Just
a note about our Roanoke River Platform camping trip last weekend on “Conine”.
It ended up only being two of us since the other
couple had to cancel because of a family visit that same weekend.
We put in at Williamston (9-3-04) and paddled
downstream (wonderful paddling with the current) and it only took us one
hour and twenty minutes. Then we set up camp, had supper, and then let the
owl’s “whoot” us to sleep.
Saturday morning (9-4-04) we decided to
paddle Conine Creek to make sure we could use that route on Sunday as an
exit back to the Roanoke so we could ride with the flow back to Williamston
when our kayaks would be loaded down.
Well… you told me there were some trees down
across the creek, and you weren’t kidding! Most of the trees we could
either break some small branches out of the tops or scoot under the trunk
near the bank. The worst part was on either side of the low flat Hwy. 17
bridge. We couldn’t see, but could hear the traffic crossing the bridge,
but a large tree jam on the East side slowed us down about twenty minutes.
Finally after going under the bridge, on the West side (within site of the
bridge) a large trunk tree was completely across the creek. Not wanting to
give up now, since we could see the Roanoke River on the other side, we
paddled… scooted… and pulled ourselves across that last tree. WEW!!! To
paddle from one end of Conine Creek to the other only took us three hours.
However, we never did a portage, and paddled the whole thing.
After a lunch break on the bank, we decided
to go with the flow on the Roanoke back to Williamston (stopping at the boat
ramp to stretch our legs and to call my Mom on the cell phone to get the
latest hurricane update), then back to the Conine platform. Did I mention
paddling with the current is a wonderful thing???
About halfway back to the platform, we saw a
beautiful Bald Eagle cross the river three times just in front of us before
he decided to stay perched in the top of a tree to watch us pass by. Wish I
had a camera with a zoom lens with me.
After supper, we paddled upstream at dusk,
then rode back with the flow after dark to have the owls again “whoot” us to
sleep.
Sunday morning (9-5-04) after breakfast, we
started packing up. I’m always amazed on how much STUFF we have to pack
back in two kayaks, but we made room for everything, the trash too. After
the adventure on Conine Creek the day before, we decided it might be better
to paddle the Roanoke upstream, rather than take the deck loaded heavy
kayaks back into the creek.
Did I mention paddling WITH the current is a
wonderful thing??? Ol Boy!!! Well… we made it back to Williamston in two
hours and forty five minutes. That is with taking several rest stops along
the way by hanging onto tree branches to keep from being pushed backwards.
I was glad to see the high rise Hwy. 17 bridge and that large cup of ice tea
from Bojangles was not bad either.
The Conine platform is going to be really
neat when the tin roof and the screened in area is completed. In the mean
time, be prepared to paddle up or downstream on the Roanoke until Conine
Creek has been cleared of it’s tree jams… although, it is not totally
impassable.
We had a great trip, and look forward to
camping on the other platforms,
Bambi & Allen
New Bern, NC |
