Whitewater! Kayakers take on Truthville section of Mettowee River

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The buildup took more than an hour, but the run itself was over in a handful of seconds.

Boston-area kayaker Lee Eudy took on Truthville Falls in North Granville Sunday afternoon capping off a whirlwind tour for a group of kayakers from around the region.

Although the successful shot was not on the route he planned, sometimes success in a whitewater kayak is getting out the other end safely.

“I wasn’t on line, not where I wanted to be, but I came out at the bottom all right and that’s all that matters,” Eudy said.

Travelers on Route 12 in Truthville Sunday might have spotted five vehicles pulled over at the Truthville Bridge topped with several brightly colored kayaks on each.

The group of ten people came from New York City and New Jersey, started the weekend in the Tug Hill area trying out parts of rivers in the area. All were members of the AMC or Appalachian Mountain Club on a club outing.

Team leader David Brucas said the paddling in their local areas was limited because of the massive amounts of snow and the unseasonably cool spring. Following a guidebook, they toured north of Utica in the Moose River and found some whitewater Saturday.

Brucas said the group wanted to get one last trip in before heading home and found the Mettowee River was close enough to be included in the weekend adventure.

The group drew plenty of attention as they stood on the narrow expanse of the Truthville Bridge gazing down at the water before taking the narrow footpath down to streamside.

Following an extended scouting session and consulting several of his fellow paddlers, Eudy decided he would take a shot at the falls.

The remainder of the paddlers looked at the falls and decided against the attempt. “If you don’t make it, that could hurt,” one kayker said.

“We’re tired, we been going all weekend so it’s not worth the risk,” another said.

Eudy entered from above the falls and was nearly spun completely around when he tried for the line, a path he picked up between the hazards, and was rebuffed by the river.

Recovering, Eudy moved back into the channel and lined up for the rest of the drop to the pool at the bottom of the falls occasionally dipping out of site where just the top of his helmet could be seen before bursting out of the whitewater to the hoots and hollers of the rest of the group.

Joined by the rest of the group, Eudy and friends headed downstream towards the Upper Turnpike Bridge where they planned to take out before heading home.