The morning did not look too promising. Then it rained on the drive to Baldwin. But by the time we launched on the Pere Marquette River at Bowman Bridge, the sun was out and the day remained perfect for paddling. Our intrepid band included Lois, John, Irene, Paul, Marlene, Kent and myself, Larry.
Wildlife was spotted immediately...but not on the river, on the road. Several deer tempted fate with Marv’s truck during the shuttle but all survived. We did see wildlife on the river; an eagle, blue heron, turtle, geese, and beer cans. During lunch, Lois and John regaled us with past exploits ("lessons learned the hard way"), most of them ending with the conclusion, “...and that is why you should never/always do this”. All very useful information to me since I am the newbie. After lunch we tackled Rainbow Rapids which we traversed unscathed. An hour later, we were at our take out point at Upper Branch, weary but happy and looking forward to our next adventure.
Photos by Larry, Irene, and John
Our start of the trip - Bowman Bridge Landing
Kent checks over his kayak
A huge growth on a small branch
A huge group of geese. Was this one family?
Our lunch stop at Rainbow Rapids Landing
Some folks wanted shade and a hard surface to setup their chairs, others chose a more natural chair.
The banks of the Pere Marquette are heavily forested
Lois is having fun making her way through the rocks
Marlene is not sure of her choice of route through the rapids
Paul enjoys a little splash
Larry feels confident
Kent
Irene
