Chuck is already ahead of me here and I recon ya'll have the account of the chile an' voted me out fer the wife's cooking... I didn't have the immune card that night at all! :shock:
The morning was clear and quiet. Bar would have throughly enjoyed this trip as there weren't a motorcycle anywhars to be heard! :lol:
But my thoughts were on the river. Yesterdays paddle was tough on the back. Legs would get to sleep and lower back was cooking up a couple of suprises fer me. :x
We were on the river by 8 o'clock that morning. It weren't but a couple of minutes when we came accross the first strainer of the day ( about 45 mminutes I recon) and the river current caught my boat and brought it cross and perpindicular to the river! Now add the tree that was in front of me with access only UNDER it! :shock: Now immagine me tryin to stop this frum happening! :lol: :lol: The boat slipped under the tree and I shipped some water over the sides from upsteam! Pucker factor set in here! :cry:
But I bounced through it and continued to paddle and adjust the seat.
Day two had me place my seat further back in the boat. The barge was beggining to control a bit better and Chuck assured me that I was going to get better at it with experince .... It was liken'd to getting the hell beat out of ya by an angry gorilla. Sooner or later the Marlyland Farmer was gonna tier out!
Many , many strainers that day. But the sights were breath taking!
The river here is typical of southern back waters. I didn't have time to fish as we would paddle some 1 1/2 - 2 hours and then break. This was time to eat a snack and stretch the legs some. We'd chatt about the last strainer and how some of us had it tough getting over them. There were some portages. Kayak Jack type... ya know... about 10-20 feet long... :lol:
Chuck continues to lead the way and tryto pick the best way over or through them. Sometimes he'd get stuck and that ment we had to find an alternate route ourselves.
But awww, that evening we were back into camp! Dinner that night was from home via KT's chile. It hit the mark for us all and then we gathered at the river and the night's banter started. And it was great! I learnt more than any school marm taught me durring my 15 years in kintergarden!
( I got promoted cause I didn't shaveone year !) :shock:
Van at the fire... His mind never stops thinking of great stories and laughs from the past!
Al continues to smile and his stories on hunting and fishing trips would get ya to planning all kinds of trips fer next year!
Harry is pondering what to tell next. Never short on a real rib tickling story! His recolection of past trips and fellow paddlers had me crying!
I hadn't carried the digi camera that day outside the water proof bag.. and was glad of it too. Mama would have strung me up by the nards had I gotten that thing wet! :shock: Next trip I'll have water proof camera and take some of the hangups and strainers along the way. Then if i ship water again hit won't matter. Plenty of ducks and signs of wildlife continue along the banks.
Here Van gets the fire ready to go. Note the shoes here... Harry's boots had come apart and now we were going to give them a Viking sort of funeral.
Chuck is laid back and ready to ponder and laugh too.
I had thought hard on what to wer the next day. Note the new head flashlight on mah skull. I'd recomend this to everyone! It worked out great. This is an Ever ready lite with a red lamp and two LED white lights...
After a good nights sleep, Van, Harry and Al getting ready for day three paddling. It was to rain that day and I kept on my sleeping sweat pants on and put on my rain pants over them. I changed into my snake proof boots cause the tennies got wet from yeaterday's water taken in.
And off we went to paddle the third day....
swampy
The morning was clear and quiet. Bar would have throughly enjoyed this trip as there weren't a motorcycle anywhars to be heard! :lol:
But my thoughts were on the river. Yesterdays paddle was tough on the back. Legs would get to sleep and lower back was cooking up a couple of suprises fer me. :x
We were on the river by 8 o'clock that morning. It weren't but a couple of minutes when we came accross the first strainer of the day ( about 45 mminutes I recon) and the river current caught my boat and brought it cross and perpindicular to the river! Now add the tree that was in front of me with access only UNDER it! :shock: Now immagine me tryin to stop this frum happening! :lol: :lol: The boat slipped under the tree and I shipped some water over the sides from upsteam! Pucker factor set in here! :cry:
But I bounced through it and continued to paddle and adjust the seat.
Day two had me place my seat further back in the boat. The barge was beggining to control a bit better and Chuck assured me that I was going to get better at it with experince .... It was liken'd to getting the hell beat out of ya by an angry gorilla. Sooner or later the Marlyland Farmer was gonna tier out!
Many , many strainers that day. But the sights were breath taking!
The river here is typical of southern back waters. I didn't have time to fish as we would paddle some 1 1/2 - 2 hours and then break. This was time to eat a snack and stretch the legs some. We'd chatt about the last strainer and how some of us had it tough getting over them. There were some portages. Kayak Jack type... ya know... about 10-20 feet long... :lol:
Chuck continues to lead the way and tryto pick the best way over or through them. Sometimes he'd get stuck and that ment we had to find an alternate route ourselves.
But awww, that evening we were back into camp! Dinner that night was from home via KT's chile. It hit the mark for us all and then we gathered at the river and the night's banter started. And it was great! I learnt more than any school marm taught me durring my 15 years in kintergarden!
( I got promoted cause I didn't shaveone year !) :shock:
I hadn't carried the digi camera that day outside the water proof bag.. and was glad of it too. Mama would have strung me up by the nards had I gotten that thing wet! :shock: Next trip I'll have water proof camera and take some of the hangups and strainers along the way. Then if i ship water again hit won't matter. Plenty of ducks and signs of wildlife continue along the banks.
And off we went to paddle the third day....
swampy