Blue Hole Summer 2015 Roadtrip Diary

Here's a final update for my 2015 journeys up to Tennessee and to Blue Hole!

Dates Plans Comments

June 9th and 10th, 2015 Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made! This trip was half-successful. On Tuesday the water was running much higher than normal (for mid-week) but swimming through the tunnels, etc. was possible. The water was somewhat cloudier than normal also. After a slow start I saw a fair number of cool people, including April, Tanner and their friend (whose name I forget), a zipline guide and two rafting guides respectively, who had not seen the tunnels and stuff before. I agreed to meet them again on Wednesday to show them some underwater sites we didn't quite get to......
...But on Wednesday TVA conducted an unscheduled water release (more than one, it seemed like), and after waiting around to see if they showed up I just headed back toward home, stopping at Six Flags Whitewater on the way since I have a season pass. Despite its charms, SFWW doesn't hold a candle to Blue Hole Ocoee on a good day!
Sadly no underwater pics, since I forgot that I'd put my underwater camera in my overnight backpack.

June 23rd and 24th Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made! Two really awesome days at the river, with good weather up until some thunder late on Wednesday and the water was low and warm, 84F.
Pics are now posted here!
Videos will follow.

July 7th and 8th Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip scrapped due to floodwater releases in the Ocoee rivercourse Instead, I worked some rarely-offered overtime at work on Tuesday, and we went to Whitewater water-park in Marietta GA on Wednesday.

July 21st and 22nd Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made! My friend Jason H. came up with me, probably for the only time during the entire season. We arrived on Tuesday at around 3 pm with rain, and departed on Wednesday at around 6 pm with rain, but in between the weather was good and this was a pretty awesome visit. Saw several people from earlier visits including Daniel, Colin and a few others.
Didn't get too many pics -- and sadly, no underwater pics -- but they're here.

August 4th and 5th Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made! My friend Chris K. came along for the trip since he had the week off for vacation. Tuesday was a great day with warm weather, very clear and low water (and warm water also, at 84F). On Wednesday TVA surprised everyone -- including people swimming at Blue Hole -- with a "trash flush," where they raised the water for maybe half an hour, up to 3,300 cubic ft/sec. We got there just after the water level peaked, got a few pics, and then went to Mac Point Beach for an hour, figuring we could see how much the water had decreased when we got back to Blue Hole. It had decreased some, but not enough to go swimming yet, so we went over to Ducktown for some lunch at Roger and Carol's Quick Burger. When we got back to Blue Hole we decided the water was low enough -- barely -- to swim at the tunnels, but the sky and the water were both pretty cloudy. I'd intended to get some underwater pics and footage, but there was no way. Still, it wasn't a terrible day and we met some really cool folks both days. Pics from this trip are posted here.

August 18th and 19th Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip cancelled There was rain and cool temperatures across the area.

August 25th and 26th Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made! Despite being quite chilly due to an unusual dry cold front that had passed through, this was a pretty good visit. Pics from Wednesday are now located here! Vids will be uploaded late. Tuesday's pics may take longer since I'll have to get a proprietary connection cord to transfer them out of the camera's internal memory.

Dates	Plans	Comments
June 9th and 10th, 2015	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made!	This trip was half-successful. On Tuesday the water was running much higher than normal (for mid-week) but swimming through the tunnels, etc. was possible. The water was somewhat cloudier than normal also. After a slow start I saw a fair number of cool people, including April, Tanner and their friend (whose name I forget), a zipline guide and two rafting guides respectively, who had not seen the tunnels and stuff before. I agreed to meet them again on Wednesday to show them some underwater sites we didn't quite get to...... ...But on Wednesday TVA conducted an unscheduled water release (more than one, it seemed like), and after waiting around to see if they showed up I just headed back toward home, stopping at Six Flags Whitewater on the way since I have a season pass. Despite its charms, SFWW doesn't hold a candle to Blue Hole Ocoee on a good day! Sadly no underwater pics, since I forgot that I'd put my underwater camera in my overnight backpack.
June 23rd and 24th	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made!	Two really awesome days at the river, with good weather up until some thunder late on Wednesday and the water was low and warm, 84F. Pics are now posted here! Videos will follow.
July 7th and 8th	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip scrapped due to floodwater releases in the Ocoee rivercourse	Instead, I worked some rarely-offered overtime at work on Tuesday, and we went to Whitewater water-park in Marietta GA on Wednesday.
July 21st and 22nd	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made!	My friend Jason H. came up with me, probably for the only time during the entire season. We arrived on Tuesday at around 3 pm with rain, and departed on Wednesday at around 6 pm with rain, but in between the weather was good and this was a pretty awesome visit. Saw several people from earlier visits including Daniel, Colin and a few others. Didn't get too many pics -- and sadly, no underwater pics -- but they're here.
August 4th and 5th	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made!	My friend Chris K. came along for the trip since he had the week off for vacation. Tuesday was a great day with warm weather, very clear and low water (and warm water also, at 84F). On Wednesday TVA surprised everyone -- including people swimming at Blue Hole -- with a "trash flush," where they raised the water for maybe half an hour, up to 3,300 cubic ft/sec. We got there just after the water level peaked, got a few pics, and then went to Mac Point Beach for an hour, figuring we could see how much the water had decreased when we got back to Blue Hole. It had decreased some, but not enough to go swimming yet, so we went over to Ducktown for some lunch at Roger and Carol's Quick Burger. When we got back to Blue Hole we decided the water was low enough -- barely -- to swim at the tunnels, but the sky and the water were both pretty cloudy. I'd intended to get some underwater pics and footage, but there was no way. Still, it wasn't a terrible day and we met some really cool folks both days. Pics from this trip are posted here.
August 18th and 19th	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip cancelled	There was rain and cool temperatures across the area.
August 25th and 26th	Tuesday and Wednesday roadtrip made!	Despite being quite chilly due to an unusual dry cold front that had passed through, this was a pretty good visit. Pics from Wednesday are now located here! Vids will be uploaded late. Tuesday's pics may take longer since I'll have to get a proprietary connection cord to transfer them out of the camera's internal memory.

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