St Mary's River run

[Lazyriverguy]

Hi We made it. It started out as a rather chilly night on Dec. 07,08 at a camp along the St. Mary River. 29 degrees. But we were there may as well go paddlin. The gang arrived. Mac, Chuck, Myself,Joe F., Harry SR. ,Ray,HarryJR,Van, Dapper Al, Gray, Brian, All in for the cold night at the camp set up by Chucky. Some opted to sleep in trucks or set up tents for the night. (Me I slept in my truck) Then it was morning and in comes Bill at the appointed time set by Chuck. 7:58 am.
About an hour later we finally got it figured out we were gonna have the outfitter just take us back to the place we were gonna leave our cars. His place St. Marys Outpost & Fish Camp.
So off to the puttin spot.

Then for a lexurly ride down the river. No problems says the Outffitter

And we believe him. Looks like a start to a great trip.
Then reality sets in.

We start to get a little blow down traffic. But what we don't know is just a little farther down stream Crap.

This after we got Chuck's light boat around the blowdown. Then the real work started. As a very orgainized crew that we are (herdin cats)
we start carrying each boat around the strainer to continue down the river.

This what it looked like after the portage. Lots of good hard work by all got us through and back to floatin.

Here comes another one but not as bad. we just wormed through it. well most did. this one take Van for an unexpected swim. He seemed to think it was just the thing to do.

Here I think Ray was lookin to see if Harry SR was gonna come with him or stay behind.

I think he finnally said OK I Will Just Wait then

I'mLeavin Come On

Here we go

Finally the first camp

We stayed for 2 nights so Van could dry out and start a Chinese Laundry Service.

Then Supper
Bear eaten the end of Vals Chile that we had on the sausages Chuck brought for all here. Biggest sausages I ever seen.

After 2 nights it was back on the river.

OH before we leave this camp let me say we made it 3 whole miles on day one.

Camp 2

Made good milage this time probably 7.5 miles. Geezer warp speed.

Slight rain shower at this camp.

Full Moon over the river

Nightly Fire and fix all the worlds ills

Mac is in charge

Here is the Privy that all were wantin to see. Built and hauled by Harry SR

More to come the sequel and rest of the story
Joe

 

[Lazyriverguy]

Here is the rest of the story.
The pull out point

Mac with a light load no booze left

Here we all are ready to head home and to a hot shower.

And last butt not lease the PRIVY in use

Great trip
Joe

PS Jimmy Help

 

[oldsparkey]

Jimmy...... ( Oldyaker )

Ya post those pictures Joe sent you and I will ..... Personally.... come up there and take all of your garlic and Vino from you for the next 150 years , if not longer.

Chuckles.........

 

[oldyaker]

Tilley Hat 65 bucks...Chota paddling boots 75 bucks....Cablea's cool breeze fish.n shirt 35 bucks....


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Look on Chuckles face when he realizes he missed the train....or boat in this case....PRICELESS! :lol: :lol: :lol:




Pix compliments of my new friend .....Joe!
Miz Yak and I are contemplating a vacation at your outpost Joe after we heal....I'm taking you and Miz Val out for dinner! For a job well done! :wink:


Come on up Chuckles! I figger you'll lose your gold goat after about 200 miles and you'll never make it here anyway~ :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


YOU DA MAN JOE! :wink:



OK....It's open season on Chuckles! FIRE AT WILL!!!!! :lol:


BTW Joe....Your last picture answers an age old question! A BEAR DOES SIT IN THE WOODS!

DANG THIS IS GOOD STUFF! :twisted:

 

[a Bald Cypress]

TR

As fine a trip report as I have read. Short, to the point and the last pic ends it .

Well done

 

[bearridge]

Mister Gator Mac,

Here is the pichur of the hoop net yellow cats I tole ya bout. The law didnt come after us fer fishin' legal. Ya oughta give it a try. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[JEM]

Look on Chuckles face when he realizes he missed the train....or boat in this case....PRICELESS! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I guess that boat does want to paddle itself.

 

[oldsparkey]

Matt......

That's what I was trying to tell you.
Pull the darn thing up on the sand and turn your back setting up camp and the canoe decides it wants to go further down river.

I swear I could hear it saying .. "Why are we stopping now , there is water to cover and sights to see".

You need to attach a warning to your boats .... They do not want to stop.

In all honesty the Sasquatch 14 x 30 is one great canoe for the trip , it paddled easy and tight spots was no problem for it. Took all my gear and still had room. The guys did not like the light weight , they thought I should of made it heavier so a light breeze would not carry it off. Toting it ( since we don't portage boats) over land and around some of the blow downs we had ... everyone was wishing there's was as light.

In fact it was mentioned that I should make more of them for the guys to paddle when we run into those problems. It was lighter then some of there ice chests. :lol:

Chuck.

 

[michstripcanoe]

trip reports

Thought everyone should be informed of some of the other highlights of the St Mary's trip. Such as::::::::the first night the temperature got down to 28 degrees. A couple of nights we were serenaded by the OWL chorus (if you"ve never heard it that alone is a good reason to join in on a geezer trip). Seeing all the varieties of stoves in use, discussing their good and bad features is an education in itself. Seeing a geezer get out of their Hennesy Hammock at 3AM to get relief is worth an hours conversation around the morning campfire too. Oops ended a sentence with a preposition. Darn. Daytime temps were in the 70's and absolutely no bugs, gators, or fish. Had one fisherman go upstream with an electric motor on a johnboat, with foot peddles, casting all the way, and not catching anything, although he said he usually got some. This was a slow day for him. Passed back downstream a couple hours later. Still no fish. For you hunters out there we spotted a giant old cypress stump back off the riverbank about 100 feet that was about 15 feet high, hollowed out by mother nature, with two 12 in windows cut into it for shooting sights. Saw a couple of ladder stands too. Must be deer season up there, but didn't see or hear any shooting. One stretch was just so quiet and serene I held back and took pictures of the giant cypress. Haven't developed them yet (throw away camera). Several of us scouted around in the woods away from the river and found items that are not normally found in the woods. We concluded that they got there from a hellish type flood. The area must get flood conditions so Steve the outfitter should be contacted if anyone plans on doing that stretch opf the St Mary's.

Great trip and one we will always remember. Dapper Al.