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April 30
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Saturday
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Put-in
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Staples, 1977, Parking and Launch Fees
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Take-out
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Fentress, Amigo Beach, HWY 20, Parking Fees
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River Miles
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9 miles
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Gage
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175 cfs on the Usgs 08171400 San Marcos River (Near Martindale)
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Temperature
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70 lows to 80 highs
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Sky
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Overcast
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Precipitation
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None
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Wind
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5-10 MPH
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Coordinator
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Christy Long and Natalie Hansen
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Participants
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Natalie Wiest, Leslie Taylor, Amy McGee, Natalie Hansen. Robert (Bob) Scaldino, Joe Coker, Christy Long
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Shuttle
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Self-shuttle
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May 1
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Sunday
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Put-in
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San Marcos River Retreat, Camp and Launch Fee
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Take-out
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Sculls
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River Miles
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3.2 miles
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Gage
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180 cfs on the Usgs 08171400 San Marcos River (Near Martindale)
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Temperature
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70 lows to 80 highs
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|
Sky
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Overcast
|
|
Precipitation
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None
|
|
Wind
|
5-10 MPH
|
|
Coordinator
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Christy Long and Natalie Hansen
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|
Participants
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Leslie Taylor, Natalie Hansen, Robert Scaldino, Joe Coker, Christy Long
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Shuttle
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Self-shuttle
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Guidebook
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Rivers and Rapids, Bob Narramore and Ben Nolen
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Friday, April 29
All participants gathered at San Marcos River Retreat to camp for one or two nights. We were lucky enough to get sites 2 and 3. One person set up a tear drop camper while the rest of us had tents. We put up a couple of canopies and small tables to make the area homey and comfortable. Once our area was setup, we sat back and enjoy appetizers. Joe brought boiled shrimp and Bob brought chips, dip, and humas to share. It was really a pleasure eating and socializing in the cool evening.
We turned in, one at a time, between 10 and 11 pm. I thought the night sleeping was cool while several others thought it was on the warm side.
Saturday, April 30. Staples to Fentress
We had a breakfast of French toast topped with (real) maple syrup or powdered sugar, fresh fruit, bacon, and coffee. Bob provided his electric griddle, and I grilled multiple slices of French toast and fed the hungry paddlers in no time.
At Shady Gove Campground (1979), we paid our parking and launch fees to park and launch from the Spencer's house on 1977 (Staples). We drove to the launch site and dropped off cars and gear then drove to the takeout at HWY 20, Fentress. We found that the takeout is now a private park, and we paid a parking fee of $20 dollars per car for two vehicles. Yikes! Later we found out that we were overcharged. The charge should have been $10 for takeout and parking. Live and learn.
Once back at the put in Natalie Hansen called the house on river right to get permission to use their stairs. So, we started paddling about 11:00am. It took about 20 minutes for all of us to get out of our boats and down the stairs. The stairs were steep, but so much better than going over the Staples Dam.
This section of the river has small riffles over rocks and lots of twists and turns that lend themselves to have strainers. We paddled and floated the 8 plus miles with little trouble and lots of enjoyment. We had to portage once because a tree across the river. The river was flowing so we were able to take our time and do some floating. We got to the takeout around 3pm.
We saw Great Blue Herons, a Tricolored Heron, Northern Cardinals, and Egrets. So many turtles.
Natalie Hansen, Natalie Wiest, and Amy had their vehicles at the Amigo Beach take out. They drove their vehicles to the entrance to the beach and we packed up and then several of us drove to the put in to get the other vehicles.
Once all were at camp and cleaned up Leslie started dinner. She had the best stew for us to enjoy. The big surprise was her Dutch oven corn bread. Made right at our campsite. Very good. I ate too much and went to bed by 10 pm.
Natalie Wiest left for home after dinner.
I had another good night in my tent.
Sunday, May 1, San Marcos River Retreat (Tom’s) to Sculls
Bob got out his trusty hot griddle and made the fluffiest pancakes I’ve had on the river. They were really special with the Maple Syrup. Leslie, once again, provided the fresh blueberries and strawberries, that gave us colorful breakfast.
After breakfast Amy McGee broke camp and went home. That left Joe, Bob, Leslie, Natalie Hansen, and me to run the river.
Everyone had their camp gear packed and ready to go home, after the paddle. We were on the river by 9:30 am. This is a short section, so we floated most of the way. The rapid at Tom’s campground is a great place to practice ferries, catching eddies, and performing attainments.
The next rapid (Old Mill) gives you the opportunity to catch at least 5 eddies coming down. Really, many more but five is a good number to shoot for.
Then there is the Wall. This rapid is river wide and can be run down the middle or river right. Down the middle will give you a straight run with a few boulders to knock your boat around. River right squeezes the water between a concrete wall and an island causing a small-fast wave train ending at two submerged rocks. Either way is fun, but wear your helmet incase the water gets the better of you.
At S-Turn (Broken Bone) rapid we stopped and ate lunch. The rapid is a wave train and can be entered at any point. We like to run river right to make an eddy turn just behind the rock on river right. Then you are positioned to practice surfing and to perform a ferry or peel out.
From S-Turn we floated down to Cottonseed Rapid. If you try hard, you can catch many eddies all through this rapid. The gradient starts to give way and you can see the river dropping and creating eddies around the rocks. The entrance has several places to run between boulders. Then you see the wall that crosses a large portion of the river. As you paddle past the wall you can make a tight eddy on river left. This will allow you to surf and possibly attain upstream past the wall. Once you have decided to paddle downstream, past the wall, there are several paths that can be taken. This is another place you want to have your helmet on, because if you fall over you are going to be knocked around among the boulders.
The takeout is only a quarter mile from Cottonseed rapid, so we went slow. Loading gear, boats, and people, at Sculls take out, is a fast dance. Sculls is a busy road with limited visibility for the cars coming and going. Be cautious and work fast.
We all met at the parking area on 103 and shared a watermelon. Natalie Hansen brought Bob and Leslie back to San Marcos River Retreat to get their vehicles.
Joe and I hopped in our vehicles and drove home at 12:30.
It was a great weekend and I hope you join us for the next adventure.