Art teacher Tam Salter splashes into her summer break with flat-water paddling trips, including this month's 108-mile Paddle Georgia excursion. Salter puts an artist's eye to her outdoor adventures and finds inspiration in the unexpected surprises nature has to offer.
Q & A
How long have you been paddling and how did you get into it?
My best friend, Pat Goldsmith, had been trying for a couple of years to get me to go paddling with her on a Chattanooga Outventure trip down the Tennessee River and camp overnight on Williams Island. I was not sure I would feel safe out on the river in a kayak, but I finally relented and went on a trip with her. It was a "Where have I been all my life?" moment! Flat-water paddling through the Tennessee River Gorge on a beautiful fall day and camping out along the way was such an exhilarating and fun experience that I have been paddling now for 12 years. I am grateful to my BF Pat and to Outventure for introducing me to a lifelong passion.
Tam Salter, art teacher at Tyner AcademyWhere are some of your favorite areas in the region to be on the water?
I like quieter places where there aren't loud motorboats and jet skis racing around. My absolute favorite place is Rock Island State Park because of the beautiful waterfalls, but I love being able to put in for a short morning or sunset paddle at locations where you see lots of local wildlife such as the North or South Chickamauga creeks, or Nickajack Cave as the grey bats come out at dusk, or in winter a trip to see the sandhill cranes from the water.
You're doing Paddle Georgia again this month. What is this trip like and why do you enjoy it so much?
I like it because the difficult logistics are all planned out for you. All you have to do is show up with your boat and gear ready for an adventure! Organizer Joe Cook has been planning these trips for many years. He has scouted the rivers and planned the shuttles, put-ins and takeouts, as well as campsites, food arrangements and educational tours of places along the rivers like local farms and archeological or historical sites. Even though there are 350 paddlers, we all go at our own pace and we quickly spread out along the river so it never feels like you are with such a large number until we all assemble again at the end of the day for dinner. This year we are paddling 108 miles toward the Atlantic Ocean on the Ohoopee and Altamaha rivers and will end up near Savannah.
What are some of your other longest kayaking trips and what do you like about those extended trips?
My first Paddle Georgia trip was in 2009 and was 92 miles on the Coosawatee (James Dickey's "Deliverance" river inspiration) and the Oostanaula rivers. I think the best thing about the long trip is that time dramatically slows down. A full week paddling on a river - rain or shine - gives you a long stretch each day to get into a rhythm and to think about your life and make lots of river friends along the way. There is also a great feeling of pride and accomplishment to have paddled that far on your own steam!
Tam Salter splashes into her summer break with flat-water paddling trips, including this month's 108-mile Paddle Georgia excursion.Where is the best place you've paddled and where would you most want to go?
Unexpected moments can make any place special. A few years ago, Pat and I were paddling in the Atlantic Ocean near the Tybee Island Lighthouse in the early morning and two dolphins came up right next to our boats. It was very quiet with calm waters and we could hear them breathing through their blowholes. They kept surfacing to look us right in the face and seemed so intelligent and curious. They stayed with us quite a while before they moved on. I treasure that memory. I am in it for great experiences like that wherever I can find them on any river I get the opportunity to paddle.
As an artist, what type of inspiration do you glean from your time on the water and in the outdoors?
I visually take in the reflections and colors as they change with the weather and the seasons. That imagery stays in your mind a long time after a trip out to be savored and called up later in an artwork. I try to do quick sketches at times while I am out so I can remember a certain idea for later. When I am on a paddling/camping trip I always try to bring my art supplies and take time to make a sketch of whatever seems special about the place.
What lessons do you bring back from your outdoor experiences that you incorporate into the classroom?
I often use my passion for the outdoors as an example to my students of how they might incorporate their own personal ideas and passions into their art. I try to convey a sense of reverence, respect and pride about the natural beauty of the Chattanooga area to my students, most of whom have not spent time camping, hiking or on the water. We do have a Tyner art show currently this summer at the Hamilton County Courthouse entitled "Nature from Scratch." The students learned the technique of scratchboard art and illustrated an animal of their own choice. Allied Arts has sponsored the exhibit and I am very proud of the students' work.
What other outdoor hobbies do you have and what would you most like to try?
My friends and I hike often in the area. LeConte Lodge and the Hike Inn at Amicalola Falls are favorite destinations for us. I fantasize about one day hiking the Appalachian Trail with a group.
What is the coolest thing about having summers off in the Scenic City?
Paddling, hiking, sketching and painting on weekday mornings!