Spring Potomac in the Trees

The river was pretty high today. Way higher than I’ve been on it in canoe. And I really didn’t remember what Angler’s Inn is like at 8 feet (8.3, actually).

The boat ramp and beach were gone. There is a little loop of roadway for the fire department to launch their swift water rescue raft. Today, no loop, two roads; both ending in the river.

I ended up portaging over the rocks to get to an eddy in the back channel that I could get up. Basically, paddling through the trees (and over the path a couple of times).

After a poking up as high as I could get in the back channel (I was not feeling aggressive, especially seeing the trees floating downstream), I poked my nose around the bottom corner of back channel and up as far as I was comfortable on the main channel.

The current was flying by, carrying the occasional log or tree. And the waves in what is normally flat water, were really impressive.

After a bit I headed back to the trees of the take out. I knew I didn’t really want to get into the main current, but thought I’d get close enough to catch some downstream water.

The boils and whirlpools were impressive.

If your not familiar with the area: the first photo would normally be from the bank, several feet above flat water. The second and third would be of what looks like a placid pool, it’s pretty wide, and it does flow slowly downstream normally, but it’s flat at normal levels.