Bloddy knee, crushe ego (Deer Creek)

This past Saturday, Jack and I did a 5.5 hour paddle down Deer Creek. We started at the access point on Rt. 1, just south of Trappe Road, and ended at the Susquehanna State Park pumping station. According to USGS Real-Time Water Data, the water gauge read 2.25 ft.

We started paddling right at 1 p.m., quickly realizing that 2.25 ft is not sufficient for paddling this creek. Thanks to low waters, Deer Creek was essentially a giant rock garden, which provided good practice for making zig-zag turns and scouting appropriate chutes.

Just as we were nearing the Churchville put-in, I got pinned between a few boulders and had to climb out of the kayak and start walking. My Keens, awesome as they are, were no match for the wet, slimy rocks. I slipped, fell forward, busted my knee and totally soaked my front side. With blood gushing, I paddled ashore and broke into the first aid kit. I cleaned the wound with alcohol, applied a bandage and got back in the boat. There was no time for crying and whining, we had to get on the move to complete the trip before sundown. Jack was thoroughly impressed that I wasn't a "girl" about the injury. Later me knee was so swollen it looked like I had two knee caps.

By the time we reached the pumping station at 6:30, I could barely drag my kayak out of the water. Between my crippled knee, tired arms and over-worked abs, it was a task.

Kayaking on the Antietam

Or, should I title this posting, "irrational fear?"Or, maybe, "Rain, and lot's of it."

For the 4th of July, I planned a kayak trip for my boyfriend and I on the Antietam in Boonsboro, MD. We arranged for a kayak shuttle with Antietam Creek Canoe, a one-man operation currently housed in a gravel lot across from Devil's Backbone. Greg (the one-man mentioned above) was very nice and the service was reasonably priced ($25), but the description of the run on his Web site is totally inaccurate.

This is where the irrational fear comes into play.

The Web site describes the dangers of the run...strainers, rushing water, fallen trees, rocks, exhaustion, insects, pollution.....DEATH, DOOM and DESPAIR!!! This Web site's hyperbolic, extremely exaggerated description of what may have been the tamest creek I've ever paddled, had me totally freaked out.

All in all it was a fun trip--a nice combo of calm, but fast moving, water and a few mini-rapids. The water is kind of dirty, I suppose that's thanks to Hagerstown being upstream. Also, there is a lot of traffic--canoeists, kayakers, fishermen, etc. on the water.

Total, we did eight miles, the last three of which it poured down rain. Between the stinging nettle lining the takeout spot, and the buckets of water that splashed us each time a car went by while we tied the kayaks up on my car, this trip required some good humor.

Tired and wet we headed towards 70, kayaks full of water atop the Honda. Just before reaching the highway we saw a Sleep Inn with a liquor store next door. We took that as a sign, and stayed the night.