Tar
6.5 Downtown Rocky Mount
February 24, 2005
Trip Report
| Reporter | Steven Pearce |
I spent a great deal of time monitoring various flow levels below the dam trying to find some good playable features, but sadly there really arent much of any. What I did find is that this can potentially be a very dangerous swim. At higher flows after periods of heavy rain,the water is fast,furious,and chock full'o'strainers. Here we dont see the classic deadly hydraulic created by most dams however, and if youre crazy enough Its probably runnable at around 6-9' or so. The far right side of the dam gives way to a sloping rock ledge that doesnt look too 'user friendly'. The center is even less inviting, with a plethora of rocks and logs. The left side is the most clear drop which gives way to a tight, tricky channel through the trees. Here, you can observe a very erratic, surging boil line likely indicating shallow water and an uneven ,rocky bed. With enough speed and a textbook landing, this spot may be your best bet. For the truly insane......