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Paddle Bob

Return to Melton Hill Lake

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Now that I can strap my kayak to my truck, I’m striking out and paddling new places. My first trip was Fontana Lake in North Carolina. Next up was Melton Hill Lake, much closer to home.

I’ve wanted to paddle Melton Hill for a while. It’s a special place to me. For years when we lived in Hardin Valley, I took the dogs up there every weekend morning to stretch there legs and harass rabbits. That’s where I found the abandoned Ozzy, Gilligan and the late, great Kesey. That park conjures a lot of great, soul cleansing moments.

I decided to put in at Solway Park, which is near Oak Ridge, and paddle downstream to Melton Hill Park. It was a great trip, and it turned out to be one of the longest I’ve done at almost 14 miles. Melton Hill Lake is much different from Loudon or Fontana. The main channel gets very narrow in several spots, and even the bass boats where obeying the channel markers, which leads me to believe there are some nasty shallow spots in there. The water was murkier, too.

When I reached Melton Hill Park, I landed on a sandy beach where I used to toss tennis balls in the water for Xena and Gilligan. To my surprise, there was a tennis ball sitting there. But I doubt it was a relic from our days at the park.

After taking a break, I got back in the kayak and paddled over to Bull Bluff, which I’d seen numerous times from the opposite shoreline. It’s an impressive cliff. From there, I paddled back. I got caught out

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Paddle Bob

Tackling the Dragon in an F-150

truck_kayak.jpgI finally broke down and purchased a Yakima rack system for my truck so I can transport my kayak. Paddling Loudon is getting a bit dull.

I bought Q Towers for the cab and the Outdoorsman 3oo system for the bed of the truck. Initially, I had the bed rack positioned as far back as I could get it, but when I loaded the kayak, the Mako saddles were on a very thin part of the boat and it just didn’t feel right. I moved the bed rack as far forward toward the cab as I could, and that did the trick. I strapped the yak in the saddles, tied down the bow and stern and set off for Fontana Lake in North Carolina.

To get to Fontana, I had to take 129 south, which becomes the infamous Dragon, where motorcyclists go to test their skills on an 11-mile stretch of road packed with 318 crazy curves. I generally hate that road. Most of the bikes are great, but I’ve had a few instances where I’ve hit a hairpin turn to see a crotch rocket in my lane trying not to become my new hood ornament. On this trip, that wasn’t a problem. I went early enough where I didn’t encounter much traffic on the way over, and on the way home, everyone was playing nicely and staying in their lane, though a few of those guys were going insanely fast. And the kayak stayed firmly in place as I navigated the serpentine highway.

I decided to put in at Cable Cove when I reached Fontana. There’s a campground there and a basic boat ramp. As soon as I set out, I was astounded by how beautiful Fontana is. It’s bordered on one side by Smoky Mountain National Park and on the southern shore by Nantahala National Forest. I paddled west, intending to do a large loop that ultimately would bring me back to Cable Cove. I wanted to stop somewhere along the way, but the shore was very steep and rocky. I didn’t find a decent place to land until I was almost back to Cable Cove. There’s a primitive campground just east of the cove where I stopped to take a break.

In all, I paddled about 11 miles and hope to go back there to camp for a few days so I can explore more of the lake. It’s refreshing to paddle a lake with no development along the shoreline, just giant pine trees, rocks and wildlife.
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