Participants boarded their watercraft of choice in Peytona at 9:00 in the morning and ended at the Dartmont Park over three hours later. Other participants not wishing to paddle the entire stretch joined the float farther downstream. At the end of the ride, everyone was treated to hot dogs and other refreshments, thanks to donations from the community.
Sponsored by the Coal River Group and organized by Teresa Perdue of Ashford, the event was meant to increase the community's interest in the river. It was inspired by the Tour De Coal, another Coal River Group event that runs from Tornado to the mouth of the Coal River.
Perdue said her main objective was to familiarize local children with the Big Coal.
“The only reason I'm doing this is to get the young kids out on the river like we used to do when we were kids. It's going to take these kids to upkeep this river when we're dead and gone,” she said.
Several youngsters have already been converted: sisters Katherine and Caroline Morris say they really enjoy going down the river. “We have a really good time there,” says Caroline.
Of course, adults are excited about the Coal River too. Jenny Light, who recently moved from Florida to West Virginia to take care of her mother, says she wants to be active on the Big Coal.
“I love the river, I live on the river. The Coal River is a beautiful river and it'd be great if it were used by the people,” she says.
Fellow-floater Nancy Gore concurs. “We just need to take advantage of the beauty and what's available to us,” Gore said.
The Coal River is 88 miles long, and 80 percent of it runs through Boone County.
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