Re: [Paddlewise] St. Marys trip report on a bad trip

Well it started out good with a gathering of paddling clubs meeting at
Hidden River Ranch on the St. Marys River, NE Fla. and SE Ga., and it was
quite a gathering of people.Camping Fri. and Sat. night and a meal.( you
had to pay a small price for all.)Meet a lot of good people from Fla. and
Ga. clubs and individual paddlers. The paddle for Sat. was on a 10-11 mile
stretch of the river was just about at flood stage with fast water  and a
ton of strainers cause we were paddling in the tree tops. There was no
organization in charge so it was a bit of a free for all at launching with
some people opting out because of the conditions. No leader or sweep was
designated and nobody know who or how many launched. Barbara who was
putting this on had help from her daughter ,a few relatives and a couple of
friends. I launched with the group i was with ,The Fla. Sea Kayaking
Association, and was soon separated from most of them as we were helping
others who were either capsized or pinned in the trees. I watched one guy
in a kayak capsize four times in a mile distance. We were committed with no
take outs till we got to our destination, a bridge down stream and the
current to strong to paddle back up stream thru the trees. Many people
capsized that day and luckily no one got hurt that I know of. Most of the
paddlers should not of been padding with the water as high as it was and
was not experienced with tree top paddling. We did many rescues and got a
lot of practice. Almost all the paddlers wore PFD's and mainly their boats
were pinned and not the people. One roylex canoe was bent double and popped
back with just broken gunwales and a wrinkle or two.In all it was a very
exciting day and made it high on my list as trips from H*LL I have been on
and survived. Some thought we should of made I survived the paddle T
shirts. To give Barbara credit she though some one else was taking care of
the paddle, she was taking care of the land part. I thought I was one of
the last ones off the river because with my glass kayak I did not want to
put it on the canoe trailer racks so I got a ride back to get my truck with
good racks and  back to the take out to get my kayak. At dinner I heard
that some people were left at the take out and some people went to get
them. There was much discussion at dinner and after dinner at the meeting
of what went wrong and how not to let it happen again. Thats about all my
poor finger is getting tired of hunting and pecking.

Dana


PS.Things to do different
Make sure some body in charge has their act together and or help them get
their act together. I just wanted to paddle and not be responsible for the
trip sense I lead trips all the time and never get to just paddle with a
group for fun. Even when I don't lead  they look for my lead, no brag just
a painful fact of life. I think I baby the paddlers on the trip and give
them to much security , I don't know. When situations warrant even when I
have no standing in a paddle make my judgement call known and why. No
matter if I want to paddle or not but for the safety of the group. I hate
to do this but forget some times that people you paddle with are not as
skilled as you are or have confidence in their abilitys. I am sure there
are others but my mind went blank and I can't think of them.

PS #2 I have had two paddle trips from H*LL on the St. Marys River , a
river very close to my heart, and survived to paddle it again and again
with no loss of life and only a few broken bones, not mine and had nothing
to do with paddling but horsing around on a sand bar.Boy I think my finger
got a blister on it from all this typing.

PS#2 only kidding I am finished

Dana



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