Shallow Water and Some Direction
Article by Josh Colvin
“At last the tiny creek that led between the two islets appeared to starboard, and in a minute the slim little barge was chuckling up between two steep banks that closed in upon her until there seemed not room to pass another vessel of her size, should we meet one.” —Maurice Griffiths The Magic of the Swatchways
A friend and I are plotting a spring or early summer cruise at one of the Northern Idaho lakes. He knows the area better so will set the itinerary. My only preferences or requests were the same ones I usually have:
Not too crowded
There are times I don’t mind crowds—especially when it’s a group of like-minded sailors on a cruise or at an event, but in general I prefer to sail with one or two friends on one or two boats. My worst sailing memories involve towing my boat through stop-and-go traffic toward my launch site and discovering it’s opening day of a fishing season at the ramp and everyone is tense and in a hurry.
Some shallow water to explore—places only our boats or kayaks can reach
I love the places where land and water meet and I’m especially keen to see how far I can venture up shallow creeks, inlets and tributaries. Sailing in skinny water also tends to produce some interesting nature encounters and keep marine traffic to a minimum.
A few destinations over the few days
I’m reasonably comfortable sailing without a destination, but as I’ve noted before, I think most of us sailors are a little bit sadistic and need a little hardship. As much I sail to relax, I’m wired to have a goal or to explore whatever is just around that next point. Perhaps it’s an innate evolutionary desire—an attenuated version of the thing that led explorers to cross oceans. Or maybe I just don’t know how to take it easy.
Of course the best part of many cruises are things we can’t anticipate—obstacles, encounters and adventures we never expected. I’ve set out on many a leisurely sail only to end up fighting to weather a headland or rowing until my hands blister. I’ve also drifted into waters so scenic and tranquil only another sailor would understand. There are plenty of good reasons to go. And most of the best ones, I’ll only find once I’m already underway. •SCA•
Tell us about your own sailing plans. Any cruises you’re plotting? What are your own preferences for the perfect cruising grounds?
As a young man touring on a bicycle, I was able to travel light. We'd make camp and stand back to look, and it appeared that no one was there. A bag of rice for a pillow and a sleeping pad and Primus stove and water bottle, and we were set. Vespa camping allowed for more distance covered, but still didn't require much equipment, and Scamping is still an adventure. The speed is slower, but the need to keep an eye on the weather and tend to the boat is where the adventure is. I've decided that there's a common thread for me among these modes of travel: I like to know roughly where I am, but I don't really plan where I'm going. In the Scamp, I have almost total freedom to anchor wherever I want (that's safe), so my adventure basically plans itself. I can go where the wind sends me and see what comes up.
A few years ago, I was ghosting through some islands in the South Salish sea at extreme low tide, and I was treated to a big convention of bald eagles waddling around on the exposed beaches. There were probably eighty or ninety very big birds over a distance of half a mile, and their behavior did not match the elegant "National Bird" image. In the air, these birds inspire oohs and aahs, but on the beach, their grace disappears. I was reminded of a bunch of squabbling Thanksgiving turkeys lumbering and waddling back and forth and stealing from their neighbors and other birds. I was able, boards up and sail just drawing, to coast through this bird party at close range, and they completely ignored me while I had a National Geographic experience. These experiences are what keep us coming back to gather with the whales and otters and seals and birds, and a small boat with a sail is our magic carpet.
Upcoming I've planned one more TX200 trip, slightly modified this time.
I've always been aggravated that the TX200 is scheduled the second weekend in June, the same weekend that the Texas Water Safari starts. There are quite good reasons for same, schools are out and the hurricane season hasn't started yet, but it's still an aggravation.
This year I plan to start from the TX200 finish at Magnolia Beach a day early on Sunday and sail down to Seadrift to see the early water safari canoes arrive at Swan Point. From there I'll try to meet up with the TX 200 fleet at Paul's Mott. Timing for all this is amorphous at best, so many variables; weather, wind, river conditions on two rivers, it will be what it will be.
I miss the Safari, two years ago I went down to follow the race when I didn't get QB ready for the TX 200 but bailed out early with phone problems part way through the race. I've known a number of the competitors for a very long time now and we are all starting to age out, some of their grandchildren are now competitive i think.
I've learned a lot from the TX200 both about myself and what it takes to take on such a challenge in an untried boat, I'll keep doing it as long as I'm able but at 81 the finish line is getting closer.
Other tripwise for me the gold standard is undoubtedly a GURG (great unknown of the Rio Grande) trip on the Rio Grande. Doubt I'll ever make another but there's still hope for another trip or two on the Buffalo River in Arkansas.