Kayaking - Beautiful Current River

Round springs to Two Rivers on the Current River                             18.9 miles         1354. total

Temps about 80°, blue skies, short spurts of rain for 10 minutes, 3.9 avg speed, 7.8 max speed,        4:50 moving time

We got to Windy‘s Canoe rental and drove our truck  to Two Rivers. Once we were there we loaded our kayaks on to the shuttle and Terry, our driver drove us up to Round Spring. Terry was a talker and told us all about the area. Immediately after launching we saw the water coming out of Round Spring and attempted paddling up into the spring. It was tough paddling up and apparently we never even got to the spring as it is about 80 feet across. Of course coming down the springs was a lot more fun. Also, it was morning, and with the sunlight peeking through the trees, it was a rather mystical ride where we encountered spiderwebs and rays of sunlight everywhere.  We got into the river early enough that we still saw mist on the river. The water in this river is absolutely gorgeous, clear enough that you could see to the bottom. And when you couldn’t see to the bottom, the water was a deep blue. This river is bordered by many bluffs. There were two times where we saw Eagles and although we attempted pictures, I never got a good picture as they are careful to soar high above people. There are a lot of gravel bars along this river. We stopped for lunch about 12 o’clock and this is where we saw the second eagle. He gave us a show at lunch and flew around the sky above us. Across the river we saw several river otters climbing up the bank and onto tree logs and then into the water. This is the first time we have ever seenriver otters for an extended period of time. The only people we ever passed on this river was one couple camping on a gravel bar.We really enjoyed this river as the current was really flowing fast, and because it was a new river and especially since it was so beautiful. It’s a wide river and there were only a few times when we got pulled in towards a tree along the bank. It would definitely be a river that warrants a return trip!

Lots of cool sunlight coming through the trees today!

Can you see the eagle?

Such beautiful clear water!

Kayaking - Meeting a Duck on the Red River

Red River                                                11.6 miles                         1335.4 miles total
Temps about 80 degrees, but water was cold

Ann and I haven't paddled together much this summer so we decided we could squeeze in a weekday paddle.  As usual for a weekday paddle, we had the river to ourselves, except at the end we ran into an oversized duck!

Kayaking - A funny thing happened on the way to the Red River today.....

Red River                                                       11.5 miles                         1323.8 miles total
Porter's Chapel to Red River Canoe
2:53 moving time, 4.0 avg speed, 8.5 max speed
Me, Scotty and a guy named Bob
Beautiful blue skies, temps - low 80s, water level 5.8


Once again, we asked on 'Clarksville Kayaking Friends' if anybody wanted to kayak and no takers!  So off we went with 2 cars.  On the way we passed the 'Bob Festival' - WHAT?  Anyway, we pull into the put-in parking lot and there's a guy pulling out.  He was having a hard time getting a shuttle service due to the 'Tie Dye Festival', which is another story.  We tell him he can kayak with us and guess what his name was?  Bob!  We put in and the river, including Bob, and the river has a great flow as it had rained recently, although the water is dirty, hence the name of the Red River.  We had a quick snack break at our usual gravel bar and continue on to Red River Canoe, when it hits me that I have forgotten the keys to my car.  This is a HUGE RULE for shuttling - NEVER forget your keys.  Well, I tell the two that I'll find somebody at the festival to drive us back to the put-in.  I'm thinking I'll look for some young, teenaged boy and offer him some money.  We get to the take-out where the 'Tie Dye Festival' is happening.  My plans on looking for a teenaged boy quickly change as the air has a rather sweet smell and everybody looks rather relaxed.  I find 3 women cleaning up their shirt booth and explain the situation and ask if they'll drive my husband up to the put-in.  They say, 'yes', as long as he's not psycho or anything.  I say, he's anything but that, and then he comes over and introduces himself as 'psycho'!  In any case, she takes off with him and Bob in the car.  I stay and talk and they are 3 really nice ladies and it happens that they're selling KAYAK shirts and hats!  What are the chances?  I would have bought a shirt, but tell them I'd only want a dry-wick shirt.  They don't know what I'm talking about and I explain and suggest if they're going to sell kayak shirts, they'd have better luck.  They refused to take any money for shuttling us, so instead I buy a hat.  As everything was packed up, they tell me they'll mail it to me and it says 'River Hippy' - I love it!  They're also new to kayaking and one lives in Clarksville and two live near Carbondale, where Richie goes to school.  They take my contact information and we agree to get together and kayak someday.  They also suggest putting my blog on their website.  So, maybe my viewership will double, maybe I'll get up to 4.  Truth be told - I'm still waiting for Wilderness Systems to discover me and offer me a deal.  I'd be a great advertisement - an old lady that loves kayaking in her Pungo sharing stories and photos.  Such a fun and serendipitous day!

Family Reunion - Lake Guntersville, Alabama

Family and Fun