A small group of intrepid amateur kayakers gathered this past week at the Nantahala Outdoor Center’s Metro Atlanta Outpost at Johnson Ferry for what we thought would be a seemingly easy paddle trip down the Chattahoochee River. However, that was not necessarily the case. Our mission was simple: paddle down the river from Johnson Ferry to Powers Island in order to decompress and enjoy the great outdoors. But like many of the best days spent outdoors, it ended up being memorable for all the reasons we never could have planned.
Our group featured roughly 10 individuals from the Veterans Empowerment Organization (VEO) and the Georgia chapter of the Military Outdoors program, and that afternoon, we got a late start. Late starts can be dangerous, and oftentimes cast uncertainty about what comes next. I expected the late start to dampen everyone’s mood, but I was surprised to find the opposite.. Everyone was engaged in conversation, asking questions to the guides, and getting to know one another. As I put the finishing touches on my activity waiver and looked over at everyone waiting on me, I was reminded of the patience and tolerance for inconveniences that servicemembers develop during their time in service.
After putting on life jackets and taking a group picture, the guides slowly launched us. Two gentlemen from the VEO immediately got caught in a small current, and inadvertently flipped themselves over in an attempt to get away. I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized that one of the men overboard was a former Sailor, and had spent the morning boasting to us about how he would save folks if they ended up overboard. Luckily, the water was only about four feet deep, and they quickly got back in their seats with the help of one of our guides. After this small hiccup, the paddle trip was officially underway, and the group started to pull away from each other to navigate the river at their own pace.
My main objective during this mission was to scope out and identify the flora and fauna around me. Whenever I find myself outside, I pay special attention to wildlife that I rarely get to see while going about my existence as a college student in the West End of Atlanta. In between bursts of steady paddling, I would allow the current to drag me towards the banks in an effort to spot turtles. As I leisurely floated closer, I would stop and reach my hand in the cool water to feel the curious looking plant life that was barely under the surface. Now, as an Economics major, I know next to nothing about plants, so I took a picture with my pocket expert to help me identify what I was feeling. I found out that the Hydrilla verticillata (waterthyme) that brushed my fingers as I paddled by was nobody’s friend. A quick google search revealed that it causes severe ecological damage which is extremely detrimental to aquatic life. The invasive weeds did not have the best consistency, but I thoroughly enjoyed pulling them out of the water.
After a few tries, due entirely to some skittish turtles (and not my inability to properly stalk), I was able to get a picture of an Eastern River Cooter and a Great Blue Heron on my Pentax ZoomIQ 60s “point and shoot” camera and Kodak Gold ISO400 film. Unfortunately, I only got one good shot as storm clouds began rapidly approaching. I was forced to quickly abandon my objective and focus instead on shielding my phone and camera from impending doom.
That day, I remember checking the weather, but nothing prepared me for the absolute downpour that was to come. It started off with some inconsistent sprinkling, which quickly gave way to a ten minute deluge that soaked everything. My phone and camera were tucked securely in my life vest, but that proved to be of little help. As I looked around me, the other kayakers were attempting to shield themselves while paddling. It was all very futile. The fact that the rain was inescapable is symbolic in the way that these veterans have encountered hardships in life and endured through the discomfort. Once the rain subsided, we braved the rest of our trip down the river, albeit absolutely soaked. I couldn’t help but smile realizing that while most people would have deemed the trip a failure due to the weather, our group was still laughing and smiling. It spoke to the group's ability to accept and quickly overcome the trivial inconveniences that life often throws at us.
The final stretch of our journey brought us to a series of shallow rocks that we had to navigate before reaching the end. A few of us chose to ignore the guide’s advice to swing right to avoid the rocks. It was no surprise that we all managed to get briefly stuck while the rest of the group cruised on. But, I must admit, it was pretty fun weaving in and out to avoid the jagged outcroppings and shallow points in the river.
After we all came ashore, we carried our kayaks back to the outpost and reflected on the day’s adventure. Nobody complained or blamed the organizers for our surprise storm. We were simply grateful everyone's gear survived the river, even if just barely. Ironically, another massive downpour rolled in just before we dug into our food. Just when we thought we were done with the rain, we were reminded that often our plans do not survive first contact. Our group quickly moved the food under the cover of the outpost, and continued with our fellowship.
As we all rode the shuttle back, the bus was filled with laughter, jokes for the ones that went overboard, and a sense of accomplishment. I can confidently say that while this outing didn’t have the weather we might’ve hoped for, the participants all enjoyed themselves, and we were all able to decompress. The Sierra Club Military Outdoors program does vital work in our veteran community to break down accessibility barriers and create opportunities for them and their families to enjoy the outdoors. Spending extended time in the great outdoors offers a unique sense of peace and relaxation that we as humans crave due to the demands and stressors of everyday life. As Sierra Club Military Outdoors celebrates its twentieth anniversary, outings like this remind us that supporting veterans doesn't end when their military service does. Sometimes it's as simple as creating space for people to unplug, share a few laughs, and spend a day on the river together. Looking back, I don't think any of us will remember the rain nearly as much as we'll remember the experience and the people we shared it with.
