Travel Date: All my life 💕
Written By: Brandy Caitlyn
This is for all of my adventurous souls, people that want to try something new and adrenaline junkies. That means, everyone!
All of my life I have been going white water rafting with my dad. My dad was on a swift water rescue team for most of my younger years. With my dad being on a swift water rescue team he was extremely diversed in the safety we needed and how to navigate the waters!
One of the top places we always went to growing up and I continue to go too is, Paddle Inn Rafting. This is located near Bryson City North Carolina!
All Things Paddle Inn Rafting
Now I have been going white water rafting with this company for as long as I can remember! I do not honestly thing we have been elsewhere.
The company is quaint and full of God loving great people! One of my FAVORITE parts of this location is “Mom” who runs it! She has been there since I was a little girl and still there in 2021!!
Mom prays with each group before they get on the big yellow busses to go down the Nantahala!
Once you get in the big yellow bus they will take you a ways down the road where you unload the rafts that are placed on top and can hop onto the Nantahala.
Now, you can do three types of trips
- Self guided
- Fully guided
- Guide assisted
Each one of these offers different things from being just with your family to a guide that is fully equipped for each thing that the Nantahala had to offer!
They also have different size duckies or rafts!
- They have a single duckie
- Two person duckie
- Or bigger rafts!
My 2020 Paddle Inn Trip!
In the year 2020 me and my sweet boyfriend AP went to the mountains for a week! When we stayed a portion in Bryson City NC, I planned a trip to paddle in!
When we arrived at Paddle Inn we parked in the gravel lot on the same side as the building!
We walked up and spoke to the amazing staff who set us up to get a two person ducky for our trip! We signed our waiver and prepared for the transport!
With every time I’ve been as always mom prayed with the entire group before we got onto the bus!
We got onto the bus where they took us a little ways up the road!
We got off the bus into a parking lot where they unloaded the duckies and rafts off the top of the bus and we each took ours!
We jumped into our raft and set out down the Nantahala! I was our “guide” since I had been down it many times. Which means I sat in the back where the guides are suppose to be!
The Nantahala had certain parts you have to hit just right or things can go very badly!
There will be portions you can get off and swim at, places you can jump off at and more! It’s an amazing experience!
Now we had a blast! We got to just float in certain sections and others were paddling hard!
Now with the Paddle Inn company they have a photographer that waits at the end for you to come down and takes photos of your group!
This is where at many times things can go south…
As we were heading towards the final portion before you get out the “big wesser”…. We did not hit it right….
So, we come up to it…. We are going and then…
We start to get sucked back and my part of the raft is taking on water. I’m disappearing underneath the pull of the flow of water.
AP said at one point he turned around and couldn’t see me.. he thought I was GONE.
I thought I was going to be gone off the raft too buttttt… I continued to hold on to my paddle and try to fight out of it!
Once we got out, I felt like I had concured the world cause PHEWWWW.
Once we got past this point you have you to get out to make sure you dont float further which can be dangerous. Like more dangerous!
Keep scrolling to see the photos taken that show everything fine… me about to drown… and then us concurring it!
Photo map of Us!
This is the first photo taken, we are coming towards the big wesser and felt like we were doing great…
Lining ourselves up!
Looking at my face… you can see the oh shit factor..
Where did Austin go?
Starting to get sucked under!
Still holding on with everything I have, the duckie is starting to turn
Then the raft started to tip… we both almost came out. Fighting the current of the rapids!
The duckie straightened back out… but I’m still getting sucked under. I’m pretty sure the paddling stopped at this point, I was trying to push the paddle down to lift up myself from the suction.
Still face of fear cause I thought I was going to drown. But! We than made a turn for it.
We started to come out of it! Looking tan and majestic!
It was austins turn to get a lot of water after me being under for awhile 😂
Boom! We were out of the woods. Full of laughs and gleaming smile after fighting the rapids. Because we found it honestly hilarious and fun.
It was an ADVENTURE for the books!
We went and got food and drinks after being drenched and watched others coming down the Nantahala!
At the end of this blog I am thankful for the love of adrenaline. I’m thankful for growing up with a family that introduced me to the wild love I have for traveling and hiking.
I am also thankful for my partner in crime that loves doing crazy stuff with me like this!
As always, Respect Nature. Respect the earth. And #LeaveNoTracesBehind
Much love, B
References
http://www.paddleinnrafting.com/m/
places-nantahala-gorge
A Travel Loving Momma 