Black

Big Thanks To Ward Dailey For The Following River Description. We will see if we can't run this a few times and get some nice photos to add.

The highest level known to have been paddled on this section was 16 feet by Scott Bush, Chris Marriott, and the reverend Juy Rocker. They described it as huge wave trains and holes non-stop. I have run this section as high as eleven feet, and hundreds of times in the 7 ft to 9 ft range; 4.5 to 5 is as low as you want without leaving a trail. Optimum level is 7.3 feet.

The put-in for this section is river right just upstream of the old stone bridge abutments in the hamlet of Hawkinsville. (100 yards upstream of the putin is a dam I had a humbling experience trying to run; leave it alone!) You can park on top of the abutment. Walk down the bank, towards the dam. Watch out for glass, as the local kids like to party here.

Once in your boat slide out of the eddy into the current past the abutment, 50 ft downstream of you is a large surf wave-hole, with a big eddy to the right. Catch the eddy and from there you can ferry onto the wave. When you're finished playing, start downstream, go between the center piers, catch the eddy behind the left one; as you look upstream there is a ledge drop 40 ft in front of you--it can be possessive.

If you're not sure of your abilities leave it alone and spin around; face downstream. In essence this is your line. What's in front of you is 300 yards of rapids class 3 to 4+; the line is always the same at all levels. Just left of center, there are 3 ledge drops--hit them straight, with speed you will slide thru, sideways or slow and you will be surfing. A swim here will be painful at best. A note on this section on river right 300 yards from the bridge -- at levels of 10 feet and above, a large hydraulic forms from a ledge. The locals call it The Whirlpool. You don't want t

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