Table of Contents
Tigards Awarded Lifetime Membership
Trip Reports
Christy Long: 2006 New Year Guad/San Marcos
Ken Anderson: 2006 New Year Clear Creek
Christy Long: Jan 07, 2006 Surfside
Natalie Wiest: San Antonio River
Natalie Wiest: North Shore of Galveston Bay
Natalie Wiest: Remember Goliad!
John Bartos: Buffalo Bayou 01/15/06
Mark Ittleman: Anahuac Harborfest
Mark Ittleman: Nov 2005 Sierra Club Paddle
by Christy Long
Saturday, December 31, 2005 found us at Hueco campground running the gates. The river was flowing at about 120 cfs. Not enough for the big dogs, but we little puppies were challenged to keep the boats open-side-up and pointy-end heading for the designated eddy.
We each made the run several times, carrying our boats upstream to run the first drop, make that first eddy on river right, clear the first gate, ferry across the shooting currents of the drop, and on to the second gate. Watching Janice and Fraser maneuver their OC2 through this first set of gates was truly impressive.
As it started getting crowded at the top, one boater after another would float down to the next gate and work the water in that area. We even started to do attainment moves to get the most out of an area before moving to the next drop. The instructor mode came out in Debbie as she advised Janise and Tracy on the fine art of the ferry move. The phrase "hard moves on easy water" came to mind as the group played/worked on this stretch of water. Around 4:00pm we called it quits and returned the gates to their original place out of the flow of the main channel. River runners included Tracy (K1), Debbie (K1), Janise (K1), Fraser (OC2), Janice (OC2), Bob (OC1) and I (K1).
We saw Jo Anne and her family and Jo Anne's friend, Ruth, coming down the river just as we were taking out. They were camping a few sites from us. It is a small paddling world.
New Years Eve dinner was at El Nepalitos (sp). We knew it was time to leave the restaurant when we noticed the wait staff mopping the floor. Because of the burn ban, at the campsite (and the rest of the state), we laughed and talked while sitting around the table. We hit the sack when it became uncomfortably cold. I called my husband around 10:30 to wish him a Happy New Year and that is how my year ended, full of boating, friends, and family.
Sunday, January 1, 2006, New Years Day, we headed to the San Marcos. Robert (K1), Rob (K1), Ken (K1), Tommy (Rec), and Rheda (OC1) joined us at Pecan Park.
Although
Bob had a new boat he paddled aggressively and took his turns on the surfing
waves. At times he took my turn on the rapid. Each rapid had its own set
of conditions. Old Mill has a tree deep in the current on river left.
S-turn had rocks and trees right where you comfortably needed to put your
paddle. Of course don't forget about the barbed-wire on the river left
side.
Safari
boaters provided the entertainment at Cottonseed, when a twenty foot boat
hit one of our paddlers. Both safari guy and kayaker were new to the situation
of long unmanageable boats in the water and it made for some fun conversation
later in the day. No boats or paddlers were injured in the collision.
At the end of the run we parted ways with Bob, Ken, Robert, Rob, and Tommy.
In honor of Debbie's upcoming birthday we ate at Herberts Taco Hut. When we returned to camp we found Scott (K1) was there and where he had paddled the gates.
Monday, January
2, 2006, for a short paddling day we paddled the gates. We had a good
time surfing, ferrying, and squirting. We also made bigger efforts in
our attainment moves. I joined the HCC/BCWC 2006 swim team because I did
the squirt right but the roll wrong. Anna (K1) joined us for the day,
improved her ferrying skills, and made some impressive attainment moves.
After we broke camp, we headed to Rio Vista for a nostalgic lunch on the
patio of the San Marcos River Pub and Grill, watching the boaters run
the shoot. It was another good day that ended way too soon.
Sincerely,
Christy Long
BCWC Pool Coordinator
HCC Commodore