Day 35: Gazebo Camping

We said goodbye to Tad's parents and then were brought to the levy by Tad, Holly, and Amy.  After snapping a few pictures they were off to church and we were back on the water.  As soon as we got the gear to the top of the levy we noticed just how much the river had risen in our time off.  Where before we had to portage the canoe from the train tracks to the levy we could now put in the water right at the base of the levy and paddle straight to the river.  The entire riverfront was now underwater.  It made for an easier launch though, so we were grateful.


While calling ahead for lock and dam 22 we were informed they were closed.  They told us we could shoot over the spillway which I was pretty sure they weren't supposed to do.  However, since they suggested it, it seemed safe and we decided to do it.  It was no more discerning than a wing dam really.  The rest of the day was pretty basic until lock and dam 24.  That too was closed, but this time the lockmaster was not very supportive of going over the spillway.  I believe his exact words were, "I mean, if you want to try it I can't stop you.  But I also am not going to come get you if you capsize."  If he was apprehensive about it, then we were apprehensive about it.  We decided to make the long portage.  And I mean long.  So long that it forced us to be a little creative in our portaging.  We used straps to make a backpack to haul the tent and sleeping pads in and also looped straps underneath the canoe and up over a shoulder to make the canoe a bit easier.  Even with these innovations it was pretty brutal.  My back was pretty beat up from the slip n slide still.  Still worth it.


After the portage we searched for high ground.  None.  Everything was either under water, almost under water, or private property.  People were sand bagging right up to the main street business doors.  The only area that looked like it would withstand any rise in water level was a gazebo.  So we paddled over to it, pulled the canoe up the walkway, and set up camp.  We got some weird looks from the sand baggers.