A busy news day on the Haw

JoeMiller — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 20:53:25 +0000

Plan A bombed out. So it was on to … to, well, there wasn’t really a backup plan. And that was fine, because don’t we do our best exploring when there is no backup plan?

Plan A had been to paddle the 5.5-mile stretch of the Haw River from Saxapahaw to the take-out at Greensboro/Chapel Hill Road. Trouble was, I discovered, there is no takeout at Greensboro/Chapel Hill Road (though I’m told there will be sometime this year.) Had I been 20 and naive, I might have tried to fashion a take-out from the cliff that dropped down river left and, for the final plunge, included a tattered belay rope. Being nearly three times 20 and keenly aware of my medical deductible, I opted to punt.

I drove up NC 87 and took a right into Saxapahaw, took the first left after the bridge, then took the next left into Haw River Canoe & Kayak Co. The “Will Return At” clock on the door had the hands set at 11:30. It was 11:20; at 11:25 Joe Jacob and Lawrence Peterson pulled up in a 12-passenger van tugging a trailer of kayaks. I was hoping they might have a trip going out that I could latch on to.

“We might,” Joe said, “but if you want, Lawrence is heading up to Swepsonville at 12:30 to pick up a trip: you could throw your boat on the trailer and paddle that stretch. A good plan not just because it put me on the river, but because I’d have a few minutes to catch up with Joe.

I’ve known Joe since his Rock Rest Adventure days, the early 1990s. I was a fledgling outdoors writer, Joe was the most patient outfitter in the world. He’d let me tag along on trips, I’d thank him by asking questions suggesting I’d learned nothing from out previous outings. Once, after an particularly disastrous river trip, he spent three hours politely pointing out what all I’d done wrong. He started Haw River Canoe & Kayak for the same reason he’d run Rock Rest — and the same reason he indulged an outdoors writer who meant well but needed a lot of direction: to try and get more people to appreciate the wild by getting them out into it.

So what’s new? I asked.

Well …

In addition to their base in Saxapahaw, Haw River Canoe & Kayak has opened an outpost downriver in Bynum. They’ll have their usual kayaks — the stretch above Bynum is dammed, making it a family- and beginner-friendly stretch for padding — but they’ll also add stand-up paddleboards.
For years, the river access in Saxapahaw was from a private island mid-river (the bridge had an opening for access). A bit sketchy, in many ways. Now, there’s an access behind HRCK that includes a stairway.
Race gates for canoes and kayaks are also now up behind HRCK’s home base.
In addition to the camping platform at Spirit Island just below Swepsonville, Joe says they’re thinking about building a platform in Saxapahaw.

There might have more, but Lawrence was ready to head up to Swepsonville. The sky was cloudless, it was already above 60. I’d fulfilled my journalistic duty, and perhaps more importantly, I hadn’t had a chance to pester Joe. Always good to leave on a high note.

Especially when there’s a river waiting.

* * *

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35 places to rent a canoe/kayak in North Carolina

JoeMiller — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:20:00 +0000

Part of the rental fleet at Lake Johnson.

It’s one of the cheapest recreation deals going: for as little as $5 an hour you can captain your own ship on any number of waterways throughout North Carolina. These bargain basement deals are offered at various county, municipal and state parks throughout the state.

We ran a preliminary list of such places in June; today, we offer a significantly more comprehensive listing (though if you notice an omission, let us know and we’ll be sure to plug it in). We’ve broken your options down by geographic region and included only the basic info: venue, type of boats offered and how much a rental will run you. Note that we’ve either included a range of prices or the minimum; boat houses often have complicated rate structures that you can learn more about at the Web sites provided.

Note, too: A deposit is often required, some boat houses take only cash, rentals are usually seasonal and some only rent on weekends. A good idea to call ahead before heading over.

Coast

Emerald Isle

Hot Wax Surf Shop, 252.354.6466
Boats: kayaks
Rates: $35 for five hours, $55 full day.

North Topsail Beach

Adrenaline Rush, (910) 934-3422
Boats: canoes, kayaks
Rates: Call.

Onshore Surf Shop, 910-328-2232
Boats: kayaks, standup paddleboards (surfboards, bodyboards, bikes)
Rates: $40 for four hours, $75 full day.

Oak Island

Oak Island Recreation Center, 910-278-5518
Boats: kayaks, canoes.
Rates: $15-$21 for four hours.

Swansboro

Barrier Island Kayaks, 252.393.6457.
Boats: various kayaks, standup paddleboards
Rates: $30 for two hours to $70 a day

Second Wind Tours, 910.325.3600
Boats: various kayaks, standup paddleboats, bikes
Rates: $25 half day (kayaks), $20 half day (bikes)

Salty Dog Kayak Rentals & Tours, 910.338.1541 or 252.515.1181
Boats: various kayaks
Rates: $15 for one hour to $55 a day

Coastal plain

Elizabethtown

Jones Lake State Park, 910.588.4550
Boats: canoes
Rates: $5 an hour

Gatesville

Merchants Millpond State Park, 252.357.1191
Boats: canoes
Rates: $5 an hour

Seven Springs

Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, 919.778.6234
Boats: canoes
Rates: $5 an hour

South Mills

Dismal Swamp State Park, 252.771.6593
Boats: canoes, kayaks
Rates: $5 an hour

Piedmont

Albemarle

Morrow Mountain State Park, 704.982.4402
Boats: canoes, rowboats
Rates: $5 an hour

Person County
Mayo Park, 336.597.7806
Boats: canoe, kayak.
Rates: $10 for four hours

Charlotte area

Charlotte

U.S. National Whitewater Center, 704.391.3900
Boats: various kayaks, whitewater park
Rates: See Web site for rate structure

Kings Mountain

Crowders Mountain State Park, 704.853.5375
Boats: canoes
Rates: $5 an hour

Troutman

Lake Norman State Park, 704.528.6350
Boats: canoes
Rates: $5

Triad

Brown Summit

Lake Townsend Watershed Park , 336.373.3694

Boats: rowboats, kayaks, sailboats
Rates: $10

Danbury

Hanging Rock State Park, 336.593.8480
Boats: rowboats, canoes
Rates: $5 an hour

Greensboro

Lake Brandt Watershed Park, 336.373.3741
Boats: rowboats, kayaks, sailboats
Rates: $10

Summerfield

Lake Higgins Watershed Park , 336.373.3739
Boats: rowboats, kayaks, sailboats
Rates: $10

Winston-Salem

Salem Lake Park , 336.727.8000

Boats: canoes
Rates: $4 an hour Note: Call before heading out; dam construction may affect boat rentals

Triangle

Cary

Fred G. Bond Metro Park, 919.469.4100
Boats: canoes, kayaks, sailboats, rowboats
Rates: $5 per hour.

Durham

Lake Michie (919.477.3906) and Little River Lake (919.477.7889)
Boats: canoes, “flat-bottom boats”
Rates: $6 for six hours (Durham residents, higher for non-residents).

Holly Springs

Bass Lake Park, 919.557.2496
Boats: canoes, rowboats
Rates: $5 an hour

Morrisville

Lake Crabtree County Park , 919.460.3390
Boats: canoes, kayaks, sailboats, rowboats
Rates: rowboats $5 an hour, canoes & kayaks $7 an hour, sailboats $10 an hour

Orange County

University Lake, 919.942.8007

Boats: canoes
Rates: call

Cane Creek Reservoir, 919.942.5790
Boats: canoes
Rates: call

Raleigh

Lake Johnson, 919.233-.2121
Boats: canoes, kayaks
Rates: $5 an hour

Lake Wheeler, 919.662.5704
Boats: canoes, kayaks
Rates: $5 an hour

Paddle Creek,919.866.1954

Boats: canoes, kayaks

Rates: $45-$55 per day

Saxapahaw

Haw River Canoe & Kayak Co., 336.260-6465