What a great day for a paddle trip! Of course, any day spent on the water is better than a day that isn't -- but it doesn't hurt when the weather is absolutely perfect.
I (Linnaea) contacted trip leader Lois a couple days before the trip, asking if I could join, even though the trip was already full at 12 participants. It's often the case that if you ask nicely, the trip leader will accommodate you. That was true in this instance, and I became the 13th member of the group, which also included Lois & John, Harold & Pam, Irene & Paul, Marlene, Donna & Tom, John & Camille, and Linda W.
As is often the case, Marv helped with the shuttle, which went smoothly. Steckert Bridge to Smith Bridge is a fairly straightforward shuttle. The paddle itself was delightful; the South Branch is always beautiful, and on this day it didn't disappoint. There was just the beginning of fall color coming in. The water was very shallow, as most rivers have been this year, and most of us grounded out a few times (the canoers less so as they ride higher in the water). The total trip was about 14 miles, and including lunch break, took us a little under 4 1/2 hours.
The South Branch is a fairly long drive from my house at about 1 hour 20 minutes away, so I took the opportunity to camp overnight and do a little more exploring in the area that evening and the next day. That day I checked out the Cut River that connects Higgins Lake and Houghton Lake for a couple hours -- definitely a river that merits more attention and perhaps a club trip in 2023. The next day I explored the Dead Stream of the Muskegon, which is a huge swamp area that has accessibility issues. So probably no club trip there, but if anyone knows me, they know that if there's a navigable river within reasonable driving distance, I'm going to check it out! I was also lucky in that the threatened rain held off and I had perfect weather the whole weekend.
It was a great couple days of paddling -- thanks to Lois for adding me!
Photos by John H and Irene
Irene
Linda
The first hint of fall colors
Harold, Tom, and Paul
Marlene and Lois
Tom and Lois
At the start of the trip at Steckert Bridge Access
Our group going down the river
Lois
Lunch
MArlene and Lois