Skip to content

Random Connections

A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Photos
  • Resources
  • Other Voices
  • Post Archives
  • Home
  • Paddling
  • Juniper Run

Juniper Run

Posted on December 29, 2005 By Tom No Comments on Juniper Run
Paddling, Travel

The decision was not made lightly.  Do we go to Disney World, or do we go camping, kayaking, and four-wheeling?  After spending eight days without power, we figured we had already done the camping thing, but we decided for Ocala National Forest over animated mice.

We packed up the convertible and headed out at 6:00 AM for the three hour drive to Ocala.  We had to be on the river by noon, so time was crucial.  As we drove into the campground, I felt as ill-prepared for a camping/paddling trip as ever – no sleeping bags, no capilene, no wettsuit, no drybag, and not enough changes of warm-clothing.  Couple that with the plethora of RVs, ATVs, kayaks, and trucks, and I felt like a clueless snowbird pulling up in his fancy Audi.

We made it to Juniper Springs in time, and rented three aluminum canoes to go with the two kayaks we already had.  Our party consisted of Amy & Karl, Karl’s brother and wife, and their three kids – five craft in all.

The Juniper Run is listed as a technical, seven-mile run.  Since I was used to whitewater rivers, I wondered how a flatwater run could be listed as "technical."  I soon found out.  The current was quite strong with multiple channels, twists and turns.  The ability to manuver a canoe was a crucial skill, especially since there were multiple deadfalls that required limbo skills.

The river starts off through a forested area with vines and cypress everywhere.  There was plenty to see, but it was impossible to sightsee without hitting a low limb.  It took awhile for me to switch from kayak to canoeing, but soon Laura and I were working as a team, albeit not without a few mistakes along the way.

Lunch was shades of Indiana Jones, as a huge wolf spider crawled along Laura’s back.  We ate on the boats, since wading and walking on the bank was not allowed.  The river is fed by springs, and there are deep holes that could be hazardous.

Shortly after lunch, Laura and I took the lead, and after the two-thirds mark, we entered an open area with lilly pads and multiple channels.  We decided we didn’t want to be in the lead, so we waited for the rest of the flotilla.  It was at that point that we learned of Karl’s new nickname – Hiawatha.  Such nicknames are earned in Karl’s family for actions of questionable judgement in a canoe.  In this case it was misjudging the height of a limb and managing to spill his canoe.

The remainder of the paddle was through a mix of grassland and forest.  By this time we were exhausted, so fighting occasional headwinds was not pleasant.  One very low bridge, and soon we were at the takeout, three hours later.  As we loaded canoes and kayaks onto the shuttle, everyone dumped the excess water except for Laura and me.  We’re proud to state that the only thing that came out of our craft was dry leaves.

Back at the camp we had a fantastic meal of grilled ribs, then collapsed.  

Post navigation

❮ Previous Post: Snowbirds
Next Post: Four Wheeling ❯

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Categories

  • EdTech (199)
  • Entertainment (201)
  • Family (118)
  • Gear (115)
  • General Technology (98)
  • Geocaching and Maps (208)
  • History and Genealogy (254)
  • Internet (144)
  • Local (447)
  • Miscellaneous (539)
  • Music (188)
  • Paddling (239)
  • Photography (778)
  • Podcast (6)
  • Rambling (223)
  • Rants (160)
  • Recipes (34)
  • Religion (48)
  • Restaurants (165)
  • Science (48)
  • Things Overheard (29)
  • Travel (410)
  • Uncategorized (129)
  • Washington Sabbatical (113)
  • Weirdness (59)

Recent Posts

  • Reanimating the Dead
  • Paddling the Saluda River from Cooley’s Bridge
  • Germophobic Paranoia Blues and Other Dream Tunes
  • Orphaned Graveyards – Bakers Chapel AME
  • Orphaned Graveyards – Fellowship Church

Recent Comments

  • Bonnie Whitaker Klyce on Paddling the Saluda River from Cooley’s Bridge
  • Ed calvert on The Sad Fate of Chappells
  • Ed calvert on The Sad Fate of Chappells
  • Ed calvert on The Sad Fate of Chappells
  • Ed calvert on The Sad Fate of Chappells

Tags

blogging cemetery Christmas Columbia Edisto River edtech Entertainment family Flickr Florida Furman Furman University gear geotagging Ghost Town Ghost Towns Google Earth Google Maps GPS Greenville Greenville Chorale hiking history Instructional Technology kayaking Lake Jocassee LCU Lowcountry Unfiltered maps Music North Carolina Paddling Photography rambling restaurant Restaurants review singing social networking South Carolina time-lapse Travel video Washington Washington State
March 2021
S M T W T F S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  
« Feb    

Copyright © 2021 Random Connections.

Theme: Oceanly by ScriptsTown