Friday 13

[debra witowski]

I have to work the weekend, but off Friday. I am looking for anyone interested in paddling the Cuyagoha River, through the park. The plan would be to put the boats on the train and go upstream 12 miles and then paddle back to the cars. American whitewater says the river has enough water to paddle. The river is a I-II more on the 1 part from what I have seen from the bike trail. The river is polluted. The train shuttle cost 3 dollars. Contact me if interested.

[jerry lyda]

Deb , what does 1-11 mean ? Jerry

[debra witowski]

I or 1 river is flat no drops can have riffles Beaver River
II or 2 river has drops that can easy navigated no turns needed this could be the very easy rapids can be run by beginners, can be run in open canoes, Little Beaver is II
III or 3 need skirt on kayak, have to make turns in rapids, be able to pick where you want the boat to go and get it there, water can push you places you don't want to go, Rooster Tail rapid on Connie is a III
IV or 4 need whitewater boat the water is going to make you go places you don't want to be. Where you raft on Yough is IV I can't do IV do not want to get hurt, I only do in raft.
V or 5 is waterfall

[debra witowski]

The train shuttle was 6 dollars, much discussion on how much it would be for a kayak because canoes are 7$. I did the river from Pennsulia to Rockside station. I put in below a small dam in Pennsulia at the back of the parking lot. The first 3 miles were great, lots of easy rapids or drops, and the river ran nice. Then I got to the work the next couple of miles were like paddling a dryed lake bottom, big wide sand and gravel beaches, and downed trees in the current were the river made big oxbows since I was by myself I portaged alot,I do not like to get unseated by trees.There still was enough water it was just full of downed trees. The the river went into a still section before the dam, the dam was a very easy portage I used the bike trail, and there were people there fishing. Then back to the oxbows with the trees in the current. Paddle and drag.I paddle about 1/2 mile through no current then come to oxbow with current full of trees with wide beaches. I had friends that went along and biked, the only place they figured for me to get out was the parking lot of Lock Keeper Resturant which had valets, they were amused by the sight of a kayak coming out of the river. I saw the most wildlife I ever seen on a kayak trip. An otter out during the day swam over and checked me out, 2 different beavers slapped thier tails at me. 4 deers swimming, 12 deer in all and velvet buck, lots of wood duck,herons, black ducks, swallows going in a out of those holes in river bank , 1 loon , muskrats, and fish, frogs and turtles. The bald eagle was busy posing for the people in the train.

[onbohio]

That would be great to get to see so much wildlife. I am surprised though, I read in your initial post that it was polluted. How bad is it?

[debra witowski]

Great Lakes Brewing makes a beer call Burning River Pale Ale,The Cuyahoga burnt in the 70's, like The Mahoning the problem that will aways remain is the sediment from those times,But the Cuyahoga has a problem that during high rain event the city of Akron sewers get overwhelmed a release into the river but some of what I read said they have fixed that problem.
Where I was kayaking was very natural the National Park has protected the valley so no cabins, no develpment i often wonder about those cabins along the clean Allegeny and their septic systems. Best not to think about that,. But as someone on the downside I can say we are leaving the rivers better than we got them, as a child I remember the rivers shinning with the oil slicks.