First: a trip report by Terry MacKay, who was on her very first TAPC outing. Later: photos by John H.
On Saturday we traveled to the Upper Manistee and began a great day of learning. Since this was my very first time kayaking in a real kayak. The day was beautiful. My teachers were great and you couldn’t ask for a better day to learn. We tackled fallen branches, portaged over logs, and navigated quickly past the tubers, canoeists, and kayakers who were enjoying their day on the river.
After a leisurely lunch, I was off like a veteran following behind John and soon experiencing the river on my own. As long as I didn’t spend too much time talking, I would end up on course or otherwise in the bushes trying to use one of my newly learned techniques to get out.
Thanks again for a great day with you.
PS….Thanks again for a great day of learning on the river. Even though I didn’t see any fish in the water, I did see quite a few fishermen and fisherwomen. So there must be fish in the river.
There are two halves to this trip. Before lunch, between John's Landing a.k.a. Deward North and Deward we had the river to ourselves. The river runs clear and cold, but there are quite a few tight spots to get through that keeps out the "riff-raff". See below:
Here is Leigh at the put-in.
The first twenty minutes can lull paddlers into thinking this will be an easy float. This is Terry, on her first TAPC outing.
Then the challenges began. Tracie scouts a route through.
Terry decides walking is easier.
Lois comes through smiling
After lunch the river opens up and is much easier, but there are a few more people. At times they provide some amusement - was that pot I smelled? The river is still beautiful, but quite a bit larger. The flower in the foreground is a Death Camus - a native and highly poisonous flower.
Photo captions by John H, photos by John and Jocelyn