(written back in September, awaiting some amusing photos, showing girls on rafts in hilarious states of dis-repair, barely holding together by wisps of string, as the scouts paddle furiously to the end point of the race. The photos never materialized. Sorry.)
... in the eastern most part of TN. About as close to NC as you can get without actually being there. Not precisely to the point of being able to stand with one foot in NC and the other in TN, as you take a photo with the 'state line' sign in the background. But really close, when we went to the Hiwassee River, as it burbles out of the bottom of a dam and runs towards the mighty Tennessee River. Driving about an hour and a half east from Chattanooga, through towns like Ooltewah and Reliance.
The purpose of the excursion was to convene on the riverbank with a group of Girl Scouts: accepting a challenge to build a river-worthy raft. They would launch and float about five miles down the river. Given safety parameters like: everyone wears a flotation device, and there should be one more inner tube than the number of girls participating. The rafts were tubes lashed to bamboo poles, with most of the materials hopefully environmentally friendly, some even had cushions securely attached for girls comfort.
As we observed the girls assembling their projects, some were obviously more experienced than others. Securing the assembled parts with multiple loops and knots, obviously having practiced their skills before arriving. Others were more haphazard, lackadaisical, but all the girls were invested and industriously knotting and working together. No parents doing the work, once they got all their parts unloaded and laid out on the grass. A water safety volunteer looked over each project to assure that even the slap-dash rafts met minimum compliance. And there were ample canoeists and kayaks on the water with each of the seven groups to provide help if needed.
There were lots of parents, troop leaders and on-lookers with varying degrees of anxiety about their charges' well-being. But the wide river was never more than chest deep, even as water was released from the dam upstream. From a boat ramp, at a river rafter-outfitters' establishment, the groups of girls put their craft in the very cold water, and got aboard. Accompanied by volunteer boaters, paddling along with each raft as the girls began to make their way downstream.
After the launching, amid much cheering, enthusiastic send-off, we raced off down the road, to wave and clap as the rafters passed by several picnic spots. Then on to the finish line, which was a boat ramp, near a bridge over the river. The process from launch to the end took about two hours, with most girls paddling, or poleing to hurry their craft along. If they had not all had paddles, I expect some would still be approaching the take-out point, drifting along with the current. Caught in overhanging limbs, stuck on rocks, or snagged in submerged trees.
A few of the tubes deflated, causing framework to sag, rigging to get wet and the entire contraption partially submerge. Some were so well designed, they arrived intact, to much applause and sighs of relief. One group barely arrived, sodden and frustrated, while another group abandoned their efforts mid-stream, and jumped off the river at a campground. Some got off their raggedy craft in tears, but all lived to raft another day. And will, in time, eventually get to the point that they will enjoy telling tales of the day around the campfire.
Sept. 9, 2014
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