Posted: 6/17/2012 6:41:54 PM EDT
shsdawg58 & I went kayaking last Fri on the Hiwassee River in Polk Co. Here's some pics. This river is about 4-5 miles from the Ocoee River, where they do the rafting. The Hiwassee is much milder & thus more favorable to us old fat farts but still almost as much fun. 
If you take your own boat, it doesn't cost the rider anything to use the river. I park on the lower river take-out area & have cousins run us up to the powerhouse & then ride down. For those whom don't have boats, you can rent them from several outfitters there. No clue what their cost is, I think it's in the $30 range per boat? This is where we get in. If you look closely toward the left upper side, you can see the intake tubes that feed the powerhouse. There's a cool swinging bridge that is accessable to the public that lets you walk out over the river there. 
Lots of parts of it are pretty smooth, so you can kick back & relax often & just enjoy the scenery. You can also get back in when you flip over....................... 
However, there's lots of places that you can't touch bottom at & you have to float until you can stand on a rock or something. 
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This is just around the corner from the outfitters & take-out ramp. Decent little picnic area for those just wanting to hang out as well. Just gorgous scenery, IMO.
This is the RR trestle running over the river. There's an excursion train that runs from Etowah to Copperhill via this track & then back again. I haven't ridden it yet but have it on my bucket list. They stop-over in Copperhill for 2-3 hrs & let people shop, eat & drink. Lots of us climb the trestle & jump from it into the river as a final bit of fun. It's about a 35'~ drop to the water, lots of fun! 
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We do the Hiwasse every summer. Great river for groups. Here's a couple of videos |
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Quoted:
How many miles on the water, Bob? And how long did it take you? Thanks MIKE The river ride takes me around 2-3 hrs start to finish, depending if I float more than I paddle during the smooth, slow stretches. No clue what the mileage is as the river turns quite a bit. Driving time from Nashville to the Hiwassee is right at 3hrs with no stops. |
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I've had the fever for a while and finally found a deal I couldn't refuse yesterday, so now (well when the thing ships) I am officially the owner of a sit-on-top 12 footer. Bad part is I have no idea what else I need...PFD, paddle, scupper plugs...anything else fun I might want to grab?
and Bob, where's a good place for a beginner to get their bearings in the mid-TN area? Just somewhere to figure out how this one handles and such? |
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Been 15 or 20 years since I did it, so I don't remember how to get to the put in and takeout points, but there's an old dam on the Stones River in Murfreesboro. Put in there, and you can hit a few mild rapids as the river runs through the Murfreesboro area.
I was in a river canoe (most unstable canoe I've ever been in) with another guy, and the guy that loaned us the canoe was in a kayak. The guy in the kayak would have stayed dry, if he hadn't dropped his hat in one of the calm stretches and tried to pick it up. We flipped the canoe in one of the rapids (there was a rock involved). |
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DiddyMas…Congratulations on your new SOT.
As for a paddle, if you're over 6ft...go with a 240cm two piece paddle. Under 6ft, then a 230cm will fit you good. I will advise you to get a pfd that is just for kayaking /canoeing. U dont have to pay a lot for it...forty dollar range will work. DO NOT get a ski vest type pfd. U can get both for a decent price at either Dick's or Bass Pro. U don't need scuppers...unless you plan on standing up in your boat to fish. In a 12ft boat...that will be kinda tough. Hamilton Creek Sailboat Marina off of Bell Road is a nice place to paddle. It's a nice calm cove without a lot of boat traffic. |
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Quoted:
Bad part is I have no idea what else I need...PFD, paddle, scupper plugs...anything else fun I might want to grab? and Bob, where's a good place for a beginner to get their bearings in the mid-TN area? Just somewhere to figure out how this one handles and such? I bought my PFD at Dick's, on sale. I went with the mesh-top fisherman style as it allows it to breathe on those hot assed summer days. Looks like John gave you advice on the paddle. Since I broke his, I'll bow to his expertise............. 
I also like to ride down Stones River, below the dam to the Cumberland River. Virtually no other traffic & some decent scenery, IMO. I haven't done the Walter Hill Dam in Murf. as also mentioned. Nor have I yet done the Harpeth & Caney Fork rivers. Both are on my bucket list. John is always wanting to do Percy Priest Lake, but that's like watching paint dry, IMO. YMMV.
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