Stekoa Creek

After many years of putting it off, I finally ran the Lower Stekoa from E. Wolf Creek Rd. into the Chattooga. The 441 gauge was at 0' and the Wolf Creek bridge gauge was at 1.4. This was a low level, but that is ok for an exploratory run. There were seven of us in the group, none of whom had run the entire length. Several had hiked up from the Chattooga previously and run the last several rapids, but none from the top down. It was a good trip, rather uneventful. I was not expecting that there would be so much flatwater. The entire run is probably 60-70% flatwater with some big rapids thrown in. At one point, nearly half way down the creek, one of the guys with us proclaimed, 'wow, I finally got to run a rapid.' The first rapid was fun, right or left of the island. The second rapid was big with a hard hit at the bottom. The third rapid is the money drop. This one rapid, I don't know if it has a name or how many people have run it, but it is the money drop that will lure me back again. It is fairly intimidating looking but smooth as butter. Note to self, don't start celebrating until the rapid is done...I started calling it Gorilla's Mama for lack of knowledge of it's already name. (This name because when you run the right side, it has the same feeling of Gorilla, without the notch, but of the feeling you get of landing off the pad and continuing to drop under the veil)....The last stretch into the Chattooga is tight and technical, but short and leaves you feeling slightly unsatisfied. If it weren't for Gorilla's Mama, I probably wouldn't go back. There is one rapid I would especially like to comment on. The death cave, sieve, whatever its name is rapid. I have heard about this rapid for at least a decade and a half...ever since Chris Harjes and Nathan Hale ran this creek back in '94 or '95. That one rapid...and the poor water quality...let me repeat that...and the poor water quality, have kept me from wanting to experience this creek, at least from being able to find others that would want to go explore it with me. So I am thankful for a group of paddling friends who are willing to try new stuff and break out of the vicious cycle of ALWAYS going to Overflow. Let me state for the record that Toxaway and Overflow were checked first, and since neither were running, Stekoa was our last option short of a long drive to the Smokies. Anyway, the death cave, sieve rapid has a very clear, albeit very narrow line through it that does NOT feed the cave, sieve. Yes it is a mean looking rapid, but a great example of a rapid where you have to drive toward the thing you want to avoid in order to avoid it. What? In order to avoid the cave, on the approach, you have to drive toward the cave, because when you crest the top of the wave that guards the cave, there is a tongue that bypasses the cave. If you try to stay too far right of the cave, there is a ledge with a hole, kicker wave that throws you into the cave. Anyway, the moral is, sometimes you have to go toward that which scares you in order to find the safe way. I could very easily start preaching about giving your life to Christ, but I will save that for River Fellowship (1st Sunday of every month at Woodall Shoals 8 am, 2nd Sunday of every month, Green Narrows take-out 9 am). To sum up, lower Stekoa is fun, big, somewhat stinky, a lot of work if you are not willing to run the big ones, but definitely rewarding. PS paddling Lake Tugaloo with hand paddles is less than enjoyable. Happy boating and may you find the joy of knowing Christ as you enjoy His handiwork.