I am typically cautious when it comes to paddling in adverse conditions, but decided to take a quick day trip down a local river that I know very well. The area had just received a 5" rain the week prior but had gone down from flood stage to near normal flow.
I was going thru a blind ox bow corner where the flow was quick due to narrow and high banks and encountered a full width river sieve.
In a kayak I was able to get turned and get to the bank to avoid issue. It just gave me a serious wake up call to not take things for granted.
Reminds me of a time I was solo
paddling the upper Dolores in Colorado. It starts at about 8000 feet, and is mostly tolerable class 2. But I came around a blind turn and encountered a downed pine across the entire little river, about 6 inches above water level. I had just enough time to pivot and land to portage.
And… if you are searching for a way …
through it, and the current is running fast, you can very easily be up against it and in trouble before you find a way through, as what happened to us on a recent trip down a river in an unknown area.
Jack L
I hear ya!