Canoe Trip

 Up at 4:00 am this morning. Coffee was made first then breakfast started. We all needed to eat breakfast then pack lunches for our canoe trip and then be at the canoe rental by 7:50 am. We had 23 on this trip, Lee decided the 16 miles of canoeing was just to much for 2 year old Zeke. At the half way point we needed to portage over a downed tree. After the tree it was a shallow part of Current River. Mark and I got stuck, Rhoda got out of her canoe to push us then after we had successfully got through the rapids and had turned the corner I heard Taunya yell, "Rhoda, Rhoda!" Then we heard nothing. We were in the rapids and once we turned the corner tried to stop but wasn't able to actually stop for about 20 minutes. We were concerned that Rhoda, Taunya and Iris had not caught up with us so decided to wait sending out texts and calls to them but there was no cell service. After 10 minutes realizing we could not paddle up the river with this current decided to try to catch up with the group and send help. It took us an hour to catch up with the group who had stopped for lunch and were jumping off the cliff and swinging on a rope swing. David and Philip borrowed Mark and my shoes and started running up the river which was probably at least 3 miles. Nolan left about 30 minutes later to try to find them. We discussed walking to find cell service then ask Lee if he had a way to track Rhoda without worrying him.  After another hour, finally here came a canoe with 2 strangers and thankfully Rhoda. Rhoda explained that Taunya and Iris were in a second canoe right behind them. It turned out that when Rhoda went to get back into the canoe she lost her shoe in the current, tried to find her shoe, the canoe tipped out Taunya and Iris, then the current took it under a tree. Taunya lost one of her shoes in the accident and Iris was very upset. These 3 tried hard to get the canoe out of the tree but there was no way. 

As both Rhoda and Taunya had lost a shoe they were stuck trying to float down the river and or walk but the rocks were awful. Rhoda tried using her hat tied on to her foot to help. It didn't. There was no other canoes or floats this morning, we were the only ones on the river. We were really concerned as 2 hours had gone by and now not only were Rhoda, Taunya and Iris missing so was David and Philip. That wasn't the only accident. Mark got hooked up on a tree, that flipped our canoe and he was stuck in the tree not able to get loose until his shirt ripped. We still had about 8 more miles to canoe. We missed our 2:00 pm pick up but were able to join the 3:00 pm pick up. We were very thankful for Jay and Vickie, the heroes that picked up Rhoda and the other canoe people that picked up Taunya and Iris.

When we finally got home we were all pretty exhausted. Thankfully before leaving this morning I filled 2 crockpots with pot roast, potatoes and carrots so supper was easy. We all ate at 4:30 pm then went to the fish hatchery in Montauk State park to feed the fish. At dark the kids wanted to play in the hot tub for the evening. This hot tub has made this place so much fun for the grand children. 

The kids and adults have been working on making bait for our fishing trip tomorrow. We will need to leave early again so we are heading to bed soon. If interested in the pictures from today click HERE.