Today started just below the Winni dam. The water is several feet below ideal dam release. The temp is 28 degrees and the objective is do a 30 mile paddle with a fully loaded boat to Jeff the river angels house at mile 1200.
The loadout went well and everything fit plus or minus…. But it fit. Sam wished me farewell and I headed off paddling the channel leaving the dam avoiding rocks and shallow spots for a couple of miles. As I left the channel and headed into more normal river, it was abundantly clear how little snow and rain this area has had this season.
The wind started picking up up as the temperature rose above freezing. It went from manageable to 15-20mph gusting to 15+ continuous. This was another day of mostly winding channels back and forth with duck grass wetlands on both sides for 20 of the 30 miles.
When the river came to a wooded area, it was clear why people love it here. Mother Nature shown in all her glory. The massive pine trees next to perfectly clear streams made for wonderful paddling.
5 minutes later, the HEADWINDS reminded me why so few people live here lol.
The temps actually went above 50 for most of the day, and as I rounded the corner seeing Sam at the 15 mile mark with a sandwich and a smile made the 50 degree mark feel perfect!
A few minutes later I was back on the water knocking down miles. I decided to switch to my single place paddle for the second 15 mile section because it is way more comfortable on my shoulder with the torn rotator cuff, especially in windy conditions.
People would think it is slower, but the rpm is actually faster, so it works out really well.
The last 5 miles today seemed like a game of torture that I am not looking forward once my muscles get the lactic acid set in.
Another 30 mile day tomorrow. Let’s hope for better winds.
