2006-03-27 - 12:38 p.m.
Saturday, I went on a canoe trip on the Black River. The trip was sponsored by the county parks department. The last time I did something like this was in 2001 or so, when I went on a trip with the Triangle Land Conservancy, on the Deep River in Lee County.
The trip included transportation to and from the river, and lunch. We met at the City Hall parking lot and piled into a van. It took about 90 minutes to get to the put-in. I was nauseated most of the way. (I’ve always been very susceptible to motion sickness.) Happily, by the time we got in the canoes, I was all better. (I napped on the way back, and didn’t have any problem. Word to the wise for the next time.)
I shared a canoe with Laura, who was a wonderful paddling partner. She sat in the front and paddled steadily. She didn't try to steer, she just paddled and told me about upcoming obstacles. When you’re in a canoe, there are two rules: don't stand up!, and only the person in the back can steer. We worked really well together, i.e., we didn’t go around in circles or paddle from bank to bank. We only went off course once, when the current pulled us into some debris. It just took a little coordinated pulling to get out.
The Black River is flat water, very calm, and the water level was high enough that we didn't have any trouble getting downstream. There are lots of cypress trees in and near the river, dripping with Spanish moss. I forget that North Carolina has these ecosystems – I tend to think of cypress swamp as something you’d find in south Georgia or Florida. The spring violets were blooming on the water's edge. It was absolutely lovely, especially when the sun came out. One of the things I love about canoeing is the quiet. If you use your paddles correctly, you glide along with barely a sound and just enjoy the view.
The day was chilly, and overcast half the time. As long as we were paddling we were fine, but we got pretty cold when we stopped for lunch. The lunch was delicious. The trip was nearly idyllic, really. After about an hour along the river, I told the park employee that he could put me on the mailing list, because I want to go on every canoe trip they offer, anytime. The trip covered 7.5 miles of river, and lasted about five hours, which felt more like two: one before lunch and one after.
Man, oh man do I love being on the water. My already-bad case of canoe lust is now practically out of control. Even if I rented a canoe or kayak, I'd still need a roof rack and all the gear. (Picture giant dollar signs dancing cheerfully around my head.) Hey, the state lottery begins this week - guess I'd better play.
