Rock Island!

/in /by

I went to college at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN. I got a degree in kayaking, beer drinking and getting laid. åÊWhen I wasn’t studying, we would go to Rock Island, TN and surf the hole. åÊI remember it being pretty intimidating…I paddled a Perception 3d then, and remember getting my first flat spins on a green wave there, as well as doing rodeo moves in the hole that looked awesome to my friends but that I had no way of replicating on my own. åÊRock Island was an hour drive from campus, and in a world all it’s own. åÊWe’d go before class, after class, during class…I have fond memories from there.

Fast forward ten years…I focused my time in the meantime on becoming a Class V fiddler, and spent every spare moment learning the nuances of bluegrass fiddle (which I’m still learning, daily). åÊI didn’t paddle much, kept drinking beer, got fat, stayed up too late. åÊBut I was in a band! åÊAnyway, I got back into boating, got back in shape by offroad unicycling (the ultimate cross training for kayaking) and developed the bellyak.

On about my tenth prototype I nailed the perfect combination of rocker and volume, and had a bellyak that was a surfing machine! åÊIt was exhilirating to surf with your face that close to the water. åÊSo naturally, I thought of Rock Island. åÊAnna and I were on our way back to Sewanee for my tenth year reunion, and went there from Asheville via Rock Island.

Send this to Mom if I don't make it
A cool, rainy day in early November. Got geared up and had some locals show up…EJ and Emily Jackson. I’d of been intimidated if I was in a kayak!
That’s EJ in the background. He just woke up from a nap and paddled out from his batcave behind the waterfall. Did you know the Jacksons live in Rock Island? Yep, right behind the waterfall. That’s why they’re all such good paddlers.
I had a bunch of exhilirating surfs, until my arms about fell off. åÊIt should be noted that the hole was running at one generator…much friendlier than two generators.

Blasting out in front of the hole…way more exciting to me than in a kayak! The sensation of speed was unbelievable.

I had some great rides, and also got to focus on a few exit moves…

Just because you can, definitely means you should.

EJ tried it as well. åÊI must say, for the only time in my life, I paddled better than him. To his credit, bellyaking with a sprayskirt on is difficult, as it creates too much resistance between you and the boat.

EJ gave it a shot. Hard to do with a sprayskirt on!

Luckily he was there, as he had to rescue my boat for me. åÊI had one long, epic surf, going back and forth from my knees…until I got a little too frisky and fell off the back of the boat. All I could hear was hooting and hollering as I went under water…you see, my boat stayed in the hole and had the best ride of the day…doing a McRib into a banana split topping it off with a classic ender back into the eddy behind the waterfall. åÊWell, I was steadily moving downstream and my boat, sans me, was back in the lineup waiting to go again. åÊLuckily EJ brought my boat to me. I owe him one.

 

 

All in all it was a great day, and huge fun on the bellyak. I can’t wait to go back to Rock Island. åÊThis day proved to me that we needed a play specific bellyak, this boat is the 2nd generation of the Play.

Parting shot:

Original post blogged on b2evolution.