Those who know me well know I’ve been absolutely buried at work for the past 6 months. I realized about 2 weeks ago that I was going to have a very small window in April when I could finally take a few days off work, and so I started seriously thinking about trying to plan a multi-day river camping trip on the Buffalo. As the time neared when I could take off, I realized it was looking incredibly good for the right combination of water levels and weather for a trip. Not many folks could arrange for a fairly short notice river trip, but Brad from Fort Smith agreed to join me, even though it was going to be his maiden solo canoe voyage.
We spent 5 days/4 nights on the river and traveled 70 miles from Pruitt to Buffalo Point. Other than a windy start on Thursday, and a light frost Friday morning, the weather could not have been more perfect. We treated ourselves to a small fire Thursday night and Friday morning, but other than that we were content to star gaze each night. Down jackets kept us comfortable after sundown and in the early am, but we were soon in shirt sleeves and then t-shirts and shorts for the warm sunny days on the river. Day time temps were in the 60’s on Thursday and in the 70’s maybe even low 80’s by the time we took out on Monday. Other than Thursday night when the frost indicated it dipped just below 32 degrees, it was probably in the 40’s at night and felt a bit warmer each progressive evening.
Rather than a detailed trip report, here are just a few of my favorite highlights:
- On Thursday when the wind was really howling, there were stretches where the air was full of little fuzzy tufts from the trees and plants that were swirling in the air like snow. They would spiral down to the river, lit up by the sun, and then land on the water to join us in our journey down river.
Our second night at Peter’s Cave Bluff we were surprised to see a mini-firework display against the bluff backdrop of lightening bugs. We didn’t expect to see them this early in the year, but at least a few are indeed awake and flickering their lights.
Saw two river otters at different times on Thursday: one walking along the shore, and a second one swimming in the river in front of us. At camp on Saturday night we saw an otter swimming near our site a couple of times.
Of course we saw more buzzards than we could count, quite a few hawks, and a couple of bald eagles. Also saw quite a few families of ducks: mom/dad and a brood of ducklings who would go “peep peep peep” as they flew away.
I enjoyed watching the shadows of the buzzards drift across the bluff faces or even across the river and over my boat. When I would hear a hawk cry, I enjoyed looking around to see if I could pick out which soaring shape above was a hawk vs. vulture.
Had a treat when an osprey flew overhead one day…no camera handy, but it was an impressive sight, and a great view of it.
Also saw more turtles than could possibly count. If we were gliding along close to the sunny shoreline, there would often be a “plunk plunk plunk” sound as turtles would plop themselves off the bank or off of logs and into the river as we approached. Often we could then spot their heads peeping above water to check us out, always to snap quickly back below the surface as we passed and see them swimming furiously towards the river depths.
Startled a few deer along the bank on our last morning on the river.
Enjoyed the sound track of the chorus of bird calls, kingfishers chattering, pileated woodpecker and whippoorwills calls, and hawk cries. Had quite a few pileateds calling out at Saturday’s camp, accompanied by the occasional hammering of bill to bark. Enjoyed a pair of “who cooks for you?” barred owl exchanges our last morning in camp.
Also had a couple weird sounds at just a couple spots on the river where I think silt or even very fine rocks were being kicked up by the river currents, and it would sound like I suddenly had pop rocks going off in my canoe as the silt popped against the bottom of the boat. Very strange sound!!!
Heard something walking through the water near my tent in the very early morning hours Sunday morning…think it may have been deer.
Also heard what sounded like a mini avalanche Sunday night. Brad reported he thought for a second a bear was crashing through the woods behind his tent: happily that thought didn’t enter my mind!
Saw several clusters of butterflies at camp and at lunch or stretch breaks: Tiger, Zebra and Pipevine Swallowtails. At one stop we had a cluster of butterflies just up on shore also ringed by fluttering moths, and in the small eddy just below them, a school of small minnows. It created an interesting scene to take in all at once.
A similar busy scene unfolded one day when we had flushed a family of ducks a few times down the river. A little later I saw movement along the right bank and spotted a bald eagle flying and landing in a tree branch. About the same time, a heron on river left took flight and as it flew down river, the heron flushed the family of ducks again. So much to look at in such a small span of time!
A couple bends further down the river I spotted a small object moving across the river and gave chase to see a small snake swimming among the logs along the shoreline.
Enjoyed looking at all the tracks in the mud or sand at our camp and lunch spots, trying to guess which animal made which tracks.
The splash of pink from the red buds or a shock of white from dogwood blooms brightened the bluffs. The hillsides are full of so many spring green colors…some nearly florescent lit up by the sun.
My only regret is that I couldn’t have stayed out there for a few more days and continued all the way to Buffalo City…but that journey will have to wait for another time!
Pics: there’s a lot of ‘em!
http://travel.webshots.com/slideshow/577334895hJgQkb
