It has become a family tradition to take a trip down the Ocoee River. I think we have made the trip 5 or 6 times now. The Ocoee River, America's only Olympic River, begins in Copperhill/McCaysville where a simple name change at the Georgia/Tennessee state line divides it from the Toccoa River. The Ocoee River runs northwest out of the Copper Basin Area to the Tennessee River. It is one of the South's most popular whitewater rivers. Class III and IV rapids make it one of the nation's most challenging stretches of water. Anyone over the age of 12 can enjoy the rapids of the Ocoee on guided raft trips offered by professional outfitters. These guided trips are available weekends April through October and weekdays June through August. The Ocoee River is also open to individuals for tubing, kayaking, and canoeing. Please be aware of the dangerous rapids and use the buddy system. 
The Ocoee river is separated into three parts. The Upper Ocoee, site of the 1996 Olympic course; the Middle Ocoee, with commercial rafting since 1976; and The Lower Ocoee (below Parksville Dam), great for lazy tube floats, swimming or boating.
The Ocoee river is separated into three parts. The Upper Ocoee, site of the 1996 Olympic course; the Middle Ocoee, with commercial rafting since 1976; and The Lower Ocoee (below Parksville Dam), great for lazy tube floats, swimming or boating.
Upper Ocoee - the Olympic Challenge! We challenged the water that has taken on the best boaters in the world. The Upper Ocoee, site of the 1996 Olympic Whitewater Competition, is to be open for only 34 days during the 2008 season. The Ocoee is also where the movie "Deliverance" was filmed, hence the title of this blog entry. I can't take credit for the quote, I saw it on a bumper sticker. 
Just so you have an idea of what you are looking at in these pictures with regards to level of difficulty, here is the table defining the different classifications of rapids (these are Class IV): The International Scale of River Difficulty:
Class I - Easy Fast moving water with small waves. Few obstructions, all obvious & easily missed with little training.
Class II - NoviceEasy rapids with obvious wide, clear channels. Occasional maneuvering required, but rocks & waves are easily missed by trained paddlers.
Class III - IntermediateRapids with moderate, irregular waves; may be difficult to avoid, can swamp an open canoe. Complex maneuvers in fast current & good boat control in tight passages or around ledges required; large waves are present but easily avoided. Strong eddies & powerful current effects.
Class IV - AdvancedIntense, powerful but predictable rapids requiring precise boat handling in turbulent water. May be large, unavoidable waves & holes or constricted passages demanding fast maneuvers under pressure. A fast, reliable eddy turn needed for maneuvers. Rapids require must moves above dangerous hazards.
Class I - Easy Fast moving water with small waves. Few obstructions, all obvious & easily missed with little training.
Class II - NoviceEasy rapids with obvious wide, clear channels. Occasional maneuvering required, but rocks & waves are easily missed by trained paddlers.
Class III - IntermediateRapids with moderate, irregular waves; may be difficult to avoid, can swamp an open canoe. Complex maneuvers in fast current & good boat control in tight passages or around ledges required; large waves are present but easily avoided. Strong eddies & powerful current effects.
Class IV - AdvancedIntense, powerful but predictable rapids requiring precise boat handling in turbulent water. May be large, unavoidable waves & holes or constricted passages demanding fast maneuvers under pressure. A fast, reliable eddy turn needed for maneuvers. Rapids require must moves above dangerous hazards.
This year we were joined by Lindsay's boyfriend, Ronnie. It was his first trip down the river and he loved it. Since we have a big group, we were split into 2 rafts. Ronnie, Lindsay, Brianna and I were in one raft, guided by Farber. Pat, Patrick, Ryan and Zach were in another raft guided by Daniel. We are looking forward to our next trip down the river and are planning on doing both parts for a full day of excitement and fun.
