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Saturday Put-in
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Shady Grove Campground (FM1979) |
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Saturday Take-out
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Spencer's Property in Staples (FM1977) |
| Sunday Put-in |
San Marcos River Retreat Page 1 (sanmarcosriverretreat.com) |
| Sunday Takeout |
Sculls Road, TRPA parking lot |
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River Miles
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Saturday 4 mile, Sunday 3.5 miles
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Fees or Permits
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$5 per car at Shady Grove, $5 per car at Spencer's Property, $3 per boat at San Marcos River Retreat |
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Gage
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USGS 08171400 San Marcos River Martindale, TX
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| CFS |
55 cfs both days |
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Air Temperature
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100 deg high, 80 deg low
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Sky
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Cloudy, Sunny, Clear at Night
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Moon Phase
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Third quarter, no moon at night.
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Sunrise/sunset
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7am / 7:40 pm |
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Precipitation
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none
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Wind
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Little wind
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Coordinator
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Christy Long
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Participants Saturday
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Christy Long, John Ainsworth, Amy McGee, Dan Carroll, Greg Seldon, |
| Participants Sunday |
Christy Long, John Ainsworth, Dan Carroll, Natalie Hansen |
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Guidebook
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Rivers and Rapids |
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Photos
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San Marcos River, Sep 1-Sep 4 2023
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Camped at San Marcos River Retreat Friday, Saturday, Sunday Nights. Sites 9, 10, and 11. Paddled the San Marcos River two days.
Friday, September 1- I arrived around 6:00 PM on Friday. John was already there in site 11. The club had sites 9, 10 and 11. John invited me to eat my dinner in his trailer. His AC was freezing, which was very, very nice since it was 100 degrees outside. Amy arrived around 7:00, and we set up our tents. I went to the bathroom and found a scorpion in the sink. Crazy. We went down to the river and just hung out for a little bit. There were no tubers at that time. It was very pleasant.
There is a small scorpion in that baggie.
We watched the stars until about 10pm then headed to our tents. I had a short, electric oscillating fan and it kept me cool all night.
Saturday, September 2
I started my morning before daybreak. It is cooler at that time of the morning. I got dressed and started coffee. Amy and I had cereal for breakfast. We saw hot air balloons rising in the northeast. It was kind of magical. I started the precook spaghetti sauce in a slow cooker.
Hot Air Balloon sighting in the morning.
Dan and Greg met Amy, John and I at Shady Grove close to 10. It was $5 per car for parking. Greg and I ran the shuttle after we off loaded our gear and boats at Shady Grove launch. We got to Spencer's property and dropped off Gregs truck and started back to Shady Grove. I missed the FM1979 turn because we were talking so much. We finally got to Shady Grove and launched by 11.
Saturday Group Photo, from left Christy Long, Dan Carroll, Amy McGee, John Ainsworth, and Greg Selton in Back
Because the water level was low and the river is not wide, there were a lot of twists and turns in the first 2-miles.
Amy enjoying the refreshing water.
We got out and swam several times. The river ran swiftly past rocks and made deep fast-moving currents that were fun to swim in. The next two miles the river was wider and the water a little deeper. It was a great day to be on the water.
John and Greg Relaxing
Once at Spencer's property at FM1977 we loaded all boats, gear, and people into Greg's truck and he took us to our vehicles then drove to SMRR, where we off loaded. Thanks Greg.
John with one of the cold watermelons he brought to share.
John had cold watermelon for us, it was very refreshing. I put the precooked noodles into the spaghetti sauce to heat while we ate watermelon. Amy made a terrific broccoli salad. Dan ate dinner with us, but Greg left for home.
Amy's broccoli and bacon salad.
Natalie showed up after dinner and ate while we cleaned up dinner. Amy decided to pack up and go home. After Amy left, we went to the river and swam.
Sunday, September 3
We had bacon, eggs, blueberries, and toast for breakfast. Good way to start the day.
Sunday Breakfast
Dan met us at 10 and he and Natalie ran shuttle to the new TRPA parking lot on Sculls Road. Parking is free but you need a code to open the gate.
We launched around 10:30 and slowly made our way down the river playing, swimming, and floating. We were not in any hurry.
This section of river has changed over the many years I have paddled it. Old Mill Rapid has become a rock garden with several entries. Once past the entrance the river gives many opportunities to practice eddy catching, eddy turns, peel outs, ferries, and other maneuvers. The rapid is on the swallow side and the river is on the wide side with a little gradient so the water moves fast even when the water level is on the low side.
The Wall presents a nice swift run on river right, against the wall. But watch out for the boulder just under the water, at the end of the run, just waiting to flip your boat. The middle of the rapid was boney.
Next big rapid, was S-Turn, not much has changed with this rapid. The entrance rocks are still in the same location. The river level gives the rapid its kick. On this day it was just barely shuffling but we still surfed and eddied across the rapid.
The Big Rock on River Right at Cotton Seed Rapid, that Usually has water flowing over it.
This is S-Turn Rapid and shows how low the water level is, usually the water is above the Tree Root System.
Recently Installed Sign to Warn Tubers to Stay in Their Tubes, at S-Turn Rapid.
Natalie and Dan Showing our Daily Trash Pick Up
Cotton Seed came too quick even though we mostly floated the river and got out of our boats and swam several times. Several of us caught eddies in the entrance of the Cotton Seed. The wall on river left has shifted several inches since March which was the last time I was on the river. The flow coming through the wall was so slight I was able to attain the that portion of the rapid with little effort.
We floated to the take out and got off around 3.
Once we got to SMRR we had some watermelon and swam until 6.
Tubers in the process of getting in trouble.
John and Natalie cooked sausage, pinto beans, and garlic bread.
Natalie and John's Sunday Evening Meal
We cleaned up and put the kitchen in our vehicles to prevent the racoons and ants from getting into or on the kitchen utensils. As we did some more stargazing, we heard a big ruckus coming from where the kitchen was located. The racoons were attacking our hanging trash bag. WE should have placed it in the vehicle.
Monday, September 4
The three remaining campers got up slowly and started to pack up. Having the fan to cool me as I worked in the text was very helpful. I got to a stopping point and made some coffee. John left around 9 and Natale and I got on the road by 11.
It was a lovely weekend.