Kayaks

My Dad and I went canoeing many times. I think the first time I took him on Big Creek in the Explorer canoe hooked him. We got in just north of town and got out near old highway 34. It was after a rain so what was normally a rocky stream was a raging boat ride. Actually the creek was only a few feet deep in most places but it was still a fun trip. He loved it.

We floated down Big Creek, Big Cedar, and the Skunk River from Merrimac to Oakland Mills. I still have a piece of ancient pottery I found on a sandbar in the middle of the river. Floating down Big Creek or any float trip was like a trip to another place. The rocky bluffs on both sides of the creek made us feel like we were in the wilderness. The abundant wild life was a constant source of beauty. The whole thing was like a vacation to Colorado.

One of Dad’s neighbors, Clarence Rouse, introduced Dad to kayaking. Clarence had two kayaks that he built from kits. They had a wooden frame and were covered with a vinyl like material. They were very sturdy and could withstand major whitewater conditions. Dad went with him several times including a trip down the Buffalo River in Missouri.

That convinced Dad he should build one of his own. He ordered the kit from Folbot. It was very similar to a kit they still sell called the Greenland II. He had all the equipment he would need and was an experienced woodworker. The question, then, was where do you build a boat that size in the wintertime. Building it outside in an Iowa winter was not an option.

The basement at our house was suggested as a possible location. To make sure they could get it out of there once it was built they first brought over a 17 foot board. It would easily go down the steps and into the basement. Ever cautious, they brought Clarence’s boat over and put it in the basement. It had room to spare! So, our basement on Clay Street became the building site for the boat.

Clarence and Dad worked on it diligently for about a month. I helped when I could and when spring came we had a kayak. It returned to the basement only for winter storage and was just turned over outside in the summer. Although Dad used it a lot it was usually stored at our house and he encouraged us to use it.

That boat took the place of the Explorer canoe for us and we used it a lot. I still have two of the paddles but the boat itself is long gone. I miss it but it was heavy and vulnerable to puncture in rocky waters. It repaired easily but it was always a concern.

The last trip we took in it Dad and I got caught in a rainstorm between Rome and Oakland Mills. We waited it out standing under an overhang at Neil Panther’s cabin west of town.