Labor Day Adventure on the Upper Manistee or How to End Summer Paddling with a Splash
I'm writing this report because I was the only person to get wet today. (Paddlers beware, if you are on a TAPC trip and you capsize, you might get asked to write the trip report. Be forewarned.) I was sweep at the time (being last has its advantages when you do something stupid). You would think I could come up with a good story.
Note from editor: Writing the trip report is no big deal; we do it often. It can actually be lots of fun!
Unfortunately, John W and Piper were waiting after the obstacle and can bear witness to the event. So, the short of it is this: I tried to duck under a low tree across the river. My PFD got caught on said tree, I tried to shrug it loose, leaned too far over and ended up in the river. Lesson Learned - Humble pie is not as good as TC cherry. Actually, Piper also ended up in the river at one of the beaver dams, but she declined, with a woof, the invitation to write the trip report.
Today felt fallish - a little cool with a mix of mostly clouds and some sun. Jocelyn, John W and Paul W waited at the put-in during the shuttle and got rained on a bit. Temp was in the mid to upper 60s. The water level was good. Nine paddlers ventured down the Upper Manistee from C-38 to Cameron Bridge. Six canoes (Lois, Jocelyn, Glenn, John W, Wayne and Mike) vs three kayaks (Gail, John H and Paul in the maiden voyage of his 10-ft Remix). Two to one in favor of canoes. That may be a first.
This is a beautiful stretch of river and not without some obstructions. We paddled over several beaver dams and most of us made it under all the overhanging trees. Lois indicated at the take out that she and Wayne also did some lumberjacking along the way. Those of us in the back of the pack thank you.
I think the photos provided here by Jocelyn, John and Glenn will show the viewers what the river was like today and how much fun we had on this Labor Day.
Mike
Photos by Jocelyn, Glenn, and John H.
View from C-38
We launch
Glenn negotiates the first beaver dam
Mike and Glenn notice the first sign of fall
A large fish?
"Mutiny on the Manistee" -- John W's Piper objects to one too many beaver dams.
Mike observing and Glenn getting a shot from above.
We also had low trees to get under; how do you get a dog to duck?
Then more beaver dams: Jocelyn
Lois
And then we had to paddle under more trees: Paul
Mike
All this maneuvering led to a late lunch
After Deward it was clear sailing: Wayne and John
