All,
A few weeks ago Gabe and I spoke about getting a PBX paddle together before the summer was over.
We contacted the members of PBX to see who would be able to make a Friday paddle. We planned a Friday paddle to avoid the summer weekend crowd. It was a toss up between The Batsto or The Mullica. Gabe decided we should do the Mullica. We set the date for Friday August 17th, the vaction days were requested, and the logistics were setup. The members in attendence were Guy, Bob, Scott, Gabe, Tom, and I.
Bob and I met Guy at Atsion a little after 8:00 am so Guy could follow me to Pleasant Mills so I could drop my truck and trailer off to be used for the shuttle vehicle back to Atsion at the end of the day. We met the other members at Atsion around 9:00 am. We had a nice surprise when Scott jumped in on the trip at 5:00 am that morning. We all got our gear and boats together and hit the river.
The going was slow in the beginning due to low water level and a lot of logs in the water that we would get hung up on. When the river is at a higher level you can pass over the logs with no issues. As we got further down river conditions improved. The many beaver dams helped to keep the water level up. Once we reached the confluence of Sleepy Creek and the Mullica it got easy going. We got to see some beautiful country along the Mullica with its many changes along the way. At one moment you can be paddling through a cedar swamp, and then the next you are paddling through a savannah, and then you are paddling through some pine uplands with it's high sand banks, then you enter a maple swamp. I can't think of a better way to spend a summer day then paddling one of the small rivers in the pines. It was a long paddle and a long day on the river. We did in one day what most people do in two days. We were all exauhsted at the end of the day and glad to see the landing! It was a 9 hour paddle. Gabe, Bob, Tom and I finished the day off at Gabe's Nan's house on the Mullica with a few cold drinks, BBQ wild pig sandwiches, chips, Tom's hot peppers, and some cookies.
The mighty Mullica.
The PBX crew on the Mullica in an area flooded by beaver.
Beautiful country.
One of the many high sand banks along the way that made a nice spot to take a break, stretch, and go for a swim.
Bob pointing out the confluence of Sleepy Creek and The Mullica.
A savannah along the Mullica.
Tom's passenger.
Dusk along the Mullica.
Chris
A few weeks ago Gabe and I spoke about getting a PBX paddle together before the summer was over.
We contacted the members of PBX to see who would be able to make a Friday paddle. We planned a Friday paddle to avoid the summer weekend crowd. It was a toss up between The Batsto or The Mullica. Gabe decided we should do the Mullica. We set the date for Friday August 17th, the vaction days were requested, and the logistics were setup. The members in attendence were Guy, Bob, Scott, Gabe, Tom, and I.
Bob and I met Guy at Atsion a little after 8:00 am so Guy could follow me to Pleasant Mills so I could drop my truck and trailer off to be used for the shuttle vehicle back to Atsion at the end of the day. We met the other members at Atsion around 9:00 am. We had a nice surprise when Scott jumped in on the trip at 5:00 am that morning. We all got our gear and boats together and hit the river.
The going was slow in the beginning due to low water level and a lot of logs in the water that we would get hung up on. When the river is at a higher level you can pass over the logs with no issues. As we got further down river conditions improved. The many beaver dams helped to keep the water level up. Once we reached the confluence of Sleepy Creek and the Mullica it got easy going. We got to see some beautiful country along the Mullica with its many changes along the way. At one moment you can be paddling through a cedar swamp, and then the next you are paddling through a savannah, and then you are paddling through some pine uplands with it's high sand banks, then you enter a maple swamp. I can't think of a better way to spend a summer day then paddling one of the small rivers in the pines. It was a long paddle and a long day on the river. We did in one day what most people do in two days. We were all exauhsted at the end of the day and glad to see the landing! It was a 9 hour paddle. Gabe, Bob, Tom and I finished the day off at Gabe's Nan's house on the Mullica with a few cold drinks, BBQ wild pig sandwiches, chips, Tom's hot peppers, and some cookies.
The mighty Mullica.
The PBX crew on the Mullica in an area flooded by beaver.
Beautiful country.
One of the many high sand banks along the way that made a nice spot to take a break, stretch, and go for a swim.
Bob pointing out the confluence of Sleepy Creek and The Mullica.
A savannah along the Mullica.
Tom's passenger.
Dusk along the Mullica.
Chris
