What a trip we had on the Beaver Creek on Sunday, April 17th.
We meet at Sprucvale and did the shuttles to the take out and was in the water with in a hour, thanks to the help of Rich & Patty, and Jerry & Billie for helping with the shuttling and seeing off the crazy ones who went.
We also had a good surprise show up, 4 YSU students and 2 instructors came along with our insane 7. Are line up was
John Paul, Ed Riby, John Little, Jonathan Burrows, Mary, Brad & My self.
So total of 13, (2 canoes & 11 kayaks)
We started out great with a water level of 8.7 ft, and let me just say; that water was moving.
Once we hit fredricktown that's were we hit a class III style rapids with waves of 3 to 4 ft. It was the greatest thing I have ever experienced on water. It was like a seen out of a white water rafting movie. Plus Jerry & Billie was on top of the bridge watching. We only had two go in at the spot, and it was easy getting them out and making sure all was ok.
From there we had a great ride with two more spills before we hit Grimms bridge were we stopped for lunch and talk to Jerry & billie again (they were following and taking Pictures).
After lunch is were it got really interesting. One the next major rapid we had two more fall in, and the one YSU student even said (it was nice to be dry for five minutes after our lunch were he had just changed cloths)
After that and a couple of bends later then trouble hit, there was a tree down causing a big strainer, some got buy ok, but one Student got stuck on it and was hang there, we yelled to let go. before she did John Paul naturally tried to help, but also tipped in and the canoe filled up. As I past buy I tried to help the YSU Student but missed, and then saw John Paul above the water hanging to a branch. As he said keep going, I hit a branch not paying attention to what was in front of me, and I flipped over. I floated a long way down river before I got pulled to shore by a YSU student with a throw bag.
Jonathan & John Paul got the canoe unstuck and free, and got the YSU student in with John Paul and made it out ok. But the student lost her paddle as it wasn't tied up.
While all that happened I made it to shore and with help of the YSU instructors I jumped back in the water holding on to a throw bag while the instuctors held the other side to sling me down river, so I could get to the stuck kayak. Once I ran in to hit and got it free they just sling shotted me back to shore. Man was I tired after that; I felt like I got just got into a street fight and lost. But it showed what great team work we had and how we can think clearly in a bad situation, and come out all ok.
With that one problem, we lost a paddle, and my spray skirt to the Beaver Creek.
Once that was done and everyone was ok, John Paul had a extra rider with him, and Ed opened a new bussiness. called Ed's towing has he towed the YSU kayak.
From there we had three more spills and Yes I was one of them. With out my spray skirt I filled up with water going threw more rapids and lost my balance. I had a very long float on top of my kayak as it was upside down until I hit the shore with the help of Jonathon. At this point I was laughing because it was funny that I flipped over, but never lost my hat!!!!
In the process of those last set of rapids, Ed lost the kayak he was towing and one of the YSU students was able to get it and finish towing to the end.
Then the creek got wider and flattened out with a great and easy landing to finish a great senic & WILD ride down the Little Beaver Creek, were we fought high water's, rapid's and high winds.
But wait there is more. When we were all loading up and I notice a green canoe in the water floating down the creek to the OHIO river, then I realized it was John Pauls, but John Paul was next to me at our cars. I sprinted down to the water dragging my kayak and got back in and paddled out to his canoe, were John Little was already out there and had got control of the canoe with a rope. We got it back to shore and got everyone loaded and ready for a nice trip home.
I want to say thanks to everyone for one of the best adventure's I ever had!!!
THANK YOU
Mike Danko