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The weather is ideal, 75 degrees?, clear sky, light breeze. It may not stay this way (rain is predicted), but this is such a positive way to start a trip. We are at campsite 45, a pleasant open site overlooking the river. We had two crews leave the launch ahead of us and several paddlers pass coming downstream. Starting on a Sunday means less traffic going upriver and less competition for good campsites.
Our usual repartee has been exchanged. With Rich here it is difficult to avoid despite my best of intentions. He provides too much ammunition. Fortunately we have the civilizing influence of Peter and Lily.
Having an early stop lets us relax, talk, nibble grape tomatoes from Ray's and Sara's garden, read, and unwind. Jean, with Sara's assistance, has started supper. The beer and red wine are flowing. Ray, Terry, and Peter are scouting out a bear bag location. Since all of us are "experts", the discussion as to how to do it correctly can be endless. Lily is going to give rope throwing a try. We need a young, strong person to be our real expert. Oh where is Clem? Laughter, wild throws, and the smell of cooking garlic permeate the area. Ray finally hit the mark on his first throw. Richie is taking pictures of us. Sara is taking photos for future art work, and all is well with the world, at least our little corner of it.
With rain threatening we set up our cooking tarp. Overnight (1 AM?) it did begin to rain with no letup until after breakfast. Terry and Peter had to resurrect the tarp when they got up. Rain had puddled in it and stretched it down to the ground. Rain puts a damper on one's spirits, esp. the camper with a damp sleeping bag.
At Ray's suggestion we left camp set up here, took our lunch and empty canoes, and paddled up to High Falls. The rain had stopped, the upstream obstacles were very difficult (but easier with empty canoes), and we were all happy adventurers again. High Falls was very scenic, water volume was good, and we enjoyed a leisurely lunch.
The paddle back was downstream (hooray) and thrilling as we shot down through the slots that we had worked so hard to fight our way upstream through in the morning.
This afternoon's activity was a paddle up Buck Brook, a meandering creek next to our campsite. There was a whole series of well maintained beaver dams, some as much as eighteen inches or more above the lower water level. After about six dams we finally came into a large pond, part of it retained by a 200 to 300 yard long dam. A large beaver lodge was the pond's crown jewel. The result was so unexpected, this big pond studded with several "spires" of dead pine trees and the Adirondack Mountains as a background in the distance.
The lean to is a welcome shelter from the rain. For the last hour we have sat here telling tales of silly pranks with fellow workers and campers, a conversation that began with pleasant memories of Eddie Bauer.
It is great having Lily on this trip. She is a strong paddler, a skilled paddler, and a nimble partner when she scrambles out onto a beaver dam and pulls the canoe up on to it. She is also an organized camper who helps with group chores and is our fashion maven with her sharp outfits. Above all she is so positive and upbeat, always with a smile for everyone.
Ray, Sara, Lily, and Rich left for home after lunch at the Inlet picnic table. Terry, Jean, Peter, and I drove into nearby Wanakeena, resupplied at the general store, launched at the town beach, and paddled out Cranberry Lake to site 43 on Flat Iron Point.
This is a peninsula with a beautiful view of the lake and mountains, a refreshing breeze, and two very tight together tent sites down near the water. Up above on the hill is another party who were here first. Each spot has its own outhouse. A group of Boy Scouts we met in town had informed us that all of the sites on Joe Indian Island were already taken. Yesterday the weather changed completely to dry, cool, sunny, and breezy. The wind is so comfortable and blows the mosquitoes away. Of course the wind presents a problem for paddling. Yesterday we had the wind mostly behind us. Tomorrow, unfortunately, it means we could be paddling back with a headwind. We hope to solve the problem by getting up and out VERY early before the wind has a chance to build. We will breakfast at a restaurant in town and then drive peacefully home. All week long we have had no cell service, but I finally got through to Laurie for a brief call. She was going to contact all of our families that we would be home Saturday.
This morning we feasted on fresh peach pancakes, then discussed our day's activities. We wisely decided, with the strong wind, to spend the day in camp relaxing, reading, conversing, and enjoying the down time. The paddlers who did come by were working hard for their mileage. Since my shoulder is aggravating me, I had no objection.
We are as prepacked as we can be for our early start in the morning. By late afternoon we will be in the welcoming arms of our spouses, another great trip recorded in our memories and photos. This is pretty good for a bunch of old geezers and one energetic teenager.
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Copyright © 2015 Scott Clark