Our Friend, Mentor, Team member, Jeff West is Missed by ericjackson | Sep 13, 2012 | Whitewater | 31 comments Jeff There are many words that have been used to describe Jeff, but quiet determination, and his actions always overshadowed the loudest words you could speak about him. Just the manner of his death- a solo run on the Stikine says it all. First on the water, last one off the water. Teacher, mentor, creeker, play boater, expedition boater, friend, team member, and even design helper. I am hoping to collect a list of thoughts from friends and relatives on Jeff and his life below in the comments section- Please help us immortalize his actions, words, and your feelings towards this incredible man, who lost his life, while risking it, in a very real, very important environment for him. Sincerely, Eric Jackson 31 Comments Eric Jackson on September 13, 2012 at 7:13 pm I still remember the smile on his face after getting the biggest bounce and “ollie” in his Black Lucid prototype he designed right here at Rock Island on Brave Wave twelve years ago… He was so happy at that moment and it was the first time I really took notice of Jeff West. 🙂 EJ Reply Dan O'Hearn on September 13, 2012 at 8:08 pm I first met Jeff on the ocoee when he was giving a lesson. I asked him if he was a pro kayaker and he just laughed. He said “No, but I do give kayak lessons”. I got his business card at the take out and never really gave it much more thought. When I got back home, I was looking at the Jackson website and saw a blog about some guys running the Stikine with Eric Boomer. It was Jeff’s blog. He didn’t say a word about being with Jackson, didn’t say a word about himself at all. I took a lesson with Jeff and was ready for a follow-up lesson when I heard the news. A humble bad-ass is a rare bird. Jeff was a humble bad-ass. Reply Matt Sissom on September 13, 2012 at 7:32 pm Two years ago I followed Jeff West and 4 other close friends into the Green River Narrows. This was a day that would change my life forever. Being new to kayaking I was only in the gorge to watch and take photos; but what I saw that day was a beauty and passion that will forever be a part of my life. Since then Jeff and Russell Hobby have made me into the kayaker that I never thought I could be. Working on the Ocoee this summer I saw Jeff almost every weekend. His upbeat attitude and attention to both paddling and personal details was unmatched. Jeff’s passion for the sport, passion for the people, and unrelenting motivation made him into the living legend that he would never admit to being. The river gives life and the river takes life. While Jeff is no longer with us on earth, I believe with all my heart that anyone who ever met Jeff will know his presence on and off the water. A class VI hole has been formed in the hearts of many today. Charge hard Jeff! I will see you in the next eddy. Reply Gina on September 13, 2012 at 7:43 pm Jeff has coached me and I have tried his patience which is hard to do but I want to share something he wrote to me: “There is nothing easy about this sport. It forces you to grow and learn. Most people spend their lives completely removed from the natural world. They only see it through their eyes. Kayaking allows you to actually participate in the wonders of nature. It is scary at first and nature will always demand your respect. You never had fear before because you never truly experienced nature. You have spent a lifetime looking at it from a boat or raft or car. Rafting is superficial and is barely more than driving a car on a dirt road. Kayaking allows you the opportunity to actually participate in it. Your new found fears are a natural part of the awakening process.” Jeff West I will miss him every day and will never spend another day removed from the natural world I had the privilege to explore with him by my side. Gina Reply Sabrina Mellor on September 13, 2012 at 8:05 pm I met Jeff on the Ocoee, my sister had been paddling with him for a while and had taken a class from him. She went from being good to great and said it was because of Jeff. I moved out east at the first of August and really talked to him one day at Goforth I wanted to take a class, he joked on the Green I lauged and said no here first. We talked about rivers and found out he had just paddled with a dear friend in Idaho on the N.F Payette. We talked about the Gauley and the Green and how close the boating community is, less than six degrees of separation. I will miss seeing him and I know that my sister will to especailly when she runs the Green. What a wonderful man. I know that just knowing him was a true gift. Thanks Jeff Reply Gary Edgeworth on September 13, 2012 at 8:05 pm I am sadden by Jeffs passing. Always wonder why so many people that offer so much leave us much to early. Very sad news. RIP Jeff Reply Matt on September 13, 2012 at 8:48 pm A few years ago I just happened to be invited out to paddle with Jeff’s paddling club that he lead once a week. I was a terrible boater and remember him defining my roll as being “brutal.” He decided to take me under his wing and teach me proper technique. We quickly became friends, and he decided to “put me on the program” as he liked to call it, training me rigorously for an eventual showdown with the Green Narrows, followed by Bear Creek. Not only did he teach me everything I know about paddling, but ,more importantly, I learned to love the sport and every aspect about it through him. His passion and enthusiasm were extremely contagious, and I believe he loved teaching others and seeing them learn to love the sport just as much as he loved the sport itself. His overall good nature and loving, giving attitude were true testaments to the paddling community. He never had a bad thing to say about anyone, and was always the first to offer words of encouragment. I will greatly miss him as not only a wonderful friend, but also as one of the greatest ambassadors our sport has known. Reply Craig Parks on September 13, 2012 at 8:49 pm So impressed with Jeff over the years… Ran into him on Raven Fork one day… I call the drops from Anaconda to Razorback the five righties…. as you generally stay right on all of them as they get progressively scarier through Razorback… One thing it takes a little more talent and experience to realize is that you can push left off the the very first drop because it doesn’t really push you under the first boulder … Jeff ran so hard left he almost ended up on the trail again, railed off the rock, almost hit the uphill side of the undercut and then cleaned the rest of the rapid… For a jaded old cynic I was blown away.. one of the most incredible but simply badass moves I’ve seen in kayaking.. I think he congratulated me on running a pace (race) with him that wasn’t irritatingly slow… Reply Pat Carver on September 13, 2012 at 9:38 pm He always said hi and he always had a smile on his face. Everyone has learned from Jeff. He will be missed by all. Reply Rebecca Hendrix on September 13, 2012 at 10:26 pm Jeff taught me to kayak and how to live life–not worrying about what everyone else thought. I can remember whining to him about all my gear smelled like a cat pissed in it, and him just grinning ear to ear telling me you get used to it. I think I’m catwoman now. I remember when he did his first Stikine run. We were suppossed to have a lesson together when he got back and he ended up longer than he expected. I’d get an email from him about every other day telling me the water was too high and too big but the place was amazing. I will miss my friend–his ridiculous smile, his awesome hugs, quiet encouraging words, his silly cup of hot tea at dinner, and our more serious talks. Your smile is forever stamped on my heart. Reply Eric Snell on September 13, 2012 at 10:28 pm What an incredible shock and loss to everyone that paddles in the Ocoee area. We just got off of our pond seconds ago while teaching our 12 year old daughter techniques that Jeff drilled into us just 2 weeks ago. Jeff worked with my wife and I on the Ocoee and taught us more in a few hours than we have learned in years. We had 3 of our kids running the Ocoee with him last week and had agreed to spend another day with us next week. He was the greatest thing that happened to our kayaking family of 9. He changed our approach and offered new methods for each person we put with him. We feel in love with his book and could tell from that book he was someone that could offer training for any level kayaker. And we were right. He made a huge difference in just the last month that we had the honor of knowing him. We consider ourselves VERY fortunate to have met and worked with such a great paddler. Reply Stephen Walker on September 14, 2012 at 12:13 am Jeff inspired me as a person. Simply learning a bit about his life and how he lived it made me want to be a better person. Through A few days of instruction with him it was very clear to me I was in the presence of someone who went down the river AND through his life with a power and grace I had never seen before in my life. He lives on in all whom he touched, literally thousands, having imparted his martial art of the paddle, mind and spirit. I hope there are more just like him out there. I hope one day to give a tenth of his heart and soul back to the world. Reply Shirley Tharp on September 14, 2012 at 12:18 am Losing Jeff so unexpectedly was hard for many of us; he left behind his footprint in our hearts and great memories of his talent, kindness, and exceptional instructional style to keep us going. We will all see him again one day, paddling the big river in the sky. Reply Sue on September 14, 2012 at 12:57 am The creeks flow on, the rivers still run Boofs remain for us to have fun But our hearts are heavy Our souls much undone By the loss of our friend So humble like none So full of knowledge Of rivers so fine Paddling the Ocoee He knew every line He taught many of us of the rivers best boofs Of eddies and rapids He knew every move I’m sure now in heaven with rivers devine You teach the angels All the best lines Golden rocks for boofing Eddies so clear But you will be missed By all of us here. R.I.P Jeff West SM 9-12-12 Reply Dan Brady on September 14, 2012 at 2:18 am It is not often that you meet someone that exudes goodness. Those individuals have the ability to not only change the lives of those they are close to but also to touch almost everyone they come into contact with. Sadly, it is when they are gone when that we realize the true magnitude of their spirit and the joy that they have spread over a given community. I can only hope the void that has been left inspires many to find the goodness inside of themselves and gives them the strength to share it with others. I look forward to paddling the Ocoee for years to come knowing that Jeff will be on my shoulder. He will follow all of us down many rivers. At times we might even hear his encouraging voice in our heads as we make a hard move… ‘Great job, that was awesome!’ Many will pass along his teachings to future generations and new paddlers. The stories of ‘Remember when Jeff…’ and guidance like ‘Jeff West would have recommended you…’ will be told for years to come. I truly believe that he has changed several generations of kayakers and probably touched more people than any of us will ever know! He was a friend to all that met him, an amazing mentor and a kind gentle man! He will never be forgotten and missed by all that knew him. Reply Anne Connolly on September 14, 2012 at 3:35 am I met Jeff on the Ocoee about 11 years ago. I was thumbing a hitch to the put in. We were friends ever since. I had the priviledge to get close to him after we both went through heartbreak about the same time several years later. I didn’t paddle with him much. Our friendship was off the water. I boated with him a few times and always followed… not because I needed a lead (being the independent woman that I am 😉 ..but because he was so beautiful to watch. His strokes, timing, boofs, play.. it was all so beautiful to watch. So beautiful and so perfect. I tried to emmulate that. Still do in every river I paddle and every stoke I take. Jeff and I connected in so many ways…our passion for life, paddling, and true frienship. Our friendship was the real deal and we both knew it. We never let an opportunity to say “I love you” pass us by. Jeff was (is) a genuine soul. We definitely had our moments. I didn’t let him get away with anything when it came to matters of the heart…especially this past year. He respected me for that and I, in turn, respected him for tolerating my candor and opening up to me. Jeff has and will always be one of the most important and special men in my life because he wasn’t afraid to shed a tear or lend a hand..be a man.. a real man. Strong, sensitive, and wise. Jeff accomplished his dreams…all of them. He left nothing undone. His death, however tragic and untimely as it seems, was exactly the way such a man should have left us. I will always love him. I will always hold his memory in my heart. He was a wonderful friend to me and so many others. Reply Joe Napora on September 14, 2012 at 12:47 pm EJ, I don’t know if this is appropriate for this memorial. Words are never enough, but it’s all I got. I didn’t know Jeff well, but well enough to call him my friend. Joe River of Sand and Stone (for Jeff West) Spectacular exposures of these rocks occur in the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River in northwestern Arizona, where they overlie the strongly deformed and contorted Vishnu Schist, the angularity of which stands in bold contrast to the almost horizontal bedding of the Grand Canyon Series. –Encyclopædia Britannica How do names happen? Take the groover (and you must). You shit in an old ammo can. Clamp it down, and you carry it out and down river with you. Left on your ass are the grooves from sitting on the can. That is a real name. And it’s happening as I speak. He said, “Don’t take your schist for granite.” Not that anyone could when it’s in your boat with you. One is dark black and smooth, the other is rough and red. But some people only see rock and can’t really get to the roll of the water as it pulses under the raft and kayak. Said Ed: “I’ve been swimming in this river of shit more than 20 years and I’m getting tired of it.” Sanders. It’s now forty more since I saw you at the Peace Eye bookstore. Tomkins Square Park. Lower East Side. The Sixties ride on the high tide of reverie and pain. Now it’s all about Jeff. Vishnu, the Hindus say means “All-Pervading” protector of the world and the one who restores the moral order of the universe. He is peaceful, merciful, and compassionate. Yes, you were Jeff, you who knew who knew water as sacred. Who knew words. This is for you: sacred and scared. And us. Scarred. Words as scrambled as my feelings. It our need now. We want the real name for our pain. From you to restore the moral order of our universe. One verse and it’s never enough. I’ll keep trying trying to see you on the river. Reply Scott Blase on September 14, 2012 at 3:46 pm I never met Jeff but nevertheless, the loss of a fellow paddler is always hard. From what I have read he seemed to have touched so many people’s lives in such a positive way…I wish I had the chance to meet him. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends….. Reply Lindsay Young on September 14, 2012 at 4:31 pm The first time I ever got in a kayak was in 2003 at Maryville College. My roommate, Marie, was going to teach me how to roll at a pool session on campus. I learned how to roll that night, but was only seeking credit hours and had no desire to ever get in a kayak in the great outdoors. When I first sat in the cockpit of her boat, on the deck, I immediately got out of it and fought off a panic attack. The next time I got in a kayak, I had a similar experience. Except this time I was with Jeff at the private boater’s takeout on the Ocoee. Jeff talked me off a ledge, and within minutes I was self rescuing and more than confident under water. He had a passion for the sport, and an obvious dedication to safety that put me at ease. I spent 5 more days with him, and by the end was confidently paddling, while still defensive, the Hiwassee and the Nantahala. I have since taken other kayak instruction for this or that, but still always recommend Jeff for anyone who wants to learn how to kayak. Jeff’s instruction was different. It was the best. To learn how to kayak with Jeff was to learn the whole sport. When you are with Jeff you load your own boat on the racks of his then Tercel, he will take as much time as needed to teach you how to tie a trucker’s hitch (Emily, will too!), you set your own shuttle, you hitch your own rides, you pack your own lunch, if the air hasn’t been knocked out of you-you will also drain your own boat. Jeff West taught me more than how to kayak. He taught me how to be a boater. And that lesson is one it’s hard to learn on your own, and even harder to learn with boutique instruction. Jeff, I don’t promise to never back paddle again. But I do promise to think about you every time I do. Godspeed, friend. Thanks for everything you taught me. Reply Lindsay Aragon on September 14, 2012 at 8:35 pm I met jeff at the Stanley Steamers paddling club. I was already a raft guide but definitely not a paddler by any means. Jeff taught me how to roll in about two minutes, and then warned me not to go ‘jump straight in the Ocoee and get your ass kicked, and then never wanna paddle again’ definitely words of wisdom for an overconfident raft guide who thought i knew everything about whitewater. Jeff soon showed me how little i knew but in the most encouraging, and uplifting ways. taught me how to paddle properly, catch eddies, and attain. I’m sad because i definitely skimped out on the club this past summer, and didn’t get to spend much time with him, but the few sessions i had with the guy gave me more knowledge and respect for the water than anyone ever has. I’ve never met a person who was so kind and would let me borrow any gear any time “just bring it back” is all he would say. I don’t think i’ll ever meet someone who is as all around awesome as Jeff, and i don’t think i really want to. If i’ve taken anything from this it’s to follow your dream, no matter what the outcome might be. Its better to have truly lived and lost, than to have never really lived. I’ll be paddling really hard this fall, and thinking of him every minute of the way. and like Dan said^^ a humble bad-ass is a rare bird. Jeff was a humble bad-ass. Reply LA McAllister on September 14, 2012 at 9:27 pm Jeff had such grace – even when charging hard, there was such a sense of grace in everything he did. I didn’t know him nearly as long and as well as I wished I could have. Just meeting him made you like him, respect him, and want to have that genuine Jeff smile one more time. As an instructor, he was calm, encouraging and tremendously astute. I’ve had other instructors completely shatter my confidence – so much so, I was going to quit paddling. A mere conversation with Jeff me back on course and began rebuilding it. Despite being ridiculously sought by people with faaaaar more experience, Jeff always took time to answer my questions and offer encouragement. He was so unassuming. He was so committed to the sport, but more so, teaching others. The gentleness of someone who could dance on the waters of such ferocity and make it look so smooth. Watching him paddle was pure poetry. I was in awe with his epic skills. I asked him what he was thinking when he was taking off from one of those absolutely ridiculous waterfalls. He said once he launched, he just enjoyed the view because there was nothing else to do until he landed. With that, I like to imagine Jeff just hit an epic boof with a fist in the air straight up to heaven. Reply tyler phillips on September 15, 2012 at 1:48 am jeff was the same guy every time i ever saw him, super humble and bold at the same time. when i think of him i remember him doing 28 or 29 laps on OBJ one day for some total vert challenge. RIP jeff Reply El Omo on September 15, 2012 at 1:51 pm I will forever cherish his Ocoee guide book. Here’s a great article summing the event, his spirit and the inspiration Jeff left in all our hearts: http://www.paddlinglife.net/article.php?id=864 Reply Dru Smith on September 17, 2012 at 5:04 pm Jeff was the man and whoever mentioned that whitewater lost it’s superman was dead on with that comment. Jeff was a super guy and would paddle with anyone. He told me how to get to Rock Island back in 99′ before it was common knowledge and even offered to let me paddle his Perception Amp when it was still a prototype. That day changed my life and so did paddling with Jeff. I will never forget how much he was willing to share and how much he enjoyed whitewater and creeking in particular. Last thing I legitimately paddled with him was the Ravens Fork after Katrina hit New Orleans. I will have to go back to properly remember this great man who will be sorely missed by this small sporting community. Reply Steve Ganem on September 21, 2012 at 7:30 am I met Jeff a several years ago while I was filming for a documentary, with some great friends, on extreeme whitewater kayaking. I’ve met a lot of people in my life and Jeff stands taller than tall among them. In the scheme of life I only had a moment with Jeff… that moment has left an ever lasting impression on me. I hope, more than ever now, to complete not only something I am passionate about, but something that documents great peoples lives. Lets do it JB Steve G Reply Krista Hale on September 21, 2012 at 12:10 pm As I have every day since his death I’m reading over the posts everyone is making of their favorite Jeff memories & I am overwhelmed w sadness that he’s not here to tell him how much he touched my life & to just spend one more day doing “warm ups” (which I truly did not enjoy 🙂 or his encouraging words when I miss my roll -over & over again – & I just want to get out & give up but his belief in me keeps me going. moreover more chance to yell hello as he passes w a new group of students. I will never forget my 1st time down any rapids after many hours logged w Jeff on flat water learning techniques & on the last rapid of the day (& biggest- of course it had rained & the water was higher than usual) I immediately flipped.. I knew Jeff was in front of me & Emily was behind me so when I wanted to panic all I cld hear was Jeff saying to stop– calm down & think, set up, feel the boat on my thumb & just do it. I’m not sure how long I attempted (I know my thumb was bleeding by the time it was over). I knew Jeff & Emily would let me try until they saw I was out of steam- I was giving up but I refused to pull my skirt & swim knowing it would only mean back to flat water for lots of lessons on why NOT to swim which knowing Jeff would be many swims until my body ached & it was burned in my head “swimming is not the answer”. Then out of no where I felt the nose of a boat there for me to grab & I flipped up gasping for air. I caught my breath & see that the rescuer was a fellow boater & close friend of Jeff’s that had joined us down the river halfway down with his wife & son (I sure wish I cld remember his name). I was so disappointed I let Jeff down but then immediately Jeff & Emily are at my side w grins from ear to ear & all I hear them both saying is what a cool 2 boat rescue that was & how PROUD they were to watch 2 people that had both been students be there for each other wo panicking. By the time we were at the take out I had totally forgotten that I had totally bombed my 1st real rapid & I was floating on air bc I had done an incredible & “book perfect” 2 boat rescue. I will never forget going from thinking Jeff was going to be disappointed to thinking “wow- Jeff is impressed w me- I can do this”. He kept talking w the biggest grin like a proud papa of how awesome it was & what a great job I did staying calm- I kept trying my roll waiting on help & he was saying “man- u can hold ur breath forever” like I was some super hero. I left that day feeling like I had concurred humongous on the upper when I really had bombed on a small class II (with the water level Jeff kept saying “a good class III”— bc that’s what Jeff did- he made EVERYONE feel like they were amazing & could climb Mt. Everest if they wanted it bad enough. He genuinely felt that way about every student & friend he had. He believed in all of us & build everyone up bc he found the good- the positive in every moment good or bad. To him it was positive bc he had taught me- not to just roll & catch the eddy or make a picture perfect stroke but he had taught me courage to not panic & he had taught me what to do when I found myself in a situation when I couldn’t roll so in his eyes (& mine by the time he was through w me) I had accomplished just as much in a smooth rescue as I would have had I made a successful roll. To him in what i thought & felt to be a total bomb was a success. I will never forget that moment as I learned more about kayaking & life in that few moments as I ever have learned- I learned to believe in myself. Jeff taught so much more than kayaking & I think that’s why so many credit him for changing their lives in major ways…. He taught life changing lessons & I have wondered many times over the last week if he ever truly even knew how much more he was teaching or the effect time spent w him touched people’s lives. Another reason I tell that whole story is to also say I didn’t spend as much time w Emily as I did Jeff but as I think back on that day it hit me – I saw in Emily as one of his newer instructors that his life had already started to ripple like the water.. He had already taught Emily the gift of building people up as she was there w Jeff praising me & laughing w us & talking about what an awesome job done the 2 boat rescue had carried out— Jeff left his footprint in those instructors to carry on his gift- so I have no doubt that Ace will strive bc those instructors were taught by the best & have been given an amazing chance to learn how to make a difference in people’s lives even beyond the kayak & the water. As I wish I had told Jeff how much that moment changed me I want to tell Emily now that she was just as impressionable that day- her smile contagious & her belief in me just as life changing. It is that thought that I hope anyone that reads this carries away w them. Jeff legacy will live on- not just in the students he taught but in the students that those instructors he taught will continue to teach. He created a ripple in the water that will never end as it is passed on to every student that Ace teaches even after his death. I think our support of Ace & those instructors is so important now & would be where Jeff would want us all to focus- he was so humble- what would make him more proud than any story any of us could tell about him is to take that group of his instructors—- his ripples in the water & make sure they have the means to continue what he started as that is what he lived for– that is his legacy. I was so devastated Jeff wouldn’t be here to teach my son next spring & it hit me– he will be here in Emily & the rest of the instructors. My son hadn’t “missed” out— he’s won bc Jeff left a gift. He left his legacy & his heart in everyone at Ace Kayaking School. Reply Ray Statam on September 21, 2012 at 1:07 pm I just met Jeff this year, he truly turned my paddling inside out. I am no less than 3X the paddler now after our lessons. I remember him telling me how when you reach the edge of a waterfall you turn from a kayaker into a paddler, he was so in love with this sport. It was like he had eyes in the back of his head, he was an excellent instructor. He was a machine, 6 hrs with me and Bill and then off for another 6 hrs on the Ocoee. Lived off honey and peanut butter. Even tho I knew him for a short time I will never forget him as he was the model of the perfect friend. We will miss you and think of you every time we launch (shot of honey in memory). Reply jerry spence on September 24, 2012 at 7:02 pm i paddled on a grand canyon trip with Jeff several years ago on a private trip. It was obvious from the start that Jeff was at home on the water. Favorite memory of that trip is of jeff sitting in a kayak on the front of a oar rig as it was going thru Spector rapid. Jeff didn’t have a paddle in his hand but was paddling non the less. The raft hit a huge wave and threw Jeff, boat, and invisible paddle and all into the river. There were several of us in kayaks staying with their raft to watch over them. Wine might of been on that boat too (maybe). That grand trip was the best river trip i personally have been on and i have done lots of rivers local and international. It was the people on the trip that made it and Jeff was part of that mix. never good when the rivers take one of our own. I am sure he is paddling cool shit in the beyond . hell he may be taking Jimi Hendrix down some river in a raft or ducky. how cool Reply Frank Colladay on October 2, 2012 at 1:51 pm I knew Jeff before his whitewater days. I knew him while he was in high school. I watched him as he wrestled, and played football. I have always been struck by his gentleness with other people. For me, the highlight of our relationship was when I had the honor of baptizing him when he joined the church. I was his pastor, but more important than that, he was my friend. It was a wonderful privilege to watch him grow into the man that touched so many lives. That smile of his will always be imprinted on my heart. I remember when I took the youth group up to Ace, shortly after it started, and how great he was with them as he took us down the river. I so regret how I let time get away from me and I didn’t keep in closer contact with Jeff. A part of me died when Jeff died. But the good news is, that when God designed the human heart, that piece that had Jeff West’s name on it, will never die. It will always be with me, so all that I have to do, is click on that screen in my head, and there is Jeff, with that awesome smile! Thank you, God, for the gift of Jeff West, not only in my life, but to the whole world. Reply jesse johnnson "old school" on January 21, 2013 at 3:04 am I did not know jeff well…But in the mid 90’s i was a private rafter on the Ocoee.After watching him on the river,i wanted to be a kayaker.I believe he had just started the first ace ocoee with Adam.Jeff took me to the private boater take out.There i pulled off my first onside roll.He spent hours with me and wouldnt take a dime.The next day he took me out on moving for the first time.Sweet!!!Once again he wouldnt take a dime..Afterward i heard his friend say ” Jeffs half man half kayak “. Thats how ill remember him.Rest in peace…AND THANK YOU Reply Don Tawzer on May 19, 2022 at 11:30 pm I meet Eric Jackson today.. welled up many memories of my old friend Jeff West. I took him on his first airplane ride up the Hiwasse basin over Citico creek and low pass home through the Occoe gorge. Great bonding experience, got me a paddling invite on the Colorado river a couple years later. I enjoyed meeting Eric today and will always miss Jeff Reply Submit a Comment Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ
Eric Jackson on September 13, 2012 at 7:13 pm I still remember the smile on his face after getting the biggest bounce and “ollie” in his Black Lucid prototype he designed right here at Rock Island on Brave Wave twelve years ago… He was so happy at that moment and it was the first time I really took notice of Jeff West. 🙂 EJ Reply
Dan O'Hearn on September 13, 2012 at 8:08 pm I first met Jeff on the ocoee when he was giving a lesson. I asked him if he was a pro kayaker and he just laughed. He said “No, but I do give kayak lessons”. I got his business card at the take out and never really gave it much more thought. When I got back home, I was looking at the Jackson website and saw a blog about some guys running the Stikine with Eric Boomer. It was Jeff’s blog. He didn’t say a word about being with Jackson, didn’t say a word about himself at all. I took a lesson with Jeff and was ready for a follow-up lesson when I heard the news. A humble bad-ass is a rare bird. Jeff was a humble bad-ass. Reply
Matt Sissom on September 13, 2012 at 7:32 pm Two years ago I followed Jeff West and 4 other close friends into the Green River Narrows. This was a day that would change my life forever. Being new to kayaking I was only in the gorge to watch and take photos; but what I saw that day was a beauty and passion that will forever be a part of my life. Since then Jeff and Russell Hobby have made me into the kayaker that I never thought I could be. Working on the Ocoee this summer I saw Jeff almost every weekend. His upbeat attitude and attention to both paddling and personal details was unmatched. Jeff’s passion for the sport, passion for the people, and unrelenting motivation made him into the living legend that he would never admit to being. The river gives life and the river takes life. While Jeff is no longer with us on earth, I believe with all my heart that anyone who ever met Jeff will know his presence on and off the water. A class VI hole has been formed in the hearts of many today. Charge hard Jeff! I will see you in the next eddy. Reply
Gina on September 13, 2012 at 7:43 pm Jeff has coached me and I have tried his patience which is hard to do but I want to share something he wrote to me: “There is nothing easy about this sport. It forces you to grow and learn. Most people spend their lives completely removed from the natural world. They only see it through their eyes. Kayaking allows you to actually participate in the wonders of nature. It is scary at first and nature will always demand your respect. You never had fear before because you never truly experienced nature. You have spent a lifetime looking at it from a boat or raft or car. Rafting is superficial and is barely more than driving a car on a dirt road. Kayaking allows you the opportunity to actually participate in it. Your new found fears are a natural part of the awakening process.” Jeff West I will miss him every day and will never spend another day removed from the natural world I had the privilege to explore with him by my side. Gina Reply
Sabrina Mellor on September 13, 2012 at 8:05 pm I met Jeff on the Ocoee, my sister had been paddling with him for a while and had taken a class from him. She went from being good to great and said it was because of Jeff. I moved out east at the first of August and really talked to him one day at Goforth I wanted to take a class, he joked on the Green I lauged and said no here first. We talked about rivers and found out he had just paddled with a dear friend in Idaho on the N.F Payette. We talked about the Gauley and the Green and how close the boating community is, less than six degrees of separation. I will miss seeing him and I know that my sister will to especailly when she runs the Green. What a wonderful man. I know that just knowing him was a true gift. Thanks Jeff Reply
Gary Edgeworth on September 13, 2012 at 8:05 pm I am sadden by Jeffs passing. Always wonder why so many people that offer so much leave us much to early. Very sad news. RIP Jeff Reply
Matt on September 13, 2012 at 8:48 pm A few years ago I just happened to be invited out to paddle with Jeff’s paddling club that he lead once a week. I was a terrible boater and remember him defining my roll as being “brutal.” He decided to take me under his wing and teach me proper technique. We quickly became friends, and he decided to “put me on the program” as he liked to call it, training me rigorously for an eventual showdown with the Green Narrows, followed by Bear Creek. Not only did he teach me everything I know about paddling, but ,more importantly, I learned to love the sport and every aspect about it through him. His passion and enthusiasm were extremely contagious, and I believe he loved teaching others and seeing them learn to love the sport just as much as he loved the sport itself. His overall good nature and loving, giving attitude were true testaments to the paddling community. He never had a bad thing to say about anyone, and was always the first to offer words of encouragment. I will greatly miss him as not only a wonderful friend, but also as one of the greatest ambassadors our sport has known. Reply
Craig Parks on September 13, 2012 at 8:49 pm So impressed with Jeff over the years… Ran into him on Raven Fork one day… I call the drops from Anaconda to Razorback the five righties…. as you generally stay right on all of them as they get progressively scarier through Razorback… One thing it takes a little more talent and experience to realize is that you can push left off the the very first drop because it doesn’t really push you under the first boulder … Jeff ran so hard left he almost ended up on the trail again, railed off the rock, almost hit the uphill side of the undercut and then cleaned the rest of the rapid… For a jaded old cynic I was blown away.. one of the most incredible but simply badass moves I’ve seen in kayaking.. I think he congratulated me on running a pace (race) with him that wasn’t irritatingly slow… Reply
Pat Carver on September 13, 2012 at 9:38 pm He always said hi and he always had a smile on his face. Everyone has learned from Jeff. He will be missed by all. Reply
Rebecca Hendrix on September 13, 2012 at 10:26 pm Jeff taught me to kayak and how to live life–not worrying about what everyone else thought. I can remember whining to him about all my gear smelled like a cat pissed in it, and him just grinning ear to ear telling me you get used to it. I think I’m catwoman now. I remember when he did his first Stikine run. We were suppossed to have a lesson together when he got back and he ended up longer than he expected. I’d get an email from him about every other day telling me the water was too high and too big but the place was amazing. I will miss my friend–his ridiculous smile, his awesome hugs, quiet encouraging words, his silly cup of hot tea at dinner, and our more serious talks. Your smile is forever stamped on my heart. Reply
Eric Snell on September 13, 2012 at 10:28 pm What an incredible shock and loss to everyone that paddles in the Ocoee area. We just got off of our pond seconds ago while teaching our 12 year old daughter techniques that Jeff drilled into us just 2 weeks ago. Jeff worked with my wife and I on the Ocoee and taught us more in a few hours than we have learned in years. We had 3 of our kids running the Ocoee with him last week and had agreed to spend another day with us next week. He was the greatest thing that happened to our kayaking family of 9. He changed our approach and offered new methods for each person we put with him. We feel in love with his book and could tell from that book he was someone that could offer training for any level kayaker. And we were right. He made a huge difference in just the last month that we had the honor of knowing him. We consider ourselves VERY fortunate to have met and worked with such a great paddler. Reply
Stephen Walker on September 14, 2012 at 12:13 am Jeff inspired me as a person. Simply learning a bit about his life and how he lived it made me want to be a better person. Through A few days of instruction with him it was very clear to me I was in the presence of someone who went down the river AND through his life with a power and grace I had never seen before in my life. He lives on in all whom he touched, literally thousands, having imparted his martial art of the paddle, mind and spirit. I hope there are more just like him out there. I hope one day to give a tenth of his heart and soul back to the world. Reply
Shirley Tharp on September 14, 2012 at 12:18 am Losing Jeff so unexpectedly was hard for many of us; he left behind his footprint in our hearts and great memories of his talent, kindness, and exceptional instructional style to keep us going. We will all see him again one day, paddling the big river in the sky. Reply
Sue on September 14, 2012 at 12:57 am The creeks flow on, the rivers still run Boofs remain for us to have fun But our hearts are heavy Our souls much undone By the loss of our friend So humble like none So full of knowledge Of rivers so fine Paddling the Ocoee He knew every line He taught many of us of the rivers best boofs Of eddies and rapids He knew every move I’m sure now in heaven with rivers devine You teach the angels All the best lines Golden rocks for boofing Eddies so clear But you will be missed By all of us here. R.I.P Jeff West SM 9-12-12 Reply
Dan Brady on September 14, 2012 at 2:18 am It is not often that you meet someone that exudes goodness. Those individuals have the ability to not only change the lives of those they are close to but also to touch almost everyone they come into contact with. Sadly, it is when they are gone when that we realize the true magnitude of their spirit and the joy that they have spread over a given community. I can only hope the void that has been left inspires many to find the goodness inside of themselves and gives them the strength to share it with others. I look forward to paddling the Ocoee for years to come knowing that Jeff will be on my shoulder. He will follow all of us down many rivers. At times we might even hear his encouraging voice in our heads as we make a hard move… ‘Great job, that was awesome!’ Many will pass along his teachings to future generations and new paddlers. The stories of ‘Remember when Jeff…’ and guidance like ‘Jeff West would have recommended you…’ will be told for years to come. I truly believe that he has changed several generations of kayakers and probably touched more people than any of us will ever know! He was a friend to all that met him, an amazing mentor and a kind gentle man! He will never be forgotten and missed by all that knew him. Reply
Anne Connolly on September 14, 2012 at 3:35 am I met Jeff on the Ocoee about 11 years ago. I was thumbing a hitch to the put in. We were friends ever since. I had the priviledge to get close to him after we both went through heartbreak about the same time several years later. I didn’t paddle with him much. Our friendship was off the water. I boated with him a few times and always followed… not because I needed a lead (being the independent woman that I am 😉 ..but because he was so beautiful to watch. His strokes, timing, boofs, play.. it was all so beautiful to watch. So beautiful and so perfect. I tried to emmulate that. Still do in every river I paddle and every stoke I take. Jeff and I connected in so many ways…our passion for life, paddling, and true frienship. Our friendship was the real deal and we both knew it. We never let an opportunity to say “I love you” pass us by. Jeff was (is) a genuine soul. We definitely had our moments. I didn’t let him get away with anything when it came to matters of the heart…especially this past year. He respected me for that and I, in turn, respected him for tolerating my candor and opening up to me. Jeff has and will always be one of the most important and special men in my life because he wasn’t afraid to shed a tear or lend a hand..be a man.. a real man. Strong, sensitive, and wise. Jeff accomplished his dreams…all of them. He left nothing undone. His death, however tragic and untimely as it seems, was exactly the way such a man should have left us. I will always love him. I will always hold his memory in my heart. He was a wonderful friend to me and so many others. Reply
Joe Napora on September 14, 2012 at 12:47 pm EJ, I don’t know if this is appropriate for this memorial. Words are never enough, but it’s all I got. I didn’t know Jeff well, but well enough to call him my friend. Joe River of Sand and Stone (for Jeff West) Spectacular exposures of these rocks occur in the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River in northwestern Arizona, where they overlie the strongly deformed and contorted Vishnu Schist, the angularity of which stands in bold contrast to the almost horizontal bedding of the Grand Canyon Series. –Encyclopædia Britannica How do names happen? Take the groover (and you must). You shit in an old ammo can. Clamp it down, and you carry it out and down river with you. Left on your ass are the grooves from sitting on the can. That is a real name. And it’s happening as I speak. He said, “Don’t take your schist for granite.” Not that anyone could when it’s in your boat with you. One is dark black and smooth, the other is rough and red. But some people only see rock and can’t really get to the roll of the water as it pulses under the raft and kayak. Said Ed: “I’ve been swimming in this river of shit more than 20 years and I’m getting tired of it.” Sanders. It’s now forty more since I saw you at the Peace Eye bookstore. Tomkins Square Park. Lower East Side. The Sixties ride on the high tide of reverie and pain. Now it’s all about Jeff. Vishnu, the Hindus say means “All-Pervading” protector of the world and the one who restores the moral order of the universe. He is peaceful, merciful, and compassionate. Yes, you were Jeff, you who knew who knew water as sacred. Who knew words. This is for you: sacred and scared. And us. Scarred. Words as scrambled as my feelings. It our need now. We want the real name for our pain. From you to restore the moral order of our universe. One verse and it’s never enough. I’ll keep trying trying to see you on the river. Reply
Scott Blase on September 14, 2012 at 3:46 pm I never met Jeff but nevertheless, the loss of a fellow paddler is always hard. From what I have read he seemed to have touched so many people’s lives in such a positive way…I wish I had the chance to meet him. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends….. Reply
Lindsay Young on September 14, 2012 at 4:31 pm The first time I ever got in a kayak was in 2003 at Maryville College. My roommate, Marie, was going to teach me how to roll at a pool session on campus. I learned how to roll that night, but was only seeking credit hours and had no desire to ever get in a kayak in the great outdoors. When I first sat in the cockpit of her boat, on the deck, I immediately got out of it and fought off a panic attack. The next time I got in a kayak, I had a similar experience. Except this time I was with Jeff at the private boater’s takeout on the Ocoee. Jeff talked me off a ledge, and within minutes I was self rescuing and more than confident under water. He had a passion for the sport, and an obvious dedication to safety that put me at ease. I spent 5 more days with him, and by the end was confidently paddling, while still defensive, the Hiwassee and the Nantahala. I have since taken other kayak instruction for this or that, but still always recommend Jeff for anyone who wants to learn how to kayak. Jeff’s instruction was different. It was the best. To learn how to kayak with Jeff was to learn the whole sport. When you are with Jeff you load your own boat on the racks of his then Tercel, he will take as much time as needed to teach you how to tie a trucker’s hitch (Emily, will too!), you set your own shuttle, you hitch your own rides, you pack your own lunch, if the air hasn’t been knocked out of you-you will also drain your own boat. Jeff West taught me more than how to kayak. He taught me how to be a boater. And that lesson is one it’s hard to learn on your own, and even harder to learn with boutique instruction. Jeff, I don’t promise to never back paddle again. But I do promise to think about you every time I do. Godspeed, friend. Thanks for everything you taught me. Reply
Lindsay Aragon on September 14, 2012 at 8:35 pm I met jeff at the Stanley Steamers paddling club. I was already a raft guide but definitely not a paddler by any means. Jeff taught me how to roll in about two minutes, and then warned me not to go ‘jump straight in the Ocoee and get your ass kicked, and then never wanna paddle again’ definitely words of wisdom for an overconfident raft guide who thought i knew everything about whitewater. Jeff soon showed me how little i knew but in the most encouraging, and uplifting ways. taught me how to paddle properly, catch eddies, and attain. I’m sad because i definitely skimped out on the club this past summer, and didn’t get to spend much time with him, but the few sessions i had with the guy gave me more knowledge and respect for the water than anyone ever has. I’ve never met a person who was so kind and would let me borrow any gear any time “just bring it back” is all he would say. I don’t think i’ll ever meet someone who is as all around awesome as Jeff, and i don’t think i really want to. If i’ve taken anything from this it’s to follow your dream, no matter what the outcome might be. Its better to have truly lived and lost, than to have never really lived. I’ll be paddling really hard this fall, and thinking of him every minute of the way. and like Dan said^^ a humble bad-ass is a rare bird. Jeff was a humble bad-ass. Reply
LA McAllister on September 14, 2012 at 9:27 pm Jeff had such grace – even when charging hard, there was such a sense of grace in everything he did. I didn’t know him nearly as long and as well as I wished I could have. Just meeting him made you like him, respect him, and want to have that genuine Jeff smile one more time. As an instructor, he was calm, encouraging and tremendously astute. I’ve had other instructors completely shatter my confidence – so much so, I was going to quit paddling. A mere conversation with Jeff me back on course and began rebuilding it. Despite being ridiculously sought by people with faaaaar more experience, Jeff always took time to answer my questions and offer encouragement. He was so unassuming. He was so committed to the sport, but more so, teaching others. The gentleness of someone who could dance on the waters of such ferocity and make it look so smooth. Watching him paddle was pure poetry. I was in awe with his epic skills. I asked him what he was thinking when he was taking off from one of those absolutely ridiculous waterfalls. He said once he launched, he just enjoyed the view because there was nothing else to do until he landed. With that, I like to imagine Jeff just hit an epic boof with a fist in the air straight up to heaven. Reply
tyler phillips on September 15, 2012 at 1:48 am jeff was the same guy every time i ever saw him, super humble and bold at the same time. when i think of him i remember him doing 28 or 29 laps on OBJ one day for some total vert challenge. RIP jeff Reply
El Omo on September 15, 2012 at 1:51 pm I will forever cherish his Ocoee guide book. Here’s a great article summing the event, his spirit and the inspiration Jeff left in all our hearts: http://www.paddlinglife.net/article.php?id=864 Reply
Dru Smith on September 17, 2012 at 5:04 pm Jeff was the man and whoever mentioned that whitewater lost it’s superman was dead on with that comment. Jeff was a super guy and would paddle with anyone. He told me how to get to Rock Island back in 99′ before it was common knowledge and even offered to let me paddle his Perception Amp when it was still a prototype. That day changed my life and so did paddling with Jeff. I will never forget how much he was willing to share and how much he enjoyed whitewater and creeking in particular. Last thing I legitimately paddled with him was the Ravens Fork after Katrina hit New Orleans. I will have to go back to properly remember this great man who will be sorely missed by this small sporting community. Reply
Steve Ganem on September 21, 2012 at 7:30 am I met Jeff a several years ago while I was filming for a documentary, with some great friends, on extreeme whitewater kayaking. I’ve met a lot of people in my life and Jeff stands taller than tall among them. In the scheme of life I only had a moment with Jeff… that moment has left an ever lasting impression on me. I hope, more than ever now, to complete not only something I am passionate about, but something that documents great peoples lives. Lets do it JB Steve G Reply
Krista Hale on September 21, 2012 at 12:10 pm As I have every day since his death I’m reading over the posts everyone is making of their favorite Jeff memories & I am overwhelmed w sadness that he’s not here to tell him how much he touched my life & to just spend one more day doing “warm ups” (which I truly did not enjoy 🙂 or his encouraging words when I miss my roll -over & over again – & I just want to get out & give up but his belief in me keeps me going. moreover more chance to yell hello as he passes w a new group of students. I will never forget my 1st time down any rapids after many hours logged w Jeff on flat water learning techniques & on the last rapid of the day (& biggest- of course it had rained & the water was higher than usual) I immediately flipped.. I knew Jeff was in front of me & Emily was behind me so when I wanted to panic all I cld hear was Jeff saying to stop– calm down & think, set up, feel the boat on my thumb & just do it. I’m not sure how long I attempted (I know my thumb was bleeding by the time it was over). I knew Jeff & Emily would let me try until they saw I was out of steam- I was giving up but I refused to pull my skirt & swim knowing it would only mean back to flat water for lots of lessons on why NOT to swim which knowing Jeff would be many swims until my body ached & it was burned in my head “swimming is not the answer”. Then out of no where I felt the nose of a boat there for me to grab & I flipped up gasping for air. I caught my breath & see that the rescuer was a fellow boater & close friend of Jeff’s that had joined us down the river halfway down with his wife & son (I sure wish I cld remember his name). I was so disappointed I let Jeff down but then immediately Jeff & Emily are at my side w grins from ear to ear & all I hear them both saying is what a cool 2 boat rescue that was & how PROUD they were to watch 2 people that had both been students be there for each other wo panicking. By the time we were at the take out I had totally forgotten that I had totally bombed my 1st real rapid & I was floating on air bc I had done an incredible & “book perfect” 2 boat rescue. I will never forget going from thinking Jeff was going to be disappointed to thinking “wow- Jeff is impressed w me- I can do this”. He kept talking w the biggest grin like a proud papa of how awesome it was & what a great job I did staying calm- I kept trying my roll waiting on help & he was saying “man- u can hold ur breath forever” like I was some super hero. I left that day feeling like I had concurred humongous on the upper when I really had bombed on a small class II (with the water level Jeff kept saying “a good class III”— bc that’s what Jeff did- he made EVERYONE feel like they were amazing & could climb Mt. Everest if they wanted it bad enough. He genuinely felt that way about every student & friend he had. He believed in all of us & build everyone up bc he found the good- the positive in every moment good or bad. To him it was positive bc he had taught me- not to just roll & catch the eddy or make a picture perfect stroke but he had taught me courage to not panic & he had taught me what to do when I found myself in a situation when I couldn’t roll so in his eyes (& mine by the time he was through w me) I had accomplished just as much in a smooth rescue as I would have had I made a successful roll. To him in what i thought & felt to be a total bomb was a success. I will never forget that moment as I learned more about kayaking & life in that few moments as I ever have learned- I learned to believe in myself. Jeff taught so much more than kayaking & I think that’s why so many credit him for changing their lives in major ways…. He taught life changing lessons & I have wondered many times over the last week if he ever truly even knew how much more he was teaching or the effect time spent w him touched people’s lives. Another reason I tell that whole story is to also say I didn’t spend as much time w Emily as I did Jeff but as I think back on that day it hit me – I saw in Emily as one of his newer instructors that his life had already started to ripple like the water.. He had already taught Emily the gift of building people up as she was there w Jeff praising me & laughing w us & talking about what an awesome job done the 2 boat rescue had carried out— Jeff left his footprint in those instructors to carry on his gift- so I have no doubt that Ace will strive bc those instructors were taught by the best & have been given an amazing chance to learn how to make a difference in people’s lives even beyond the kayak & the water. As I wish I had told Jeff how much that moment changed me I want to tell Emily now that she was just as impressionable that day- her smile contagious & her belief in me just as life changing. It is that thought that I hope anyone that reads this carries away w them. Jeff legacy will live on- not just in the students he taught but in the students that those instructors he taught will continue to teach. He created a ripple in the water that will never end as it is passed on to every student that Ace teaches even after his death. I think our support of Ace & those instructors is so important now & would be where Jeff would want us all to focus- he was so humble- what would make him more proud than any story any of us could tell about him is to take that group of his instructors—- his ripples in the water & make sure they have the means to continue what he started as that is what he lived for– that is his legacy. I was so devastated Jeff wouldn’t be here to teach my son next spring & it hit me– he will be here in Emily & the rest of the instructors. My son hadn’t “missed” out— he’s won bc Jeff left a gift. He left his legacy & his heart in everyone at Ace Kayaking School. Reply
Ray Statam on September 21, 2012 at 1:07 pm I just met Jeff this year, he truly turned my paddling inside out. I am no less than 3X the paddler now after our lessons. I remember him telling me how when you reach the edge of a waterfall you turn from a kayaker into a paddler, he was so in love with this sport. It was like he had eyes in the back of his head, he was an excellent instructor. He was a machine, 6 hrs with me and Bill and then off for another 6 hrs on the Ocoee. Lived off honey and peanut butter. Even tho I knew him for a short time I will never forget him as he was the model of the perfect friend. We will miss you and think of you every time we launch (shot of honey in memory). Reply
jerry spence on September 24, 2012 at 7:02 pm i paddled on a grand canyon trip with Jeff several years ago on a private trip. It was obvious from the start that Jeff was at home on the water. Favorite memory of that trip is of jeff sitting in a kayak on the front of a oar rig as it was going thru Spector rapid. Jeff didn’t have a paddle in his hand but was paddling non the less. The raft hit a huge wave and threw Jeff, boat, and invisible paddle and all into the river. There were several of us in kayaks staying with their raft to watch over them. Wine might of been on that boat too (maybe). That grand trip was the best river trip i personally have been on and i have done lots of rivers local and international. It was the people on the trip that made it and Jeff was part of that mix. never good when the rivers take one of our own. I am sure he is paddling cool shit in the beyond . hell he may be taking Jimi Hendrix down some river in a raft or ducky. how cool Reply
Frank Colladay on October 2, 2012 at 1:51 pm I knew Jeff before his whitewater days. I knew him while he was in high school. I watched him as he wrestled, and played football. I have always been struck by his gentleness with other people. For me, the highlight of our relationship was when I had the honor of baptizing him when he joined the church. I was his pastor, but more important than that, he was my friend. It was a wonderful privilege to watch him grow into the man that touched so many lives. That smile of his will always be imprinted on my heart. I remember when I took the youth group up to Ace, shortly after it started, and how great he was with them as he took us down the river. I so regret how I let time get away from me and I didn’t keep in closer contact with Jeff. A part of me died when Jeff died. But the good news is, that when God designed the human heart, that piece that had Jeff West’s name on it, will never die. It will always be with me, so all that I have to do, is click on that screen in my head, and there is Jeff, with that awesome smile! Thank you, God, for the gift of Jeff West, not only in my life, but to the whole world. Reply
jesse johnnson "old school" on January 21, 2013 at 3:04 am I did not know jeff well…But in the mid 90’s i was a private rafter on the Ocoee.After watching him on the river,i wanted to be a kayaker.I believe he had just started the first ace ocoee with Adam.Jeff took me to the private boater take out.There i pulled off my first onside roll.He spent hours with me and wouldnt take a dime.The next day he took me out on moving for the first time.Sweet!!!Once again he wouldnt take a dime..Afterward i heard his friend say ” Jeffs half man half kayak “. Thats how ill remember him.Rest in peace…AND THANK YOU Reply
Don Tawzer on May 19, 2022 at 11:30 pm I meet Eric Jackson today.. welled up many memories of my old friend Jeff West. I took him on his first airplane ride up the Hiwasse basin over Citico creek and low pass home through the Occoe gorge. Great bonding experience, got me a paddling invite on the Colorado river a couple years later. I enjoyed meeting Eric today and will always miss Jeff Reply
