Shoal Branch

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,195
4,294
Pines; Bamber area
Always wanted to try this branch, to see how far I could go. I was eventually blocked (and me without a saw), but I got far up this surprising stream. It is fairly wide and deep, and had been kept open in the past by someone. Very, very quiet back there, especially nice was the drift back downstream. I raised up quite a few ducks. I think they were black ducks, but not sure. Up and back took about 3 hours or so. A nice way to spend the day, no other souls were around. The reservoir is choked with sphagnum outside the stream course, so that was the only tough spot. You do have to drag your boat into the preserve past the gate, but some things are worth it.
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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,195
4,294
Pines; Bamber area
Looks like a great time! How far did you have to drag your boat?

About 600 feet if you come in from the east side. Note: there was one spot about halfway up that is a mass of trees across the creek. But, there is an opening on the left side that is really easy, it's just hard to see until you get close.

I could have cut that 6oo feet in half, but I wanted to get the clearest shot
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,628
8,229
Just a short distance past your ending point was the AI stone for the Jones Mill Tract. It appears to no longer be there and now a monument marks the Parker Preserve corner.


AI.jpg
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,628
8,229
Bob,

If you remember I mentioned that we could go up there again to look at the AI stone location to see if it was underground. So lets go up and do what you had planned and also look for the stone.
 
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woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,341
327
Near Mt. Misery
Hmmm. there are some beaver lodges in the back of the reservoir and a couple came out and gave me a splashing when I hung around there for too long. I never had that happen before. I was given a few warning tail slaps but then they proceeded to actually splash me when I didn't leave. they worked as a team. It was a unique and fairly comical experience (it was funny the next day, not so much when it happened)

As for clearing the shoal....I don't know. I saw the very old evidence of clearing that you did. The lack of maintenance provides protection to the area upstream which gets into some very remote areas.

Jeff
 
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