Chattooga

Right Crack looks like the tunnel of love at Ravens Rock underwater New

Forum: BoaterTalk

Re: right crack at chattooga by tarheel123 Nov 10 2003, 23:29 GMT New

Date: Nov 10 2003, 23:45 GMT

From: GA_CREEKER

I went scuba diving at Crack a number of years ago and went all around right/middle and left crack. The two rocks almost touch at the top of right crack. A large log (there used to be two) goes from the bottom of the river and is wedged in the top crease. The smaller logs/branches have collected horizontally like a beaver dam to seal most of the opening. No significant water went around the river right of the log but a lot of water goes around the left and under the big rock in the center of the rapid. This rock is undercut/overhanging just below the water surface and you can go back 5-7 ft from the downstream face. A good number of boats have gone through the passage but a body may have a higher likelyhood of snagging on one of the many branches forming the dam. I suspect that if the log ever rots/washes out the entire river would go through this slot and you would paddle under the rocks you go over now like a bridge.

Aside, you can walk into left crack and go under the rock between left and center crack and sit and watch the bubbles of center crack go by on one side (a 3x5 ft window) and the bubbles of left crack go by on the other side.

If a boater is ever stuck in left crack you need to push their shoulders/arms back into the drop until the water catches their torso. They will then wash under the pinning rock and free from the rapid. I've worked a recovery here and you cannot pull someone against the force of the water. There is lots of room under the pin rock (5-6 ft), which is why kayaks pin there so bad. Also a canoe or raft can be broached across the top of the drop significantly reducing the amount of water going through the drop.