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7:30 PM Wednesday, June 10th
We are sitting contentedly under rain tarps, watching the sun peek back out, and digesting our delicious supper by Tina and Chris. They prepared the “best baked beans in the South”. Fortunately we are sleeping outdoors!
We began this trip Saturday at Iron Gate. The river was high and fast, and three of our crew were whitewater novices, a fact that we did not sufficiently take into account. Within an hour and a half we were in trouble at the “Squeeze” where a submerged island strainer blocked half of the narrow, curving river. Robbie and Eric had the misfortune to get snagged on the strainer with the canoe pinned, open side upriver. Fortunately neither one was injured, but all of our efforts to free the canoe and gear were in vain. With darkness soon to fall we made camp just below the disaster site in a “rough” campsite. Our food cooler and stove were lost in the pin along with Robbie’s and Eric’s personal packs, but our supper (Tina’s famous pulled pork and coleslaw) were in the beer cooler. We cooked on a campfire (a morale booster), ate heartily, and slept.
In the morning a “rescue” crew went back with Chris to the pinned canoe to try some new tactics but none worked. We made the decision to move on and salvage our trip if not our canoe. Our optimism, determination, and teamwork restored our spirits. We pulled out at Gala, recovered the cars from Iron Gate (thanks to the generosity of an older couple), rented a canoe, bought some replacement gear (stove, cooler, food, sleeping bags, etc.) from a conveniently located Wal-Mart, and were back on the river by 3 or 4 PM. The one bright spot is that a woman found Robbie’s and Eric’s phones and Eric’s wallet (in their waterproof case) and is mailing them to their home.
Camp sites have been a challenge with the high river levels, but Sunday and Monday nights we finally found decent spots. The high water has also “whooshed” us along at good speeds and made all of the rapids more challenging. Standing waves are especially high. Yesterday (Tuesday) Chris and Tina proved their mettle when they both were tossed out in a rapid and both hopped back in to the still upright canoe, negotiated the remaining swift water with a half full canoe, and safely reached shore. Kudos to both!
We had trouble finding a wilderness campsite Tuesday and finally settled in luxuriously at Jellystone Park in Natural Bridge Station. Hot showers, flush toilets, picnic tables, running water, and a camp store spoiled us.
Today (Wednesday) was as strange as the rest of the trip. We abandoned our original plan to paddle Balcony Falls (water levels seemed dangerously high) and car portaged to Bent Creek (around a series of dams and populated river areas) where we intended to put in and continue our trip. To our consternation we discovered that the river there was very high and muddy, potentially dangerous. What to do now? We still had three days of adventure left. Our solution reflected our flexibility. We drove back to Natural Bridge Station, camped next to Jellystone at the Pickles (Wilderness Canoe), and decided to do day trips from this base.
As I write some are reading, some conversing, and six have just learned Canasta. There is a great deal of laughing and carrying on, a rowdy game if there ever was one. We are enjoying our time together, time to spend in each other’s company. It is so good to have three generations together, to have my son and daughter-in-law, grandson, brothers and sister, cousin, and even my new young friend Eric. We argue, laugh, paddle, eat, argue, blame Rich, camp, laugh, and pass gas. What more could anyone want?
5:45 PM Thursday, June 11th
Jean, Sara, Ray, and I paddled the Balcony Falls section today, Natural Bridge Station to Cashaw Dam (9 miles). The river level was near perfect for practiced amateurs like us. The rapids were challenging (some serious standing waves) without being overwhelming, yet there was enough water to clear the ledges and maneuver around the rocks. Ray and Sara rolled their canoe on the side of a big standing wave in one of the early rapids. Recovery was easy except for Sara’s lifejacket riding up and interfering with her swimming, complicated even more by her being momentarily trapped under the overturned canoe. After a short r and r and a granola bar Sara soldiered on and finished the rapids with her usual enthusiasm and confidence, urging us all to “go for it”.
As I write the four of us are relaxing on the lawn near the river, sitting in the shade, consuming beef jerky, beer, and such, and awaiting the return of our other six teammates. They opted to paddle the Irongate to Gala stretch (our first day) over again, a fun run with a chance to recover gear and/or canoe from our first day’s mishap. Their plan was to have the five guys paddle two canoes down with Tina driving the shuttle. We will soon know the results.
5:20 PM Friday, June 12th
The results of yesterday’s search were nil! The canoe and all of the gear were gone. The water level was low enough so that they were able to get to the island strainer, but everything had been taken by someone. The “salvage crew”, however, had a good day’s paddle.
Chris, Tina, Robbie, and Eric decided to pull out this morning and head home while their gear was relatively dry. We had a great trip together with them and look forward to many more.
Today the remaining six of us car portaged upriver to Alpine and paddled back down to our campsite in Natural Bridge Station, a pleasant seven mile float with empty canoes. Ray and Rich returned the rental canoe while the rest of us had a leisurely afternoon in camp. We took advantage of being in civilization and went out to the Pink Cadillac for supper, letting someone else cook for a change. The décor was outstanding, featuring photos and posters of old movies, mostly from the 50’s and 60’s. We are spoiled. We are also tired of huddling under a tarp in the evening while a thunderstorm dumps an inch of rain.
June 13th, Saturday
We broke camp this morning, took our time as “tourists” driving up a stretch of the Skyline Drive, and stopped at many overlooks. We even had a short hike at a waterfall which cascaded down the mountain beside the road. Arriving back at Theresa’s and Jim’s we showered (ahhhh!) and went out to supper at Mimi’s Café. Tomorrow we all hope to get an early start driving home, but tonight is still good fellowship and reminiscing. Now our only decision is where to paddle next year.
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Copyright © 2009 Scott Clark