Tom: 2009 Chattahoochee River Challenger

We are a camping family. My 2 young daughters, a goddaughter and my Wife and I have always been fond of McIntosh Reserve in Whitesburg GA. It’s right next to the river and there’s just nothing like listening to the river when falling asleep at night and early in the morning.

On one trip I brought my kayak and had them drop me at the bridge over SR 27. I paddled a few miles down to the rapids, right next to where we usually camp and portaged. It is a quiet part of the river and really didn’t make much of an impression. I am more of a fan of the fast flowing rapids in the Powers Island to Paces Mill section of the metro ‘Hooch.

One day I started to wonder if you could paddle from Powers Island all the way to McIntosh Reserve. I put up some post on the local Adventure Racers board to get feedback. Mostly what I heard was negative. Why would you want to cover that section? What about the pollution? Then someone mentioned a guy who had paddled the ‘Hooch all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.

Now, I am used to undertaking most of my hair brained adventures solo, since most folks just don’t seem to share my sense of what is a good time. I contacted Richard to get information on what to expect. I figured to get the usual 80% of the necessary information and gut out the rest. I was very pleasantly surprised to find a fellow adventure junky that not only gave me ALL of the info I needed, but thought it was a good idea and wanted to come along. Lucky me!

In short order we set a date. Richard arranged a shuttle and much to my surprise there would be a muster of about 10 paddlers. This would be my first kayak camping trip, so I assembled the necessary dry bags; freeze dried foods and various other gear. I also attended some Eskimo roll practice sessions just to be prepared. As the day drew near, my adventurous streak was working up to some great expectations!

Saturday April 4 we all met for the first time at the CRNRA Powers Island Park put in. Arne, a friend of mine from work, also joined our merry band. By 0900 hrs we are on the river and the weather is shaping up to be perfect. Passing through the shoals and chatting up some new companions was exactly what I had hoped for. We stopped at Paces Mill for a moment. This was as far as I had ever been before. Now we are on to what, for me, was virgin territory. It was a nice easy section of the river until we reached the Water Works.

We had discussed this particular water hazard and most of us were using spray skirts. Richard went first and made it look easy. He was followed by Doc who seemed to be the trusted lieutenant. Well, this trip had been my idea and I was not about to hesitate to tackle this obstacle. Into the chute, over the fall, into the wash and HOOYAH guess who is still upright!? Seven more paddlers repeated the exercise with a 100% pass rate.

We pulled over river left and removed our spray skirts. Laughing and horsing around a good time is being had by all. This was the perfect start to what would be a near perfect day. We set out at a comfortable pace and just enjoyed the river. As we moved along we seem to be leaving civilization behind. How ironic that we are straddling some huge industrial complexes.

We pass I-285, I-75, I-285 again and I-20. Then we hear a roar that could pass for a horror flick soundtrack when I realize that we are right next to Six Flags over Georgia. We can actually see the Scream Machine from the river. Who knew?

We pass by Sweetwater creek when someone puts forth the idea to paddle upstream to the Sweetwater creek State Park. We all enter the mouth of the creek and I start to realize that there is quite the current we are paddling against. With Doc out front and Tim to my side this turns into a sprint to make some ground. We are paddling hard and moving slow. Finally Doc turns back and says there’s nothing much to see. Tim responds that we 3 are the only ones left anyway. We all turn back and enjoy a blast of speed without the effort we’ve been putting in up ‘til now.

We rejoin the group and it’s an easy wilderness paddle for the next few miles to our planned take out at the Metro Atlanta Softball Complex. The boat ramp is a different challenge. It is ankle deep mud and slick as snot on a doorknob. We each take our turn at navigating this obstacle. I have about 30 feet of rope tied on to my bow so I slither up past the mud and then tug the boat up to me.

We line up the kayaks and head over to the softball fields. Eventually we find a working spigot and get relatively cleaned up. Clean hands and feet and a cold Red Bull bring me back to the human condition. Next we make camp by pretty much circling up and putting up tents. Richard has a virtual 7-11 of junk food in his boat.

Then we all sit around enjoying the fellowship. Camping stoves cook up a variety of goodies. Late afternoon turns to twilight and I turn in to the relative comfort of my expedition hammock.

We are at a public boat ramp and the softball games are still going when I turn in. Anyone who has camped in such a situation knows that the challenge is to tune everything out and get a good night sleep regardless. I heard a loud muffler during the witching hours but tried to tune it out even though it sounded very close.

0700 hrs and Richard is up. He is whispering sweet nothings to the rest of us to make sure we are all up. He comes back by my hammock and asks if I moved my kayak after dark. I’m still wiggling out of my cocoon and say no. Half thinking this is a little New Guy humor… I hear Richard say, “Then we’ve got a problem”. WTF…I arise to find my kayak is gone.

Before I know it Richard is gone -down a muddy jeep trail. Tracking tire marks and a skeg line with his flashlight, he is gone before I can catch up. I follow the same tracks up to the bridge but decide that discretion is the better part of valor. I stop there and listen intently. I called out for Richard but didn’t want to give him away if he was sneaking up on anyone…

To make a long story a little longer, we call 911 and it takes some time before the police arrive. I filed a report and called my darling Wife to come pick me up. As of this writing, it looks like the insurance will pay, so there will be another boat and another trip, but this one has reached its conclusion.