Attaining Satisfaction in the Time of COVID
By Gus Anderson
The COVID-19 virus has forced us to rethink how we engage in paddling. Shuttles are not appropriate or allowed by CCA rules except under certain conditions. These conditions include wearing masks and keeping the windows rolled down when in a shuttle vehicle. We were able to run Little Falls under these circumstances with some people doing vehicle shuttles, some doing bike shuttles, and some carrying their boats back up to Lock 5.
As river levels rose, though, we looked for other paddling options. Attainments became popular because they avoided any shuttle. The most popular shuttle up Mather Gorge became more difficult because of the shortage of parking at Old Anglers Inn, which has recently become even more difficult as parking on the street has been dramatically reduced.
Popular Routes
Carderock. The attainment from Carderock Park became popular because of more parking and relatively easy put-in and take-out. Parking is at the most-downstream parking lot, and the trail to the put-in is across the open field in front of the picnic shelter, down the marked trail to the trail along the river, and right on the river trail about 50 yards to a short trail down to a rocky beach. From the put-in the best route is up the Maryland side to the middle channel and up the right side of the middle channel as far as you can go. The middle channel is called Calico Falls.
If the level is too high or low to get up the right side, you can cross to a big eddy behind the big island in the middle and go around the island or further left. After getting to the top, further attainment can be made to the left of Offutt Island and on to Anglers and Mather Gorge. On the return you can run your choice of Yellow Falls or the middle or Maryland channels. Best river levels are estimated to be 3.2 to 4.5 feet on the Little Falls gauge.
From the Carderock put-in you can run down Stubblefield rapid and attain back up the Maryland side at levels around 3.4 or 3.5. A figure-eight route can be run by combining this one with the attainment up the middle channel and down Yellow Falls.
Seneca Breaks. Another favorite attainment is to put-in at Violettes Lock and run down the GW canal or through the Seneca Breaks on the main river and attain back up through the Breaks. Multiple routes are available up the middle of the main channel or on either side depending on the river level. If you cannot make the attainment, you can go back down to carry the crossover to the C&O Canal and paddle back up the canal to the parking lot.
Riverbend. Attainments can also be done from Riverbend Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac up between the islands upstream at levels below 4 feet, and from Violettes Lock up the Potomac to Seneca Creek and up the creek to the bridge with a carry to go further up the creek.
Tricks of the Trade
Attaining can provide a challenge to find the best way up. Having more people in the group provides the ability to follow the one who finds the best route. Often the route is very subtle and can include eddies behind rocks, eddies and less current provided by underwater rocks, stretches that have less current, and waves that allow cross-current moves. Attaining sharpens boat control and river-reading skills. Routes change with water levels, providing additional challenges.
Attaining allows you to paddle with less clothing in the winter because you generate so much body heat by paddling upstream. If you go upstream first, you have that body heat to keep you warm on the downstream run. If you are paddling with a group of more than four, it may be a good idea to divide into two or more groups depending on skill and speed in attaining. Longer boats will be faster than shorter boats.
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