Upper Ouachita River - Dragover Loop
July 18, 2023
by Kent Walters

 

We met at 8:20 am at the Dragover Put-in, did the now dried-out shuttle, and got on the water just before 9:00.

 

Duane guiding his kayak down the rollers to the water while Byron watches from below

 

 

Byron coming downstream as Duane looks back at the put-in

 

Around the first bend we came to a shallow section, and I’ll be darned if I didn’t get hung up broadside on a rock I saw too late and emptied my boat.  Oh well, it’s been a while.

 

We scared up a great blue and little green heron as we were dodging the rocks.  We caught eddies and surfed and ferried the many shelves and ledges. 

 

Byron, Duane, water, and rocks

 

Byron was more experienced in white water and did some spins and other cools move in the swift water that was pouring through some gaps.

 

Byron trying to get into position

 

The entire bow section stayed under water in this delicately balanced dance with the water

 

After playing around in the rock gardens, we hunted up a nice gravel beach in the shade for lunch.  First order of business was to float on our backs in the cool water.  It felt wonderful.

 

We stopped for lunch on a gravel shore with some shade and cooled off in the water

 

We got back into our kayaks and paddled for a little while, and suddenly there it was, the take-out.

 

Duane and Byron approach the downstream Dragover takeout

 

LESSONS LEARNED:

 

OLD LESSONS relearned (maybe):

Secure everything as if you were going to take a spill.

 

Please see photo album Ouachita River - Dragover Loop

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The author, Kent Walters