Yesterday I drove a lot farther than normal, somewhere around 300 miles from Denton, Maryland to Creswell, North Carolina near the eastern shore of Albemarle Sound. I'm now staying at the Pettigrew State Park on the shores of Lake Phelps in the middle of the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
I got a late start today. The mosquitoes became a bit much last night so I retreated to the tent to read around 6:30pm. I then came out to get a drink of water and the zipper on the tent was broken. I had the choice of being eaten by mosquitoes, sleeping in the truck cab or trying to find another tent. I found a K-Mart in Elizabeth City, 60 miles away, while looking for a Wal-Mart, and bought one of their Northwestern Territory tents. Actually its the same company that makes Wal-Mart's Ozark Mountain tents. Nothing like setting up a new tent in the dark.
This morning around 10am I couldn't see a cloud in the sky as I launched from the Main Street bridge in Creswell onto the Scuppernong River. The Scuppernong flows from somewhere around Lake Phelps 20 miles or so to Albemarle Sound and is part of the Albemarle Region Canoe Trail System. The temperatures were expected to reach into the 80's.
At this point the Scuppernong River is only about 50 feet wide and a very dark tannin color. It is also pretty deep as I came to find out later. Lots of large wooden bird boxes were fastened only a couple of feet above the water. Tin, wrapped around the trees just under the houses, was supposed to keep the varmints away from the eggs and the young. Either the trees are growing quickly, the tin wasn't fastened very well or someone had come along and pulled the wrappings loose. My guess is they weren't fastened very well as most of them were still attached by one corner.
Young cypress and gum trees covered with vines crowded both banks with many of the branches hanging out over the water forming a canopy. The sun was only able to penetrate the foliage for very short stretches making things a little cooler. While vines hanging down and trailing in the water produce a nice jungle like effect, they're probably strangling the life out of the host trees. The smell of rotting vegetation was fairly strong throughout the trip. The silence was complete except for the sound of my paddle blade dipping in the water and the occasional roar of a fighter jet passing overhead.
Many small signs proclaimed the right bank part of the North Carolina Wildlife Game Lands. I saw one duck, one blue heron, one hawk, several turtles, heard one woodpecker, two owls and a couple of exotic sounding birds. I kept an eye on low overhanging branches for cotton mouths. I wasn't anxious to have one of them plop in my lap.
A few downed trees presented no problem. Then I came to one completely across the river. I took a running start and powered about halfway up on to it. I was able to climb up on the log and pull the boat across without much difficulty. The debris on the upstream side of the tree was quite thick and heavy and difficult to maneuver in. I had little room to work in and couldn't swing the kayak broadside to the tree so I could climb back in.
So I sat on the aft deck and got my feet in the cockpit and then inched my way forward until my butt flopped into the seat. It's a good thing I had the Perception Acadia. It's wider than a barge and forgave my wobbling. With a more narrow boat I would have been looking for dry clothes.
I was able to power over a second downed tree with little problem but ran into the same heavy accumulation of debris and had to struggle through it to make any forward progress. Shortly after that I came across a third tree across the water and that pretty much turned me off and I turned back. And that's a shame. This was a very pretty paddle.
I generated enough forward momentum to power through the debris in front of the second tree and got up and over with no problems. The first tree got me though. I had a full head of steam going into the debris but that didn't last long and I ended with my bow just barely touching the downed tree. There was just too many leaves, little tiny twigs, etc. to break through with any force.
I tried to pole my way forward but could just barely touch bottom with my paddle blade. I could push off the log and move backwards a little but couldn't push, pull, turn or maneuver the kayak broadside to it so I could get out. I tried power draw strokes, power sweeps, pushing and shoveling the debris away from the kayak to no avail. There was just too much muck back there by the stern to move against.
There didn't seem to be any alternatives. And all the wet debris was a mosquito heaven. I'd slap at one and five more would rise up off my arm. It's a good thing I'm in the habit of wearing a long shirt sleeve shirt to keep the sun off or I'd be full of holes by now.
Then I noticed my good Werner paddle was ready to break in two. I had epoxied the two sections together a couple of months ago. The outer section had cracked almost all the way around the button from using it to pry myself into and out of the Necky Looksha IV I used to paddle. Now with the pushing and poling I was doing, it had given away again.
Fortunately I have been carrying a spare jammed up in front of the foot pedals for just such an event. It weighs a ton. And, when I tried to push off the log with it the blades bent, so they're pretty flexible, but it's a paddle.
After sitting there slapping mosquitoes for a minute or two I decided on the only course apparent to me. I braced both paddles across the boat and the log and then inched my way forward onto the foredeck. It sank alarmingly as I put my weight on it but didn't submerge. I got my feet under me and shifted more of my weight onto the hand on the paddles fully, expecting everything to give way.
Knowing full well I was going for a swim, I stretched one foot out to the log. I then straightened the other leg up and transferred more weight onto the one on the log. Amazingly, I was standing and breathing air, not water. From there it was a short step to get both feet on the log and pull the boat up and over.
I think the Werner paddle's had it though. I don't think there's enough room to get any epoxy down inside the cracks now. And that spare paddle is heavy. My shoulders were aching by the time I got back to the put in. I'll find a sea kayak shop someday and replace the Werner. Until then... I'm the one that wanted more upper body exercise.
I'll save the 5-10 mile run along the Scuppernong River downstream from the put in for another day. Since they have a boat ramp I have to assume the downstream section will be clear.