Blue Hole Summer 2025 Roadtrip Diary
Here's a final update for my 2025 journeys up to Tennessee and to Blue Hole Ocoee. The Ocoee Whitewater Center ruins had been cleaned up, and there was little or no active repair work going on. Due to work "stuff," I was only able to visit on Tuesdays and not Wednesdays, and accordingly I didn't make any overnight trips all summer. Even now, there has still been no definitive cause for the fire released.
| Dates | Plans | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2025 | Wednesday-only recon trip scrapped | It was rainy and cool across the region. |
| May 27 or 28, 2025 | Tuesday or Wednesday trip scrapped | The river remained too high for swimming, with over 2,000 cubic feet of flow reported on Ocoee Dam #3's website. |
| June 3, 2025 | Tuesday trip made! |
This was a bit of a scouting trip to see any changes since last year, and Anton and his GF Moon came along. Water was 74F, which felt pretty chilly. Great to see Jackson, Paul, Mattie and co., I just wish you'd gotten there earlier! Combined photos and videos from this trip and some following trips are in this Facebook album. Videos from all summer will be loaded into this YouTube playlist for Summer 2025! |
| June 11, 2025 | Wednesday trip made in lieu of Tuesday! |
Bright sunshine, chilly water... Well, it wasn't too bad. Great to see Memphis and Savannah again, who I'd met last year, and also new-to-me folks Jordan, Rafe and Jaylen. Combined photos and videos from the first three trips are in this Facebook album. Videos from all summer will be loaded into this YouTube playlist for Summer 2025! |
| June 18, 2025 | Wednesday trip made! | I've added a few photos and just one surface video to this combined Facebook album. It was good to see Caleb there for the first time in several years! |
| July 4, 2025 | One-day holiday trip made! | Great weather and pretty crowded on the holiday, with water at a perfect 84F...until a thunderstorm rolled through and chased away the looky-loos! Nice to meet Colin, Nick and some others on this go-round. No photos this time, but videos have now been added to my YouTube playlist for Summer 2025! |
| July 15, 2025 | Tuesday trip made! |
I was joined by my friend "Hippie" Chris on this visit. Great to hang out with a group of folks from Ukraine, Sam the tunnel explorer, and a sizeable group of cross-country track kids from North Cobb Christian School. Pics and videos are now uploaded to
this Facebook album
Six videos are now posted in my YouTube playlist for Summer 2025! |
| July 22, 2025 | Tuesday trip postponed | I needed a break from the Sun and the heat! |
| July 29, 2025 | Tuesday trip made! |
Great, very warm day with abundant sunshine and water temps topping out at around 88F. Great to meet Alex, Treyton, David and Alex (different Alex), and also some folks from prior visits.
Videos have been uploaded to my YouTube playlist for Summer 2025! I later posted a Facebook album of pics and videos here! |
| August 5 or 6, 2025 | Tuesday and/or Wednesday trip cancelled due to weather | Forecast high was only around 80F with a high chance of rain. Rather abrupt change from sunny with highs in the 90s! |
| August 12 or 13, 2025 | Tuesday and/or Wednesday trip cancelled due to weather | Very rainy and cool forecast for both days. Oh, well. |
| August 19, 2025 | Tuesday trip made! | Cloud cover all day and some drizzle early (and a nearby storm later) made it a chillier day than expected, and not a good day for photos or video. It was great to hang out with some folks from prior visits, and Freedom, Mathias and others! |
| August 26, 2025 | Added Tuesday trip scrapped | The weather has turned quite cool, for late August, and I also had responsibilities here at home (r.i.p. my Mom). |
Index to all diaries, photos and videos! | Current Summer Roadtrip Schedule
Top of Paul's home page
Books I'm reading now
My fave musical vibes
Ways to contact me or chat online