Lumber River adventure

Meeting a friend in the middle between Portland and Awendaw could be a challenge, but since my friend Rand was visiting in Carrboro, NC it was not so bad. As is our custom, we typically get together for one “adventure” each year, usually paddling a Carolina river. Rand has a passion for adventure that makes my experiences seem quite tame. HIs latest plan will be a rafting trip down the Colorado River: he won a lottery for the permit to make this trip. He will be the organizer for this river journey lasting a full month and scheduled for February. Any takers?

Our plan was to meet in the middle at the Lumber River, and paddle a section of this blackwater river. I brought the boat, again exchanging Kingfisher for the fine canoe Nova, a craft quite suited for traveling these waters. The weather on the drive was wet and cool, quite different than the partly sunny and 75 degree forecast. One wrong turn and a backtrack ensured that I would pass over the Little Peedee River and Lumber Rivers three times, not just one. One billboard in the rain struck my eye: two photos side by side, one of a smartphone with the caption “Unplug”, and the second of a butterfly with “Tune into nature” or something like that. I arrived in Fair Bluff, NC, crossed over the Lumber RIver one more time on the home stretch for our meeting at Lumber River State Park. (Read more about the Lumber River and efforts to protect it.)

Rand had beaten me there, and had gathered information about the river’s current conditions and possible drop-in’s and take-out’s.  We would leave the canoe at the landing at the park, caravan down to Fair Bluff and drop off a car, and come back together to the landing for our launch. The rain had slowed but was still coming down lightly, and though we had rain gear we still had limited clothes for the coolness. I was happy to have my neoprene sailing boots; Rand would place plastic bags over his socks to keep his feet dry.

As we were preparing to launch the Nova, Rand stated “We have a serious problem here” as he looked at the stern. Damaged boat? No, there was a bird nest with eggs crammed into the bitter end that had survived the three hour drive at speeds over 60mph. It must have been a Carolina wren, since this narrow place would have seemed like any mayonnaise jar. Rand placed the nest and eggs in a nearby shrub; we hoped for the best but were not optimistic.

We made a short paddle upstream to view a feature of the river called Griffin’s Whirl. We headed into this eddy, and just floated, pausing in the movement against the downstream flow. The curtain in the sky was suddenly drawn, and the sun poured on to the river; we would have blue skies the rest of the day. Rand had his usual position paddling stern, and I used my place in the bow to capture some images from the river. Early on, a turtle allowed us a relatively close approach.  

Our last meeting was the previous year with a trip on the Little Peedee River, and the Lumber is actually a tributary of the Little Peedee. As we paddled we caught up with our lives: professional, family, and leisure. Being old friends, we challenged each other at times with our questions.

The efforts of many people contributed to the conservation of this river and adjoining lands. No homes intruded on the banks throughout our trip. The river has the federal designation as a Wild and Scenic RIver. Cypress/gum swamp and bottomland hardwood forest  dominated the river’s edges.  We had seen only one other boat, another canoe launching as we passed downstream. The river’s quietness slowly transported us into its sonic realm, and particularly its bird sounds. The calls of birds of prey echoed through the woods. Red shouldered hawks streaked above the canopy with their sharp calls. Great horned owls boomed their bass lines from the forest. At one time the two species joined forces in vocalizing together.

The river’s sandy bottom was deposited in places with exposed sandbars, and we pulled out on one for lunch. From this vantage point we could observe the river flow by. The birds cooperated with fly-bys, one pileated woodpecker crossing the river at our sandbar. The other canoe seen earlier came by, a local couple paddling the deeply loaded boat. We knew they planned on camping, but their filled equipment water bags, and even a pile of split hardwood, left only a couple of inches of freeboard. They were confident and comfortable, and had camped on the river before.

We resumed our paddle downriver, taking time to observe wildlife along the way. We spotted a mammal swimming ahead, but did not get close enough for an identification. Another appeared closer; Lumber RIver state park staff later told us it was a wharf rat. I didn’t think so, and with later consultation determined it to be a beaver (thought I might have seen that paddle for a tail).

We saw a couple fishing on the bank ahead, and learned that we were not far from our take-out at Fair Bluff. A large boardwalk had provided their access, and what appeared to be part of a park with signs “Lumber River Conservancy”. As we rounded a large bend, we spotted the continuation of this boardwalk, and concluded it was the same as one beginning next to the landing where we headed. It was well built, and included covered areas with picnic tables. We picked a spot next to the concrete pad of the landing and pulled the Nova up on the bank. After transferring the gear to my vehicle, and loading the Nova on the roof racks, we lingered on the river’s bank. Fair Bluff was very sleepy, and even a produce stand yawned. Some truck traffic passed through the little downtown, but no pedestrians were seen on its sidewalks. We left the town and returned to the state park, saying our goodbyes until our next adventure.