selection of white water boats and paddles. Thanks to Randy Bigbee for coordinating the sessions. If you have questions call him at

6 Member Profile: Charles Goodson Charles joined Chota in He has a passion for paddling kayaks that is a little different than most of us. He showed up to canoe school that year with a10 foot rec boat. He didn t stick with that for long. His next boat was a 17 and a half foot touring boat. He soon discovered that he liked to paddle a long way for a long time in that long boat. That love for paddling lead him to look for ways to go longer and further. He researched long distance touring and discovered there were races for such things. He set his sights on The Missouri 340. The MR 340 starts in Kansas City and ends in St. Charles, Missouri, 340 miles downriver. He trained hard for the April 2011 race but flooding on the river caused a big delay. The race was rescheduled for later in the year. When the organizers announced the race was back on in October he took on one of the most challenge paddling races in America as his first. Charles admits his training did not fully prepare him for the challenge. He endured cramps, blisters, thunderstorms, cold and fatigue through almost three days and nights of paddling. He had near collisions with tugboats and barges, dodged wing dams, ran aground on sandbars. He spent a few hours hunkered down in the mud with other paddlers waiting out a thunderstorm in the middle of the night. At one point buzzards were circling him, he claims they were after the stink coming from the cockpit. Somewhere in the middle of the race during long hours of solitude and boredom he thought it would be great if there was a race like this one on the Tennessee River. He made it his mission to create a race at home. He finished the race in 66 hours and ten minutes. A major accomplishment for a first time racer. Along the way he made some good friends. He discovered that despite the pain, hunger, stink and fatigue he really enjoyed the race and the feeling of accomplishment. When he returned home he got to work on his plan to create a local race. Last April he launched the first Annual Volunteer 80 canoe and kayak race. He invited some of the racers he met on the Missouri and talked a few local paddlers into trying racing for the first time. The race starts in Downtown Knoxville and ends just below Chilhowee dam on Tellico Lake. The first race in April of 2012 had four distance categories, 80, 40, 28 and 6 mile events. A few dozen paddlers in racing kayaks, touring boats, Standup boards and rec 6

boats started the event. The winner of the 80 mile race finished in18 hours and 22 minutes. Last October Charles raced in the first Annual ChattaJack31.

You can often find Charles on the upper end of Tellico Lake trying out racing kayaks or surf skis as he prepares to take on his next challenge.

7 boats started the event. The winner of the 80 mile race finished in18 hours and 22 minutes. Last October Charles raced in the first Annual ChattaJack31. The race starts in downtown Chattanooga and winds downriver through the Tennessee River gorge and ends on Nickajack Lake. He won the men s single kayak division. You can often find Charles on the upper end of Tellico Lake trying out racing kayaks or surf skis as he prepares to take on his next challenge. Charles at a checkpoint during the MR340 The start of the MR 340 in Kansas City The Second Annual Volunteer 80 The Volunteer 80 race is scheduled again for this year on April 27. For information about the race check out the website at: appalachiakayak.com or contact Charles at charles.nadia96@gmail.com. The MR 340 The 2013 MR340 is scheduled for July for more information: rivermiles.com/mr340/ Other Regional Races The 2013 ChattaJack31 is scheduled for October 26, The race starts on the downtown Chattanooga riverfront and passes through the Tennessee River gorge to end on Nickajack Lake. Open to SUP, kayak and canoe racers. For more information: chattajack.com 7

The Everglades Challenge Everglades Challenge 2013 March 2-10 This annual race is sponsored by Watertribe. They are a Florida paddling group that wanted to do something a little different.

8 The Everglades Challenge Everglades Challenge 2013 March 2-10 This annual race is sponsored by Watertribe. They are a Florida paddling group that wanted to do something a little different. The concept is simple. Paddle or sail from Tampa Bay to Key Largo. The organizers provide no support and everyone is on their own. The route is your choice as long as you hit 3 checkpoints along the Florida Gulf coast. Website: watertribe.org 2013 Chota Officers We had a little trouble filling out the entire slate of board members this year. We currently do not have a President, Vice-President or School Director due to lack of volunteers. All other positions on the board were elected at our November 2012 club meeting. The club is still able to function with an elected board voting on items brought up by club members. If anyone would like to volunteer for any of the open positions the club can vote on nominations at our next meeting in February. Chota Board Members and Contact Information: Past President: Paul Alexander paulalex1947@live.com Treasurer: Steve Kopp sekopp1@comcast.net Secretary: David Frey frey01@knology.net Conservation: Roger Arnwine rogerarnwine@bellsouth.net Safety: Randy Bigbee rbigbee@bellsouth.net Whitewater Trip Chair: Gary Kilpatrick GWKilpatrick@misincinfo.com Touring Trip Chair: Debbie McCarter adkjm1@chartertn.net Member at Large: Pete Feist peterf14@comcast.net Webmaster: Russell decastongrene russelldec@tds.net Newsletter Editor: Jim Martin photogmartin8790@aol.com 8

9 Conservation in Action Chota members participated in two conservation activities in December. A Little River cleanup on December 1, part of the Blount County Adopt-a-Stream program sponsored by the Little River Watershed Association, brought out a crew of 15 volunteers who collected not only riverbank trash on a four mile section from Walland to Townsend, but also car tires, barbed wire, fishing line and other debris that is hazardous to both paddlers and wildlife on the Little River. LRWA association has several conservation activities planned for the spring, with another Adopt-a-Stream event scheduled for February 23rd and the annual Little River Fest, date TBA. Chota received special recognition in the LRWA annual report for our conservation donation, which was used to fund a stream monitoring program. Little River Cleanup - lots of new volunteers showed up to lend a hand for the Little. Rankin Bottoms at the headwaters of Douglas Lake is a local treasure for both paddlers and bird enthusiasts. Club trips when the water is up in the summer afford Chota members the opportunity to see egrets, cormorants and a wide variety of unusual bird species up close from kayaks and canoes. In the winter, when the water is down to the riverbed, Keep Cocke County Beautiful supports the efforts of local residents Mike Sledjeski and Leslie Gibbens who organize an annual cleanup event. When Mike and Leslie started their efforts to preserve and protect Rankin Bottoms several years ago, the area looked like a landfill due to all of the trash. 9

10 While tons of tires and trash are still collected and removed each year, this annual effort has both beautified the area and created greater awareness among local residents and fishermen about caring for Rankin Bottoms. Chota members Roger Arnwine, Chris Rule and Mary Rule were joined by two Sierra Club Knoxville chapter members, several volunteers from area birding groups and a number of local residents on Saturday, December 8 for the 2012 event. Matilda, the Rule s Australian Land Cruiser, was the perfect support vehicle for navigating the old railroad beds that serve as roads across the mud flats when the water is down. Rankin Bottoms Cleanup - One of many piles of junk n stuff collected, with Chris and Mary Rule s beloved truck Matilda on the right of the picture. If you would like to be added to the Conservation Activities distribution list, please send an to rogerarnwine@bellsouth.net. In addition to the river cleanups, more conservation-oriented paddling trips are planned for Roger Arnwine Chota Conservation Officer 10

Eddy Out NOTES FROM THE EDITOR by Jim Martin The club seems to be in decline. The reasons for that are many. One big change from the past is the use of social media to communicate.

11 Eddy Out NOTES FROM THE EDITOR by Jim Martin The club seems to be in decline. The reasons for that are many. One big change from the past is the use of social media to communicate. Many paddlers plan their trips and make arrangements through , text message, Facebook and Meet Up groups. Those tools make it easy to plan and make changes quickly if you need to. The result is that the club has been fragmented into small groups, each doing their own thing, everyone is having fun. Great! The club should still serve a greater purpose for all of us. The mission statement on page one should still be relevant. To me it says that we exist to promote paddle sports in our area, teach to those wanting to learn and keep everyone safe on the water. The club was established as an environmental movement to save the Little T. It is still our mission to work and contribute financially to protect the special places where we all love to play. The founders of Chota may never have envisioned the changes in the paddling world. They paddled canoes in cutoffs and flip-flops banging their wooden paddles on the sides of aluminum Grummans. They froze their butts off when the water and weather got cold. Now we have crosslink plastic play boats, fiberglass touring boats, standup paddleboards, Gore-Tex drysuits, carbon fiber paddles. The gear has changed but it s still man vs. wild. We still need to protect the resources to continue to do what we love no matter what kind of boat we paddle. I have heard from some members that we should disband. If you no longer believe in the mission of the club, quit. That means you have no right to post on the Chota website or Facebook page, have no protection under the club insurance or attend club trips and functions. You will certainly have no right to complain about the decisions we make as a group. I am very grateful to have found this club when I first started paddling. I learned, made friends and went on great adventures. I think the group makes an important impact on the region in our conservation activities. I plan to continue to be a part of the club and contribute my time and money to make it work. I hope this newsletter will be a positive form of communication that helps keep the group motivated and moving forward. I encourage those who care to step up and make the club better. 11

12 CHOTA CANOE CLUB MEMBERSHIP FORM Membership for one year from July 1 thru June 30 $20 Membership Fee Enclosed New Member Renewing Member Change of Address Name(s): Street: City / State /Zip: Phone: (home) (work) address: Please indicate boats currently paddled: K1 OC1 OC2 C1 Touring K1 Other (please specify): Skill level: Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Expert Interest Area: Whitewater Class 3 and above trips Hairless whitewater Class 1/2/(3) trips Touring Adventure Trips Overnight canoe camping trips (rivers/lakes) Touring kayak overnight trips Day trips Weekday evening local trips Youth Activities Weekday evening paddle trips Hairless trips Whitewater trips Conservation Activities Safety Activities Canoe School Whitewater canoe or kayak Touring kayak Western Trips Whitewater Touring kayaks Gulf kayak touring Trips Day trips Self contained overnight trips Waiver: Chota Canoe Club activities may involve risk to persons or property. I agree to hold harmless from any liability the Chota Canoe Club, its officers and its members, collectively or as individuals, for any damage or loss of property or any personal injury or death to myself, anyone in my boat, or any member of my family covered by this membership while at any Chota Canoe Club function or on the way to or from it. Date / Signature(s) / (Parent or Guardian if under 18) Send to: Chota Canoe Club PO Box Knoxville, TN Chota Canoe Club ~ Promote community paddle sport activities, safety awareness and techniques, while being actively environmentally responsible. 12

A Periodic Publication of the Chota Canoe Club, Knoxville, TN MARCH safety awareness and techniques, while being actively environmentally

Eddy Out A Periodic Publication of the Chota Canoe Club, Knoxville, TN MARCH 2014 Chota Mission Statement: Promote community paddle sport activities, safety awareness and techniques, while being actively