Blue Hole Summer 2021 Roadtrip Diary

Here's a final update for my 2021 journeys up to Tennessee and to Blue Hole -- the last made with the Ocoee Whitewater Center intact.
I's also the first time I can remember when the last possible roadtrip up to Blue Hole took place before the middle of August, due to flooding late-season rains and no less than four tropical storms.

Dates Plans Comments

May 25-26 Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made! Water was a bit chilly at 75-79 degrees but it was a great, hot visit with air temps in the upper 80s. Youtube playlist with 6 videos from this visit is now posted here. My Facebook post with pics and the vids (in lieu of an album which apparently are no longer offered) is here

June 8th and 9th Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip cancelled Cancelled due to home issues (garage door failure) and an iffy forecast (highs only in the low 80s and rain/showers forecasted).

June 29-30 Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made! Tuesday was cloudy after I got there but it never rained; a storm actually divided around us! Wednesday was mostly sunny with a short rain shower and a break during a loud, noisy church-group. Just a couple of tunnel swim-thru vids from the trip, via YouTube: Here's one from Tuesday (GoPro Hero2) and Here's one from Wednesday (GoPro Hero5 Black). And here are two photos of some cool folks taken on Wednesday, along with the videos, in a FB post: here.

July 6-7, 2021 Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made! Thanks to Alicia, Elkin, Lily, Gavin and Jasper for good company on Tuesday, and to Dillon, Landon and co. on Wednesday. Videos have been posted to the 2021 Playlist on YouTube.
Photos and videos have now been posted here on Facebook as a public post.

July 14, 2021 Wednesday one-day visit made! This ended up being a nice day with lots of sunshine later (and me getting a bit toastier). Despite an iffy forecast and getting dumped on in Copperhill and Ducktown on the way in, it never rained on us at Blue Hole although it HAD rained earlier in the morning there. It was great to see Jaiden and also Dillon up there. Facebook post with pics and videos from the trip is posted here! Videos have now been added to YouTube here.

July 22, 2021 Rare one-day Thursday roadtrip made! Great weather this time after several days of rain due to a stationary front over the area. The water flow was much higher than it's been, but it was do-able. Great to see Dillon yet again, and to meet Logan and Stanton, who appear in most of my videos. They are posted here on Facebook. I've also created a new "2021 Part 2" playlist on YouTube and have added them there.

July 28, 2021 One-day only Wednesday roadtrip made! This was a pretty awesome visit. Warmest water of the year so far at 86F, and a cloudless day with a high temp around 90F. Great to see John the rafting guide again this year, and to meet TJ, Paige, Tobi and Jay and the "Kayaking Crew" late in the day: Alex, Richard, Ben, Will, Christian, Henry, Harper, Eddie and Trevor (whew!).
Videos and a few photos are now posted on Facebook here.
I've also added them to my "2021 Part 2" playlist on YouTube.

August 3-4, 2021 Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip Cancelled The forecast highs for these two days were only around 80F with clouds and rain forecast, so I skipped this week's trip. Quite a change from the 90s we've had recently!

August 10-11, 2021 Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made! Lowest weekday river-flow of the summer so far, and the water topped out at 84F each day. Relatively uncrowded both days with most school systems back in session, but it was cool to meet new folks and see, e.g., John again.
Photos and videos are posted on Facebook here. I've also added them to my "2021 Part 2" playlist on YouTube.

August 24-25, 2021 Roadtrip Cancelled TVA has been sluicing water from Ocoee #3 Dam due to rainfall from TS Fred. As of early Wednesday morning, it looks like they will still be sluicing 2,000+ cubic ft/sec on Wednesday, which exceeds the 1,300-or-so CCF capacity of the tunnel and the generator at the powerhouse. Oh, well.

August 31-Sept 1, 2021 Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip cancelled I'll have to cancel my final pre-Dragon*Con trip due to Hurricane Ida and continuing sluicing from Ocoee #3 Dam.

September 14-15, 2021 Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip cancelled Continued high river-flow caused this cancellation.

September 18-19, 2021 Late-season weekend trip cancelled Would have been nice to enjoy a rare weekend trip up to TN like last year, but...not this year.

September 25-26, 2021 Late-season weekend trip again cancelled All that rain AND high river-flow, plus cool fall temps have arrived. Oh, well. The season ended really early this year. :(

Dates	Plans	Comments
May 25-26	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made!	Water was a bit chilly at 75-79 degrees but it was a great, hot visit with air temps in the upper 80s. Youtube playlist with 6 videos from this visit is now posted here. My Facebook post with pics and the vids (in lieu of an album which apparently are no longer offered) is here
June 8th and 9th	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip cancelled	Cancelled due to home issues (garage door failure) and an iffy forecast (highs only in the low 80s and rain/showers forecasted).
June 29-30	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made!	Tuesday was cloudy after I got there but it never rained; a storm actually divided around us! Wednesday was mostly sunny with a short rain shower and a break during a loud, noisy church-group. Just a couple of tunnel swim-thru vids from the trip, via YouTube: Here's one from Tuesday (GoPro Hero2) and Here's one from Wednesday (GoPro Hero5 Black). And here are two photos of some cool folks taken on Wednesday, along with the videos, in a FB post: here.
July 6-7, 2021	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made!	Thanks to Alicia, Elkin, Lily, Gavin and Jasper for good company on Tuesday, and to Dillon, Landon and co. on Wednesday. Videos have been posted to the 2021 Playlist on YouTube. Photos and videos have now been posted here on Facebook as a public post.
July 14, 2021	Wednesday one-day visit made!	This ended up being a nice day with lots of sunshine later (and me getting a bit toastier). Despite an iffy forecast and getting dumped on in Copperhill and Ducktown on the way in, it never rained on us at Blue Hole although it HAD rained earlier in the morning there. It was great to see Jaiden and also Dillon up there. Facebook post with pics and videos from the trip is posted here! Videos have now been added to YouTube here.
July 22, 2021	Rare one-day Thursday roadtrip made!	Great weather this time after several days of rain due to a stationary front over the area. The water flow was much higher than it's been, but it was do-able. Great to see Dillon yet again, and to meet Logan and Stanton, who appear in most of my videos. They are posted here on Facebook. I've also created a new "2021 Part 2" playlist on YouTube and have added them there.
July 28, 2021	One-day only Wednesday roadtrip made!	This was a pretty awesome visit. Warmest water of the year so far at 86F, and a cloudless day with a high temp around 90F. Great to see John the rafting guide again this year, and to meet TJ, Paige, Tobi and Jay and the "Kayaking Crew" late in the day: Alex, Richard, Ben, Will, Christian, Henry, Harper, Eddie and Trevor (whew!). Videos and a few photos are now posted on Facebook here. I've also added them to my "2021 Part 2" playlist on YouTube.
August 3-4, 2021	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip Cancelled	The forecast highs for these two days were only around 80F with clouds and rain forecast, so I skipped this week's trip. Quite a change from the 90s we've had recently!
August 10-11, 2021	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made!	Lowest weekday river-flow of the summer so far, and the water topped out at 84F each day. Relatively uncrowded both days with most school systems back in session, but it was cool to meet new folks and see, e.g., John again. Photos and videos are posted on Facebook here. I've also added them to my "2021 Part 2" playlist on YouTube.
August 24-25, 2021	Roadtrip Cancelled	TVA has been sluicing water from Ocoee #3 Dam due to rainfall from TS Fred. As of early Wednesday morning, it looks like they will still be sluicing 2,000+ cubic ft/sec on Wednesday, which exceeds the 1,300-or-so CCF capacity of the tunnel and the generator at the powerhouse. Oh, well.
August 31-Sept 1, 2021	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip cancelled	I'll have to cancel my final pre-Dragon*Con trip due to Hurricane Ida and continuing sluicing from Ocoee #3 Dam.
September 14-15, 2021	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip cancelled	Continued high river-flow caused this cancellation.
September 18-19, 2021	Late-season weekend trip cancelled	Would have been nice to enjoy a rare weekend trip up to TN like last year, but...not this year.
September 25-26, 2021	Late-season weekend trip again cancelled	All that rain AND high river-flow, plus cool fall temps have arrived. Oh, well. The season ended really early this year. :(

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Index to all diaries, photos and videos! | Current Summer Roadtrip Schedule

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