Beach Creek, Sunday

[canoe]

fter#@!%^, got a call early Sun., after paddling Cossatot Sat., and attending the Buccella's crawfish boil sat nite. Nick says "it's running". I've been waiting 30 years to get on Beach, and wasn't going to miss this. Pam and I came in from Red Star, and met Dr. Bob,Johhna, Nick, Lance, Cowper,Marc, and a bunch of others. Dragged down to Edgmon creek, which seemed low, but all the kayakers, wanted to wait till the creek came up. We finnally got on, and I should have known we where in trouble when Dr Bob swam on the 3rd drop(about 30 yards). Bounced down Edgmon, with a few problems here and there.Really bouncy, rocky, untill the creek started rising, when it started getting pushy. Swam a tight slot, but no biggy, the the creek ROSE. After Beach Creek came in everything got BIG. Had another swim, (don't remember where). Had a great run thru Beach Ball, then another rapid that Cole swam, and decided to walk out. Took a while for Cowper to plug in the GPS #'s, meanwhile I tried to eat Nutrigrain bar and promptly threw it up. The next big rapid was White Lightning. Cowper and I ran about 3/4 of it , eddy out, and Cowper said "damn, maybe I should have walked out with Cole". I thought he was talking about me, but in retrospect, he told me he was talking about himself. The next big rapid was Beach Falls, and I ran it ok, but swam at the bottom. It was a bad swim. banged my right hip multiple times(same hip I desroyed on BIG SPLAT). Boat goes down the river, I hike up and over a ridge or 2, spy the K1-s, !!!!) part of the river, and have to walk back over the same ridge, scale down, a broken cliff face. I'm about 3 ft. above the river, but see a ledge 18 in below, try to step down, slip, and end up projecting myself into the river. Luckily, Marc and Scott hit me with ropes, one on each shoulder, and pulled me across the river. At that point I'm done and end up scrambling up the hill on river right, and finally, find a trail, that led me to the futher site of the Earth School, where Pam, Cowper and Cole met me. Still have to go back and get the boats, but after that I think I'm done. dale

[WM]

Glad you guy's made it out ok , I plan on going with Cole Friday and help with getting the boats out

Wayne

[T Yamashita]

Good thing I have this cold bug or I'd been tempted to go (Yeah right). Good story & glad it turned out well.
ty

[Roger]

Glad you got out, Doctor.

[panicman]

Dang dale that sounds rough. I just got back today from running beach for my 1st time. Run turned out great for everyone but I sure can see where things can go bad in a hurry on that creek.

[okieboater]

The legend of Beech continues to grow.........

[Ryan Center]

Dale, that sounds about like the same area I hiked out. We found an old road near bottom and hiked right by the Earth School myself. Is your boat down by the creek or at the school? Do you have someone willing to go back and get it, or do you need me to?

[Cowper]

When I last talked to Dale, he and Andy M were thinking they might go back in on Tuesday. Lance has indicated he might go get it, depending on what levels are doing, and Cole and I are both willing /planning to go Friday, if someone hasn't already beat us to it. Our plan was to paddle the creek, portaging where needed, which we expect due to levels likely being too low for a "real" float by Friday.

Send me a PM if you think you can beat Friday, and I'll reply with exact GPS coordinates of the first boat. The second one is downstream several rapids; both on river right.

[Ryan Center]

With a broken arm, I would only be good for getting one boat, and would have to hike in. Your plan sounds a lot better.

[canoe]

Planning on leaving about 10 to see if we can get the boats out. dale

[hellbender]

great read dale.good luck today

[canoe]

Andy and I got to Beech about 12noon, and were on the trail by 12:10. We hiked the same trail, till I knew by the landmarks, where my boat was. had an old topomap that seemed to show atrack all the way down to Beech. Sure enough, the track was there, although we had to cast around a time or 2 to relocate it, turns out the track led us to beech creek, right at the bottom of White Lightening. I knew Cole's boat was upstream, so we walked a fairly flat portion of the bank on river right upstream, till I recognized where Cole took out, turned to Andy and said"walk up that ravine about 20 ft". Sure enough, there was his boat. I paddled Coles boat down, while Andy walked safety ahead of me, at one point having to ford the creek to river left because the river right cliffed out. Ironacally, he had to swim back across the river to the right, at the same place I did on Sunday, although without as much drama, walk 40 yds to where my boat was. Turned out, I had parked at the very limits of where the creek came up(it was evident my boat had floated upwards a few inches, but not far since it was tethered to a huge hickory). Fairly easy float down from there, Andy in my boat,me in Cole's, off by 5:30, home in time for the 2nd Tornado warning of the day for RSVL. dale

[KimL]

I'm glad you're both safely off, boats recovered. I know Ms. Pam was worried. So, what are you going to tackle tomorrow? Niagara?

[Muffman]

Good story Dale, guess i'll try that one on the wennie level first..... if there is a wennie level... Glad to hear all got safe and gear recovered.