In the northeast corner of Tennessee, the dramatic relief of the Appalachian Mountains cuts impressive river gorges tumbling with whitewater. And while the experience and scenery are spectacular, it’s the guides who welcome paddlers to places like the Nolichucky and Pigeon rivers that make them unforgettable.
“It’s a bonding experience,” says Slayton Johnson the owner of Wahoos Adventures in Erwin, Tennessee. “You’re going to conquer some things. You’re going to conquer some fears…some rapids…and a few bad jokes.”
As the owner of a rafting outfitter in Tennessee, Johnson is well-versed in the traits that make for a good river guide. The ability to navigate these wild rivers with skill, to empathize with the emotions a first-time rafter is facing and being able to lead them through it, and lastly, perhaps the most notorious of raft guide traits—a knack for corny humor.
“We’re a special breed, us river people, with our stupid raft guide jokes,” shares Matt Moses of USA Raft. “We tell the same ones on every river worldwide.”
Moses and others have a few favorites, and the punchline hits best when you’re sharing a raft with them in one of Tennessee’s remarkable gorges.
Learn more about visiting the Nolichucky and Pigeon rivers at tnvaction.com.
Feature image: NOMO Films
