The Kid's Canoe Adventures Part 5

Sept. 3, 10, 16, 2001
                    
                   Unicoy State Park, Lake Lanier, Lake Occone


On Sept. 3 while on a weekend retreat to the mountains, Martha and I stopped at the lake on Unicoy State Park and rented a canoe. This 15' gramman allumunum boat was very noisy but handled very well. This is a beautiful little lake and well worth a morning paddling time.
       Sept. 10 found me at the big creek boat ramp launching my coleman into the big water of Lake Lanier. The water was glassy smooth and power boat traffic was light on this Monday morning. The highlight of this day paddle was a small island. It was very small and rocky with a beach on the north west corner and topped with small bonsai pine trees.
       Sept. 16, Doug and I took his canoe to Lake Occone. This is a shallow lake but fairly large. We paddled about 3 miles north to a small island. Just before we got to the 278 bridge a large bird flew out of the brush on the eastern shore. It was a bald eagle! This is the first bald eagle I have ever seen.
       After circumnavigating the tiny island, we skirted the eastern shore watching birds and just kind of drifting with the wind.
       Returning, we cut back toward the island to put the wind at our backs and surfed the now rising swells back to the boat ramp.
       The highlight of this trip was the varied bird population including sandpiper, blue heron, white heron, pidgeon, chicken hawk, wood duck, and the majestic bald eagle.

April 8, 2002

                                              Towaliga River

       I met Doug at High Falls park at around 11:30 AM. Daylight savings time has just started so we knew that we had enough light and some to spare to make the 9 1/2 mile trip to GA 42. We drove down to the bridge and left my truck, then went back up to the park and launched just below the rocky section beneath the falls.
       For about the first mile the water was mostly flat and the current was moderate. The shoals we encountered (they were few) were easily and expertly run. Suddenly an island appears. Very small with one fairly large pine tree on it. There were shoals and an accompaning 3-4 foot drop. This was run just to the left of the island with only a leg out for a small course adjustment.
       This time of year brought pink honeysuckles and wild azaleas blooming all along the banks of this beautiful river. Ducks (mallards) and canadian geese led us down most of the way.
       The going to the flat bridge was pretty much more of the same. Beautiful banks, lazy flat water, and easy shoals.

       Past the flat bridge the river widened and shoals became too shallow to run. They were not, however too numerous to make the trip unenjoyable.
       At the 42 takeout we were able to actually drive down to the river to get the boat. It was undoubtedly the best take out we have yet to find.
       This was a beautiful, fun river. The shoals were for the most part enjoyable and runnable. The current, ideal, and the banks pretty.

The Kid's Canoe Adventures Part 4

July 21, 2001
                      
                                              Etowah River
    

       I met Doug at Wendy's on GA 20. From there I placed my truck at the highway 52 bridge. The put in was at the highway 53 bridge.The river had more water running than when I had gone to scout pot in and take out points. It was a beautiful day. It was sunny but unseasonably cool. A perfect day for canoeing.
       We got the boat in the water at around 1:30 PM. The river was beautiful. The surrounding mountains were full of mountain laorell,spruce and various hard woods. We encountered several class II shoals.Some we ran without a hitch. There was nothing like hitting a chute perfectly and squirting between two rock ledges bouncing over a wave and angleing for the next chute.
       Some of the shoals we encountered (and there were many of them) were not so easy to run. The pattern became all too familiar. We would find a hole and run straight into the next ridge. From there get out, either angle the boat for the next opening (if there is one) or pull the boat through the navigable water. Some shoals we worked like this and looked back to find that we just went the wrong way. Sometimes, there just was no right way.
       Somewhere above the highway 9 bridge we caught a rock broadside and hit the water fr the first time. I checked first to make sure Doug was above water (he was) then turned my attention to running this rapid on my ass. Feet up, float on your back, and feet first. All good rules while in a current. I thought I was clear of the rapids and decided to turn over and swim and promptly caught one rock in the ribs and another on my shin. Lesson learned.

       Just before highway 9, the wildlife changed to rednecks playing paint ball, partiers in riverside summer homes, and teenagers floating in inner tubes. The scenery was still beautiful and these intrusions were generally widely separated by nature.
       At around 3:30 we finally crossed the highway 9 bridge. More local RN's recreating in the flat water beneath the bridge. We ran the shoals under the bridge perfectly and continued on.
       After more of the same we came on a nice stretch of flat water. Nice and easy paddling for a few minutes and then the unmistakable roar of big white water announces your arrival to chuck shoals. This is definitely the biggest rapid on this section of the river. About 8 foot drop over a 40 yard stretch. We scouted from the right side and ran left to right. We didn't do too bad and made it through without swimming.
       More of those shoals mixed up with the shallow riffles impead progress.
       The next major obstacle was Etowah falls. Very beautiful. Not runnable. Portage was not too hard on the right side.
       More shoals and another spill. This time we lost all knee pads and ankle supports. Managed again to retain all paddles (although Doug's bent shaft was cracked). It was still a blessing to get back what we did.
       It was 6:30 before we reached castleberry bridge. We still have altogether too far to go. Although more - dispersed, there are still quite a number of shoals to navigate. We paddled hard, knowing that we still have a long, long way to go. Racing the sun with every stroke, hoping beyond hope to see the 136 bridge around the next bend, being disappointed many times. The sound of the next shoals became disheartening. We cam to our first major deadfall in this part of the river. The tree was tremendous and reached across the entire river. The left side curved up and gave a 2 foot clearance. We positioned the boat just right, lay back in the canoe, and just slide under.
       Several shoals came up which we ran perfectly. Desparation and knowledge of the necessity of speed had made us better rivermen here. Another deadfall. A big tree all the way across the river this time. No passage. Doug got out and pushed the canoe over with me in it.

       8:15 and we hear cars. 8:30, there is the 136 bridge. We are hungry (remaining food ruined in spill), thirsty (no more water), exhausted, and running out of daylight. We paddled, prayed, portaged a blockage created by man.
       We contemplated going by land to the nearest road, and walking. We knew that our loved ones were worrying. The cicadas started singing. When we knew the day was over was when the frogs were chirping.
       We ran shoals blind. Guided by the hands of god. My arms just moving and no longer able to muster even any small amount of strength. We simply went on.
       I got my flashlight out of my pack. It helped tremendously.
       The sound of cars! Glory be to god there are headlights visible through the woods. There is our bridge.
       Getting the canoe out, pulling up the hill, loading on the truck, all are kind of a blur (although the thorn gashes in my hands and arms remind me that it did happen). We made a beeline to the nearest payphone (all the way to Dawsonville) called home, and consumed mass quantities of water.
       This trip is ended. We made it back thanks to the grace of god.

                                                        New Rules
      
                            1. Know total mileage of trip before starting.
                            2. Take more than enough water.
                            3. Take cell phone
                            4. Dry clothes to be left in pickup vehicle.

The Kid's Canoe Adventures Part 2

June 1, 2001
                                                  
                                                 Alcovy River


       Today Doug M. and I took a day trip to the Alcovy river. We left early in the afternoon and drove out I20 east to Covington. Exit on Alcovy rd. following the tourist information signs to town square and a. 36. South on Ga. 36 to Henderson Mill Rd. and parked my truck just across the Alcovy river bridge. The put in point was back up in Covington just across the river bridge on us 278.
       Due to heavy rains two days prior, the river was past flood stage. The first stage of this journey should meander through flat swamp land with several oxbows. Because the water was so high, the current was very strong and the wood land river was very difficult to follow. It was easy to get lost in the oxbows and sometimes the channel would be lost to us altogether.

    
        At first our canoe skills as a team were less than perfect. We hit many obstacles which could have been avoided. Once we figured out how to work as a team to maneuver Doug's 17' canoe we did much better.
       The river starte(d) out treacherously. Dead fall after dead fall were crashed through and run over. In the high water these dead falls became not only difficult, but also very dangerous. Trees of all shapes and sizes blocked our path sometime creating very difficult zig-zag turns and sometime(s) blocking the entire river. For six and a half miles we fought through this hellish blockade. After passing the CR 213 bridge, the river opened out and became a bit easier. The dead falls no longer reached across the entire span of the river. We made much better time and could relax just a little.
       When we got close to our take out the roar of white water came to us through the trees. Coming round what was to be the last bend the churning waters became visible. We put to shore on the only sandy beach we had seen on the right side of the river. We scouted the shoals and discovered that we actually were within 100 yards of our destination and all of it over very disturbed shoals. After scouting we decided to run to the left of a large fallen tree and hug the left bank taking the waves as best as we could. The canoe took this water very well and the white water was actually the easiest part of the journey. We pulled the canoe out and headed for home.

                  
       We learned a lot today about ourselves and each other. I believe we both learned the (that) we are better paddlers than we thought we were. We also learned NOT TO EVER PADDLE A FLOODED ALCOVY RIVER!!!

My dad drew out the last 100 yard stretch of his trip:

The Adventures of Captain Kidd

              Sometime in 2007, my father was diagnosed with multiple melanoma. He went through a lot during that year with his chemo treatments. 2 out of 3 people who are diagnosed with this cancer pass away within the year of being diagnosed. But my father was strong and his cancer went into remission. In Sept. 2010 the doctors found leukemia cells in his bone marrow and promptly began another round of chemo. Everything seemed to be going well, he was on the donor list to get new bone marrow and we were all very optimistic about his battle. But one morning in October he woke up unable to breath. He was rushed to the emergency room and emitted to the ICU for rest. His kidneys started shutting down from the the harsh chemicals of the chemo and his lungs were shutting down from the strain of over working.
              My dad passed away after a week in ICU on Oct. 26. The last time I saw him awake he held me and told me he loved me then afterwards told my step-mother and me that instead of resting he was going to party with the nurses. Thinking of this still brings me to tears. I love my dad and miss him so much.

             But instead of thinking of the sad moments I remember all the great things we did together. My dad loved the outdoors. Everything about it: camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, and sailing. Especially sailing. He loved sailing so much he built his own sailboat.

I got to sail in the boat only once. I always meant to learn how to sail while living in Hawaii so when I came back I would be able to sail with my dad. We never got to sail together since I moved back so I treasure the day that my dad and I did get to sail years ago. 

He always called himself Captain Kidd or "The Kidd". He had his own flag and even made his own cannon, which made a loud sound but didn't actually shoot anything. While my dad never had the chance to travel he always said he traveled vicariously through me and to continue doing so I got a pirate captain doll named Captain Kidd with my dad's flag emblem on his hat. 

He's already visited a wheat field. :) 

I'm also raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in my dad's name. I'm signed up to walk the Night the Light fundraiser that is happening on Oct. 1st. Here is my donation page and my team page, my team is Team Watford. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Even the smallest amount is closer to finding a cure.

This blog will be about the adventures my dad went on and the adventures he will continue to go on in spirit.