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
  • Local
  • Saint Patrick’s Day on Saluda Lake

Saint Patrick’s Day on Saluda Lake

Posted on March 22, 2016 By Tom No Comments on Saint Patrick’s Day on Saluda Lake
Local, Paddling, Photography

Saluda Lake Paddling-31

There’s a problem with belonging to several paddling groups on Facebook. Everyone is posting these fantastic shots of their paddling trips, and I start to develop a case of paddling envy. With beautiful weather this past week, I decided I had to get out on the water, even if it was just a short paddle on a local lake. After looking at several options, I decided on Saluda Lake on the west side of Greenville.

For launching I had two options. Last time we paddled it was $3 per boat to launch from the Motor Boat Club Landing, or $3 per car for parking at the public launch site on the Pickens County side. Since it was closer and the price would be basically the same, I decided the Motor Boat Club launch would be closer and easier Turns out I was quite wrong, on all accounts.

When I got to Motor Boat Club Landing I found that the price had gone up to $7 per boat, regardless of whether it was a pontoon, ski boat, or kayak. That’s crazy. I decided I would drive on around to the Pickens side and launch from there. The Pickens launch had yet another surprise – it was free! There was only one downside. I had planned to paddle upstream as far as I could, and this would add about a mile to my trip.

Saluda Lake Paddling-1

I launched into some of the nastiest water I think I’ve seen. There was brown crud everywhere, as if I were paddling in sewage. Not an auspicious beginning to this trip. I hoped that when I got into the current of the Saluda things would improve.

Saluda Lake Paddling-30

I was in my Tsunami 145, and I had changed the placement of my GoPro camera mount. It had been far down on the very tip of the bow. I added a second mount closer to where I could reach it so that I could change batteries easily.

Saluda Lake Paddling-2

The only problem is that I placed it too close. I occasionally hit it with my paddle. It did give me a chance to turn it around and take a couple of selfies, though.

Saluda Lake Paddling-32

I continued north, and noticed some changes. Back in 2010 when I first started paddling this lake Alan and I had noticed lots of abandoned boat houses and derelict buildings. There didn’t seem to be as many of those this time.

There was another HUGE change, though. Saluda Lake has had a major siltation problem. There was a long spit of sand blocking the Motor Boat Club landing. On our first trip to the lake, Alan and I had gotten turned around and didn’t even make it onto the river course because of the silt. On a 2012 paddling trip there was lots of construction, as if they were doing some lake remediation. Well, it seems to have worked, because the path seemed completely clear now. I didn’t spot any signs of siltation.

Saluda Lake Paddling-34
Saluda Lake Paddling-6
Saluda Lake Paddling-8
Saluda Lake Paddling-36
Saluda Lake Paddling-10
Saluda Lake Paddling-38

The changes can be seen even more dramatically in the Google Earth imagery. Here’s the image from 2010 showing the long siltation spit.

Saluda Lake Siltation 2010

Here is the latest image from 2016.

Saluda Lake Siltation 2016

They (whoever “they” is) did an excellent job with lake remediation. Water levels weren’t particularly high, but I didn’t hit sand bars out in the middle of the lake like I have in previous trips. The water had, in fact, cleared a bit, and the brown crud seemed to be contained to the lower end of the lake.

I continued on up river until I reached the part where it narrows. Twice I could have sworn I saw a bald eagle flying ahead of me upstream. The white tale was very distinctive. However, each time it was a brief glimpse, and I was never able to catch it in binoculars or camera.

Saluda Lake Paddling-13
Saluda Lake Paddling-39
Saluda Lake Paddling-43

Soon I was approaching Farr’s Bridge on Highway 183. I had forgotten that the old road bed and bridge abutments still exist just downstream from the current bridge. The recent heavy rains had washed lots of flotsam up against the bridge supports. Finding a path through was trickier than previous trips.

Saluda Lake Paddling-15
Saluda Lake Paddling-16
Saluda Lake Paddling-17
Saluda Lake Paddling-18
Saluda Lake Paddling-19
Saluda Lake Paddling-20
Saluda Lake Paddling-48

I continued on past the bridge. My original goal was to make it up to Hunt’s Bridge, but with the added distance from the new launch site it became apparent that I wasn’t going to make it quite that far. I paddled as far upstream as I felt comfortable, then headed back.

Saluda Lake Paddling-21
Saluda Lake Paddling-50
Saluda Lake Paddling-52
Saluda Lake Paddling-53
Saluda Lake Paddling-24
Saluda Lake Paddling-25

Coming back I was riding with the current, so it went a bit more quickly. However, when I came around the bend where the river opens onto the lake a stiff head wind had come up. So, current one way, head wind on the other. It was going to be a chore either direction.

Saluda Lake Paddling-64
Saluda Lake Paddling-65

I made it back to the ramp a bit later than I had hoped. It was already afternoon, and I had planned to have lunch downtown for St. Patrick’s Day. That was going to have to be a later afternoon beer and sandwich. When I arrived at the ramp another boater was also complaining about the brown crud that seemed to plague this part of the lake.

Saluda Lake Paddling-67
Saluda Lake Paddling-68

In all, I paddled 6.34 miles – not too bad for a quick paddling trip out on a local lake. They have made some nice improvements here, and with free parking at Pickens County ramp, I’ll have to come out here more often.

Saluda Lake Trip

Saluda Lake Paddling-31

Post navigation

❮ Previous Post: Flea Market Finds and QSL Cards
Next Post: Dime Store Memories ❯

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 (200)
  • Entertainment (202)
  • Family (121)
  • Gear (115)
  • General Technology (99)
  • Geocaching and Maps (208)
  • History and Genealogy (266)
  • Internet (144)
  • Local (451)
  • Miscellaneous (550)
  • Music (196)
  • Paddling (248)
  • Photography (779)
  • Podcast (6)
  • Rambling (227)
  • Rants (161)
  • Recipes (34)
  • Religion (48)
  • Restaurants (165)
  • Science (48)
  • Things Overheard (29)
  • Travel (411)
  • Uncategorized (129)
  • Washington Sabbatical (113)
  • Weirdness (60)

Recent Posts

  • In Search of the Road Builder
  • The Phoenix Riots and Dr. Benjamin Mays – An MLK Day Ramble
  • An Obsession with Steak Knives
  • An Epiphany on Patriotism
  • Kayaking Bates Old River and Running Creek

Recent Comments

  • Elizabeth on The Temple of Health: Ground-Truthing in Antreville
  • The Bay Area Basketball Fan’s Guide to March Madness on FU All the Time!
  • Why You Should Root For This March Madness Underdog on FU All the Time!
  • Gregory Davis on Ghost Towns of the Pee Dee – Part 2, Centenary
  • Ivo Otto Deron on Seeking Music in Upstate SC

Tags

blogging cemetery Christmas Columbia Edisto River edtech Entertainment family Flickr Florida Furman Furman University gear Georgia geotagging Ghost Town Ghost Towns Google Earth Google Maps GPS Greenville Greenville Chorale 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 2023
S M T W T F S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Jan    

Copyright © 2023 Random Connections.

Theme: Oceanly by ScriptsTown