June 16 South Branch of the AuSable
Lois Goldstein | Published on 6/16/2022
For Leslie, Brad and his daughter Katie, it was their first trip down the South Branch of the AuSable from Steckert to Smith Bridge, through the Mason Tract, on a lovely summer day. Marlene, Betty & Mike and I rounded out the crew, so with a nice small group, it was easy to have the chance to chat with everyone and keep the group together most of the time. Marv provided the shuttle service, for which we are eternally grateful. And Katie was a huge help when it came to hoisting my kaycoordinated paddlers" by having shirts, hats and kayaks that matched.
It was a pretty hot day - up to 90 by the end, but the breeze kept bugs at bay, and we did see quite a bit of bird life, plus a handful of fishermen. Four of us stopped to tour the open air chapel, where John & I renewed our vows in 2003. The water temperature was delightful, so that later, during an unplanned swim break, I was kind of jealous that I didn't get the chance to get into the water. I caught the kayak (thankfully the swimmer hung onto her paddle), and we were delayed only a short while. Soon thereafter, my Tilley hat flew into the water, and it was wonderful to put it back on my head nice and wet.
The South Branch is a terrific river for all levels of paddlers, and is especially nice on a weekday. We saw only one other paddler.
Report by Lois, photos by Betty
