River Otters and Road Walking

June 27, 2024

Mile 271.9-287.1 (7 miles of portaging)

I was up at 8:30 this morning after it rained most of the night but we somehow still didn’t get on the water until 11 am. It was a beautiful paddle across Salem Pond before starting out again on the upriver Clyde. The banks were lined with ferns and it felt like we were in wilderness again.

I said “I feel like we’re going to see otters” and Henry agreed. Less than 5 minutes later… there they were- a family of 4! We watched them in awe and were able to sneak up on them before they spotted us and warned the others with little chirps. Two of them were so close to the boat and popped their little heads out of the water like periscopes before disappearing downstream and popping up a few more times. It truly makes me believe in magic when things like this happen.

We paddled a little further and the river conditions really started to go downhill (surprise, surprise!) We pulled over to see if we could possibly pull the canoe through private property to get to the road when Henry looked down and found a beaver skull just off shore! Completely intact teeth and all.

After finding the field swampy and not wanting to get shot for trespassing we decided to continue on the river. The rocks were so slippery and the current got stronger the further we went upstream. We tried paddling a few times but couldn't paddle hard enough to get anywhere, instead just stuck paddling in place as if we were on a canoeing treadmill as the water rushed past us. Eventually Henry got out and pulled the canoe with me in the back. I offered to get out and walk too but he was afraid the current would sweep my legs out from under me.

The water got deeper and deeper and the rapids faster. It was dangerous and sketchy and I clung to the sides of the boat the entire time, ready to jump out at a moments notice in case Henry were to slip, I'd have to bail and try to grab the canoe before getting swept downstream. We finally made it the last 0.6 miles to the portage and had to take out mid rapid up a steep bank. I pulled as hard and fast as I could at the top of the bank before the current could push the boat around and crush Henry into the bank. We were both safely on shore but now still on someone's private property since we couldn't make it the whole way to the official take out. We quickly loaded the boat and snuck out of the bushes onto the road. What a fucking experience.

We had a short walk to Scampy's General Store and got a pepperoni pizza which was the best pizza of the trip so far.

I got my period earlier in the morning and the cramps were starting to get bad just in time for our big road walk, yay me! We started off, Henry in front and I lagged behind, unbuckling my hip belt and staring at my feet to try to ignore the extreme pain I was in.

Henry looked back and realized I was a ways behind and waited for me at a pull off along the road. I took the opportunity to disappear into the trees to pee there and as I stepped into the woods slipped and fell on my knee in, you guessed it, a pile of human shit. I took a single moment to take a deep breath and refused to gag. I'm a nurse. I can handle human shit. I abandoned my pee mission and went back to the canoe, wiping it off with baby wipes and covering myself in hand sanitizer. Henry seemed a little wary wondering if I was going to lose it but I held myself together and we continued walking.

My audiobook made the road walk go by quickly and my cramps eventually eased up some. An older couple pulled over and really wanted to give us a ride or help us in some way and settled on giving us their number in case we would need anything.

We put back in at the river at 10 Mile Rd and it was absolutely beautiful. Right across the road was an NFCT farm stand selling fresh veggies, syrup, and canned goods.

Golden hour shone on the mountains and the wind at our backs meant we didn't even have to paddle, it was strong enough to push us upstream.

We changed our plans to camp at North Woods Landing so we wouldn't be getting to camp at 9:30 pm. We got here very quickly and early. It's a beautiful site back in the forest and I spotted a hole in a tree full of baby woodpeckers at the dock. It will be nice to read tonight and head to bed early.