Evening kayak

Trip Overview

Turn off right next to RR tracks before bridge goes over river to cemetery side. Launch is midway between the road and old overhead RR bridge. Launch area is easy: low sloping gravel, low to water. Two kayaks can launch side by side. Parking for just a few cars as others park under RR bridge and fish. River is wide much of the time and meanders for the rest of the 1 hour paddle upstream under the RR bridge overpass. There are a few downed trees/limbs to paddle around and just one short tight spot but no need to get out of the kayak. Little or no current. Some highway noise. Beginning part was next to active RR tracks where some 50 bulk cargo cars were occupying what seemed to be the lone track in two successive locations. We launched at 5:30 PM on a Sunday and skies were mostly sunny. My partner and I observed two blue herons, many redwinged black birds, some swimming ducks and a few fish that jumped out of the water. I suspect the fish jumped because they were along the sides where the algae was quite thick and close to the surface. Being startled, the fish really had no immediate place to go but up! There are large, wide open stretches although the width of the algae free open water varied and was fun to follow. We could cut through the lily pads and algae on corners if we wanted so an exact track wasn't necessary at all times. After an hour the thick, tall leafy vegetation blocked any further passage but it was time to turn around anyway. We never reached a cross road. On the return we paddled a very short distance past our put-in and under the low bridge to an open area which had a string of barrels across it marking a waterfall. Overall this is an easier stretch to paddle rather than from Hodges Village Dam downstream or upstream from Leovich Landing to Hodges Village Dam.