The high temps would be around 60 with the low’s below freezing when I headed out for our 3-day trip last Friday. Saturday night we had a low of 28F. Slept warm in my hammock both nights. The water was almost glassy on the 8-mile paddled to the camp site next to Rock Creek. The lake is often windy and rough.
The days were clear with scattered clouds, and at night after sunset the stars shone bright. That is until the waning full moon rose in the sky then you could see without a flashlight and moon shadow’s spread in dark shapes on the ground.
We spent the next day hiking gathering firewood, photographing, and marveling at the wonder of this world we live in. Several back packers came through and would stop to talk. A couple camped down the trail from us. We invited them to join us around the fire which they did. Tall tales and laughter mix well with a campfire.
The last day we took our time breaking camp. I sept in late for me not rising with daylight. The paddle back was a bit windier than the paddle out, and the close period waves just starting to show a few white caps was a fun paddle across the main pool.
Waning full moon setting behind the last of the clouds on Friday morning
Very nice! I envy you just now. We’re under a winter weather advisory. We’ve had a few warm days but it looks like sleet later tonight and maybe a little snow tomorrow. Went down to have a look at the river today and its still frozen. One landing upstream was near enough to a dam to be open, but there’s nowhere to go from there. Wet ice but no open channels at the next landing down. Not time for paddling or camping just yet. Its sweeter if one has to wait for it, right? (As you have if its been a year.)
Thanks for the reminder. Looks like a great camping area.
I have managed to camp and paddled between those Jocassee trips. Last year I only camped on Lake Russel and at the coast. January, I did spend two nights on the AT in NC at open shelters. We often camped on Jocassee twice a year, and at least a kayak/canoe camping trip six or more times a year before the pandamit. Things seem to be looking up here, and I hope they stay that way. Time will tell.
Lovely shots! Thanks for posting them. Long time yet for that up here so it is nice eye candy.
I se a white canoe in one shot, was that part of your group? If I have that correct, what boat was it? The kayaks are all old friends, I either have or have spent a good bit of time paddling their low volume version.
We had decent weather yesterday – sunny, air temp in the 40s. Had brunch and then walked around a shoreline facing some of the Boston Harbor Islands that have campsites. Of course, these are still closed for the season. Thought briefly about paddling out and “stealth camping”. Nah…
You have a good eye to spot that boat if it is the photo of a white boat in the distance. It does look like it could be a canoe, but it is Lisa in her white explorer.
I have had only one chance to paddle up in Maine. Our middle child’s husband’s family have a summer place on the water on Islesboro. I love the Maine coast and have plans to be back when the pandamit settles down. I respect those that live there for their tolerance of winter. It is nice to be able to paddle year-round here in SC
I was wrong as I wasn’t thinking about those photos. That was a Wenona Advantage. I let the fellow in that canoe paddle my Advantage about a month before. He liked it and found one for sale. So he bought the canoe in the photo.
I see I didn’t answer the “part of our group” question. Not on this trip. The second batch of photos are from years past as an incentive for raosborne to visit Jocassee. Jim in the white canoe was part of the group on that trip. Those photos are of Wright’s Creek Falls when the Rhododendron was blooming, and Laurel Falls on another camping trip to the lake.
