hundred miles described herein is imparted to the reader.
Carolina Overview
Physiographically, North and South Carolina are very similar. Both are bordered on the west by the Blue Ridge Mountains and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Moving west to east in either state, three major physiographic regions are encountered: the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Piedmont, and the Coastal Plain. In both states the Coastal Plain is locally referred to as the “lowlands,” while the Piedmont and Mountain regions are collectively known as “uplands” or “highlands.”
The Blue Ridge Mountains are the eastern part of the Appalachian Mountain System, extending from southeastern Pennsylvania across Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Northern Georgia. In North Carolina, the Blue Ridge forms the eastern section of a mountain chain more than 75 miles wide, where cross-ridges connect the Black Mountains and Great Smokies farther west. In this area, known as the “Land of the Sky,” are 43 peaks over 6,000 feet high, and 125 others more than 5,000 feet tall. Mountain valleys here are characteristically narrow, deep, and densely forested with elevations consistently above 2,000 feet.
By contrast, Western South Carolina extends only slightly into the Blue Ridge Mountains, where a small number of peaks not exceeding 3,600 feet rise rather abruptly from the foothills. Where mountains occupy approximately 6,000 square miles in North Carolina, there are only about 500 square miles of mountain terrain in South Carolina. The highest point in South Carolina is Sassafras Mountain (3,560 feet), situated on the North Carolina–South Carolina state line.
The coolest and wettest portion of both states, the Blue Ridge Mountain region is neither farmed extensively nor densely populated, with the steepness of the terrain making the land more suitable for forest than for farms.
Geologically, the region is underlain by crystalline rocks such as granite, slate, and gneiss, which are dense and hard. The mountains are usually steep with V-shaped valleys. Slopes are covered with thick soil and luxurious forests which retard run-off.
Many rivers are born high in the mountains of the Carolinas, flowing down in all directions. Typically running along steep, rocky channels, the streams roll swiftly down the mountains over an abundance of rapids and falls, broadening when they reach the valley floors. West of the Blue Ridge the streams flow north and west, forming a major part of the Tennessee River drainage area. To the north are the headwaters of the New, which eventually empties into the Ohio. On the southeastern slopes of the Blue Ridge, the Broad, Catawba, and Yadkin are born. These merge with other drainages after crossing into South Carolina and finally find their way to the Atlantic Ocean. To the south are the headwaters of the Savannah River, which follows the South Carolina–Georgia border to the sea.
Beyond the Blue Ridge to the east, the Carolinas drop out of the mountains onto the rolling plateau of the Piedmont. Extending from the Blue Ridge Escarpment to the Fall Line where the topography suddenly drops off onto the flat expanse of the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont descends at roughly 3.5 feet per mile with the terrain changing gradually from rolling hills to flat upland. Deeply cut by rivers and creeks, the hills of the Piedmont rise from 400 to 1,500 feet above sea level. Though the Piedmont is underlain by the same crystalline rock as the Blue Ridge region, it lacks the mountains’ high relief. Only occasionally are the rolling plains punctuated by a prominent hill. Comprising about 40 percent of the area of both Carolinas, the Piedmont is generally well developed and populated. Rivers flowing through the Piedmont, while lacking the high gradient and pristine setting of the mountains, are attractive, some endowed with a variety of rapids and falls.
The Coastal Plain region of the Carolinas begins at the Fall Line, where the underlying geology abruptly changes from hard crystalline rock to sandy loam over marl. Known locally as the “low country,” the plain was at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in past geologic ages. The Fall Line, where a dramatic drop in elevation occurs as one moves east from the Piedmont into the Coastal Plain, runs very roughly on the line of Falls-of-the-Roanoke to Durham to Columbia to Augusta (GA). Near the Fall Line the Coastal Plain consists of small hills. Moving toward the ocean, the terrain flattens. Swamp and marsh characterize the coastline corridor to the far east with many natural lakes occurring. Below the mouth of Cape Fear River, the coastal environs assume a more tropical look with black water (caused by tannic acid from decaying vegetation), thick groves of palmettos, magnolias, tall cypress draped with Spanish moss, and live oak.
The Carolinas are alive with beautiful and diverse flora and fauna. Because of their diverse climate and soil, they have the greatest variety of plant life of any area in the Eastern United States. Longleaf pine dominates the upper Coastal Plain along with water oaks and hickories. In the Piedmont, pine remains plentiful but hardwood forests are the order of the day, with deciduous oak being most prevalent, followed by beech, birch, ash, maple, black walnut, sycamore, and yellow poplar. On the mountains the forest is generally comprised of oak, chestnut, laurel, white pine, and hemlock. Wildlife is abundant and varied, especially birds, many of which winter and breed in the coastal marshes.
The climate in the Carolinas is equable and pleasant, being cool in the mountains and almost subtropical on the Coastal Plain with the Piedmont representing the middle of the spectrum. Temperatures average approximately 10° cooler in the mountains than in the low country. The mean annual temperature for North Carolina is about 59° F and for South Carolina 63° F, with January being the coldest month and July the warmest. North Carolina receives more rain than South Carolina owing to its larger mountain region. Averages for both states approximate 54 inches on the mountains, 47 inches on the Piedmont, and 48 inches on the Coastal Plain. On the east slope of some of the mountains the precipitation is exceptionally heavy. Heavy snow is unusual except in the mountains. Winds are variable and seldom violent except during autumn storms along the coast.
Clubs and Organizations
There are a number of local and national organizations of which the paddler should be aware. We have listed those groups that we know are active in the surrounding area.
Most local clubs have as their main objectives training members to canoe more safely and preserving the streams on which they paddle. Generally they have regularly scheduled trips throughout most of the year and periodically publish newsletters, which are a valuable source of information for the canoeist.
For those who wish to improve their skills in a boat, it is almost a necessity to paddle with those having greater experience. In many areas the local club will be the only source of such experience.
Many of us begin paddling to get away from today’s busy life; to get back to nature; to see things that few others see; or to engage in an activity that few people do. For these reasons joining a club and participating in organized trips might seem alien to us. However, the fact remains, without organizations that are willing to work and fight to preserve our free-flowing streams, there may be none to enjoy in the future. We don’t care to see our rivers become the L.A. freeway at rush hour, but can we afford to be so selfish as to want to keep our favorite streams all to ourselves? How much weight will a handful carry when the Corps begins surveying for the best dam site? Your interest may be an occasional quiet float trip down your favorite stream with one or two close friends, but we hope you will see fit to support an organization in your area that may help you save that stream someday. We can save our rivers only if our numbers are large and we are well organized. Not quantity alone, but quantity with quality is needed. A good source for determining whether or not there is a club in your area might be your canoeing outfitter.
Carolina Canoe Club
P.O. Box 12932
Raleigh, NC 27605
Catawba Valley Outing Club
P.O. Box 895
Hickory, NC 28603
(828) 345-0066
Coastal Canoeists