1.84 Technical

More of that weird weather around, was raining hard in Detroit with lots of thunder, but it didn't hit the Northern river basin so the gage was only at 1.84 which made the run tight and technical on some of the corners!  We put in around 6:15pm from Avon & Livernois.  There were a couple of guys paddling Sit On Top's ahead of us, we never caught them.  I put in behind the Doctor's office and Rob walked down to the bike path bridge.  We agreed Rob made the better choice even with the longer boat carry.  I had to get out at the stinky pipe portage, so Rob got ahead of me and didn't have to get in/out! 

From there we had a few tight fast corners around the psychedelic tree and soon we were at Rochester Rapid.  "Bulldozer" was running nice and I got in some great surfing!  Voodoo rapid was also a good surf at this level.  Just past 2nd Street and the eddy seawall as you make the right/left corners we had to limbo under that tree again.  We'll have to deal with that eventually.  Our next stop was Rock Island to portage the new tree that is down.  We cut to the left early and carried our boats through the dry channel that makes it an island where we had planned to have a beverage break but the mosquitoes were so bad we launched as quickly as we could to evade them! 

When we got to Stony Creek there is a new tree across the river from Left to Right onto the beach across from where the creek comes out.  At this point I told Rob I thought the next possible portage was at the Vortex of Death, but I forgot about the other limbo log at the By-Pass just around the next corner!  I tried to get low under it and leaned back but caught the front of my PFD as I pressed under and got off kilter, flipped and had to roll!  After that the next trouble spot is indeed just before the V of D with a tree from Left to Right but only hanging down, so you can pick a line towards the right and if you stay straight you can pull through some branches to get through. (stay right of the broken limb)

We came upon a couple of deer standing just before the signs to portage the dam.  After portaging around the dam we were done pretty quick.  Loaded up Rob's truck and headed back to A&L for my Jeep when we came upon 3 guys who were picking up from their run from there down to Coyote's.  They said there is a tree down between Yates and Ryan, closer to Ryan, like just before.  I think I know the area and that will need a little work soon too.

Here are the pictures from today's run.

View looking back upstream at Stewart's rapid

2nd Street Seawall

Eddy Seawall

Limbo Log just past 2nd St/Eddy Seawall

Looking back at the limbo log, the tree on river right (left side of pic) could be a problem at high water if you try to roll under the log like Jarrett and I did last week.

Stony Creek Beach tree down

Stony Creek Beach looking at tree downstream

Rob's boat at Stony Creek Beach

Panoramic view of the tree at Stony Creek Beach

Stony Creek Beach viewed from the river

Deer Fly!  I put him there and then all the other flies backed off!

Rob at the Portage Signs

The Falls at Yates with a tree across the normal spot we run it.  Not safe at all!!

Kayaking 101 - RHFD

Clinton River Canoe & Kayak Rental's put on a "Kayaking 101" demo class at Bald Mt. Recreation Area this past Saturday.  I helped out with the 10am class.  I'll have to post some of the curriculum another time, but they went over: safety, boat selection, paddle techniques, etc.  The class lasted 2 hours with paddle time on the water included.  We had 8 or so people show up and everyone did quite well!  Samantha of CRC&KR tried out a whitewater boat and was given some instruction in rolling.  Later that day while at the lake, she actually was able to roll her boat!

After the rolling class I had to head over to Addison Oaks for a wedding reception.  My friends Pam & Mike had gotten married down in Key West FL a few weeks back and then had a campout party type of weekend, it was great!  Addison Oaks is a nice campground.  Since I had been there all afternoon, I decided to crash in a friends trailer since all I would be doing is going home and then getting up to head out that way again to kayak on Sunday.

I met Doug, Jarrett and Brian on Sunday morning at 10am in Yates park.  When we pulled in there were a couple of fire trucks and other EMT vehicles there, I was worried something bad had happened.  What was actually going on was a good thing, the Rochester Hills Fire Department was doing some 'Swift Water Rescue" training.  Found out they do this every year and this year they had a nice flow with the Auburn gage at 2.07 

We did our shuttle and made the run from A&L to Yates in about 2.5 hours with a couple of stops, one for some rolling practice for Doug.  He did pretty good and is close, but Samantha beat him!  There are 2 portages. One just after the stinky pipe, portage on Right.  You can stand in the water and put your boat onto the last log before continuing.  The next portage is at Rock Island, another Maple tree came down in front of the last one we cut a path through a few weeks ago.  You can portage early or if you come upon it late, just portage on river Left. If you go towards it on river Right all the water will want to sweep you under the log so don't go there!  I did not get any pictures of that, battery ran out!

To the beach on Trout Lake in Bald Mt. Rec Area

The reception party pavilion!

Don't be a dummy like the guy on the rock, where your PFD!

Backboard rescue technique

Heave Ho!

More back board rescue

The scene in the Yates parking lot, a good thing this time!

I still say wear your PFD!

Samantha getting geared up

Going through the motions with Sam

Setting up the sweep

Ending the roll with the paddle extended

Kayaking 101 instruction

Getting ready to launch

In water class demo's and discussion

the roll

Rolling Reviewed and Jams Getting Worked

A few people joined us for the rolling practice at Stony Creek Metropark.  Jarrett and I demonstrated some braces (low & high) along with some rolls.  We were joined by Brian, Bill and his Daughter Amanda and Art.  Brian was aggressively trying some bow hip snaps and eventually flipped over, he had to swim the 100 yards or so to shore!  Art tried out his new used Old Town Acadia and did quite well in it.  We took a break at one point and grilled up some hot dogs, then paddled a little more and called it a day.  Brian tore up the lake in his new used Tampico XL!  Before we knew it he was across the lake!  The weather looked like it would rain and there was a lot of wind, but rain held off until we were done.  We were there from Noon to about 4pm.  We'll try to do one of these sessions again this Summer.

Clinton River Canoe and Kayak is sponsoring a kayak demo next weekend on Saturday July 13th at Bald Mountain Recreation Area, at the beach on Trout Lake.  There will be 2 sessions, one at 10am and another at Noon.  I will be there for the 10am session to demonstrate some rolls and paddling techniques, Jarrett is coming for the Noon session and maybe the 10am, come on out if you get a chance, it is a great recreation area that you should familiarize yourself with.

The gage levels have held above 2.0 for the past week but I have not paddled the river in July yet!  (only made it to the lake)  I was on vacation last week but was so busy I just could not make it and couldn't find anyone to go with anyways!  (everyone was up North or working!) 

Dale was up North but has been back on the river this week and did some work already!  Jerry of Clinton River Canoe & Kayak went out last week with Dave and took out 19 trees on the Ryan to Van Dyke/Heritage section!  Today Jerry and Dale took out a jam just down from Ryan Road. Kudo's to you guys!

Not sure if I can make any after work trips this week, but maybe I will try!  For now I'll leave you with a few pictures.

Before picture of log jam removed just down from Ryan

After shot 1

Rolling session on Stony Lake with Bill, Jarrett and Brian

Amanda, Bill and Brian

Art and Amanda

Rolling!

Planning to meet in Stony Creek Metropark at Winter Cove picnic area on the Eastern point near the picnic tables for some rolling practice and other paddling tips on Sunday July 7th at Noon.

I will have a sea kayak and a rec boat, maybe another boat too.  I'll go over braces and rolling techniques along with self rescue tips, etc. 

I'm not great at checking my gmail for replies to the post but will try to, or if you are hooked to the Clinton River MI Paddle Page then you already know about this!

Me rolling at Yates

We Jammin'

Well June brought a lot of rain and some wild weather with some very violent thunderstorms.  The river was pretty much wide open on June 22nd when we paddled with the Skiwi Ski Club group and a week later around 10+ jams! 

By section:

A&L to Yates 3 jams and one tree across the river, ok 2.  I don't count the tree as a jam because I rolled under it on the first run and limbo'd under the 2nd.  First jam is just past the stinky pipe and before the bike trail bridge(the old RR bridge to us old timers!)  Just after the bridge was actually a tree across the river and you could run the wave on river right or just boof over the log, Dale cut it out on Sunday.  Next spot was a tree across the river just after the rock seawall at 2nd St. as you turn towards the picnic area and Rock Island - it is still there and was not dealt with, go under or portage on right? (Not a great place for portage).  Next was a tree from river right onto Rock Island on river left.  We had 8 people make short work of clearing a way through on the left - thanks gang!  More work will be needed there in low water.  Next was the Bypass where the huge log rose up and drifted across the river, portage is on the left and pretty easy. 

Yates to Ryan had 3 jams but I can only clearly recall 2!  One was at the end of or past the Yates park path on river left about where Holland Ponds starts.  It is a Left/Right corner where there is a very small sandbar island on the right and a log sticking out of the water on the other side of the sandbar on river left side around it.  This is a very hard one to portage because you have the current wanting to take you into the jam, portage on left very close to the jam, maybe 5 feet back?  After that it seems there was one more, but for sure just before you turn to see Ryan there is a portage on river right.  Not a bad portage, but watch it when you get back in the water, current wants to take you into a tree sweeper. 

Ryan to Van Dyke is unconfirmed but from pretty reliable sources that there are 6 to 8 jams!  Cher and Melissa attempted this section after battling through Yates to Ryan but turned back after flipping a kayak!  They contributed some of the shots on Facebook that I copied below.  Dawn and Paul also tried that run but ended at Ryan/Coyote's after ditching their boats.

A little more rain today this evening and the gage is sitting at 2.39 with some rain predicted many days this week.  I am on vacation this week and may be making some weekday runs! 

Remember to mark your gear, with your name and number, in case some honest person finds your boat or paddle!  I have had gear returned. 

Speaking of gear, a few people went past us just when we opened up Rock Island and neither had life jackets!  Remember if the police or DNR see you they can ticket you for not having a PFD and a PFD in your boat while you are floating down after a capsize is useless so wear it in high water.  (most all water for that matter!)

Today I went on a flight in a Cessna small (very small!) plane from Waterford to Clinton Township and back.  We flew along the MCR going East then headed back a little South of that on the way back.  Had I known more about how that was gonna go I'd of gone a little North on the way back to see the river more.  Pictures of that posted here too.

That is all for now, with the levels I am sure we'll have more soon!

Patriotic river finds 1.5 paddles and other oddities!

Jarrett's "Google Earth" special!  Home made GoPro mount for his kayak!

view of the put in at A&L behind the office

Looking downstream at the A&L put in

Looking back upstream at A&L put in

A fine shuttle vehicle!

Coming through the first jam between stinky pipe and bike bridge

First Jam again

Curtis the Gage Man! 

Waiting for a falls run

Brian Gamefish paddling through!

Tom T. just turned 68!  Going strong and looking good Tom!

Dale

I think this was between Yates & Ryan/Coyote's

Dale at the last jam before Ryan, as you turn the corner left you see Ryan

A Happy Shuttle Vehicle!

Last Jam before Ryan

The bad jam just before the sandbar island, not much room to get out left and none on right!

Jarrett at the back of the Bypass jam

Bypass jam from upstream looking downstream

Back of Rock Island

Front of Rock Island

Dale cutting at Rock Island

The Group from June 30th

Pilot?

Paint Creek is on the left side you can see the hotel in the bottom left corner, creek is green to left

Bloomer Bridge and you can see the island where the drain pipe is, this is just past Rock Island

Yates and the Falls!

Home

I love July and High Water!

Another MCR fan!

Running the dam, don't do it!

Finally did get in some rolling practice!  I must warn you that water in my ear was clogged the next day!  I should get some earplugs and/or swimmer ear stuff to spray in after rolling in the "therapeutic waters of the Mighty Clinton River"!!