Saluda Lake

 

We are paddling on Saluda Lake, Greenville County SC.   -- 331 acre reservoir--  It impounds the Saluda River which separates Greenville and Pickens counties. The Put in ramp is accessed through a private lot and the fee for our canoe was $5.00. Steep slick ramp, I had to be real careful getting sat down and situated to paddle. The 10 year old was nimble enough to jump in and help secure/stabilize the canoe as I plopped myself on the hard plastic seat. 

We headed toward the right part of the lake, not knowing where we were going but hoping to find and paddle upstream. A sand bar hidden under the water slowed the exploring canoe to a stop. Paddle pushing and gut grunting we overcame the bar, I was annoyed with myself because years before the same thing happened. Finding deeper water, we followed the shore seeing turtles logged on for a group chat and a single heron standing around with a hungry look in it's eye. Quickly realized the river wasn't here, we meandered to the left side and stopped on a huge sand island once again stuck and annoyed with ourselves. I stayed on my seat and Wyatt pushed, sinking halfway up his calves. Freedom allowed him to clean up and we were once again on our way in search of the Saluda River. Deeper water and stress free paddling put the fun back into the relaxing search for the moving water. I'd been sitting on the hard seat for over an hour with my knees higher than my buttocks and I was stiff and cramped. No easy place to stop and disembark this weary body. Wyatt would stand or sit with ease, talking all the time about nothing. We searched for a spot of sand on the shoreline where we could stop and stretch without much ado about nothing, and way on the other side we found one. A fallen tree was half in the water and half on the sand making our landing a challenge; we overcame and were able to pull the bow up enough to be on firm ground. Slow and unsteady does it, with the help of dead branches and Wyatt anchoring the canoe, I pulled  myself up to a bent standing position very rusty in the joints. You see the snake which swam around the back end of the canoe and came on land, Wyatt was able to get a couple of pictures. --It is always exciting to see a snake up close. 

Time was leaving us so we set out for the boat ramp. The return paddle was uneventful because the deep channel was clearly marked with buoys. If we do this again, and I'm sure we will, the way will be easy.Years ago when I ventured up the river, I was able to move quite a ways up stream and have a nice float back down. Four hours on the lake, not hot, a pleasant way spend an afternoon.

On the water,

Turtle

Playing Hookie in the Dark

 

                   The plan is to retire from my job of the past twenty-five years and it is becoming most difficult to continue to leave the house and fulfill my work requirements. I'm pretty much ready to quit now and kiss that part of my life goodbye.  But alas certain steps must be followed and a couple of personal goals shall be met. So, I continue to leave the house and drive the drive to my place of employment. I put my smile on and pull the happy attitude out from under the back seat and wrap it around my shoulders like a paisley scarf. And sashay into the workplace sporting steel toed shoes, jeans and matching tee shirt. Some times I'm there for eight hours and sometimes I'm Mister Worker Bee for twelve hours. It's a good job and I have no complaints.

                    Scrolling back through my blog I've discovered some posts that are labeled as a

 "Draft" and have never been finished or published. I knew that I had gotten slack and pushed the blog off to the side but didn't remember having unfinished business. So two years and two months later I'll quickly finish this post.    I did retire and have spent many hours and miles wandering in the woods since then.  These two pictures were taken on a full moon night at the Tall Pines WMA.

                    I'm trying to get back into writing about my dull boring adventures. 

Read along,

Turtle 

                     
 

                                

Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve

If it was time to take a longer hike and break up the normal weeks adventures, today was it. The Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve located off of Hwy 11 is an enjoyable hike. The last time I hiked there, there was one main trail up and over the mountain down to the Pacolet river and turn around and return the way you did come. Things were a bit different this go round and so I went off of the beaten path so to speak. 

The purpose of this hike was to see the trilliums blooming along the trail, and I did see them but I fear I was a little late in the season to enjoy their full beauty. I believe my old age is making me be aware of and giving me a greater enjoyment of flowers.

Turtle

 

Beaver Dam? Guess not!

 

          Hiking in one of my go to spots and saw where a beaver dam was being built. Now that was a little exciting and I hoped to see it completed and a small pond formed. The DNR people didn't feel the same way.

          The first, third and fourth pictures are the dam being put together, the second picture  is where it has been pulled apart. Tire tracks in the mud and water flowing freely. Oh well! Maybe another spring.

Turtle