Annie Creek Gorge partially encircles the campground where we live; there is a trail along the rim of the gorge, and another trail going down to, and along, the creek. Trying to continue my walking routine, I usually start out the mornings walking the rim trail. I miss my walking group in Houston, but what a scenic change from the usual walking route!

Everyday, Tom returns with news from the boat scene. Usually it’s about the people on the tours, or in the dock area. A few days ago, a group of Amish came down the trail, not to take a boat ride, but to swim! They got in the water fully clothed, and swam around in single file. They walked ashore and hiked back up the trail.

Often Tom spots eagles either perched, or soaring over the lake. The baby eaglet is ready to try his wings any day now. The next major lesson will be how to hunt.
Tom always has his camera with him. He has snapped some awesome photos of the caldera casting a mirror-image on the deep, smooth water.

When the “Old Man of the Lake” is located, it is amply photographed. Once upon a time, according to Ranger Don, rangers from the boat tours stepped off onto the stump so people could photograph the ranger-on-the-stump-in-the-middle-of-the-lake, but that is no longer allowed. Every day, Tom is still amazed that the water remains so clear, so blue, and so am I, as I observe Crater Lake from the rim.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

("Here's another nice mess you've gotten me into"- Oliver Hardy)

Tom decided on his day-off today we would go kayaking on Wood River. This is a narrow, yet pleasant waterway that meanders through pasturelands from Ft. Klamath to Agency Lake. The internet describes it thus:

Wood River
"This small, spring-born river winds its way through pasture lands in the Klamath Basin before it empties into Agency Lake, approximately 30 miles from its source. Trophy-sized rainbow and brown trout in the 4- to 5-pound range and larger lay waiting for an angler’s fly. Wood River flows virtually entirely through private lands, necessitating a small boat, such as a canoe or pontoon boat to navigate it. A Wood River float trip is enjoyable in its own right as it meanders lazily through lush farmlands."

The river is shaped rather like this: SsSsSsSs. Captain Gene offered us his inflatable “2-man” kayak, so we were all set. At the Fort Klamath General Store, we paid $15 to have our jeep driven from the put-in site downstream to the second bridge, approximately a 4-hour float down river. (I had suggested that the first bridge at 1 1/2 hours would be a better choice - "No problem," Tom replied, "Look how fast the current is going!" )

When we unfolded the “2"-man kayak we found it smaller than our 1-man kayaks we had left at home. We had provisions, of course: sun screen, bug spray,air pump (just in case), sandwiches, carrot strips, chips, crackers, 1 bottle GatorAde, and 4 bottles of water.

It was a challenge to pack the provisions and ourselves in the water craft – Tom had to dangle his feet over the edge, and I had mine folded up under the bow, with my elbows on Tom’s knees. (Wish we had a photo of that!)The provisions, in Ziplock bags, and water bottles were interspersed between body parts. Somehow, we launched.

The scenery quickly took on the pastoral description we had heard about – and it never really changed. We did like seeing the water reeds and insect-life up close. Clarity was amazing. We followed the current, not paddling too much, except to keep out of the eddies. We had not been told the river was usually low in August, thus flow was slower.

This was pastureland, and there was no shade anywhere along the river, or places to stop and re-air the kayak (which we needed to do), or take a break. After 1 ½ hours, when we were supposed to reach the “first bridge” there was no bridge, no road in sight – just marshy pastures, and reeds, and insects. Scenic – in a singular fashion . I was re-applying sunscreen every 20 minutes.

We began to hear “lowing” in the distance, and soon we could detect the odor of …………… cattle. Then around one of the ubiquitous bends we saw the beasts, and they saw us. I knew that cattle generally are not known to attack, but this is a narrow river, and these animals, dozens of them, were so large, right there on the bank, looking suspiciously at us. I mentioned my concern to Tom, and he said, “Watch this.” He smacked his paddle loudly in the water. Have you ever seen a cattle stampede in a late-night western? This herd raised their heads, pivoted on their hooves, and in clouds of dust they did a 180 and thundered off! I was quite relieved, but in about 20 yards they stopped, and every beefy eye stared at us. We floated on. By the time we were at a safe distance, they had returned to the bank to munch grass.

After several more cattle encounters, we arrived at the first bridge an hour late, and at this point we felt like oven-baked sardines. At this rate it would be another 6 hours on the river before we finished our “float.” The Wood River is nice, but 2 ½ hours experiencing it, in the unrelenting sun, in a toy boat, is all the fun one needs. Providence intervened – the General Store crew crossed over the first bridge and spotted us about 100 yards down river. They honked, and we waved our paddles wildly. We turned into the current and paddled like madmen back to the “take-out” site. By “coincidence,” they had brought the jeep to the first bridge, at just the time we were still in sight. Another 10 yards, and we would have been around the bend.

So, if you have to be in a "nice mess," the Wood River is not a bad location, but only go to the first bridge.