Nantahala Bridge Dedication Honors NOC Staff Member's Heroism

Earlier this summer, members of the Nantahala River community gathered to honor NOC's Vice President of Operations, Rob Kelly, for his heroic rescue on the Upper Nantahala last September. In a ceremony held at the Mystic River development, representatives from the Mystic Lands community dedicated their bridge over the Nantahala to commemorate Rob's selfless act and his quick action.

On behalf of the Mystic Lands homeowners Ami Shinitzky made the following remarks:

"Heroes in literature and mythology have always had roles that go farther and deeper than surface plots would suggest. Acts of heroism are acts of transcendence. These are moments in which we exceed our normal or habitual capacity, reaching heights that set new standards for ourselves, and even for all mankind.

Though mostly isolated acts, these heroic acts are important nonetheless, for they reassure us of our hidden reservoirs of strength, even if we do not often tap into them. When we cheer for heroes, we cheer for ourselves, for heroes are the harbingers of the greatness within mankind that is in our collective future to come.

Heroic acts may be as private as holding the hand of a dying friend, or as spectacular as jumping into the rushing whitewater river to rescue a drowning fellow human being. With hardly a thought that both might perish, on that last Saturday of September 2012, that moment of singular supreme courage is what Rob Kelly displayed to the wonderment and admiration of us all.

While we gratefully acknowledge the contributions of others to this memorable rescue, it is your singular yet modest display of heroism, Rob, that hereby shall be memorialized so as to inspire the countless, nay millions, who will raft or kayak down our beloved Nantahala under this Mystic River bridge. A bridge that from this time on shall be known as the Rob Kelly Bridge, underscoring an act of human triumph that you selflessly and heroically displayed: COURAGE!

And who better to dedicate the Rob Kelly Bridge than Sue Martin, for whom what was going to be but another adventurous run down the Upper Nantahala, transformed from a near certain death, to a life where joys, small and large, and not the least the joys of motherhood of her two children, are hers to savor again.

It is our honor to know and celebrate you, Rob."

The ceremony took place on June 30 led by Sue Martin, the rescued paddler. The bridge is located between Patton's Run and Ferebee Park. Look for it next time you paddle the Nantahala, and use it as a reminder to be alert and aware of the other paddlers on the river.

GAF Parking and Camping Information

A lot of folks will be joining us at GAF on September 28th – 30th, and we want to make sure that logistical confusion and parking don't mar anyone’s good time. Below, I’ve outlined our parking plan for GAF 2012. Read up before you come so you can all spend less time worrying about your car, and more time enjoying the festival.

GAF 2012 will feature the first ever recreational releases on the
Class IV/V Cascades section of the Nantahala.

Parking

We plan to use our existing on-campus parking most of Friday and Sunday. When you arrive at NOC, drive across the bridge and let our friendly parking staff direct you to an open spot. Please take their advice, and park efficiently so everyone can park on-property.

Saturday morning and early afternoon are the peak parking times at GAF. If on-property parking is full or if you just want to go ahead and get settled, turn up Silvermine Road, across the street from the Outfitter's Store.  NOC staff will be stationed at the mouth of Silvermine Rd. (near the Wesser General Store & Fly Shop) with maps and directions to approved lots. Please don't park alongside Silvermine road. We've seen too many festival attendees get tickets on this road over the years, even though it looks like there are pullouts.

The first satellite lot is located approximately ¾ of a mile up Silvermine Rd (within walking distance for many people). It is a fenced grass lot on the right hand side, and will be clearly marked with a special event parking sign. There will be an attendant on hand to help you park efficiently.

As this lot fills up, cars will be directed further along Silvermine Rd. to the second satellite lot 2.2 miles up the road. You will want to be sure you stay on the main paved road as you drive up Silvermine until you see the second marked lot. It usually only takes about five minutes to drive to this lot, so don't worry about the distance. The lot is nicely graveled, and because we are only running shuttles in one direction we can service the lots very frequently. No one should have to wait more than 10 minutes to get a ride.

In the unlikely case that we fill up both of our Silvermine parking locations, we will open an additional lot at the Ruby Mine near Bud Dill’s gas station, just east of NOC on Hwy. 19/74. Please don’t park in this lot unless directed to do so by NOC staff, because we’ll only be running shuttles in this direction once we fill the other lots.

Finally, NOC is offering free shuttles to the Wayah Forest Service Put-In for those who choose to leave their cars off property while they are on the river. We usually do this as a thank you to guests helping us avoid a parking crunch during Saturday at GAF. In other words, if you paddle into GAF we'd be glad to drive you back to your car when you're finished. (Just make sure you catch the last rafting bus headed to the put in around 3:30. It should be very easier to thumb a ride to the top with another boater this weekend anyway.)

Please note that all GAF remote lots close at 7pm. We’d love for you to stay to enjoy the free live music and dancing, so please make your way up to the lots as the afternoon wears on to move your cars back down to the center. It’ll make life easier for you when it’s time to go home.


Camping

As in years past, we are unfortunately unable to accommodate camping on campus or in remote lots during GAF. There are simply so many people rafting, dancing, shopping and playing that it's impossible to accommodate everyone.  Check out our lodging page for great tips on camping and lodging close by.

We will have off-duty law enforcement on campus throughout the event to make sure that everyone has a good, safe time. They’ll also be helping us with our no-camping policy, so it's important to make sleeping plans ahead of time. Please note that some registered vendors and event staff will be spending the night on campus to keep an eye on everything; they have been accounted for in the event plan and are exceptions to the no camping standard.

So, that's the deal. Guests who know the parking plan and who make appropriate sleeping plans will find this year's event really fun and really easy. We appreciate the preparation, and we can't wait to see you at GAF!

What's SUP at NOC?

Originally from Hawaii, Stand Up Paddle boardingis increasing its popularity in the Southeast, and NOC now offers classes on this new river and lake-based activity. When I [Michelle, a returning NOC staff member] came to NOC this summer, I had no idea how popular it had become.  I immediately wanted to try it and learn what all the hype was about, so I signed up for a paddle board instruction course.

Instructor Andrew Koch testing his balance on Lake Fontana

Because I can be very clumsy, I was expecting the experience to be challenging for me, but very entertaining for the instructor and my classmates. True to my expectations, I did not stay dry for very long, falling as soon as I leaped on my board (without waiting for guidance from the instructor). After this failed attempt,  I decided to let my NOC Paddling School instructor, Andrew Koch, do his job.

NOC's Kids Camp enjoying their SUP session

With much patience Andrew walked me threw all of the necessary skills needed to advance from the lake to a river.  I learned how to safely get on and off the board, use correct stroke technique and learn when the different actions are appropriate. I also gained information about the equipment and gear that is available and what would be best for my interests and progression.

Variety of Shubu SUP Boards at NOC

So, after working for a few hours on the lake, we went to the Little Tennessee for my first river experience.  This river consists of class I and II rapids, which was the perfect amount of whitewater for my first time out there.  It had the perfect balance of current and obstacles.  Andrew taught me how to read the water, what obstacles to avoid and how to get where I needed to go.  I followed closely behind him trying to hit all of the same lines and catch the same currents at the beginning.

When we got into the harder class II rapids, I was pretty nervous.  Andrew reassured me if I didn’t feel comfortable I could just get on my knees to obtain a lower center of balance.  It made things much easier and lifted my confidence after getting "skegged" on some "not even class I" rapids.  (Skegged - when the fin catches a rock, and your board stops).  After a few miles on the Little Tennessee I was hooked on SUPing. The sensation of gliding on water is amazing, and the connection you feel with the river and your surroundings is different than it is in a kayak or a canoe.

Our group going down the Little Tennessee

Looking back on the day, I only fell on the river once, and I took some swims in the lake when first beginning.  But, I learned correct technique along with terms and knowledge about SUPing.  I was instantly hooked and could not wait to get back out on a board after the day was over. If you are looking to learn a new sport that can be enjoyed on a various bodies of water, this could be the one for you! Check out SUP options at NOC to get out there and have some fun.