Toccoa River Canoe Trail in my Esquif Prospecteur 15
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ต.ค. 2024
- My first outing in the Esquif Prospecteur 15 on the Toccoa River Canoe Trail in North Georgia. This trip begins at Deep Hole Recreation Area and ends 13.8 miles later at Sandy Bottoms Canoe Launch. Follow along to see the longest swinging bridge east of the Mississippi River.
I have been watching your content over the past few days. I was just on a trip a couple weeks ago and a buddy of mine wrapped his canoe. It was a sad sight to see, but thankfully he was ok. It happened so fast in mild class 1. Glad to see you didn't pin your canoe on this one. Close call. Anyway, the event got me rethinking the prospecteur 15, just picked one up yesterday! Keep up the great content. Just subbed ya. I'll be talking to you! Keep on keeping on
Thanks for the positive feedback. This was my first river trip and I have definitely built my confidence and skill in my canoe since then. Still got a lot to learn. I'm in love my with P15! I love it more every time I take it out. It's a great canoe! Looking forward to hearing from you and thanks for the sub!
Great Video. Keep them coming.
Thank you!
"That's never a good sign!" Lol- I don't like seeing old hulls, either! Nice save on Day 1. Been there, done that!! Nailed it on Day 2! Beautiful river and great adventure/video, Rex!!
Thanks! This was one of my first river trips. It's a nice quick overnight paddle!
Nice video! I found your channel while researching the Esquif Prospecteur 15. I subscribed and am looking forward to watching your future P15 canoe adventures!
Thanks for the feedback! I love the Esquif P15!
Really enjoyed it man! Looked like a fun float
Thanks brother!
great video dude loved it thanks for sharing classsssssssss
Thank you for the compliment!
Great vid! I would highly recommend getting some float bags for your canoe asap.
Thanks! It's so funny you mention that. I have been doing research all day and actually having a convo about it now!
I have a 16 ft royalex wenonah circa 2006 aurora, 16’7” Kevlar mad River 1987 and a newer swift prospector 15’. The royalex or tformex is the right boat for that for sure. The Kevlar is light but a lake and pond boat not a river boat. You found your love like many of us, you can see it in the smooth strokes and the playful paddle work. We all watched bill mason because he’s the man. Great video keep it up. Up north we’re waiting for warmer waters to be safe. Rule of 120
I really have fallen in love with the canoe. It's such an awesome piece of equipment! Thanks for the positive feedback!
Perfect! Just what i needed to see before paddling this same section this wknd
Glad it helps! The water was flowing around 750 when I went. I think it's at 500 now. Might be more rocks to dodge. Have a safe trip!
Ran this same trip a couple years back with some buddies on sit on top fishing kayaks. Man is that ledge before swinging bridge you got stuck on wild. Water was lower for us and i always find a way to flip my yak there. The path you chose at the bridge is definitely the easiest but when the water is lower those tree branches really will send you straight into the rocks below which sucks. Great trip tho glad you enjoyed yours
I loved this trip. I have gotten a lot more experience in my canoe since this trip! Feeling a lot more confident in it now!
Very fun river. A couple years ago I took a WW course and it was a blast and helped out a ton with my flat water paddling as well. It was amazing how much they taught me and how much more confident it made me in rapids. Good video👍
Awesome! We just finished the Buffalo National River, and it had a lot of class II and maybe some III. This trip definitely boosted my confidence. I plan to take a 4 day white water canoe course this fall.
@@REXpeditions I guess what I should say is I have no interest in this boat for white water at all and only want it for its durability when dragging it across rocks and beaver dams etc and not have to be concerned with the damage easier caused to Kevlar or carbon lighter boats. My issue is some boats while being heavier are better balance and the contour yokes make them feel ok to carry long distances which is what I do and I have used lighter boats that are easier to carry since they’re lighter but the wind blows them around while carrying them it feels heavier in this conditions. Just curious what your experience is carrying it over long distances ? Thanks for your help and the great video.
@cliffspicer6555 I can't remember the model, but esquif makes a canoe that is the prospecteur mold but has lower gunnels. Its a few pounds lighter as well. That may be perfect for what you're needing. I've not carried it more that 200 yards but it is manageable for me.
@@REXpeditions I saw that one too and it is I think the Heron and it is 5lbs lighter. Thanks again . I also can’t see what the difference between the Pocket canyon and the 15 foot prospector is except more rocker and I see people tripping in those too. It’s almost the same weight. Too many choices. Lol
@cliffspicer6555 tell me about it!!! It was so hard for me to decide. I'm really happy with my boat. It fits my needs perfect!
Nice video and detail! I paddle an Esquif Adirondack solo, on Georgia rivers, lighter (38 pounds) and a little more maneuverable than the Prospector 15. The Esquif t-formex boats are bullet proof on rocky fast water rivers, like the Toccoa.
Thanks for the feedback! I had considered the Adirondack Solo since I mostly go solo. Ironically, I've had people tag along on my trips this year, so I'm glad I went with a tandem canoe.
You're right about Tformex. Since this trip, i have gained more confidence in my skill and my canoe. I love my P15!
Nice one! Watched the whole video, it was very entertaining.
I hope you don't mind me giving some feedback, apologies if you're well aware and feel free to ignore. 😉
@21:47 You're doing a sculling draw with your paddle really far from the canoe, which means a lot of the generated force is pushing the paddle up, instead of horizontal because the paddle is laying relatively flat. If you did that for stability, kind of like creating an outrigger to lean on, you were doing just fine. But if you were trying to move the boat sideways to line up for the next feature, you are better off keeping the blade close to the boat and the paddle as vertical as possible. That way most of the generated force is directed to the side, making it much more effective at moving the boat sideways.
Thanks for the feedback! I'm new to this sport and welcome it. I will keep practicing!
I was gonna take my 15 down this section a few years back with my son when he was in school at the college there. Got to Deep Hole and the rains had been so prolific that after one look at the extremely swollen river, I determined I hadn't brought the right gear for a major whitewater trip. Lol. Had to go paddle the Chestatee instead. Glad I got to live the trip vicariously thru you.
How did you like the Chestatee
@@REXpeditions We put in right near Dahlonega and it was more of an afternoon float trip than a river trip. The level was high & it was sluggish since it was feeding into north end of the lake. But it combined my two favorite things: spending time with my son and being on the water.
@JaiExplorer that's great! I just finished the Buffalo National River. I was able to take my son, and we made such great memories! It was a trip of a life time!
Great trip!
Thanks!
Heck brother, solo is just fine by me.
I’m doing my first solo backpacking trip this year in Wyomings Wind River Range.
That's awesome! I've done quite a bit of solo backpacking and love it! Actually, sometimes I prefer it.
Me too
Nice video! I live vicariously on days I can't get on the water. My favorite way to explore is also a Prospecteur 15, but mine is green.
Thank you! I love my p15!!!
Liked the video. I’m planning on doing this trip soon. I’d be down to do a canoe camping with you
Thank you! It's a great overnight trip! I loved it!
Hey man, my wife and I just relocated from Texas to Georgia. heading to Colorado to climb 14ers with a buddy this weekend because I haven’t meet anyone to go backpacking with out here in GA. Give me a shout! haha
Which 14ers are you going to climb? Have you done one before?
Thanks for sharing your knowledge ,was very helpful !
I'm glad you found it useful! Happy paddling!
New to your content, great video. My cabin is 4 miles passed where you exited at Sandy Bottom. I too have a hard time finding others to canoe, hike etc. If you are ever in Blue Ridge again let me know and I'll join yah for adventures. I also live in So. Florida
That's awesome! I would love to own a place on a river like the Toccoa!
And I'll definitely have to reach out sometime!!!
How do you get back to your vehicle at the start? I’ve been wanting to do something like this but wasn’t sure how to get back. Nice touches with the music!
Thank you! I contacted a local outfitter for a shuttle. They brought my vehicle to the take out the next morning.
Wish I could like this twice!
Thanks brother!
Thanks for sharing this content. This canoe is on my short list. My question is regarding the weight of the canoe. I've read sometimes Esquire underestimates canoe weight a bit. Have you weighed the canoe to see how accurate their reported number is?
I have not weighed it, but it seems very close to the listed weight. I load and unload it by myself.
I've got one as well, and I think mine is right around the advertised weight, but I also have not weighed it.
Hey, great video. Do you know what level the river was on the USGS gauge at Dial?
750 when I started. The outfitter had me a little concerned saying that was high but after doing it, I don't think I would wanna run it much lower. It's a relatively shallow river.
Nicely done! What outfitter did you use? And what gauge is for this section of river?
@creekhippieadventures5816 Thank you!
I used Jon Ron Toccoa Outfitter for a shuttle. They are technically closed but will shuttle people occasionally.
The gauge at Dial Bridge is used for this section.
Great video! I’m looking forward to paddling this section this summer. What camera are you using?
@@jenniferanderson1375 Thank you! I'm using a Gopro hero 8 in this video.
I agree about the solo camping . Hard to find anyone and get schedules aligned. Going solo is better anyway. I enjoy being alone for awhile.
@@Habsolutely you're right!
I’ll never understand the need for such a long boat
I use a 11’6 solo old Townes, and love it
Different preferences and different needs. I run this mostly solo but have the option to run it tandem as well. For example, this week, I'm taking my son on a 125 mile trip.
Pretty river! You mentioned that you have a hard time finding people to go with you. I'm the same way, often go alone because everyone else is working or whatever. If you ever need a partner, I'm usually available (retired).
We will have to do that sometime!
Looks like a fun river to paddle, and great job on the rapids. I just picked up paddling about 10 months ago and I joined a great paddling group on Facebook that does 2-3 paddling trips a week, but they are just day trips. I really enjoy overnight trips, but only have 1 friend that paddles and he travels a lot so I do a lot of solo trips. I see you paddled Perdido River, did you travel a long ways to Perdido,River, I live in Mobile AL, so if you ever looking for someone to do overnight trips with hit me up. There are several rivers that I have on my list to do long trips on 4-9 days like the Buffalo River which I see you already done, Current River, Jacks Fork River, Eleven Point River, Suwannee River and Greenbrier River.
Perdido is about a 5 hr drive for me. I've wanted to paddle it all the way to the gulf but looks like you'd have to make a really big push at the end since land is sparce.
The Buffalo is a must! We absolutely loved it!
Headed up to BWCA this Saturday! This will be my first time but I'm stoked. The wife will be with me on it!
@@REXpeditions yeah I agree with Perdido River that your last day will be a lot of miles since camping spots are.no where once you hit the Perdido Bay. I’m jealous on your trip to BWCA, I have been watching a lot of you tube on it and it’s beautiful country. Safe travels and I hope you will be recording the trip.
@jitomiller5092 We are excited, but I've heard it's extra buggy this year, so that should be fun, lol. I do plan to film it. I've got to get caught up on editing the Buffalo trip. I've been slammed.
@@REXpeditions yeah definitely need a bug shirt up there based on all the videos I have seen. Editing film does take a lot of time, I decided I was only going to record on overnight trips or special day trips that have a lot of wildlife or beautiful scenery.
@@REXpeditions can you send me a photo how you attached your laced webbing on your canoe, I like that vs drilling thru the side of the canoe and lacing rope thru it.
that was a good video inspired me to try such adventures, do you have a video based on your canoe?
Thank you and I'm glad to hear that. I have one where I purchased the canoe and a 1st impression video. I'm about to do one on how I've outfitted it for solo travel.
@@REXpeditions cool I'll keep an eye out for it, I plan to get a canoe soon mostly for fishing but so I'm leaning towards a sportspal
I'd say that was a kayak, not a canoe... It looks pretty narrow. You say that you don't have much experience, but you know all the strokes and are good at them too.
I thought about that after I watched the video. My first impression was canoe.
I appreciate that! I watched a lot of Bill Masons videos and practiced on my pond. First time in any sort of "whitewater".
That is a canoe not a kayak!
@@mycocoaone he's referring to the lost boat in debris on the river bank. Either way, someone had a bad day losing their boat.
Good job. I don't see how you could have avoided your mishap. You kept a cool head.
Thank you! It definitely snuck up on me!
Good intel we are going to do it in kayaks.
Glad you found it useful. It's a great stretch of river!
Curious how do you find it for long portages on flat water only trips?
I've not taken any trips with a ton of flat water. We just finished the Buffalo National River and there were some stretches of more flat water and it seemed great. It will catch the wind but was easy to manage.
Awesome, thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it
I am in the same "boat" doing solo fun so I don't miss out.
Love the pun 😆!
first one that didn't turn into just another cooking how to show...tanks I gave you a T U
I have a separate playlist for quick backcountry recipes. I personally prefer not to involve that too much in the video of trails or rivers.
We have the exact same boat and seem to have the same experience level.. i laughed when i saw the tripod tied to the seat..that will be the same to! Lol
Lol yeah I just used bungee balls to lash it down. Worked pretty well.
@REXpeditions so what float bags did you go with? I used NSR 3d end bags..they are about 30 inches long so I still have room for a passenger. They are not as hard-core as the longer bags.. but then again I'm not a hard-core canoe guy..yet.. lol
@j.t.c.9157 I haven't gotten mine in yet. They're out of stock at the moment. I plan to go with Esquifs float bags. I run my boat mostly solo so I plan to run a 60in and a 48in bag. On the bow where the 60in will be, I'm going to rig it in a way that it can be collapsed down and a passenger can ride. I will but D rings in the middle with a canoe barrel, which should displace water and add a little floatation as well. I've heard good things about NSR bags. Fall Line has really nice custom bags, but they come at a premium cost.
@REXpeditions I happen to live in the same town that NRS is located in.. they have a HUGE brand new warehouse and showroom.. we won't even talk about my credit card debt..lol
@j.t.c.9157 that's a blessing and a curse 😆 I'd be in serious trouble!
Was curious as to the timber paddle, brand etc cheers
It's made by "Bending Branches". It's their expedition paddle. I love it
Tryto sit lower with your knees and that helps with the center gravity. Great video.
Sorry I should have watched the video all the way first. Great kneeing and scouting.
Great video. Music doesn’t match the type of video it is though. Could be very relaxing and easy to watch entire video with some easier music
I appreciate the feedback, and yes, looking back, I agree!
Couldn't watch it due to the annoying muzak.
Noted. Thanks for the feedback.
I would love to see more nature and less faces, chests and backs :(
I'm working on better camera setup. I was unaware that the footage was so close until after the fact. However, the footage from the rear is kinda what it is. I'm in a canoe with limited space so not real sure what else I could do.
What is wrong with the good old head mounted camera setup?
@hdcstfg typically one prespective for an entire video doesn't hold one's attention. I'd like to run multiple cameras to change perspective on one scene.
@@REXpeditions Nice vid, I'm about at the same point in my YT journey. One thing I do is take my spare paddle or a trekking pole, wedge & strap in a cockeyed position so it hangs out over the side of the boat. that helps put you in the side and takes in more of the "view".
@ivanoutdoors that's a great idea. I just got a manfrotto magic arm that will clamp to different places on the canoe. So I should be able to capture similar shots!