MBCKC Paddle Reports

Juniper Creek
Saturday, July 2, 2005
by Brint Adams & Gary Worob

The directions to the Juniper Creek put-in and shuttle to the take-out are found by clicking here. Our Gary Worob-led group of about twenty paddlers met at 9:15 AM, at the Shell station in Milton, at the turn on Rt. 191. We caravaned to the put-in, left our boats, shuttled the cars to the take-out, and returned to get on the water at around 11:00 AM. So far, this was a replay of last year's paddle.

Then the similarities ended. The water was definately higher this time around, which meant faster running water and an easier paddle, we thought. After going only about 50 meters, we found out how unfriendly Hurricane Ivan was to Juniper Creek, and to what extent it had been cleared, unlike what we were told.

Fortunately, I brought along my saw, as did Gary, and we commenced to cut our way through the first blockage in few minutes. Then there was another and another, some too big to cut. On several of the blockages, rather than portage around, I got out of our canoe and helped everyone out, pulled kayaks and canoes over logs and put the paddlers back in and sent them on their way. After catching up to the group, when they reached the next logjam, I repeated the system. We did have one stoppage next to a sandy beach, so everyone got out, pulled their boats around on the sand and back into the water.

After only making it about one mile, it was lunchtime and everyone had already stopped on a beach and were relaxing in the water or eating lunch in the shade along the edge of the beach to the woods, when we arrived. In addition to our own lunch, Gary and Deborah shared some delicious home-made gazpacho and fresh-picked blueberries from Frank Laraway's farm. Once replenished, we started again, only to hit several more blockages, until finally the creek widened enough to where we could get around the remainder of the treefalls to the take-out.

We swiftly passed many beautiful beaches, some with family or friend's camping groups, on this hot 4th of July weekend. Once group was in the process of getting busted by the state police for drinking beer, as we passed. There was one belligerent guy, whom I would guess talked his way into a little jailtime, for talking back to the officers.

When we passed the Red Rock bridge, Linda thought out loud about wanting to stop there, although we were only about half-way to our destination. There was quite a large group of swimmers and picnickers hanging around this spot, some jumping off the low bridge into the swift water. We did not stop, so Linda didn't have a chance to give the notion of stopping much further thought.

From the bridge, Linda and I hung together with Billy and Mike, who were each in their kayaks. We had no idea how far back any of the others were at this point. The last five miles were uneventful, as we continued to swiftly pass many large turns around beaches on the inside and high clay banks on the outside. It was all very beautiful and peaceful, except for passing the occasional campsite. Linda decided to sit down in the bottom of our canoe for awhile and rested her eyes.

We came around the final turn to see the Indian Ford bridge up ahead at around 3:30 PM. All of the logjam delays added about an extra hour to our overall trip time. Soon thereafter, several more in our group started to arrive, while we were loading up. Except for the time and effort to get everyone over, under or around the blockages, the weather was perfect and most had a good time with our "expedition."

Brint Adams



JUNIPER CREEK...A STUDY IN LOGGING TECHNIQUES

Never start out a sentence with never. Never do an unquestionable trip based on an unreliable source. Never take beginners on a trip that you have not scouted. Never assume anything. And then go have a great day!

Never go on a group adventure without Brint, Bruce and Billy, and lots of others whose first name don't start in B. And, for great moral support, bring cheerleaders named Susan and the like and for sure bring Frances, a great first time paddler who thought climbing over lots of trees was a great adventure, especially if you combine it with great people and a beautiful day and lots of swimming and good food.

There were 17 of us scurrying over logs and around dead falls and storm damaged trees blocking the first couple miles of the trip. Many fell overboard and Brint or Bruce or Billy or some other hero or heroine of the day was always there to form a great team. There was Aldo, a first time tenor wishing not to be a soprano, after rolling and struggling over downed trees on his very first trip, and acclaimed last trip, "too old for this young man's sport."

How old is old? On this trip, we were all young at heart and weary but happy bodies, glad to see the clearing and miles of beautiful sweeping turns and white sandy beaches with water turned dark tea color, from the over abundance of storms and ground saturated so much, that it could not contain itself.

As a trip leader, I give myself an 8+ for shuttle and a zero for scouting, but an absolute ten for leading people into an absolute adventure. Will I do this again? Not on your life, or until November, when we do the upper part of Econfina Creek, and another great adventure for the "big boys."

Gary Worob