Flatwater Trip Report: Saturday, March 24

After two near death experiences, a close look at a hydroelectric dam, and three wildlife encounters, I can finally take a minute to reflect on my first flatwater trip.

The morning began like most KATS trips. We weren’t quite sure who was coming or when they would be there. After a short discussion we decided it would be Ed, Hoot, Butch, and myself. Excellent! Two seasoned paddlers and two beginners.

We quickly got settled into our boats and began paddling up the Kentucky River. In no time at all, well precisely at 11:40 am, the whistle blew and we became concerned that we’d get run over for sure. The same feeling came at 11:55 am.

However, at 11:47 we successfully paddled under the highest railroad bridge (308 feet) in the US over a navigable stream and did not get run over by a train. Which bridge? The creatively named High Bridge, of course!

We continued up the Dix River under the newly budding trees towards the hydroelectric dam run by Kentucky Utilities. We all hoped we wouldn’t hear the alarm, which sounds two minutes prior to the release resulting in, well, craziness.

Thankfully, our day on the Dix was calm and relaxing. We glided past a fly fisherman and had a nice lunch on a rock island…despite Hoot’s attempts to woo me out of my Snickers bar.

After lunch we continued up the Dix to have an up-close and personal look at the dam. Fascinating! Because of the calmness of the water, we were able to paddle right up to it and even peek inside some parts.

Paddling down river was much more relaxing and gave us plenty of time to talk about the views and the beaver sticks we were collecting. Although Butch noted that I was babbling as much as the river, we all had our fair share of tales to tell. Just ask Ed about Rudi the deer who wore an Olympic medal and snacked on fishing hooks one day.

After many tall tales, we started to notice more and more barkless sticks floating in the water. As Butch paddled past the bank he spotted a small beaver scampering to the water!

With a few more strokes, I saw some foul boxes of some sort…Ed’s story was that they were wood duck boxes and Hoot chimed in that wood ducks are really talented with their beaks. Listening to them both I casually asked, “Is anyone home?” Butch responded with surprise, “Yeah! There’s an owl in there!” We all paddled a little closer to have a look at the owl peering down at us from his “wood duck” box. I bet those ducks charge a pretty penny for those houses.
I was very excited that we got to see an owl and shortly thereafter we all saw yet another beaver! It was incredible!

We meandered back to the dock telling even more tales and headed home after a great day on the Kentucky and Dix Rivers.

I joined KATS to try new things and I must say, after my first flatwater trip, I have a new appreciation for paddling. Sure, the little experience I’ve had with whitewater has been fun and exciting, but it was nice to sit back and watch all the little details that you pass by on the river.