Jer,
A correction to my previous post. The town that I should have said was near to the Watauga is Boone North Carolina, not Henderson. I wouldn't suggest that you paddle solo. My suggestion is that if you can't find someone to go down with and you go down on your own, there will be paddlers down there who will temporarily adopt you, happy to show off there home river to the Canadian and trade stories and share in some camaraderie.
If you were to take the chance and go solo, I think you will find that locals are pretty welcoming and happy to have another boater in the group. This was my plan initially last year. When Adrian found out what I was doing he signed up later. I was sure I would meet up with other boaters. Think about it - spring, warm weather, consistent quality whitewater - boaters will be around. Worst case, if you have to look, after you finish on the Watauga, drive to the NOC and hang out at the river shop and you will meet paddlers guaranteed.
The local hospitality and welcome Adrian and I received from area boaters was always awesome. When we were on the New in WV, the Chattooga in SC and the Tallulah GA and chatted with boaters and said it was our first time on the river, without hesitation boaters offered to have us join their group.
When we got to the Tallulah for example, we just went straight to the put-in. We didn't have shuttle. We didn't even know where the take out was. We just decided to "wing it" and figure it out when we got there, hitch a ride up or whatever.
On the river we chatted with locals while scouting and some regulars decided to keep an eye on us as we paddled down. Then, at the take out, local boater from Atlanta in a kayaking club down there, took us, our boats and our gear all back to the put-in.
If you don't have fixed expectations and leave yourself open to the possibilities as they present, it can all be part of the adventure. It's a bit counter to how we live our highly programmed habitual daily lives (which is refreshing and unsettling). Just don't let a week like that go by without making the most of it.
