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HomeNL-2011-06 San Marcos
San Marcos River Weekend
May 14-15, 2011
by Christy Long & Harmon Everett
San Marcos River Trip Report
by Christy Long
May 14 & 15, 2011
50-83 deg F
110 CFS
USGS 08170500
Saturday 5.5 miles
Sunday 3 miles
Harmon Everett, Paul Woodcock, Janice Baker, Fraser Baker,
Joe Coker, Cliff Dominey, Debbie Snow, Christy Long

Harmon arrived Friday evening, and enjoyed the San Marcos River Retreat site all to himself. Other than the 4 different Boy Scout Troops and their families that also were at San Marcos River Retreat. I have never seen Tom’s place so crowded.  Tom also had a church group staying in the sanctuary on top of the hill.

Around 10:00 AM Saturday, Paul, Janice, Fraser, Joe, Cliff, and I arrived at the campsite and launched close to 12:00, only about 40 minutes past our intended launch time of 11:00. Because we wanted to stay on the river most of the day we paddled slowly to Shady Grove campground and got off the river around 5:00.

We slowly made our way down the river playing in the small rapids and floating with the current. We had a leisurely lunch upstream of S-turn. At S-turn we took turns throwing the throw bag to swimmers. Although the current was strong in this turn, it was shallow, which made you lift your booty out of the water as you floated over the rocks. Good practice and a good follow up on the recent Club Meeting presentation about rescues.

About that time several bunches of tubers caught up with us.  Evidently it was graduation day, and many groups of college students were celebrating on the water.

The landowners were at Martindale Dam enjoying their property so we made a safe, courteous, and swift portage. Under certain circumstances, landowners are required to allow safe portaging to boaters but in return boaters must be speedy and courteous.

Sunday Debbie Snow joined us. Debbie, Harmon, Paul, Janice, Fraser, and I paddled from Tom’s to Sculls. Debbie was practicing going down rapids sideways – sideslipping this way and that, and sliding into standing waves sideways. As we were going through Cottonseed, several racing boats zipped through. This was a quick but enjoyable paddle.

Just upstream from Sculls we noticed a dead owl that had gotten tangled in some fishing line that was hanging from a tree.  It had not been there on Saturday, so it must have happened overnight. Please encourage all your fishing friends to cut their lines that get tangled. It must have been a nasty painful death.

We took the boats out river right, upstream of the new bridge, walked them across the bridge and loaded in the new loading area that was part of the old road. Good to see our tax dollars at work for paddlers. And the result of our donation! Tom says they have raised $28,000 for the project so far, and are willing to finance the rest. There are also plans to put in steps and better access just below the bridge on river left.

Photo albums:  Harmon Everett   Fraser Baker   Christy Long
Click a button, above, to open an album, click the first photo in the album, and then use the arrow buttons to scroll through the photos.

  

Christy Long
Harmon Everett