I’m thinking of putting in at Pooles Mill or HWY 21 and kayaking down to West Bank or Willtown Bluff in my Wilderness Systems Ride 135. I figure the trip will take around a week. I’ve got a water filtering pump and Micropur tablets for drinking water and a mess of dehydrated backpacking meals, natural energy bars, jerky, and trail mix for food to cook with my MSR Whisperlite stove and white gas. I’ll bring my 1 man backpacking tent and a hammock and bug net with a sheet and sleeping pad for camping on the banks along the way. I think I’ll bring 1 or 2 5 gal collapsible water jugs to fill up and drink from before I start getting into the brackish and saltwater. I’ll have a mess of bug repellent and my thermacell to keep the skeeters at bay.
Does anyone have any info on the what the river is like right now? My time line is Sept 1st-9th(ish). Is there sufficient water to paddle? Is it flowing slow or fast? Any places I should avoid or take special precautions with? Can anyone think of anything I should bring I’m not thinking of? ANY info is helpful.
I paddled my kayak from the bridge at Branchville (put in at US 21 and Hwy 61 - there’s a nice store and a ramp for launching)down to Collecton State park on an overnight trip with a boy scout troop in canoes.
I recommend doing the trip in a canoe. I wore my ass out trying to keep up with the canoes even though they were loaded with gear.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 16 year old
1 - 12 year old
1 - wife (The Warden)
River has been really low. Was down to .69’ at Givans the other week but, back up some now close to 2’ or more. Even if real low it’s still fine in a canoe or yak. Flow is just slow. Branchville down is no problem. I did one from Pelion to O’burg once. Put in not far below I-20 off Hwy6. Was only 8-10’ wide. Strainers were an issue up there. That trip took 3.5 days. Was nice.
Good luck in the yak - I don’t see where you will put everything? We had 3 people and two canoes. A 19’ racer and a 16’ cargo. Both were pretty full.