The rivers have been high and muddy, so I have been putting off
a float down the Salt. When our friend Sharon mentioned that her sisters were
going to raft the Salt I jumped at the chance to accompany them. Renita wanted
me to test the level and check for any new strainers, (trees that fall in and
pose danger to floaters), and so she volunteered to drive the truck and pick us
up after the float.
After several delays, we finally pushed off and headed down
from the Creamery road landing. I went first and stopped at a strainer, just in
case it posed any problems to the sisters. I could easily locate their raft as
their laughter reminded me of a group of girls, all having a great time!
Soon they appeared and while they brushed the strainer only
one fell off but it was into the raft and so all was well. It was obvious that
the raft was actually maneuverable as Sharon’s daughter, Angie was at the oars and
skillfully avoided obstacles, (we only encountered one strainer and one piece of barbwire fence that posed any difficulty).
Realizing that the river was fast, meaning it would be a
quick float, I decided that I would try my hand at fly fishing. The trouble was
that I only had one fly on my old rod and so I was limited. Still I cast but to
no avail.
The sisters disappeared from view and so I hurried to catch
up, which was quite easy in my kayak. We kind of yo-yoed, down the river with
me getting ahead to fish and then them catching up and passing me. At one point
we passed a fledgling golden eagle, perched on a post, who sat there for quite
a while before flying to the top of a nearby tree.
Horses and cattle grazed along the shore and one cow waded
in the river in an attempt to escape the biting deer flies. This is definitely
a river from which you don’t want to drink the water, and a recent study highlighted
the problem of contamination, (from both cows and some housing subdivisions).
At one point I actually missed a nice hit, but it didn’t
matter as the float was going great. I passed a yellow warbler and a flock of
American Avocets. Rafting and kayaking often allows you to get close to
wildlife as they usually don’t see danger coming from the water.
I called Renita after the second passed takeout point and as
I neared the Swimming Pool takeout Vickie and her were already waiting to help
with the landing. It’s extremely muddy at the takeout and true to form Vickie
had already gotten stuck before losing her balance and falling into the river.
The sister’s raft appeared and they struggled to cross the
current but Vickie was far enough out that she managed to grab their line. Again
the mud nearly claimed another victim, but with a little help, and a long oar,
she was able to free herself from the muddy problem.
We all had a great time and I can’t wait for our friend Val,
who is bringing her own kayak from Colorado. Renita is also excited now that she
knows the water has receded enough for a safe paddle. It only took a couple of
hours, which was still enough for me to get a little sunburn in spots I missed with the sunscreen.
Oh, and I never did catch a fish even though the water was clear, but it’s not
the first time I have been skunked, nor I am sure, the last.
Clear skies
(a note to myself, the water level was at 741)
Great Post. Looks like a fun float.
ReplyDelete