Post by tickles on May 20, 2009 18:18:01 GMT -5
After failed Nepisigiut plans and a tired wife with newborn it did not look like I was going anywhere this weekend. After moping around all day Saturday and most of Sunday A trip was planed, packed for and traveled to in about 3.5 hours. We did make it to Nashwaak lake but decided to put in at Gorby Gultch. We hit the water at about 7:30 PM and passed the first logical camp site as it looked like a half ton could not haul all the garbage out in one trip. Next time I will take a picture and pass it to the appropriate authorities. We were able to make camp about two ledges down on the right side which fit our needs.
Or first real day of paddling was AWSOME! tons of long rapids. Best river trip yet! I had big thoughts of grandeur of me running the narrows at the base of the mountain, But thankfully wisdom prevailed. I am still a green horn and did not have the right boat although I thought I spotted a line river right while standing on the left bank. I was Able to practice my wet water exit in the rapids just below anyways, With out being beat down by a ton of big rocks. We camped at the old Irving dam. Looked like nobody was there all weekend. Read "very clean".
A word of caution there is a big tree blocking chutes 1,2,3 numbered left to right so we chose to run number 4. Practice makes perfect as under I went again time to work on a roll as it was sufficiently deep to do one. I have been through here in a canoe and made it but not in a kayak as of yet. If you find 3 beers bobbing there way down the Nashwaak Feel free to enjoy them my complements.
The water seemed to drop about 4-6 inches over night so the section below the dam would have been a nightmare in a aluminum canoe, kind of reminded me of my last trip in canoe up here in boarder line water. But in kayaks we still did hit the occasional rock. We stoped in Stanly for essentials and paddled hard to or take out at Durham bridge which we reached at about 7:30PM
Wild life report.
2 Moose one with calf who was barely able to stand. and about three eagles.
Yours truly
Soggy Tickles
Some pictures here outdoors.webshots.com/album/572251535NUSFBY
Or first real day of paddling was AWSOME! tons of long rapids. Best river trip yet! I had big thoughts of grandeur of me running the narrows at the base of the mountain, But thankfully wisdom prevailed. I am still a green horn and did not have the right boat although I thought I spotted a line river right while standing on the left bank. I was Able to practice my wet water exit in the rapids just below anyways, With out being beat down by a ton of big rocks. We camped at the old Irving dam. Looked like nobody was there all weekend. Read "very clean".
A word of caution there is a big tree blocking chutes 1,2,3 numbered left to right so we chose to run number 4. Practice makes perfect as under I went again time to work on a roll as it was sufficiently deep to do one. I have been through here in a canoe and made it but not in a kayak as of yet. If you find 3 beers bobbing there way down the Nashwaak Feel free to enjoy them my complements.
The water seemed to drop about 4-6 inches over night so the section below the dam would have been a nightmare in a aluminum canoe, kind of reminded me of my last trip in canoe up here in boarder line water. But in kayaks we still did hit the occasional rock. We stoped in Stanly for essentials and paddled hard to or take out at Durham bridge which we reached at about 7:30PM
Wild life report.
2 Moose one with calf who was barely able to stand. and about three eagles.
Yours truly
Soggy Tickles
Some pictures here outdoors.webshots.com/album/572251535NUSFBY