|
the Sturgeon Page 2 |
|
After some serious thought It was decided we would walk the canoe
around the first difficult corner. The river made a 180 degree
turn and the log jam left but a few feet between itself and the
sand bar.
I've seen a few divorces happen in sections just like this one.
Your canoe gets sucked into the logs and rolls under with the current
dumping you and everything you had into the water. As you
notice your keys are gone your wife starts to hike up
and out to the road throwing what looked like a ring into the
current.
And then you get jams that need a different approach
altogether,
like the one caused by the small stream shown left. During high water times
a lot of sand, logs, and debris have been washed down and had all but close off any clean
path to cut through the corner. I checked it out fairly close and
saw the only way through that had a chance was to take a reverse shot at it.
That is to paddle up stream across to the jam and then try
to hit the hole with a hard burst at the right time.
The crude drawing to the left here will give you a good idea
of how we went through this jam. Whenever there is a question in your
mind about how to approach a corner I find it's always wise to stop
and check it out first. The person in the front should be paddling
on the left and then switch to the right side just as the nose
is almost even with the hole. At this point you had better both
be giving it all you have with the rear person on the left
side ready to turn the back around the protruding log with a hard
back stoke. We have used this maneuver many times in the past but
would recommend you practice first before you use it.
One more tip before we move on, about ducking. When you do
need to duck lay straight back into your canoe with your
paddle protecting your face. If you lean out to the side to avoid
contact with a branch that is most likely where you will end up,
over the side. If you lay low back inside the canoe your center
of gravity is better and so is the protection from poking branches.
As for you in the back, hook your feet under the crossbar an
lay over the back of the canoe with your paddle over your face
parallel to the canoe.
