The southeast catches a lot of heat in the kayaking world for its "mank" and lack of "real" big water class V. Admittedly, I was a bit insulted when EG referred to the Upper Gauley as "a class III-IV run" (though I suppose if I had paddled what he's paddled I'd probably say the same). Anyway, despite all the knocks on Southeastern boating, there are a number of benefits to being stationed in the Southeast with a kayak in tow.
Proximity
Everything in the Southeast is relatively close. From North Alabama turbo-mank (as Eric "Rico420" Braun likes to call it) to the Highlands is only a five-or-so hour drive, and you have almost all of what the Southeast has to offer within that span--Chattanooga micros, North Georgia, Jocassee, the Smokies, Pisgah, etc. Even from LRC to the Gauley (if you still consider that the Southeast) is only 7 hours, and that's barely over half of the time it takes to get from the Sierras to White Salmon. If you want all of what a region has to offer without spending your entire paycheck on gas, the Southeast is the place for you.
Skin to Wind
Snowmelt gives life to some of the most incredible whitewater on the planet--I can't argue that. What I can argue is that people can't enjoy west-coast whitewater shirtless. There's been some discussion in the paddling community regarding the passing up of safety gear for a more intimate experience with the water. While I have no strong opinion on the matter, I can assure west coast boaters that paddling shirtless is an intimate experience--one that furthers your immersion into the "flow". It may not be the west coast gnar, but those skin-to-wind summertime laps sure do feel good.
Races and Festivals
Gauley Fest, Green Race, GAF, Great Falls Race, Lord of the Fork, etc. There's no place like the southeast in the fall, and when the snowmelt runs out in the West, we've still got plenty of releases to take advantage of. There's something to paddle almost every weekend, especially when the rain starts to fall. Plus, the parties are legendary. Sure west-coast boaters, you've got the North Fork Championship; but, have you ever slapped the bag at El Horendo? Have you drunkenly wrestled at Gauley Fest? What about Nalgeebs at Sunshine after laying down a healthy 4:20 time at Green Race? Sounds fun, doesn't it you summertime-drysuit-wearing big-water elitists?
Micro-Creeking
I don't care what west coast boaters have to say about micro-creeking. Mank is fun. What would the southeast be without classics like Suck Creek, Raven Fork, the Cascades (still tons of fun at manky flows), Big Creek, etc.? Though perhaps not the best for the longevity of your kayak, tons of people love them some good ole technical creek boating, and many of the steepest creeks in the Southeastern jungle are beloved by paddlers far and wide.
Factories!
Nowhere in the world are you as close to numerous whitewater distributors as you are in the southeast. Confluence Outdoor (Dagger's manufacturer), Pyranha, and Liquidlogic, the three headed beast of the whitewater industry in the US (though Waka is right behind them and gaining ground quickly), all have warehouses within a few hours of each other. Immersion Research and Verus are both fairly close as well, just a bit further North. Whether you need a boat, a piece of equipment, or you just want to talk shop, the factory is never too far away--something that can't be said elsewhere.
Year-Round Season
I sympathize for all those who must sit around for months and months, impatiently waiting for snow to melt so they can go kayaking (yes Colorado boaters, I'm talking about you). Though this is more of an issue in some western regions than others, generally speaking, the kayaking season on the west coast is far shorter than that on the east, considering there is no real "kayaking season" down here--any given day is a great day for a rip. During the summertime there are a number of recreational releases upon which boaters can rely as well as the occasional summer shower causing streams to flash, and in the winter months there's (almost) always enough rain for something to be running.
Unusually high amounts of rainfall like that which we received in the 2018-2019 winter turn this place into a kayaker's paradise, with options like the Tellico, Cheoah, and Little River Canyon running constantly, as well as more prestigious runs like the Linville, Toxaway, and 200% Green, for those who possess the appropriate skills. There is hardly ever a shortage of boating to be done in the Southeast.
