- Our state is blessed with all kinds of water environments for paddlers to enjoy.

So whether you like to paddle the slow waters down east or whitewater in the mountains, the Carolina Canoe Club is a leader in mapping these waters.

Let's join them on a trip along the Mayo River.

[twangy music] [twangy music continues] [twangy music continues] - The north fork of the Mayo is just a delight for people that live in the Triad.

It's not that far from Greensboro and Winston.

This is a great river for beginning boaters that have control of their craft, paddlers be they kayaks or canoes or sea boats.

It's about 3.5 miles, and it has a lot of fun little ledges.

Just smile as are going down there.

Mayo is my home river, I would say.

We've been paddling this stretch right now for about 20 years.

2025 will be our 20th year of having a trip here.

- This river offers all skill levels.

You can do different sections that are flat moving that would be better for beginners.

And then you can do intermediate spots like the ledges above the Boiling Hole.

And then for the thrill seekers, the adrenaline junkies, they can hit the Boiling Hole and play and, you know, do S-turn and practice their skills.

So it provides a little bit of everything for everybody.

[upbeat music] - I started the paddling the Mayo as a way of giving back to the community, and the way you do that is you lead trips.

So I started having them in the summer, and guess what?

Nobody came.

Everybody's got vacations and graduations and such.

So I thought, well, hey, what's everybody doing the third Saturday in January?

And the answer is not much.

The event grew from maybe 10 people the first year to 20 people, and then we're probably averaging 35 to 40 people.

Got all these people, but we're not doing anything.

So I thought food drive.

So we started doing food donations.

Stoneville has sort of adopted us.

We learned about Debbie's, Debbie's Biscuits.

So the first stop for anybody coming to the mighty Mayo should be a trip to Debbie's and get a biscuit.

And it's just been a great way to recreate in the community and show them that boaters are givers.

[upbeat music] - It's more than just keeping a clean river, making sure the river stays clean.

It's about that community, that tide that we have lost over the past couple hundred years that it can make us stronger in all ways.

Like, we can drive our economy, it can bring neighbors together.

Swimming, fishing, kayaking, boating in any sense of the form, it's more people to secure a future for our water long into the future.

[gentle music] - The first trip on the Mayo River taught me that you're responsible for your own results.

And I think it gave me confidence as a person, and it has taught me through my life that, you know, you see a challenge and you meet it.

You learn from others.

I think the boating world has introduced me to wonderful people that have influenced my life in ways I can't even imagine.

[gentle music] - [Deborah] Mayo River State Park is in Rockingham County, and it has several access points.

For more information, visit the park website at ncparks.gov.

And for more information about the Carolina Canoe Club, visit their website at carolinacanoeclub.org.