Decisions
Goal distance: 7 miles
Actual distance: 7 miles
Lower Saranac Lake Site #57 to Fogarty B & B in Saranac Lake
Weather: Still sunny, but was very cool in the morning. Was very hot in Saranac in the afternoon. Tailwind. Storms were predicted in late afternoon, but never materialized.
Portages: 0 (Took the Lower Locks)
Brunch: Blue Moon Cafe, in Saranac Lake
Dinner: The Cottage, in Lake Placid
We're caught up with the original itinerary. Watched the sun rise as we were packing. On the (flat) water by 6:30 am. Caught up with the Bartlett Carry boyscout group just before hitting the Lower Locks. Turns out they were some of the wildlife who had been jumping off the cliffs on Bluff Island yesterday afternoon. We all entered the Lower Locks together, asked them what badges they were getting and told them how they could earn the mother of all canoeing badges when they got older.
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| 6:30 a.m. Lower Saranac Lake |
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| 20 minutes later |
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| Waiting with the boyscouts |
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| Lower lock |
Worked our way through the maze of islands on Oseekah (sp?) Lake. Easy to do by following the red and green channel markers. This lake seemed somewhat weedy to us. The Saranac lakes are still our favorite. Arrived in Saranac Lake at 9:30 am and met two of the NFCT staff people at the kiosk, who happened to be there installing a new sign-in. I got to be the first person to officially use the new registry there. Located the B & B and went out for breakfast at the Blue Moon Cafe before heading to St. Regis Outfitters to pick up our car and discuss the next section. Ran into the boyscout troop again here in town. This was their last day and were heading home.
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| NFCT/Saranac Lake Registration Kiosk |
Spent the afternoon here at the library, doing some laundry and scouting out the river section from Saranac to Clayburg. We are not whitewater paddlers and won't consider entering anything over Class II. This section includes Class III and IV and the carry around them is sketchy according to other paddlers. Walking the road is the other option. Or some kind of shuttle. Because we have our car with us today, we were able to check out the road. Neither of us liked the idea of walking it at all and are concerned about finding the quick turnout after just before being "committed" to the Class III-IV section. But I think we have a plan. Plus, Sam pointed out that I could use those "banked" miles from Middle and Lower Saranac Lakes toward this missed section.
Tomorrow, I'll rent a kayak from St. Regis Outfitters and paddle the Saranac to Permanent Rapids where Sam can pick me up. We'll spend another night at the Fogarty B & B which have been great to us, stashing our canoe in their garage. (I found out about them through another paddler blog.) We're working out the rest of the details with St. Regis about getting our car shuttled to Plattsburg, but will be able paddle the rest of the route bypassing the questionable falls and road option.
Two maps done. 84 miles to date, plus those banked miles!
