The Wintering Grounds

Winter in the south might seem like a quiet time for most, but for kayakers, the season means more time spent in the water, and Columbus offers the perfect place to do just that.

In December of 2019, filmmaker Jeff Springer made his way to Columbus, Georgia. He had caught wind of a story of a vagabond community of squatting kayakers and was intrigued. Springer formed the idea for a documentary about these kayakers and the parking lot they camp out in, and began filming this past winter. An Emmy-nominated filmmaker from California, Springer took an interest in the whitewater course in uptown Columbus, fascinated that whitewater rapids of such intensity could be found in the middle of a city. The more he learned about the kayaking community, the more he wanted to tell their story. “You’ve got interesting characters, and they’re world-championship level kayakers, and then they’re in this unconventional environment, squatting in this parking lot basically, but also welcomed by the city – I thought that was a really interesting story in itself,” Springer explains.

There are many reasons kayakers from all over the world, including world class athletes, choose to spend their winter in Columbus each year. The lifestyle of a professional kayaker is a transient one of chasing white water all year long. The whitewater course offers many advantages to kayakers: it’s the longest urban whitewater course in the world, it has safe, man-altered whitewater elements, rapids of varying challenge levels, and something not many whitewater courses in the US can boast of – warm water all year long.

Because kayakers’ lives are spent largely on the road when not in the water, they often travel by van or camper, looking for places to set up camp at each stop. The influx of kayakers to our city during the winter months, plus their need for a place to set up camp while in Columbus, resulted in the unique establishment of the gravel parking lot winter home-base known as “The Wintering Grounds.” RV campers, vans, and kayaks fill the lot each winter, as kayakers who cross paths in other rivers settle in for a few months of play and practice in the Chattahoochee. The parking lot is located just one block from the river, making the whitewater course conveniently accessible from the kayakers’ winter home-base.

This set up lends itself to a scenario that is “unique in all the world,” says Paige Swift, of Trees Columbus, who is affiliated with the production of the documentary and upcoming Wild and Scenic film festival.

Perhaps just as noteworthy as the fact that this community exists in a parking lot down the road is the fact that the community has been largely supportive of it being there. “A lot of cities, if you want to park your van and go kayaking every day, they’re like, ‘You can’t park here’,” says Rachel Scheffe, a kayaker who has spent her past two winters at The Wintering Grounds. “They’ve made it so easy for kayakers to come here and stay, and use the whitewater features.”

Jeff Springer experienced the Wintering Grounds lifestyle firsthand during the filming of the documentary, staying in a camper at the parking lot campground, interacting with the kayakers, and listening to their stories of life chasing whitewater. “I was there with the kayakers, using the same bathrooms and showers, and so I really got an experience of what it’s like to live there,” Springer recalls. This allowed for a spur of the moment filmmaking style, as kayakers often decide spontaneously to get out in the water. “You never know what the kayakers are going to do. They’re always watching the conditions and the water level, and suddenly they’re just like, ‘We’re going out,’ and then we’d just run after them,” Springer explains. “It’s reflective of what the lifestyle is like,” he says.

Spending time at The Wintering Grounds, Springer witnessed the camaraderie within the kayaking community. Time spent on the water together, helping each other learn new tricks and repair equipment leads to a bond amongst many of the kayakers. A certain level of risk goes along with whitewater kayaking, and kayakers look out for each other on the water. Additionally, kayakers frequently run into each other at whitewater stops all over the world, and they come to recognize and know each other.

Many of the kayakers are worldwide champions, and the documentary examines their titles and accomplishments, as well as the preparation they’re putting into gearing up for the next international championship. Many of these faces will soon be competing to defend or earn a world title, and the opportunity to watch these athletes practice and play is one our community is truly lucky to have.

The trailer, which aired during the 2020 Wild & Scenic film fest, has already generated much interest, and will bring a lot of attention to, the river, and the city.

“The most amazing urban paddling destination in North America — if not the world.” – Peter Holcombe

By Natalie Downey