We had a good sized crowd (20, as far as we could count them, but likely more) on a beautiful fall day on the Potomac. The level was 3.3 ft. In OC1s we had Hendrik vO. and yours truly. In K1s we had Barb B, Toni B, Bob B, Alf C, Dimitry D, Jack and Katelin F, Sergei G (PFD), Bob H, Natalie H, Beth K, Temmy K, Gordy L, Kathleen S, John S, Lauren W, Pam W, and an unknown friend of Pam’s.
We should mention that this was our first Sunday run down the GWC since a hapless group of 10 canoeists and rec-boaters came to grief on fresh logs there last Sunday at a level of 4.5 ft (over 3x as much volume as we were experiencing today.) Upshot was that most of them had to be lifted out by helicopter, which made it on to evening television. So we were leery of going down that (the top) section of the GWC, and so came in via the slanting entry down the Original Canal from the right side of Seneca Breaks. John S led this, and it worked out fine.
Pam and her posse ran the Breaks. Barb and her posse ran the upper portion of the canal where the boats from last Sunday's 10-boat disaster occurred. Everyone else ran a side channel to come out at the Surfing Ledge, where Barb rejoined us. At this point John S formed a new posse (Toni, the Findlings, Gordy, and the Bobs) and went off to the far left channel, a new route for our Sunday Paddlers. His report follows below. The remainder paddled down the normal route. Dimitry did some gear recovery on the broached green Coleman canoe (from last Sunday's disaster) but was unable to get the boat free from its pin. At the Attaining Rapid about six of us made the elevator move.
No carnage to report. Hendrik reports an even dozen turtles in the C&O Canal and an eagle.
John Snitzer’s scouting report:
The left left channel @3.3' is a good option for novices IMO. It has a nice section of fairly long rapids with several good lines. It is pretty. It is wide open and has considerably less woody debris than the right and left options. Running through Dam No. 2 as we did today, playing at Surfers Ledge, then running down left left channel seems inherently safer than either of the traditional options.
We entered the river upstream of the usual reconnection point at the foot of 30-Eddy Rapid, attained to the bottom of the island and ran the last chute of the Breaks run. All enjoyed the paddle.