2004-05-07 – Osprey on the Rum

Dan Schaffer & Stephanie Larsen, Lee Jarpey & Keith Canny, Ed Arenz & Jason Larsen, Eric Canny, Kjell Peterson, Chuck Ryan & Rick Lorenzen met at 5pm with the temp in the 70’s and clouds in a blue sky.  I wasn’t used to the behavior of the C1 racing canoe I paddled and it was hard to keep up with the tandems and Eric in his C1.   I wasn’t able to keep up with the pack and fell back before we got to the County road 116 bridge.  They had waited for me twice and I told them to take off and leave me.  I was grateful that I would have more time to get used to the behavior of the C1 solo racing canoe before I had to try riding their wakes again on the way back downstream.  I also got to take the shortcut for the first time this year.  No one else had been taking it because the up river end was clogged with downed tree branches from both sides.

Seven fuzzy baby geese on the river bank in the shortcut guarded by their proud parents.  The leaves were out, but not quite full yet.  It was hard to find the occasional hornet nest in the branches over the river.  Five miles upstream from the Anoka Fairgrounds, an osprey flew upstream ahead of me and landed on a tree around the bend.  Only to repeat the process several more times.

I did better on the way back downstream, but still couldn’t quite hang onto the canoe wakes for long.  A good workout, but it will help to lower the seat in the canoe and set it up so I could lean with confidence.  Even then, I may not be able to keep up with the running pack.  It would still be a good canoe for me to practice in when I couldn’t get a paddling partner.  I’ll be doing well if I ever get good enough to hang with the pack in this 45 pound C1 racer.  That is heavier than most tandem racing canoes.