Coastals

Finally floated from Motts Run to the City Dock on the Rappahannock today in the Cataraft. The water lever was 3.37. I need it closer to 4, but managed to have a nice run today, only got hung up twice for just a few seconds each time. I took my wife and my youngest boy who was in town visiting and the cataraft handled like a pig. Not very nimble when you start putting extra folks on it. No way this river has Class III water though. My youngest is all fired up to get a kayak. Hopefully he takes my advice and gets in some classes. Lots of folks floating the river today and swimming. Just a beautiful day on the river.

If you want a class III Rappahannock run you have to check it out at higher flows, 3.3 is only like 2,000cfs. And AW min is like 2.5 foot where as my min is a little over 3 foot. Around 4 foot or 4,000cfs it starts to change its face at the fall line. At 5-10k the fall line is nonstop and continuous; I'd rate the fall line class III overall since it becomes one long rapid. Also for a kayak there are more lines to checkout like Target Rock or the Backside line when the level is up enough to get back there. I'm sure your craft could get back there. The stuff above 95 to Motts Run is just a bit larger or washed out with added water. But the fall line indeed changes a lot at higher flow.

Hope you check it out again as I like that river a lot and wish more Coastal members ran it.

Oh yea, I'll be back on it, I only live 15 miles away. I've run the Rapidan from Ely's Ford down to Motts several times and the run from Kelly's Ford down. I was think 4+ and it would be a blast! I still had a great time!