Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Coming to you LIVE with the Annual Buffalo River Stampede, Paddle, and Float Show ! I think everyone survived the first shuttle of the weekend ...ie GETTING HERE ! Quiet time in camp was observed Friday night from about 0300 hrs until just before daybreak when an "early morning bladder-call" of near biblical proportions began to flow ......early morning rain, and not a drop fell from the sky either !! Hot coffee, grumbles, mumbles, a quick cleanup of the area, some oatmeal with a biscuit, sun peeks through clouds, and the day is looking lots better.
Let's take a look at this years' flotilla .... several OT 169, Vortex, Overflow X, Pirouette, FG pirogue, an old FG ...REALLY old FG 15' canoe with I swear a 1 inch thick 50 pound fibreglass patch to the ENTIRE bottom of the boat. (...should have patched the sides some while he was at it ! ...duct tape would have been lighter ! ...you need a new boat ! ...THIS group takes its second-guessing VERY seriously !), a Joccassee, and a couple Loon tandems....whew! Hope someone brought a laptop to work out shuttle details ...
Saturday is spent in lazy drifting ....water is down and crowds are up. We camp at Spring Creek and today's run will be from here down to Rush. We get shuttle worked out without too much of an argument starting. By the time we get back to the putin, several boats are already easing downstream. Later that morning we spot an interesting sight. A couple guys are free-climbing a tall rock face that comes right down into the river. We watch them for about an hour and soak up some cool shade and refreshing breeze ....we swim and also eat one of the numerous "ballast watermelons" we have decided to use on this trip due to a local rock shortage back home ! We leave a slice of melon for the climbers as a treat when they come back down. Everyone looks forward to the sand-art demo area. This has been done for as long as I remember and I always enjoy seeing these very realistic sand art recreations of female and male body parts ....well, I really don't enjoy the male section at all (...usually done by the gals of this group). But the female displays are very realistic and are in gigantic proportions and are out in the middle of nowhere on a sandy section of riverbank....you can see them at quite a distance as you approach. These are truly starving artists and are always very thankful for the cold beer and peanuts we use to pay the "viewing fee". Rest of the day is uneventful with everyone finally meeting up at the takeout at 1500 hrs. We took a break at Buffalo Point to swim and float in the cool, clear, blue green water with a monstrous rock wall as a backdrop. Toes peek out the end of sandals and dig into the loose gravel bottom as an anchor against the gentle, but forceful current. The cool water eases tired muscles. After a while everyone is quiet, and just bobbing and floating like human apples in PFDs. Eyes closed, almost asleep in this magnificient stretch of Ozark water ...this is just about as good as it gets.
Only excitement of the day was when the Jocassee rolled and tried to scoop up about 500 pounds of gravel from the riverbed, which then pinned itself to the bottom of a narrow, waist deep chute. Wasn't serious. Carey says he was asleep when it happened. (...he really was when I saw them about 30 minutes ago). Sandi says she wasn't watching where they were going. Took longer to eat 2 more "ballast mellons", pick up the flotsam, and take a short nap on the warm rocks, than to unpin the boat.
Okay, head count looks good. Boat count looks good ....
Oh, Geez ...now the shuttle plan must not only account for ALL boats, plus vehicles at the putin, but also sort itself out to handle a number of people who want to detour by the big campround for a hot water shower. This group is mostly feminine in gender and after a few short, terse directives are issued a bargain is struck ....ALL vehicles will leave the takeout and 1 vehicle will detour and transport the shower squad. But that leaves my ice chest unguarded back at the campsite until I get there and what if ....well, the beer ....like I said, Oh, Geez !
Supper was great with barely enough sausage-chicken jambalaya and pineapple salad to shut everyone up for awhile. A decent cinnamon apple cobbler also disappeared along with almost our entire supply of garlic bread. The iced sun tea was good and strong, with just the right touch of mint. A game of horseshoes begins and you just know that an argument is not far behind. I spend a few minutes sharpening my belt knife ....hey, those lime peels are tough and it's a long night ahead ! The moon is starting to cooperate a little, and an evening breeze stirs the fresh oak leaves with a gentle rustle; thunder boomers are forecast again for tomorrow. A campfire is not necessary, but will feel good later tonight. The sharp crackling sound and sweet scent of fat pine starting to burn is always a comforting sensation. I can hear the river ...I can feel the river....I am glad to be here !
And so it goes .....on and on .........Wish I could have stayed there a month. Hope all you fine folks had a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day. This old marine sure did ! ........Peyton (Louisiana) USMC E-5
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