It all started with a holdup. Three knife wielding felons tried to steal Marv’s truck. We stuck them with our paddles and set off on the river. They are rumored to be hiding near Brethren after breaking into a liquor store.
This was a beautiful day at the end of August. Paddlers were: Lois Goldstein, John Heiam, Kathleen Imre, Bob Michela, Marlene Puska, Mike Rodenberg, Jocelyn Trepte, Camille Walton, John Walton, and Linda Woodruff, and the masked brethren.
This paddle started at the Hodenpyl Dam. Boats and gear were offloaded at the Manistee River. Cars were taken to the takeout. While some of us were waiting the horn sounded twice indicating that the dam was releasing more water. There was not much of a change in level, false alarm. Then we were all off down river.
Bob
The great thing about this river is the wildlife. A couple of times we spied some turtles sunning themselves. There was a beautiful blue heron watching us from a tree. The kingfisher was hunting fish but elusive to my camera.
Great Blue Heron
John (not my husband)
Lois in the foreground. Linda in the background.
Following the flow of the river.
We stopped for lunch at noon. Some of us were unfortunate enough to land in some bushes that had burrs that stuck to everyone’s clothes. Jocelyn seemed to have the worst of it. We helped pick them off her.
The cause of the problem
Some of us stayed close to the river so we didn’t run into any poison ivy. John and I threw sticks to tire Piper (our Belgian Malinois dog) before getting back into the canoe.
Go Marlene!
More turtles
Linda
I can’t believe I didn’t introduce us before this. I’m Camille Walton from Las Cruces New Mexico. (Yes, New Mexico is a state in the United States!) My husband John was paddling while I took pictures. Our dog sat or laid down in the middle of the canoe. Thank goodness she’s much calmer now.
This was the takeout at Red Bridge.
Marlene
