New River Squirt Gathering of Friends 2011
Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 9:13 pm
This is a great event (7th year?) for all the mystery movers who like getting all zombied out underwater in whirlpools. The New River at Mccoy's Falls near blacksburg has 3 great spots to get under for 10+ seconds at a time if you're good... Anybody who has a glass boat and an itch to get sunk should put this one on the calender. All the best squirt boaters from the east coast were there including Jim Snyder, but the vibe is super friendly and helpful if you're a newbie. There were even a couple visitors from Japan! More info on where to mystery at http://www.sinkspots.org, or talk to them crazy underwater boaters at http://www.angstkayak.com/messageboard/index.html
Bubbler party report
Just getting back from a fantastic weekend, big thanks to Ricky for putting on another great event. Friday arrived about lunch and headed to Bubbler 1 & 2 to dial in charcs. BTW bubbler 1=attainers right=righty charc, bubble 2=attainers left=lefty charc. Set up a hammock in the trees to rest between sessions and paddled till dinnertime. Even caught a little sunfish with my son's rod I'd stashed in the boat. Arrived at Boley field and took a bike ride with Harry--phenomenal trails with blooming rhododendrons and mountain laurel. Be great to set up some downhill only shuttles for next year since everybody gets back from the river pretty whooped. Randy is your in for biking around there, unfortunately I missed his downhiller buddies sunday. Great campfire and catching up with everybody, keg was floating by the end of the night.
A newbie friend of mine rolled in friday night so we were first ones out of camp and on the river. He had such itchy feet to go squirting (he was due back in Richmond for a wedding Saturday night) he forgot his tent and bag, but I grabbed it today on the way out. Had bubbler to ourselves a good hour, in short he got sunk a bunch and another zombie is born. The masses showed up about 11:00 and it was bumper boats in the eddy (25 competitors?) until we started the first heat at 12:45. Team Bermuda dominated the comp, top 3 spots went to John (champ) Bell, Steve Graybill, and Stro. Followed by Ricky and a very surprised yours truly. Full results hopefully to follow from the official scorekeepers. I think with the TN crawlers in wedding mode and Randy on the injured list (and chief keg security guard) the field opened up a bit. Really got in a groove after the comp, we started going for style points and really enjoying the 80* weather... I was tossing my paddle up from down under so it flew into the air. My vote for move of the day was Graybill blasting the pourover, swapping ends moving towards river right, then a couple flat spins and GONE in bubbler 1. Or maybe Bell charcing into bubbler 1 backwards.
Just when I thought I couldn't take anymore and was getting ready to pack it up, I see my friend John Tiedeman from Charlottesville pull up on the far side of the river with a squirt boat on the rack. I retreated to the hammock until he geared up and ferried over, then had another few sessions with him. Kudos to JT for taking his beating like a man and reminding everybody why you don't want to be upside down and sideways in the pourover next to bubbler 2 with hand paddles. We stayed until nearly 6:30 getting juiced on river adrenaline. First in, last out. And speaking of JT power, Kudos to Trembley for getting hitched!!! More campfire, grilling out, slacklining, a pinata, awards ceremony, then Bob MCed the rowdy auction. Sleep came easy.
Sunday morning got coffeed up and headed out to sample the Squeeze. Nice rides, it's a sweet spot if you can screw down and level out. I was getting as much as I wanted. Floated down to the Bubbler and was just getting SKUNKED on Bubbler 1 at the lower levels. Then tried Bubbler 2 and it was MONEY. Whatever the level was at 12:00 on the dot was PERFECT. I think it was slightly lower than conventional wisdom, the pourover was not nearly as much of a concern but the drop was twisted sister style smooth and easy entry. I've never had such gentle and effortless handpaddle rides, and BUBBLES galore. However, by 12:30 it was weak and by 1:00 it was gone. Pat Metheny was of the same opinion "F bubbler 1!" Had every intention of hitting the highway until we walked back up to Mccoys Falls and stumbled onto the post graduation Va Tech party scene. They must have had bikinis under those gowns... Stayed awhile and joined the masses, fishing from the waist deep water and wading out to the rock next to the down under sinkspot, where I caught a throwback smallmouth bass as a perfect end to a great weekend.
Bubbler party report
Just getting back from a fantastic weekend, big thanks to Ricky for putting on another great event. Friday arrived about lunch and headed to Bubbler 1 & 2 to dial in charcs. BTW bubbler 1=attainers right=righty charc, bubble 2=attainers left=lefty charc. Set up a hammock in the trees to rest between sessions and paddled till dinnertime. Even caught a little sunfish with my son's rod I'd stashed in the boat. Arrived at Boley field and took a bike ride with Harry--phenomenal trails with blooming rhododendrons and mountain laurel. Be great to set up some downhill only shuttles for next year since everybody gets back from the river pretty whooped. Randy is your in for biking around there, unfortunately I missed his downhiller buddies sunday. Great campfire and catching up with everybody, keg was floating by the end of the night.
A newbie friend of mine rolled in friday night so we were first ones out of camp and on the river. He had such itchy feet to go squirting (he was due back in Richmond for a wedding Saturday night) he forgot his tent and bag, but I grabbed it today on the way out. Had bubbler to ourselves a good hour, in short he got sunk a bunch and another zombie is born. The masses showed up about 11:00 and it was bumper boats in the eddy (25 competitors?) until we started the first heat at 12:45. Team Bermuda dominated the comp, top 3 spots went to John (champ) Bell, Steve Graybill, and Stro. Followed by Ricky and a very surprised yours truly. Full results hopefully to follow from the official scorekeepers. I think with the TN crawlers in wedding mode and Randy on the injured list (and chief keg security guard) the field opened up a bit. Really got in a groove after the comp, we started going for style points and really enjoying the 80* weather... I was tossing my paddle up from down under so it flew into the air. My vote for move of the day was Graybill blasting the pourover, swapping ends moving towards river right, then a couple flat spins and GONE in bubbler 1. Or maybe Bell charcing into bubbler 1 backwards.
Just when I thought I couldn't take anymore and was getting ready to pack it up, I see my friend John Tiedeman from Charlottesville pull up on the far side of the river with a squirt boat on the rack. I retreated to the hammock until he geared up and ferried over, then had another few sessions with him. Kudos to JT for taking his beating like a man and reminding everybody why you don't want to be upside down and sideways in the pourover next to bubbler 2 with hand paddles. We stayed until nearly 6:30 getting juiced on river adrenaline. First in, last out. And speaking of JT power, Kudos to Trembley for getting hitched!!! More campfire, grilling out, slacklining, a pinata, awards ceremony, then Bob MCed the rowdy auction. Sleep came easy.
Sunday morning got coffeed up and headed out to sample the Squeeze. Nice rides, it's a sweet spot if you can screw down and level out. I was getting as much as I wanted. Floated down to the Bubbler and was just getting SKUNKED on Bubbler 1 at the lower levels. Then tried Bubbler 2 and it was MONEY. Whatever the level was at 12:00 on the dot was PERFECT. I think it was slightly lower than conventional wisdom, the pourover was not nearly as much of a concern but the drop was twisted sister style smooth and easy entry. I've never had such gentle and effortless handpaddle rides, and BUBBLES galore. However, by 12:30 it was weak and by 1:00 it was gone. Pat Metheny was of the same opinion "F bubbler 1!" Had every intention of hitting the highway until we walked back up to Mccoys Falls and stumbled onto the post graduation Va Tech party scene. They must have had bikinis under those gowns... Stayed awhile and joined the masses, fishing from the waist deep water and wading out to the rock next to the down under sinkspot, where I caught a throwback smallmouth bass as a perfect end to a great weekend.
