Boaters flock to Cheoah for first release of season

The Tuckasegee Reader reported today (for the full story, with photo gallery and video, visit TuckReader.com

CHEOAH RIVER –– Hundreds of boaters gathered at the Cheoah River for the first big water of the year this past Saturday. The region’s most avid paddlers flocked to the southwestern-most corner of North Carolina for early spring boating, in part because the Cheoah was the only river releasing in the Southeast.

Scott Sidener, Steve Moore, and Wesley R. Bradley get ready to take Bear Creek Falls on the Cheoah River, Feb. 19, 2011. Photo by Cheryl Killman. To see all of Cheryl Killman’s photos from Saturday, click here.

“At one point there was a single file line of kayaks; I felt like I was in a heard of cattle,” said 21-year-old, Brad Caldwell from Robbinsville, NC, who’s been boating for 14 years. “It’s been almost six months since this river last released, so I’m stoked.”

After waiting over an hour past the scheduled release time, a stream of eager boaters finally put on the water. Kayaks of every make and model, size and color filed into the river in a scene that looked like the start of the Daytona 500…

Visit TuckReader.com for the rest of the story, photo gallery and video.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.