The sight of hundreds of kayakers shooting down the Cheoah River was a new phenomenon for Graham County residents.

The parking lots and gas stations, grocery stores and fastfood restaurants all over town were packed with vehicles sporting kayaks, most of the boats mounted on roof racks that were like flags announcing, “I’m here for the Cheoah River release.”

Jonathan and Dylan Stewart, two elementary school children, sat in lawn chairs by the river and watched the paddlers go by all day.

“How old do you have to be to do this?” Jonathan wanted to know.

Kenneth Blevins, dressed in a work shirt and cap, had been sitting along the river since early that morning, too.

“I think it is all right,” said Blevins. For Blevins, a traditional mountain man, calling something “all right” was his version of a prestigious compliment.

Blevins was worried that all the paddlers wouldn’t get downstream by the time the water was shut off. Blevins said it was good to see the river running the way it used to before the dam was built.

“Every day it would be just like this,” Blevins said of the river’s flow.

Linda and Brian Eller were among a large crowd of spectators at a large waterfall dubbed “The Big Un,” gasping every time a kayaker flipped over while shooting down the 10-foot high rapid and letting out a sigh of relief when they righted.

“I like it. It’s exciting, scary too, especially when they turn over,” Linda said. Linda said if people keep coming for the river, maybe some tourism shops would open in town.

“If this river is more exciting than the other two, the Nantahala and Ocoee, then maybe they’ll come over here instead,” said Brian. Brian said he hopes the mandatory shuttle system and other forest service regulations won’t turn off kayakers.

“If they make it too tight, no one will want to come,” Brian said.

Revonda Williams, who goes back several generations in Graham County, said outdoor recreation is one of the county’s few industries.

“This is where the future of Graham County is,” Williams said, citing that 75 percent of the county’s land base is national forest.

Williams has an apartment in Robbinsville that she uses as a weekend vacation rental. That morning, she photocopied 50 fliers advertising the rental and headed to Robbinsville High School where the kayakers parked for the shuttle. She said she unloaded all her fliers in about five minutes.

But Nathan Stewart, who is on the Graham County rescue squad, was a little more cautious about embracing this new sport.

“It’s alright occasionally. I wouldn’t want to see it like this every day,” Stewart said. “In this county we need more jobs instead of more recreation.”