Mon, Jun 9 2014 - BYO-Boat Happy Hour on the Hooch, I-285 to US-41 (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Bobby Marie, Charlie Cottingham Participants: Charlie Cottingham, Bobby Marie, Clément Desaulniers, Sharon H, Lea A

What a gorgeous summer evening!  We 5 AOC paddlers had a wonderful time together on this exciting 2-mile section of the "Metro" Chattahoochee that has such a mountainous and wilderness aura.  Along the way we had a long relaxing stop on the beach across from the famous "jumping rock" where as usual lots of adventurous boaters were taking the 15-foot plunge.  Just downstream there's a rope swing hanging from a cliff-side tree where several more teenage aerialists were doing their thing by climbing the tree and plunging into the river from the rope.
  It was great having Sharon's friend Lea with us, and she proved to have a natural knack for paddling, although this was only her 2nd time ever in a kayak.  Thanks to Bobby who did his usual bangup job with his SUV and boat trailer.  We five plus all our boats and gear fit in perfectly on the return ride back upstream.
  Everything went even better than the announced plan, with our Powers Island launch at 5:45 PM, Paces Mill takeout well before dark and lots of relaxing "eddying out" plus numerous friendly folks and conversation along the way including about a dozen expert "standup paddleboarders."  We'll definitely have to do another "Happy Hour on the Hooch" in a couple of weeks!
  -Charlie, June 9th at 9:45 PM