The Great Outdoors: Soaking Wet Kayak Ride Still a Good One

This area sure has seen a range of varied weather conditions within the last few weeks – everything from tornadoes to heavy rain to hot and humid weather.

Despite being a burden to those who enjoy being outdoors, the heavy rain has made conditions for canoeing and kayaking pretty good.

I’ve been fortunate to have the kayak out a few times already. The first was early May when it was still wet and fairly cold. However, I had the itch to get out, and let’s just say it wasn’t one of my better ideas!

There had been heavy rain in the area leading up to this particular Saturday, and while the rain had subsided, it was still lightly falling as I pushed off from the bank of the Sandy Lick Creek at O’Donnell Bridge.

The first half of the ride was pretty easy, and the high water made for a quick ride. Still, the closer I got to Fuller Bridge, the rougher it became.

Streams entering the Sandy Lick kept the water level rising, and a few fallen trees made things interesting. I admit I was out of shape, and I got more tired than I should have. As I approached the first bridge, I paddled to the shore and took a break.

I debated getting out of the boat and calling it a day, but it hadn’t been quite two hours. I knew Iowa Bridge wasn’t too much further, and I decided to exit there.

Great idea! As I paddled past a few trout fishermen, we compared notes on the fishing and paddling. One of them wished me well, and I replied that the rest of the trip would be fine – as long as I didn’t drown. I meant it in a joking way, and we both laughed.

I was a mile or so beyond Fuller when another stream entered the creek, which had taken on more river-like conditions, and the flow seemed to surge. Then, all of a sudden, I was sideways and going over!

I’m still not sure what happened, but I may have lost my focus and failed to keep the boat straight enough. Fortunately, the water was only about chest high in the middle, and I stood up while I struggled momentarily to keep a grip on the boat and paddle.

The water deepened slightly as I made my way to shore, but it was still under my neck. The only casualty was my camera. I ended up getting a good hike out of it as I decided to return from the way I had come.

Hauling the kayak over an old woods road, then a deer trail, and finally the rail line wasn’t too bad. Along the way, I actually got a signal and called my dad to have him come pick me up.

There was a little mixup, though, in my garbled communication, and while he made it there in short order, I was nowhere near where he was.

So, he went looking elsewhere, not being totally sure if he was to meet me at the bridge. Fortunately, a man, John Barr, fishing there took pity on me and asked if I needed a ride.

I gratefully accepted, and he took me up to the Bearclaw Inn where I met my dad after getting back into cell range and calling him. It took a while to get warmed up, but I was glad I had dressed appropriately for the weather and for the possibility of getting wet.

Wearing my PFD that day was a no-brainer, too. While I got soaked and destroyed a camera, it was still a good trip. I saw a bald eagle, several wood ducks and even an osprey.

My next trip proved to be much tamer with a short run from the new canoe/kayak launch on Little Toby Creek to the Portland Mills launch on the Clarion River.

Now, it’s just a matter of deciding where to try next.

“The Great Outdoors,” sponsored by the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors, is a weekly blog by exploreClarion.com’s Scott Shindledecker. Plan your next outdoor adventure at VisitPAGO.com or call (814) 849-5197 for more information.